Know What's Happening in Healthcare
Know What's Happening in Healthcare
KKR and GIC delay sale of 80% stake in Philippines’ Metro Pacific Health
Private equity firm KKR and Singapore sovereign‑wealth fund GIC have postponed the sale of their combined 80% stake in Metro Pacific Health, the Philippines’ largest private hospital group. The delay is due to an inability to secure a valuation that meets investor expectations, a challenge worsened by geopolitical uncertainty from the Iran conflict. Metro Pacific Health, which retains a 20% stake, had hoped to acquire an additional share as part of the transaction.
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By the numbers: Syneron Bio raises $150M Series B
A dentist refused to perform a routine cleaning without bitewing X‑rays, despite the patient’s low‑risk status and recent radiographs. The practice cited a two‑year imaging policy and warned that proceeding could jeopardize the hygienist’s license. After consulting the supervising dentist, the clinic acknowledged that guidelines do not mandate X‑rays for asymptomatic adults, yet still conditioned the cleaning on compliance. The incident illustrates how standardized policies can override evidence‑based care and turn informed refusal into denied treatment.
Aktis Oncology announced that its investigational radiopharmaceutical AKY-1189 has earned FDA Fast Track designation. The drug targets Nectin‑4, present in 80‑90 % of urothelial cancers, and delivers the alpha‑emitter actinium‑225 directly to tumors. AKY-1189 is in a Phase 1b trial covering urothelial,...
Health systems are realizing significant cost savings by consolidating their IT application portfolios. Emplify Health eliminated over 30 applications, cutting $3 million in direct costs and $1.3 million in soft savings, while Providence reduced its portfolio by more than a third, saving...
The American Hospital Association (AHA) submitted comments on the Department of Education’s proposed rule that redefines “graduate student” and “professional student” for federal loan eligibility. The rule limits the new definition of a professional degree to 11 fields, granting up...
A new Nature study led by ETH Zurich researchers sequenced the genomes of 645 bacteria and archaea from over 800 coral samples, revealing that more than 99% of these reef‑dwelling microbes were previously unknown. The analysis showed that each coral...
Long‑acting cabotegravir/rilpivirine (CAB+RPV LA) demonstrated strong virologic control and high patient preference in both treatment‑naïve and treatment‑experienced cohorts presented at CROI 2026. In the VOLITION trial, 85% of ART‑naïve adults switched early from DTG/3TC to a q2‑month injectable, achieving 95% overall suppression...
Clalit Health Services, Israel’s largest HMO, announced it is probing a suspected cyberattack after the Iranian‑linked group Handala claimed to have breached its systems. The hackers released thousands of documents containing patients' personal and medical information on public platforms. Clalit...
A new American Heart Association study released Feb. 25 projects that 60% of U.S. women will develop cardiovascular disease by 2050. The analysis shows rising rates of heart disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation and stroke, driven by higher prevalence of...
The DEA and HHS have extended the pandemic‑era telehealth rule that lets providers prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder without an in‑person visit, now allowing up to six months of remote treatment. Effective Jan. 1, the rule also eliminates record‑keeping requirements...
A Hawaii district court has upheld the state’s 340B contract‑pharmacy law, ruling that it is not preempted by federal regulations. The decision aligns with recent rulings in Minnesota and Louisiana that support state authority over 340B contract arrangements. The law...
Terry Rubin, co‑founder of The Professional Communicators, will address the “Tech Talk Trap” at HIMSS 2026, highlighting how jargon, information overload, and rapid delivery can alienate healthcare audiences. He explains that experts often lose message control when they prioritize technical...
A new 20‑year follow‑up of 130 patients who received transcatheter patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure after a paradoxical embolism shows sustained safety and efficacy. The cohort, with a mean age of 46, experienced a recurrent stroke rate of 0.04 per...
Brazilian researchers have shown that an iron‑based compound, ferroin, encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles, completely eradicated Mycobacterium tuberculosis from mouse lungs after a 30‑day course. The formulation, LNP@FEP, stabilizes the drug, enhances the activity of existing antibiotics, and targets bacterial cell‑wall synthesis....
Zimmer Biomet announced that its machine‑learning tool SynTuition dramatically improves diagnostic certainty for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). In a study of 274 real‑world cases, the algorithm matched expert diagnoses 96% of the time, outpacing a pooled physician group that achieved...
Cornell researchers unveiled EdemaFlex, a soft‑robotic glove equipped with 37 shape‑memory‑alloy actuators that apply sequential pressure across all five fingers and the palm. In a small home‑use study of seven edema patients, a single 30‑minute session reduced hand volume by...
Oregon‑based Housecall Providers has signed a definitive agreement to affiliate with Chapters Health System, extending the nonprofit’s footprint in the Pacific Northwest. The transaction is slated to close in late spring or early summer 2026, subject to regulatory clearance. The...
The FDA has removed several accelerated approvals for non‑malignant hematological, neurological, and other disorder indications after post‑marketing requirements were withdrawn. These withdrawn indications are not reflected in official listings until a Federal Register notice or label update is issued. The...
Dotinurad (FYU‑981), marketed as Urece®, is a URAT1 inhibitor approved for gout and hyperuricemia in Japan and China. The drug was chemically refined from the older uricosuric benzbromarone to retain potency while eliminating rare hepatotoxic events. Crystalys Therapeutics is now...
The FDA’s ongoing accelerated‑approval list details 30+ drugs for non‑malignant hematologic, neurologic and other rare disorders that remain contingent on post‑marketing requirements (PMRs). Each entry cites the indication, approval date, specific confirmatory trial design, and a projected completion date ranging...
The FDA’s Accelerated Approval Program permits earlier market entry for drugs treating serious conditions by relying on surrogate endpoints that predict clinical benefit. Companies must later complete confirmatory trials; positive results convert the approval to traditional status, while negative outcomes...
U.S. hospitals are pairing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems with AI‑powered human capital management (HCM) platforms to tighten workforce planning as clinical services expand. Leaders at Johns Hopkins, Henry Ford and Rush describe multi‑year integrations that promise real‑time staffing visibility,...
Psychedelic tape still trades on vibes > policy. Surgeon General nominee Casey Means says she “would not recommend” psilocybin to the American people today. Yes, she nods to “exciting work” in PTSD and veterans. But that is a far cry from...
Stem cell therapies for neurodegenerative diseases span unregulated, low‑evidence clinics to proprietary, patent‑protected programs seeking regulatory approval. A new narrative review compiles trial outcomes, highlighting modest benefits—primarily brief inflammation reduction—and significant variability across patients and cell batches. The paper also...
The FDA issued an early‑alert notice on February 3, 2026, highlighting a leak risk in Generation 1 purge cassettes used with Johnson & Johnson MedTech’s Impella RP heart‑pump sets. A leak can trigger a low‑pressure alarm, potentially causing biomaterial ingress, pump stoppage, and loss...
The Xtalks Life Science Podcast’s Episode 244 spotlights a persistent gap in epilepsy care for pregnant women, noting that fewer than 5% of clinical trials include this population. Andrea Wilkinson, UCB’s Global Head of Patient Engagement & Advocacy, discusses new...
Baba, a patient‑advocacy startup for seniors, announced its emergence from stealth with a $6.5 million seed round led by General Catalyst. The platform blends dedicated nurses and social‑workers with an AI companion to resolve insurance denials, scheduling gaps, and other operational...
![[Comment] Managing Complex Antiretroviral Regimens](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/b8eed98261dfc36d8f4d646ed514fe50.webp)
Switching antiretroviral therapy (ART) in people with HIV who have achieved sustained virological suppression is now a routine part of modern care. Advances in drug formulation, tolerability, and the rise of single‑tablet regimens have expanded treatment objectives beyond viral control....
An experimental cell therapy for a rare post‑transplant blood cancer, developed by Atara Biotherapeutics and Pierre Fabre, was initially deemed approvable by FDA reviewers but was abruptly rejected in February 2026 over alleged clinical data deficiencies. The disease affects roughly...
The FDA has approved Braftovi for patients with BRAF V600E‑mutant metastatic colorectal cancer, expanding targeted options in a genetically defined subset. The clearance underscores the momentum of biomarker‑driven oncology and combination‑therapy strategies. In parallel, Novo Nordisk announced a $2 billion partnership with Vivtex...
Haha what an original and inspired conspiracy trope. Search my name in CMS Open Payments. I get $0 from pharma companies. ZERO. ZILCH. I do this because I believe in public health and keeping kids from getting serious illnesses. And because, unlike...
AI isn’t just exposing workflow gaps in healthcare — it’s exposing content fragmentation. The future of clinical AI may depend less on model architecture and more on knowledge integrity. More from @ElsevierConnect at #ViVE2026.👇👇 https://t.co/zbay0c1z1x
Artificial intelligence is now embedded in Austin dermatology clinics, where AI‑driven imaging tools assist physicians in diagnosing skin lesions, classifying conditions, and tracking treatment progress. Studies show deep‑learning models can match dermatologist accuracy for skin‑cancer detection, offering a secondary safety...
The future isn’t just AI scribes — it’s AI across the whole practice. Front desk to billing. Hear Venky Chellappa share @charmhealth's approach at #ViVE2026 👇 https://t.co/Fu8iReWUAZ
When government requirements increase data sharing but systems aren’t connected, the fax machine fills the gap. Jess Czelusniak shares what that reality looked like at VHC Health.👇 Hear more about their experience: https://t.co/D7oXKCb2Kg @VyneMedical @VHCHealth #eFax #HITSM https://t.co/mvrhQyx04R
At ViVE 2026, Tampa General Hospital highlighted that change management, not technology, is the primary barrier to clinical AI adoption among nurses. The hospital detailed its partnership with Microsoft to deploy an AI assistant that automatically populates custom nursing flow...
The @OracleHealth team isn't waiting for the future of healthcare connectivity—we’re setting the standard: https://t.co/Gw7WFnvODg Through this validation program, we’re building trusted relationships with device vendors, streamlining interoperability, and opening the door for continued collaboration and innovation.
An experimental therapy for a rare blood cancer was on the path toward approval by the Food and Drug Administration last year — with internal reviewers recommending it be cleared — before the agency rejected the drug last month, @adamfeuerstein...
Nemours Children’s Health launched the Advanced Care at Home program, a virtual, technology‑enabled service that lets medically stable pediatric patients recover at home while receiving 24/7 clinical support. The model leverages Epic MyChart and a centralized command center to deliver...
Interesting read: the thread and the story. A drug that was approved in Europe in 2022, which looked like it was on track for #FDA approval, instead is rejected. What changed at FDA? 🤔
The Federal Register notice for the (now) March #ACIP meeting is now up & it's ... puzzling. Possible vote on Covid vaccine injury? ACIP can recommend changes to the way a vaccine is used, for safety reasons. But vaccine injuries aren't...
A Danish register study of over 800,000 women examined the long‑term safety of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). About 12% of participants used MHT for a median of 1.7 years, and the analysis found no association between MHT use and all‑cause...
interesting and different efficacy outcomes in ASyS and SSc autoimmune patients treated with blinatumomab (CD3/CD19) and teclistamab (CD3/BCMA), respectively, + Rituximab maintenance. Potential for targeting both BCMA and CD19, especially in ASys. https://t.co/Dyq7h9EeGo
Muvon Therapeutics, a clinical‑stage company developing regenerative muscle treatments, is confronting the translation gap between academic discovery and commercial manufacturing. The firm highlights three core hurdles: co‑developing evolving regulatory frameworks, automating novel manufacturing processes, and recruiting personnel with GMP expertise....
Samsung Biologics has joined the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) Vaccine Manufacturing Facility Network, committing to develop a ready‑to‑activate recombinant protein vaccine platform. Backed by a $20 million budget, Samsung will pre‑agree manufacturing processes, run simulated outbreak drills, and prepare...
United Therapeutics announced a partnership to launch a soft‑mist inhaler, targeting more efficient pulmonary drug delivery for its pipeline. The collaboration marks a strategic pivot away from traditional propellant‑based devices and positions United in the growing soft‑mist market. Investors reacted...
Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) seized nearly 2,000 doses of illegal weight‑loss drugs in raids on sites in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire, marking its second major operation in four months. The confiscated products were labelled as containing tirzepatide...
Richard Pops will step down as Alkermes CEO on July 31 after a 32‑year tenure, remaining as board chair. COO Blair Jackson will succeed him and join the board during the transition. Under Pops, Alkermes shifted from drug‑delivery to commercial...
A University of Bonn randomized trial published in Nature Communications found that a two‑day, calorie‑restricted diet consisting of 300 g of oatmeal per day reduced LDL cholesterol by about 10 percent in participants with metabolic syndrome. The oat‑rich group also lost roughly...
Music Beats Cancer, a nonprofit founded by former cancer researcher Mona Jhaveri, uses live music and a peer‑to‑peer platform to funnel public donations directly to early‑stage biotech firms tackling cancer. By turning song likes into dollars, the organization bridges the...
A randomized trial of a stem cell therapy vs placebo for aging frailty showed durable and dose-dependent improvement in the 6-minute walk test @CellStemCell https://t.co/2jOYuIgUrY https://t.co/04mEV7OdLo
