How Trump’s Covid-19 affects biotech, medicine, and the FDA

Why is the president making drug ads? Are antibodies the new vaccines? And is it ethical for doctors to talk about President Trump’s health?

We discuss all that and more this week on “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s biotech podcast. First, we do our best to unpack Trump’s video-based endorsement of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and his apparent acceptance that there won’t be a Covid-19 vaccine before Election Day. Then, Vir Biotechnology CEO George Scangos calls in to explain the process of developing a treatment much like the one Trump received and how the president’s sudden boosterism affects the day-to-day work of making medicines. Finally, we dig into an age-old debate in medicine: Is it ethical for doctors to comment on the health of famous patients?

For more on what we cover, here’s the president’s address; here’s how it played out inside Regeneron; here’s some background on Vir; and here’s STAT’s complete coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.

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We’ll be back next Thursday evening — and every Thursday evening — so be sure to sign up on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, or wherever you get your podcasts.

And if you have any feedback for us — topics to cover, guests to invite, vocal tics to cease — you can email [email protected]

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