“The Science Is Settled”… Or Is It? (Part A)
In Part A of his Substack series, pediatrician Dr. Gator argues that while the phrase “the science is settled” can feel dismissive, some level of consensus is essential for everyday medical practice. He illustrates how guidelines guide diagnosis, treatment, and safety in time‑pressured pediatric visits and emergency situations. He also acknowledges the tension parents feel when recommendations are presented without deeper explanation, urging a balance between trust in consensus and healthy questioning. The post sets up Part B, which will explore how science evolves and why revisiting consensus matters.
Measles Surging As Vaccine Rates Drop
Measles cases in the United States surged to 2,288 in 2025, the highest count since 1991, and 1,814 cases are already recorded in 2026. The outbreak mirrors a severe situation in Bangladesh, where 2,897 laboratory‑confirmed cases and 166 deaths have...
Wealth Is Health, Insider Betting & Trump Will See Himself in Court
New data reveal stark health‑life expectancy gaps, with affluent UK regions projected to enjoy nearly 20 extra healthy years compared to deprived areas, a pattern echoed in the United States and other OECD nations. Meanwhile, anti‑aging biotech firms such as...
Go Ahead, Ruin My Day
Researchers from a decade‑long randomized trial have found that arthroscopic partial meniscectomy, a common knee surgery, provides no measurable benefit over sham procedures. Moreover, patients who received the meniscus trimming experienced higher symptom scores, accelerated osteoarthritis, and increased likelihood of...
Part 3, the Trump Admin INVITES Destruction of MAHA IN COURT
A federal judge ordered a freeze and reversal of every vaccine policy change made by HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra (referred to as Kennedy) since taking office. The Justice Department filed a consent filing rather than a traditional appeal, effectively endorsing...
Medicare Advantage Changes Could Cut Extra Benefits but Speed up Care Approvals for Millions Under New Bill
Lawmakers introduced the bipartisan Medicare Advantage Improvement Act of 2026 to tighten oversight of private Medicare plans. The bill would force insurers to answer standard prior‑authorizations within 72 hours and urgent requests within 24 hours, and ban coverage criteria stricter than traditional...
Lesley Plön | Meet the Speakers: Med-Tech Expo 2026
MintNeuro and Motif Neurotech have teamed up to develop a miniature brain‑computer interface aimed at treating mental‑health conditions. At Med‑Tech Expo 2026, Lesley Plön of the Johner Institute, together with Margarita Rozhdestvenskaya, will present a session on regulatory compliance throughout...
Dr. Mohsin Amin | Meet the Speakers: Med-Tech Expo 2026
Founder and CEO Mohsin Amin of Orion Microbiology will speak at Med‑Tech Expo 2026 about placing microbiology at the front of the R&D checklist. His session, “Why Microbiology Shouldn’t be Last on the Checklist,” is slated for Day 1 on June 3,...
Jacqui O’Connor | Meet the Speakers: Med-Tech Expo 2026
Jacqui O’Connor, founder and managing director of MedScan3D, will speak at Med‑Tech Expo 2026 on June 3, unveiling how modern anatomical modeling reshapes the “Concept to Clinic” pathway. Her talk highlights the impact of high‑fidelity 3D simulation on accelerating medical device...
School With 50 Locations Uses Electric Shock Devices on Autistic Children — the FDA Wants to Ban the Devices
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a proposal to ban electric shock devices used to curb self‑injurious and aggressive behavior in individuals with developmental disabilities, including autistic children. The only U.S. institution still employing the aversive therapy is...
The Imperative for Equity in Obesity Care Is Alive and Well
At the ASMBS Annual Meeting, leaders highlighted that breakthroughs in metabolic surgery and anti‑obesity medications are undermined by stark inequities in access. Only a small fraction of eligible patients receive surgery, while high out‑of‑pocket costs keep new drugs out of...
From Insight to Impact: Making Real-World Evidence Actionable in Urology
Real‑world evidence (RWE) is reshaping urology, but fragmented, unstructured data limits its impact on everyday clinical decisions. In non‑muscle invasive bladder cancer, real‑world datasets reveal wide variation in BCG maintenance and treatment sequencing, while prostate cancer diagnostics suffer from inconsistent...
Can Mammals Regrow Lost Limbs? This New Treatment Could Be the First Step
Researchers at Texas A&M have demonstrated that a two‑step treatment using growth factors FGF2 and BMP2 can trigger partial digit regeneration in mice. The protocol first applies FGF2 to create a blastema‑like cell mass, then adds BMP2 to drive bone...
Understanding Potential Ocular Side Effects of Injectable GLP-1 Medications
Recent research suggests a rare but serious link between the GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a form of eye stroke that can cause permanent vision loss. A 2026 JAMA Network Open study...
Winners Announced at Medilink Healthcare Business Awards
The Medilink North of England Healthcare Business Awards 2026 returned to Sheffield’s Cutlers’ Hall, marking the association’s 30‑year anniversary. Nearly 300 delegates gathered to honor achievements across medical technology, digital health, sustainability and NHS partnerships. Winners included Mitotype Precision Labs,...
There Is No Evidence You Should Reapply Sunscreen Every 2 Hours.
The article dismantles the FDA’s two‑hour sunscreen reapplication rule, showing it rests on weak epidemiological surveys and circular citations rather than solid science. It traces the guideline’s origin to a 2007 proposed rule and highlights that the studies FDA cites...
AI Body Composition Tool Predicts Future Health Risks
Researchers at University Medical Center Freiburg used an AI‑driven deep‑learning framework to analyze whole‑body MRI scans from 66,608 participants, creating the most detailed age‑, sex‑ and height‑adjusted body‑composition reference map to date. The study showed that skeletal‑muscle quality and visceral...
The Latest 10 Top Discoveries in Dentistry This Week
The Science Briefing post highlights the ten most influential dentistry discoveries reported this week, spanning regenerative therapies, artificial‑intelligence diagnostics, and advanced materials. Researchers unveiled stem‑cell scaffolds that accelerate dentin repair, AI‑driven imaging that spots early caries with near‑clinical accuracy, and...
24/7 GP Appointment Booking Is Now Live in the NHS App for More than One Million Patients
Rapid Health’s AI‑driven Smart Triage is now live in the NHS App, giving more than one million English patients 24/7 access to GP appointments. The integration offers each user an average of 61 time slots, with most bookings occurring within...
Some Antibiotics Alter Gut Microbiome Composition for Up to 8 Years
A large Swedish cohort study published in Nature Medicine shows that a single course of antibiotics can reshape the gut microbiome for up to eight years, reducing bacterial diversity and altering species composition. The impact is strongest with broad‑spectrum drugs...
“Sounds Great. Do You Want FDA Approval?” A Regulatory Analysis of Psychedelics
On April 18, 2026 President Trump signed an executive order compelling the FDA to prioritize review of psychedelic drugs, issuing priority‑review vouchers for three compounds already holding Breakthrough Therapy designation. The order also creates a Right‑to‑Try pathway for ibogaine, directs...
Texas Doctor Found Guilty For Illegally Distributing Millions Of Opioid Pills
A federal jury in Texas convicted Dr. Barbara Marino, the sole prescriber at Angels Clinica, of illegally distributing more than one million opioid and muscle‑relaxant pills through a cash‑only pill mill. Prosecutors said Marino earned roughly $400,000 in under a...
Piezoelectric MXene Scaffold Promotes Cartilage Repair While Limiting Vessel Growth
Researchers unveiled an origami‑folded PLLA/MXene scaffold that converts joint motion into piezoelectric signals and, when exposed to near‑infrared light, generates mild heat. The dual‑modality design doubles electrical output versus pure PLLA and reaches ~41 °C, a temperature that suppresses VEGF‑driven angiogenesis...
![Your Waiting Room Does What Social Media Cannot [PODCAST]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://kevinmd.com/wp-content/uploads/sabet_neutrality_thumbnail.png)
Your Waiting Room Does What Social Media Cannot [PODCAST]
In a KevinMD podcast, psychiatrist Farid Sabet‑Sharghi argues that physician neutrality should give way to "radical moral integrity," drawing on his father’s experience treating prisoners in Iran and the ongoing bravery of Iranian clinicians. He observes that U.S. waiting rooms...
“Profound Autism”: The New Category That Could Change Everything
A federal advisory committee, the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), has recommended adopting a new definition of “profound autism” that removes the requirement of intellectual disability and instead emphasizes minimal or no functional speech and the need for continuous supervision....
When the Data Favor Motion Preservation, How Long Does It Take for Surgeon Culture to Catch Up?
Recent IDE trial data on the Total Posterior Spine (TOPS) System suggest that motion‑preserving implants can match or exceed outcomes of traditional fusion for grade I degenerative spondylolisthesis at L4‑5. The study showed comparable pain relief, functional scores, and lower rates...
Why Your Allergies Feel Worse This Year
Allergist Levi Keller notes that the record‑warm spring of 2026 has lengthened the U.S. growing season, pushing pollen release earlier and extending it by up to two months in some regions. Higher atmospheric carbon dioxide fuels plant growth, creating more...
FDA Clears Investigational New Drug Application for Phase Ib/IIa Trial of CK0802 in Steroid-Refractory Graft-Versus-Host Disease
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared Cellenkos' investigational new drug application for CK0802, paving the way for a Phase Ib/IIa trial in patients with steroid‑refractory graft‑versus‑host disease (GVHD). The mid‑stage study will evaluate safety, tolerability and early efficacy, using...
Most Sustainable Pharma and Biotech Companies in 2026, According to Corporate Knights
Corporate Knights’ 2026 Global 100 ranking spotlights sustainability leaders in pharma and biotech, with Novonesis A/S, Eisai Co Ltd and Novo Nordisk A/S earning top spots. The list introduces a new "sustainable revenue momentum" metric, now weighing one‑third of each company’s score....
Austin Russian: How Fragmentation Delays Rare Disease Therapy Access
Austin Russian, SVP of Program Excellence at PANTHERx Rare, warned that fragmentation across prescribers, insurers, pharmacies and manufacturers slows patient access to orphan drugs. As more rare‑disease therapies reach the market, the lack of a single coordinating entity creates miscommunication...
Republicans Say No To Healthcare, But Yes To $1 Billion For Trump's Ballroom
Republican lawmakers declined to fund extensions of the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced subsidies, even as premiums surged and millions faced coverage loss. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates a one‑year extension would add roughly $30 billion to the deficit,...
Psychotropic Thunder
The post surveys a chaotic slate of U.S. policy moves and market trends. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a push to curb SSRI prescriptions, targeting the roughly one‑in‑six Americans on these drugs. Meanwhile, prediction‑market platforms Kalshi and Polymarket are...
Why Physicians Treat Symptoms Not Causes of Disease
Physicians excel at diagnosing and treating symptoms quickly, driven by training, billing codes, and performance metrics. However, the article argues that this narrow focus often overlooks the broader social, economic, and environmental forces that generate chronic disease. By treating only...
How Workers Compensation Reform Can Cut Litigation Costs
Workers' compensation reform could dramatically lower litigation expenses, according to recent WCRI data. Litigated claims are 388% more costly and take nearly double the time to resolve, while attorney involvement adds $7.7k‑$12.4k in indemnity per claim. High denial rates—7% to...
IVERMECTIN and MEBENDAZOLE Testimonial - 73 Year Old Massachusetts Man with 2 Liver Cancers and Liver Transplant Candidate Reports After...
A 73‑year‑old man from Massachusetts diagnosed with two liver cancers claims that a ten‑month regimen of ivermectin and mebendazole has caused his tumors to shrink, positioning him as a candidate for a liver transplant. The testimonial, posted on a health‑focused...
Health Care Costs Is the Issue Voters Can’t Afford to Ignore
Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, declared universal health coverage a moral imperative at a Vatican‑WHO conference. A KFF follow‑up survey of 800 ACA marketplace enrollees found 80% paying higher premiums, 51% saying costs rose dramatically, and 9% dropping...
Tuesday May 5, 2026
Johnson & Johnson released first‑in‑human data for its OTTAVA robotic surgical system, showing safety and performance success in a 30‑patient gastric bypass cohort and filing a De Novo request with the FDA. The week also saw the US‑China tariff truce...
HemoSonics’ Quantra Hemostasis System for Obstetric Procedures Wins Silver 2026 Edison Award
HemoSonics' Quantra® Hemostasis System for obstetric procedures earned the Silver Edison Award in the Women’s Health and Reproductive Innovations category for 2026. The device is the first FDA‑cleared viscoelastic testing platform specifically approved for obstetric bleeding, delivering whole‑blood coagulation results...
Magnus Expands Access to 5-Day SAINT® Depression Therapy as Leading Health Systems Scale Nationwide Adoption
Magnus Medical announced that its FDA‑cleared SAINT® rapid‑remission depression therapy is expanding to 14 states, adding partners such as Cleveland Clinic, UPMC and HCA Healthcare. Payer reimbursement now covers more than 80 million lives, including Medicare fee‑for‑service and several commercial plans....
Opt-Out States and Physician-Led Anesthesia Care Explained
Anesthesiologists are warning that the so‑called “opt‑out” states do not eliminate the need for physician supervision of nurse anesthetists. While 25 governors have invoked the CMS opt‑out provision, most state statutes still mandate physician oversight. A 2024 California investigation found...
Pediatrica Health Group Acquires Miami Practice, Expanding and Enhancing Equitable Access to Care as Population Growth Soars
Pediatrica Health Group announced the acquisition of a Westchester‑Miami pediatric practice, adding a new location to its multi‑site network. The deal brings Dr. Juan Ruiz‑Unger’s four‑decade legacy under Pediatrica’s umbrella, while a new APRN, Javier Torres Hernandez, expands clinical capacity....
Bracco Launches BubbleGen™ Early Access Program for Microbubble-Based Cell Selection and Activation at ISCT
Bracco Imaging announced an Early Access Program for its new BubbleGen™ technology, which uses buoyant microbubbles to isolate and activate specific cell subtypes. The platform offers a one‑step, magnetic‑residue‑free alternative to traditional bead‑based cell separation, initially demonstrated with CD3⁺ T‑cell selection...
New Pharmaceutical Reform Alliance Poll: Americans Agree on One Thing – Rein in Big Pharma
The Pharmaceutical Reform Alliance released a new national poll of 1,524 registered voters showing overwhelming bipartisan support for prescription‑drug pricing reform. Eighty‑nine percent of respondents favor reform, while 68% say drug prices have risen and 94% blame pharmaceutical companies for...
NImmune Biopharma Announces Presentations at Digestive Disease Week 2026 Supporting a Differentiated Profile and Superior Efficacy of Oral, Once-Daily NIM-1324...
NImmune Biopharma presented Phase 1 data for its oral LANCL2 drug NIM‑1324 at Digestive Disease Week, showing safety, tolerability, target engagement and superior efficacy versus existing IBD therapies. The study met all primary and secondary endpoints with no dose‑limiting toxicities and...
Hepta Reveals Blood-Based Epigenetic Signatures of GLP-1 Response, Enabling Precision Medicine in Obesity and MASH
Hepta unveiled a blood‑based cfDNA methylation assay at Digestive Disease Week 2026 that can identify patients who will lose at least 10% of body weight on semaglutide before the first dose. The SAMARA trial showed baseline epigenetic signatures distinguished responders...
Infigratinib
Infigratinib, a pan‑FGFR inhibitor previously approved for cholangiocarcinoma, is being repurposed to treat achondroplasia. After its FDA accelerated approval was rescinded in 2024 due to enrollment challenges, BridgeBio reported that the Phase 3 PROPEL 3 trial met its primary endpoint in February 2026....
Connected by Design: How AI and Automation Are Transforming Drug Discovery at BMS
Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) is shifting from isolated AI tools to an integrated, learning‑driven ecosystem that connects data, models, and automation across discovery and development. The company highlights its shared data backbone, AI co‑scientists, and lab‑in‑the‑loop automation as foundational layers,...
What Physicians and Dragonflies Share in Resilience and Agility
The article draws a vivid parallel between physicians and dragonflies, highlighting shared traits of agility, rapid decision‑making, and resilience. Dragonflies’ four independent wings enable hovering, 30 mph flight, and even flight with a broken wing, while their 360° vision mirrors physicians’...
Asembia AXS26: Closing the Gap Between Prescription Fill and Patient Use
Asembia’s AXS26 platform, presented by HealthBeacon GM Kieran Daly, tackles the gap between prescription fill and actual patient use. Traditional metrics track shipments and refills but lack visibility into at‑home administration. AXS26 uses connected in‑home devices that timestamp injections, giving...
Restrictive Cardiomyopathy: The Stiffness You Shouldn't Miss
Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) can cause severe breathlessness despite a normal ejection fraction and thin ventricular walls. The article breaks down four echocardiographic steps—diastolic filling pattern, under‑reported 2D findings, strain imaging, and right‑heart clues—to spot the disease early. By applying these...