Elaine Schattner is a writer, cancer survivor, and former oncologist. Her book, From Whispers to Shouts: The Ways We Talk About Cancer (Columbia University Press, 2023) probes public perception of cancer through the history of awareness campaigns, patient advocacy, and news including social media. Her current work centers on medical ethics, patients’ rights, and equitable access to modern treatments.
Elaine holds a master’s degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Her freelance work has appeared in The Atlantic, NPR, New York Observer, Scientific American, Washington Post, and elsewhere. As a Forbes contributor until 2018, she covered news about cancer, novel drugs, diagnostics, and other medical technology. Previously she authored a personal blog, Medical Lessons and a featured Huffington Post column. She has been a professional member of the Association of Health Care Journalists.
A graduate of Yale College and the New York University School of Medicine, she is a Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Weill Medical College, a fellow of the American College of Physicians, a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and a Distinguished Member Emeritus of the American Society of Hematology.
At home in New York City, Elaine enjoys reading, traveling, and swimming. You can find Elaine on Bluesky, Instagram, Threads or LinkedIn.