A letter from the executive editor: The Obesity Revolution

Dear Readers,

Let me call your attention to an important new series at STAT: “The Obesity Revolution.” Over the coming days and months, we’ll examine a class of obesity drugs that is transforming patients’ lives, dividing medical experts, and spurring one of the biggest business battles in years.

The first installment, by cardiovascular disease reporter Elaine Chen and senior writer Matthew Herper, shows how pharma companies are promoting a new message about obesity, one that happens to bolster the reasons to consider taking new drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. It may also be changing how people think about what it means to be sick and what it takes to be healthy.

Future articles and multimedia projects will examine the science behind the new drugs, lobbying wars, industry battles and, of course, the implications for children and other groups, communities, and culture. All of these stories will draw on the authority and sourcing of journalists across STAT’s newsroom, whose beats include science, biotech, life sciences, chronic diseases, business, and policy and politics.

For full access to the entire obesity series — and the exclusive reporting that we deliver every day — please consider purchasing a STAT+ subscription. Get 15% off an annual subscription by using promo code STAT15 when you check out.

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Students can also take advantage of discounted academic and nonprofit rates. We also offer group subscriptions and licenses. You can get more information here.

With a STAT+ subscription, you’ll get access to all of our premier journalism. In recent days, standout STAT+ stories have included:

• An investigation into how a depression test devised by a Zoloft marketer became a crutch for a failing mental health system.
• An inside look at how a new battle is brewing among biotechs over next-gen gene editing tools.
• A behind-the-scenes examination of how Mindstrong’s rush to roll out a “smoke alarm” for mental illness led to its downfall.
• The untold story of how Eric Lander’s sharp elbows spurred MIT’s Nancy Hopkins to start a gender revolution.

We continue to be recognized for the high caliber of our journalism. Most recently, we’ve been nominated for two National Magazine Awards, one for general excellence and one for public service, for staff writer Nicholas Florko’s two-year investigation into the deaths of more than 1,000 incarcerated people from hepatitis C complications, despite there being a cure.

Thank you for reading STAT. As always, please reach out to me with feedback. I’m at [email protected].

Please stay safe,

Richard L. Berke
Co-founder & Executive Editor