Listen: A chemist breaks bad, the latest on the coronavirus, and pharma’s slow Bern

Is it wise to lie to the feds? Is pharma taking Sen. Bernie Sanders seriously? And what constitutes a “public health emergency of international concern?”

We discuss all that and more on the latest episode of “The Readout LOUD,” STAT’s biotech podcast. First, we break down the bizarre story of the high-profile Harvard chemist charged with lying to the FBI about pocketing thousands of dollars from the Chinese government. Then, STAT’s Helen Branswell joins us for an update on efforts to contain the novel coronavirus spreading around the world. Later, STAT Washington correspondent Lev Facher calls in to talk about Sanders’ rise in the polls and how the issue of drug pricing is shaping the race for the Democratic nomination.

Also: We’re coming up on the 100th episode of this podcast, and we’re using the occasion to actualize our long-held dream of running a call-in show. Dial us at 617-517-6130 and leave a message with any question you’d like us to answer on the podcast, and you may just hear it on air in the coming weeks.

For more on what we cover, here’s the story on the Harvard chemist; here’s the latest on the Wuhan virus; and here’s a dispatch from Iowa.

We’ll be back next Thursday evening — and every Thursday evening — so be sure to sign up on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, 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].

Interested in sponsoring a future episode of “The Readout LOUD”? Email us at [email protected].