Angus Rohan Chen
@angusrohan.bsky.social
I write about cancer and health for STAT news. Formerly NPR.
Tips, stories, comments?
Signal: Angus.08
angus.chen@statnews.com
Tips, stories, comments?
Signal: Angus.08
angus.chen@statnews.com
We and CNN reported that Anthony Letai of Dana Farber is the leading candidate now to lead the NCI. Word that he'd been tapped to lead the institute spread rapidly, and cancer researchers reacted w relief and optimism over the potential appointment www.statnews.com/2025/09/24/n...
Anthony Letai of Dana-Farber is front-runner to lead National Cancer Institute
A popular and respected scientist is reported to be in line to lead the nation's most important cancer research office.
www.statnews.com
September 24, 2025 at 7:56 PM
We and CNN reported that Anthony Letai of Dana Farber is the leading candidate now to lead the NCI. Word that he'd been tapped to lead the institute spread rapidly, and cancer researchers reacted w relief and optimism over the potential appointment www.statnews.com/2025/09/24/n...
Reposted by Angus Rohan Chen
Fifty cancer types in one liquid biopsy test: Exact Sciences enters the early-detection market, where it looks to compete with Grail. Interesting story via @angusrohan.bsky.social for @statnews.com www.statnews.com/2025/09/11/e...
Fifty cancer types in one liquid biopsy test: Exact Sciences enters early-detection market
A new liquid biopsy test from Exact Sciences scans for 50 cancers in one blood sample. The company says it marks a new era in early detection, but there are caveats.
www.statnews.com
September 11, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Fifty cancer types in one liquid biopsy test: Exact Sciences enters the early-detection market, where it looks to compete with Grail. Interesting story via @angusrohan.bsky.social for @statnews.com www.statnews.com/2025/09/11/e...
Reposted by Angus Rohan Chen
"We took an oath. You did too. Will you uphold yours?” Nearly 900 federal workers, including CDC and NIH staff, signed a letter to Congress urging it to protect medicine and science. Story via @angusrohan.bsky.social and @aniloza.bsky.social for @statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/09/18/f...
www.statnews.com/2025/09/18/f...
Despite fear of retaliation, hundreds of federal workers urge Congress to protect medicine and science
Federal workers send Congress a letter pleading for help, but their trouble attracting signatures reflects fear of retaliation.
www.statnews.com
September 18, 2025 at 5:23 PM
"We took an oath. You did too. Will you uphold yours?” Nearly 900 federal workers, including CDC and NIH staff, signed a letter to Congress urging it to protect medicine and science. Story via @angusrohan.bsky.social and @aniloza.bsky.social for @statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/09/18/f...
www.statnews.com/2025/09/18/f...
Reposted by Angus Rohan Chen
Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in a striking turn, accuses ousted CDC director Susan Monarez of lying about the leadup to her firing, Andrew Joseph reports for @statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/09/04/h...
www.statnews.com/2025/09/04/h...
Kennedy, in striking turn, accuses ousted CDC director of lying about leadup to her firing
Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Thursday said ousted CDC Director Susan Monarez was lying about the leadup to her firing.
www.statnews.com
September 4, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in a striking turn, accuses ousted CDC director Susan Monarez of lying about the leadup to her firing, Andrew Joseph reports for @statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/09/04/h...
www.statnews.com/2025/09/04/h...
Reposted by Angus Rohan Chen
"Visible fractures": Analysis from @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social at @statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/09/04/k...
www.statnews.com/2025/09/04/k...
Now, even Senate Republicans are pushing back on Kennedy’s vaccine views
Three Republican senators joined Democrats in questioning Kennedy’s contradictory statements on mRNA vaccines and Operation Warp Speed.
www.statnews.com
September 4, 2025 at 7:57 PM
"Visible fractures": Analysis from @chelseacirruzzo.bsky.social at @statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/09/04/k...
www.statnews.com/2025/09/04/k...
Reposted by Angus Rohan Chen
When Trump signed an EO signaling more political oversight of research it didn’t set off new alarm bells inside the NIH
They’d already been ringing for months
@mmolteni.bsky.social @angusrohan.bsky.social & I document how politicization has slowed the agency down
www.statnews.com/2025/08/15/i...
They’d already been ringing for months
@mmolteni.bsky.social @angusrohan.bsky.social & I document how politicization has slowed the agency down
www.statnews.com/2025/08/15/i...
Layers of political oversight have ‘put sand in the gears’ of NIH grant funding
Last November, in the days following Donald Trump’s election, leaders at the National Institutes of Health began discussing how to prepare for the coming
www.statnews.com
August 15, 2025 at 3:49 PM
When Trump signed an EO signaling more political oversight of research it didn’t set off new alarm bells inside the NIH
They’d already been ringing for months
@mmolteni.bsky.social @angusrohan.bsky.social & I document how politicization has slowed the agency down
www.statnews.com/2025/08/15/i...
They’d already been ringing for months
@mmolteni.bsky.social @angusrohan.bsky.social & I document how politicization has slowed the agency down
www.statnews.com/2025/08/15/i...
Reposted by Angus Rohan Chen
Last month, I wrote about a new Trump policy requiring NIH to fund multiyear awards upfront, and concerns that it would shrink the number of new grants NIH could support. Those fears are now being realized. From me, @aniloza.bsky.social, & @angusrohan.bsky.social :
www.statnews.com/2025/07/29/n...
www.statnews.com/2025/07/29/n...
NIH is shrinking the number of research projects it funds due to a new Trump policy
NIH plans to shrink the share of grant applications it will award for the remainder of the fiscal year, in some cases by more than half.
www.statnews.com
July 29, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Last month, I wrote about a new Trump policy requiring NIH to fund multiyear awards upfront, and concerns that it would shrink the number of new grants NIH could support. Those fears are now being realized. From me, @aniloza.bsky.social, & @angusrohan.bsky.social :
www.statnews.com/2025/07/29/n...
www.statnews.com/2025/07/29/n...
How Republicans sidelined the health care industry and pushed through historic Medicaid cuts www.statnews.com/2025/07/08/t... via @statnews.com
How Republicans sidelined the health care industry and pushed through historic Medicaid cuts
The passage of President Trump's signature tax cut bill shows how the health care industry's influence is waning.
www.statnews.com
July 8, 2025 at 4:57 PM
How Republicans sidelined the health care industry and pushed through historic Medicaid cuts www.statnews.com/2025/07/08/t... via @statnews.com
Reposted by Angus Rohan Chen
White House unveils sweeping plan to try to lower U.S. drug prices www.statnews.com/2025/05/12/t... via @danielpayne.bsky.social for @statnews.com
White House unveils sweeping plan to try to lower U.S. drug prices
The White House unveiled a sweeping plan to try to lower prescription drug prices, one that calls for a "most-favored nation" policy and tighter enforcement of anti-competitive practices.
www.statnews.com
May 12, 2025 at 4:05 PM
White House unveils sweeping plan to try to lower U.S. drug prices www.statnews.com/2025/05/12/t... via @danielpayne.bsky.social for @statnews.com
STAT's been keeping track of the Trump government's actions in his first 100 days. See the timeline here: www.statnews.com/2025/04/24/t... via @statnews.com
Day by day, how Trump is roiling science and health
STAT is tracking, day by day, what's happened in the words of science and health during the first months of the Trump administration.
www.statnews.com
April 24, 2025 at 7:00 PM
STAT's been keeping track of the Trump government's actions in his first 100 days. See the timeline here: www.statnews.com/2025/04/24/t... via @statnews.com
Just my colleagues being the best health journalists on the internet www.statnews.com/2025/04/24/t... via @statnews.com
NIH grants plummeted $2.3 billion in Trump’s first months, as federal-academia partnership crumbles
The NIH has scaled back its awards of new grants by at least $2.3 billion since the beginning of the year, a STAT analysis shows.
www.statnews.com
April 24, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Just my colleagues being the best health journalists on the internet www.statnews.com/2025/04/24/t... via @statnews.com
@kcmaine.bsky.social hi! I saw your post earlier that your stomach cancer study was shut down? Would you be open to speaking with me about that? Let me know! Thanks
April 20, 2025 at 3:39 AM
@kcmaine.bsky.social hi! I saw your post earlier that your stomach cancer study was shut down? Would you be open to speaking with me about that? Let me know! Thanks
Supreme Court to hear challenge to ACA rule requiring free preventive care, cancer screenings www.statnews.com/2025/04/17/k... from me @statnews.com
Supreme Court to hear challenge to ACA rule requiring free preventive care, cancer screenings
The Supreme Court will hear a challenge of preventive health care coverage mandated by the Affordable Care Act. The ruling could affect millions of Americans.
www.statnews.com
April 17, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Supreme Court to hear challenge to ACA rule requiring free preventive care, cancer screenings www.statnews.com/2025/04/17/k... from me @statnews.com
Reposted by Angus Rohan Chen
"This means close to a third of the agency’s top management is leaving or left recently." A wave of CDC departures -- that were not announced publicly. www.statnews.com/2025/03/25/c...
5 high-level CDC officials are leaving in the latest turmoil for the public health agency
The CDC was rocked by five high-level departures on Tuesday in the latest turmoil for the nation's top public health agency.
www.statnews.com
March 25, 2025 at 5:52 PM
"This means close to a third of the agency’s top management is leaving or left recently." A wave of CDC departures -- that were not announced publicly. www.statnews.com/2025/03/25/c...
Reposted by Angus Rohan Chen
People genuinely don't know. Spread the word. Tell your friends, neighbors, colleagues, people on the street. Put up flyers and stickers (a roundup here): bsky.app/profile/pron...
“No money for kidney cancer,” Vieth said. “No money for pancreatic cancer. No money for lung cancer. It leaves so much completely unfunded. Yeah, wow. It’s pretty devastating.”
Wonder what percentage of America knows Elon is stealing cancer research for his tax cut?
Wonder what percentage of America knows Elon is stealing cancer research for his tax cut?
Cancer research, long protected, feels ‘devastating’ effects under Trump
Cancer research has had bipartisan support. But Trump administration budget cuts and delays threaten to reverse progress of recent years, experts say.
www.statnews.com
March 24, 2025 at 6:41 PM
People genuinely don't know. Spread the word. Tell your friends, neighbors, colleagues, people on the street. Put up flyers and stickers (a roundup here): bsky.app/profile/pron...
NIH cuts halt 24-year program to prevent HIV/AIDS in adolescents and young adults www.statnews.com/2025/03/25/n... via @statnews.com
NIH cuts halt 24-year program to prevent HIV/AIDS in adolescents and young adults
NIH terminated grants for a program studying how to diagnose, treat, and prevent HIV and AIDS in adolescents and young adults.
www.statnews.com
March 25, 2025 at 6:19 PM
NIH cuts halt 24-year program to prevent HIV/AIDS in adolescents and young adults www.statnews.com/2025/03/25/n... via @statnews.com
Reposted by Angus Rohan Chen
Trump promised that he would “get the cure for cancer.” But with the field eyeing losses in the 100s of millions of dollars, experts warn the administration could slow new discoveries, writes @angusrohan.bsky.social for @statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/03/24/t...
www.statnews.com/2025/03/24/t...
Cancer research, long protected, feels ‘devastating’ effects under Trump
Cancer research has had bipartisan support. But Trump administration budget cuts and delays threaten to reverse progress of recent years, experts say.
www.statnews.com
March 24, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Trump promised that he would “get the cure for cancer.” But with the field eyeing losses in the 100s of millions of dollars, experts warn the administration could slow new discoveries, writes @angusrohan.bsky.social for @statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/03/24/t...
www.statnews.com/2025/03/24/t...
Cancer research has held a near-sacred spot in research. Now, experts told me, it's facing an unprecedented threat that's putting science - and lives - at risk. Paywalled, but let me know if you need a discount to STAT+! www.statnews.com/2025/03/24/t...
Cancer research, long protected, feels ‘devastating’ effects under Trump
Cancer research has had bipartisan support. But Trump administration budget cuts and delays threaten to reverse progress of recent years, experts say.
www.statnews.com
March 24, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Cancer research has held a near-sacred spot in research. Now, experts told me, it's facing an unprecedented threat that's putting science - and lives - at risk. Paywalled, but let me know if you need a discount to STAT+! www.statnews.com/2025/03/24/t...
Former NIH director Francis Collins, once beloved in Washington, now worries for his safety there www.statnews.com/2025/03/10/f... via @statnews.com
Former NIH director Francis Collins, once beloved in Washington, now worries for his safety there
Former NIH director Francis Collins is so concerned for his personal safety that he has hired security at his home
www.statnews.com
March 14, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Former NIH director Francis Collins, once beloved in Washington, now worries for his safety there www.statnews.com/2025/03/10/f... via @statnews.com
Judge issues preliminary injunction blocking Trump cuts to NIH research overhead payments www.statnews.com/2025/03/05/n... via @statnews.com
Judge issues preliminary injunction blocking Trump cuts to NIH research overhead payments
A federal judge issued a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from slashing NIH payments for research overhead
www.statnews.com
March 5, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Judge issues preliminary injunction blocking Trump cuts to NIH research overhead payments www.statnews.com/2025/03/05/n... via @statnews.com
Scientists thought that the govt would honor existing, ongoing grants. But late last week, the NIH terminated ongoing grants for LGBTQ+ research www.statnews.com/2025/03/03/n... via @statnews.com
NIH terminates ongoing grants for LGBTQ+ research
Saying that "research programs based on gender identity are often unscientific," the agency wrote to scientists to cancel current grants.
www.statnews.com
March 4, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Scientists thought that the govt would honor existing, ongoing grants. But late last week, the NIH terminated ongoing grants for LGBTQ+ research www.statnews.com/2025/03/03/n... via @statnews.com
Reposted by Angus Rohan Chen
Funded LGBTQ+ health research is being terminated by the NIH with dishonest & disparaging form letters. www.statnews.com/2025/03/03/n... By @angusrohan.bsky.social
NIH terminates ongoing grants for LGBTQ+ research
Saying that "research programs based on gender identity are often unscientific," the agency wrote to scientists to cancel current grants.
www.statnews.com
March 4, 2025 at 6:07 AM
Funded LGBTQ+ health research is being terminated by the NIH with dishonest & disparaging form letters. www.statnews.com/2025/03/03/n... By @angusrohan.bsky.social
The Trump administration quietly rehires some fired FDA employees.
www.statnews.com/2025/02/23/f... via @statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/02/23/f... via @statnews.com
Trump administration rehires some FDA employees it fired
The Trump administration has started quietly rehiring some FDA employees just days after it fired them.
www.statnews.com
February 24, 2025 at 5:38 PM
The Trump administration quietly rehires some fired FDA employees.
www.statnews.com/2025/02/23/f... via @statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/02/23/f... via @statnews.com
Reposted by Angus Rohan Chen
President Trump had a testy exchange with Maine Governor Janet Mills over his threat to withhold federal funding from the state unless it bans transgender athletes from competing in women’s and girls’ sports.
‘Enjoy your life after governor’: Trump and Maine’s governor spar at the White House over transgender athletes - The Boston Globe
“We’re going to follow the law, sir,” Governor Janet Mills told Trump.
www.bostonglobe.com
February 21, 2025 at 10:43 PM
President Trump had a testy exchange with Maine Governor Janet Mills over his threat to withhold federal funding from the state unless it bans transgender athletes from competing in women’s and girls’ sports.
Mass layoffs leave federal employees with disabilities in the lurch www.statnews.com/2025/02/21/l... via @statnews.com
Mass layoffs leave federal employees with disabilities in the lurch
Disabled workers on a two-year probation were especially vulnerable during the Trump administration's mass firings.
www.statnews.com
February 21, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Mass layoffs leave federal employees with disabilities in the lurch www.statnews.com/2025/02/21/l... via @statnews.com