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Psychedelic biotechs face scrutiny with over-the-top promos

March 31, 2026
Psychedelics companies have been paying third-party marketing companies to promote their investigational drugs, including on YouTube.
Photo illustration: Camille MacMillin/STAT; Screen captures via YouTube

STAT+ | Over-the-top psychedelic promos could undermine the field's drug development efforts

Paid YouTube videos touting experimental psychedelics may raise regulatory, reputational risks for biotechs seeking mainstream credibility.

By Elaine Chen


STAT+ | HSA companies struck it big in Trump's tax bill. They're lobbying for more

Group of HSA companies form dark money group, Great American Health Alliance, or GAHA, to lobby for further expansion of health savings accounts.

By John Wilkerson


Opinion: America needs more clinics of last resort for patients who can't get answers

The NIH's Undiagnosed Diseases Program should serve as a model for medical and research centers all over the country.

By Alexandra Sifferlin



Baby KJ appeared at a STAT event in October flanked by his parents and the scientists who treated him, Rebecca Ahrens-Nicklas (far left) and Kiran Musunuru (far right).
Jeff Pinette for STAT

STAT+ | Baby KJ scientists hit speed bump in quest to scale custom gene editor

After a baby treated by custom gene editing inspired a new FDA pathway, strict FDA manufacturing rules threaten to keep bespoke cures out of reach.

By Jason Mast


STAT+ | Biotech VCs move upstream in China's scientific pipelines as competition grows fiercer

U.S. and Chinese VCs court scientists pre-publication, racing to lock up IP early as competition intensifies and China's biotech boom accelerates.

By Brian Yang


STAT+ | Jimini Health raises funding for AI chatbot targeting complex mental health care

Startup Jimini Health has raised $17 million in seed funding as it seeks to launch its mental health AI platform Sage with large behavioral health organizations.

By Mario Aguilar


Mike Stewart/AP

Opinion: How the next CDC director can win back America's trust

Whoever the new CDC director is, they must restore trust in an institution that lost its way.

By Charles J. Lockwood, Robert C. Gallo, and Sten H. Vermund


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