Today's Healthcare Pulse
FDA greenlights durvalumab combo for high‑risk bladder cancer
The FDA approved durvalumab (Imfinzi) combined with Bacillus Calmette‑Guerin for BCG‑naïve, high‑risk non‑muscle invasive bladder cancer. The POTOMAC trial enrolled 1,018 patients and showed a 32% reduction in disease recurrence risk (hazard ratio 0.68, p=0.015). Durvalumab is given at 1,500 mg IV every four weeks for up to 13 cycles.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Apogee Therapeutics raises $1.3B royalty financing
How Colorectal Cancer Treatment Is Evolving in 2026
Colorectal cancer remains a major global health burden, with over 1.9 million new cases and 900,000 deaths in 2022, placing it high on biotech priorities. Treatment has shifted from surgery‑centric approaches to a blend of refined chemotherapy backbones and biomarker‑driven targeted agents, especially for KRAS, BRAF, HER2, and MSI‑H/dMMR subgroups. While immunotherapy delivers durable responses in the small MSI‑H/dMMR cohort, most metastatic disease is microsatellite‑stable, prompting intensive research into combination regimens and novel formats such as ADCs and bispecific antibodies. Recent FDA approvals—including KRAS G12C inhibitors combined with EGFR antibodies and expanded BRAF‑targeted combos—illustrate the move toward precision oncology, yet the majority of patients still rely on conventional chemotherapy.
Clinical Decision Support an Advancing Frontier for Palliative AI
Artificial intelligence is moving beyond paperwork in palliative care to assist clinical decision making. A 2025 market survey shows 53% of providers use AI for documentation, while 19% employ predictive alerts. PalliCare’s integration of athenaOne’s Patient Summary feature aggregates ambient...
From Idea to First Case, without the Chaos
Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) projects typically span 18‑24 months and succeed when early decisions are anchored to a clear purpose. Medline’s eight‑phase, “why‑first” framework ties feasibility, design, licensure, staffing and technology to concrete workflow outcomes before the first case. A...
Leveraging AI, Automation, and Data Analytics in a Hospice Setting
Chapters Health System, the nation’s largest nonprofit hospice network, is deploying AI, automation, and data analytics to overhaul its revenue cycle management. An AI-driven chart review tool now scans clinical documentation in real time, automatically routing missing signatures or data...
How Hospices Can Better Serve Cardiac Patients
Hospice utilization for cardiovascular disease patients remains low, with cardiac cases representing just 12.7% of hospice admissions in 2024. Dr. Heather Veeder of VITAS Healthcare cites prognostic uncertainty and delayed goals‑of‑care conversations as primary reasons patients enter hospice later than...
New Drug May Replace CPAP for Sleep Apnea‑Heart Risk
On @fox5ny with @stevelacy and natashacurrytv discussing the very real connection between sleep apnea and heart disease. There may be a drug therapy on the horizon to free us of the clap machine. @helloheartapp @morehouseschoolofmedicine mag1849_ medical_association_of_atlanta
5‑Minute Calcium Scan Beats Cholesterol for Heart Risk
The Coronary Artery Calcium Scan - The Heart Disease Test You've Never Heard Of There's a 5-minute heart scan… No needles. No treadmill. No contrast dye. And it predicts heart attack risk better than cholesterol alone. https://youtu.be/XVNLubDAE-M
What the BrightSpring-Setiva Deal Means for Large Health Care Transactions
BrightSpring Health Services agreed to sell its ResCare Community Living unit to Sevita for $835 million in cash, but the Federal Trade Commission initially blocked the transaction on antitrust grounds. The FTC later cleared the deal after BrightSpring and Sevita consented...
White House Must Nominate CDC Director by March 25
On the clock: The White House has until 3/25 to nominate a new #CDC director. The Federal Vacancies Reform Act states a job like CDC director can only be filled on an acting basis for 210 days from the creation...
How Trump’s New Global Gag Rules Will Undermine US Interests Abroad
The Trump administration issued three final rules that expand the Mexico City Policy to all U.S. foreign assistance, tying roughly $40 billion in non‑military aid to compliance with anti‑abortion, gender‑ideology, and DEI restrictions. The rules prohibit NGOs receiving any U.S. funds...
The Aging Crisis Is Here, and Technology Is No Longer Optional
By 2034, roughly one‑fifth of Americans will be over 65, creating the first senior‑majority population and an old‑age dependency ratio above 0.35. The surge strains healthcare staffing, with projected physician shortages exceeding 90,000, and inflates caregiver demand beyond the 50 million...
Re: Health Related Economic Inactivity in Young People in the UK
A letter to the BMJ highlights how a decade of austerity has eroded the UK health service and community support, leaving young people disproportionately affected by COVID‑driven educational disruption and isolation. The author argues that the government’s label of "economically...
Women Wait Twice as Long for Autoimmune Diagnosis
The average woman waits 7 years to be diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. The average man waits 3. Why?
Mich. City Adds Fourth Ambulance, Fire Engine as City EMS System Expands
Flint, Michigan, has expanded its emergency services by adding a fourth ambulance and a $1.2 million fire engine to the city’s Fire Department fleet. The ambulance service, launched in 2024, has already completed more than 900 runs this year, and the...
FDA Town Hall: FDA’s Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR) – Medical Device Risk-Based Inspections
The FDA announced a town hall to discuss its updated Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR) that will govern medical device inspections beginning February 2, 2026. The new inspection framework replaces the long‑standing Quality System Inspection Technique (QSIT) and supersedes older...
Rare Disease Sales To Soar to $400B+ By 2032 as Small Molecules Resurgent: Evaluate
Orphan‑drug sales are projected to exceed $400 billion by 2032, more than double the 2025 level. Small‑molecule therapies dominate the pipeline, accounting for 45% of the 20 most valuable orphan candidates, signaling a resurgence after years of biologic focus. The Inflation...
Parkinson’s Research Reaches “Pivotal” Stage, but Barriers Remain
Parkinson’s research has entered a pivotal phase, driven by deeper disease insights and advanced models such as patient‑derived iPSCs. Despite a pipeline of potential disease‑modifying therapies, funding shortfalls and outdated trial endpoints continue to impede progress. Parkinson’s UK’s Virtual Biotech...
This Week in European MedTech and HealthTech: 13th March 2026
The European Commission is pushing a 2026 Health Package that revises the MDR/IVDR framework, introducing risk‑based certification, digital‑only declarations of conformity and tighter cybersecurity reporting. Parallel work on the AI Act will align high‑risk medical AI with the MDR/IVDR pathway,...
FDA Issues Final Guidance on Medical Devices with Indications Associated with Weight Loss
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued final guidance titled “Medical Devices with Indications Associated with Weight Loss – Premarket Considerations.” The document outlines recommended non‑clinical testing and clinical study designs for devices aimed at weight loss, obesity treatment, or...
CBD and CBG Reverse Fatty Liver in Mice
I teach medical students that fatty liver disease (MASLD) affects 1 in 3 adults and has limited approved drug treatments. That may be changing. Hebrew University researchers found CBD and CBG -- two non-psychoactive cannabis compounds -- reversed fatty liver in mice...
Gender and Autism Spectrum Disorder
Recent research highlights a striking overlap between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and gender dysphoria, with studies reporting 35‑47% of youth in gender clinics also meeting autism criteria. Sensory processing challenges and body‑image discomfort often drive autistic individuals toward clothing and...
Trump Policies Set to Increase Rates of Lung Disease and Death, Study Finds
A new study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine finds that policies enacted during Donald Trump's second term are poised to dramatically increase lung disease incidence and premature deaths in the United States. The analysis...
Building Trust Before Scale: A Founder-to-Founder Conversation on Brand, AI and Health
Epic Life’s founder Ben Davies partnered with Koto’s James Greenfield early on to embed brand and trust before building their AI‑powered health companion. They argue that while AI functionality can be duplicated, a credible brand and identity are hard to...
The 510(k) Pathway in 2026: Navigating a Shifting Regulatory and Political Landscape for Medical Devices
The 510(k) premarket notification pathway continues to dominate U.S. medical device approvals, but recent data show escalating safety failures and a persistent “predicate creep” problem. In Q1 2026 the FDA introduced electronic eSTAR submissions and issued draft guidance on predicate selection,...
Immutep Investors Spooked by LAG-3 Failure in Lung Cancer
Australian biotech Immutep saw its ASX shares tumble more than 88% after the independent data monitoring committee recommended halting its pivotal phase‑3 TACTI‑004 trial of the LAG‑3 inhibitor eftilagimod alfa (efti) in first‑line non‑small cell lung cancer. The trial, which...
Otsuka Pharmaceutical Reports OLE Study Data on Repinatrabit in Phenylketonuria
Otsuka Pharmaceutical disclosed early open‑label extension (OLE) data for repinatrabit (JNT‑517) in adolescents with phenylketonuria (PKU). A 75 mg twice‑daily regimen achieved a 67% mean reduction in blood phenylalanine by day 56, with responses observed across prior sapropterin responders, non‑responders, and a...
Out of the Blue? How the Colour of Light Could Be Used to Treat Mental Illness
Researchers at St Olavs Hospital in Trondheim equipped one half of a psychiatric intensive‑care ward with blue‑depleted evening lighting while the other half kept standard lighting. In a randomized trial of 476 short‑stay patients, the circadian‑adapted ward showed greater clinical improvement...
Eliquis Proves Safer than Xarelto for Patients with Deep Blood Clots
A head‑to‑head trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine compared Eliquis (apixaban) and Xarelto (rivaroxaban) in patients with deep‑vein thrombosis. The study found Eliquis significantly reduced major bleeding risk while maintaining equal efficacy in preventing clot recurrence. This...
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HEALTH INEQUITY: Red Cross Children’s Hospital Doctor Using Donated ‘Miracle’ Cystic Fibrosis Drug to Save Lives
South Africa’s Red Cross Children’s Hospital is using donated Trikafta, a $300,000‑a‑year cystic fibrosis therapy, to keep seven‑year‑old Jaylin Leitjies alive after his lungs were severely damaged in infancy. The drug, produced by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, is not registered with SAHPRA...
ICB Mergers and Clusters: What They Mean for Continuing Healthcare
A wave of Integrated Care Board (ICB) mergers and clustering is set to roll out across England, with many consolidations taking effect in April 2026 and further changes slated for 2027. The reforms aim to cut ICB operating and programme...
Flagship Startup Loses CEO to Ipsen; Ionis to Shed Nearly Six Decades of Board Experience
Alltrna's CEO Michelle Werner announced her resignation, moving to pharmaceutical giant Ipsen as its new chief executive. The biotech startup will rely on interim management while it searches for a permanent replacement. Simultaneously, Ionis Therapeutics disclosed that several long‑standing board...
PE Delves Into Diverse Women’s Health Segments: 6 Deals
Private‑equity firms Ardian, Charterhouse, CVC and L Catterton led six recent transactions across the women’s health sector. The deals span fertility services, menopause therapeutics, breast‑cancer diagnostics, digital mental‑health platforms, and pelvic‑floor care. Collectively, the investments total roughly $1.2 billion, reflecting heightened...
Pharma Pulse: SteinCares Partners to Expand Biosimilar Access in Latin America and Eli Lilly Issues Warning Over Compounded Tirzepatide Safety
SteinCares and Shilpa Biologicals have signed a licensing deal to commercialize biosimilars across Latin America, with SteinCares handling regional registration and distribution while Shilpa oversees product development and long‑term manufacturing. The partnership targets broader patient access to cost‑effective biologics in...
Radiology Groups Push UnitedHealthcare and Cigna to Update Payment Policies for Key Service
Ten medical societies, including the American College of Radiology, have written to UnitedHealthcare and Cigna urging them to revise their coverage policies for peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS), a minimally invasive chronic pain treatment. The insurers currently classify PNS as experimental,...
Veterans Facing Significant Challenges Accessing Radiology Services, VA Watchdog Says
A VA Office of the Inspector General review found that 13 of 15 sampled radiology clinics lack essential call‑tracking data, rendering nearly 338,000 radiology‑related calls unmonitored. The missing data hampers the department’s ability to gauge response times, leading to delays...
Primary Care Handles 90% Yet Receives Only 5% Funding
The numbers defining US healthcare. 11 years & $300,000 for an MD. 30 minutes & $38 for an insurance license. Primary care handles 90% of issues but gets only 5% of total healthcare spending. Who is wrong? We discuss the low value placed on...
White House Declares Vaccine Debate over, Eyes MAGA‑MAHA Alliance
“We’re just kind of done with the vaccine issue,” said one White House official. “We’ve done what we want to do on the vaccine front.” On the future of the MAGA-MAHA alliance, w/ @ChelseaCirruzzo https://t.co/g6goE2TC6e
This Little-Known Bioactive Helps Protect Against Dementia, Study Shows
A recent Neuroscience Insights review highlights citicoline, a CDP‑choline derivative, as a potent neuroprotective agent. Clinical data show consistent improvements in memory, concentration, and visual‑motor coordination for patients with mild cognitive impairment, especially of vascular origin. The bioactive also benefits...
Healthcare Spending Jumps 7.9%—Outpacing Inflation
Spending on healthcare services is up 7.9% year over year, far higher than the inflation rate reported in the CPI https://t.co/Mt0STaWkJz
Kennedy's Base Pushes Vaccine Rollback, White House Resists
What happens when Kennedy's MAHA base's hunger for further dismantling of vaccination policy is at odds with the White House's midterm election strategy? We may be about to find out, @_daniel_payne & @ChelseaCirruzzo report. https://t.co/uiTS6XJgP0
Pharma’s Godfather Moment: Pulled Back Into Tariff Uncertainty
The U.S. Supreme Court nullified President Trump’s emergency authority to impose tariffs, reigniting uncertainty for the pharmaceutical sector. Despite the ruling, most‑favored‑nation (MFN) pricing agreements between branded drug makers and the Administration are expected to hold, though new U.S. manufacturing...
White House Claims Vaccine Rollout Complete; MAHA Pushes Back
White House says it’s ‘done’ with vaccines. MAHA begs to differ https://t.co/atqj3ymMqe via @_daniel_payne @ChelseaCirruzzo
FDA Approves GSK Arexvy for At‑risk Adults 18‑49
#GSK Arexvy RSV Vaccine approved by US FDA with a wider indication for Adults aged 18 to 49 who are at increased risk of Lower Respiratory Tract Disease caused by RSV.
![[Obituary] Nicholas White](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/18e02f397e47fea422ba4d31bfe3f731.webp)
[Obituary] Nicholas White
Professor Sir Nicholas White, a pioneering pharmacologist and tropical‑medicine clinician, led the development and global adoption of artemisinin‑based combination therapies (ACTs) that transformed malaria treatment. His early trials in the 1990s demonstrated ACTs’ safety and efficacy, prompting a WHO guideline...
![[Correspondence] Health in Africa: The WHO African Region in the Next Decade](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/a9fe5635efddee78b24619bc1dc041d1.webp)
[Correspondence] Health in Africa: The WHO African Region in the Next Decade
In 2025 the WHO African region faced profound public‑health disruptions that accelerated a shift away from donor‑driven, disease‑specific programmes toward domestically financed, system‑wide strategies. Health is being repositioned as a macro‑economic asset, with preparedness, universal coverage and disease control framed...
![[Correspondence] National Lung Cancer Screening Programme in Brazil: An Urgent Need](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/4fbfeafc7f96396bcc6e234922df9c92.webp)
[Correspondence] National Lung Cancer Screening Programme in Brazil: An Urgent Need
Lung cancer caused 44,213 new cases and 38,292 deaths in Brazil in 2022, imposing heavy morbidity and costs on the public health system. Unlike many nations, Brazil lacks a national low‑dose CT (LDCT) screening programme, despite strong trial evidence that...
![[Perspectives] Lessons From the History of the Uganda Virus Research Institute](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/fa1fa72682f84e190ce5ce03ac058219.webp)
[Perspectives] Lessons From the History of the Uganda Virus Research Institute
During the 1960s, Uganda’s Virus Research Institute exemplified how African health research was rebuilt after independence, navigating the collapse of colonial institutions while maintaining productive collaborations. Today, abrupt reductions in U.S. development assistance—withdrawal from USAID, WHO, and Gavi—are destabilizing similar...
![[Comment] Moving Integrated Care Into the Community in Sub-Saharan Africa](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/753ebea3da7faa88e67cea3df67e4d36.webp)
[Comment] Moving Integrated Care Into the Community in Sub-Saharan Africa
Vertical HIV programmes in East and Southern Africa have successfully expanded rapid treatment access, but rising non‑communicable disease (NCD) comorbidities among people living with HIV now demand integrated service delivery. Recent pragmatic trials such as INTE‑AFRICA (2023) and INTE‑COMM (2026)...
Why Revenue Performance Often Starts with Accurate Clinical Notes
Hospitals that prioritize accurate clinical notes see measurable revenue gains because documentation directly drives coding and reimbursement. Vague or incomplete entries cause denied claims, audit flags, and lost tariffs, even when billing tools are sophisticated. Solutions such as Scribe X and...
Listen: Could a Registry of Doctors Who Refuse Abortions Improve Access in Spain?
Spain's High Court of Justice ordered Madrid to immediately create a registry of doctors who conscientiously object to performing abortions. The national law, introduced in 2023, obliges all autonomous communities to maintain such lists to ensure women can access legal...