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
Big Apple Exclusive: Dr. McCullough Goes Live to Unveil Potential Cancer Breakthrough
In this episode, Dr. Peter McCullough, chief scientific officer of a wellness company, discusses an observational report on the off‑label use of two generic drugs—ivermectin and mebendazole—in cancer patients. The study, now under peer review, found that nearly half of participants experienced remission or disease improvement after six months, with side effects in about 25% of cases but 94% of those patients remaining on therapy. Dr. McCullough emphasizes that while the findings are promising, rigorous double‑blind, placebo‑controlled trials are needed, and calls for the National Cancer Institute and clinical trial networks to invest in repurposing these inexpensive, well‑understood medications for oncology.
The $227 Million Bet on North-Central Wisconsin’s Healthcare Future
Aspirus Health is investing $227 million in a privately funded expansion of its Wausau Hospital, slated for completion in 2028. The project adds 48 intermediate‑care beds, a 16‑bed observation unit and a new fixed PET/CT scanner, increasing total patient capacity by...
Journalists Shed Light on Deadly Hantavirus Outbreak and a Crisis in the Nation’s ERs
Public health journalist Céline Gounder highlighted a hantavirus outbreak aboard a transatlantic cruise ship across PBS NewsHour, Fox LiveNow, CBS Mornings, and NPR’s Morning Edition in early May. Simultaneously, KFF senior editor Elisabeth Rosenthal warned that emergency‑room boarding delays are...
Re: Make Compassion Visible in Emergency Medicine Again
In a letter to the BMJ, GP Ruth L. Evans reflects on the call for renewed compassion in emergency medicine, arguing that clinicians must first care for themselves and their colleagues. She describes how mounting patient demand and dwindling resources...
Modicus Prime Announces $8M in Funding to Enable AI Audit Readiness Across Pharma
Modicus Prime announced it has closed an additional $4.5 million financing round led by Frist Cressey Ventures, bringing its total capital to $8 million. The funds will be used to scale its Trustworthy AI Compliance Software, which embeds a compliance layer into...
AI Predicts Chemoresistance in Bladder Cancer
Researchers published a machine‑learning framework that fuses tumor transcriptome profiles with high‑resolution digital pathology to forecast chemoresistance in muscle‑invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). The multimodal model outperformed single‑data approaches, accurately distinguishing resistant from responsive tumors in extensive validation cohorts. By pinpointing...
SuperDNA: AI-Driven Biotech Hub Accelerates Drug Discovery
Welcome to SuperDNA Up City - this will be the true automation biotechnology + AI Disneyland with 10 thousand humans in the loop. Most people do not realize that even today, with 30 developmental candidates some of which often trigger...
17-Alpha Estradiol - Another Top Anti-Aging Drug
The post details efforts to source 17α‑estradiol (alfatradiol) for anti‑aging and renal‑protective research, listing vendors and pricing—including Octagonchem’s $1,200 for 100 g and Shanghai Jizhi’s roughly $80 for 200 mg (≈¥568). It proposes a group‑buy workflow that starts with small‑scale sampling, purity...
Lab-Grown Diamond Technology Poised to Revolutionize Radiation Dose Measurement
Researchers at Tokyo Metropolitan University, together with Tohoku University and Orbray, have created a heteroepitaxial lab‑grown diamond ionization chamber that dramatically outperforms conventional air‑based dosimeters. The diamond detector is about 1,250 times smaller yet 13,500 times more sensitive per unit...
Queensland Funds New Biomedical Manufacturing Projects to Strengthen Sovereign Capability
Queensland has earmarked about US$133 million from its Sovereign Industry Development Fund for its first biomedical manufacturing projects. More than US$12.9 million will support AdvanCell’s Thorium‑228 radiopharmaceutical plant and US$1.6 million will fund Southern RNA’s semi‑automated sterile fill‑finish platform, together creating roughly 100...
Polypharmacy and Anticholinergic Load Accelerate Aging via Inflammation
Polypharmacy, anticholinergic burden and inflammation in relation to accelerated biological ageing Note the observational design, with corresponding limitation in inference. The authors concluded: "Both polypharmacy and anticholinergic burden are associated with accelerated biological ageing, partly mediated by inflammation, including a potential serial...
Lilly and Caitlin Clark Reframe Progress with “Start How You Can”
Eli Lilly, together with Wieden+Kennedy Portland, launched the “Start How You Can” campaign featuring basketball phenom Caitlin Clark. The initiative reframes exercise as a form of preventive medicine, positioning health improvement over drug sales. Debuting alongside the WNBA season, the campaign...
Biological Clock Insights in Parkinson’s Disease Therapy
On May 9 2026 Bioengineer.org released a multi‑topic research roundup covering neurology, oncology, geriatric trial design, environmental virology, terahertz communications, and AI‑driven cancer analytics. The pieces highlight that mild cognitive impairment independently reduces gait speed in seniors, a new drug combination shows...
Research Reports Link Between Higher Dietary Inflammatory Index and Prostate Enlargement
A Frontiers in Nutrition study found that higher scores on the Dietary Inflammatory Index are associated with a roughly 7% increase in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) risk for each point rise. The analysis of NHANES data showed a clear dose‑response...
New Combo Shows Promise for Unknown Primary Cancer
Researchers reported phase II results of the Fudan CUP‑002 trial, which combines an anti‑PD‑1 checkpoint inhibitor, nab‑paclitaxel chemotherapy, and bevacizumab anti‑angiogenic therapy for cancer of unknown primary (CUP). The triplet achieved higher objective response rates and longer progression‑free survival than historical...
Informal Networks and Professional Culture Shape Advancement in UK Surgical Careers
A University of Surrey study of 3,402 trainee surgeons across 212 NHS trusts reveals that informal networks and professional culture, rather than formal equality rules, drive senior‑level homogeneity in UK surgery. Surgeons from under‑represented gender and ethnic groups are more...
Engaging Older Adults in Pragmatic Trial Research
A 2026 multi‑methods study published in BMC Geriatrics examined how researchers involve older adults in pragmatic clinical trials. Using interviews, focus groups and surveys, the authors identified facilitators such as dedicated PPI coordinators and barriers like limited funding and absent...
Alberta Can’t Rely on Immigrant Workers While Denying Them Health Care
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is pushing a fall referendum to bar many newcomers from provincial health care and education, arguing that federal immigration levels strain the province’s systems. The government admits it lacks data to quantify any savings, yet relies...
Cardiometabolic Diseases Remain Leading Cause of Excess American Mortality
A new JAMA Network Open study led by Boston University researchers finds that between 1999 and 2022 the United States logged roughly 12.7 million excess deaths compared with 17 peer high‑income countries. Cardiovascular and metabolic diseases accounted for over half of...
StuffThatWorks Hires Veteran CRO Exec Caroline Redeker as Chief Commercial Officer
StuffThatWorks announced the appointment of Caroline Redeker as Chief Commercial Officer. The veteran CRO leader will steer commercialization of the company’s AI‑native patient‑generated data platform, which now spans over 3 million patients and 1.3 billion data points, aiming to halve trial timelines.
Regeneron Secures FDA Accelerated Approval for First Neurosensory Gene Therapy
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals has won FDA accelerated approval for Otarmeni, the first in‑vivo gene therapy aimed at restoring hearing in patients with OTOF‑related sensorineural loss. The decision, based on a Phase I/II CHORD trial of 20 children, makes the treatment free...
Asthma Medication Formoterol Shows Promise for Treating Fatty Liver Disease
Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina found that the asthma drug formoterol reverses fatty liver in mouse models of metabolic dysfunction‑associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and is linked to lower liver‑related complications in retrospective patient data. The β‑2 adrenergic agonist...
Gestational Constipation and the Gut Microbiota: Mechanisms, Interventions, and Implications for Maternal and Offspring Health
Gestational constipation affects up to 40% of pregnant women and reflects disruptions in the pregnancy‑driven gut microbiota remodeling. Hormonal, immune and dietary shifts reduce microbial diversity, expand Actinomycetota and Pseudomonadota, and alter short‑chain fatty acid production, impairing colonic motility. Fiber‑rich,...
Predictive Value of TyG-BMI, CTI, and SII in Identifying Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease Among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes...
A retrospective study of 796 hospitalized type 2 diabetes patients evaluated three inexpensive blood‑based indices—TyG‑BMI, the C‑reactive protein‑triglyceride‑glucose index (CTI) and the systemic immune‑inflammation index (SII)—for detecting metabolic dysfunction‑associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). All three markers were independently associated with...
The Role of Fat-Free Mass Index in Evaluating Protein-Energy Wasting in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study
Researchers evaluated fat‑free mass index (FFMI) measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in 272 maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients across three Chinese hospitals. Low FFMI (<17 kg/m² for men, <15 kg/m² for women) was present in 38.6% of patients and identified many individuals...
Serum Lipid Profiles and Risk of Depression: A UK Biobank Prospective Cohort Study
A prospective analysis of 445,105 UK Biobank participants over a mean 12.3‑year follow‑up found that higher baseline levels of Apolipoprotein B, LDL‑C and total cholesterol were each associated with a lower risk of incident depression. Apolipoprotein A displayed a U‑shaped relationship, with...
Association Between Nutritional Status at Admission and Inadequate Bowel Preparation in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study
A retrospective cohort of 697 inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients in China found that malnutrition at hospital admission markedly increases the risk of inadequate bowel preparation for colonoscopy. Using three validated nutrition screens—Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), Nutritional Risk Index (NRI)...
Evening Update: Hantavirus Outbreak - America’s Public Health System Is Cracking Under Pressure.
A sudden surge in hantavirus infections has hit twelve U.S. states, pushing case numbers up 45% in the past six months. Rural hospitals are scrambling for ICU beds as severe respiratory symptoms strain limited resources. The CDC responded with a...
What Does Cannabis ‘Rescheduling’ Mean for Science and Society?
In April 2026 the U.S. Department of Justice reclassified cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III, ending a federal ban that has hampered scientific study for decades. The move clears a major regulatory hurdle, allowing federally funded researchers to conduct randomized controlled...
Even a Bad Nurse Beats No Care at Home
No nurse is better than a bad nurse in your child’s home [PODCAST] http://dlvr.it/TSRtZy Podcast #Nursing
Hospitals Serve All; President Delivers Nationwide Improvements
Many times I posted about the ongoing renovations at Mpilo Hospital… Your problem is thinking that hospitals are tribal or regional establishments, they are for everyone. President @edmnangagwa is DELIVERING, even NEGAHOLICS like you will appreciate one day… https://t.co/YR3ZVuiPbT
Drop in Opioid Overdose Deaths Nears 50% Since 2023
Opioid overdose deaths in the United States have fallen nearly 50% since their June 2023 peak, with 46,066 deaths recorded through October 2025—down from 86,075 at the high point. The decline is driven primarily by a weaker fentanyl supply, traced...
China’s Rapid Dead-Virus Vaccines Match Severe-Case Protection
small point, but the record time is a bit of exaggeration. China developed two old-fashioned dead virus vaccines in roughly the same time-frame. They were less effective in preventing the original strain, but comparably effective in preventing serious illness and...
Fear Outpaces Context in Virus News Coverage
I ran sentiment analysis on top news coverage of the new virus. My conclusion: fear travels faster than context. The best public-health signal was measured. A lot of the media signal was amplified. This infographic breaks down who stayed grounded and who leaned alarm-prone. https://t.co/ZJP8ODS0Ft
Auckland City Hospital Activates Central Plant Complex to Strengthen Critical Infrastructure
Auckland City Hospital has brought its new Central Plant Complex into full operation, delivering power, cooling, water and medical gases to one of New Zealand’s busiest hospitals. The plant, commissioned after staged testing that began in December 2025, replaces aging utilities and...
Digital CBT Self-Help Trial Cuts College Mental Disorders by Up to 23%
Researchers launched a multi‑university randomized trial of digital cognitive‑behavioural therapy guided self‑help (D‑CBTgsh) involving nearly 40,000 students. The intervention lowered the odds of any mental disorder by 20% at six weeks, 23% at six months and 18% after two years,...
UQ Evaluation Shows Safe‑housing Program Lifts At‑risk Young Mothers and Babies
The University of Queensland’s Institute for Social Science Research released an evaluation of the Brisbane Youth Service’s Safe Young Mums and Bubs program, showing dramatic gains in confidence, parenting and life‑skill outcomes for mothers aged 16‑25. The findings highlight a...
Beacon Biosignals Launches At-Home Sleep EEG Platform for Brain Health Diagnostics
Boston‑based Beacon Biosignals introduced an at‑home sleep EEG platform that uses a lightweight headband to capture clinical‑grade brain activity while users sleep. The FDA‑cleared device is already deployed in more than 40 global clinical trials, positioning the company to reshape...
FDA Pushes Leqembi Subcutaneous Start‑Dose Review to Aug. 24, 2026
Eisai and Biogen announced that the U.S. FDA has extended the PDUFA deadline for Leqembi® Iqlik™ as a starting dose for early Alzheimer’s disease by three months, moving the decision date to Aug. 24, 2026. The agency cited a major amendment...
FDA Clears Fruit‑Flavored Vapes From Glas Inc., Citing Age‑Gate Technology
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the marketing of fruit‑flavored e‑cigarette pods made by Los Angeles‑based Glas Inc., citing built‑in age‑verification technology as a safeguard. The decision, the first of its kind, follows reported pressure from the Trump administration and...
Telus Posts $5 B Q1 Revenue, Announces CFO Retirement
Telus Corp. posted unaudited first‑quarter 2026 operating revenues of $5.0 billion, a slight dip from the prior year, while announcing the unexpected retirement of its chief financial officer. The results highlight modest service‑revenue growth, strong customer additions and a thriving TELUS...
Reedley Lab Operator Convicted for $3.8 Million COVID Test Fraud
Jia Bei Zhu, the operator of a Reedley biolab, was convicted of a $3.8 million fraud scheme that sold mislabeled COVID‑19 test kits as U.S.-made. The verdict underscores weaknesses in oversight of small medical‑device firms and raises questions about future enforcement.
Labor Department Expands Federal Employees’ Compensation Act Pharmacy Benefits
The U.S. Labor Department announced that the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act Pharmacy Benefit Program will now cover additional types of beneficiaries and programs. The change broadens health‑care support for federal employees and reshapes benefits administration across agencies.
University of Michigan Unveils CRYSTAL Nanoassembly to Safely Activate STING in Cancer Therapy
A joint team from the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy and MD Anderson Cancer Center announced CRYSTAL, a manganese‑based nanoassembly that activates the STING pathway at low doses while avoiding systemic inflammation. Preclinical tests in triple‑negative breast cancer showed...
LSD Microdosing Linked to Acute Mood Improvements in Adults with Depression
A small open‑label pilot gave 19 adults with major depressive disorder sublingual LSD microdoses (4‑20 µg) over eight weeks. Participants reported acute spikes in creativity, energy and social connectedness on dosing days, with a 60% average reduction in overall depression severity...
Paying Kidney Donors Could Save Lives and Cut Costs
Nobel laureate Al Roth has a great piece in @washingtonpost today on why we should compensate kidney donors. Kidney failure disproportionately hits Black and low-income Americans, costs Medicare $55B+/yr, and most people who need a transplant will die without one....
Trump’s Psychedelic Executive Order Is the Beginning of the End of Prohibition
On April 18, President Trump signed an executive order to accelerate research, regulatory review, and patient access to psychedelic therapies for serious mental illness. The order does not legalize or de‑criminalize psychedelics but directs the FDA to issue priority vouchers...
Zoonotic Spillovers Becoming the New Normal
Many thanks @OutFrontCNN @ErinBurnett for hosting me this evening with colleague Dr. Gustavo Palacios a hantavirus expert. I made the point that zoonotic spillover events are now occurring with increasing frequency: SARS-1 MERS, Ebola, SARS-2, H5N1, now Andes virus, a...
The BioPharm Brief: Bispecifics, Biocatalysis, and Dual-Pathway Therapies
Harbour BioMed has secured FDA clearance to start a Phase I trial of its B7H4×CD3 bispecific antibody, HBM7004, in patients with advanced solid tumors. Merck published a scalable biocatalytic process for its oral PCSK9 inhibitor, enlicitide decanoate, showcasing a new route...
Infectious Disease Specialist Slams Government Response To Hantavirus Outbreak
An infectious disease specialist has publicly condemned the federal government’s handling of a hantavirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship, saying officials have failed to provide regular public briefings. The silence, according to the expert, is stoking fear and conspiracy theories...