Industry and vertical · National
How to get featured in STAT
Getting featured in STAT: how its health and life sciences reporters work, how to send tips, and the First Opinion rules on conflicts, disclosure, and AI use.
- Website
- statnews.com
- Owner
- Boston Globe Media
- Lead time
- Breaking news: same day. Investigations and features: weeks to months. First Opinion: varies with editing and news timing.
- Last verified
At a glance
Audience. Biopharma and health care executives, investors, clinicians, researchers, and policymakers who follow health and medicine closely.
- Biotech and pharma
- Health policy and regulation
- Health tech and AI
- Medical science and research
- Health insurance and hospitals
- Public health
- Staff reporting
- Reporters and editors on dedicated beats cover biotech, pharma, policy, health tech, and science, with many reporters' email addresses and Signal usernames listed on their profile pages.
- Contributed articles
- First Opinion, STAT's opinion and first-person essay platform, accepts outside submissions under published guidelines. Freelance article pitches have a separate route.
- Opinion and op-eds
- First Opinion welcomes essays from physicians, patients, scientists, executives, and policymakers. Conflicts of interest must be disclosed, and AI may not be used to write any part of a piece.
- Press releases
- Releases are source material for reporters, not republished. Tips and documents go through STAT's tips page.
Pitching STAT, step by step
Read the beat reporter's recent work and pitch them directly using the contact details on their STAT profile page.
For news tips or documents, use STAT's tips page, which offers a web form, Signal, and postal mail.
Bring data, documents, or access a reporter cannot get elsewhere, such as trial details or an executive willing to answer hard questions.
For First Opinion, read the submission guidelines first and disclose any industry ties and any help you received in writing.
Write your essay without AI. STAT prohibits AI-written text and uses an AI detector.
Use a personal, first-person angle where you can. First Opinion favors a clear authorial voice.
How STAT decides what to cover
STAT, part of Boston Globe Media, reports on health, medicine, and the life sciences with a mission it describes as trusted, tough-minded journalism. Its reporters work defined beats across biotech, pharma, health policy, health tech, science, and the business of health care. Coverage ranges from breaking regulatory news to long investigations and deep explanatory work.
What gets covered is what matters to people who make decisions in health: a trial result, a regulatory move, a pricing decision, a data controversy, a policy fight. A company announcement fits when it changes something material in that landscape and can withstand scrutiny.
How to pitch STAT
STAT makes its reporters easy to find. Its tips page says you can reach a particular reporter or editor through the email address and Signal username on their profile. Pitch the reporter whose beat matches, after reading their recent work.
Bring substance. STAT reporters want data, documents, and access: trial details, a clear explanation of mechanism, an executive willing to answer hard questions, or an independent expert. Expect them to call other sources, including critics.
For tips and documents, the tips page offers a web form monitored by editorial staff, Signal for encrypted messages, and postal mail. STAT notes that the web form is not encrypted and should not be used for highly sensitive material.
Contributed articles and op-eds
First Opinion is STAT’s platform for opinion and first-person essays. It welcomes pieces on the life sciences, policy, regulation, health care, the practice of medicine, and the biopharma industry, from physicians, patients, scientists, executives, and policymakers. A famous name is not enough without a compelling argument, and name recognition is not required.
The rules are specific. Writers with ties to industry, advocacy groups, or individual companies can contribute, but those ties must be fully disclosed to the editor and readers. Writers must disclose any help they received. AI may not be used to write any part of a piece, and STAT uses an AI detector. Using tools for grammar and spelling is acceptable as long as they do not write anything.
Frequently asked questions
Can an executive write for STAT’s First Opinion?
Yes. STAT says biopharma executives are among its writers, but any industry ties must be fully disclosed with the submission and to readers.
Can you pay to be featured in STAT?
No. Editorial coverage and First Opinion are not paid. Sponsorships and advertising are handled through a separate form on the contact page.
Who should I pitch at STAT?
The reporter or editor on your beat. Their email and Signal username are listed on their STAT profile pages.
Health and life sciences coverage in STAT rewards companies that bring evidence and are ready for scrutiny. Preparing that evidence and the people who explain it is how a PR-led agency approaches media relations in health.
Mistakes that get pitches ignored
- Hiding an industry relationship in a First Opinion submission. STAT requires full disclosure.
- Using AI to draft any part of an essay.
- Pitching a press release as news without data, documents, or access.
- Sending highly sensitive material through the unencrypted web form instead of Signal or mail.
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Profiles describe public editorial processes and are reviewed periodically. Digitize is not affiliated with STAT. Spot something out of date? Email [email protected].