Sarah specializes in the policy and politics that affect the pharmaceutical industry. She covers the US Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service and Congress and other parts of federal and state government. Her work explores how government policies influence how drugs are developed and approved, what diseases are prioritized by scientists, and who gets access to medicines and at what cost. Sarah has covered health care since 2011. Prior to returning to the Pink Sheet in March 2020, she covered health policy at Politico for five years. She is a regular panelist on the Kaiser Health News 'What the Health' podcast. Sarah was selected for and attended a 2018 International Women’s Media Foundation reporting fellowship in Rwanda. In 2016, she attended Harvard Medical School’s media fellowship on bioethics and, in 2014, was an Association of Health Care Journalists-National Library of Medicine Fellow.
Latest from Sarah Karlin-Smith
The pharmaceutical industry has been quiet on Trump's early federal government overhauls that could harm the drug business, still betting he will help produce better results than Biden.
Experts worry new restrictions on remote work, plans to eliminate certain employees’ job protections and workforce cuts will make the FDA a less attractive employer and hurt pharma’s efforts to get innovative medicines to patients.
HHS communications restrictions are keeping the FDA from publicly scheduling expected advisory committee meetings. The lack of upcoming meetings is raising concern about missed user fee dates or lower-quality agency decision-making.
Pink Sheet reporter and editors discuss what pushed a crucial Senate Finance Committee swing vote to support Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as HHS Secretary and the FDA slowly expanding its communications with the public amid the Trump Administration freeze.
The US Health and Human Services Secretary nominee’s commitment should be a positive sign for those who want to ensure Americans can access adequate data on drugs in all populations that could use them.
Pink Sheet reporter and editors discuss Sara Brenner’s introduction as acting FDA commissioner, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation hearings, the Trump Administration’s plans to end telework, and postponed meetings and other issues related to the communications freeze and travel ban.