Hawaii Has America's Highest Life Expectancy, West Virginia The Lowest
The CDC’s 2022 period life tables, released in December 2025, show Hawaii leading the nation with a life expectancy of 80.0 years, while West Virginia trails at 72.2 years. The data reveal a clear geographic divide: states in the Northeast and on the West Coast cluster above the 77.5‑year national average, whereas many Southern and Appalachian states fall below it. Female life expectancy exceeds male rates in every jurisdiction, but the gender gap widens dramatically in lower‑ranking states. These figures represent current mortality conditions, not forecasts for newborn cohorts.
Incyte Announces FDA Approval of Jakafi XR™ (Ruxolitinib) Extended-Release Tablets for the Treatment of Myelofibrosis, Polycythemia Vera and Graft-Versus-Host Disease
Incyte announced FDA approval of Jakafi XR, an extended‑release ruxolitinib tablet, for adult intermediate‑ or high‑risk myelofibrosis, hydroxyurea‑intolerant polycythemia vera, and steroid‑refractory acute or chronic graft‑versus‑host disease in patients 12 years and older. The 55 mg once‑daily tablet is bioequivalent to the 25 mg...
![AI Is Already Reading Your Dental X-Rays and You Probably Have No Idea [PODCAST]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://kevinmd.com/wp-content/uploads/maxresdefault.webp)
AI Is Already Reading Your Dental X-Rays and You Probably Have No Idea [PODCAST]
In a KevinMD podcast, Dr. Sowjanya Gunukula explained that artificial intelligence is already being used in dental practices to analyze radiographs and provide predictive risk assessments. AI software automatically color‑codes cavities and bone loss on X‑rays, acting as a tireless second...
Come Help Save Democracy!
The virtual event “Protecting Healthcare and Our Democracy” will be held on May 5, 2026, from 8 PM ET/5 PM PT. It features former CDC director Mandy Cohen, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, and IHI founder Dr. Donald Berwick, with Matthew Holt as co‑host. Organized by Healthcare Leaders for Democracy, the...
PACS Group Announces Acquisition in Alaska; New Construction of a Skilled Nursing Community
PACS Group announced that its independently operated subsidiaries have acquired the Ridgeway Senior Living post‑acute care facility in Anchorage, marking the company’s fourth building in Alaska. The deal includes adjacent land slated for a new 150‑bed skilled nursing community, with...
5th Circuit Panel Blocks 2023 Mifepristone Telemedicine Approval
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay that blocks the FDA's 2023 rule allowing mifepristone to be prescribed via telemedicine. The stay reinstates the requirement that patients receive an in‑person medical evaluation before receiving the abortion pill. Louisiana,...
Trividia Health Correction for TRUE METRIX Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems
Trividia Health issued a follow‑up correction on May 1, 2026 for all TRUE METRIX blood‑glucose meters, updating labeling to clarify the E‑5 error code. The company is distributing new product notices to pharmacies, distributors and end users, and urges patients at high risk...
E-Scopics Announces New FDA Clearance for Hepatoscope® With Expanded Capabilities in Managing Liver Disease Complications, Advanced Elastography Imaging Features, and...
E‑Scopics announced FDA clearance for enhancements to its Hepatoscope® platform, adding a dedicated spleen exam workflow and upgraded 2D transient elastography (2DTE) that complies with IEC 63412‑1. The device now runs on macOS laptops with Apple M3 chips and integrates HL7 FHIR R4...
Katherine Szarama, PhD, Named Acting CBER Director: Who’s Next?
Vinay Prasad stepped down as director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), and Katherine Szarama, PhD, was named acting director. Szarama, a biologist with prior experience as CBER deputy director and stints at CMS, Emerson Collective...
Why, if After 7 to 21 Years of Follow-Up Data, Disc Arthroplasty Has a Mere 0.67% Index Level Revision Rate,...
A large real‑world cohort of 1,187 lumbar total disc arthroplasty patients was followed for 7 to 21 years, revealing an index‑level revision rate of just 0.67% and an adjacent‑level surgery rate of 1.85%. Clinical outcomes—Oswestry Disability Index and VAS pain...
Why Nursing Home Regulations Must Address Mental Illness
Nursing homes are increasingly serving as de‑facto psychiatric wards, with residents facing depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and dementia. A study projects the resident population will triple by 2050, while staffing levels remain far below the 4.1 hours per resident per day...
How to Write Better IQ, OQ, PQ Protocols
Pharma, biotech, and medical‑device firms routinely draft IQ, OQ and PQ protocols, but many fail regulatory scrutiny because they treat the documents as paperwork rather than engineering verification. The most common flaws are vague acceptance criteria, copy‑forward templates that ignore...
GoodRx Expands Cash-Pay Access to Oral Ozempic for Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
GoodRx announced a new cash‑pay option for oral Ozempic, the tablet form of semaglutide, making it available through its nationwide pharmacy network. The program lists transparent monthly prices of $149 for the 1.5 mg dose, $199 for 4 mg, and $299 for...
Update on Brad Stanfield's Rapamycin Clinical Study in NZ
Brad Stanfield’s New Zealand rapamycin trial enrolled older adults on a 12‑week protocol, with participants typically taking 6 mg every other week. The study measured functional outcomes such as the chair‑stand test, sparking debate over whether short‑term dosing can reveal longevity benefits. Commentators...
Anyone Taking Rapamycin Monthly?
A growing community of longevity enthusiasts is experimenting with monthly rapamycin dosing, typically ranging from 5 mg to 30 mg and often boosted with grapefruit juice. Participants cite benefits such as fewer infections and slower aging markers, but also report side effects...
Do ARBs Increase Cancer Risk?
A recent Mendelian randomization study provides genetic evidence that ACE inhibitors and ARBs, including losartan, lower the risk of several cancers such as gastric, colorectal, lung, breast, and endometrial. Losartan is marketed for hypertension and kidney protection without the cough...
Veeva V. Epic: Dismissed With Prejudice
A Wisconsin judge dismissed Veeva Systems’ lawsuit against Epic Systems with prejudice, ruling Veeva lacks standing to challenge a restrictive covenant between a prospective employee and its former employer. The decision also bars Veeva’s tortious interference claim. The ruling comes...
Asembia AXS26: How CGTs Are Reshaping Specialty Pharmacy
Cell and gene therapies (CGTs) are fundamentally changing the specialty pharmacy landscape, moving beyond traditional buy‑and‑bill models toward highly coordinated, patient‑specific workflows. The therapies demand specialized treatment‑center activities such as apheresis, conditioning, and strict cold‑chain logistics. High upfront costs create...
RA/QA News Roll: Late April 2026
The FDA saw a leadership shuffle as Principal Deputy Commissioner Sara Brenner moved to a senior HHS counseling role, while Commissioner Robert Makary pushed a bold agenda to fast‑track psychedelic therapies, issuing three new National Priority Vouchers and signing an...
OP-3136
OP‑3136, a KAT6A‑selective inhibitor, entered Phase 1/2 trials for advanced hormone‑receptor‑positive breast cancer. The drug mimics the pyrophosphate of acetyl‑CoA using an acyl‑sulfonamide scaffold, delivering high specificity for the epigenetic writer KAT6A. Olema Pharmaceuticals is testing OP‑3136 in combination with SERDs...
The Biggest Drug Dealers Have Always Worn Suits
A federal judge ordered the dissolution of Purdue Pharma, replacing it with a new entity called Knoa Pharma, while the Sackler family agreed to pay up to $7 billion over 15 years. The settlement offers individual victims $8,000‑$16,000 per claim for...
From Resistance Training to Robotic Surgery, New ASBrS Research Points Toward More Personalized Breast Cancer Care
Four studies presented at the American Society of Breast Surgeons meeting highlight a shift toward less invasive, patient‑centered breast cancer care. A three‑month supervised resistance‑training program boosted strength and body composition across lumpectomy, mastectomy and axillary‑dissection patients. Data showed that...
Ardent Health to Participate in the Bank of America 2026 Healthcare Conference
Ardent Health (NYSE: ARDT) announced it will take part in the Bank of America 2026 Healthcare Conference on May 13 in Las Vegas. The company’s senior leadership will appear in a fireside chat at 11:00 a.m. ET, with the session streamed...
Sydnexis to Present New Data From Phase 3 STAR Trial of SYD-101 at ARVO 2026 Annual Meeting
Sydnexis announced it will unveil new subgroup analysis data from the Phase 3 STAR trial of its low‑dose atropine eye drop SYD‑101 at the ARVO 2026 meeting in Denver. The analysis focuses on children with fast‑progressing myopia, a cohort that typically...
Elevance Health Names Best in Class Primary Care Practices in Care Provider Recognition Program
Elevance Health announced its annual Care Provider Recognition Program, honoring 45 medical practices and health systems that rank in the top one percent of its roughly 7,200 value‑based care partners. The award spotlights primary‑care providers delivering superior preventive screenings, immunizations,...
Photon Just Killed the “E” In E-Prescribing
Photon Health announced a $16 million Series A round led by Healthier Capital to commercialize a consumer‑focused e‑prescribing platform for integrated delivery networks. The solution adds a shopper‑style interface that surfaces price, availability and delivery options, turning the prescription fill into a...
World Asthma Day 2026: New Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and More for Asthma Control
World Asthma Day on May 5 highlighted the persistent gap in access to anti‑inflammatory inhalers, a core theme of the Global Initiative for Asthma. The FDA approved AstraZeneca’s Breztri Aerosphere, the first single‑inhaler triple therapy that combines an inhaled corticosteroid, a...
New Semaglutide for Alcohol Use Disorder Trial Shows Big Drops in Drinking
A Lancet‑published, double‑blind, 26‑week trial found once‑weekly semaglutide markedly reduced alcohol consumption in participants with alcohol use disorder and obesity. Across primary drinking endpoints, the semaglutide arm showed statistically significant declines compared with placebo, despite both groups receiving identical cognitive‑behavioral...
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Receives TGA Approval of REDEMPLO® (Plozasiran) in Australia, Expanding Global Access for Patients with Familial Chylomicronemia Syndrome (FCS)
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals announced that Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration approved REDEMPLO® (plozasiran), the first siRNA therapy for familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS) in the country. The drug, administered subcutaneously every three months, targets apoC‑III to dramatically lower triglycerides. In the Phase 3 PALISADE...
RFK Jr.’s Unsupported Claims About Tylenol-Autism Study He Called ‘Garbage’
During an April 17 congressional hearing, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. demanded the retraction of a new Danish study that found no link between acetaminophen (Tylenol) and autism, calling the research “garbage” and alleging fraud. Scientists refuted his accusations, pointing...
Global Disruptions to the Pharma Supply Chain: Q&A with Jeff Golfman
Jeff Golfman, founder of Send 123, warned that rising geopolitical tensions—particularly around Iran and the Strait of Hormuz—are tightening global pharmaceutical and medical supply chains. Shipping bottlenecks and shrinking capacity are driving up prices and threatening access to critical therapies such...
The Fifty Billion Dollar Rural Health Wager
The CMS Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) will inject $50 billion over FY26‑30—$10 billion per year—into rural health, dividing each state’s allocation equally and merit‑based. RHTP sits atop a broader federal capital stack that includes HRSA grants, USDA loans, FCC broadband funds,...
TIME Names Xenco Medical One of the TIME100 Most Influential Companies in the World and the Winner of the 2026...
Xenco Medical was named one of the 2026 TIME100 Most Influential Companies and received the exclusive TIME100 Impact Award in Health. The accolade follows prior honors such as 2025 Medical Device/Diagnostics Company of the Year, Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies,...
Friday Hope: H. Erinaceus (Lion’s Mane): A Mushroom Which May Help Those Suffering From Long COVID/Spike Disease/Injury
The post reviews pre‑clinical data showing that Hericium erinaceus (Lion’s Mane) suppresses NF‑κB, COX‑2 and iNOS while activating Nrf2, thereby reducing inflammation, oxidative stress and supporting neuronal health. Mouse studies demonstrate improved mitochondrial membrane potential, ATP production and antioxidant enzyme...
ARCHIMED to Acquire Esperion Therapeutics in a $1.1 Billion Deal
ARCHIMED has agreed to acquire Esperion Therapeutics for approximately $1.1 billion, offering shareholders $3.16 in cash per share—a 58% premium—and a contingent value right (CVR) that could add up to $100 million based on future sales milestones. The transaction values Esperion at...
The Quiet Expert Who Stood Between Us and a Flu Pandemic
Dr. Nancy Cox, who led the CDC’s influenza division from 1992 to 2014, transformed a 14‑person unit into a global powerhouse that underpins annual flu vaccine selection and pandemic detection. She forged the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System,...
Moving From Reactive to Preventative: The Tech-Led Healthcare Revolution
Wearable health tech has moved from niche gadgets to a global preventive‑care platform, with more than 500 million smartwatch users in 2026 tracking metrics such as heart rate, sleep quality, stress and blood oxygen. The rise of AI‑powered assistants like Claude...
Space-Efficient Cryogenic Sample Storage
Azenta Life Sciences introduced the CryoArc™ Pico Automated Storage System, a compact LN‑2 cryogenic platform that maintains samples at –190 °C. Designed for biobanking, clinical research, and cell‑gene therapy labs, the system integrates barcode‑driven software for sample tracking, chain‑of‑custody, and CFR 21...
Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Reduces MDM2 Expression and Risk of Liver Cancer
Researchers demonstrated that fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from young to old mice suppresses age‑related MDM2 overexpression and prevents liver cancer development. In the study, none of the FMT‑treated older mice developed tumors, whereas two of eight control mice did. Treated...
Zepbound Soars and Lilly Advises Patience on Foundayo
Eli Lilly reported a blockbuster first‑quarter, with revenue jumping 56% to $19.8 billion driven by soaring sales of its obesity drugs Zepbound and Mounjaro. Zepbound alone generated over $4 billion, up about 80% year‑over‑year, while Mounjaro nearly doubled to close to $9 billion. The...
Drug Amount Reporting: FDA Publicly Identifies over 7,700 Noncompliant Companies
On March 31 2026 the FDA released a public list showing that more than 7,700 drug manufacturers failed to submit the required 2024 drug‑amount reports. The list separates 1,254 firms with active drug listings from 6,480 firms with inactive listings, highlighting a...
New Genetic Discovery Could Spell This Aggressive Cancer’s Downfall
UCLA researchers uncovered a genetic weakness in small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (SCNC) by creating prostate‑derived organoid models and running genome‑wide CRISPR screens. The screens identified the transcription factor E2F3 as a synthetic‑lethal partner of RB loss, and inhibiting E2F3 halted...
Medical Cannabis Legalization Is Not Medical Cannabis Competence
The post argues that legalizing medical cannabis is often mistaken for achieving clinical competence. While patients now have legal access and doctors can prescribe, most physicians lack formal training on dosing, formulations, and patient‑specific variables. This gap forces patients to...
Scientific Censor Dr. Jay Bhattacharya Doesn’t Realize He’s the Medical Establishment Now & It’s His Job to Generate Evidence for...
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, now leading the CDC, ordered the removal of a CDC manuscript that reported 53‑55% effectiveness of COVID‑19 vaccines against hospitalizations during the 2025‑2026 season. The study, which used a test‑negative design, also listed four methodological limitations, but Bhattacharya...
Antihistamines, Pepcid, and Menopause Brain Fog
Recent social‑media posts have suggested that over‑the‑counter antihistamines such as cetirizine and the acid‑blocker famotidine can alleviate menopause‑related brain fog. The author notes that no clinical or observational studies support this claim, making it a hypothesis rather than evidence‑based therapy....
Wellness Grifter Physician Turned Wellness Influencer Out as Surgeon General Nominee
President Donald Trump announced the nomination of Fox News contributor and radiologist Dr. Nicole Saphier to be the next U.S. Surgeon General, replacing the stalled candidacy of wellness influencer Dr. Casey Means. Means, a Stanford‑trained physician turned author, faced Senate...
28% of Breast Cancer Cases Linked to 6 Modifiable Risk Factors
A new Lancet Oncology analysis of 204 countries found that 28.3% of the global breast cancer burden in 2023 is attributable to six modifiable risk factors: diet, tobacco exposure, high blood sugar, excess body weight, alcohol use and physical inactivity....
AI Governance Is Becoming Healthcare’s Next Major Compliance Burden
Healthcare providers have embedded AI across clinical, financial, and operational functions, promising better outcomes and efficiency. Regulators, led by the FDA, are now treating AI tools like medical devices, demanding rigorous validation, monitoring, and documentation. This shift forces health‑system leaders...
We Tried to Get Trump to Back Psychedelic Therapy — Here’s What Happened
The authors drafted a bipartisan policy blueprint to accelerate psychedelic‑based treatments, targeting veterans with PTSD, addiction and depression. After Joe Rogan shared the proposal, it amassed over 1.5 million views on X, prompting meetings with health‑policy influencer Calley Means and a...
![2026 Cholesterol Guidelines: LDL Goals, Lp(a), and Coronary Calcium Scoring [PODCAST]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://kevinmd.com/wp-content/uploads/baum_thumbnail.png)
2026 Cholesterol Guidelines: LDL Goals, Lp(a), and Coronary Calcium Scoring [PODCAST]
The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association released the 2026 cholesterol guideline, re‑introducing explicit LDL‑C targets for the first time in eight years. The update adds universal lipoprotein (a) screening, designates a coronary calcium score > 300 as a high‑risk marker,...