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:
Zanubrutinib Demonstrates Favorable Tolerability in R/R CLL/SLL
A systematic review and meta‑analysis of four trials involving 508 relapsed or refractory CLL/SLL patients found that zanubrutinib (Brukinsa) has low treatment‑discontinuation (7.2%) and atrial fibrillation rates (2.9%). While 98.5% of patients experienced at least one adverse event, only 67% had grade ≥ 3 events and serious events occurred in 32.2%. Compared with first‑generation BTK inhibitors such as ibrutinib, zanubrutinib’s more selective kinase profile translates into fewer cardiovascular toxicities and fewer discontinuations due to toxicity. The authors call for larger, longer‑term studies to confirm these safety signals in real‑world settings.
AI Medical Tools Need Evidence, Not RCTs, to Trust
How can we trust CDS AI like OpenEvidence, DoximityGPT, etc if no one's done studies showing their use improves patient outcomes? While I understand the intent, I think it's ultimately a misguided question. Anytime a new medical textbook comes out, should...
Disparities Widen Across Regions as Global Hypertension Burden Grows
A new meta‑analysis of 287 studies covering 6.1 million adults shows that 1.71 billion people—about one‑third of the global adult population—had hypertension in 2020. While high‑income nations saw a modest 2.7 % drop in age‑standardized prevalence, low‑ and middle‑income countries experienced a 5.8 %...
Operationalizing Seamless Care Between Community and Academic Centers: Turab Mohammed, MD
Dr. Turab Mohammed, a hematologist‑oncologist at Novant Health, outlined how community systems can operationalize seamless collaboration with academic centers through dedicated care‑navigation teams and real‑time communication protocols. He emphasized early referral of high‑risk leukemia and lymphoma patients to preserve T‑cell...
Friday Subscriber Discussion - Prove It
The newsletter featured a subscriber‑driven discussion on practical steps doctors’ offices can take to demonstrate thoughtful patient care. Contributors highlighted tangible improvements such as clear signage, comfortable waiting rooms, transparent pricing, staff communication training, and digital check‑in tools. The dialogue...
How a Minor Dry Cough Amplifies Caregiver Burden in Home Health Care
A seemingly minor dry cough can dominate daily life for families providing home health care, interrupting sleep, meals, and conversations. Because the symptom often disappears in the clinical setting, physicians may underestimate its impact, leaving caregivers to manage endless adjustments...
How to Treat Sacroiliac Joint Pain Effectively Today
The sacroiliac (SI) joint is responsible for roughly 15‑30% of chronic low‑back pain and is frequently misdiagnosed. Physicians use a stepwise approach—patient history, a cluster of provocation tests, selective imaging, and a diagnostic injection—to pinpoint the joint with about 91%...
Hospital Sues Cardiology Practice for Alleged Breach of Contract, Ending Years-Long Partnership
Boone Health, a 392‑bed hospital in Columbia, Missouri, has sued its longtime cardiology partner, Missouri Heart Center, alleging breach of a non‑compete clause and refusal to release patient data. The cardiology group intends to exit the partnership in May and...
Development of a Culturally Sensitive Breast Cancer Patient Education Toolkit in Rwanda: A Methodological Approach
Breast cancer cases in Rwanda are expected to rise from 1,131 in 2018 to roughly 2,420 by 2040, creating a critical need for patient education. OAZIS Health responded with the ICYIZERE Initiative, developing a culturally sensitive education toolkit through four...
Multi-Target Gene Therapy for Osteoarthritis: Dual-Axis Modeling and In Silico Validation
A computational study proposes a multi‑target gene therapy for osteoarthritis that combines anti‑inflammatory, anabolic, and catabolic‑blocking transgenes delivered via a dual‑vector AAV system. Network perturbation modeling shows the multi‑axis approach achieves an ECM Recovery Score of 76.2, markedly higher than...
Update on FDA’s Ongoing Evaluation of Reports of Suicidal Thoughts or Actions in Patients Taking a Certain Type of Medicines...
The FDA’s November 1, 2024 drug safety communication reports a preliminary review of suicidal thoughts and actions among patients using glucagon‑like peptide‑1 receptor agonists (GLP‑1 RAs). After analyzing adverse event reports, clinical trials and observational studies, regulators found no clear causal link,...
Scientists Map How the Body Traps 'Sleeping' Tuberculosis
Scientists at James Cook University used spatial transcriptomics to map where latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis resides within lymph nodes and bone marrow, revealing how the immune system contains the dormant bacteria. The study, published in Nature Communications, identified CD8⁺ T cells...
FDA Adds Warning About Rare Occurrence of Serious Liver Injury with Use of Veozah (Fezolinetant) for Hot Flashes Due to...
On December 16, 2024, the FDA issued a Boxed Warning for Veozah (fezolinetant), the first non‑hormonal drug approved for menopausal hot flashes, highlighting a rare but serious risk of liver injury. The agency now mandates baseline liver testing and monthly...
Serious Liver Injury Being Observed in Patients without Cirrhosis Taking Ocaliva (Obeticholic Acid) to Treat Primary Biliary Cholangitis
The FDA’s latest safety communication reveals that Ocaliva (obeticholic acid) is causing serious liver injury in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) patients without cirrhosis, including cases that required liver transplants or resulted in death. In a post‑market trial, 7 of 81...
FDA Adds Boxed Warning About a Rare but Serious Allergic Reaction Called Anaphylaxis with the Multiple Sclerosis Medicine Glatiramer Acetate...
The FDA issued a new boxed warning for glatiramer acetate (Copaxone, Glatopa), highlighting a rare but potentially fatal anaphylactic reaction. Data from 1996‑2024 show 82 reported cases worldwide, including six deaths, with most events occurring within an hour of injection...
FDA Requires Warning About Rare but Severe Itching After Stopping Long-Term Use of Oral Allergy Medicines Cetirizine or Levocetirizine (Zyrtec,...
The FDA issued a drug safety communication warning that stopping long‑term use of oral antihistamines cetirizine (Zyrtec) or levocetirine (Xyzal) can trigger rare but severe itching (pruritus). Between April 2017 and July 2023, 209 cases—including 197 in the United States—were...
FDA Adds Warning About Serious Risk of Heat-Related Complications with Antinausea Patch Transderm Scōp (Scopolamine Transdermal System)
The FDA has issued a Drug Safety Communication adding a new warning to the Transderm Scōp scopolamine patch about serious heat‑related complications, including hyper‑temperature, hospitalization and death. The warning follows 13 reported cases worldwide—seven in the U.S.—with four hospitalizations and two...
FDA Requires Expanded Labeling About Weight Loss Risk in Patients Younger than 6 Years Taking Extended-Release Stimulants for ADHD
The FDA is requiring a uniform "Limitation of Use" label for all extended‑release stimulants used in ADHD treatment, warning that children under six years face higher drug exposure and a significant risk of weight loss. The agency’s analysis of clinical...
CDC Warns of Medetomidine in Illicit Drugs
The CDC issued a health advisory warning that the veterinary sedative medetomidine is increasingly appearing in the U.S. illicit drug supply. Seizure reports jumped 950% in 2024 and another 215% in 2025, now spanning at least 18 states with the...
Finnish Study Finds Children of Immigrant Parents Face Major Gaps in Mental‑Health Care
Researchers at the University of Turku analyzed 172,000 Finnish children and found that those with two immigrant parents are 60% less likely to receive treatment for anxiety and depression, while children with an immigrant father and Finnish mother are up...
FDA Is Requiring Opioid Pain Medicine Manufacturers to Update Prescribing Information Regarding Long-Term Use
The FDA has mandated that manufacturers of extended‑release/long‑acting opioid analgesics update their prescribing information to reflect new post‑marketing study results. Two large PMR studies (3033‑1 prospective cohort and 3033‑2 retrospective cohort) found that roughly 22% of long‑term users develop opioid...
FDA Removes Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) Program for the Antipsychotic Drug Clozapine
The FDA announced that, effective June 13 2025, the risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) for clozapine is being eliminated. While the drug’s potential to cause severe neutropenia remains, the agency concluded that updated labeling and a new Medication Guide provide sufficient...
FDA to Recommend Additional, Earlier MRI Monitoring for Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease Taking Leqembi (Lecanemab)
On August 28, 2025 the FDA issued a drug‑safety communication recommending an additional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan before the third infusion of Leqembi (lecanemab) for Alzheimer’s patients. The agency’s analysis identified 101 serious cases of amyloid‑related imaging abnormalities with...
RFK Jr. Appointed a Saboteur to Run the CDC’s Vaccine Panel — And Didn’t Know It
Dr. Robert Malone, a co‑inventor of mRNA vaccine technology, quit the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) alleging internal sabotage. He claims that a person personally appointed by RFK Jr. to oversee ACIP operations acted as a mole, undermining Secretary...
How Jefferson Became the First to Achieve URAC Community Health Worker Accreditation
Jefferson Health became the first organization to earn URAC’s Community Health Worker Program Accreditation, establishing a national benchmark for CHW recruitment, training, and integration. The program has expanded from fewer than a dozen CHWs in 2023 to nearly 40 staff,...
K.C. Pharmaceuticals Recalls 3.1 Million Eye‑Drop Bottles Over Sterility Concerns
K.C. Pharmaceuticals announced a voluntary recall of over 3.1 million bottles of over‑the‑counter eye drops sold across the United States. The FDA classified the action as a Class II recall on March 31, 2026, citing a lack of assurance of sterility. The recall...
K‑38 Consulting Generates $2.3 Million Turnaround for Premier Orthopedic Associates
K‑38 Consulting announced a $2.3 million financial improvement for Premier Orthopedic Associates after a 12‑month revenue‑cycle transformation. The boutique firm cut days in accounts receivable by 40%, slashed denial rates to under 5%, and boosted net collection to 96.2%, underscoring the...
Ottawa Takes Charge of Vaccine Injury Compensation Program
The Canadian government has assumed direct control of the Vaccine Impact Assistance Program, moving it from the private consultancy OXARO to the Public Health Agency of Canada. The program, a no‑fault scheme, compensates individuals with serious, permanent injuries linked to...
WELL Health and AliveCor Team Up to Cut Cardiology Wait Times with AI‑Powered ECG Review
WELL Health Technologies has struck a strategic partnership with AI‑leader AliveCor to embed Canadian‑licensed cardiologists into the Kardia platform. The service promises clinician‑reviewed ECG results within 24 hours, targeting a 53% rise in elective cardiology wait times and an average...
Nanotech Study Shows Targeted Reprogramming of Scar and Dermatitis Skin Microenvironments
Researchers published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation that multifunctional nanoparticles can reprogram pathological skin microenvironments, delivering anti‑inflammatory and antifibrotic agents directly to scar tissue and atopic dermatitis lesions. The approach modulates immune cells and fibroblast activity, promising more effective,...
Trump Targets NIH Funding Amid $1.5T War Spend
Trump once again going for draconian cuts to NIH, though not as catastrophic as he sought for the last round (and didn't get). Meanwhile, he wants $1.5T for war. I doubt he'll be any more successful with NIH cuts than...
Data Breaches Hit Hims & Hers and TriZetto, Exposing Millions of Patient Records
Telehealth giant Hims & Hers confirmed a hack of its customer‑service ticketing system, while Cognizant‑owned health‑tech insurer verification platform TriZetto disclosed a breach that exposed over 3.4 million patient records. Both incidents underscore growing cyber risks in digital health infrastructure.
A Personality Change Like This May Signal Dementia
A seven‑year longitudinal study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that increases in neuroticism and decreases in openness often precede the clinical onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers observed that personality shifts, especially heightened anxiety, depression, and...
Prilenia and Ferrer Launch $500‑Patient Phase‑3 ALS Trial of Pridopidine
Prilenia Therapeutics and Ferrer have opened enrollment for the PREVAiLS phase‑3 trial of pridopidine, a sigma‑1 receptor agonist, in 500 early‑stage ALS patients. The study spans up to 60 sites in 13 countries and builds on mixed results from a...
MUSC Health Uses AI Analytics to Gain OR Scheduling Efficiencies
MUSC Health adopted Apella's ambient AI platform to replace manual EHR timestamps with automated, real‑time operating‑room event tracking. The technology delivered six‑fold more accurate timestamps and updates within a minute, instantly visible to charge nurses and coordinators. Within weeks, 100%...
Scientists Urge EPA Not to Weaken Ethylene Oxide Emissions Standards
Scientists, clinicians, and community groups urged the EPA to keep its 2024 ethylene oxide (EtO) emissions standards for medical device sterilizers. The agency’s March proposal would lift restrictions, allowing an additional 7.8 tons of EtO per year and eliminating permanent enclosures...
Restore Robotics Cleared to Remanufacture 2 More Da Vinci Xi Instruments
Restore Robotics received FDA 510(k) clearance for two additional da Vinci Xi instruments—a permanent cautery hook and a permanent cautery spatula—bringing its total FDA‑cleared remanufactured instruments to four. The clearances follow earlier approvals for da Vinci scissors and expand the company’s portfolio of...
Health Insurance Waiting Periods: An Unjust, Normalized Scam
Waiting periods for health insurance is such a scam. Where else is it normalized for you to pay for something you can’t actually use for months?
EPA’s Draft CCL6 Adds Microplastics, Drugs In MAHA Alignment
The Environmental Protection Agency released a draft of its sixth Contaminant Candidate List (CCL6) that formally includes microplastics and pharmaceutical residues as chemical groups for possible future drinking‑water regulation. The move mirrors demands from the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA)...
The Riskiest Way to Prove You’re Right
For decades the medical establishment blamed stress for stomach ulcers, dismissing any bacterial cause. Dr. Barry Marshall, alongside pathologist Robin Warren, identified Helicobacter pylori as the culprit but faced widespread skepticism. To force acceptance, Marshall deliberately ingested a culture of...
Molecular End Points Poised to Transform Myeloma Drug Approval: Nicholas Richardson, DO, MPH
The FDA released draft guidance proposing minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity and complete response as primary endpoints for accelerated approval of multiple myeloma therapies. MRD is defined as fewer than one myeloma cell per million bone‑marrow cells, measured by flow...
Creating a Roadmap to Scale up Prenatal Supplementation Across Africa
Policymakers at the 2024 Africa Maternal Nutrition and MMS Technical Meeting outlined a unified framework to scale multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) for pregnant women across the continent. Evidence shows MMS reduces anemia‑related infant mortality by 29% and improves growth outcomes,...
Height or Weight, Which Is a Bigger PJK Risk Factor? (Not a Trick Question)
A multicenter retrospective review of 904 adult spinal deformity patients found that height, not weight, independently predicts proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) after surgery. The risk rises with stature, peaking near 179 cm, and then plateaus. Weight and the height‑weight interaction showed...
Evidence‑Heavy Statins Still Outpace Unproven Peptides
There is a fascinating op-ed piece in STAT from a doctor whose patient rejected a statin -- one of the most tested drug classes in existence -- but chose to take an untested peptide for cardiovascular risk. "My patient is intelligent,...
Good AI Diagnoses, Bad Chat Interface Worsens Outcomes
This new Nature paper (using old models) illustrates the point of my latest Substack post on AI interfaces. AI did a good job diagnosing medical issues, but when users had to interact with chatbots the interface led to confusion &...
Leucovorin for Autism: Why Physicians Must Protect Hope From Hype
Physicians warn that leucovorin, a folate derivative, is being hyped as an autism cure after political endorsements, despite lacking robust clinical evidence. Small studies suggest modest language gains, but no large randomized trials have confirmed efficacy and reported side effects...
Soquelitinib
Corvus Pharmaceuticals announced soquelitinib (CPI‑818), an oral covalent inhibitor that irreversibly engages ITK at Cys442 while sparing the related kinase RLK. The selectivity addresses the broader off‑target activity seen with earlier covalent ITK agents such as ibrutinib. Soquelitinib is currently...
‘Medicare By Choice’ Plans Could Work, But More Details Needed
Medicare by Choice is an aspirational Democratic proposal that would expand eligibility for Medicare‑like plans, add income‑based subsidies, and allow employers to offer the option to workers. The plan includes a public‑option competing with private insurers, caps on out‑of‑pocket costs,...
AI Drives Value‑Based Care Revolution in Hospitals
Healthcare must be redesigned around early intervention, accountability, and outcomes, and artificial intelligence can help make this a reality. A decisive transition to value-based care, powered by AI, can fundamentally change how hospitals operate and help us reimagine how physicians...
Geography Determines Newborn Screening Access, Not Health
‘Death by ZIP Code’: Newborn Screening and the Geographic Screening Lottery -- Excellent piece by my colleague @GrinsteinJ https://t.co/K0mVN4Ydbk via @Inside_PM