brain-implants
What does Neuralink want?
O. Rose Broderick writes: Elon Musk loves a grand vision. Whether it's SpaceX, Tesla, or Neuralink, his brain-computer interface startup, the billionaire has never been shy about setting sky-high expectations. For Neuralink, Musk has sworn that the company will implant its device in 1 million people by 2030 (it's currently at 12) and that the device will soon be implanted in healthy humans and that it will help mitigate the singularity, a theoretical future in which artificial intelligence has surpassed human intelligence.
But the soaring rhetoric and transhumanist avowals diverge from the more measured language used by other startups and academics, who worry it's a distraction that actively hinders the field's push to show that brain implants can benefit people with disabilities like ALS or paralysis.
Read more on how Neuralink's rhetoric is hindering the fledgling field, according to its peers and competitors. Plus: Check out the three trends that STAT will be returning to as this surging field of neurotechnology enters 2026.
telehealth
Telehealth companies to offer Novo's Wegovy pill
Katie Palmer writes: As drugmaker Novo Nordisk launched the pill version of its popular obesity medication Wegovy on Monday, it aimed to capture patients with a cash-pay discount — $149 a month for the lowest starting doses of the medication through April 15. It's also trying to onboard new patients through an expanded roster of telehealth providers.
The drugmaker's direct-to-consumer patient portal, NovoCare, now includes links to seven telehealth companies that can prescribe its medication. The site says the providers, including 9amHealth, eMed, Form Health, Knownwell, LifeMD, Ro, and Weight Watchers, "are recognized by Novo Nordisk for legitimate medicine sourcing and patient support," but that the company "does not endorse these health care providers or organizations."
Several of the telehealth providers promoted access to the Wegovy pill through their sites in closely-timed announcements Monday morning. (GoodRx, which launched a weight loss telehealth program in November, also said it would soon offer Wegovy pill prescriptions.) Through such "co-branding," telehealth providers aim to increase patients coming through their doors for in-demand meds while drugmakers hope to drive up sales.
BIOTECH
What lies ahead for AI drug design?
Following a boom in new AI antibody models last year, my colleague Brittany Trang asked experts how far the technology ultimately came in 2025 — and when they think it will start revolutionizing drug discovery. Some aren't as enthused about the technology as venture capital investors seem to be.
Read more here
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