867-5309: Number From 1980s Hit Song Jenny Now Routes Callers to Cancer Support
Tommy Tutone’s iconic phone number 867‑5309 is being rerouted to the Cancer Support Community’s helpline, providing free counseling and resources to patients and caregivers. The campaign, launched in partnership with Gilda’s Club, leverages the cultural cachet of the 1980s hit to drive awareness and calls to the new 1‑CSC‑867‑5309 line. Lead singer Tommy Heath, whose family members are battling cancer, endorsed the effort, citing his own skin‑cancer diagnosis. The initiative transforms a number once notorious for prank calls into a tool for public health support.
Reaching for Workflow Efficiencies in Urinalysis
A CAP TODAY roundtable examined how artificial intelligence can streamline urinalysis workflow, particularly through AI‑driven reflex testing that merges urine chemistry and microscopy results with electronic health‑record data. Participants from Sysmex America and Beckman Coulter noted that adoption has been gradual...
Gavi Warns of Six Threats that Could Shape Global Health This Year
Gavi’s 2026 health outlook flags six converging threats—conflict‑driven displacement, climate‑fueled mosquito‑borne disease, a collapse in global health financing, rampant misinformation, the emerging Marburg virus, and the looming “Disease X.” The United States’ 2025 aid freeze left Kenya without 41,500 community health...
Reproductive Health Clinics Scramble as Title X Funding Cliff Approaches
A coalition of 128 Democratic lawmakers has urged the Health and Human Services Department to grant a one‑year extension for Title X funding as the program faces a March 31 deadline. HHS missed its Dec 31 guidance deadline, opening grant applications with only...
Lost in Transmission: Changes in Organ Donor Status Can Fall Through Cracks in the System
The article highlights a systemic gap in U.S. organ donation where a donor’s later “no” can be overridden by an earlier “yes” from another state, as illustrated by the case of Raven Kinser. State‑based donor registries and the private, federally...
STAT+: White House Digs in on ‘Most-Favored Nation’ Drug Pricing Despite Congress’ Cool Reception
The White House is intensifying pressure on Congress to pass a “most‑favored nation” drug‑pricing bill that would cap U.S. medication prices at levels paid by peer nations. Administration officials say the proposal would overhaul pricing for providers, insurers, federal programs...
Colliding Currents Can Target the Deep Brain without Surgery
Temporal interference (TI) stimulation uses two high‑frequency electrical currents that intersect to generate a low‑frequency envelope capable of modulating deep‑brain activity without surgery. Early human pilots have reported seizure suppression and better sleep in epilepsy, improved motor learning after stroke,...
Attacks on Hospitals Are Surging in War Zones. What Do the Laws of War Say About Protecting Them?
Attacks on hospitals have surged worldwide, with the WHO confirming 27 strikes in Lebanon alone and MSF reporting 1,348 incidents in 2025, double the previous year. High‑profile cases include a Pakistani airstrike on a Kabul drug‑rehab centre and an Israeli...
OBBBA: From Compliance Crisis to Digital Transformation Catalyst
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) introduces sweeping reforms that will reshape how Americans access and pay for health care through 2028. New mandates, such as semi‑annual Medicaid eligibility checks, force providers to adopt automation and AI to maintain...
Alliance CEO Criticizes MedPAC’s ‘Misguided’ 7% Home Health Payment Cut Recommendation
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has recommended a 7% reduction in the Medicare fee‑for‑service home health payment rate for 2027, projecting $750 million in savings in the first year and up to five‑year cumulative cuts. The National Alliance for Care...
Dilated Vs. Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: What’s the Difference?
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) weakens and thins the left‑ventricular wall, causing the heart to enlarge, while hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) thickens that wall and can obstruct blood flow. Both conditions present with similar symptoms—shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain—but their underlying mechanisms...
What To Know About Breast Cancer Recurrence
Early‑stage breast cancer patients face a lingering concern about recurrence, which can be local, regional, or distant. Dr. Margaret Thompson explains that recurrence rates have fallen over the past two decades thanks to improved surgery, radiation, and systemic therapies. Individual...
When To Take Your Baby to the Hospital for RSV
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) commonly presents as a cold in infants, but babies under six months can develop bronchiolitis that quickly impairs breathing. Pediatrician Dr. Kristin Barrett advises parents to monitor peak symptom days (days 3‑5) and watch for red‑flag...
Leucovorin, Long-Read Sequencing, and More
Leucovorin prescriptions for autistic children jumped 71% after a White House briefing promoted the drug, yet the FDA only approved it for cerebral folate deficiency and withdrew any autism claim. A 2024 autism trial supporting leucovorin was retracted, casting doubt...
Australia’s New Physical Activity Guidelines Won’t Shift the Needle – Here Are 4 Better Ideas
Australia released its first 24‑hour movement guidelines for adults, adding sleep recommendations and step targets. The guidance emphasizes 7‑9 hours of quality sleep and 7,000 daily steps but stops at advice without funding or regulatory changes. Critics argue that without...
Clinical AI Gains Ground in a Resource-Constrained Hospital
San Juan Regional Medical Center, a rural hospital serving the Four Corners region, has implemented Wellsheet, a clinical AI platform that embeds UpToDate evidence directly into the electronic health record. The adoption, launched in January 2026, is driven by chronic...
Global Resource Developed for Osteoporosis Self Management
The International Osteoporosis Foundation has launched Build Better Bones, a multilingual, user‑centered website that supports self‑management for people with osteoporosis and their caregivers. Developed through design‑thinking and agile methods, the platform offers evidence‑based guidance on exercise, nutrition, home safety, and...
NeuroScientific Readies Stem Cell Supply Boost for Bowel Disease Trials
NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals has begun its first manufacturing run of the StemSmart mesenchymal stem cell therapy at Q‑Gen Cell Therapeutics in Brisbane, initiating a critical technology transfer. The engineering run will validate quality, potency and regulatory compliance ahead of a Phase 2...
Abeona Therapeutics Inc (ABEO) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Abeona Therapeutics reported its Q4 2018 results, highlighting progress on its lead cell therapy EB-101 for recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB). The Phase 1/2 trial demonstrated continuous type VII collagen expression for over two years, a favorable safety profile, and durable wound...
Healthequity Inc (HQY) Q4 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
HealthEquity posted a strong Q1 FY2026, with revenue climbing 15% year‑over‑year to roughly $1.1 billion and adjusted EBITDA rising 19% to $140.2 million, pushing the EBITDA margin to 42%. HSA assets surged 15% to $31 billion, driven by a 16% jump in investing...
Pacific Health Care Organization Inc (PFHO) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Pacific Health Care Organization (PFHO) reported record Q4 2025 results, with health‑plan membership rising 25% to 236,300 and total revenue climbing 46% to $3.9 billion. Adjusted EBITDA surged from $1 million in 2024 to $110 million, delivering a 2.8% margin and an MBR...
Longeveron Inc (LGVN) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Geron reported full‑year 2025 net revenue of $184 million from Rytelo, with Q4 sales of $48 million, and projected 2026 revenue of $220‑240 million. Operating expenses are expected to fall to $230‑240 million, reflecting lower R&D spend and modest SGA reductions after a restructuring....
Behavioral Health Law Ledger | March 2026
The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy and the ONC launched nine pilot programs across nine jurisdictions, involving 45 organizations, to test behavioral health data‑exchange standards using the USCDI+ dataset and FHIR profiles, backed by roughly $20 million from...
How FDA Can Better Align Its Draft Guidance on Flavored ENDS with the Tobacco Control Act’s APPH Mandate
The FDA released draft guidance on flavored electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) that seeks to clarify evidentiary expectations for pre‑market tobacco product applications. The article argues the guidance should better reflect Section 910 of the Tobacco Control Act, which requires an...
Chronilogix Announces Safety-First AI Architecture for Mental Health and Chronic Care Coaching
Chronologix unveiled a safety-first AI architecture designed for mental health and chronic care coaching. The platform embeds multi‑layered guardrails that monitor user behavior, detect distress signals, and trigger escalation to professional resources. It deliberately avoids providing medical diagnoses, focusing instead...
No Evidence to Suggest Medicinal Cannabis Is Effective for Depression, Anxiety or PTSD, Says Systematic Review
A systematic review published in Lancet Psychiatry, analysing 54 randomized controlled trials from 1980‑2025, found no evidence that medicinal cannabis treats depression, anxiety or PTSD. The paper highlights modest benefits for conditions such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis spasticity, pain and...
Hospitals and Health Care Providers Brought Before Congress to Testify on Health Care Costs
Congressional committees are convening a series of hearings in mid‑March to address rising health‑care costs, targeting insurer practices, hospital pricing, and pharmaceutical supply chains. The Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health will examine site‑neutral payment models, while the Oversight &...
Australia: Building the Future of Care Through Digital Health
A University of Queensland review of 230 international studies found telehealth consultations clinically effective and operationally robust, even for sensitive care such as voluntary assisted dying (VAD). Australian federal law still classifies certain remote counselling as unlawful, creating legal uncertainty...
Roche Bought Thousands Of Nvidia AI Chips To Speed Up Drug Development
Roche announced a new AI factory, adding 2,176 Nvidia Blackwell GPUs to its existing pool and bringing total GPU count above 3,500 – the highest in the pharmaceutical sector. The purchase, likely costing $65 million or more, aims to accelerate drug...
Which FDA Division Has the Most Stability As AI Tools Get Adopted Across the Agency?
The FDA has shed roughly 20% of its workforce after the DOGE cuts, prompting a rapid rollout of artificial intelligence tools to offset the expertise gap. Among its centers, CDER is beginning to stabilize, CDRH remains relatively insulated, while CBER...
Common Pesticide May More than Double Parkinson’s Disease Risk
A UCLA Health study links long‑term residential exposure to the pesticide chlorpyrifos with a more than 2.5‑fold increase in Parkinson's disease risk. Researchers analyzed 829 Parkinson's patients and 824 controls, estimating exposure through California pesticide records, and corroborated findings with...
Early Diagnosis and Local Solutions Are Critical to Combat Lung Cancer
Lung cancer remains the world’s deadliest cancer, accounting for 1.8 million deaths in 2020. Early detection dramatically improves outcomes—five‑year survival jumps from under 30 % overall to about 60 % when diagnosed early, and low‑dose CT screening can push 20‑year survival above 80 %....
TrumpRx List Grows To 54 Drugs, Many Nearing End Of Exclusivity
The TrumpRx website now lists 54 prescription drugs after adding seven products from GlaxoSmithKline and Amgen. The expansion pushes the total from 47 to 54, but health‑policy analysts note that the majority are older medicines nearing the end of their...
Details Emerge on Mission Hospital’s Immediate Jeopardy Response: 8 Things to Know
Mission Hospital in Asheville received its third immediate jeopardy designation from CMS within two years, prompting the submission of an enhanced plan of correction. The plan, accepted by CMS on February 2, 2026, calls for a root‑cause analysis, a review...
New Recommendations for Naloxone
On July 23, 2020 the FDA issued new recommendations urging health‑care professionals to discuss and consider prescribing naloxone for any patient at heightened risk of opioid overdose. The guidance covers three groups: patients on opioid pain relievers, patients receiving medications...
CDC Panel Advises Tracking COVID-19 Vaccine Injuries
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ COVID‑19 Immunization Workgroup has recommended three federal actions to address post‑acute COVID‑19 vaccination syndrome (PACVS), a condition marked by multisystem symptoms persisting beyond 12 weeks after vaccination. The proposals include creating new ICD‑10...
Benzodiazepine Drug Class: Drug Safety Communication - Boxed Warning Updated to Improve Safe Use
The FDA is revising the boxed warning for every benzodiazepine product to explicitly list risks of abuse, misuse, addiction, physical dependence, and withdrawal. Updated patient Medication Guides will mirror these warnings, and prescribing information sections such as Warnings, Precautions, and...
The American Diabetes Association Names Don Feltham as the Inaugural Regional Advocacy Council Advocate of the Year
The American Diabetes Association announced Don Feltham as the inaugural Regional Advocacy Council Advocate of the Year, honoring his grassroots leadership in diabetes policy. The award was presented at the 2026 Call to Congress event in Washington, where advocates met...
Employer Groups Applaud Bill that Aims to Spur Competition in Healthcare
Employer advocacy groups praised the Healthy Competition for Better Care Act, a bipartisan bill targeting anticompetitive contracts in the U.S. health‑care market. The legislation would ban all‑or‑nothing network clauses, anti‑steering, anti‑tiering, most‑favored‑nation, and gag provisions that limit price transparency. Introduced...
Sleep Disorder (Sedative-Hypnotic) Drug Information
The FDA has issued a series of safety communications and label updates for sedative‑hypnotic drugs, including a 2019 boxed warning for sleepwalking injuries and stricter dosing guidance for zolpidem products. Recent alerts also highlight the lethal risk of combining benzodiazepines...
Cleveland Clinic Chief Investment Officer to Exit After 10 Years
Stefan Strein, who served as Cleveland Clinic’s inaugural chief investment officer for more than a decade, will leave the health system on April 10. He is moving to UNC Management Co., where he will assume the roles of president, CEO...
Telehealth Helps Breast Cancer Patients Adhere to Treatment: Study
A recent study in the Journal of Cancer Survivorship found that breast cancer patients who used telehealth were 58% more likely to stay adherent to endocrine therapy than those who did not. Researchers examined claims data for over 1,100 commercially...
The American Diabetes Association Honors Dr. Bindlish as State Advocate of the Year
The American Diabetes Association named Dr. Shagun Bindlish the 2026 State Advocate of the Year for California, honoring her leadership at the Call to Congress event in Washington, DC. Bindlish, a board‑certified internist and fellow of the ACP and OMA,...
FDA Drug Safety Communication: Updated Drug Labels for Pioglitazone-Containing Medicines
The FDA has approved updated labeling for all pioglitazone‑containing medicines, adding a warning that use longer than one year may increase bladder cancer risk. Healthcare professionals are instructed not to prescribe pioglitazone to patients with active bladder cancer and to...
10 Healthcare IT Solutions Helping Patients Navigate GLP-1 Medication Costs
Patients using GLP‑1 drugs such as semaglutide face steep out‑of‑pocket costs, but a growing suite of healthcare IT tools is easing the financial burden. The article highlights ten solutions, from the dedicated Meagain tracking app to telehealth platforms like Teladoc,...
Top 20 Hospitals Ranked by Community Benefit Spending: Lown Institute
The Lown Institute released its 2025‑26 ranking of the top 20 U.S. hospitals for community benefit spending, highlighting eight New York and four Texas facilities among the leaders. The methodology blends CMS cost‑report data on financial assistance and Medicaid revenue with...
The Healthcare Roles Least, Most Vulnerable to AI: Washington Post
Researchers at GovAI and the Brookings Institution released an AI‑exposure tool that ranks more than 350 healthcare occupations by vulnerability to automation. The analysis shows healthcare support workers and physician assistants face the lowest risk, while medical secretaries and administrative...
FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA Approves Label Changes for Use of General Anesthetic and Sedation Drugs in Young Children
The FDA has approved label changes for general anesthetic and sedation drugs used in children under three, adding a warning that prolonged exposure—more than three hours or multiple procedures—may harm brain development. The revisions incorporate animal study data showing neuronal...
Northwestern Adds 5 Startups to Health Innovation Program
Northwestern Medicine and Techstars have announced the five startups joining the 2026 class of their health‑care accelerator. The 13‑week, mentorship‑driven program will run at Northwestern’s Mansueto Innovation Institute in Chicago, focusing on clinical care, digital health, therapeutics and AI. Selected...
AHA Responds to RFI on Diagnostic Imaging Interoperability From ASTP/ONC
The American Hospital Association (AHA) replied to the Assistant Secretary for Health Information Technology/Office of the National Coordinator’s request for information on diagnostic imaging interoperability. The AHA endorsed the shift from physical media to electronic data exchange and asked for...