Dec 16, 2025

Email 1:

Subject: AI in hospitals, a new antibiotic, and a shocking deaths

Sender: newsletter@statnews.com

• FDA approved a new antibiotic for treating gonorrhea, the second most common STI in the US; this follows data published in The Lancet.
• A recent study shows about one-third of US hospitals were early adopters of generative AI in 2024, with trends varying by electronic health record systems used.
• AI advancements are enabling mammograms to not only detect current breast cancer but also predict risk for breast cancer and cardiovascular disease.
• A child’s death after receiving an experimental gene therapy has raised significant concern and calls for improved safety measures in genetic medicine.
• The UK National Health Service spends £13 million annually to treat sudden heavy menstrual bleeding, highlighting the need for better management strategies.
• Palliative care provides essential support, balancing medical facts with family grief and hope in cases of fatal brain injuries.

Email 2:

Subject: 📋 Unfinished businesss

Sender: vitals@axios.com

• The Trump administration is finalizing policies that could affect billions in health spending, including $50 billion for rural health and new drug pricing models.
• House Democrats face decisions on whether to support bipartisan compromise plans to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies amid ongoing legislative challenges.
• Senators Josh and Erin Hawley plan to launch the “Love Life Initiative,” a dark money group advocating against abortion rights and focusing on family issues.
• The Department of Veterans Affairs intends to cut up to 35,000 mostly unfilled health care jobs, further stretching the workforce available to veterans.
• Rising referral costs and wait times indicate challenges in VA’s ability to provide timely care within its facilities.
• Additional news highlights include an FDA review of pediatric COVID shot safety, surrogacy trends among Chinese elites, and a medical cannabis use review showing limited benefit and risks.

Email 3:

Subject: An adorable sea slug, a tattooed tardigrade and our stunning Sun: the best science images of the years

Sender: briefing@nature.com

• The award-winning photo of the sheep nudibranch shows its remarkable ability to perform photosynthesis by sequestering chloroplasts from algae.
• China leads research in about 90% of key technologies affecting national interests, a major shift from US dominance two decades ago.
• Beetles use heat sensors to pollinate cycads by detecting infrared radiation, demonstrating a sophisticated plant-insect interaction.
• Comet 3I/ATLAS will make a close pass to Earth this Friday, offering scientists insights into interstellar objects.
• The Trump administration’s first year back saw cuts to science funding and federal research grants, raising concerns about politicization of science.
• New theories about why ice is slippery include a novel concept of amorphization disrupting molecular structure without surface melting.
• Additional recommended long reads cover environmental writing and geology.
• Conservation scientists in Laos conduct fieldwork studying amphibians and reptiles despite challenging conditions.
• A Nature editorial praises global cooperation on a pandemic treaty as a scientific highlight of 2025.

Email 4:

Subject: Free E-Book: From innovation to equity, explore the evolving landscape of modern medicines

Sender: marketing@statnews.com

• STAT released a new e-book focusing on the future of truly personalized medicine, highlighting precision care as a transformational shift.
• Key drivers include breakthroughs in CRISPR, CAR T therapies, proteomic analysis, and AI-guided diagnostics.
• The e-book emphasizes the importance of clinical systems capable of translating individualized data into patient care actions.
• Policy frameworks are crucial to ensure equitable access to advanced treatments.
• Robust data infrastructures are needed to integrate genomic, imaging, and real-world health information effectively.
• Aligning scientific discovery, implementation, and responsible data use is essential for making personalized, data-driven care the future standard.
• The e-book is available for download for those interested in the evolving landscape of modern medicines.

Stay Well!