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:
Evolving Approaches to CKD-MBD Address Cardiovascular and Fracture Risk
A new review from the University of Florida highlights that patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end‑stage kidney disease (ESKD) continue to suffer high cardiovascular and fracture mortality despite traditional phosphate‑focused treatment. The authors argue that targeting novel pathways such as fibroblast growth factor‑23 (FGF23) and α‑Klotho, alongside next‑generation drugs like tenapanor, cinacalcet, and SNF472, may better address mineral‑bone disorder (MBD) complications. They note that iron‑based binders and the phosphate‑absorption inhibitor tenapanor show promise, though robust outcome data are still limited. The review calls for high‑quality trials to validate these emerging strategies.
CT Senate Votes to Expand Psychedelic Treatment Program
The Connecticut Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 191, expanding Yale’s psychedelic therapy pilot to include first responders, EMTs, and frontline healthcare workers alongside veterans. The legislation removes a provision that would have ended the study if the FDA approved psilocybin,...
Health AI's Real Gold Lies Beyond Prestige Hospitals
Health AI startups are chasing "prestige logos": the 400 big academic medical centers. That's only 7% of the market. Mark Sendak (VegaHealth) on why the other 93% is the real opportunity 👇 * $45B IT market * Faster buying cycles * 18% claim denial rates...
Estrogen Patch Shortage Hits U.S. Women as Demand Surges 26% After FDA Warning Removal
A sudden shortage of estradiol patches, triggered by the FDA’s removal of a black‑box warning, has left U.S. women scrambling for hormone replacement therapy. Demand rose 26% and experts warn the gap could persist for up to three years, underscoring...
DHA Offers $300M for Health IT Deployment Support
The Defense Health Agency (DHA) has issued an indefinite‑delivery, indefinite‑quantity (IDIQ) solicitation for up to $300 million to support global deployments of its electronic health‑record platform MHS GENESIS and associated medical‑device integrations. The one‑year contract, with possible annual extensions, seeks commercial services...
Other News to Note for April 10, 2026
BioWorld’s April 10 briefing highlights three notable developments. Jiangsu and Shanghai Hengrui have patented novel Nav1.8 sodium‑channel blockers, a class of compounds with potential for pain and inflammatory disease therapies. New hematopoietic stem‑cell research links chronic inflammation to early‑stage leukemia, deepening...
Zeto New Wave EEG System Wins FDA Clearance For At-Home Brain Monitoring
Zeto announced FDA 510(k) clearance for its New Wave EEG system, the company’s third FDA‑approved neuro‑diagnostic platform. The device is a 21‑electrode, gel‑free headset designed for short‑term, up‑to‑2.5‑hour recordings in outpatient clinics and patients’ homes. Integrated with Zeto’s cloud and...
CDER Manual of Policies & Procedures | MAPP
The FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) has posted ten updated Manual of Policies and Procedures (MAPPs) covering drug safety, generic drug review, new drug assessment, and public outreach. The revisions, dated between July 2025 and January 2026,...
2026 Future Leaders Awards: Final Entry Deadline Approaching
The 2026 Future Leaders Awards are entering their final entry phase, with submissions due by 11:59 pm CDT on April 15, 2026. The program spotlights high‑performing employees 40 years or younger who are shaping home health, home care, and related sectors. Winners receive press‑release recognition,...
China Biotech’s CRISPR Therapy Suggests US Drugmakers Will Face Competition
A Chinese biotech firm used CRISPR‑Cas9 to edit blood stem cells in five beta thalassemia patients, eliminating their need for regular transfusions. The ex‑vivo therapy reactivates fetal hemoglobin and showed durable engraftment with no serious adverse events over a year...
FDA Clears Low-Dose MRI Contrast Agent Vueway for Newborns and Infants
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted an expanded indication for Bracco's Vueway (gadopiclenol) injection, allowing its use in neonates and infants for contrast‑enhanced MRI. The macrocyclic agent delivers high‑quality images at half the standard gadolinium dose (0.05 mmol/kg), addressing...
Using Menstrual Blood-Derived Particles to Treat Osteoarthritis
Lithuanian researchers have demonstrated that extracellular vesicles (EVs) harvested from menstrual‑blood‑derived mesenchymal stromal cells can stimulate cartilage regeneration in vitro, offering a cell‑free therapy for osteoarthritis. The EVs improved chondrocyte function and extracellular matrix synthesis even in cartilage cells taken...
Autonomous Coding Tech Boosts Revenue 5.1% at Mercyhealth
Mercyhealth, a 200‑location health system in Wisconsin and Illinois, deployed Arintra’s autonomous coding platform within its Epic EHR to address a surge to over 130,000 monthly charts. The AI‑driven tool automates routine coding, freeing coders for complex, high‑value work while...
Apple Unveiled a New High-End Market Opportunity This Week
Apple’s Studio Display XDR earned FDA clearance for its Medical Imaging Calibration feature, opening a new niche in the medical‑device market. The $2,899 calibrated display can replace traditional radiology workstations that cost $15,000 or more, offering a lower‑cost, Apple‑integrated solution....
Dual-Eligible Patients Fall Through the Cracks in Substance Use Disorder Treatment
Dual‑eligible Americans—about 12 million who receive both Medicare and Medicaid—face stark gaps in substance‑use disorder (SUD) treatment. Roughly 1.5 million of these high‑need patients have SUD, yet Medicaid covers only about half of guideline‑recommended services and Medicare’s recent outpatient expansion omits telehealth...
When Steam Reliability Is Non-Negotiable, Hospitals Trust the Miura EX Boiler
The Miura America EX Series dual‑fuel steam boiler delivers full steam in under five minutes, a stark contrast to the hour‑long warm‑up of conventional fire‑tube units. It generates 99%+ saturated steam through a three‑stage separation process, meeting the stringent purity...
Replimune's FDA‑targeted Skin Cancer Drug Faces Another Rejection
Replimune $REPL skin cancer drug that became FDA flashpoint is rejected again https://t.co/7aOfKy8vC7 via @Jasonmmast
Oricell Closes a ‘Pre-IPO’ Megaround to Aim CAR-T at Solid Tumors
Oricell Therapeutics, a Shanghai‑based biotech, closed a pre‑IPO financing round of more than $110 million to accelerate its CAR‑T programs targeting solid tumors, starting with liver cancer. Its lead candidate, Ori‑C101, targets the GPC3 protein and has shown a 60% response...
Thai Authorities Push for Mandatory Medical Insurance for Scooter Crashes
Thai health officials are considering mandatory medical insurance for tourists who rent scooters, after foreign patients generate roughly $3.1 million in unpaid hospital costs each year. In Phuket alone, Vachira Phuket Hospital reported a $300,000 loss from unpaid treatments, including a...
Navigating the European Union’s AI and Health Data Framework
The EU is consolidating GDPR, the AI Act, and the European Health Data Space (EHDS) into a unified framework that treats health‑focused AI as high‑risk, imposing strict data provenance, validation and post‑deployment oversight. Cross‑border transfers of health data now carry...
Sun Pharma Shares Down 4 per Cent on Reports of Overtures for US-Based Organon
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries’ shares fell about 4% to ₹1,654.70 (≈$20) after media reports that the company is close to a $12 billion bid for U.S. women’s‑health firm Organon. The deal would be Sun’s largest ever acquisition, adding Organon’s $6.2 billion 2025 revenue,...
Vivatides Gets $54M; Wegovy Drops Cold Chain in EU; Gilead Takes Kymera Option
Vivatides Therapeutics announced a $54 million Series A round to accelerate its pre‑clinical siRNA and antisense oligonucleotide programs, with Sequoia Capital leading the investment. In Europe, Novo Nordisk confirmed that its obesity drug Wegovy will drop the costly cold‑chain requirement, simplifying distribution. Meanwhile,...
Shooting People In The Head and Heart with mRNA Vaccines, Murder One or Insanity?
A recent blog post dramatizes a WHO‑backed Global Vaccine Data Network (GVDN) study that examined 99 million vaccine recipients across eight countries. The study confirmed strong myocarditis and pericarditis signals after mRNA COVID‑19 vaccines, while Guillain‑Barré syndrome and cerebral venous sinus...
AHA Names Its Preferred Cybersecurity Provider
The American Hospital Association (AHA) has appointed Rubrik as its Preferred Cybersecurity Provider, giving roughly 5,000 member hospitals access to Rubrik’s cyber‑resilience tools and a breach‑recovery playbook. The designation is part of the AHA’s Preferred Cybersecurity & Risk Provider Program...
Psychedelic Therapies May Outpace GLP‑1s Commercially
I believe the commercial potential of #psychedelic therapies is likely to exceed that of GLP-1s. $ATAI $CMPS $DFTX
Hospital Expenses Grew Twice as Fast as Hospital Prices in 2025, Finds AHA
The American Hospital Association’s 2026 Costs of Caring report shows hospital expenses surged 7.5% in 2025, outpacing price growth by more than double. Workforce costs, which account for about 60% of total spending, rose 5.6%, while supplies and drugs jumped...
Why Clinical Listening Skills Outpace Artificial Intelligence
A new national survey by Littmann Stethoscopes shows that 92% of clinicians consider listening the first step in diagnosis, and nearly nine in ten have identified a critical condition solely through auscultation. However, 73% say time pressure and rising patient...
Cervical Disc Replacement vs Cervical Fusion: Which Wins the Back to Work Race?
A new Level I systematic review and meta‑analysis of 16 randomized trials (5,657 patients) compares anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with cervical disc replacement (CDR) on return‑to‑work (RTW) outcomes. CDR patients are 1.33‑1.58 times more likely to be back...
The Virtual Pivot: Reformulating Nursing Care Through Remote Health Monitoring
Healthcare leaders are redefining nursing care models by integrating remote patient monitoring (RPM) and telehealth into a hybrid, virtual‑first framework. The "Virtual Pivot" expands nurses’ reach beyond bedside walls, turning surveillance tasks into digital data streams that alert clinicians to...
States' Lawsuit Against HHS Cuts Moves Forward After Court Win
A federal judge in Rhode Island rejected Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s bid to dismiss a lawsuit filed by 19 states and the District of Columbia. The states challenge a March 2025 directive to drastically cut HHS staff and dissolve...
PDUFA and BsUFA Quarterly Hiring Updates
The FDA published its quarterly hiring updates for fiscal years 2023‑2027 under PDUFA VII and BsUFA III. FY2023 staffing was almost complete—CBER filled 99% of its 132 positions and CDER 90% of 77—while FY24 reached only 71% of 79 targeted FTEs. FY25...
Vegetative Patients May Possess Greater Awareness Than Assumed
.@katieengelhart stories are always quietly devastating and illuminating. This is another must read. Take your time with it this weekend. Vegetative Patients May Be More Aware Than We Knew https://t.co/tWdzIs0AKm
FDA/Center for Research on Complex Generics (CRCG) Workshop on Bioequivalence Innovations for Generic Oral Products: Biowaivers, Bridging, and Development for...
On May 5‑6, 2026, the FDA’s Center for Research on Complex Generics hosted a two‑day workshop in Rockville, MD to explore innovative bioequivalence (BE) strategies for generic oral drugs. The agenda covered biowaivers, bridging studies, and development pathways for oncology agents,...
South Africa’s Air Mercy Service Marks 60 Years of Aero-Medical Operations
South Africa’s Air Mercy Service (AMS) marked its 60th anniversary, highlighting six decades of aero‑medical transport, rescue missions, and Flying Doctor outreach for remote communities. Based at Cape Town International Airport, AMS collaborates with government, international partners, and health stakeholders...
Navigating AI Adoption in Healthcare: Insights From HonorHealth's CMIO
HonorHealth’s CMIO Matt Anderson says AI delays jeopardize competitiveness, with 94% of health leaders fearing lost savings. The system relies on a single Epic instance but mixes third‑party tools, especially for ambient workflow improvements. Anderson stresses rigorous ROI measurement—both hard...
Contributor: AI-Based Remote Monitoring for Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Promise, Progress, and Pitfalls
Neovascular age‑related macular degeneration (nAMD) affects roughly 1.5 million Americans and drives over $4 billion in Medicare anti‑VEGF spending. The FDA‑cleared Notal Vision home OCT (hOCT) offers daily AI‑driven retinal scans that could extend injection intervals, but a new cost model shows...
Biotech VCs Ramp up Checks on New Bets After Years of Focusing on Existing Portfolios
Biotech venture capitalists are shifting back to high‑risk, high‑reward investing, with 65% of Q1 2026 capital directed at new startups. Total venture funding in the sector rose to roughly $2.1 billion, up from $1.5 billion a quarter earlier, and average deal size climbed...
Regenerative Healthcare by Design: Engineering Health-Centric Buildings and Urban Ecosystems
Regenerative health ecosystems are redefining healthcare by embedding health‑optimizing systems into buildings and cities. These health‑centric environments combine renewable energy, AI‑driven interior controls, and biophilic design to continuously support human physiology and cognition. A sophisticated engineering stack—physical AI, blockchain, autonomous...
WSJ's Editorial Board Contradicts What Its Newsroom Has Reported on Medicare Advantage
The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board defended Medicare Advantage even as its own newsroom revealed a $50 billion overbilling scheme and MedPAC projected $76 billion in overpayments for 2026. The editorial relies on an industry‑funded study to claim cost savings, while reporters...
Parents Are Turning to ‘Vaccine-Friendly’ Pediatricians Who Will ‘Simply Answer Questions’
The post reports a surge in demand for “vaccine‑friendly” pediatricians as parents seek doctors who will answer questions and accommodate delayed or skipped immunizations. Texas doctor Osvaldo Villarreal and Florida pediatrician Brian Thornburg cite rapid practice growth and multi‑year waitlists...
Multifaceted Intervention Controls BP in Low-Income Hypertension Patients
The IMPACTS‑BP trial showed that a systematic, team‑based intervention lowered systolic blood pressure by an additional 6.4 mm Hg compared with usual care among low‑income patients in federally qualified health centers in Louisiana and Mississippi. Over 18 months, participants receiving the protocol...
How to Master the Pharmacovigilance System Master File for Inspection Readiness
Mastering the Pharmacovigilance System Master File (PSMF) is essential for inspection readiness, as regulators use it to gauge a company’s PV compliance before any formal interview. In the EU and UK, the PSMF must be supplied within seven days of...
An Implantable Living Pharmacy Produces Drugs in the Body
Scientists from Northwestern, Rice, and Carnegie Mellon unveiled a sub‑cutaneous implant called HOBIT that can synthesize multiple biologic drugs inside the body. The device houses engineered cells in an alginate hydrogel and an electrocatalytic oxygenator that supplies oxygen, enabling sustained...
International Mega-Analysis Shows Psychedelics Alter Brain Circuit Function
An international mega-analysis of psychedelic drug effects on brain circuit function lots of great researchers involved in this paper. (whole article) https://t.co/vKhH0duJqv
What’s in a Name? Moderna’s “Vaccine” Vs. “Therapy” Dilemma
Moderna has stopped calling its mRNA melanoma product a "vaccine," rebranding it as an individualized neoantigen therapy (INT) to sidestep growing political resistance to vaccines. The shift follows the cancellation of a $776 million federal bird‑flu vaccine contract and broader skepticism...
Precision Healthcare: How Lean Six Sigma Saves Lives and Dollars
Lean Six Sigma is reshaping U.S. healthcare by streamlining processes, cutting waste, and boosting patient safety. Hospitals that adopted the methodology reported measurable gains: Valley Baptist trimmed surgical turnaround by 15%, handling 1,106 extra cases and adding roughly $1.3 million in...
Sex Drives Distinct Immune Aging Patterns and Disease Risks
The way our immune cells age differs substantially by sex, from single-cell analysis of ~1,000 people. Implications for propensity for autoimmune diseases (women), vulnerability to cancer (men), immunosenescence and inflammaging @NatureAging https://t.co/GjcuZ8luNM
Health Care Startups Desperately Need Clinical Expertise
Health‑care venture capital continues to pour money into startups designed by technologists rather than clinicians, creating products that clash with established workflows. Dr. Harsha Moole argues that physician‑scientists bring a structural advantage by vetting opportunities through three gates—clinical necessity, regulatory feasibility,...
SVS Quality Initiative Gathers Data to Improve Vascular Care
The Society of Vascular Surgery’s Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI), launched in 2023, now includes more than 7,000 physicians from vascular, cardiothoracic and neurosurgery specialties. Over 900 hospitals and clinics across North America and Singapore have entered data on roughly 1.4 million...
Verastem Oncology Announces Two-Year Median Follow-Up Data on AVMAPKI® FAKZYNJA® Combination Therapy (Avutometinib Capsules; Defactinib Tablets) in Recurrent Low-Grade Serous...
Verastem Oncology presented two‑year median follow‑up data from its Phase 2 RAMP 201 trial of the AVMAPKI® FAKZYNJA® combination (avutometinib + defactinib) in recurrent low‑grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC). The updated analysis confirmed a median duration of response of 31.1 months and a median progression‑free survival...