New gene therapy, to be priced at $4.25 million, has already transformed children's lives

This week, the FDA approved Lenmeldy, a treatment for metachromatic leukodystrophy, a neurodegenerative disease. Its maker, Orchard Therapeutics, said it would charge $4.25 million for the treatment, making it the most expensive drug in history. But for some children, it will be the only lifeline away from a progressive, fatal disease. Read more.

By Jason Mast and Megan Molteni

Thumy Phan for STAT

The methadone clinic monopoly: Opioid treatment chains backed by private equity are fighting calls for reform

Private equity firms have acquired stakes in nearly one-third of all methadone clinics in recent years, gaining outsize control of the U.S. addiction treatment industry even as the country's opioid epidemic has developed into a full-fledged public health crisis. Read Part 3 of The War on Recovery.

By Lev Facher

PART 1: The War on Recovery

PART 2: The Methadone Patient Experience

PART 3: The Methadone Industry

PART 4 COMING 3/26: Methadone Access in Europe

Adobe

A study says intermittent fasting is making people drop dead. Oh, come on

A popular fad diet is apparently lethal, new scientific research says. Specifically, a study found that caloric restriction, also known as intermittent fasting, has a 91% higher risk of death due to cardiovascular disease. Except scientific research doesn't say that — and not only should you not be worried about this study, you shouldn't be wasting brain glucose thinking about it. Read more.

By Matthew Herper

More great reads from STAT this week

Opinion: A liquid-only diet before a colonoscopy is unnecessary
Hospitals turn to sports performance centers to offer athletes elite care — for the right price
Exclusive: As Humira biosimilars take over the market, CVS has created a new ploy: the drug 'rebate credit'
A scientific mystery highlights the blind spots in genomics databases
Fetal tissue research gains in importance as roadblocks multiply