Influenza Frequently Missed in Winter Deaths, New Study Finds
A population‑based study of 857 Spanish deaths across four flu seasons found influenza in 11% of winter fatalities, yet only 17% were diagnosed before death and merely 1.4% appeared on death certificates. Post‑mortem PCR testing revealed that many infections, especially among older adults with chronic illnesses, go unnoticed in routine clinical care. The research also identified other respiratory viruses in over a third of the decedents, highlighting systemic gaps in mortality surveillance. Authors urge broader monitoring that captures out‑of‑hospital deaths to reflect the true disease burden.
Healthcare Remains Top Cybercrime Target: FBI
The FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report shows healthcare and public health faced the most cyber incidents of any critical‑infrastructure sector, with 642 events recorded. Ransomware dominated, accounting for 460 attacks, while 182 data breaches placed the industry third in breach...
Which Health Plans Rank Highest In Digital Experience?
The JD Power U.S. Healthcare Digital Experience study evaluated 7,687 members across the 17 largest Medicare Advantage and 16 largest commercial health plans. Cigna Healthcare topped the commercial segment with a 684‑point score, while UPMC Health Plan led Medicare Advantage...
AI Model Suggests CPAP Can Massively Swing Heart Risk in Sleep Apnea
Mount Sinai researchers developed a machine‑learning model that predicts how continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy will affect cardiovascular risk in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Using data from the SAVE trial and more than 100 baseline variables, the algorithm...
There Are No Good Ways to Avoid Childhood Eczema but Many Treatment Options, Say Researchers
The American Academy of Dermatology released its first pediatric eczema guidelines, concluding that prevention strategies such as special diets, probiotics, or altered bathing have no proven benefit. Moisturizers earned a conditional recommendation for reducing incidence in children aged six months...
CPR Goes High-Tech: Transesophageal Echocardiography Turns Blind Compressions Into Precision Hits
Researchers conducted the first randomized clinical trial testing transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) to guide cardiopulmonary resuscitation. While overall survival rates were similar to standard care, TEE‑guided compressions produced significantly higher end‑tidal CO2, a proxy for blood flow quality. The study, published...
Rochester General Technical Workers Vote to Unionize
Technical workers at Rochester General Hospital voted 145-54 to join the Rochester Union of Nurses and Allied Professionals, covering nearly 300 roles such as respiratory therapists, radiology technologists, and licensed practical nurses. The new bargaining unit aims to leverage collective...
Webinar to Share Strategies on Workforce Relief
The American Hospital Association (AHA) is urging health leaders to register for its 2026 Annual Membership Meeting in Washington, D.C., which includes a webinar on workforce‑relief strategies. Recent data reveal flu vaccination at 76.3% and COVID‑19 vaccination at 40.2% among...
FDA Denies Exemption Request for Radiology AI Devices
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration denied a petition seeking partial exemption of radiology artificial‑intelligence devices from 510(k) premarket review. The request, filed in October 2025, aimed to waive requirements for computer‑aided detection, diagnosis, triage and notification software. After reviewing...
AI Grief Bots Present ‘New Complexities’ in Bereavement Care
Artificial intelligence is entering bereavement care through "grief bots" that recreate a deceased loved one’s voice, likeness, and mannerisms from audio, video, texts and social‑media data. Companies such as Hereafter.ai, You, Only Virtual, StoryFile and Uare.ai are already offering interactive...
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Best Medicare Plan G Providers of 2026
Investopedia evaluated nine Medigap insurers to rank the best providers of Medicare Plan G for 2026. UnitedHealthcare’s AARP‑branded Plan G earned the top spot with a $268 monthly premium, nationwide availability, and strong financial ratings. Anthem delivered the lowest average Plan G premium...
Florida International U, Medical School Land $30M Gift for Medical Center
Philanthropists Helen and Jacob Shaham have pledged a $30 million gift to Florida International University’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. The donation will underwrite the construction of a new seven‑story academic medical center on FIU’s Miami campus, to be named the...
U.S. Birth Rate Declined 1% in 2025, CDC Finds
The U.S. maternal mortality rate slipped to 17.9 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2024, a figure statistically indistinguishable from the 18.6 recorded in 2023. While the rate has modestly improved, maternal deaths have doubled since 1987 and more than...
Meet Abi, the AI-Powered Robot Companion for Senior Care
Andromeda Robotics unveiled Abi, a 4‑foot, brightly colored AI companion robot designed for senior living facilities. Abi leads group activities such as dance, tai chi, and music quizzes, while also offering one‑on‑one interactions in up to 90 languages and remembering...
VA's Failure to Use Its New Authority to Boost Pay for Doctors Draws Bipartisan Criticism
Veterans Affairs doctors remain capped at $400,000 a year despite the Dole Act, a bipartisan law signed by President Biden that allows 300 pay‑waiver exceptions and retroactive compensation. The VA has not issued guidance to implement the authority, even though...
The Need to Prioritize Supporting Caregivers Through a Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Family caregivers of breast cancer patients face high rates of anxiety and depression, with studies reporting prevalence between 52% and 94%. Research shows caregiver burden is the strongest predictor of their mental health, worsening as patients’ functional status declines and...
Post-TAVR Bleeding in AFib Patients Much Less Common with Apixaban than Rivaroxaban
A new retrospective analysis of more than 4,000 transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) patients with atrial fibrillation found that apixaban significantly lowers the risk of major bleeding compared with rivaroxaban. Propensity‑score matching created two balanced cohorts of 2,157 patients each,...
Gilead and Roche Bet on Protein Degraders for Their Cancer Drug Pipelines
Gilead exercised its option to license Kymera Therapeutics' CDK2 molecular‑glue degrader KT‑200, triggering a $45 million payment and opening a potential $665 million milestone path, with an IND target of 2027. Roche paid $20 million upfront to C4 Therapeutics to co‑develop degrader‑antibody drug...
Planned Parenthood Clinic Turns to Cosmetic Care Amid Loss of Federal Funding
Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, the nation’s largest affiliate, is launching cash‑based aesthetic services such as Botox and IV hydration to compensate for a revenue gap after the Trump administration cut federal funding. The loss of Medicaid reimbursements forced the closure of...
How HR Can Ensure Quality Hires Through Skills, Culture, and Continuity
The article outlines how home‑care providers can secure high‑quality hires by balancing caregiver skills, personality fit, and continuity of care. It details a structured matching process that starts with in‑depth client assessments and aligns them with caregiver profiles covering certifications,...
AMCP Returns to Nashville Roots for 2026 Meeting
The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) will host its 2026 annual meeting in Nashville, drawing roughly 4,000 health‑care professionals—a ten‑fold increase from its inaugural 40‑person gathering in 1989. The three‑day event, running April 13‑16, features a six‑hour AI pre‑conference,...
Radiologist Under Fire for Missing 'Obvious' Findings that Led to Toddler's Untimely Death
A 19‑month‑old toddler died after a CT scan of her brain was remotely interpreted as normal by Telemedicine Clinic Limited, which lacks pediatric radiology expertise. A second review at Sheffield Children’s Hospital identified a clear brain herniation and diagnosed meningoencephalitis,...
How Advances in Nuclear Medicine Are Changing Patient Care
Advances in nuclear medicine are reshaping patient care by delivering faster, lower‑dose imaging and highly personalized radiopharmaceutical therapies. Modern PET and SPECT scanners provide clearer images in half the time, while hybrid systems combine modalities for earlier disease detection. Theranostic...
Stanford Health, Alameda Health System Partner to Support California Hospital
Stanford Health Care and Alameda Health System announced a strategic collaboration to expand care at St. Rose Hospital in Hayward, California. The partnership will allocate skilled‑nursing facility beds for Stanford referrals, create a community‑based inpatient psychiatric unit, and lease medical‑surgical...
UMass Memorial Health Expands Epic EHR to Milford Regional
UMass Memorial Health expanded its Epic electronic health record system to Milford Regional, which went live on April 1. The integration follows Milford’s 2024 affiliation with UMass Memorial and a 2025 implementation effort that included extensive staff training. A single, uniform...
Recalls of Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers (ARBs) Including Valsartan, Losartan and Irbesartan
The FDA has issued recalls for certain generic angiotensin II receptor blockers—including valsartan, losartan and irbesartan—after detecting nitrosamine impurities such as NDMA, NDEA and NMBA. These contaminants are probable carcinogens and were traced to manufacturing processes of the active pharmaceutical ingredient....
E2 Raises $80M to Market Thrombectomy Platform
Endovascular Engineering (E2) closed a $80 million Series C round to launch its Hēlo mechanical thrombectomy platform for pulmonary embolism. The funding, led by Norwest and Gilde Healthcare, will expand E2’s commercial team and sustain R&D after FDA clearance was secured last...
Mississippi 340B Law Upheld by Appeals Court in Two Cases
On April 9, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld Mississippi’s law that protects 340B drug pricing for contract‑pharmacy arrangements. The court affirmed district‑court rulings rejecting injunction requests from Novartis, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America...
Parkland Health Taps Chief Legal Officer
Dallas‑based Parkland Health announced that Brad Nitschke has been promoted to executive vice president and chief legal officer. Nitschke, who joined the system in August 2021 as associate general counsel for operations and regulatory matters, previously served as a trial and...
FDA, Medtech Industry Near MDUFA VI Agreement
The FDA and the medical‑technology industry have reached an agreement in principle on the next five‑year user‑fee framework, MDUFA VI, which will govern 2027‑2032. The deal commits the agency to hiring more than 500 additional device‑review staff to address chronic understaffing...
BBB Access Route via Proteomic Vascular Mapping
Researchers led by Jiefu Li at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute have unveiled an in‑vivo proteomic method that tags and isolates proteins on the luminal surface of blood vessels. By perfusing a lectin‑conjugated peroxidase, they biotinylate adjacent proteins, enabling mass‑spectrometry...
CTO PCI Reduces Symptoms, Improves Quality of Life: Meta-Analysis
A new meta‑analysis of the EUROCTO and DECISION‑CTO trials, encompassing 518 patients with a single chronic total occlusion, shows that percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) markedly improves health status compared with optimal medical therapy (OMT). PCI achieved an 88.7% first‑attempt success...
Tirzepatide Outperforms Dulaglutide on Cardiorenal Outcomes in High-Risk Diabetes
A post‑hoc analysis of the SURPASS‑CVOT trial shows tirzepatide (Mounjaro) delivering superior cardiorenal protection compared with dulaglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease. Over a median 47‑month follow‑up, the composite of mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization,...
Employee Sues Shriners Hospital Alleging Racial Double Standard in Credential Demands
A Black/Asian orthopedic technician at Shriners Hospital for Children sued, alleging the hospital imposed a national board certification requirement on her that was never applied to non‑minority coworkers. After more than a decade of maintaining the credential, she was told...
What the Health? From KFF Health News: Abortion Pills, the Budget, and RFK Jr.
A federal judge in Louisiana delayed a ruling on the abortion drug mifepristone after a request from the Trump administration, sparking anger from anti‑abortion groups. The administration’s FY2027 budget proposes more than $15 billion in cuts to HHS programs, a smaller...
AI Can Provide a Concierge for Every Patient
Google’s AI team unveiled an “always‑on” virtual concierge designed to guide patients through care coordination and insurance coverage questions. Powered by large language models, the assistant can schedule appointments, explain benefits, and provide real‑time answers, delivering a personalized experience akin...
Department of Energy, Shine Working on $263M Deal to Establish Mo-99 Supply in US
The U.S. Department of Energy is preparing a conditional loan of up to $263 million to Shine Technologies to complete its Chrysalis facility, which aims to produce molybdenum‑99 (Mo‑99) domestically. Mo‑99 is a critical medical isotope used in tens of thousands...
Judge Allows States’ Lawsuit over HHS Restructuring to Move Forward
A federal judge in Rhode Island denied the Department of Health and Human Services' motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed by 19 states and Washington, D.C. The states allege that HHS's 2025 restructuring and the layoff of roughly 10,000 employees...
Severe Exposure to ‘Forever Chemicals’ During Pregnancy Could Lead to Childhood Asthma
Swedish researchers at Lund University linked very high prenatal exposure to per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) with a 40% increase in childhood asthma risk. The study examined over 11,000 children born between 2006 and 2013 in Ronneby, where decades‑long contamination...
Will Knee Injections Help Your Osteoarthritis? Here’s What the Evidence Says
Knee osteoarthritis affects about 8% of Australians and prompts many patients to seek injectable therapies. Recent systematic reviews show corticosteroid shots provide only short‑term pain relief, while hyaluronic acid, platelet‑rich plasma (PRP) and stem‑cell injections deliver modest or uncertain benefits...
Shape‐Memory Collagen/Silk‐Fibroin Scaffold for Dura Sealing and Skull Base Regeneration
Researchers have engineered an injectable, shape‑memory scaffold combining collagen, silk‑fibroin and α‑tricalcium phosphate for skull‑base reconstruction. The composite features a silk‑fibroin‑rich outer layer that creates a watertight seal against cerebrospinal fluid, while an inner α‑TCP layer encourages bone growth and...
Post-Hoc Live: Biopharma M&A Is Back, with Barclays' Emily Field
Biopharma mergers and acquisitions are experiencing one of their strongest periods in years, as major pharmaceutical firms rush to absorb smaller biotech innovators. In a Post‑Hoc Live interview, Emily Field, head of U.S. biopharma‑catalytics equity research at Barclays, and deals...
OCMO Guidance Agenda
The FDA’s Office of the Chief Medical Officer (OCMO) has published its guidance development agenda for 2026 and the 2027‑2028 horizon, outlining 13 draft topics ranging from combination‑product manufacturing standards to clinical‑trial consent and orphan‑drug designation. The agency invites public...
Leukemia Cells Use a Sugar-Coated Protein to Hide From the Immune System
A study by the Broad Institute and partners discovered that the protein CD43, heavily sialylated, creates a sugar‑coated barrier that shields acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells from macrophages, T cells and NK cells. Genome‑wide CRISPR screens showed that loss or...
New Jersey Uses Data to Improve Population Health
New Jersey’s Integrated Population Health Data (iPHD) project, created by statute in 2016, now links more than 90 million person‑level health and administrative records. The initiative, funded by the state Department of Health, breaks down data silos across agencies to support...
States Continue to Advance New PBM and Drug Pricing Legislation in 2026
State lawmakers in Virginia and Ohio are moving ahead with aggressive pharmacy‑benefit‑manager (PBM) reforms in 2026. Virginia’s Affordable Medicine Act would apply the Inflation Reduction Act’s maximum fair price ceiling to state‑regulated health plans and require PBMs to report fees,...
b.well Announces Partnerships with Noom, Humana, Welldoc
b.well Connected Health announced strategic integrations with Noom, Welldoc and Humana, linking each to its national health data network under the CMS Health Technology Ecosystem. Humana will receive real‑time member data to streamline claims and provider queries. Welldoc’s AI‑driven cardiometabolic...
AI Security Starts with Awareness and Governance, CISO Says
Healthcare AI promises efficiency and clinical gains, but introduces fresh security risks. Akron Children's Hospital’s CISO Deepesh Randeri outlines a structured governance model that forces every AI initiative through committees, due‑diligence vetting, and continuous oversight. The hospital mandates centralized IT...
Expanding the Fight Against Heart Disease
The American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology and partner societies released updated lipid‑management guidelines that shift heart‑disease prevention toward earlier, more aggressive screening. New tools such as coronary artery calcium scoring, polygenic risk scores, Lp(a) and apolipoprotein B are now...
WakeMed Takes New Approach to Enterprise Clinical Asset Management
WakeMed Health & Hospitals has signed a multi‑year deal with PartsSource to consolidate visibility, service orchestration, and supply‑chain data for more than 38,000 medical devices across its three North Carolina hospitals. The new Asset Uptime platform delivers real‑time telemetry, predictive...