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For Fauci’s testimony, keep these questions in mind
Anthony Fauci is set to testify before a Senate committee this morning about the Covid pandemic. He will be questioned by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who has a history of contentious exchanges with Fauci and has even called for his imprisonment.
To preempt potential political fallout, former President Biden pardoned Fauci before leaving office. However, both Paul and health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have hinted that this testimony could lead to new criminal charges. At STAT, we’re curious: How careful will Fauci be with Paul’s questions? Could his temper lead to mistakes? And how will Democrats navigate this situation? Read more from our team on what to anticipate.
How a fugitive made a career in biotech
Amid calls for Fauci’s imprisonment, STAT’s Adam Feuerstein offers a deep dive into biotech’s most-wanted fugitive. After a 2005 sexual assault conviction, Ronald Fischer adopted an alias and used fake CVs and his sailboat to evade capture, continuing to work in the industry for over two decades.
“He wasn’t very nice,” an industry recruiter recounted after discussing various job openings with Fischer. “When I questioned his oncology credentials for a position, he got really angry and said, ‘Have you seen where the f— I went to school?’” Read more from Adam about how this convicted individual managed to blend in.
How visa time limits could impact American science
The Department of Homeland Security is eliminating a long-standing policy that permitted international students to remain in the U.S. for the entire duration of their education, regardless of the time needed. Now, students on nonimmigrant visas must request an extension after four years—a challenging timeframe for biomedical Ph.D. students, whose programs usually last five to six years.
The Trump administration argues this change is needed to combat fraud by “forever students.” However, immigration experts, academics, and student advocates told STAT’s Jonathan Wosen that this stricter policy could damage the nation’s scientific reputation. “These people are already the most regulated population of nonimmigrant visa holders in the country,” said immigration attorney Elizabeth Goss. “I just think it’s an excuse.” Read more about the possible consequences.
Can doctors trust clinical AI? Should they?
Numerous U.S. doctors are turning to clinical large language models from companies like OpenEvidence, Doximity, and UpToDate as alternatives to the mainstream models known for hallucinations. But few studies have compared these clinical tools with general Big Tech models. This summer, NYU researchers conducted a head-to-head study, and the results were striking, as reported by STAT’s Katie Palmer.
“Some of the tension in the industry isn’t even between companies,” noted Daniel Nadler, founder and CEO of OpenEvidence. “It’s between academia and doctors.” The stakes are high, and the debate around the study’s findings reflects this. Read more about what the data reveals.
A neglected issue in pedestrian, biker deaths
In 2024, over 9,000 pedestrians and cyclists lost their lives on U.S. roads—a 65% increase since 2010. A July report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office highlighted the increasing size of passenger vehicles and the blind spots formed by common design features as risk factors affecting driver visibility. The report recommended that the Department of Transportation develop a method to evaluate visibility in vehicles and specifically address any risks found.
The agency agreed with the first suggestion but opposed the second. Transportation secretary Sean Duffy has openly criticized what he calls “DEI bike lanes,” and his agency has removed references and tools related to bike safety from federal websites.
In Boston, where cyclist and safety advocate Louisa Gag was recently killed by a truck, blind spots were a main topic of discussion before further details of the accident came out. “As a driver, I am very aware of the right-turn blind spot, so I check multiple times before turning right,” one Boston Globe reader wrote to the paper. “I’m terrified of hitting a cyclist I can’t see.”
What we’re reading
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The unmaking of Anthony Fauci, The Atlantic
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A for-profit hospital slashed costs. Then a patient froze to death on its roof, Mother Jones
- Opinion: Prolonged hospital stays can leave children isolated. It needs to change, STAT
- FDA official says food supply is safe as cyclosporiasis cases climb, New York Times
- American Diabetes Association, facing calls for resignations, asks for patience, STAT
