What do drugmakers think of RFK Jr.? Why has it been so difficult to commercialize gene therapies? And what tacos did Adam eat this week while attending the American Society of Hematology conference?

We discuss all this and more in this week’s episode of “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s biotechnology podcast. Washington correspondent John Wilkerson joins us to explain why drugmakers haven’t lobbied against Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s nomination to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, despite his repeated criticism of the pharmaceutical industry.

We also invite our colleague Jason Mast to talk about the main obstacles in the field of gene therapy and how one father is trying to overcome them.

For more on the pharmaceutical industry’s silence on RFK Jr.’s nomination, go here; To learn more about one father’s efforts to develop gene therapies for rare diseases, go here; For more on STAT’s coverage of the ASH conference, go here; and to learn more about Eli Lilly’s plans to study obesity medications in the area of ​​addiction, go here.

Be sure to subscribe to “The Readout LOUD” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Log inor wherever you get your podcasts.