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
![[Comment] RTS,S/AS01 Implementation Reduces Mortality in African Children](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/421f4ef62893dab4b11bed93097fa02e.webp)
[Comment] RTS,S/AS01 Implementation Reduces Mortality in African Children
A recent Lancet analysis shows that the RTS,S/AS01 (Mosquirix) malaria vaccine rollout in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi cut child mortality by roughly 20% after three years of implementation. The program reached over five million children under five, integrating the vaccine into routine immunisation schedules. Follow‑up data indicate sustained protection for up to five years post‑dose, while cost‑effectiveness modelling places the intervention at about $30 per DALY averted. The findings reinforce the vaccine’s role as a cornerstone of malaria control in sub‑Saharan Africa.
Grandstanding In Congressional Hearings Doesn’t Solve Healthcare Problems
Congressional health‑care hearings have become arenas for partisan grandstanding, with lawmakers berating CEOs, insurers and the Affordable Care Act rather than crafting solutions. Despite occasional bipartisan agreement on hospital cost inflation and prior‑authorization hurdles, the sessions rarely move beyond political...
HIMSS SoCal Chapter's CXO Summit
The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Southern California Chapter will host its CXO Summit on May 12 at the Richard Nixon Library in Yorba Linda. President Mary Beth Seaman highlighted the event’s agenda, which centers on reshaping population health through...
Effect of Subscapularis Integrity on Functional Recovery After Posterior Latissimus Dorsi Tendon Transfer for Posterior–Superior Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears
Posterior latissimus dorsi (LD) tendon transfer significantly reduces pain and improves function in patients with posterior‑superior irreparable rotator cuff tears (PSIRCTs). In a retrospective series of 53 patients, those with an intact subscapularis tendon achieved higher Constant (70.7 vs 62.3)...
CXO Summit Lets Healthcare Leaders Share Ideas
The HIMSS Southern California Chapter will host a CXO Summit aimed at fostering candid dialogue among health‑care executives. The event targets chief information, finance, and operations officers who must navigate rapid policy shifts and modernize care delivery. Sessions will explore...
Makary Critics Rejoice As Trump Reportedly Weighs Firing FDA Chief
President Donald Trump is reportedly weighing the dismissal of FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, whose tenure has been marked by aggressive drug‑pricing reforms and high‑profile clashes with the pharmaceutical industry. Makary, appointed as an ally of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy...
Health Insurers and Organizations Literally Bribe Pediatricians to Give Your Baby Vaccines
A recent blog post reveals that numerous health insurers and state programs are offering financial incentives—often $2,500 per child—to pediatricians who administer up to 25 vaccine doses by age 2½. The author cites 27 examples across California, New Jersey, North...
Electrospinning of Hydroxypropyl Chitosan Nanofibers for Bone Regeneration Application
Researchers electrospun nanofiber mats using hydroxypropyl chitosan (HPCH) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) in varying ratios to assess osteoconductive potential in MC3T3 pre‑osteoblast cells. Characterization by SEM, FT‑IR and mechanical testing confirmed uniform fiber formation. Biological assays showed that a 50/50...
FDA Issues Most Serious Recall for Certain Pacemaker Devices by Boston Scientific
The FDA issued a Class I recall for Boston Scientific’s ACCOLADE pacemakers and cardiac resynchronization therapy models after detecting a software‑related battery flaw that can trigger Safety Mode and limit pacing. The agency advises clinicians to install a software upgrade during...
Glint of Light in Therapy for Deadly ALS After Decades of Struggle
Researchers reported that tofersen, an antisense oligonucleotide targeting the SOD1 gene, dramatically slowed and even reversed disease progression in a subset of ALS patients with the rare SOD1 mutation. The phase‑III trial, published in JAMA Neurology, showed about a quarter...
Could Viagra and Cialis Help Protect Eye Health? New Study Suggests a Link
A new observational study of more than 47,000 men aged 40 and older found that users of phosphodiesterase‑5 (PDE‑5) inhibitors such as Viagra, Cialis and Levitra had a modestly lower incidence of glaucoma signs and open‑angle glaucoma over three years....
Researchers Debunk ‘5-Second Rule’ in Operating Room
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center dropped 213 polyethylene knee and hip liners onto operating‑room floors and found that 34% became contaminated with clinically important pathogens within seconds. Disinfection with 2% chlorhexidine‑alcohol or 10% povidone‑iodine reduced overall contamination to 19%,...
There Are Ants in This Canadian Hospital. Again.
Ants have forced Carman Memorial Hospital in Manitoba to suspend surgeries indefinitely after an infestation was discovered in the operating room. Sixteen elective procedures were postponed, marking the third ant-related disruption since August 2024. Southern Health‑Santé Sud is working with exterminators...
Questioning Doctors' Role in the Hemophilia Tragedy
The Hemophilia Holocaust (Are Doctors to Blame?) If you enjoyed this content, then check out my free video podcast at robertlufkinmd.com.
Smart Homes Integrated with Biotech Extend Lifespan
A bigger house is not going to give you significantly longer life. But a much smarter house integrated into the advanced biotechnology research and clinical ecosystem will. Very happy to see our chapter with CY Leung published in Springer Nature...
Inclisiran Linked to Lower MACE, AMI Rates in High-Risk ASCVD Population
Inclisiran, added to maximally tolerated statins, lowered 4‑point major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) from 22.7% to 14.6% in a real‑world ASCVD cohort. The therapy also reduced acute myocardial infarction (5.0% vs 8.5%) and all‑cause hospitalizations (20.8% vs 28.8%) over one...
Billion-Dollar Ideas Lurk in Free PubMed Data
Martin Shkreli came on MFM a while back and told Shaan and I something interesting: PubMed has 40M+ biomedical papers. It's the government database of every medical innovation ever logged. And it's 100% free. He told us if you sit there and read long...
How to Manage Your Health Anxiety About Hantavirus
An outbreak of hantavirus on the Dutch cruise ship MV Hondius has sickened eight passengers, killing three. WHO officials stress it is not COVID, but the news has sparked widespread health anxiety reminiscent of early 2020. Experts explain that post‑COVID...
Trump Reportedly Plans to Fire FDA Commissioner Makary
President Donald Trump has reportedly approved a plan to dismiss FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, who has served just over a year. Makary’s tenure featured initiatives to speed drug reviews, curb deceptive advertising, and push food manufacturers to eliminate synthetic dyes....
Taking a Look at the Toxicity Trade-Offs of EPCORE FL-1
The phase 3 EPCORE FL‑1 trial added AbbVie/Genmab’s bispecific antibody epcoritamab to the rituximab‑lenalidomide (R²) regimen for relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma. The triplet produced a 79% reduction in progression‑or‑death risk and lifted 16‑month progression‑free survival to 85.5%, nearly doubling the complete...
Search for Regulatory References | Drugs
The FDA has compiled a searchable reference guide that aggregates key regulatory resources for drug and biologics developers. It includes links to guidance on the BPCI Act’s license provision, Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDA), CDER small‑business assistance, and submission address...
The Healthcare Careers Being Shaped Most Directly by AI and Digital Transformation
AI and digital transformation are redefining core healthcare professions, moving health information management, health informatics, and nursing from traditional, paper‑based or siloed functions to data‑centric, AI‑enabled roles. Health information managers now oversee data governance, interoperability standards, and AI‑ready datasets, while...
STAT+: Capricor Therapeutics Accuses Nippon Shinyaku of Slow-Walking Plans on Duchenne Drug
Capricor Therapeutics has filed a lawsuit in New Jersey alleging that Nippon Shinyaku and its U.S. arm, NS Pharma, are deliberately stalling the U.S. launch of deramiocel, its experimental Duchenne muscular dystrophy therapy. The complaint highlights a pricing formula error...
Saban Community Clinic Breaks Ground on Crenshaw Family Health Center, Expanding Access For Over 287,000 Low-Income People in One of...
Saban Community Clinic broke ground on the Crenshaw Family Health Center, a two‑story facility in South Los Angeles that will serve more than 287,000 low‑income residents. The center will deliver medical, dental, behavioral health and pharmacy services under one roof,...
AATS Helps Heart Surgeons Diagnose and Manage Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia
A new expert consensus from the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) tackles the persistent challenges of diagnosing and managing heparin‑induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) in cardiac‑surgery patients. The 17‑member panel recommends delaying antibody testing until a biphasic platelet‑count pattern emerges, reducing...
Mabwell IPO Highlights China’s Rising Biologics Powerhouse
Do you remember the company which sold their IL11 nanobody to Google Calico after it realized that after 13 years in the business they need a drug for aging? The company is called Mabwell and they just listed in Hong...
FDA Grants Seventh Approval Under the National Priority Voucher Pilot Program
The FDA approved Bizengri (zenocutuzumab‑zbco) for adults with advanced, unresectable or metastatic cholangiocarcinoma harboring NRG1 gene fusions, marking the seventh clearance under the Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher (CNPV) pilot. The approval follows a single‑arm trial of 19 patients that showed...
AI & Data Exchange 2026: NIH’s Susan Gregurick on Overcoming Data Silos with AI Analytics
At the AI & Data Exchange 2026, NIH associate director for data science Susan Gregurick outlined the agency’s aggressive push to use artificial intelligence for breaking data silos and accelerating health research. NIH is leveraging AI partnerships with the Energy Department...
Mixed Results for Targeted Focal Cooling During Stroke Thrombectomy
Two Chinese phase‑III trials presented at ESOC 2026 yielded opposing conclusions on intra‑arterial hypothermia during endovascular thrombectomy for acute ischemic stroke. CHILL‑ART reported a 54.7% functional‑independence rate versus 39.8% with sham, translating to a number‑needed‑to‑treat of seven, and a modest reduction...
Men Deserve Equal Fertility Testing, Not Just Semen Count
The average couple at a fertility clinic gets the woman tested across multiple organ systems and hormonal axes before the man gets a single semen analysis. She gets an HSG, ultrasounds, AMH, FSH, thyroid, and prolactin. He gets a basic...
Patents Aren't the Magic Key to Drug Development
The $3 billion number is hokey for a number of reasons, but the point is that there is not some magical sauce that allows for drugs to be developed when financed by patent monopolies, but not by upfront funding.
What’s Driving Physicians to Early Retirement
Physicians are exiting clinical practice earlier than ever, with the average retirement age now 48.1 years—nine years younger than in 2008. A study of 971 inactive doctors by the American Medical Association found administrative burdens and stress each motivated roughly...
CDC Alerts New Jersey of Possible Hantavirus Exposure
JUST IN: The CDC has notified New Jersey health officials about 2 residents who may have been exposed to hantavirus
Tech Exists, Consistency Lags in PHI Consent
The tech exists. Consistency doesn’t. Kevin Day from The Sequoia Project on PHI consent in healthcare. 👉 https://t.co/ti26EESrJQ @sequoiaproject #PatientPrivacy #HITSM https://t.co/f6bscBfoXP
Telehealth Crisis Case Study Highlights Challenges of Cross-State Emergency Care
A recent case study details a telehealth behavioral health emergency where a South Carolina‑licensed clinician treated a suicidal patient who was actually in Florida. The provider had to locate the patient, engage EMS, and navigate cross‑state licensure rules before the...
Trump Signs Off on Plan to Oust Embattled FDA Commissioner Marty Makary: Report
President Donald Trump has reportedly signed off on a plan to remove FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, whose brief tenure has been marked by a series of unexpected drug rejections, internal leadership churn, and a contentious national priority voucher program. Makary...
About CDER Small Business and Industry Assistance (SBIA)
The FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) Small Business and Industry Assistance (SBIA) serves as a primary contact point for small pharmaceutical firms seeking regulatory guidance. SBIA provides direct phone and email support, a dedicated web portal, and...
Nurses Protest Palantir’s Expanding Role in U.S. Health Systems
National Nurses United, representing over 225,000 nurses, has launched protests against U.S. health systems partnering with Palantir Technologies, citing worries about patient data privacy and AI‑driven decision‑making. Demonstrations in Maine and Tennessee target contracts like MaineHealth’s, where Palantir’s analytics are...
12 Recent Hospital, Health System President Exits
Becker’s Hospital Review reports at least 50 hospital and health‑system presidents have exited in 2025, a pace that underscores a broader leadership churn. Departures include retirements, moves to new CEO or COO roles, and internal transitions within systems. The president...
Lost in Translation: Cancer Care’s Growing Health Literacy Crisis
At the NCCN Policy Summit on May 7, 2026, leaders warned that poor health literacy, misinformation, and digital overload are undermining cancer care for the 18.6 million U.S. survivors and the 40% of Americans expected to receive a diagnosis. Research presented showed that...
Want to Ride Strong While Using GLP-1s? Experts Explain How to Strike the Right Balance.
The article outlines how cyclists using GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs like Ozempic or Wegovy can maintain performance by prioritizing intentional fueling, hydration, and strength training. It stresses that appetite suppression from these medications requires pre‑ride carbohydrate snacks and post‑ride protein‑carb meals...
“Where Do I Start?”: How Governments Can Prioritise AI Solutions for Health
Governments face mounting pressure to deliver health outcomes with shrinking budgets and rising demand. While AI is touted as a solution, ministries lack a clear roadmap to identify high‑impact projects. A new paper offers a practical framework that helps officials...
32 Health Systems Spending $5B on Cancer Care
U.S. health systems are collectively earmarking more than $5 billion for cancer‑care expansion, with 32 organizations announcing projects that range from modest renovation grants to multi‑hundred‑million new facilities. Investments span new inpatient hospitals, outpatient centers, imaging suites, immunotherapy labs and specialized...
Sanford, North Memorial Planned Combination Adds to Minnesota Healthcare Deal Wave
Sanford Health and North Memorial Health signed a definitive agreement to merge into a single nonprofit system, creating a major Minnesota healthcare combination. The combined entity will invest $600 million in the state, modernize Robbinsdale Hospital and double the size of...
Pharmaceutical Executive Daily: FDA Extends Review of Leqembi's sBLA
The FDA has extended the priority review of Eli Lilly's subcutaneous Leqembi by three months, delaying the agency's action date while requesting additional information. The once‑weekly injection is designed to replace the current infusion regimen for patients with early Alzheimer’s...
UT Austin Launches Epic Ahead of New Academic Medical Center
The University of Texas at Austin launched Epic’s ambulatory electronic health record on April 6, positioning the system for a seamless Day 1 go‑live when its new academic medical center opens by 2030. The $2.5 billion Dell Medical Center will house a new...
Ohio System Names COO
Lima Memorial Health System in Ohio appointed Burlin Sherrick as its new vice president and chief operating officer, effective June 1. Sherrick previously served as executive director of ancillary services and oversaw multiple clinical and operational service lines. He will replace...
Buy, Sell or Fight: The New Calculus of Health System Growth
Health systems are abandoning blanket scale strategies in favor of market‑by‑market decisions, either divesting, acquiring or litigating to secure preferred territories. Leaders at CommonSpirit, Community Health Systems and Providence have announced multiple hospital sales, while Atrium Health and WakeMed unveiled...
10 Cancer-Prevention Habits Oncologists Do Every Day
Oncologists are modeling cancer‑prevention habits they recommend to patients, from cutting alcohol entirely to eating a plant‑forward diet rich in fiber. They aim for about 30 grams of fiber daily, cook at home, get 7‑9 hours of sleep, and incorporate strength...
Spy Cameras Common at Clinics: Source
Taiwan’s Airlee aesthetic clinic chain was found to have hidden surveillance cameras in consultation and treatment rooms across the country. Police detained three executives after a complaint revealed a camera disguised as a smoke detector, while a fourth manager was...