Healthcare Blogs and Articles
Healthcare Blogs and Articles
Healthcare Pulse
EMAIL DIGESTS
Daily
Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
EMAIL DIGESTS
Daily
Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
A recent blog post dubs the SARS‑CoV‑2 sub‑lineage BA.3.2 the “Cicada” variant, drawing on the insect’s symbolism of rebirth. The author suggests the strain is resurfacing ahead of the CDC’s fall nRNA COVID‑19 booster push, but provides no epidemiological data or official designation. Health agencies have not listed BA.3.2 as a variant of concern, and case numbers remain stable. The piece blends sensational language with limited scientific evidence, raising questions about its impact on public perception.
Weekly reads highlight several frontier biotech developments. The Gattaca Stack, a new database, tracks firms working on embryo models and artificial‑womb technologies. R3 Bio’s stem‑cell “organ sacks” aim to replace animal testing and could evolve into human organ bags, while...
Kardigan reported positive Phase 2 data for its antisense drug tonlamarsen in the KARDINAL trial, showing a dose‑dependent 67% reduction in plasma angiotensinogen and a mean 6.7 mmHg drop in office systolic blood pressure after 20 weeks. Both a single 90 mg dose...
The article argues that cartel arrests, such as the killing of Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader “El Mencho,” have limited impact on the U.S. synthetic opioid crisis. Fentanyl’s synthetic nature allows rapid shifts in supply chains, leading to unpredictable adulterants...
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals presented two‑year open‑label extension data for plozasiran at the ACC 75th session, showing an 83% median triglyceride reduction in severe hypertriglyceridemia and 96% of patients dropping below the 500 mg/dL pancreatitis threshold. No adjudicated acute pancreatitis events occurred, and...
California physicians face a perfect storm of low Medi‑Cal reimbursements, the nation’s highest marginal tax rate, and soaring housing costs that erode take‑home pay. At the same time, the California Medical Board processes nearly 10,000 complaints annually, with about 1,000...
Irving Gold argues that occupational therapists (OTs) are the missing link in Canada’s addiction recovery system, which currently over‑invests in crisis care and under‑invests in everyday support. He describes how OTs address both the underlying mental‑health drivers and the practical...
The World Health Organization announced a partnership with Singapore’s state‑owned investment firm Temasek to develop interoperable digital health wallets, beginning with vaccine and prophylaxis certificates in the 11 ASEAN member states. The effort builds on recent International Health Regulations amendments...
Physician burnout is increasingly recognized as a loss of professional identity rather than mere exhaustion. Drawing on Heinz Kohut’s psychoanalytic framework, the article identifies three invisible supports—mirroring, idealization, and twinship—that sustain doctors’ sense of self. Modern health‑care systems erode these...
Bristol Myers Squibb reported Phase 4 data showing that adults with schizophrenia can switch from oral atypical antipsychotics to Cobenfy (xanomeline‑trospium) without loss of symptom control. In an 8‑week open‑label trial, 86% of 105 patients completed the study, and mean PANSS...
Congressional scrutiny of the National Resident Matching Program’s (NRMP) antitrust exemption intensified after a May 2025 hearing, highlighting wage suppression and a persistent residency bottleneck. In 2025, 52,498 medical students competed for 43,237 slots, leaving roughly 9,000 unmatched, while average...
Public health is emerging from pandemic‑induced strain with tangible progress at global, national, and local levels. Internationally, Brazil approved a single‑dose dengue vaccine, WHO endorsed long‑acting HIV prevention injectables and prequalified a triple diagnostic test, and the 2025 Pandemic Agreement...
Health‑care leaders are overlooking a hidden cost called the Silent Variance—the revenue loss caused by patient friction in scheduling, authorizations, and navigation. Missed appointments and administrative hurdles cost the U.S. system roughly $150 billion annually, with a single primary‑care no‑show eroding...
Recent meta‑analyses of roughly 100,000‑plus adults confirm that statins and other cholesterol‑lowering drugs cut cardiovascular events by about 30 percent relative risk, delivering an absolute 2 percent mortality benefit over four years—equivalent to one life saved for every 50 treated. The safety...
A recent customer complaint highlights that health‑insurance premiums in India have surged despite the government’s GST waiver. The policy cost rose from Rs 21,996 (≈$265) in March 2021 to Rs 34,409 (≈$415) in March 2024 – a 24.86% increase after GST removal. Insurers cite...
President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order directing the Attorney General to initiate rulemaking that would move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act. The order follows a 2023 recommendation from the Department of Health and...
![Why Physicians Must Reclaim Their Right to Pause [PODCAST]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://kevinmd.com/wp-content/uploads/Design-1-1-scaled.jpg)
In a February 2026 KevinMD podcast, integrative pediatrician Mary Wilde argues that physicians at every career stage lack the habit of pausing, a deficit that fuels burnout and empathy loss. She describes her "Empathy Lab" curriculum, where medical students choose renewal...
In 2026, low‑income ACA marketplace enrollees dramatically shifted from high‑CSR silver plans to bronze, accelerating a multi‑year trend. The average actuarial value (AV) for HealthCare.gov states fell from about 80% in 2025 to 76% in 2026, while total enrollment dropped...
On March 23, Aaron Siri delivered a presentation at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., critiquing the U.S. vaccine ecosystem. He argued that vaccine manufacturers operate with near‑impunity and highlighted systemic failures of the FDA and CDC before and after...
IVF Academy USA unveiled a 30‑hour hybrid OBGYN Clinic‑Ready Fertility Services Accelerator, blending 14 hours of online coursework with a two‑day hands‑on residency. The program equips board‑certified OBGYNs to deliver in‑office fertility evaluations, IUI, and diagnostic hysteroscopy, complete with billing...
Banner | Aetna, the Arizona health‑plan joint venture of Banner Health and Aetna, is participating in the 2026 Phoenix Heart Walk as a member of the event’s Executive Leadership Team. CFO Dan Keller volunteers his time, highlighting a personal connection to heart...
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released its first dataset showing how many ACA Open Enrollment participants received help from certified brokers, agents, or other assisters. The data, limited to the 30 states that use the federal HealthCare.gov exchange,...
MRI classification systems are reshaping spinal stenosis care by replacing vague descriptors with structured grading such as the Schizas system for lumbar canals and analogous cervical scales. These standardized frameworks improve inter‑observer reliability, align imaging findings with surgical observations, and...
Mochi Health announced its role as a Premiere Sponsor of the Livelong Women’s Health Summit, scheduled for April 17‑18 in San Francisco. Founder and CEO Myra Ahmad, M.D., will headline a session on GLP‑1 medications and host a roundtable on...
Health care spending in the U.S. rose from about 5% of GDP in 1960 to 17% in 2010, then slowed markedly after 2010. Cutler and Klarnet attribute the slowdown to five factors—cost‑saving technology (≈21%), reduced demand (10‑26%), supply‑side price reductions...
Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI) expanded to Erie, Pennsylvania, establishing a research hub that supports 44 active clinical studies and over 2,700 patient visits. The institute now employs more than 380 scientists nationwide, running 319 studies covering 292 conditions and enrolling...
MiniMed secured FDA clearance for the MiniMed Flex, its smallest insulin pump yet, featuring a fully smartphone‑controlled, screenless design. The pocket‑sized device is roughly half the size of the 780G and holds a 300‑unit insulin reservoir while integrating continuous glucose...
LEO Pharma presented long‑term results from the five‑year EFFISAYIL ON extension, showing subcutaneous SPEVIGO® reduced generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) flares from an average of two per year to 0.13, with 74.6% of patients experiencing no flares over three years. Intravenous SPEVIGO...
TrumpRx, launched early 2026, is a direct‑to‑patient portal offering more than 40 drugs with cash‑pay prices, coupons and discounts. The platform aligns with the administration’s most‑favored‑nation (MFN) pricing policy, but the listed prices do not always match the official MFN...
VIVAZEN® welcomed a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing on H.R. 8000, the End Needless Distribution of 7‑OH Act, urging the DEA to promptly schedule the synthetic opioid 7‑hydroxymitragynine. The company highlighted public‑health risks such as toxicity, dependence and market confusion...
FranklinCovey is teaming with hospital leaders to boost nurse retention and patient satisfaction through customized leadership and trust programs. Documented results include moving patient‑satisfaction percentiles from the 26th to the 76th in four months and cutting leadership turnover by half...
Hospitals face tighter budgets, staffing shortages, and rising drug costs, prompting a search for more efficient medication management. RFID technology, once limited to retail, now offers real‑time, item‑level tracking that reduces manual errors and streamlines documentation. Advances in ultra‑high‑frequency tags...
CareTria’s CEO Willis Chandler told Pharmaceutical Commerce that 50% of patients abandon specialty drugs due to fragmented support and lengthy benefit verification. The company’s automated platform unifies provider, pharmacy, and payer workflows, slashing the time from prescription to therapy from...
A health system’s new virtual‑care program let a former CIO schedule a same‑day appointment, complete intake via an app, and see a physician in a 15‑minute video visit. The experience showcased rapid, real‑time scheduling and thorough clinical interaction, proving virtual...
Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is an over‑the‑counter antihistamine that also acts as an anticholinergic, causing drowsiness and other side effects, especially in older adults. Observational studies link long‑term high anticholinergic exposure to increased dementia risk, though causation remains unproven. The drug appears...
The article highlights how a wide range of prescription and over‑the‑counter drugs can impair sexual desire, arousal, and orgasm, often leaving patients silent about the issue. It lists eight drug classes—antihypertensives, antidepressants, antipsychotics, hormonal agents, opioids, antihistamines, anticonvulsants, and recreational...
A recent ruling in Missouri v. Biden challenges the CDC’s pandemic‑era censorship practices, asserting that labeling information as “misinformation” does not strip it of First Amendment protection. The opinion highlights how some content labeled false during COVID‑19 later proved accurate,...
Nordic Cold Chain Solutions (NCCS) has opened a GLP‑1 & Small‑Format Packaging Innovation Lab to help pharmaceutical manufacturers, specialty pharmacies and e‑commerce players manage temperature‑sensitive drugs. The lab provides end‑to‑end services from early‑stage design and pilot testing to high‑volume production,...
Worki, an AI‑driven workforce platform, targets the 34% of health‑system overhead tied to non‑clinical roles by unifying fragmented HR systems and deploying intelligent agents. The solution offers a phased, data‑backed pathway that can deliver 20% or more cost reductions, projecting...
CompHealth’s advanced practice, therapy, and laboratory staffing division has earned the Health Care Staffing Services (HCSS) Certification from the Joint Commission, the nation’s leading independent health‑care accreditor. The certification confirms compliance with rigorous national safety and quality standards and was...
WEX Inc. launched a specialized Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) to help employers manage the soaring costs of GLP‑1 medications, which are now used by an estimated 34 million Americans for weight management. The solution lets companies allocate a fixed contribution for...
Hyman, Phelps & McNamara (HPM) announced a vacancy for a 3rd‑to‑6th year associate attorney on its drug development team. The role supports clients through the full FDA pre‑market lifecycle, from pre‑IND strategy to IND, NDA/BLA submissions and dispute resolution. Candidates...
The pharmaceutical industry faces commercial risk as it prepares for the 2033 transition to a uniform 12‑digit NDC format, with experts warning that thousands of zero‑prefix collisions could trigger PBM claim rejections, disrupt patient‑hub enrollments, and corrupt market‑intelligence data. Simultaneously,...
MIT researchers discovered that three widely used anesthetics—propofol, ketamine and dexmedetomidine—produce an identical destabilization of brain dynamics, measurable as a loss of dynamic stability. Using EEG‑based perturbation analysis, they showed that despite distinct molecular targets, each drug pushes the brain...
Pediatrix Medical Group announced a cash acquisition of Tennessee Maternal‑Fetal Medicine, adding four board‑certified MFM physicians and six advanced practice providers to its Nashville operations. The partnership expands Pediatrix’s presence to five Greater Nashville locations, enhancing access to high‑risk obstetric...
A class-action settlement has been announced for New York residents who received the Tdap (whooping cough) vaccine between May 20 2016 and May 20 2020 after seeing a specific advertisement. Eligible individuals may file a claim to receive a monetary payment funded by GlaxoSmithKline. The...
GetHealthy unveiled Script, an AI‑enabled clinical scripting platform that lets health practitioners prescribe comprehensive protocols across seven product categories, from supplements to pet health and diagnostic testing. The solution taps a catalog of over 400 vetted brands and integrates with...
Physician burnout has surged as clinicians juggle endless charting, constant alerts, and productivity metrics that treat care like a timed transaction. The poem illustrates how administrative overload erodes compassion, turning the oath of service into a feeling of drowning. Surveys...
Frank Harrell, a former FDA statistician, responded to recent JAMA commentary on the agency’s draft guidance promoting Bayesian methods for clinical trials. He highlighted that while the guidance is a step forward, FDA reviewers still rely on traditional frequentist approaches...
The Trump administration failed to meet the 210‑day deadline to nominate a permanent CDC director, leaving the agency without confirmed leadership for most of the second term. Meanwhile, the FDA granted accelerated approval to Denali Therapeutics’ Avlayah, the first enzyme...
