STAT has been awarded the 2025 Loeb Award for Explanatory Reporting for its six-part series, “The War on Recovery,” by addiction reporter Lev Facher. The series exposes how the U.S. restricts access to lifesaving medications for people with opioid addiction, revealing systemic barriers, draconian methadone protocols, and private equity ownership of treatment clinics.
This marks STAT’s third Loeb Award in its 10-year history and the second consecutive year the publication has been recognized. Facher received the award at a ceremony at the Rainbow Room, Rockefeller Center, New York.
In his acceptance, Facher stated, “While other countries provide access to lifesaving medications, the U.S. works even harder to restrict access. I hope this series can inspire both government and the private sector to act during the deadliest drug epidemic in human history.”
STAT’s reporting also inspired two congressional inquiries into private equity-backed methadone clinics, academic research projects, public policy discussions, and widespread media coverage. The series was edited by Laura Chang, with multimedia contributions from STAT’s newsroom, including Alex Hogan and Emory Parker.
In addition to Facher’s win, STAT had two finalists this year:
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Adam Feuerstein for commentary on the biotech industry.
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Casey Ross, Lizzy Lawrence, Bob Herman, and Tara Bannow for beat reporting on UnitedHealth Group’s influence over physicians.
Rick Berke, co-founder and executive editor, remarked, “‘The War on Recovery’ illustrates a vision for an alternate reality in which America responds to the opioid crisis using evidence-based strategies proven to save lives.”
STAT, founded in 2015 and affiliated with Boston Globe Media, continues to deliver in-depth journalism on health, medicine, and life sciences, earning recognition including multiple Pulitzer Prize finalist nods and industry awards.
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