LVOT Accuracy & the Continuity Equation: Why Close Enough Isn't Good Enough
The post warns that a single‑millimeter error in left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) diameter can dramatically misclassify aortic stenosis (AS) severity, shifting a case from moderate to severe or vice‑versa. LVOT measurement feeds the continuity equation, the cornerstone for calculating aortic valve area, yet many sonographers routinely underestimate it. The author emphasizes rigorous technique, proper image acquisition, and repeatability to avoid costly diagnostic errors. Accurate LVOT sizing is presented as a non‑negotiable quality metric in modern echocardiography.
This Isn’t What I Was Taught
Pediatrician Dr. Gator, once a staunch pro‑vaccine advocate, now emphasizes nuanced informed consent after years of listening to families. He identifies ten factors that reshaped his approach, ranging from observed patient outcomes to legal constraints on public discussion. The full...
New Genetically Engineered CHO Cell Line Boosts Protein Expression and Productivity
Sartorius has unveiled a genetically engineered Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line that delivers up to twice the protein expression titers and three times the productivity of traditional wild‑type CHO hosts. The new line was validated across multiple therapeutic formats—including...
The Field of Dermatology Is Undergoing a Transformation
Dermatology is shifting from purely cosmetic, marketing‑driven procedures to science‑based longevity treatments that target the underlying mechanisms of skin aging. New therapies that clear senescent cells, modulate epigenetic clocks, and employ partial cellular reprogramming are delivering measurable improvements in barrier...
Medicare Steps Up on Obesity Care. Will Health Insurers?
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an extension of its GLP‑1 Bridge program through 2027, offering seniors obesity drugs at a $50 monthly copay. The bridge operates outside Medicare Part D, removing financial risk for private insurers. CMS...
OpenAI Launches ChatGPT for Clinicians
OpenAI unveiled ChatGPT for Clinicians, a medically‑tuned version of its GPT‑5.4 engine aimed at individual health providers. The service is free for verified U.S. physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and pharmacists, and offers higher usage limits, workflow‑specific skills, and a...
Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Gains FDA Priority Review for KEYTRUDA Regimen in Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
Merck announced that the U.S. FDA has granted Priority Review to two supplemental Biologics License Applications for KEYTRUDA and KEYTRUDA QLEX, each combined with Padcev, targeting muscle‑invasive bladder cancer patients eligible for cisplatin chemotherapy. The agency set an action date...
Rheumatology For Physiotherapists: A Guide For Students And New Grads
The blog promotes a podcast‑style video where Jack March breaks down rheumatology for physiotherapy students and new graduates. It explains how to differentiate systemic inflammatory conditions from typical musculoskeletal issues using screening questions, comorbidity clues, and clinical reasoning. The episode...
Defending TrumpRx Scam, RFK Jr. Absurdly Claims Trump ‘Has His Own Way of Calculating’ Percentages
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended President Donald Trump’s claim that prescription‑drug prices were cut by 600%, arguing the president uses a different way to calculate percentages. In a Senate Finance Committee hearing, Senators Elizabeth...
The Inverse Prevention Law
The article explores the "Inverse Prevention Law," arguing that preventive health services disproportionately reach affluent populations while high‑risk groups remain underserved. It contrasts the goals of preventive care with longevity‑focused interventions, highlighting the blurred line between public and private sector...
The Exit Optionality Trap: When Strategic Value Kills Venture Returns
The HealthVC newsletter warns that early strategic partnerships can trap health‑tech founders in a narrow exit path, sacrificing the optionality that drives higher valuations. While pharma interest feels like validation, it often anchors a company to a single buyer, reducing...
Viewpoint — ‘Completely Unethical’: RFK, Jr.’s Medical Ignorance Deprives Melanoma Cancer-Sufferers of a Life-Saving Therapy
Replimune’s RP1, a promising therapy for metastatic melanoma, received an initial FDA advisory panel recommendation for approval, but the agency’s biologics chief Vinay Prasad overruled the decision and halted the drug’s launch. At a House hearing, Health and Human Services...
Viewpoint: Truce Between MAHA and Mainstream Science? Its Embrace of ‘Quackery’ and Pseudoscience Makes that Impossible
The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, spearheaded by antivax activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., mixes anti‑vaccine rhetoric with supplement hype and cancer quackery while cloaking itself in diet and lifestyle advice. A recent STAT News piece featured op‑eds from...
GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs Trigger a Life-Threatening Brain Condition by Depleting Vitamin B1
A recent analysis of FDA adverse‑event reports and case studies linked 15 instances of Wernicke encephalopathy—a severe, vitamin B1‑deficiency brain disorder—to the use of GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs such as semaglutide and tirzepatide. Most patients experienced prolonged nausea, vomiting, and rapid weight...
If that CDC Report Had Just Included some Fake Citations and some Crazy Dietary Advice, the Boss Would Surely Have...
The acting head of the CDC canceled a study that found Covid‑19 vaccines cut emergency‑room visits by 50% and hospitalizations by 55% during the last winter. The research, cleared by agency scientists, was slated for the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly...
![Gradually, Then Suddenly: Dr. Robert Wachter on Health Care’s Giant AI Leap [PODCAST]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://kevinmd.com/wp-content/uploads/unnamed-29.png)
Gradually, Then Suddenly: Dr. Robert Wachter on Health Care’s Giant AI Leap [PODCAST]
In a KevinMD podcast, UCSF professor Robert Wachter discusses his new book, *A Giant Leap*, which argues that generative AI is the first technology to fundamentally reshape the roles of doctors, patients, and health‑care leaders. He contrasts emerging AI tools...
Daily Bulletin...
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testified before a Senate health subcommittee, defending a proposal to slash the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) budget by roughly 12 percent, or about $170 billion over five years. He argued that a sweeping restructuring...
Limits on Private Equity in CT Hospitals Passes State Senate
The Connecticut Senate approved Senate Bill 196, which bars private‑equity firms from acquiring or increasing control of hospitals after October 1, 2026 and requires annual certifications that no private‑equity influence exists. The bill also prohibits sale‑leaseback transactions on hospital campuses starting the...
RFK Jr. Sounded Completely Insane At Senate Hearing
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., serving as the Department of Health and Human Services secretary, testified before a Senate committee on healthcare policy. During the hearing, Senator Angela Alsobrooks quoted a remark that Kennedy allegedly suggested sending Black children to farms...
The Continuum of Fertility Care: Why IVF Is Not the only Option
Fertility care is evolving from an IVF‑first mindset to a personalized continuum that begins with a comprehensive male‑and‑female evaluation. Early interventions—such as ovulation‑inducing medication, lifestyle optimization, and targeted surgery—can restore natural conception potential for many couples. Intrauterine insemination (IUI) serves...
Can Facet Arthroplasty Outperform TLIF for Spondy?
A prospective, multicenter FDA IDE trial compared the Total Posterior Spine (TOPS) facet arthroplasty system with traditional transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) in 249 patients with single‑level grade I degenerative spondylolisthesis. At 24 months, TOPS achieved an 85% composite clinical success rate...
Parliament Urged to End Assisted Suicide for Non-Terminal Patients
Canada's medical‑assistance-in-dying (MAID) law was expanded in 2021 with a second stream, “Track 2,” allowing non‑terminal patients—including those with mental illness—to access assisted death. Between 2021 and 2024, 2,050 Canadians died under this provision. Disability group Inclusion Canada is urging Parliament...
Why Heart Failure Care Requires Spaced Repetition for Doctors
Heart failure patients benefit from four guideline‑directed drug classes, yet real‑world use lags dramatically. Only about 44% of hospitalized patients receive all four therapies and roughly 1% achieve target doses. The article argues that the shortfall stems not from ignorance...
How Can We Help Early Social Development?
The latest Neurosense podcast features child psychiatrist Jonathan Green discussing his research on early social development in autistic children. Green’s approach centers on parent‑mediated interventions rather than direct work with the child, teaching caregivers strategies to foster social skills. The...
How Many “Mentally Fine” Adolescent Scoliosis Patients Are, in Fact, Quietly Struggling?
A prospective study of 93 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients compared the traditional SRS-22 mental health questionnaire with PROMIS well‑being measures (Positive Affect, Life Satisfaction, Meaning & Purpose). While the two tools showed moderate‑to‑strong correlations, PROMIS identified 14‑40% of teens...
51 Cases that Reframe Methylene Blue Serotonin Syndrome
The article argues that the FDA’s 2011 serotonin‑syndrome warning for methylene blue applies only to high‑dose intravenous use, not to the low‑dose oral supplements many clinicians prescribe for mitochondrial support. A review of 51 published cases found 50 involved IV...
Pharmaceutical Executive Daily: Idvynso Receives FDA Approval
The FDA granted approval to Idvynso, a new oral therapy for HIV‑1 infection in adults, citing trial data that showed sustained viral suppression and a safety profile on par with existing regimens. The drug adds to a shifting HIV market...
Only 9% of Americans Know How to Maintain Brain Health, Alzheimer’s Association Finds
The Alzheimer’s Association’s 2026 Brain Health in America report reveals a stark knowledge gap: while 88% of U.S. adults aged 40+ consider brain health very important, only 9% say they know “a lot” about how to protect it. Respondents recognize...
Therapeutic Alliance in Psychiatry Matters More than Ever
Timothy Lesaca argues that the therapeutic alliance—rooted in Karl Menninger’s credo of understanding before judgment—is more vital than ever in psychiatry. He warns that modern, metric‑driven practices and shrinking appointment times erode the relational space essential for genuine patient connection....
April 22, 2026 – The Week in Health Care News
The week’s health‑care roundup highlighted a surge of reproductive‑rights battles, from Ohio’s Supreme Court potentially allowing new anti‑abortion laws despite a voter‑approved protection to Pennsylvania’s court restoring Medicaid abortion coverage. Federal actions included the DOJ firing prosecutors accused of bias...
Neuromodulation and Nerve Ablation for Chronic Pain with NeuroOne CEO Dave Rosa — Episode 252
NeuroOne Medical Technologies, led by veteran CEO Dave Rosa, is advancing minimally invasive electrodes that combine nerve ablation, neuromodulation, and direct drug delivery for conditions like epilepsy and chronic pain. Rosa, who has spent three decades at firms such as...
The Cleanest Port-a-John at the Fair
Kaiser Permanente released its 2025 financial results, showing a $9.3 billion net income largely driven by investment returns and a 146 percent jump in operating income to $1.4 billion. A Lown Institute study revealed a $1.5 billion tax benefit versus $963 million in charitable care,...
Shields Health Solutions Partners with Columbus Regional Health to Enhance Patient Access to Specialty Pharmacy Services
Shields Health Solutions announced a partnership with Columbus Regional Health, its first Indiana health‑system collaborator, to expand specialty pharmacy services. The joint effort will initially support more than 8,000 patients with complex conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and autoimmune...
Curve Biosciences Announces Key AI and Clinical Advancements of Whole-Body Intelligence for Chronic Diseases
Curve Biosciences announced two major milestones: its genomic AI foundation model will be presented at the International Conference on Learning Representations (ICLR) and its Whole‑Body Blood Test demonstrated strong performance in a real‑world liver cirrhosis monitoring study. The study enrolled...
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Is First in Region to Offer Sedation-Free Evaluation of Upper Gastrointestinal Tract in Children
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital has become the first South Florida facility to offer sedation‑free transnasal endoscopy (TNE) for pediatric patients, using EvoEndo’s single‑use system. The TNE procedure evaluates the upper gastrointestinal tract without the need for anesthesia, IV lines, or prolonged...
IVF Insurance Coverage Depends on Your ZIP Code
Infertility affects roughly one in eight U.S. couples, yet access to in‑vitro fertilization (IVF) hinges on state insurance mandates rather than medical need. As of 2026, 25 states and the District of Columbia have some infertility‑insurance law, but only about...
Flora Fertility Raises $5M to Build Customer-Owned Reproductive Insurance
Flora Fertility announced a $5 million Series A round to expand its customer‑owned reproductive insurance platform. The funding will accelerate product development, grow the provider network, and increase user acquisition. By letting patients pool contributions and tying payouts to treatment outcomes, the...
Why Your Doctor Gets It Wrong—And a Simple Shift That Would Fix It
A growing body of research shows that diagnostic errors affect at least five percent of American adults each year, translating to roughly 800,000 permanent disabilities or deaths annually. The problem stems from systemic flaws—lack of error tracking, insufficient patient history,...
IBS Fast Fact. IBS Symptoms Can Mimic Endometriosis
Endometriosis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are frequently confused in women because they share bowel pain, bloating, and irregular stool patterns. Studies show that up to 50% of patients diagnosed with endometriosis also meet the clinical criteria for IBS. When...
Video Wednesday
On April 22, 2026 the blog posted a short video showcasing the da Vinci SP surgical robot. The clip demonstrates the platform’s single‑port design, 3‑D high‑definition imaging, and articulated instruments that operate through a single incision. The da Vinci SP,...
Keebler Health Raises $16M to Advance AI in Healthcare
Keebler Health announced a $16 million Series A round to expand its AI-driven platform for clinical and operational decision‑making. The solution uses machine learning to surface hidden risk patterns, enabling earlier interventions and cost reductions. CEO Isaac Park says the funds will...
New Review Casts Doubt On Alzheimers Drugs But Is Controversial
A new Cochrane review of 17 trials involving more than 20,000 Alzheimer’s patients concludes that amyloid‑targeting monoclonal antibodies deliver only trivial cognitive benefits and carry safety risks. The analysis groups together all anti‑amyloid antibodies—including older failures—thereby diluting the modest gains...
Progress Against Pancreatic Cancer, Part One
Revolution Medicines reported that its RAS‑targeting small molecule daraxonrasib more than doubled overall survival for patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, extending median survival to 13.2 months versus 6.7 months on standard chemotherapy. The drug works by stabilizing a novel...
Beyond the Pharmaceutical Model
The post argues that modern medicine is organized around disease classification and long‑term drug management rather than genuine health restoration. It promotes Dr. Sircus’s “terrain theory,” which holds that environmental and lifestyle factors are the true roots of illness. By...
New Study Reveals CRISPR Enzyme that Responds to Human DNA Methylation
A collaborative team from Wageningen University & Research and the Van Andel Institute has identified a CRISPR-associated enzyme that senses DNA methylation, a key epigenetic mark distinguishing cancer cells from normal tissue. The enzyme selectively binds to methylated human DNA,...
The Deadly Reality of Eclampsia and Maternal Mortality in Nigeria
Eclampsia, a seizure‑inducing progression of pre‑eclampsia, remains a leading cause of maternal death in Nigeria, where maternal mortality exceeds 800 per 100,000 live births. Most affected women are young, first‑time mothers from rural northern communities who receive little or no...
Bristol NHS Group Opens Doors to Tech Providers to Inspire Staff, in Flagship Elevate Showcase
Bristol NHS Group is hosting the Elevate Local Health Tech Showcase on 13 May, inviting health‑social care staff from its two trusts and the wider integrated care system to meet technology suppliers. The event, part of the group’s new digital strategy...
How Compounding Has Become a Permanent Bridge for Healthcare Access: Q&A with Dr. Nicole Snow
Compounding pharmacies are positioning themselves as a permanent bridge to healthcare access by delivering highly individualized therapies when commercial products fall short. Dr. Nicole Snow of Wesley Pharmaceuticals explains how custom dosing, alternative dosage forms, and allergen‑free excipients close care...
Top Drugs at Risk of Supply Shortages: Report
The U.S. Pharmacopeia’s new vulnerable medicines report flags 100 drugs—half of which depend on a single‑country key starting material—as prone to supply shocks. While only 30 of these are in active FDA shortage, the list highlights injectables, ICU sedatives, IV...
CovAngelo Accurately Models Reaction Barriers for Covalent Drug Discovery
BEIT introduced CovAngelo, a layered QM/QM/MM platform that accurately predicts activation barriers for covalent inhibitors. By combining classical molecular mechanics, quantum‑mechanical embedding (ECC‑DMET), and high‑level quantum chemistry focused on the bond‑forming event, the method captures subtle electronic and environmental effects...