01 Jun, 2026
The war in Iran has done what years of policy papers could not. It has forced an honest reckoning with American military readiness. While commentators focus on vulnerabilities in industrial…
Daniel covers the intersection of the health industry and the federal government. He reports on corporate influence in government, the health consequences of federal policies, and the politics of health…
Adam Feuerstein is a senior writer and biotech columnist, reporting on the crossroads of drug development, business, Wall Street, and biotechnology. He is also a co-host of the weekly biotech…
Sen. John Cornyn: How many patents do you [have?]AbbVie CEO Richard Gonzalez: … A hundred and thirty-six patents.Cornyn: A hundred and thirty-six patents on one drug?Gonzalez: But, well, remember, Humira…
Below is a lightly edited, AI-generated transcript of the “First Opinion Podcast” interview with Patricia Bencivenga and Adriane Fugh-Berman. Be sure to sign up for the weekly “First Opinion Podcast”…

The U.S. military medical corps needs a new approach to recruitment

The war in Iran has done what years of policy papers could not. It has forced an honest reckoning with American military readiness. While commentators focus on vulnerabilities in industrial capacity and weapons procurement, they consistently omit a critical dimension of readiness: the uniformed medical and technical workforce that makes sustained military operations possible. Across […]

9 mins read

The rise of perimenopause misinformation

Below is a lightly edited, AI-generated transcript of the “First Opinion Podcast” interview with Patricia Bencivenga and Adriane Fugh-Berman. Be sure to sign up for the weekly “First Opinion Podcast” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Get alerts about each new episode by signing up for the “First Opinion Podcast” newsletter. And don’t […]

27 mins read

‘Patient autonomy’ is wrong way to think about childhood vaccine policy

The Trump administration has made sweeping changes to vaccine policy over the past year justified by invocations of patients’ “personal autonomy.” In January, Department of Health and Human Services head Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump’s slashed the number of routinely recommended childhood vaccines from 17 to 11 after an HHS report emphasized “personal autonomy and […]

11 mins read

Why longevity ‘blue zones’ are a mixed bag

Below is a lightly edited, AI-generated transcript of the “First Opinion Podcast” interview with Shelley Wood and Eric Topol. Be sure to sign up for the weekly “First Opinion Podcast” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Get alerts about each new episode by signing up for the “First Opinion Podcast” newsletter. And don’t […]

37 mins read