Healthcare News and Headlines

NASA’s First Medical Evacuation Is Here. It Won’t Be the Last.
NewsFeb 26, 2026

NASA’s First Medical Evacuation Is Here. It Won’t Be the Last.

NASA conducted its first-ever medical evacuation from the International Space Station in January 2026 when astronaut Mike Fincke experienced a microgravity‑related health event. The entire Crew‑11 returned early aboard a SpaceX capsule because no spare crew‑ready vehicle was available. The...

By Vox – Science
Targeted PET/CT Tracer Helps Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Targeted PET/CT Tracer Helps Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

A new macrophage‑targeted PET/CT tracer (11C‑DPA‑713) can identify rheumatoid arthritis patients who will respond to anti‑TNF therapy within four weeks, far earlier than the traditional three‑to‑six‑month window. The study of 20 patients showed that standardized uptake values (SUVs) at baseline...

By Imaging Technology News (ITN)
STAT+: Justice Department Backs AbbVie in Its Bid to Overturn a Colorado Law Guiding a Drug Discount Program
NewsFeb 26, 2026

STAT+: Justice Department Backs AbbVie in Its Bid to Overturn a Colorado Law Guiding a Drug Discount Program

The U.S. Department of Justice filed an amicus brief supporting AbbVie in its effort to overturn a Colorado statute that prohibits pharmaceutical manufacturers from limiting discounts under the federal 340B drug pricing program when hospitals use contract pharmacies. The Colorado...

By STAT News — Pharma
AHA, Epic Launching Initiative on EHR Tools Supporting Postpartum Hemorrhage Management
NewsFeb 26, 2026

AHA, Epic Launching Initiative on EHR Tools Supporting Postpartum Hemorrhage Management

The American Hospital Association and Epic have launched the Safer Births Post‑Partum Hemorrhage Collaborative, a seven‑month program aimed at cutting postpartum hemorrhage rates. The initiative combines monthly expert‑led webinars, peer‑to‑peer forums, and dedicated office‑hours for hands‑on EHR guidance. Participants gain...

By AHA News – American Hospital Association
Collective Health Collaborates with Google Cloud to Launch New AI-Powered System
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Collective Health Collaborates with Google Cloud to Launch New AI-Powered System

Collective Health has unveiled Collective AI, an AI‑powered benefits assistant built with Google Cloud. The system answers member queries, supplies real‑time data to customer‑service reps, and offers employers plan‑design insights to streamline enrollment. Leveraging Google Cloud’s privacy‑by‑design infrastructure, the tool...

By MedCity News
Alignment Healthcare Takes ‘Step Forward’ Despite Medicare Advantage Headwinds
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Alignment Healthcare Takes ‘Step Forward’ Despite Medicare Advantage Headwinds

Alignment Healthcare posted a fourth‑quarter loss of $11 million, but revenue rose 44 percent to just over $1 billion and membership jumped 25 percent to 236,300. The loss narrowed sharply from $31 million a year earlier, and the full‑year loss shrank to $724 000 versus $128 million...

By Forbes – Healthcare
FAQ: How Long COVID Is Defined, Diagnosed, and Managed in 2026
NewsFeb 26, 2026

FAQ: How Long COVID Is Defined, Diagnosed, and Managed in 2026

Long COVID remains clinically fragmented as the CDC, WHO and the National Academy of Sciences each use slightly different definitions, creating gaps in diagnosis and treatment equity. High‑risk groups—women, older adults, smokers and those with obesity—continue to experience disproportionate symptom...

By AJMC (The American Journal of Managed Care)
Senate Moves One Step Closer to Passing Health Care Cyber Reforms
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Senate Moves One Step Closer to Passing Health Care Cyber Reforms

The Senate Health, Education and Labor Committee approved the bipartisan Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act by a 22‑1 vote, with only Sen. Rand Paul dissenting. The legislation obliges the Department of Health and Human Services to craft a cybersecurity...

By CyberScoop
GE HealthCare and UCSF Health Announce 10-Year Care Alliance for Advanced Imaging
NewsFeb 26, 2026

GE HealthCare and UCSF Health Announce 10-Year Care Alliance for Advanced Imaging

GE HealthCare and UCSF Health have signed a 10‑year Care Alliance to embed advanced imaging technology throughout UCSF’s expanding health system. The partnership will support the construction of two new hospitals—an adult facility at Parnassus Heights and a pediatric center...

By HIT Consultant
FDA Grants Accelerated Approval to Zongertinib for HER2-Mutant NSCLC
NewsFeb 26, 2026

FDA Grants Accelerated Approval to Zongertinib for HER2-Mutant NSCLC

The FDA granted accelerated approval to zongertinib (Hernexeos) for adults with unresectable or metastatic non‑squamous NSCLC that carry activating HER2 TKD mutations, extending its use to treatment‑naive patients. The decision rests on the Beamion LUNG‑1 trial, which reported a 76%...

By AJMC (The American Journal of Managed Care)
ARUP Creates Innovation Central Laboratory
NewsFeb 26, 2026

ARUP Creates Innovation Central Laboratory

ARUP Laboratories has unveiled the Innovation Central Laboratory, a dedicated hub for co‑development with pharmaceutical and biotech partners. The facility is designed to validate technologies and move next‑generation diagnostics from concept through to commercial readiness. It will host projects ranging...

By CAP Today
Drug Trials Snapshots: KOMZIFTI
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Drug Trials Snapshots: KOMZIFTI

The FDA approved KOMZIFTI (ziftomenib) on November 13 2025 as an oral 600 mg capsule for adult patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) harboring an NPM1 mutation. Approval rests on the single‑arm KO‑MEN‑001 trial, which enrolled 112 participants across seven...

By FDA
Palliative Care Physician Explains Living And Dying With ALS
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Palliative Care Physician Explains Living And Dying With ALS

Actor Eric Dane’s death has thrust ALS into the national spotlight, highlighting the disease’s relentless progression and the emotional toll on patients and families. Palliative‑care physician Dr. Maria Mapa stresses that early goals‑of‑care conversations can preserve dignity and reduce costly...

By Forbes – Healthcare
Healthcare Deals 2025: Notable Mergers & Acquisitions Activity
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Healthcare Deals 2025: Notable Mergers & Acquisitions Activity

Healthcare M&A activity surged in 2025, with financial distress driving a record 43% of transactions. Regulatory scrutiny intensified, highlighted by California’s new law tightening oversight of private‑equity deals. Major deals included UnitedHealth’s $3.3 billion acquisition of Amedisys, Baptist Memorial’s $55 million purchase of...

By HealthTech Magazine
Online Advisory Letters
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Online Advisory Letters

The FDA has issued online advisory letters to multiple companies for illegally marketing dietary supplements and other products as treatments or preventatives for serious diseases. The letters, dated between April and December 2025, give each firm a 30‑day window to...

By FDA
VITAS Takes a Punch in Q4 2025, Expects Brighter 2026
NewsFeb 26, 2026

VITAS Takes a Punch in Q4 2025, Expects Brighter 2026

VITAS Healthcare, a Chemed Corp subsidiary, saw Q4 2025 revenue pressured by a Medicare payment‑cap liability that spiked to $6.1 million, largely in Florida. To offset the cap, the hospice shifted toward hospital‑based short‑stay referrals, which boosted patient volume but lowered...

By Hospice News
Machine Learning May Enable Earlier Detection of CKD Risk Factors
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Machine Learning May Enable Earlier Detection of CKD Risk Factors

A recent study demonstrates that a machine‑learning pipeline combining advanced feature selection with ensemble classifiers markedly improves chronic kidney disease (CKD) risk prediction. Gradient‑boosting models achieved the highest performance, reaching 98% accuracy, 99% recall and an AUC of 0.99, while...

By AJMC (The American Journal of Managed Care)
BIO Patient Advocacy Coffee Chat: Act Now to Be Heard on CMS Drug Pricing
NewsFeb 26, 2026

BIO Patient Advocacy Coffee Chat: Act Now to Be Heard on CMS Drug Pricing

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services entered the third year of its Medicare drug price negotiation program, selecting 15 drugs—including, for the first time, therapies covered under Medicare Part B. Patient advocacy groups have until March 1 to submit written comments...

By Bio.News
Walgreens Launches Virtual Weight Management Platform for Self-Pay GLP-1 Patients
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Walgreens Launches Virtual Weight Management Platform for Self-Pay GLP-1 Patients

Walgreens has added a virtual weight‑management clinic to its digital health platform, charging a flat $49 per video visit with no monthly subscription. The service targets self‑pay adults aged 18‑64 who need FDA‑approved GLP‑1 medications, and it bundles prescription discounts...

By HIT Consultant
Reusable MoS₂ RF Biosensor Enables Cost-Effective Liquid Biopsies for Early Cancer Detection
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Reusable MoS₂ RF Biosensor Enables Cost-Effective Liquid Biopsies for Early Cancer Detection

Researchers at UNIST, KAIST and Yonsei have developed a reusable molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) radio‑frequency biosensor for liquid‑biopsy cancer detection. The sensor detects single‑stranded DNA fragments as low as 154.67 nM by monitoring shifts in resonant frequency, and can be washed and...

By Phys.org – Nanotechnology
Medtech M&A Starts Off Strong in 2026
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Medtech M&A Starts Off Strong in 2026

Medtech M&A kicks off 2026 with several multibillion‑dollar deals. Boston Scientific announced a $14.5 billion acquisition of Penumbra, while Danaher disclosed a $9.9 billion purchase of Masimo. At the same time, major divestitures are underway, including BD’s planned $17.5 billion sale of its...

By MedTech Dive
Positrigo Launches BrainPET Accelerator Program in U.S.
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Positrigo Launches BrainPET Accelerator Program in U.S.

Positrigo, a Swiss developer of nuclear medical devices, has launched the BrainPET Accelerator Program in the United States, offering neurology practices a ready‑to‑operate brain PET solution. The program bundles a compact NeuroLF scanner, radiotracer logistics, regulatory assistance, reimbursement support, and...

By Imaging Technology News (ITN)
Eko Health Deploys SENSORA AI Cardiac Detection Platform at Wayne General Hospital
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Eko Health Deploys SENSORA AI Cardiac Detection Platform at Wayne General Hospital

Eko Health has partnered with Wayne General Hospital in Mississippi to roll out its SENSORA AI‑assisted cardiac detection platform across emergency and primary‑care units. The system pairs a digital stethoscope with FDA‑cleared AI that analyzes heart sounds in under a...

By HIT Consultant
Mo. University Receives $4.6M Grant to Launch Mobile Blood Transfusion Program
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Mo. University Receives $4.6M Grant to Launch Mobile Blood Transfusion Program

University of Missouri School of Medicine received a $4.6 million federal grant to launch a mobile pre‑hospital blood transfusion program in Columbia. The initiative aims to equip EMS crews with training and portable blood supplies, targeting rapid intervention for trauma victims,...

By EMS1 – News
Bristol Myers Says ADC Licensed From China Hits Mark in Aggressive Breast Cancer
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Bristol Myers Says ADC Licensed From China Hits Mark in Aggressive Breast Cancer

Bristol Myers Squibb reported that its antibody‑drug conjugate iza‑bren, licensed from Chinese partner SystImmune, achieved statistically significant improvements in progression‑free and overall survival versus chemotherapy in a Phase III trial for advanced triple‑negative breast cancer. The study, conducted in mainland China...

By BioPharma Dive
3D Software Helps Cardiologists Plan Ahead for TAVR Complications
NewsFeb 26, 2026

3D Software Helps Cardiologists Plan Ahead for TAVR Complications

Sentara’s high‑volume TAVR center adopted the AI‑enabled DASI 3‑D planning platform to move beyond static CT measurements. The software dynamically simulates valve frame expansion, calcium deformation, and tissue interaction, allowing clinicians to test multiple valve sizes and depths before the...

By Cardiovascular Business
FDA Warns Beta Bionics on Unreported Complaints, Insulin Pump Changes
NewsFeb 26, 2026

FDA Warns Beta Bionics on Unreported Complaints, Insulin Pump Changes

Beta Bionics received an FDA warning letter citing failure to report serious adverse events, unreported software and cybersecurity changes, and hardware defects in its iLet Bionic Pancreas system. The agency highlighted delayed reporting of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia incidents, a five‑minute...

By MedTech Dive
India's Gen X Pegged to Consume $500 Billion Worth of Goods, Services by FY30: RedSeer
NewsFeb 26, 2026

India's Gen X Pegged to Consume $500 Billion Worth of Goods, Services by FY30: RedSeer

India’s Generation X is projected to spend over $500 billion on goods and services by FY 30, according to RedSeer. The cohort’s spending will be led by preventive healthcare ($73 billion, 17% CAGR) and nutraceuticals ($20 billion, 25% CAGR). Premiumisation will also drive growth in...

By The Economic Times (India) – Economy
FDA Clears Six Indications for Qure.ai's Chest X-Ray Reporting Tool
NewsFeb 26, 2026

FDA Clears Six Indications for Qure.ai's Chest X-Ray Reporting Tool

The FDA granted 510(k) Class II clearance to Qure.ai’s qXR-Detect, adding six new chest‑X‑ray detection indications. The tool now flags findings across lung, pleura, mediastinum/hila & heart, bone, hardware and other regions, expanding the company’s U.S. portfolio to 26 FDA clearances. The clearance...

By Imaging Technology News (ITN)
[Comment] Impact of Adding Hormone Therapy to Postoperative Radiotherapy in Prostate Cancer
NewsFeb 26, 2026

[Comment] Impact of Adding Hormone Therapy to Postoperative Radiotherapy in Prostate Cancer

Adding androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) to definitive radiotherapy improves overall survival for men with high‑risk prostate cancer, but its benefit when combined with postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) after prostatectomy is less clear. Randomised trials such as GETUG‑AFU 16, SPPORT, and the RADICALS‑HD...

By The Lancet
FDA’s One Trial Policy Not a Revolution but a Potentially Risky Evolution
NewsFeb 26, 2026

FDA’s One Trial Policy Not a Revolution but a Potentially Risky Evolution

The FDA announced it will default to a single pivotal trial for new drug applications, extending a practice long used in oncology and rare‑disease approvals. In 2024, 66% of new molecular entities were cleared based on one trial, signaling a...

By BioSpace
UAT-10027 Targets U.S. Education and Healthcare with Dohdoor Backdoor
NewsFeb 26, 2026

UAT-10027 Targets U.S. Education and Healthcare with Dohdoor Backdoor

Cisco Talos has identified a new threat cluster, UAT-10027, delivering a novel backdoor called Dohdoor that leverages DNS‑over‑HTTPS for command‑and‑control. The malware uses DLL side‑loading through legitimate Windows executables and drops a Cobalt Strike beacon that unhooks NTDLL calls to evade...

By The Hacker News
Model Context Protocols Can Serve as Healthcare AI Guardrails
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Model Context Protocols Can Serve as Healthcare AI Guardrails

FDB’s Virginia Halsey introduced Model Context Protocols, a set of contractual guardrails for healthcare AI. The protocols require AI models to achieve a predefined confidence threshold before influencing clinical decisions and restrict their behavior to approved use‑cases. By embedding these...

By Healthcare Finance News (HIMSS Media)
Compliance: Why Your Vendor’s Vendor Is a Growth Risk
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Compliance: Why Your Vendor’s Vendor Is a Growth Risk

Healthcare providers are increasingly dependent on multi‑layered vendor ecosystems to deliver AI, blockchain and IoT solutions, extending HIPAA liability to every downstream partner. The rise of “nth‑party” suppliers creates a hidden growth tax, delaying projects, inflating M&A costs, and exposing...

By MedCity News
Smart D8 Opens Doors to Health and Wellbeing Innovators for Sixth Consecutive Year
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Smart D8 Opens Doors to Health and Wellbeing Innovators for Sixth Consecutive Year

Smart D8, Dublin’s first health‑focused smart district, has opened its sixth open call for pilot projects, offering up to €10,000 per project to test innovations in real community settings. The 2026 call targets three priority themes—nutrition, social connectedness and workplace...

By Irish Tech News
ALS Advances Unite Patients and Pharma on Novel Targets, Biomarker Breakthroughs
NewsFeb 26, 2026

ALS Advances Unite Patients and Pharma on Novel Targets, Biomarker Breakthroughs

The latest episode of BioSpace’s Denatured podcast spotlights a growing partnership between ALS patients and pharmaceutical developers, featuring insights from EverythingALS founder Indu Navar and VectorY Therapeutics CMO Dr. Olga Uspenskaya. The discussion highlights how patient‑driven collaborations are accelerating trial timelines...

By BioSpace
STAT+: FDA Rejection Is a Reality Check on Agency Rhetoric
NewsFeb 26, 2026

STAT+: FDA Rejection Is a Reality Check on Agency Rhetoric

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration rejected a rare‑disease cell therapy that had already secured approval in Europe, despite earlier internal support from the agency. The decision comes under the FDA’s new leadership and has sparked debate over whether the...

By STAT (Biotech)
Decision Criteria for Technology Commercialization of Medical Devices in 2026
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Decision Criteria for Technology Commercialization of Medical Devices in 2026

The article updates the classic six‑factor framework for medical‑device commercialization, highlighting that Technological Feasibility, Market Size, and Reimbursement Potential remain top‑ranked but now demand AI integration, digital‑health ecosystem compatibility, and early payer engagement. Regulatory pathways have shifted dramatically with the...

By MedTech Intelligence
Valant Expands AI-Powered Clinical Notes for Behavioral Care
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Valant Expands AI-Powered Clinical Notes for Behavioral Care

Valant announced expanded AI Notes Assist, an AI‑driven documentation tool that now supports more than 100 behavioral health note templates, including SOAP, DAP, BIRP and custom formats. Integrated directly into Valant’s secure EHR, the solution generates structured notes from in‑person,...

By AI-TechPark
Post-Conference Highlights | 2026 ViVE | Feb 22–25 | Los Angeles, CA
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Post-Conference Highlights | 2026 ViVE | Feb 22–25 | Los Angeles, CA

ViVE 2026 in Los Angeles marked a decisive shift from digital ambition to operational accountability across the health ecosystem. Leaders emphasized that AI adoption now hinges on governance, measurable ROI, and clinician trust, while interoperability is being treated as core...

By PharmaShots
Single-Speciality Hospitals and Clinics Surge, Driven by Patient Demand and Investor Interest
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Single-Speciality Hospitals and Clinics Surge, Driven by Patient Demand and Investor Interest

India’s healthcare landscape is rapidly pivoting from multi‑speciality hospitals to single‑speciality providers such as eye‑care, fertility and dialysis clinics. The shift is fueled by rising health‑insurance coverage, an ageing population and strong private‑capital appetite. While the overall market is projected...

By YourStory
The Hidden DNA Shape That Could Break Cancer
NewsFeb 26, 2026

The Hidden DNA Shape That Could Break Cancer

Researchers have captured the fleeting i‑DNA structure inside living cells, showing it acts as a molecular switch for genes that drive cancer. The study demonstrates that i‑DNA formation and resolution are tightly timed during DNA replication, influencing gene expression and...

By Forbes – Healthcare
Continuous Cardiac Monitoring:  Redefining the “End” Of a Clinical Study?
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Continuous Cardiac Monitoring: Redefining the “End” Of a Clinical Study?

Continuous cardiac monitoring via wearable ECG devices is reshaping clinical trials and post‑market care. Recent studies show that 14‑day monitoring after cardiac surgery uncovered atrial fibrillation in 24% of patients, many of which were missed until three‑month follow‑ups. In epilepsy...

By MedTech Intelligence
Healthcare Hiring Keeps Signing Bonuses Alive in a Cooling Labor Market
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Healthcare Hiring Keeps Signing Bonuses Alive in a Cooling Labor Market

Signing bonuses remain a notable recruiting tool despite a cooling labor market, appearing in about 3% of U.S. job postings in December 2025—down from a 5.6% peak in 2022 but still above the 2019 average of 1.8%. Wage growth in...

By Indeed Hiring Lab
‘Think of Your Hospital as a Start-Up’: Mark Cuban’s Plan to Fix Inpatient Care
NewsFeb 26, 2026

‘Think of Your Hospital as a Start-Up’: Mark Cuban’s Plan to Fix Inpatient Care

Mark Cuban suggests treating hospitals like lean start‑ups, mirroring his Cost Plus Drugs model. He would enforce fixed, transparent margins, pay physicians above market rates, and strip away non‑essential infrastructure. Cuban also argues that AI‑driven contract automation could slash administrative...

By Human Resource Executive
Cara Medical Reports 510(k) Clearance of CARA System for Noninvasive Cardiac Conduction System Visualization
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Cara Medical Reports 510(k) Clearance of CARA System for Noninvasive Cardiac Conduction System Visualization

Cara Medical announced that the U.S. FDA granted 510(k) clearance for its CARA System, a non‑invasive solution that creates patient‑specific 3‑D visualizations of the cardiac conduction system using CTA data. The platform pairs the CARA Metis™ Simulator for pre‑procedural mapping...

By PharmaShots
Medicare Part D: Implementation of Beneficiary Premium Stabilization Demonstration
NewsFeb 26, 2026

Medicare Part D: Implementation of Beneficiary Premium Stabilization Demonstration

In 2025 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services launched a voluntary Premium Stabilization Demonstration for Medicare Part D standalone drug plans to curb steep premium hikes and protect enrollment. GAO analysis showed that without the program, average premiums would have...

By GAO – Health Care
3D Orthodontics: Revolutionizing Diagnostics and Treatment
NewsFeb 26, 2026

3D Orthodontics: Revolutionizing Diagnostics and Treatment

Digital imaging, especially 3D scanning and advanced radiography, is reshaping orthodontic diagnostics and treatment planning. These tools generate highly detailed virtual models and clearer X‑ray images while exposing patients to less radiation. The technology enables personalized treatment plans, real‑time monitoring,...

By Healthcare Guys
[Comment] Oral GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: Competition for Efficacy and Tolerability
NewsFeb 26, 2026

[Comment] Oral GLP-1 Receptor Agonists: Competition for Efficacy and Tolerability

Oral GLP-1 receptor agonists have moved from injectable peptides to a tablet form, highlighted by oral semaglutide combined with the absorption enhancer SNAC. The formulation requires patients to fast overnight, take the dose with a small amount of water, and...

By The Lancet