They carry a gene for ALS but aren't sick. What does medical research owe them?

Nine months after her mom died of ALS, Jean Swidler (above) walked into a doctor's office at Columbia University and asked to learn her own fate. A genetic counselor called the next month with test results. Gently, the counselor told her she had the same mutation as her mom. It was exceedingly likely that she, too, would develop the fatal, neuron-wasting disease or a related condition, although no one could say when. Read more.

By Jason Mast

Mike Reddy for STAT

AI is coming to your dentist's office. Will it build trust, or erode it?

Open wide, AI wants a look inside your mouth. A new wave of software is promising to supercharge dentists' ability to spot decay and bone loss — and propose treatments earlier in the disease process. In just the past three years, eight AI products have gained approval from the FDA. Many more are on the way. Read more.

By Casey Ross

Allison Joyce for STAT

In North Carolina, a radical experiment targets social determinants of health with fresh produce and safe housing

At a doctor's visit, Elizabeth Jacques' 7-year-old, Elena (both above), was diagnosed with ADHD, and would need to have her tonsils removed. Knowing that Jacques' family was unhoused, the doctor also asked a simple question: What else do you need? Without missing a beat, Jacques said: food. As it turned out, a North Carolina program designed to help families like Jacques' was well underway. Read more.

By Wudan Yan

More great reads from STAT this week

Does the risk of getting long Covid increase each time you get reinfected?
What to know about the polarizing ALS drug headed for FDA scrutiny
Why doesn't the U.S. have more Black midwives?
Four burning questions about the potential 85,000-worker Kaiser Permanente strike
Opinion: A popular breast cancer genomic test underestimates risks for Black women