Today's Healthcare Pulse
Abridge teams with Eli Lilly and Nvidia to expand AI scribe platform
Abridge announced a strategic investment from Eli Lilly and a partnership with Nvidia to build a foundation model for clinical conversations. The collaboration aims to broaden Abridge’s AI‑scribe services across more health systems and integrate with payers. The company already supports over 300 health systems.
Also developing:
DOE Issues Final Rule on Updated Definition of ‘Professional Student’
On April 30 the U.S. Department of Education issued a final rule redefining “professional student” and “graduate student” for federal loan eligibility. The rule limits professional student status to 11 specific degree programs, granting up to $50,000 per year and a $200,000 aggregate loan limit, while graduate students can borrow up to $20,500 annually with a $100,000 lifetime cap. The regulation takes effect July 1 and excludes advanced practice nurses, physician assistants and physical therapists, prompting criticism from health‑care advocates.
Drug Trials Snapshots: POMBILITI
The FDA approved POMBILITI (cipaglucosidase alfa‑atga) on September 28, 2023 for adult patients with late‑onset Pompe disease (LOPD) weighing ≥ 40 kg who are not responding to existing enzyme replacement therapy. Approval is based on a randomized, double‑blind trial of 123 participants across 61 sites...
President Names Nicole Saphier as New Surgeon General Nominee
President Trump announced on April 30 that radiologist Nicole Saphier, director of breast imaging at Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth, has been nominated to serve as the next U.S. surgeon general. The nomination comes as the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions...
New Clues Shed Light on Why Pancreatic Cancer Is so Hard to Treat
University of Rochester researchers identified the gene Dec2 as a key shield that lets pancreatic cancer cells evade T‑cell attack. In mouse models, deleting Dec2 restored immune visibility, suggesting a new therapeutic target. The study also revealed Dec2’s circadian rhythm,...
Senators Introduce AHA-Supported Bill Granting Extension of Medicare Payment Model for Rural Hospitals
Senators Chuck Grassley and Michael Bennet introduced the Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Reauthorization Act, a bipartisan bill that would extend a cost‑based Medicare payment model for rural hospitals by five years. The model applies to facilities with 50 beds or...
AI Spots Pancreatic Cancer Years Before Symptoms Appear, Study Finds
Researchers at the Mayo Clinic unveiled REDMOD, an AI system that can spot early signs of pancreatic cancer on routine CT scans up to three years before a formal diagnosis. In a study of nearly 2,000 scans, the model identified...
Real-World Healthcare Data Drives Students' Research
NHIT’s Data Fusion Center supplied real‑world healthcare data that enabled NHIT INSPIRED interns Belina Sapkota and Sarah Zak to investigate the root causes of rural health gaps in the United States. Their research highlighted chronic provider shortages, limited broadband, and...
How Unhealthy Ultra-Processed Foods Are Designed and Marketed to Make Us Crave Them
New research maps the ultra‑processed food (UPF) ecosystem, showing how manufacturers blend refined carbs, fats and additives to trigger brain reward pathways and suppress satiety. The study identifies eleven reinforcing feedback loops—from product formulation to data‑driven marketing—that drive consumption, especially...
Telehealth Can Provide Rural Healthcare Lifeline
NHIT‑INSPIRED interns Belina Sapkota and Sarah Zak presented a capstone project that proposes expanding telehealth services to bridge the chronic health‑care gap in rural America. Their plan couples broadband‑enabled virtual visits with a curriculum to build an AI‑ready workforce capable...
Eli Lilly Profits More than Double as Weight-Loss Revenue Soars
Eli Lilly announced net profit more than doubled year‑over‑year, driven by a surge in weight‑loss drug sales. The company’s obesity treatments, chiefly Mounjaro and the newly approved Zepbound, generated roughly $2 billion in revenue this quarter, lifting total sales to about $7.5 billion....
The Structural Transformation of Healthcare AI: The Ascendance of Forward Deployed Engineering
The Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) model, originally forged at Palantir, is reshaping healthcare AI by embedding engineers directly within hospital IT environments to bridge the gap between algorithmic potential and production reality. FDEs handle live data integration, MLOps, and regulatory...
Rural Hospitals Are in a Precarious Position, New Research Shows
New research by NHIT INSPIRED reveals that 700 of the 1,800 rural hospitals in the United States are financially at risk, and 300 of them could close within the next three years. The study highlights mounting pressures from low reimbursement...
The Structural Tension at the Heart of MedTech
The article highlights the inherent tension between the deliberate, evidence‑driven pace of MedTech development and the fast‑moving expectations of venture capital. It argues that accelerating clinical validation to meet investor timelines often backfires, leading to underpowered studies and higher downstream...
Trump Withdraws Casey Means as Nominee for Surgeon General
President Donald Trump withdrew Casey Means, his second nominee for U.S. Surgeon General, after Senate opposition over her comments on vaccines and birth control. Means, a leading figure in the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, had pledged to warn...
ESOC 2026: What to Expect in Maastricht
The 12th European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC) convenes in Maastricht from May 6‑8, drawing roughly 4,200 delegates from 100 nations. Six scientific tracks will showcase the latest clinical trial data on stroke prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, including late‑breaking sessions on pre‑hospital...
The Right Exercise Improves Sleep Most for Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment
A Texas A&M study using Oura Rings found that high‑intensity exercise most effectively reduces sleep disturbances in older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Light activity also helped, but moderate exercise showed no significant impact. The research tracked seven residents...
Who Is Nicole Saphier?
President Trump withdrew Casey Means and, within minutes, nominated Dr. Nicole B. Saphier, a breast‑imaging oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering, as his third Surgeon General pick in fifteen months. Saphier is the author of the 2020 bestseller *Make America Healthy...
MedCity FemFwd: Inside Partum Health’s Partnership with UChicago Medicine
Partum Health has partnered with UChicago Medicine in Hyde Park to provide 24/7, Medicaid‑reimbursed doula support for labor, delivery, and postpartum care. The program offers in‑person doulas without referrals, aiming to improve birth outcomes and patient satisfaction for a largely Medicaid‑eligible...
People in Low-Income Areas Are Less Likely to Get Cancer Screenings
A new study of 1,300 federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) serving 29.8 million patients reveals stark gaps in cancer screening rates across socioeconomic lines. Residents of the most resource‑poor neighborhoods receive colorectal screening about 15 percentage points less, breast screening 11 points less,...
Cybersecurity Tactics for Medical IoT Devices
The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) is projected to surge from $60 billion in 2024 to $814 billion by 2032, driven by real‑time patient monitoring and cost‑saving benefits. However, 2024 saw over 14,000 IoMT IPs exposed, with 36% stemming from unsecured medical...
The Prostate Cancer Recovery Few Men Are Warned About
Physiatrist Dr. Francisco M. Torres, a prostate‑cancer survivor, recounts his unexpected post‑operative challenges after robot‑assisted radical prostatectomy. His experience revealed a systemic failure: patients receive scant guidance on pre‑habilitation and pelvic‑floor rehabilitation, despite strong evidence that these interventions improve continence...
Sorting Through Medicare Myths in Federal Retirement Decisions
Federal retirees face a maze of Medicare myths that can affect their health‑care costs. Adding Medicare Part B costs a base $202.90 per month, but many FEHB plans waive deductibles, copays and coinsurance when Medicare is primary, potentially offsetting the premium....
Asembia ASX26: The Strain on the Development of Infrastructure for Sustainable C&G Therapy
Cell and gene therapies promise transformative treatments but remain hampered by steep costs across research, manufacturing, and delivery. At the Asembia ASX26 Summit, Aradigm Health CEO Will Shrank highlighted the fragmented U.S. payment landscape as a core barrier to sustainable...
FDA's Oncology Advisors Vote Against 'New Paradigm' In AstraZeneca Trial
The FDA’s oncology advisory committee voted 6‑3 that AstraZeneca’s late‑stage trial of camizestrant, an oral selective estrogen‑receptor degrader (SERD), did not demonstrate a clinically meaningful benefit. AstraZeneca had positioned camizestrant as a potential first‑in‑class oral therapy for hormone‑receptor‑positive metastatic breast...
RESEARCH - Ivermectin and AUTOIMMUNITY - How Ivermectin Could Help Autoimmune Diseases - 2025 Paper by Iraqi Researchers
Iraqi researchers published a 2025 study proposing ivermectin as a potential therapeutic for autoimmune diseases. The paper outlines pre‑clinical data showing ivermectin modulates immune pathways, reducing inflammatory cytokine production in mouse models of lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers suggest repurposing...
Siemens Healthineers to Receive $60M in Federal Funding for Key Cancer Therapy
Siemens Healthineers will receive up to $60 million from ARPA‑H over five years, complemented by a $23 million cost‑share, totaling about $83 million. The funding targets development of photon flash therapy, an experimental radiation technique that delivers doses 100 times faster than conventional methods...
Task Switching Raises Risk in Transplant Surgeries, Study Finds
A Virginia Tech analysis of more than 300,000 transplant operations shows that surgeons who switch organ types between consecutive procedures raise one‑year patient mortality by 14.8%. The risk spikes when the switch occurs on the same day, lifting mortality from 4.5%...
Higher Tubular Phosphate Levels Linked to Faster Five-Year Kidney Decline
Researchers at the University of Tsukuba analyzed 308 Japanese participants and found that higher estimated proximal tubular fluid phosphate (ePTFp) levels are linked to a faster decline in kidney function over five years. The ePTFp metric, derived from routine serum...
Scaling the Agentforce Life Sciences Ecosystem to Drive the Future of Pharma and MedTech
Salesforce announced a major expansion of its Agentforce Life Sciences ecosystem, forging deeper collaborations with global systems integrators, content partners, and independent software vendors to accelerate adoption of the Agentforce 360 platform. Leading SIs such as Accenture, Deloitte Digital, Cognizant...
States Modernize PA Practice Laws to Expand Healthcare Workforces
A wave of state legislation is expanding physician assistant (PA) autonomy as part of the federal Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). Seven states, including Iowa and Kentucky, have removed mandatory supervisory agreements, allowing PAs to practice independently and, in Kentucky,...
From Toddlers to Teens: The Hidden Complexities of Bringing Pediatric Wearables to Market
Pediatric wearables face unique challenges beyond miniaturization, requiring designs that adapt to rapidly changing physiological, cognitive, and behavioral traits from infancy to adolescence. Companies must address divergent safety, usability, data reliability, and algorithm performance needs across developmental stages, while managing...
Heart Rhythm 2026: Electrophysiologist Mina Chung Discusses CPR, PFA and Much More
At Heart Rhythm 2026, HRS President Mina Chung outlined a multi‑pronged agenda that includes a new task force to expand CPR and AED training in high schools, leveraging digital‑health apps for continuous skill retention. The society also launched a real‑world...
Trump Withdraws Wellness Influencer and MAHA Activist Casey Means as Surgeon General Nominee
President Donald Trump withdrew wellness influencer Casey Means from the surgeon‑general nomination and named radiologist and Fox News contributor Nicole Saphier as his third pick. Means faced Senate opposition over her anti‑vaccine, abortion‑pill, and alternative‑medicine positions, while Saphier brings clinical...
Healthcare Affordability Part 4: How Annuitants Can Use Expected Healthcare Costs to Help Choose the Right Health Plan
Retirees who receive federal annuities must navigate Medicare Parts A and B while deciding between traditional FEHB coverage, Medicare Advantage (MA) offered through FEHB carriers, or commercial MA plans that require suspending FEHB. Part B carries a $202.90 monthly premium, with...
After Reductions, VA Chief Says Facilities Can 'Hire Where They Need and What They Need'
Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins told the Senate Appropriations Committee that no VA facility faces hiring constraints, despite the department’s recent staffing caps and a 30,000‑person workforce reduction. He emphasized that baseline FTE limits are administrative and will not block...
Ride in Support of People Living with Diabetes at the 2026 Tour De Cure: Pacific Northwest
On May 2, 2026 the American Diabetes Association will host the Tour de Cure Pacific Northwest in Bothell, Washington. The one‑day cycling fundraiser expects 168 participants to ride from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., raising money for diabetes research, advocacy and local programming....
Genmab A/S (NASDAQ:GMAB) Upgraded at Truist Financial
Truist Financial upgraded Danish biotech Genmab A/S (NASDAQ:GMAB) to a strong‑buy, joining recent upgrades from Goldman Sachs and BNP Paribas. The stock currently trades around $26.11, well below its 52‑week high of $35.43, with a market cap of $16.78 billion and a...
Doctors Agree: There’s a Lot to Love About Cardiology’s Future
A Medscape survey of nearly 6,000 U.S. physicians shows 59% of cardiologists are optimistic about the short‑term outlook and 48% about the long‑term, placing cardiology in the top ten specialties for confidence. Only 10% express short‑term pessimism and 24% long‑term...
Vaccine Hesitancy in an Era of Misinformation
The CDC revised its autism‑vaccine statement in November 2025, moving from a definitive “no link” stance to an uncertainty‑based message. A Science‑journal survey of 2,900 U.S. adults found that exposure to the new wording raised perceived vaccine risks and lowered...
Communication From the CDC Fuels Skepticism About Vaccines and Science, Research Suggests
The CDC altered its website language to suggest that a link between vaccines and autism cannot be ruled out, diverging from the long‑standing consensus that no causal relationship exists. An international team led by the University of Vienna surveyed 2,989...
Caregivers of Ovarian Cancer Patients Face High Stress and Major Gaps in Support
A scoping review by the University of Toronto, published in PLOS One, examined 32 studies over 25 years and found that caregivers of ovarian cancer patients endure high anxiety, depression, grief, and burnout. The analysis highlighted practical barriers such as financial...
Omada Health Expands Nationwide via OptumRx Weight Engage
A milestone for @OmadaHealth: we're now available through @OptumRx's Weight Engage — and with it, employers can purchase Omada through all 3 of the nation's largest PBMs, reaching the majority of commercially insured lives in the U.S. Expanding reach has been...
P‑tau217 Blood Test Predicts Alzheimer’s Risk Early
Good summary of p-tau217, the breakthrough blood test to predict risk of Alzheimer's in people well before onset of symptoms @ScienceMagazine https://t.co/qVJtYR4bnz https://t.co/OhjLExTroG
BIO Panel at HERS Explores Women’s Health Biotech Ecosystem
The Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) convened a panel at the inaugural Health Executive and Research Summit in San Diego to spotlight the women’s health biotech ecosystem. Speakers noted that only six percent of private healthcare investment goes to women’s health,...
Outsourced Teams Can Seamlessly Blend Into Health Systems
Can outsourced teams feel like part of your health system? Gene Scheurer of Optimum Healthcare IT says yes—with secure, branded environments that mirror your organization. Full interview from ViVE 2026 🔗 https://t.co/cPkAwasnxg @OptimumHIT #ViVE2026 #HITSM https://t.co/1cw3rf1g6W
O‑1 Model Beats GPT‑4 and Doctors in Triage
New @ScienceMagazine The o-1 reasoning model (text only, from @OpenAI, releasedSept 2024) exceeded performance cf GPT-4 and physicians for clinical vignette management reasoning and in a real-world emergency department assessment for initial triage @AdamRodmanMD @PeterBrodeurMD @arjunmanrai @jonc101x https://t.co/tPZqZAE8cd
Novartis Finalizes US Expansion with Seventh Facility to Strengthen End-to-End Drug Manufacturing
Novartas has completed its US expansion plan by adding a seventh facility in Morrisville, North Carolina, dedicated to API production for oral solid‑dose and RNA‑based therapies. The site is part of a $23 billion multi‑year investment to build an end‑to‑end domestic...
Trump Replaces Surgeon General Pick with Radiologist Nicole Saphier
Trump drops Casey Means as surgeon general nominee, opts for radiologist Nicole Saphier https://t.co/mvCUOymapm via @statnews
Eli Lilly Shares Surge on a Beat-and-Raise, Proving the Stock's Swoon Was a Mistake
Eli Lilly reported first‑quarter 2026 revenue of $19.8 billion, up 56% year‑over‑year and well above the $17.6 billion consensus, while adjusted earnings per share jumped to $8.55, more than double the prior year and beating the $6.66 estimate. The strong top‑ and bottom‑line...
Redo Mitral Valve Replacement Surgery Outdoes ViV Over the Long Term
A retrospective analysis of 229 patients treated for failed bioprosthetic mitral valves found that 30‑day mortality and readmission rates were similar for repeat surgical mitral valve replacement (SMVR) and transcatheter valve‑in‑valve (ViV) procedures. However, at five years SMVR patients experienced...