How a conservative, gun-toting doctor defended abortion access in Appalachia

To be a physician who performs abortions in a small southern town is to be in a state of rational hypervigilance, a whisper of worry that pervades the everyday. Read more.

By Eric Boodman

Rachel Wisniewski for STAT

Not yet free from heroin's grip, an 'honest, funny man' finds his way off the streets

For many like Shaun Anderson (above) who resolve to quit, it's far easier said than done. Even for people looking to enter treatment, and who find support systems willing to help, basic obstacles like housing, safety, and money can make recovery all but impossible. Read more.

By Rachel Wisniewski

Molly Ferguson for STAT

Moving beyond ChatGPT: How generative AI is inspiring dreams of a health data revolution

The world's largest technology companies are racing to build generative AI into every corner of health and medicine. To keep tabs on its use, STAT built a generative AI tracker designed to catalog the emerging applications and experiments, and trace the alliances quickly forming between the builders of generative AI models and health businesses. Read more.

By Casey Ross and Katie Palmer

More great reads from STAT this week

Graduate students accuse University of California of wage theft, just months after strike was settled
How a supplement company became a haven for health misinformation
Opinion: I cured my ARFID with psilocybin. I shouldn't have needed to self-treat it
Ketamine can be transformative for people with suicidal thoughts — if they can access it
An uncommon thyroid diagnosis led to an unexpected, all-too-visible side effect