Earlier this year, First Opinion ran a roundup of people’s experiences with vaccine-preventable diseases. It was one of the most rewarding pieces I’ve published in 2025, and it’s got me thinking that we should publish more reader response roundups. So I want to hear from you: What questions would you like to read a wide variety of answers to?
On the First Opinion Podcast this week, I spoke with Melanie D.G. Kaplan, author of the new book “Lab Dog: A Beagle and His Human Investigate the Surprising World of Animal Research.” In our conversation and in her book, Melanie shares the story of her beloved beagle Hammy, whom she adopted after he was retired from medical research. She tries to find out what kind of research Hammy was used in — and along the way learns about the large but often opaque system of animal research.
Finally: Happy Cyber Week! You can now get six months of STAT+ for just $20. That means you can read all of our new First Opinion columnists any time you want.
Recommendation of the week: The Guardian’s feature on deaths allegedly connected to the controversial Free Birth Society is deeply illuminating — and upsetting.
