Rob Stein
Rob Stein is a correspondent and senior editor on NPR's science desk.
An award-winning science journalist with more than 30 years of experience, Stein mostly covers health and medicine. He tends to focus on stories that illustrate the intersection of science, health, politics, social trends, ethics, and federal science policy. He tracks genetics, stem cells, cancer research, women's health issues, and other science, medical, and health policy news.
Before NPR, Stein worked at The Washington Post for 16 years, first as the newspaper's science editor and then as a national health reporter. Earlier in his career, Stein spent about four years as an editor at NPR's science desk. Before that, he was a science reporter for United Press International (UPI) in Boston and the science editor of the international wire service in Washington.
Stein's work has been honored by many organizations, including the National Academy of Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Association for Cancer Research, and the Association of Health Care Journalists. He was twice part of NPR teams that won Peabody Awards.
Stein frequently represents NPR, speaking at universities, international meetings and other venues, including the University of Cambridge in Britain, the World Conference of Science Journalists in South Korea, and the Aspen Institute in Washington, DC.
Stein is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He completed a journalism fellowship at the Harvard School of Public Health, a program in science and religion at the University of Cambridge, and a summer science writer's workshop at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Mass.
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The Department of Health and Human Services says it will require new vaccines to be tested against a placebo, which could complicate and delay Food and Drug Administration approval of many vaccines. -
The unexpected elimination of funding for the decades-long research project focused on women's health shocked scientists. They were heartened by the quick restoration of support. -
The Women's Health Initiative, begun in the 1990s, has made many important discoveries. Now funding to collect more research data will end in September. -
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says autism is "epidemic" and he's launching research to identify an "environmental toxin" for blame. Independent scientists and advocates are skeptical.
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Researchers and advocates have pushed back at what they consider inaccurate and stigmatizing comments made by the health secretary, and note the causes of autism are complex. -
The new research will study the physical and mental health effects of gender transition. It comes on the heels of the administration cutting hundreds of research grants for LGBTQ+ health. -
Everyone knows that Europeans tend to live longer than Americans. But a new study has a surprising twist: Even the richest Americans only live about as long as the poorest western Europeans. Embargoed until 5 pm April 2.
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Staffers began receiving termination notices this morning as part of a major restructuring at HHS. Some senior leadership are on their way out too. -
The FDA's top vaccine regulator says he was forced out by the Trump administration and criticizes HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s "misinformation and lies" about vaccines.
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The reduction in force comes along with a reorganization of the Department of Health and Human Services, consolidating 28 divisions to 15.
