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:
Mitochondria Packaged in Blood Cell Membranes Improve Disease Symptoms in Mice
Researchers have engineered microscopic capsules made from red blood cell membranes that encase single, healthy mitochondria and can be injected into animals. In mouse models of Parkinson‑like disease and Leigh syndrome, the capsules restored neuronal function, improved motor activity, and extended lifespan compared with untreated controls or free mitochondria. The approach overcomes low uptake and damage issues that have limited prior mitochondrial transplantation attempts. The team is preparing a first‑in‑human trial, initially excluding Parkinson’s patients.
Seaweed Shield: Marine Molecules May Block Norovirus Infection
Researchers from Griffith University and biotech firm Marinova evaluated brown and green seaweed polysaccharides for their ability to block norovirus attachment. Fucoidan, a sulfated fiber from brown seaweed, demonstrated the strongest and most consistent inhibition of virus‑like particles binding to...
Medical Residents Endure Toxic Culture, Power Imbalance Fuels Burnout
Medical residents are the backbone of the hospital system. They are also its favorite punching bag. We expect them to work 80 hour weeks. We expect them to accept low pay. But we also force them to endure systemic disrespect, microaggressions,...
Samsung Bioepis Partners with Sandoz for Up to Five Biosimilar Candidates
Samsung Bioepis and Sandoz have signed a global license, development and commercialization agreement covering up to five biosimilar candidates, including the preclinical SB36 biosimilar to Entyvio (vedolizumab). Samsung Bioepis will manage development, manufacturing and regulatory submissions, while Sandoz will handle...
Your Next Hospital Stay Might Be In Your Own Bedroom. A Doctor Explains
Medicare’s Acute Hospital Care at Home waiver has been extended through September 2030, giving hospitals a decade‑long runway to expand home‑based acute care. As of September 2025, 419 hospitals in 39 states are authorized, treating conditions such as pneumonia, heart‑failure,...
Re: Seeing Healthcare From Both Sides of the Bedrail
A junior doctor at age 25 was diagnosed with an aggressive stage‑II sarcoma after her initial request for imaging was denied because her symptoms did not fit classic cancer criteria. The delay highlighted how strict adherence to typical presentation guidelines...
US Court Says Pharma Giants Must Face False Claims Suit
The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied dismissal motions by AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Novartis and Sanofi, allowing a whistleblower False Claims Act suit over alleged 340B program overcharges to proceed. The lawsuit, filed by Adventist Health System/West, claims the manufacturers...
Insurer and Business Lobbying Interests Kill Supplemental Breast Imaging Bill in 1 State
Kansas Senate Bill 409, which would mandate insurers to cover supplemental breast imaging after mammography, failed to advance as the legislative session progressed. Insurer Blue Cross and business groups such as the Kansas Chamber of Commerce opposed the bill, labeling...
Malaysian Medical Tourism Set to Benefit From Iran War’s Impact
Malaysia’s medical tourism could gain patients from the Middle East as the Iran‑Israel conflict makes Dubai’s medical hub unsafe. Sunway Healthcare’s president warned that regional travelers may seek temporary stays in Southeast Asia, especially Malaysia. Revenue from medical tourists rose...
Hospice CARE Act Reintroduced
Rep. Linda T. Sánchez and Sen. Mark Warner have re‑introduced the Hospice CARE Act, aiming to modernize the Medicare hospice benefit while tightening program integrity. The legislation proposes a moratorium on new hospice enrollment, enhanced transparency of ownership, and higher...
Rollout of Ambient Voice Technology Across UHL-UHN to Speed up Care and Improve Communication for Patients
The University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) and University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) have become the first NHS trusts to jointly deploy AI‑powered Ambient Voice Technology (AVT) through Accurx Scribe. The rollout will equip more than 10,000 clinicians with voice‑captured scribing...
Xaira Unveils AI Model X-Cell for Predicting Virtual Cells
Xaira, the biotech AI startup with the deepest funding round, launched its first model, X‑Cell, on Tuesday. The platform uses deep learning to generate virtual cell representations from multi‑omics data, enabling researchers to simulate cellular responses without physical experiments. Early...
Evidence Shows ACA’s Mandated Benefits Alone Don’t Drive Up Costs. The Debate Continues.
President Donald Trump has again blamed the Affordable Care Act for rising health‑care costs, citing premium spikes since the law’s rollout. Data show ACA individual premiums have risen 129% since 2014, outpacing the 68% increase in employer‑based plans, while deductibles...
Red States Move to Protect Crisis Pregnancy Centers Using Model Legislation
Conservative lawmakers in Wyoming, Kansas and Oklahoma are advancing the Alliance Defending Freedom’s model CARE Act, which shields crisis pregnancy centers from state mandates to provide abortion referrals, information or contraception. The bill also grants centers the right to sue...
Susie Wiles with Breast Cancer, AAP Et Al Prevails on ACIP, Look to States for Vaccine Freedom
In this episode of Just the News No Noise, Dr. Peter McCullough discusses Susie Wiles’ early‑stage breast cancer, suggesting speculative links to COVID‑19 vaccines and recommending tissue testing for spike protein. He then critiques a federal judge’s decision blocking vaccine‑schedule reforms championed...
How to Switch Between Health Insurance Plans in India Without Losing Benefits
Switching health insurance plans in India can be done without losing benefits by using the portability option at renewal. The article outlines a step‑by‑step process that emphasizes timing, documentation, and full health disclosure to retain waiting‑period credits and existing‑condition coverage....
OXOS Medical’s MC2 Secures Clearance for Paediatric Imaging
OXOS Medical announced FDA clearance for its MC2 portable X‑ray system designed specifically for paediatric imaging. The lightweight, wireless device enables bedside scans, allowing children to stay with caregivers while receiving low‑dose, high‑definition images. Hands‑free operation via a wireless foot...
START and Trialing Collaborate on Oncology Clinical Trials
START Center for Cancer Research has partnered with Trialing to broaden access to early‑phase oncology clinical trials throughout Europe. The exclusive agreement lets START distribute curated trial information and real‑time enrollment updates via Trialing’s platform, directly notifying oncologists when slots...
Maker of Device To Treat Addiction Withdrawal Seeks Counties’ Opioid Settlement Cash
Kentucky counties are using opioid settlement money to purchase the NET device, a FDA‑cleared neuromodulation tool that eases withdrawal symptoms, at roughly $5,500 per patient. The company behind NET, NET Recovery, has secured about $1.2 million in contracts across more than...
The Albumin-Globulin Ratio Mediates Progressive Motor Function Decline in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
A retrospective cohort of 201 Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients and 202 matched controls revealed that a lower albumin‑globulin ratio (AGR) is strongly associated with poorer motor function and faster loss of ambulation. Logistic and Cox models showed lower AGR...
Medication Availability for Alcohol Use Disorder in Substance Use Disorder Treatment Facilities
A nationwide study of 3,153 U.S. counties shows that the share of substance‑use‑disorder treatment facilities offering medication for alcohol use disorder (MAUD) rose from 34% in 2017 to 44% in 2021, then plateaued. Rural‑adjacent and rural‑remote counties lagged metropolitan areas...
Extracting Non-Taxonomic and Ternary Relations From Patient-Generated Texts for Semantic Interoperability
A new knowledge‑infused neural framework extracts non‑taxonomic and ternary relations from patient‑generated texts, addressing gaps left by taxonomic‑only approaches. Using a four‑layer architecture, delayed fusion, rule‑based dictionaries, and BioBERT validation, the system processes 38,115 anxiety and depression documents. It achieves...
Understanding Hiv Patients’ Perceptions of Nutrition Education at Mulago National Referral Hospital, a Qualitative Study
A qualitative study at Mulago National Referral Hospital found that structured nutrition education is virtually absent for HIV inpatients, with six of seven participants reporting no dietary counselling and no ward‑based nutritionist. Patients expressed positive attitudes toward nutrition and recognized...
Multifactorial Predictors of Infant Neurodevelopment at Six Months: A Hierarchical Regression Analysis
A cross‑sectional study of 124 term infants examined how biological, maternal, and environmental factors predict neurodevelopment at six months using the ASQ‑3. Hierarchical regression showed that birth weight was the strongest and most consistent predictor across communication, gross motor, problem‑solving,...
Barriers and Facilitators to Antimicrobial Stewardship Implementation Across Healthcare Settings in Bangladesh: A Systematic Review
Bangladesh faces a growing antimicrobial resistance crisis, with 26,200 AMR‑related deaths in 2019. A systematic review of 14 studies covering over 34,000 patients and clinicians found that antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs are fragmented, with only 31% of prescriptions guided by...
Co PSMA Prostate Imaging Data Presented at EAU Congress
Clarity Pharmaceuticals presented Phase II Co‑PSMA data at the EAU Congress, showing its 64Cu‑SAR‑bisPSMA PET tracer outperforms the standard 68Ga‑PSMA‑11 in detecting prostate cancer recurrence at low PSA levels. In 50 men post‑radical prostatectomy, 64Cu‑SAR‑bisPSMA identified 63 lesions versus 24...
Cogent Biosciences Reports US FDA’s NDA Acceptance of Bezuclastinib for NonAdvanced Systemic Mastocytosis (NonAdvSM)
Cogent Biosciences announced that the U.S. FDA has accepted its new‑drug application for bezuclastinib in non‑advanced systemic mastocytosis (NonAdvSM), with a PDUFA target date of December 30 2026 and no advisory committee required. The filing is supported by the SUMMIT trial, which...
Nigeria Bets on High-End Fiagnostics as Siemens–AMCE Deal Targets Medical Tourism Drain
Siemens Healthineers has teamed up with the African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) to bring advanced imaging, precision diagnostics and integrated cancer‑care solutions to Nigeria. The $300 million, Afreximbank‑backed hospital aims to become a regional hub for oncology, cardiology and haematology,...
Cognitive Stimulation Therapy: A Human-Centred, Cost-Effective Approach to Dementia Care
Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) is a low‑cost, evidence‑based psychosocial program for mild‑to‑moderate dementia that has been piloted at Bruyère Health Geriatric Day Hospital since January 2025. The pilot has completed three rounds and will conclude in July 2026, informing funding...
Ascendis Pharma Reports Topline P-II (New InsiGHTS) Trial Data on TransCon hGH in Turner Syndrome
Ascendis Pharma released topline results from its Phase‑II New InsiGHTS trial evaluating TransCon hGH (lonapegsomatropin) administered once‑weekly versus daily somatropin in 49 prepubertal children with Turner syndrome. At week 52, the weekly formulation achieved an LS mean annualized height velocity...
SUNMED IPO Soars 17% Above Price, Expansion Funded
Sunway Healthcare Holdings Bhd (SUNMED, 5555) debuted strongly on Bursa Malaysia Main Market today. Opening price hit RM1.70 → 17% above IPO price of RM1.45. Price climbed fast to RM1.80–RM2.00 range in morning trade → market cap exceeded RM20 billion. Retail offering...
Oscar-Nominated Film Highlights Shared American, Iranian Health System Concerns
An Oscar‑nominated Iranian film clip showed a pregnant woman denied emergency care because the hospital demanded cash, echoing similar payment barriers faced by U.S. patients. While outright refusals are illegal in the United States, American hospitals still use urgency assessments...
Impact of Enteral Feeding Strategies on Nosocomial Clostridioides Difficile Infection-Induced Diarrhea
A retrospective study of 78 Saudi hospital patients with Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) found that continuous enteral feeding markedly lowered diarrhea severity compared with intermittent feeding (OR = 7.91, p < 0.001). Continuous feeding also stabilized serum sodium and reduced biochemical instability, while intermittent...
Chinese Scientists Use E Coli to Fight Breast Tumours From Within in Mice Study
Chinese researchers at Shandong University have engineered the probiotic strain Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 to synthesize and deliver the anticancer drug Romidepsin directly within breast‑tumor tissue in mice. The bacteria colonized the tumors, releasing the drug locally and achieving tumor‑inhibiting...
Chargemaster Inflates Prices, Patients End up Paying the Cost
When I was at the Brigham/Harvard I saw how we billed different insurance levels as well as the uninsured. The uninsured got screwed the worst. Always. Different payers pay remarkably different prices for the identical things. It all comes down...
The Cognitive Aftercare Gap: Cancer Care Is Data-Rich, but Brain Recovery Is Unmanaged
Cancer survivorship is increasingly recognized, yet cognitive impairment—often called "brain fog"—remains invisible in most oncology workflows. Studies show up to 75% of patients experience cognitive changes during treatment, with roughly 35% continuing months or years afterward. The gap stems from...
How TrumpRx Drug Prices Compare With Those in Other Countries
President Trump’s TrumpRx website claims to offer the world’s lowest prescription‑drug prices, but a New York Times analysis finds the opposite. The site lists only a few dozen negotiated U.S. prices, omitting widely used drugs such as statins and many high‑cost cancer...
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Lexapro (Escitalopram) Side Effects: What You Should Know
Lexapro (escitalopram) is a widely used SSRI that commonly triggers mild side effects such as nausea, insomnia, and headaches during the first week of treatment. Most of these effects diminish after one to two weeks, but patients are advised not...
Scientists Link Childhood Stress to Lifelong Digestive Issues
A study published in Gastroenterology demonstrates that stress during early life rewires gut‑brain pathways, increasing the risk of chronic digestive disorders. Mouse experiments showed sex‑specific motility changes and identified separate neural, hormonal, and serotonin mechanisms. Large human cohorts—over 40,000 Danish...
NIH Shifts Funding Model, Sparking Debate Over Future of Biomedical Research
The U.S. National Institutes of Health announced a pivot away from agency‑directed solicitation calls toward a greater reliance on unsolicited research proposals, a change unveiled in Bethesda, Maryland. The shift, made under the agency’s new leadership following the 2025 presidential...
White House Pushes MFN Drug Pricing, Faces Congressional Resistance
On March 18, 2026, White House officials—including two former Trump administration aides—intensified a campaign to pass legislation that would lock U.S. drug prices to the lowest rates paid by peer nations. The push, aimed at lowering costs for patients, met...
CMS to Roll Out Centralized IDR Platform for Medicare Disputes in Late 2026
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on March 16 that it will transition to a secure, centralized independent dispute resolution (IDR) gateway for Medicare payment and coverage disputes in the second half of 2026. The new platform...
Demanding Colorado Reinsurance Cost Transparency From Governor
How about we ask @govofco how much more reinsurance is costing Colorado? And don’t give me the bs talking points about the average premium reduction, babes.
Policy Secures Health Coverage for 27,000 Colorado Families
Yesterday one of my co-conspirators messaged to let me know that over 7k pregnant people and 20k children have health coverage because of the policy we passed years ago…Cover All Coloradans I have so many feelings that I can’t fully figure...
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How Long Does Hydrocodone Withdrawal Last?
Hydrocodone remains the most prescribed opioid in the U.S., with 83.6 million prescriptions in 2017 and 6.3 million misusers. Withdrawal typically starts 8–24 hours after the last dose, peaks on days two to three, and subsides within a week for most patients. Symptoms...
AI Tool Reduces Time to Prepare Discharge Summaries
Fraser Health has deployed an artificial‑intelligence tool within its Meditech Expanse platform to automate discharge summary creation. The pilot, involving roughly 60 clinicians, cut average drafting time from 12.5 minutes to 5.5 minutes per patient. Users report the draft‑and‑review workflow...
OpenText Applies AI to Faxing
OpenText unveiled its AI‑powered Fax Aviator at HIMSS, aiming to modernize healthcare fax workflows. The solution claims up to 85% labor savings by automating extraction, classification, and routing, and can process 2‑3 times more faxes without additional staff. Features such...
Warning that NHS Digital Reform Could Lead to Burnout
Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s NHS digital transformation faces warnings of nurse burnout. A Society of Occupational Medicine study of 339 nurses found digital technology stress significantly drives emotional exhaustion and burnout. While AI and digital tools can improve disease management...
Brain Scans Reveal a Bipolar-Like Link to Childhood Trauma in some Depressed Patients
An Italian neuroimaging study of 260 inpatients found that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with poorer white‑matter integrity, especially in patients with bipolar disorder. In bipolar patients, higher exposure to physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect correlated with widespread...
InspireMD Inc (NSPR) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Inspire Medical Systems reported a 12% rise in fourth‑quarter revenue to $269 million and a 14% increase for the full year, reaching $912 million, driven by both existing and new center growth. The company widened its 2026 revenue outlook to $950‑$1 billion, reflecting...