S.3 Ep. 3 | Beyond the Headlines
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The "Beyond the Headlines" series returns for Season 3 as hosts Manesh Patel and Emily O’Brien separate the larger implications from the noise in the latest health and research news. They start with reported top-line results suggesting Novartis' lipoprotein(a)-lowering drug pelacarsen did not reduce cardiovascular events, and discuss the surrogate endpoint trap, why neutral trials still matter, and why it is too soon to count out Lp(a) as a target. Next, they examine the growing role of AI agents in medicine, from automating administrative tasks to new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services payment models, and why strong evidence and human oversight must keep pace with the excitement. Emily and Manesh then explore the FDA's Operation Trailblazer, an expedited investigational new drug pilot designed to close the gap between U.S. trial startup times and those of countries like Australia and China. Finally, they remember Dolly Parton's support for COVID research, and Manesh shares highlights from the Rally for Medical Research on Capitol Hill, where advocates made the case for steady National Institutes of Health funding.
Related Headlines from this Episode
- Dolly Parton's health care legacy: two decades of giving (Medical Economics)
- FDA launches pilot program to speed up early US drug research (Biopharma Dive)
- FDA Launches Expedited IND Pilot, Begins Accepting Applications (FDA release)
- How Did a Heart Drug With So Much Promise Fall So Flat? (The New York Times)
- U.S. Health Officials Move Quickly to Deploy Medical A.I. Despite Concerns (The New York Times)
- An AI tool aims to catch harder-to-detect heart attacks in EKGs (STAT)