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RFK Jr.'s milk mustache and the dairy industry's historic power

January 24, 2026
Illustration: Camille MacMillin/STAT, photo: AP

What RFK Jr.'s milk mustache says about the historic power of dairy in the U.S. 

U.S. dairy consumption has dropped sharply in recent decades, but experts see more than just industry promotion in a new "Drink Whole Milk" campaign.

By Sarah Todd


Illustration: Camille MacMillin/STAT; Photos: Adobe

Is 'shared decision-making' being hijacked by U.S. health officials to sow doubt about vaccines?

Trump administration invokes 'shared decision-making' to scale back vaccine guidance, twisting a concept meant to pair evidence with values

By Eric Boodman


Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. swore in Anthony Letai (left) as the director of the National Cancer Institute in September 2025.
HHS Photo/Amy Rossetti

STAT+ | Anthony Letai says NCI is more stable than perceived and is heading for a big year

NCI Director Anthony Letai says agency is on firm ground despite layoffs and grant disruptions, ready to prioritize immuno-oncology and precision medicine.

By Angus Chen



STAT+ | Health insurance execs shift blame for costly, confusing health care system

Health insurance CEOs appear before Congress, blame high cost of health care on hospitals, doctors, and prescription drugs.

By Bob Herman and Daniel Payne


Opinion: I ask my patients what they're grateful for. Recently, three of them cried

A doctor's simple question sparked unexpected tears — revealing fears about preventable illness, shrinking safety nets, and what gratitude really means now.

By Joseph Tucker


As U.S. prepares to exit WHO, it is stiffing the agency on a large bill

Trump, who has a long history of stiffing contractors, ordered the WHO withdrawal on claims the organization mishandled the Covid pandemic.

By Helen Branswell


STAT+ | Unfilled vacancies have depleted NIH advisory councils, key players in grant approvals

Advisory councils play a key role in grant funding. High number of vacancies prompts worries about slowed funding, speculation about motives

By Megan Molteni


Opinion: What lingers in 'The Pitt' is heartache. What's missing is outrage

"The Pitt" portrays the pandemic as a sad misfortune that happened, rather than a moral failure that was done.

By Jennifer W. Tsai


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