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Good morning. Yesterday, I didn’t get the chance to mention it, but have you heard about Nathan Fielder’s new documentary on Elizabeth Holmes? Variety described it as shameless and fascinating. I might have to see it for myself.
Can AI Transform Health Care?
The potential of AI in health care is a matter of debate. According to STAT’s Brittany Trang, AI has yet to revolutionize the chaotic environment of emergency rooms. While AI documentation can help doctors concentrate on diagnosing their current patients, it offers little improvement, as one ER doctor noted. The environment is noisy, workflows are disjointed, and patients are experiencing longer wait times for critical care. Read more from Brittany on the capabilities and limitations of AI in health care.
Despite skepticism, some remain hopeful about AI’s potential. Two First Opinion essays present opposing views on whether AI will eventually replace doctors. Bioethicist and oncologist Ezekiel Emanuel, along with researcher Abe Baker-Butler, argues that AI is far more capable than many believe. On the other hand, John Whyte, CEO of the American Medical Association, counters that while AI can handle medical tasks, practicing medicine involves much more than task execution.
CDC Restructures: Covid Integrated with Flu Division
The CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases has reorganized, consolidating Covid-19 and other respiratory disease operations within the influenza division. This change took effect on Sept. 4, as noted in the Federal Register on Tuesday.
While Covid-related matters are politically sensitive, former CDC staff, including Demetre Daskalakis, previously NCIRD director, state that this consolidation was planned during the Biden administration and is a logical move. With a decrease in Covid funding due to a reduced disease burden, merging its operations with the flu division allows for resource optimization. However, Daskalakis and others caution that this transition could be challenging, especially with NCIRD having had several acting directors since Daskalakis quit in August 2025, and the flu and respiratory virus season approaching. “Not my favorite timing,” Daskalakis remarked. — Helen Branswell
Telemedicine Company Introduces GLP-1s for Addiction
Quel, a new company, announced its launch yesterday as the pioneering telemedicine venture focused on GLP-1s for addiction. Available in 41 states, the service extends a program initially tested at Caron Treatment Centers in Pennsylvania. Last summer, STAT’s Lev Facher explored the center’s use of semaglutide for addiction, describing it as a journey into uncharted territory. At that time, only a few clinical trials examined GLP-1s’ potential to reduce substance use, but the number of such studies, particularly on alcohol use disorder, has since increased.
Although the FDA has not approved GLP-1s for substance use, these medications will be prescribed off-label. “We’re using something off-label under the umbrella of addiction, whether that be food, sex, alcohol, or opioids,” said Steven Klein, a co-founder and chief medical officer at Quel, to Lev last year. Reread Lev’s great story.
Unsanitary Conditions at Indian Pharma Plant
Shoolin Pharma, located in Gujarat, India, produces active pharmaceutical ingredients for over a dozen medicines sold to U.S. compounding pharmacies. The FDA recently issued a warning letter to the company citing unsanitary conditions, including stains on production walls, floors, and equipment, corrosion on a product line, and an employee wearing open-toed sandals.
While warning letters are not unusual, this one stood out because it included several photos illustrating the extent of the issues, as noted by STAT’s Ed Silverman. Read more on the warning and its implications for compounding pharmacies.
Jeremy Farrar Won’t Seek WHO Director-General Role
Jeremy Farrar, a prominent figure in global health, has confirmed he will not enter the race for the director-general of the World Health Organization. PATH, a leading global health NGO, announced on Wednesday that Farrar is joining its staff on Oct. 1 as the chief of the Asia, Middle East, and Europe regional division in Geneva.
Farrar has an extensive background in global health, having led Oxford University’s Clinical Research Unit in Vietnam for 18 years—during the 2003 SARS outbreak—and later serving as the director of the Wellcome Trust. He left Wellcome in 2023 to become WHO’s chief scientist, eventually transitioning to assistant director-general for health promotion, disease prevention, and care. His move to the WHO was seen by some as a step toward running for director-general when Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus’ term ends on Aug. 15, 2027. However, Farrar’s new appointment at PATH confirms he does not intend to run. There are currently four candidates in the race, with the nomination period closing on Sept. 24. — Helen Branswell
Changing Trust Levels in Fauci, But Still Above RFK Jr.
Public trust in Anthony Fauci as a reliable source of public health information has declined after his Senate Homeland Security committee appearance, where he invoked the Fifth Amendment. According to a survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center, 50% of respondents surveyed in August said they are somewhat or very confident in the trustworthiness of Fauci’s public health information. This is down from 55% in April and similar percentages in previous years. Initial surveys in 2021 reported confidence levels between 63% and 71%.
Despite the 5% decline being statistically significant according to Annenberg, Fauci’s trust levels remain higher than those of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., with only 38% expressing confidence in his public health information. This figure has remained largely stable since early 2025.
What We’re Reading
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‘Nakedly political’: U.S. attempts to link trans support to authoritarianism in new health department report, The Guardian
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School vaccination rates reveal hidden measles outbreak risks. But access depends on where you live, Healthbeat
- FDA names acting heads of drug and vaccine centers to permanent roles, STAT
- Can humans get pregnant in space? National Geographic
