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Plus: A new column on dementia, autism in the Amish, and more

October 5, 2025 Check out STAT+

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By Torie Bosch First Opinion editor

This week, I got to experience one of the rare treats of being severely myopic: I got a new, slightly stronger pair of glasses and got to look at the suddenly sharp leaves in the distance. Thank you, optometry. This week in First Opinion: We launched a new STAT+ column on dementia from expert Jason Karlawish of Penn, the "First Opinion Podcast" returned with a pharma sciences Ph.D. turned social media influencer, an op-ed looked at the very complicated question of autism among the Amish, and much more. Recommendation of the week: The second season of the BBC Radio 4 show "Marianna in Conspiracyland" looks at a young woman — the daughter of a nurse who became a high-profile conspiracy theorist during Covid — who elected to forgo treatment for cancer. It's very human, and very frustrating.

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Science social media star Dr. Noc on the value of edutainment "It would be really, really easy if my goal is to get as big numbers as I can," says Dr. Noc, aka Morgan McSweeney. But that's not his aim. By Torie Bosch STAT+ | The way we talk about dementia is about to change completely In a new three-part series, Alzheimer's expert Jason Karlawish assesses the dramatically changing world of dementia. By Jason Karlawish Coverage for telemedicine has ended abruptly. For my patients and me, it's a disaster We should not be leaving physicians and patients to guess whether a proven, widely used mode of care is legal, billable, or sustainable. By Ryan Nadelson Adobe The Trump administration's approach to autism is tangled up with ableism, eugenics, and pronatalism Dehumanizing descriptions of autistic people echo the eugenic policies of the early 20th century. By Shoumita Dasgupta Why promising women's health companies die so often Women's health startups can't build a sustainable business model when the entire system is designed to prevent adoption at scale. By Veronica Adamson Yes, Amish people do have autism, but we still don't know how many do It is clear that some Amish do have autism. But direct comparisons between autism in the Amish and in the U.S. at large are difficult By Braxton D. Mitchell PATRICK MEINHARDT/AFP via Getty Images STAT+ | Why the human workflow is health AI's biggest, costliest problem A new study on medical AI in Kenya highlights the chasm between a correct algorithm and the messy reality of clinical practice. By Javaid Iqbal Sofi STAT+ | Instead of work requirements, Medicaid should turn to employer incentives If the administration wants to slash Medicaid spending and promote self-sufficiency, employer incentives are the best approach. By Mark V. Pauly The Trump administration's Soviet approach to autism policy In a strangely Soviet turn, U.S. scientific and public health leadership subordinate their reasoned judgment on autism to the president's political needs. By Ari Ne'eman Adobe A former CDC director's guide to seeing and stopping threats to America's health At a time when many feel helpless to stop dangerous changes to vaccine policy, Tom Frieden's new book offers a way forward. By Tom Frieden An insurance company is introducing a new threat to American medicine Cigna's new approach to scrutinizing CPT codes devalues physicians' time and judgment. By Ryan Nadelson What is the price of saving a single child's life? Is it ethical to perform a high-risk surgery to save one infant in a country where health care resources are limited? By Christopher Hartnick Adobe STAT+ | Lilly executives: How the FDA's new PreCheck program can unleash the future of U.S. medicine manufacturing The existing regulatory framework continues to delay turning investments into tangible progress for patients, Eli Lilly executives write By Jeffrey Francer and Victor Cruz

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