A thorny ALS debate at the FDA, and the promise of artificial wombs

Can the FDA be too flexible? How do you test a mechanical womb? And who decides what’s good enough for patients in need?

We cover all that and more this week on “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s biotech podcast. Our colleague Lizzy Lawrence joins us to explain the promise of artificial wombs and the debate over how to ethically develop them. We also discuss a momentous upcoming meeting in which FDA will consider the thorny case of a potential medicine for ALS whose supporting evidence has polarized patients and physicians.

For more on what we cover, here’s the latest on artificial womb technology; here’s more on the ALS debate; here’s where you can find episodes of Color Code; and here’s where you can subscribe to the First Opinion Podcast.

Be sure to sign up on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, or wherever you get your podcasts.

And if you have any feedback for us — topics to cover, guests to invite, vocal tics to cease — you can email [email protected].