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
The Hidden Dangers of AI Voice Assistants in Elder Care
AI voice assistants are increasingly used to combat senior loneliness, but they can create an illusion of care that misleads older adults into believing they are interacting with a compassionate human. The article highlights research linking isolation to mortality comparable to heavy smoking and warns that simulated empathy may erode dignity. It proposes reframing AI as a triage and caregiver‑amplification layer that alerts families or clinicians when health signals change, rather than replacing human presence. Proper governance is essential to balance convenience with ethical responsibility.
'It Could Revolutionize, Completely, the Way We Treat Depression': Researchers Are Exploring Promising Immune Therapy for Treating Psychiatric Symptoms
Researchers led by Dr. James Murrough and Dr. Emma Guttman‑Yassky identified the Th2 immune pathway as a contributor to major depressive disorder. Using proteomic profiling and computer modeling, they repurposed dupilumab—an IL‑4 receptor antibody approved for eczema—to target this pathway....
The Hidden Nervous System of Surgical Robotics: Power, Data & Sensing Behind Precision Performance
The article reveals how power, data, and sensing networks act as the hidden nervous system of modern surgical robots. Advances in interconnect density, force‑sensing modules, and integrated electronic architectures are enabling higher precision and reliability. Michael Klitze of TE Connectivity...
Bayesian Inferences and Frequentist Evaluations
Researchers Forster, Novelli, and Welch applied four frequentist and two Bayesian sequential designs to the COVID‑disrupted UK DISC clinical trial. All six approaches confirmed the trial’s original finding of treatment superiority but suggested different optimal points for restarting patient recruitment....
HIV-Seq Tool Finds Active Reservoir Cells During Therapy
A team at Gladstone Institutes and the San Francisco VA has launched HIV‑seq, a virus‑specific single‑cell RNA‑sequencing platform that isolates active HIV reservoir cells from patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART). The method captured 25 treated‑patient cells and over 1,000 cells from...
Machine Learning Links DEHP and Sjögren’s Immune Signatures
Researchers combined network toxicology, machine‑learning models and SHAP interpretability to show that exposure to the plasticizer Di(2‑ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) generates immune signatures overlapping with Sjögren’s syndrome. By mapping thousands of DEHP‑associated genes, proteins and metabolites, they identified shared pathways involving...
The Age of Animal Experiments May Be Waning
Governments in the UK, US and EU are committing to phase out animal testing, starting with skin‑irritation assays and targeting broader reductions by 2030. Rapid advances in new‑approach methodologies—organs‑on‑chips, organoids and AI‑driven computational models—have driven a fourfold rise in NAM‑only...
Lysophosphatidylcholine Acyltransferase 1 Drives Cancer via COX17
Researchers have identified lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 1 (LPCAT1) as a driver of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) by amplifying mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation through the COX17 chaperone. Overexpression of LPCAT1 reshapes mitochondrial membrane lipids, stabilizing COX17 and boosting cytochrome c oxidase activity,...
How Lilly Used AI To Crank Up Production Of Its Popular GLP-1s
Eli Lilly used an AI‑driven digital twin to dramatically increase manufacturing capacity for its high‑demand GLP‑1 drugs Zepbound and Mounjaro. The virtual factory model allowed real‑time optimization of equipment, process parameters, and defect detection, delivering production volumes the company says would...
ITK-Targeting Boosts Anti-CD19 CAR-T Therapy
A recent preclinical study shows that inhibiting interleukin‑2‑inducible T‑cell kinase (ITK) markedly improves the efficacy of anti‑CD19 CAR‑T cells. Researchers combined an ITK‑selective inhibitor with a second‑generation CD19‑CAR construct, observing enhanced cytotoxicity, reduced exhaustion markers, and prolonged persistence in mouse...
Cryotherapy Boosts Metabolism and Hormones, Best for Higher BMI
"A series of WBC sessions improved carbohydrate metabolism and modulated adipokine and sirtuin profiles, with the most pronounced effects observed in individuals with elevated BMI. However, this effect generally may require a longer treatment series." The effect of whole-body cryostimulation treatments...
Bright Light Therapy Boosts Glymphatic Flow and Prefrontal Activity
Bright light therapy influences glymphatic system function in individuals with subthreshold depression: a randomized clinical trial Highlights 👇👨🏻⚕️” 🔘 Bright light therapy (BLT) influences glymphatic function in subthreshold depression. 🔘 BLT enhanced brain functional activity of the prefrontal cortex. 🔘 BLT links glymphatic system...
The Medicare Login Upgrade Nobody’s Talking About: Why Identity Infrastructure Is the Most Underrated Distribution Rail in Health Tech
On March 3 2026, CMS announced that Medicare.gov will accept CLEAR, ID.me and Login.gov as login options, effectively embedding federally‑backed IAL2 identity verification into the nation’s largest payer platform. The move addresses a $5 billion annual fraud problem and signals that verified digital...
Accelerating Years of Startup Work in Weeks with AI Agents
joked with my old cofounder about using the next 90 days to vibe replicate all the products and data tools that took us 3 years to build at our startup... I think i'll be done in 7. next up: AI agents...
Grant-Funded Pilots Die without Upfront Purchase Commitment
A health system once celebrated our Health Tech partnership’s amazing results, and then walked away - all because of the most dangerous word in innovation: “grant-funded.” I've watched more grant-funded pilots quietly die than I care to count. The problem? A...
![AI Could End the Administrative Nightmare for Doctors [PODCAST]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://kevinmd.com/wp-content/uploads/The-Podcast-by-KevinMD-WideScreen-3000-px-3-scaled.jpg)
AI Could End the Administrative Nightmare for Doctors [PODCAST]
Anthropic’s Claude for health care, a large language model tailored to clinical workflows, can automatically generate prior‑authorization narratives and other documentation by pulling data directly from patient charts. In pilot demonstrations, the tool reduced the time required for insurance paperwork...
Agentic AI Slashes Denials 60% in One Month
A revenue-cycle nurse cut denials by 60% in 1 month using agentic AI. See how in the new article from Anshar AI 👉 https://t.co/mKAaugRe28 Meet them at #HIMSS26 or book a private workflow session. #AnsharAI #HITSM
83% Unaware of DORAs: Sleep Knowledge Gap
There's a lot you can learn about sleep. Like 83% hadn't heard of DORAs. https://t.co/2lV3Fw6cwg https://t.co/IWRTdPTMOL
![[Comment] Aldosterone Synthase Inhibition in Resistant Hypertension: Promises and Unknowns](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/0a5065acfb3787a2e2e6999bae6248e9.webp)
[Comment] Aldosterone Synthase Inhibition in Resistant Hypertension: Promises and Unknowns
Resistant hypertension affects up to 20 % of hypertensive patients and carries heightened cardiovascular risk. Recent phase‑3 studies of aldosterone synthase inhibitors such as baxdrostat and lorundrostat have demonstrated significant ambulatory blood‑pressure reductions, positioning them as potential fourth‑line agents beyond traditional...
Cures for some Autoimmune Diseases Now a Reality
One of the most impressive advances we've ever seen for some autoimmune diseases: cures https://t.co/OZDuq4Iooy
Fragmentomic Liquid Biopsy Detects Early Breast Cancer, Subtypes, Nodes
Fragmentomic liquid biopsy enables early breast cancer detection, molecular subtyping and lymph node assessment https://t.co/RC5rTrFO4l https://t.co/s0Z6lc7Jeb
![[Comment] Offline: The Silent Torment of Casey Means](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/d29724c6236ef051403e50259273b915.webp)
[Comment] Offline: The Silent Torment of Casey Means
Casey Means, a former ENT surgeon and author of *Good Energy*, was nominated by President Trump for U.S. Surgeon General and faced a Senate confirmation hearing dominated by vaccine questions rather than her metabolic‑health agenda. She argues that nine in...
Warmer Temperatures Linked to Higher Adult Obesity
Ambient Temperature and Adult Obesity: Evidence from U.S. County-Level Panel Data "The results indicate that higher ambient temperatures are associated with higher adult obesity rates, even after accounting for correlated environmental conditions..." https://t.co/ewEuMdqr3O
Bitter Compounds Protect Brain in Diabetic Cognitive Decline
Bitter Compounds as Multifunctional Agents against Diabetes-associated Cognitive Dysfunction: Bridging Metabolic Regulation and Neuroprotection https://t.co/Xv3xItlP20
![[Perspectives] Hadiza Shehu Galadanci: Strengthening Maternal Health in Nigeria](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/52b082cc64194e1f91a2de11b6fecc8d.webp)
[Perspectives] Hadiza Shehu Galadanci: Strengthening Maternal Health in Nigeria
Professor Hadiza Shehu Galadanci, director of the Africa Center of Excellence for Population Health and Policy, highlighted the urgent need to tackle postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) in Nigeria. She noted that while prevention and treatment methods exist, the majority of the...
![[Comment] Why Investing in Women's Health Is a Societal Imperative](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/e85a106906bfc6e377921705c114243b.webp)
[Comment] Why Investing in Women's Health Is a Societal Imperative
The commentary highlights that women experience nine additional years of poor health—25% more than men—primarily between menarche and menopause. Female‑specific conditions such as fibroids, endometriosis, and menopause‑related issues affect the majority of women, curtailing school attendance and workforce participation. Recent...
![[Comment] Hypofractionated Nodal Radiotherapy in Breast Cancer: Time for an Updated Standard of Care?](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/51ee4beaf110fc3e1c92723294b3d34e.webp)
[Comment] Hypofractionated Nodal Radiotherapy in Breast Cancer: Time for an Updated Standard of Care?
The Lancet comment revisits hypofractionated nodal radiotherapy for breast cancer, highlighting its historical association with lymphoedema and brachial plexopathy due to high doses and poor protocol control. Early adoption of hypofractionation was driven by capacity constraints rather than trial evidence,...
Prasad Out At FDA, Turning Critics’ Focus Back To Makary
Vinay Prasad, the FDA’s controversial biologics chief, has announced his departure, marking his second exit within a year. His resignation follows a public dispute over the agency’s handling of rare disease drug approvals, intensifying scrutiny of FDA decision‑making. Critics are...
![[Perspectives] Cancer in Pregnancy: Navigating Two Medical Systems](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/677a5ada881d0c9455b4c33ce2ea6cb9.webp)
[Perspectives] Cancer in Pregnancy: Navigating Two Medical Systems
A 37‑year‑old woman was diagnosed with triple‑negative breast cancer with lymph‑node metastasis at 29 weeks pregnant. Treated within Australia’s high‑standard health system, she faced the dual challenge of oncology and obstetric care. The piece highlights systemic complexities when cancer intersects...
![[Correspondence] Call to Enhance Civilian and Military Blood Preparedness](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/3cdceb7aa0991549fda94f4aa2ac80de.webp)
[Correspondence] Call to Enhance Civilian and Military Blood Preparedness
In February 2026 the NATO Blood Panel met in Brussels and issued a correspondence urging both military and civilian blood services to improve surge capacity for future conflicts and crises. The authors note that whole blood, especially low‑titer O, is...
![[Correspondence] Time to Change Internal Medicine Training for UK Resident Doctors](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/7960917152130ca8716cc19d90110ede.webp)
[Correspondence] Time to Change Internal Medicine Training for UK Resident Doctors
Internal medicine training (IMT) recruitment in the UK saw the median shortlisting score climb to 21 in 2026, up from 15 the previous year, as applicants self‑rate across expanded portfolio domains. A five‑point bonus now rewards candidates who apply exclusively...
CMS Gives States Two Options To Transition To Six-Month Medicaid Eligibility Checks
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that beginning in 2027 states must move Medicaid eligibility checks from annual to six‑month intervals for the expansion population. States have two pathways: an immediate transition for all eligible beneficiaries or...
Hospitals Can Use 2026 to Prepare for CMS TEAM Bundled Payment Risk
The CMS Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM) is a mandatory five‑year bundled‑payment program affecting roughly 750 hospitals in 188 markets. 2026 serves as an upside‑only rehearsal year, but starting in 2027 up to 20 % of a hospital’s target reimbursement for...
GLP-1 Drugs and 8 Healthy Lifestyle Habits May Lower Cardiovascular Risk
A large observational study of 98,261 U.S. veterans with type 2 diabetes found that using GLP‑1 receptor agonists together with six to eight healthy lifestyle habits lowered major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) by 43% compared with low‑habit, non‑GLP‑1 users. Both the...
Being at High Altitudes Could Help Blood Sugar Control: Here's Why
Researchers found that low‑oxygen environments cause red blood cells to multiply and increase GLUT1 expression, turning them into a powerful glucose sink. In mice, chronic hypoxia improved glucose tolerance and reversed hyperglycemia, an effect replicated by the experimental drug HypoxyStat...
Study Finds 7 Hours and 19 Minutes of Sleep May Be Best for Insulin Sensitivity
A cross‑sectional analysis of 23,475 adults identified 7 hours 19 minutes (≈7.3 h) of nightly sleep as the sweet spot for insulin sensitivity, measured by estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR). Sleep durations shorter than this point showed lower eGDR, while longer sleep was linked...
‘Important to Balance’: As CMS Reviews Nursing Home Antipsychotic Measure, Agency Comments on Dilemma
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is actively reviewing its antipsychotic quality measure for nursing homes, aiming to distinguish appropriate from inappropriate prescribing. The agency’s latest hybrid method, which blends Minimum Data Set and claims data, has drawn...
Vinay Prasad, Controversial FDA Leader, to Again Depart Agency
Vinay Prasad, the controversial head of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, will leave the agency in April after a tumultuous year marked by stricter vaccine guidelines and a new pathway for ultra‑rare gene therapies. His tenure saw...
Ten Emerging U.S. Healthcare Trends Shaping 2026
The future of U.S. medicine: 10 health care trends in 2026 https://t.co/Cp6QufTISs #Physician #Malpractice via @kevinmd
AI Transforming Clinical Care Guides New HHS Policies
Artificial intelligence in clinical care: Shaping the HHS policy landscape https://t.co/XF7GFSav1j #Policy #PublicHealthPolicy via @kevinmd
Highmark Health Generates $28M in Value with Google AI
Highmark Health, a Pittsburgh‑based payer‑provider, reported $27.9 million in generated value for 2025 from its Google Cloud‑built AI assistant, Sidekick. Employees have prompted the tool more than six million times, expanding active use cases to 74, up from 31 the previous...
Norgine Announces £23 Million Investment to Expand Medicines Manufacturing in Wales
Norgine announced a £23 million injection to expand its Hengoed, Wales, manufacturing site, taking total investment at the location to more than £50 million since 2022. The upgrade will add high‑speed, energy‑efficient production lines and increase warehousing capacity, allowing the company to...
‘A Moment of Real Possibility’ in Alzheimer’s Care
Recent Harvard panel highlighted emerging Alzheimer’s research beyond amyloid, focusing on lipid metabolism, tau dynamics, diet, and social determinants. TAC Therapeutics founder Leyla Akay presented data linking APOE4‑driven lipid accumulation to myelin loss and showed that GSK3β inhibition reduces brain...
Does Being Vegetarian Reduce Your Risk of Cancer?
The British Journal of Cancer published an observational study of 1.8 million adults followed for 16 years, finding that vegetarians had significantly lower risks of pancreatic, prostate, breast, kidney, and multiple myeloma cancers. Conversely, the same cohort showed almost double the...
Shared IT Model Helps Rural Hospitals Access Technology, Cut Costs
Opelousas General Health System partnered with Triad Executive Advisors to build a shared IT infrastructure that rural hospitals can tap into without raising expenses. The model centralizes network operations, security, EMR management and a new AI‑enabled PACS system, allowing participating...
New Eli Lilly Platform To Expand Obesity Drug Options For Employers
Eli Lilly launched an Employer Connect platform on March 5, linking more than 15 independent program administrators with a nationwide pharmacy and telehealth network to broaden discounted access to its obesity drugs, notably the GLP‑1 Zepbound (tirzepatide) pen. The service targets employer‑sponsored...
HGH May Harm Tendon‑Bone Healing Recovery
Human Growth Hormone May Be Detrimental When Used to Accelerate Recovery from Acute Tendon-Bone Interface Injuries https://t.co/L4EOFMKjys
Should Moderate FMR Should Be Treated With M-TEER? Experts Duke It Out
At THT 2026, leading cardiologists debated whether transcatheter edge‑to‑edge repair (M‑TEER) should be used for patients with heart failure and moderate functional mitral regurgitation (FMR). Dr. Stefan Anker argued that current European guidelines and data from the RESHAPE‑HF2 trial support considering...
Many PE Teams Embraced Mechanical Thrombectomy Early On: PERT Registry
Mechanical thrombectomy use for acute pulmonary embolism rose 18% annually from 2016 to 2024, overtaking catheter‑directed thrombolysis by 2021. The shift began before landmark trials such as STORM‑PE and PEERLESS, reflecting clinician confidence despite limited randomized data. Analysis of 2,958...
FDA Holds Meeting with States on Importation of Lower Cost Drugs
The FDA convened a meeting with several states, Indian tribes and federal partners to discuss the Section 804 importation program, which permits importing prescription drugs from Canada to lower U.S. prices. The agency highlighted its pre‑review process, cost‑savings analysis support, and...