Say hello to First Opinion's new columnist

Plus: Former ACIP committee chairs warn Americans may lose the choice to vaccinate

September 7, 2025 Check out STAT+

Sponsored By

By Torie Bosch First Opinion editor

This week, First Opinion launched The Workup, a new column from cardiology fellow Vishal Khetpal, who first started writing for STAT while he was in medical school. He'll be writing about the intersection of cardiology and society, including GLP-1s, health equity in cardiovascular health, and much more. Vishal's first column argues that statins should be available over the counter — a fascinating proposal. It's behind the STAT+ paywall, but as always, you can subscribe here. And if you think your employer might have a group subscription to STAT+ but aren't sure, let me know and I can investigate for you. Stay tuned for another STAT+ column launching later this month — and more to come. Is there someone you think should be writing for First Opinion regularly? Let me know. Recommendation of the week: Wired's feature on a venture capitalist and a surrogacy pregnancy gone wrong is deeply troubling — and fascinating.

---

---

Juan Karita/AP The Trump administration's endless quest for vaccine data is public-health gaslighting STAT First Opinion: When Trump, Kennedy, and Makary demand more data on vaccines, it's a tactic to stir doubt and mistrust. By Richard Hughes IV I inserted myself into a conversation at a bar about Covid and vaccines. Here's what happened Four men were talking about Covid when public health scientist Jess Steier just had to burst in. The conversation was surprisingly productive. By Jess Steier The FDA's pivot from ad comms to 'expert' panels is bad medicine The FDA's recent shift from advisory committees to questionable 'expert' panels is a retreat from transparency and scientific rigor. By G. Caleb Alexander Adobe I'm one of the Ph.D. students caught up in the cancelation of 'diversity' grants. I'm heartbroken What happened to students like me when the NIH F31 diversity grant was canceled. By Marissa Russo Fired members of the CDC vaccine advisory committee: Americans are losing the ability to choose vaccination Recent HHS policy changes are already undermining Americans' access to vaccines — and even their freedom to choose vaccination. By Jane R. Zucker, Noel T. Brewer, and and Yvonne A. Maldonado on behalf of 17 former members of ACIP CDC's Injury Center has been devastated by cuts. Here's what we've lost The Injury Center may be among the least familiar of the CDC programs eviscerated by the White House, but its work is critical. By Melissa Fay Greene Markus Schreiber/AP STAT+ | Republicans, take note: Voters trust Democrats more on vaccines If the White House and congressional Republicans abandon smart vaccine policy, it could result in electoral losses in the 2026 midterms. By Larry Bucshon and Michael C. Burgess How churn threatens Americans' health Churn is a major reason for the de-emphasis on wellness, prevention, and managing chronic illnesses like diabetes in the U.S. By Ezekiel J. Emanuel and John A. Graves U.S. science and universities are becoming political hostages in the Orbanization of knowledge Trump's assault on science and universities mimics Viktor Orbán's slow-motion coup against knowledge in Hungary. By Carole LaBonne Adobe STAT+ | Make statins available without a prescription Statins are safe, effective, and cheap. They should be available without a prescription, cardiologist Vishal Khetpal writes. By Vishal Khetpal STAT readers weigh in on fake CPR, a Nobel Peace Prize for Trump and Operation Warp Speed, and more STAT readers respond to provocative op-eds on whether Trump should get a Nobel Peace Prize for Covid vaccines, faking CPR, medical AI, and more. By Torie Bosch

More around STAT

Check out more exclusive coverage with a STAT+ subscription Read premium in-depth biotech, pharma, policy, and life science coverage and analysis with all of our STAT+ articles.

---

Enjoying First Opinion? Tell us about your experience Continue reading the latest health & science news with the STAT app Download on the App Store or get it on Google Play

STAT, 1 Exchange Place, Boston, MA ©2025, All Rights Reserved. I no longer wish to receive STAT emails

Update Newsletter Preferences     •    Contact Us     •    Advertise with Us     •    View in Browser