Today's Healthcare Pulse
Allogene Therapeutics CEO David Chang to step down
Allogene Therapeutics announced that chief executive David Chang will leave his role. The news was reported by STAT+ and echoed in a follow‑up piece covering broader pharma updates.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Boston Scientific invests $1.5B for 34% stake in MiRus
VA Deputy Secretary on Resuming EHR Rollout
The Department of Veterans Affairs resumed its Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program this weekend after a three‑year pause. Deputy Secretary and Acting CIO Paul Lawrence highlighted a renewed emphasis on governance, user experience, and measurable outcomes. The rollout will start with a phased upgrade of the pharmacy module, supported by newly appointed senior advisors to steer software development and field adoption. Lawrence said the VA is building a repeatable framework to scale digital transformation across the entire enterprise.
You Can Order Your Own Blood Work Now. Interpreting the Results Is Another Story
Direct‑to‑consumer blood testing is rapidly expanding as wearables and telehealth firms like Oura, Whoop, Hims & Hers, and Function Health partner with Quest Diagnostics and Labcorp to sell panels for as little as $99. Consumers can order labs without a physician, but the...
How GLP-1s Are Shifting Pharma Commercialization Trends
The GLP‑1 class has evolved from a niche injectable therapy to a high‑volume market that now includes oral formulations, prompting pharma to pivot toward larger total addressable markets. Over the past decade the industry focused on ultra‑rare, high‑price drugs, but...
Endpoints Biopharma Sentiment Survey for Q2 2026
Endpoints Signal is launching its Q2 2026 Biopharma Sentiment Index (BPSI) survey, a three‑minute questionnaire that aggregates insider views into a quarterly benchmark. More than 1,000 biopharma professionals participated in the previous quarter, providing a snapshot of sentiment on pipelines, pricing...
Growth Projects Lead Amid Reduced Capex
Health system executives report a slowdown in overall capital spending, with nearly half planning cuts of 10% or more for 2026. Despite tighter budgets, revenue‑growth initiatives have become the top priority, rising to 46% of capital plans, while patient acquisition...
Introducing The Health Insurance Influence Tracker
The Center for Health and Democracy Education Fund launched the Health Insurance Influence Tracker, an online tool that maps corporate PAC contributions from major health insurers to members of Congress. Using Federal Election Commission data, the tracker reveals that 86%...
Hospitals See Danger to SDPs in Fraud Fight
Hospital advocates have raised alarms that the Trump administration’s upcoming anti‑fraud regulations, outlined in the CMS CRUSH RFI, could target Medicaid state‑directed payments (SDPs) and the intergovernmental transfers (IGTs) used to fund them. Groups such as America’s Essential Hospitals, the...
J&J Increasingly Confident It Can Manage Stelara Cliff, but Work Remains
Johnson & Johnson says the most intense biosimilar pressure on its blockbuster drug Stelara is largely behind it, and the company now projects robust growth through the late 2020s. Executives cite new therapeutic indications, expanded global reach, and strategic pricing...
B12 Supplements for Pregnant Vegetarians May Boost Infant Neurodevelopment: RCT
A double‑blind RCT called MATCOBIND enrolled 531 predominantly vegetarian pregnant women in India and Nepal. Participants received either 250 µg or 50 µg of vitamin B12 daily from the first trimester through six months postpartum. Infants whose mothers took the higher dose showed...
NHIT INSPIRED Takes Students From Mentorship to Employment
NHIT INSPIRED, launched by NHIT and HIMSS, pairs college students with HIMSS mentors and health‑tech industry partners. The initiative aims to bridge the clinical workforce gap by providing real‑world experience and networking opportunities. Early participants have already secured entry‑level positions...
HIMSS and NHIT Help Develop Global Talent Pipeline
HIMSS and the National Health Innovation Trust (NHIT) have unveiled NHIT INSPIRED, a global initiative that pits student teams against real‑world healthcare challenges. Participants apply artificial‑intelligence tools to deliver quantifiable community health improvements. The program bridges academia, industry and providers,...
Tenet CIO to Retire at Year End
Tenet Healthcare announced that Chief Information Officer Paola Arbour will retire on Dec. 31, 2026, but will remain on a part‑time basis through early 2028 to aid the transition. Arbour, who has led Tenet’s IT strategy, operations and finances since 2018,...
Scientists Map Light Cues for Optic Nerve Regeneration
Scientists are working on regenerating optic nerves for people who have lost their sight. The first step is done: A map of how changes in light, color, and frequency affect the visual axis. https://spectrum.ieee.org/optic-nerve-damage-electrical-stimulation
Becton Dickinson (BDX) Q4 2024 Earnings Transcript
Becton, Dickinson (BD) reported a 7.4% revenue increase in Q4 2024, with organic growth of 6.2% and an adjusted operating margin that rose 120 basis points to 26.6%. Adjusted diluted EPS jumped 11.4% to $3.81, while free cash flow surged...
LucidHealth Appoints David Grau as Chief Executive Officer
LucidHealth announced that David Grau will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer on May 1, 2026, while founder‑CEO Steve Corbeil moves to Executive Chairman. Grau, who joined the company in 2020 as Chief Strategy Officer and became COO in...
Re: Accuracy of Glomerular Filtration Rate Estimation Based on Creatinine and Cystatin C for Monitoring Moderate Chronic Kidney Disease in...
A recent longitudinal cohort study examined how well estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) equations, using creatinine alone or combined with cystatin C, track measured GFR in adults with moderate chronic kidney disease. The combined creatinine‑cystatin C formula showed a modest gain in...
Ketone Esters Show Promise as a New Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder
A pilot study published in Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging found that a single dose of a ketone ester (395 mg per kg body weight) rapidly shifted brain metabolism from glucose to ketones and cut alcohol cravings in participants with alcohol use disorder...
The Real Threat to NHS Data Isn’t Technology: It’s Misinformation that Undermines Performance and Productivity
The article argues that misinformation, not technology, is the biggest threat to NHS data effectiveness. It explains that the NHS owns its data and that external vendors act only as processors under strict contracts. Misleading narratives about data ownership are...
Re: Weight “Regain” In Obesity Shifts Responsibility From Biology to Personal Inadequacy
The author agrees with recent criticism of the term “weight regain,” emphasizing that obesity is a chronic, biologically driven condition. She highlights that GLP‑1 receptor agonists cause loss of both fat and lean tissue, triggering adaptive reductions in energy expenditure...
Inside Buffalo Go Green’s Approach to Food, Health, and Care
Buffalo Go Green, a nonprofit operating on Buffalo’s East Side, is tackling food inequity by linking access, education, and health services. Founder Allison DeHonney built a farm and produce‑prescription program, then expanded to mobile markets and nutrition training. To close...
CMS Accepts More than 150 Providers, Digital Health Firms for ACCESS Model
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has granted provisional approval to more than 150 providers and digital‑health firms for its Advancing Chronic Care with Effective, Scalable Solutions (ACCESS) Model. The 10‑year experiment, launching in July, will pay participants...
Why Synthetic Data Is the Antidote to Clinical Trials
Synthetic data, digital twins, and AI are reshaping medical‑device trials by generating virtual patient cohorts that reduce enrollment needs and cut validation costs. The FDA’s in‑silico guidance and EMA’s acceptance of AI tools are paving regulatory pathways for these simulations....
Lilly Investing Billions to Prepare for Overseas Oral GLP-1 Launches
Eli Lilly announced a $3 billion investment in China and a $125 million spend in Japan to build capacity for its newly approved oral GLP‑1 drug, orforglipron. The moves aim to localize production, shorten lead times and hedge against geopolitical disruptions. Analysts see...
Nanozyme Boosts Stem Cell Mitochondria to Accelerate Bone Regeneration
Researchers have engineered a single‑atom nanozyme that mimics cytochrome c oxidase, restoring mitochondrial energy production in stem cells. The nanozyme, anchored with iron and copper on a mesoporous silica scaffold and coated with triphenylphosphonium, targets mitochondria and shifts cell metabolism toward...
The US FDA New Drug Approvals in March 2026
In March 2026 the U.S. FDA approved five new therapies spanning hepatology, dermatology, rare genetics, oncology, and endocrinology. GSK’s Lynavoy treats cholestatic pruritus in primary biliary cholangitis, while Johnson & Johnson’s Icotyde targets moderate‑to‑severe plaque psoriasis. Denali Therapeutics earned accelerated...
Lilly Wants to Bridge Cancer Care Gap with $300M ADC Biotech Buy
Eli Lilly announced an acquisition of Houston‑based CrossBridge Bio, offering up to $300 million in cash and performance‑based biobucks. The early‑stage biotech is developing a dual‑payload antibody‑drug conjugate, CBB‑120, that targets the TROP2 protein found in many solid tumors. CrossBridge plans to...
AI Tool Analyzes CT Scans to Help Boost Early Lung Cancer Detection
A team at Kaunas University of Technology has created a dual‑scale AI system that simultaneously evaluates detailed and contextual information in CT scans, mimicking radiologists’ workflow. Trained on scans from healthy and cancer patients, the model distinguishes normal tissue, benign...
Pharma 5.0, Sustainability & Security: PHARMAP 2026 Brings Pharma’s Future Into Focus
PHARMAP Congress 2026 will convene pharma leaders in Amsterdam on April 20‑21 to address digital transformation, sustainability, and security. The event highlights the shift from Pharma 4.0 to Pharma 5.0, focusing on AI‑human collaboration and Quality 5.0’s integrative approach. Speakers will showcase circular packaging...
This Biotech Firm Has Room to Run, Even as Its Drug Royalties Are Set to Shrink
Biogen was upgraded to overweight by Piper Sandler, which lifted its price target to $214, implying about 21% upside. The firm anticipates a dip in Ocrevus royalty income as exclusivity expires between 2028 and 2029, but expects new launches—Syfovre, Empaveli—and a...
Study Finds Immune‑Metabolic Signature Links Depression to Breast Cancer Risk
A team of scientists has identified a specific immune‑metabolic biosignature that connects depressive symptoms with breast cancer, revealing shared inflammatory and metabolic pathways. The discovery, published in Translational Psychiatry, could reshape how clinicians assess risk and integrate stress‑reduction practices such...
Gender‑Specific Obesity Risks Prompt New Index to Replace BMI for Heart Disease Prediction
Researchers at Dokuz Eylul University presented gender‑specific obesity findings at the European Congress on Obesity and unveiled a waist‑to‑height ratio index that predicts heart failure better than BMI. The data show men are prone to visceral fat and liver stress,...
Federal Judge Allows Mail-Order Mifepristone Abortions to Continue, Signals Challenge to FDA
U.S. District Judge David Joseph ruled that the FDA's mail-order mifepristone rule will remain in effect, granting the agency a pause but noting Louisiana's lawsuit has standing and is likely to succeed. The decision keeps medication abortions accessible while pressuring...
Study Finds Zero‑Calorie Sweeteners Alter Gut Microbiome and Metabolism Across Generations
Researchers published in Frontiers in Nutrition report that common artificial sweeteners sucralose and stevia change gut microbiota and influence metabolism‑related genes in mice, with effects persisting into the next two generations. The findings intensify debate over the safety of zero‑calorie...
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re Reading About an FDA Push for Trial Transparency, a Novo-OpenAI Deal, and More
The FDA has dispatched reminder letters to more than 2,200 companies and researchers, warning that failure to post required clinical trial results to the federal database could trigger fines. An internal review found that nearly 30% of studies likely subject...
Merck Under Fire as $162,000 Keytruda Dose Highlights Pricing Controversy
Merck & Co. is drawing national attention after a California patient received a $162,568 bill for a single 400 mg Keytruda infusion. The drug, which generated $31.7 billion in worldwide sales in 2025, is under investigation for tactics that keep its U.S....
The Trump Administration’s Fraud Problem
The Trump administration has adopted a strategy of framing the withholding of congressionally appropriated funds as fraud prevention, using that pretext to target Medicaid, SNAP, and other assistance programs in Democratic‑led states. While genuine fraud exists, the administration bypasses established...
Clinical Supply Chain Hits Its AI Turning Point
AI is reaching a tipping point in the clinical supply chain, with McKinsey forecasting real‑time inventory, predictive replenishment and automated procurement. Agentic AI solutions will shift operations from reactive to predictive, delivering cost‑intelligence, operating‑room optimization, infection‑risk mitigation, robotic‑surgery ROI and...
Spyre Therapeutics Jumps 25% on Positive Phase 2 SKYLINE Data
Spyre Therapeutics (SYRE) surged 25.07% to $64.15 after reporting encouraging 12‑week induction data from Part A of its Phase 2 SKYLINE trial for ulcerative colitis. The move lifted the stock from $51.29 the prior close and triggered a surge in trading...
The Next Frontier in Precision Oncology
Precision oncology is shifting from static, single‑biopsy analyses toward dynamic, multi‑omics platforms that integrate genomics, proteomics, spatial biology and longitudinal clinical data. Over the next decade, AI will move from pattern‑recognition to causal reasoning, offering clinicians interpretable predictions that anticipate...
Base Editing Repairs Mutation and Liver Function in Mouse Model of Zellweger Spectrum Disorder
Scientists at the Broad Institute and collaborators used a refined base‑editing system to correct a disease‑causing mutation in the PEX1 gene of mice that model Zellweger spectrum disorder. The edit restored peroxisome function and normalized liver biomarkers, demonstrating functional rescue...
Can Phage Therapy Answer the Booming Antibiotic Resistance Problem?
Antibiotic‑resistant infections cause nearly 5 million deaths annually, prompting renewed interest in bacteriophage therapy. Companies such as Armata Pharmaceuticals, TechnoPhage, and Locus Biosciences have reported positive clinical milestones, including Armata’s QIDP‑designated AP‑SA02 moving toward a phase 3 trial and TechnoPhage’s phase 2b study...
Radical Catheter Technologies Announces FDA Clearance for 6F Neurovascular Catheter
Radical Catheter Technologies announced FDA 510(k) clearance for its 6F neurovascular access catheter, expanding its cleared portfolio to three devices. The 6F catheter’s thin‑wall, ribbon‑based design delivers a larger inner lumen while maintaining flexibility, pushability, and stability for both radial...
Irregular, Short Sleep Boosts Major Heart Event Risk
One bedtime habit may significantly reduce heart risks https://t.co/D8A1qEMmri "A new study examined the association between sleep habits and heart disease. After getting 7 days of sleep data from the participants, the researchers used the following 10 years of health data...
RUNX1 Identified as Key to Rejuvenate Aging T Cells
Discovery of a factor (RUNX1) that pinpoints T cell senescence and restoring its functionality achieves T cell rejuvenation. Significant implications in older adults with loss of immune system protection. https://t.co/X58DvzIUXY @ImmunityCP https://t.co/hzL3zFiPMm
GLP‑1 Receptors Protect Liver in Mouse MASH Model
Adding to the GLP-1 drug weight-loss independent effect benefit : impact on liver sinusoidal endothelial cell GLP-1 receptors for liver protection in mouse MASH model @Cell_Metabolism @DanielJDrucker @ChusaGzlzRellan https://t.co/0A13QYgm05
Anti‑parasitic Drugs Aren’t Cancer Cures, Just Profit Scheme
The congresswoman is wrong. These anti-parasitic drugs do not treat cancer, they’re pedaled by wellness influencers because they are cheap to purchase in bulk, re-package and sell with expensive telehealth visits. It’s for their expensive homes and yachts. Most Americans...
Healthcare Innovates While Delivery Model Stagnates After Century
Two things can be true. Healthcare is genuinely world class at innovation. And the model of how it delivers care to patients has remained unchanged for over a century. New Lifers episode this week with @AccessTeleCare: Spotify: https://t.co/ynEfLfzYQo Apple: https://t.co/YGNFD6eNpP Youtube: https://t.co/DFgYyMx95q
Low P‑tau217 Indicates Minimal Alzheimer’s Risk in Seniors
Another study indicative of predictive power of p-tau217 for Alzheimer's disease in cognitively unimpaired older adults (mean age 71 at baseline) A very low p-tau217 denoted minimal risk https://t.co/6RPJcCloWI https://t.co/XikzsvJjhM
AI Expands From Radiology to Entire Healthcare Operations
AI in healthcare started with radiology, from 0 to mainstream in 5 years. But something bigger is happening. AI is now transforming patient pathways, workflows, and healthcare operations beyond image analysis. Join our masterclass with Jan Beger & @HLTHEVENT next week. Limited...
PhaseV Sponsors Timmerman Traverse for Young Cancer Researchers
PhaseV Steps Up for Young Cancer Researchers. New Major Sponsor of Timmerman Traverse for Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. Next trip: Sierras, Aug. 2-5. https://t.co/lvbuUGj0A6