🎯Today's Healthcare Pulse
Updated 1h agoWhat's happening: FDA places Regeneron's anti‑activin A antibody garetosmab under priority review
The FDA has granted priority review to Regeneron's garetosmab for the rare disease fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, with a decision expected by August. Phase 3 OPTIMA results showed a 94% reduction in new heterotopic ossification lesions at the lower dose and a 90% reduction at the higher dose, alongside a >99% drop in lesion volume.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Hims & Hers acquires Eucalyptus in $1.15B deal
News•Feb 17, 2026
How CathWorks Leaned on Its Partner Medtronic to Succeed
CathWorks, an AI‑driven startup that creates non‑invasive FFR assessments from routine angiograms, survived the pandemic by leaning on Medtronic’s early minority investment and strategic guidance. After automating its 3‑D coronary modeling to cut analysis time from 22 minutes to two, the company secured FDA, EU and Japan clearances and completed five global validation studies. Medtronic announced a deal to acquire CathWorks for up to $585 million, aiming to embed the technology in its cath‑lab portfolio. The acquisition comes as CathWorks prepares to present a 1,900‑patient randomized trial at the ACC meeting.
By Medical Design & Outsourcing
Social•Feb 17, 2026
Brain Health Becomes Decade‑Long Priority Through Daily Habits
The next decade is the brain health decade, as I discussed with Bristol Myers Squibb (@bmsnews) CEO Chris Boerner at their Global Town Hall last week when @Thrive Global launched our brain health partnership to their 34,000 employees. BMS is...
By Arianna Huffington
News•Feb 17, 2026
FDA Clears 12-Lead, Cable-Free Home ECG Monitoring System
The FDA granted 510(k) clearance for HeartBeam’s cable‑free 12‑lead ECG synthesis software, allowing home‑based arrhythmia assessment. The system captures cardiac signals in three non‑coplanar dimensions and reconstructs a full 12‑lead trace that can be reviewed by board‑certified cardiologists on demand....
By Cardiovascular Business
News•Feb 17, 2026
First Ever The Surgeon Show to Take Place in London This Week
The Surgeon Show 2026, the first UK‑focused surgical summit, convenes on 20 February at London’s Minster Building. Invitation‑only, it gathers over 60 leading surgeons, clinicians, policymakers and technology innovators from more than 50 health organisations. The one‑day event, backed by...
By Health Tech Digital (UK)
Blog•Feb 17, 2026
The $145M Federal Subsidy Nobody in Health Tech Is Talking About Yet
The episode breaks down the Department of Labor's newly announced $145 million Pay‑for‑Performance Incentive Payments Program, aimed at alleviating the looming 3.2 million‑worker shortage in U.S. healthcare. It explains why the program’s performance‑based funding model—paying per enrolled apprentice rather than upfront grants—creates...
By Thoughts on Healthcare Markets & Tech
Blog•Feb 17, 2026
UnitedHealthcare Tightens Specialist Access for Medicare Advantage Enrollees
The episode examines UnitedHealthcare's new policy requiring primary‑care referrals for specialist visits in its Medicare Advantage HMO and HMO‑POS plans, a change that will fully take effect after April 30. Through the stories of seniors like Theresa Schwartz and Pamela...
By HEALTH CARE un-covered
News•Feb 17, 2026
Telehealth for Primary Care Levels Off: Epic
Epic’s analysis of 411 million primary‑care visits shows telehealth usage has plateaued at roughly 6‑7 % of appointments since mid‑2023, following the pandemic‑driven surge. The share remains highest in metropolitan areas, with lower adoption in micropolitan, rural and small‑town settings. Adults aged...
By Becker’s Hospital Review
News•Feb 17, 2026
Fitch Downgrades Missouri Hospital to ‘D’ Rating
Fitch downgraded John Fitzgibbon Memorial Hospital in Marshall, Missouri to a “D” rating from “C” and withdrew its issuer and bond ratings after the hospital defaulted on required debt payments. The default concerns principal and interest on 2010 bonds, and...
By Becker’s Hospital Review
News•Feb 17, 2026
Marshfield Clinic to Open 13th Hospital March 1
Marshfield Clinic will open its 13th hospital on March 1 in Wisconsin Rapids, adding a full‑service acute‑care facility to the existing Marshfield Clinic Wisconsin Rapids Center. The new campus features inpatient beds, an emergency department, advanced imaging such as CT...
By Becker’s Hospital Review
News•Feb 17, 2026
Regulatory Innovation as a Catalyst: How New Compliance Strategies Are Speeding Up Healthcare Technology Adoption
Regulatory bodies are reshaping medical‑device oversight to prioritize usability, interoperability, and cybersecurity, accelerating adoption in both hospitals and homes. New human‑factors guidelines, AI/ML lifecycle controls, and post‑market surveillance tools ensure devices are safe, intuitive, and adaptable to real‑world conditions. Manufacturers...
By MedCity News
News•Feb 17, 2026
Amwell Expects Lower Revenue in 2026
Amwell announced 2026 revenue guidance of $195 million to $205 million, down from $249.3 million in 2025, after divesting non‑core assets. The company has consolidated its offerings into a single, technology‑enabled care platform focused on SaaS and third‑party services. Executives said the streamlined...
By Healthcare Dive (Industry Dive)
News•Feb 17, 2026
The “Silent” Risk in the NICU: Why Your EHR Can’t Protect Infant Feeding
Feeding in neonatal intensive care units is a high‑risk, high‑frequency workflow that many hospitals still manage with paper logs and manual checks because commercial EHRs were not built for end‑to‑end feeding control. The article highlights how gaps in verification—especially before...
By HIT Consultant
News•Feb 17, 2026
Cleveland Clinic 1st to Use New Robot for Prostate Surgery
Cleveland Clinic became the first U.S. health system to perform a robotic‑assisted prostatectomy using the newly FDA‑cleared Hugo RAS system. The robot, approved in December, features modular arms and an open‑console that surgeons control with foot pedals and hand inputs....
By Becker’s Hospital Review
News•Feb 17, 2026
Fraud In The Care Economy Morphs From Solo Scams To Global Syndicates
The care economy’s expansion has attracted a sophisticated, global fraud network that stole nearly $4.9 billion from older Americans in 2024, a three‑fold rise over five years. Scammers now run multi‑stage attacks that blend tech‑support ruses, fake bank officials, and crypto...
By Forbes – Healthcare
News•Feb 17, 2026
Building on a Foundation of Culture and Trust: How Jefferson Health Reopened a Hospital Just 9 Days After a Fire
On Feb. 4, a fire engulfed the Orthopedic Institute building at Jefferson Health’s Lehigh Valley Hospital‑Dickson City, prompting the evacuation of more than 70 patients. Thanks to extensive disaster training and coordinated effort among staff, first responders, and local partners, no...
By Becker’s Hospital Review
News•Feb 17, 2026
GE HealthCare Expands $35M BARDA Contract to Develop AI-Powered Trauma Ultrasound
GE HealthCare has secured a $35 million expansion of its BARDA contract to accelerate AI‑powered ultrasound development for trauma care. The funding will support both hardware and software to create point‑of‑care devices that automatically detect lung collapse and intra‑abdominal bleeding. The...
By HIT Consultant
News•Feb 17, 2026
Jefferson Posts $201M Operating Loss in H1
Thomas Jefferson University, owner of Jefferson Health, posted a $201 million operating loss for the first half of fiscal 2026, reflecting a -2.3% operating margin. The loss includes $64.7 million in restructuring expenses tied to a planned layoff of roughly 650 employees....
By Becker’s Hospital Review
News•Feb 17, 2026
The Great Opt-Out: Why Patients Are Ditching Insurance for Cash-Pay Digital Care
Vanessa Slowey, CEO of TelyRx, highlights a growing shift as millions of Americans, burdened by rising premiums, limited ACA subsidies and fragile telehealth policies, are opting for cash‑pay digital care. Uninsured rates sit at 27 million, and roughly one‑quarter of insured...
By HIT Consultant
Blog•Feb 17, 2026
The Simple Model
In this episode, Dr. Ben Schwartz critiques the CMS ACCESS model and other value‑based care frameworks for their overwhelming administrative complexity and limited impact. He proposes a "Simple Model"—a streamlined fee‑for‑service system with minimal metrics, no prior authorizations, and higher...
By The Surgeon’s Record
Blog•Feb 17, 2026
BIOTRONIK Launches of ‘World’s First’ CRT-D Systems Approved for Conduction System Pacing
BIOTRONIK has introduced the Acticor Sky and Rivacor Sky family, the world’s first CE‑approved high‑voltage devices capable of left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP). The inaugural European implant was performed at University Hospital Frankfurt in an 87‑year‑old with ischemic cardiomyopathy and atrial...
By Med-Tech Insights
News•Feb 17, 2026
Nearly 90% of the Largest U.S. Healthcare Systems Use UKG
UKG announced its presence at ViVE 2026 and HIMSS 2026, showcasing its Workforce Operating Platform tailored for healthcare. The platform, already used by nearly 90% of the largest U.S. health systems, combines HR, payroll and AI‑driven workforce management to boost productivity and...
By HRTechFeed
Blog•Feb 17, 2026
Patchwork Health Launches AI-Powered ‘Preference-Based Rostering’ for NHS Clinicians
Patchwork Health has launched an AI‑driven Preference‑Based Rostering tool for NHS Trusts, instantly converting clinicians' shift preferences and service demand into compliant, fair schedules. The platform claims to meet 98% of negative preferences, cut unfilled shifts by 97% and slash...
By Med-Tech Insights
News•Feb 17, 2026
Cosmetic Manufacturers Pty Ltd. - 719225 - 02/06/2026
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued Warning Letter 320‑26‑43 to Cosmetic Manufacturers Pty Ltd., citing extensive Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) violations across laboratory testing, process control, equipment qualification, and written procedures. The agency placed the firm on Import...
By FDA – U.S. Food & Drug Administration (RSS Feeds)
News•Feb 17, 2026
Edwards Sued In Chancery Over $300M Heart Valve Earn-Out
Former shareholders of Valtech Cardio have sued its parent, Edwards Lifesciences, in the Delaware Chancery Court, alleging the medical‑device giant deliberately stalled development of a heart‑valve repair system. The lawsuit claims Edwards is avoiding payment of up to $300 million in...
By Law360 — Mergers & Acquisitions
News•Feb 17, 2026
McLaren Health Care Partners with Bunkerhill Health for AI-Powered Cardiovascular Screening
McLaren Health Care has launched Michigan’s first AI‑driven cardiovascular screening program in partnership with Bunkerhill Health. The initiative uses Bunkerhill’s Carebricks platform to analyze routine chest CT scans for incidental coronary artery calcium and aortic valve calcium, biomarkers of heart...
By HIT Consultant
News•Feb 17, 2026
Piloting New Technology with a Structured Approach
Mass General Brigham’s chief digital officer, Esther Kim, outlined a disciplined pilot framework for emerging health technologies. The process begins with rigorous vetting to ensure alignment with the system’s strategic priorities. Pilot projects are measured against predefined clinical, operational, and...
By Healthcare Finance News (HIMSS Media)
News•Feb 17, 2026
Does Vaxart Hold the Key to the Elusive Norovirus Vaccine?
Vaxart is advancing an oral, bivalent norovirus vaccine pill (VXA‑G1.1‑NN) that demonstrated a 30% reduction in infection in a Phase 2b challenge study. The vaccine uses a non‑replicating adenovirus vector loaded with a dsRNA adjuvant to stimulate gut immunity, and a...
By BioSpace
News•Feb 17, 2026
Prima Mente Unlocks Early-Stage Alzheimer’s Diagnostics with Epigenome Model
AI biology firm Prima Mente has launched Pleiades, a 7‑billion‑parameter epigenetic foundation model that reads DNA methylation in cell‑free DNA to diagnose early‑stage Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. In real‑world cohorts the model achieved 89% detection accuracy, rising to 97% when combined...
By GEN (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News)
News•Feb 17, 2026
This Startup Developed a First-of-Its-Kind Brain Function Assessment Device
QuantalX secured FDA de novo clearance for Delphi‑MD, a first‑of‑its‑kind device that fuses transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with electroencephalography (EEG) to deliver real‑time brain network function assessments. The system leverages proprietary algorithms and an age‑correlated normative database to generate actionable...
By Medical Design & Outsourcing
News•Feb 17, 2026
Daffodil Health Raises $16.3M for AI Claims Automation
Daffodil Health announced a $16.3 million Series A round, bringing its total capital to $20.9 million. The San Francisco startup uses AI and large‑language models to automate health‑plan administration, focusing on out‑of‑network pricing and payment‑integrity workflows. Funds will accelerate product development and expand...
By MobiHealthNews (HIMSS Media)
News•Feb 17, 2026
SpendRule Launches AI-Powered Contract Intelligence Platform with OSF HealthCare and MemorialCare
SpendRule has launched an AI‑driven contract intelligence platform that adds a fourth validation layer—contract terms—to traditional three‑way matching in hospital accounts payable. The solution targets the $323 billion purchased‑services spend category, where industry analysts estimate $32 billion in preventable overpayments each year....
By HIT Consultant
News•Feb 17, 2026
Function Health’s New Erewhon Smoothie Was Designed to Highlight Nutritional Gaps and Promote Telehealth Lab Testing
Function Health, a telehealth platform with half‑million users, unveiled a limited‑edition Erewhon smoothie to spotlight widespread nutritional deficiencies revealed by its lab tests. The company reports that 65% of members have elevated insulin, 54% show high ApoB, and 70% are...
By Glossy
News•Feb 17, 2026
Can Treg Cell Therapy Really Target Autoimmunity?
Regulatory T‑cell (Treg) therapies are moving from discovery to clinic, with multiple biotech firms reporting early clinical data. Sonoma Biotherapeutics’ CAR‑Treg candidate SBT‑77‑7101 achieved a 67% reduction in rheumatoid‑arthritis swelling in a Phase 1 trial, while Coya Therapeutics secured IND approval...
By Labiotech.eu
News•Feb 17, 2026
Competitive Generic Therapy Approvals
The FDA’s Office of Generic Drugs has launched a public, bi‑weekly list of all approved abbreviated new drug applications (ANDAs) that carry a Competitive Generic Therapy (CGT) designation. The list details each product’s reference listed drug, NDA number, applicant, active...
By FDA – U.S. Food & Drug Administration (RSS Feeds)
News•Feb 17, 2026
Lung Cancer Rising Among Never-Smokers. Screening For This Group Lags.
Never‑smokers now account for 10‑20% of U.S. lung‑cancer cases, a share that is climbing despite overall declines. Current USPSTF guidelines limit low‑dose CT screening to heavy‑smoking adults, leaving most never‑smokers unscreened. Shira Boehler’s incidental finding on a whole‑body MRI prompted...
By Forbes – Healthcare
News•Feb 17, 2026
As FDA Moves Away From Animal Testing, AI and Organoids Can Shine
The FDA is actively phasing out animal‑testing requirements for certain therapies, a move echoed by the NIH and codified in the pending FDA Modernization Act. This regulatory shift opens the door for artificial intelligence and human‑derived organoid models to become...
By BioSpace
Social•Feb 17, 2026
Longevity Revolution: Are We Truly Aging Slower?
Are people actually aging slower today? Or are we just cherry picking the data? We are in the beginning of a longevity revolution.
By Robert Lufkin, MD
News•Feb 17, 2026
How Treasure Health Is Pursuing ‘People-Centered Innovation’
Treasure Health, a Florida hospice provider, has added its first chief operating officer, Shannon Cooper, and appointed Jennifer Creel as chief clinical officer to spearhead a people‑centered innovation agenda. The leadership duo will focus on compliance, workforce support, and mission‑aligned...
By Hospice News
News•Feb 17, 2026
Autism In Women May Be As Common As In Men, Study Finds
A large Swedish cohort study of 2.7 million children tracked over 35 years shows that while boys are diagnosed more often in childhood, the male‑to‑female autism ratio narrows to about 1.2 by age 20 and may reach parity in adulthood. The...
By Forbes – Healthcare
News•Feb 17, 2026
Half of Americans Believe only the Rich Can Afford GLP-1s without Insurance
A ValuePenguin study finds that a median‑income American household would need to allocate about 7.3% of earnings to afford a two‑milligram monthly supply of Ozempic, the flagship GLP‑1 weight‑loss drug. In the poorest states, the cost can approach one‑tenth of...
By Human Resource Executive
Blog•Feb 17, 2026
Tanaka Establishes Total Solutions System for Contract Manufacturing of Diagnostics
Tanaka Precious Metal Technologies has built a total‑solution system for contract manufacturing of in‑vitro diagnostic test kits, adding dedicated dispensing and packaging lines for extraction buffer. The new infrastructure lets the company handle every step—from assay development to final product...
By Med-Tech Insights
Social•Feb 17, 2026
FDA's New Move Undermines mRNA Flu Vaccine
https://open.substack.com/pub/pauloffit/p/weaponizing-the-fda-against-vaccines?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web A closer look at the FDA's recent kill shot against an mRNA influenza vaccine.
By Paul Offit, MD
Blog•Feb 17, 2026
The Honest Broker in Pediatrics: Building the Medical Home
Dr. Ronald L. Lindsay recounts how he built a fully operational pediatric medical home at a regional military hospital in just two and a half years, delivering 24/7 care to vulnerable children from worldwide military families. His interdisciplinary developmental‑behavioral clinic...
By KevinMD
News•Feb 17, 2026
Dual Wielding in I&I: A Pivotal Year Ahead
The article argues that the next breakthrough in immunology and inflammation (I&I) therapeutics will come from multi‑drug and multi‑target strategies rather than single‑target antibodies, which have hit an efficacy ceiling. It traces the evolution from early blockbuster biologics like Humira...
By LifeSciVC
Podcast•Feb 17, 2026•28 min
Newman Explains How Sanford Health Is Virtually Rewriting the Rural Health Playbook
Dave Newman, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Virtual Care at Sanford Health, explains how the system’s expansive virtual care program—spanning 78 specialties across 300,000 square miles—has become essential for rural patients, saving them an average of 176 miles per visit....
By healthsystemCIO
News•Feb 17, 2026
IT Execs Seek to Tame Application Sprawl Without Stifling Innovation Through Shared Governance
In a healthsystemCIO webinar, senior IT leaders from RWJBarnabas Health, Ardent Health Services, and the University of Maryland Medical System discussed how to manage the flood of application requests while fostering innovation. They emphasized establishing a single, standardized intake point,...
By healthsystemCIO
News•Feb 17, 2026
STAT+: Ocular’s Experimental Eye Drug Beats Low Dose of Regeneron’s Eylea in Late-Stage Trial
Ocular Therapeutix announced that its experimental drug Axpaxli met the primary endpoint in a Phase 3 trial for wet age‑related macular degeneration, maintaining vision in 74% of patients at nine months and 66% at one year after a single injection....
By STAT (Biotech)
Social•Feb 17, 2026
Ambiguous CPT Codes Threaten Physicians with Criminal Charges
I interviewed a dual-boarded psychiatrist and internist who warns that the ambiguity of CPT codes is being used to criminalize physicians. Dr. Muhamad Aly Rifai joined me to discuss the chilling case of Dr. Ron Elfenbein. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Elfenbein...
By Kevin Pho, MD
Social•Feb 17, 2026
GLP‑1 Safety: New Data Highlights Retinal Risks
A short thread on GLP-1s based on new publications. 1. The safety story Table of potential side effects and very good description of mechanisms, especially w/r to retina https://t.co/L5GNZyArrn https://t.co/MyXVOF3SYv
By Eric Topol
Social•Feb 17, 2026
Bispecific Autoimmune Therapies Set to Transform 2024
"Dual Wielding in I&I: A Pivotal Year Ahead" - new blog - Atlas EIR Cody Tranbarger with a tour de force on the bispecific opportunities in autoimmune... https://t.co/StQJX0vgfx
By Bruce Booth