Blood pressure tech floods the market after FDA relaxes wearables oversight Tech companies including Oura, Samsung seize opportunity, while experts raise concerns

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/28/fda-wellness-guidance-unvetted-blood-pressure-tech-floods-market/ By Mario AguilarMay 28, 2026 Health Tech Correspondent

I’m a weight-loss doctor. Here’s why I worry about GLP-1 ‘microdoses’ Tiny doses, big unknowns

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/29/glp-1-microdose-popular-but-unsupported-by-evidence/ By Jody DushayMay 29, 2026 Dushay is an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and an attending endocrinologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

The woman behind the world’s biggest longevity competition In Q&A, Jamie Justice, executive director of XPRIZE Healthspan, talks of democratizing science

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/29/xprize-healthspan-longevity-science-jamie-justice-q-and-a/ By Sarah ToddMay 29, 2026

As Ebola outbreak in Central Africa grows, the U.S. turns itself into a fortress Bid to keep virus out may create risks for infected Americans and discourage volunteers

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/28/trump-ebola-travel-restrictions-discourages-medical-volunteers/ By Helen BranswellMay 28, 2026 Infectious Diseases Correspondent

Cheaper, Alternative Health Plans Are Having a Moment, but Critics Urge Caution Congress' decision not to extend enhanced marketplace tax credits has boosted the appeal of alternative health coverage with lower monthly premiums. By Sarah Kwon May 26, 2026

Cheaper, Alternative Health Plans Are Having a Moment, but Critics Urge Caution Congress' decision not to extend enhanced marketplace tax credits has boosted the appeal of alternative health coverage with lower monthly premiums. https://kffhealthnews.org/health-industry/alternative-health-plans-growth-sharing-ministries-short-term-aca-premiums/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20Colorado&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-95VyAYtcUtCCzv6ekT289odBrM13NET6qASlt2VnzpKhHX2s3SLqRlhSs76_DUJfvH517jB7JqTcjHzDHGFnM_upGBnQ&_hsmi=420603250&utm_content=420603250&utm_source=hs_email By Sarah Kwon May 26, 2026 Cheaper, Alternative Health Plans Are Having a Moment, but Critics Urge Caution By Sarah Kwon Congress' decision not to extend enhanced marketplace tax credits has boosted the appeal of alternative health coverage with lower monthly premiums. Consumer advocates dismiss the plans as "junk insurance,” while proponents say patients need alternatives to pricey marketplace options. Alternative plans are also making a marketing push. Colorado insurance broker Samantha Albritton said that before ACA open enrollment, she saw more marketing from fixed-indemnity plans than in previous years.

Kids Keep Getting Stuck in Hospitals, Even After Being Cleared for Discharge By Cara Anthony May 18, 2026

Kids Keep Getting Stuck in Hospitals, Even After Being Cleared for Discharge Across the country, the practice of allowing children to remain hospitalized “beyond medical necessity” has become a costly problem, and states have struggled to address the issue.By Cara Anthony May 18, 2026 https://kffhealthnews.org/health-industry/hospital-boarding-social-stays-children-kids-missouri-illinois/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20Colorado&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8D8YRUCOXrGtB4nYSU7Gg3gRZob1XJRpmp3Vl39rgrb_lnqUnqVq9bVrMLzWnzqpEQlkU0QYMzbBUkfoVjj9lH4gXnLw&_hsmi=420603250&utm_content=420603250&utm_source=hs_email Kids Keep Getting Stuck in Hospitals, Even After Being Cleared for Discharge By Cara Anthony Some children are healthy enough to leave the hospital after a medical stay but have no place to go. Across the country, the practice of allowing children to remain hospitalized “beyond medical necessity” has become a costly problem, and states have struggled to address the issue. In Colorado, a hospital worker emailed a state representative for help after an autistic 13-year-old boy spent weeks at UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital in Longmont.

Viewpoints: Alaska Makes Right Call On Pharmacist Prescribing; Will Science Move Faster Than Ebola?

https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/viewpoints-alaska-makes-right-call-on-pharmacist-prescribing-will-science-move-faster-than-ebola/

Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed

https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/longer-looks-interesting-reads-you-might-have-missed-266/

Study: Alzheimer's Signs Detected In Midlife

Study: Alzheimer's Signs Detected In Midlife The cohort study found that Alzheimer's pathology can be detected in midlife in about 6% of adults. The changes are detected via blood markers and are linked to subtle cognitive differences. Also: The FDA relaxes oversight on blood pressure wearables. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/aging-lifestyle/

Europe Deploys Experimental Antiviral To Treat Hantavirus Patients

Europe Deploys Experimental Antiviral To Treat Hantavirus Patients Also, the U.S. government will allow American cruise ship passengers exposed to the hantavirus to return home as early as Monday, but they must remain under constant state supervision for the remaining three weeks of their six-week quarantine. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/top-3-global/

US Cannot Open Ebola Quarantine Quarters In Kenya Just Yet, African Court Rules

US Cannot Open Ebola Quarantine Quarters In Kenya Just Yet, African Court Rules The Trump administration had reached an agreement with the Kenyan government that would have allowed Americans exposed to the deadly virus to isolate in the East African nation. A human rights groups contends the plan poses “grave health risks” to the public, Bloomberg reports. The Kenyan judge will hear arguments in the case June 2. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/top-3-ebola-5/

FDA Panel Recommends Updating Covid Vaccine To Target XFG Strain

FDA Panel Recommends Updating Covid Vaccine To Target XFG Strain The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee also discussed the "cicada" variant but in the end decided to focus on the current dominant strain. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/top-3-vaccines-pharma/

Uninsured Rate Remained Hovering Around 8% In 2025, CDC Says

Uninsured Rate Remained Hovering Around 8% In 2025, CDC Says Although the rate has held steady for the past few years, Modern Healthcare reports the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projects 10 million people will lose coverage over the next decade due to changes in health programs instituted by the Trump administration. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/top-3-healthcare-costs-industry/

After Her Bout of Amnesia, a $59,000 Billing Dispute Wouldn’t Go Away By Lauren Sausser May 29, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/health-care-costs/amnesia-arizona-hospital-prior-authorization-bill-of-the-month-may-2026/

A Trump Stronghold Grapples With Health Risks of ICE Detention Sites By Renuka Rayasam May 29, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/race-and-health/ice-detention-center-social-circle-georgia-lawsuit-trump-stronghold/ SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. — Until recently, this rural city about 45 minutes east of Atlanta was best known for its Blue Willow Inn cookbooks featuring recipes for Southern dishes such as baked pineapple casserole and kudzu blossom jelly.

Efforts To Understand the Nation’s Drugged Driving Problem Stall Under Trump By Jace DiCola May 19, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/public-health/drugged-driving-impairment-research-stalled-trump-policies/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20Colorado&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--5joEiMB8r-HC67SaOHJlH--_qSwq_UZ0XPDcQUGo1Er6pshvcAgLVqiTqvNxLoAT-Y3-Jl52N_BCPfgk2n2pVl3eu_w&_hsmi=420603250&utm_content=420603250&utm_source=hs_email By Jace DiCola GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Two state transportation workers were replacing a sign on the shoulder of U.S. Highway 6 in western Colorado one morning when a Jeep Grand Cherokee swerved off the road and struck them. The workers, Nathan Jones and Trent Umberger, died in the September 2024 crash, as did a passenger in the Jeep. Tests found that the driver, Patrick Sneddon, then 59, had oxycodone and six times Colorado’s presumed impairment threshold for THC — the psychoactive compound in cannabis — in his blood. He pleaded guilty and is serving 30 years in prison on three counts of vehicular homicide and other charges. “Our four children are completely crushed without their Dad,” wrote Kristine Umberger, the wife of Trent, in a victim impact statement for the local district attorney. “We have lost our ability to live life like we used to.” Federal highway safety officials have long tracked the role of alcohol in fatal crashes, but they don’t track deaths that involve a driver under the influence of drugs or a combination of drugs and alcohol. That discrepancy is partly due to the challenges of proving impairment, since some drugs remain detectable for weeks after use. Sneddon’s attorney, Jennifer Gregory, said a driver can be presumed impaired under Colorado law if their blood contains 5 nanograms of THC or higher per liter. But that “permissible inference” threshold is different from a legal limit — such as the 0.08% blood alcohol content limit — and the level set by Colorado is not supported by published scientific studies, Gregory said. Such information could prove useful as the nation struggles with an opioid crisis, the Trump administration loosens federal regulations on marijuana, and more than 40 states have legalized or decriminalized some forms of cannabis and psychedelic drugs. “Impaired driving is a top public safety issue that extends beyond alcohol,” said Sean Rushton, a spokesperson for the federal highway safety agency, which is tackling the issue collaboratively, with resources to ensure a “comprehensive and coordinated approach.” But President Donald Trump’s cuts to the federal workforce since he returned to office in 2025, along with dwindling federal investments, mean that efforts to expand and improve the tracking of impaired-driving deaths nationwide have slowed.

Bioequivalence Studies With Pharmacokinetic Endpoints for Drugs Submitted Under an Abbreviated New Drug Application May 2026

https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/bioequivalence-studies-pharmacokinetic-endpoints-drugs-submitted-under-abbreviated-new-drug?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery FDA publishes two final guidances for industry: “Bioequivalence Studies With Pharmacokinetic Endpoints for Drugs Submitted Under an ANDA” and “Statistical Approaches to Establishing Bioequivalence” On May 28, 2026, FDA published two final guidances for industry related to establishing bioequivalence. The guidance for industry entitled “Bioequivalence Studies with Pharmacokinetic Endpoints for Drugs Submitted Under an ANDA” provides recommendations to applicants planning abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) submissions on how to meet the bioequivalence (BE) requirements set forth in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) and FDA regulations. This final guidance is generally applicable to dosage forms intended for oral administration and to non-orally administered drug products in which reliance on systemic exposure measures is suitable for establishing BE (e.g., transdermal delivery systems and certain rectal and nasal drug products). This final guidance will also be useful to applicants planning BE studies to be conducted during the postapproval period for changes to a drug product approved under an ANDA. This guidance finalizes the draft guidance of the same title that was issued in August 2021. It aligns the recommendations with the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) recommendations as reflected in the guidance for industry entitled “M13A Bioequivalence for Immediate-Release Solid Oral Dosage Forms” (October 2024) and includes clarifications about study population and study design and updates to the in vitro dissolution testing information. In addition to this guidance, FDA also recommends that ANDA applicants routinely consult published product specific guidances (PSGs) when considering the appropriate BE study and/or other studies for a proposed generic product. For more information about FDA’s PSG publications and to search for the most recent version of a PSG, see the Product Specific Guidances for Generic Drug Development web page. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/guidances-drugs/product-specific-guidances-generic-drug-development?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery The guidance for industry entitled “Statistical Approaches to Establishing Bioequivalence” provides recommendations to sponsors and applicants who intend to use equivalence criteria in analyzing in vivo or in vitro BE studies for investigational new drugs (INDs), new drug applications (NDAs), ANDAs, and their amendments and supplements. This guidance discusses statistical approaches for BE comparisons and focuses on how to use these approaches generally and in specific situations. https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/statistical-approaches-establishing-bioequivalence?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery This guidance finalizes the draft guidance of the same title issued in December 2022 and replaces the guidance of the same title issued in February 2001. This guidance includes clarifying information on estimands and intercurrent events, sample size determinations, and outlier data, additional information on statistical analysis using population bioequivalence and statistical analysis using modified population bioequivalence, which was previously included in PSGs, and additional information on statistical analysis for the reference scaled average bioequivalence for narrow therapeutic index drugs and highly variable drugs, which was previously included in the draft guidance for industry “Bioequivalence Studies with Pharmacokinetic Endpoints for Drugs Submitted Under an ANDA” (August 2021). These guidances are intended to help applicants more effectively plan their BE studies and use equivalence criteria in analyzing these BE studies. By providing clear information to applicants, these guidances will help generate savings by reducing duplicative efforts, regulatory delays, development costs, and process uncertainties for industry, as well as time spent by FDA assessing applications. FDA is issuing these guidances as part of its Drug Competition Action Plan, which seeks to improve the efficiency of the generic drug development, review, and approval process. An efficient generic drug review process helps to expand access to safe, high-quality, effective generic medicines that can, in turn, help consumers lower their health care costs.

Oncology Pharmaceuticals: Streamlined Nonclinical Safety Studies for Biologics and Conjugated Products Draft Guidance May 2026

https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/oncology-pharmaceuticals-streamlined-nonclinical-safety-studies-biologics-and-conjugated-products?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued a draft guidance to reduce unnecessary animal testing in nonclinical safety assessments for certain cancer drugs. “This draft guidance not only supports the FDA’s commitment to expedite regulatory pathways for meaningful treatments but also fulfills the agency’s promise to reduce the use of animal testing during drug development,” said FDA’s Oncology Center of Excellence Director Angelo de Claro, M.D. “With recommendations for eliminating unnecessary animal testing, using a single relevant species instead of two, or replacing animal studies with evidence-based approaches — as outlined in this draft guidance — the FDA is advancing a more efficient drug development process.” When finalized, the guidance will provide recommendations for general toxicology studies, including when animal testing may be unnecessary because there is no binding or pharmacologic activity. In some cases, the guidance recommends using rodent studies only or replacing three-month non-human primate studies with a weight-of-evidence risk assessment. That assessment may include New Approach Methodologies, as appropriate. New Approach Methodologies were defined in a recent FDA webpage. This draft guidance, “Oncology Pharmaceuticals: Streamlined Nonclinical Safety Studies for Biologics and Conjugated Products,” is part of the FDA’s broader work to reduce the estimated 10 to 12 years it can take to bring new drugs from discovery to patients. It builds on FDA data analysis of general toxicology studies and practices developed during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce the use of non-human primates. It also supplements guidance issued by the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) and FDA guidance on nonclinical studies for oncology therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals. https://www.fda.gov/science-research/science-and-research-special-topics/new-approach-methodologies-nams?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery The FDA requests that public comments on the draft guidance be submitted by July 30, 2026. The agency will review and consider comments received before finalizing the guidance. https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/oncology-therapeutic-radiopharmaceuticals-nonclinical-studies-and-labeling-recommendations-guidance?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Advancing Generic Drug Development: Bioequivalence Challenges for Patient-Centric Oral Formulations June 11, 2026

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/news-events-human-drugs/advancing-generic-drug-development-bioequivalence-challenges-patient-centric-oral-formulations?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Advancing Generic Drug Development: Bioequivalence Challenges for Patient-Centric Oral Formulations Workshop June 11, 2026 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM ET Join us for the Advancing Generic Drug Development: Bioequivalence Challenges for Patient-Centric Oral Formulations workshop! This workshop is designed to facilitate discussions about the latest advancements and regulatory considerations in the evolving field of patient-centric (including pediatric) generic oral products, addressing product development and regulatory assessment challenges for these important medicines. The scope of discussions will include chewable tablets, orally disintegrating tablets, pellet/granule formulations, suspension products, and sublingual/buccal formulations, with a focus on regulatory strategies for patient-centric and pediatric formulations, formulation-specific development issues, and innovative bioequivalence approaches including physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling to support generic pediatric product development. Through a series of expert-led presentations and Q&A sessions, participants will have the opportunity to hear from and pose questions to experts from FDA to help deepen their understanding of current best practices, challenges and opportunities, regulatory expectations, and emerging trends. Don't miss this unique opportunity to learn how to improve your generic drug development! https://events-na12.adobeconnect.com/content/connect/c1/1315899612/en/events/event/shared/4940910716/event_registration.html?sco-id=7010350222&_charset_=utf-8

Town Hall – Content of Human Factors Information in Medical Device Marketing Submissions, Final Guidance July 22, 2026

https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/medical-devices-news-and-events/town-hall-content-human-factors-information-medical-device-marketing-submissions-final-guidance?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Town Hall – Content of Human Factors Information in Medical Device Marketing Submissions, Final Guidance The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will host a town hall for industry and other interested parties to discuss the final guidance titled Content of Human Factors Information in Medical Device Marketing Submissions. This guidance provides a risk-based framework to guide manufacturers and FDA staff on the human factors information that should be included in a marketing submission to the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) to facilitate the efficiency of the FDA review process. Date: July 22, 2026 Time: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET Registration is not required.

MAGA’s latest ‘health obsession’? Nicotine patches promoted by ‘Zynfluencers’—including some in the Trump administration C. Ryan Barber, Josh Dawsey, Liz Essley Whyte | Wall Street Journal | May 28, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/05/28/magas-latest-health-obsession-nicotine-patches-promoted-by-zynfluencers-including-some-in-the-trump-administration/

Gutting the National Science Board: How the Trump-RFK, Jr. crusade is erasing the separation of science and state Caroline Wagner, James Olds | May 27, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/05/27/gutting-the-national-science-board-how-the-trump-rfk-jr-crusade-is-erasing-the-separation-of-science-and-state/

Facts & Fallacies Podcast: Nicotine vaping—public health miracle, or risk to children? Professor Cliff Douglas Cameron English, Liza Lockwood | May 28, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/05/28/glp-podcast-nicotine-vaping-public-health-miracle-or-risk-to-children-professor-cliff-douglas/

Viewpoints: Traveler's Experience Raises Questions About Ebola Screenings At Dulles Airport; US Can't Afford To Lose Its Scientists

https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/viewpoints-back-from-uganda-and-no-ebola-check-america-cant-afford-to-lose-our-scientists/

Research Roundup: The Latest Science, Discoveries, And Breakthroughs

https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/research-roundup-the-latest-science-discoveries-and-breakthroughs-70/

Maryland 'Glock Switch' Ban Prompts Panic Gun Sales Around Baltimore

Maryland 'Glock Switch' Ban Prompts Panic Gun Sales Around Baltimore The new law, set to take effect Oct. 1, targets the "cruciform trigger bar." The device, which is known as a “Glock switch” even though it isn't affiliated with the manufacturer, allows weapons to be converted to illegal, fully automatic firearms, The Baltimore Sun explained. Residents who already own them will be grandfathered in. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/states-126/

Jill Biden Feared Her Husband Was Having Stroke During 2024 Presidential Debate: Report

Jill Biden Feared Her Husband Was Having Stroke During 2024 Presidential Debate: Report In an interview with the former first lady, slated to air on CBS News this Sunday, Jill Biden discusses former President Joe Biden's performance at the debate. Plus: Pam Bondi's cancer recovery; pricing for new drugs under President Donald Trump; and more. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/administration-news-8/

Drew Altman To Retire As Longtime Leader Of KFF

Drew Altman To Retire As Longtime Leader Of KFF Altman, who is founding president and chief executive of the nonprofit health policy organization, will step down at the end of 2026, he announced Wednesday. The New York Times noted that under his tenure, KFF has become a primary supplier of information and data on many of the most fiercely debated topics in healthcare, including the Affordable Care Act, vaccines, and gender-affirming care. (The Morning Briefing is part of KFF Health News, one of the three major operating programs at KFF.) https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/top-3-lauren-will-do-this-one-health-industry/ Drew Altman, Founding President and CEO of KFF, Announces Retirement Plans; Board Appoints Larry Levitt and Mollyann Brodie as Next Leadership Team Dr. Altman has led the organization for nearly 40 years; Levitt and Dr. Brodie to assume leadership roles next year, after a combined six decades at KFF in senior positions guiding policy research and polling Published: May 27, 2026 https://www.kff.org/other-health/drew-altman-founding-president-ceo-kff-announces-retirement/

Scientists Believe GLP-1s May Be Rewiring Parts Of Your Brain

Scientists Believe GLP-1s May Be Rewiring Parts Of Your Brain As scientists begin to look at the effects GLP-1s have on neurons and nervous systems, questions still remain on how they can cross the blood-brain barrier. The Washington Post reports on the search for answers to how much of your personality can be changed by taking the blockbuster drugs. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/pharma-and-tech-4/

Weekly Shot Of New Drug Hailed As Functional Cure For Hep B

Weekly Shot Of New Drug Hailed As Functional Cure For Hep B Scientists found that bepirovirsen prevents the virus from replicating in patients with chronic hepatitis B infections, allowing the immune system to attack. An FDA decision about whether Ionis Pharmaceuticals may market the drug in the U.S. is expected in late October, The New York Times reports. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/top-3-pub-health/

Suspected Ebola Cases In Congo Top 1,000; Uganda Shuts Shared Border

Suspected Ebola Cases In Congo Top 1,000; Uganda Shuts Shared Border During the temporary closure, those who must cross the border will face mandatory isolation upon entry to Uganda, health officials said. As cases of the rare strain of Ebola rise, Congo makes a plea for an experimental treatment. Plus: updates from affected healthcare workers on the front line; preventing the spread of disease during the World Cup; and more. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/top-3-ebola-4/

Listen to the Latest ‘KFF Health News Minute’ May 28, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/listen-kff-health-news-minute-2026/

In a Vaccine-Skeptical California County, a Potential Playbook To Contain Measles By Annie Sciacca May 28, 2026

In a Vaccine-Skeptical California County, a Potential Playbook To Contain Measles By Annie Sciacca May 28, 2026 https://kffhealthnews.org/public-health/measles-outbreak-contained-vaccine-skeptical-california-shasta-county/ A patient from his rural Northern California county had measles, a disease so rare there that many physicians have never treated a case. Conservative Shasta County stopped a measles outbreak from spreading, enlisting teachers, church leaders, and other trusted community members to get the public on board with health guidelines. Infectious disease specialists say the successful effort could be a guide for other communities struggling to contain the highly contagious virus.

Hantavirus Outbreak Revives COVID-Era False Health Claims Joel Luther , Hagere Yilma , and Irving Washington

https://www.kff.org/health-information-trust/hantavirus-outbreak-revives-covid-era-false-health-claims/?utm_campaign=22234741-KFF-Information-Trust&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--wjLq1wQ2GAuiFmP6gyibSdnt8Oi61-6rtpxnxXSONapqjHNGrRa4XGHKNU7mXcHDbEXwGEkVifLlGeXKfJLpaaltC6A&_hsmi=420963252&utm_content=420963252&utm_source=hs_email A hantavirus outbreak linked to a Dutch cruise ship in early May was followed by false health claims that mirror patterns documented in previous outbreaks, including unsupported claims that ivermectin is an effective treatment, that the outbreak was planned in advance, and that it was caused by COVID-19 vaccines. The Monitor also examines a new analysis of Americans’ relationship with health and wellness influencers, finding that most who get health information and advice from them express skepticism about what they hear.

FDA Announces Updates to Modernize, Strengthen Pesticide Monitoring Compliance Program

https://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-announces-updates-modernize-strengthen-pesticide-monitoring-compliance-program?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery May 28, 2026 Today, the FDA's Human Foods Program announced several key enhancements designed to modernize and strengthen the agency’s monitoring of pesticides in domestic and imported human foods through revisions to Compliance Program 7304.004, last updated in 2011. These updates strengthen the FDA’s regulatory pesticide residue monitoring program, through which the agency selectively monitors approximately 3,500 domestic and import samples yearly for residues of approximately 780 different pesticides. The FDA also monitors pesticides in human foods through focused surveys and the FDA’s Total Diet Study, and works with states through the Laboratory Flexible Funding Model Program to conduct additional monitoring. The updated compliance program will focus exclusively on monitoring pesticide residues in foods. To reflect this, the program has been renamed "Pesticides in Human Foods - Domestic and Import." The updates streamline the program and clarify specific objectives such as: Risk-based Sampling Priorities The updates include a focus on sampling foods highly consumed by infants and children among more than 150 raw agricultural commodities the FDA samples as part of its responsibility to enforce EPA-established tolerances. These procedural enhancements ensure resources are directed toward the areas of greatest potential risk. Enhanced Operational Procedures Instructions for laboratory, compliance, and enforcement staff have been revised to align with updated FDA procedures. Updates to the laboratory testing methods reflect the transition by FDA regulatory laboratories to a harmonized multi-analyte gas- and liquid-chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for determination of pesticide residues and elimination of separate, analyte-specific methods, improving throughput and consistency of results. All activities related to industrial chemicals, including dioxins, will now be conducted under their own programs and references in the compliance program will be removed. Strengthened Collaboration with Regulatory Partners New information has been added that outlines interactions and partnerships with FDA centers, related FDA compliance programs, other federal agencies, and U.S. state and local counterparts, highlighting the FDA’s commitment to a collaborative approach to food safety. Information on the FDA’s pesticide residue monitoring program, including annual summary reports and the newly released Pesticide Report Data Dashboard, visit FDA's Pesticides webpage. https://www.fda.gov/food/chemical-contaminants-pesticides/pesticides?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Indigenous-Led Study Targets Transplant Inequities Evra Taylor, MD ++

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/indigenous-led-study-targets-transplant-inequities-2026a1000hgi For Farmers, Mental Health Care That Fits Marilynn Larkin https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/farmers-mental-health-care-fits-2026a1000he6

‘Something Died in Me’: Why Dedicated Doctors Quit Medicine Cassie Shortsleeve May 28, 2026

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/something-died-me-why-dedicated-doctors-quit-medicine-2026a1000hrk First, there were frequent and repeated personal insults. Then there was a stretch where her program’s entire second-year class was fired or held back, pushing calls from every fifth night to every third, with no relief. There was the chief who screamed at a junior resident in a crowded elevator that he was “f--king ugly” and should face the corner. The resident obeyed.

Doctors Say Patients Are Losing Trust in Their Treatment Advice: Medscape Survey Lisa O’Mary Healing a Broken Trust May 27, 2026

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/doctors-say-patients-are-losing-trust-their-treatment-advice-2026a1000ggm?ecd=wnl_edit_tpal_etid8377805&uac=148436CN&impID=8377805 Nearly half of the physicians believe that patients have less trust in their treatment recommendations today than they did several years ago, a possible reflection of growing public distrust in science, a new Medscape survey found.

“Just Let Me Die” After insurance repeatedly denied a couple’s claims, one psychiatrist was their last hope. by Duaa Eldeib, photography by Sarah Blesener for ProPublica

“Just Let Me Die” After insurance repeatedly denied a couple’s claims, one psychiatrist was their last hope. by Duaa Eldeib, photography by Sarah Blesener for ProPublica https://www.propublica.org/article/mental-health-suicide-highmark-bcbs-insurance-denials?utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=majorinvestigations&utm_content=secondary This Little-Known Appeal Could Force Your Insurer to Pay for Lifesaving Care. Here’s How to File It. by Duaa Eldeib When a health insurer refuses to pay for your treatment, you may have the right to have the denial reviewed — and potentially overturned — by an independent provider. Here are six steps experts suggest to help you through the external appeal process. https://www.propublica.org/article/health-insurance-denial-external-review?utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=majorinvestigations&utm_content=secondary https://www.propublica.org/

Content of Human Factors Information in Medical Device Marketing Submissions Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff May 2026

https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/content-human-factors-information-medical-device-marketing-submissions?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery FDA Issues Final Guidance on Content of Human Factors Information in Medical Device Marketing Submissions Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final guidance titled Content of Human Factors Information in Medical Device Marketing Submissions. The guidance provides a risk-based framework to guide manufacturers and FDA staff on the human factors (HF) information that should be documented and included in medical device marketing submissions to the Center for Devices and Radiological Health, including premarket notifications (510(k)s), De Novo requests, premarket approval applications (PMAs), and humanitarian device exemption (HDE) applications. This guidance is designed to streamline and, where appropriate based on risk, minimize the amount of HF information manufacturers need to provide in medical device marketing submissions, saving industry time and resources while reducing unnecessary burden. By clearly defining expectations upfront, the guidance is intended to enhance predictability of the review process and support more efficient review, with FDA resources focused on submissions with the highest usability risks. This guidance is intended to be used as a companion to the final guidance titled "Applying Human Factors and Usability Engineering to Medical Devices."

How Kyle Diamantas defied expectations as he rose to lead the FDA Unlike many leaders at Marty Makary’s FDA, new acting commissioner earned trust of career staff

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/26/kyle-diamantas-acting-fda-commissioner-wins-trust-exceeds-expectations/ By Lizzy LawrenceMay 26, 2026 FDA Reporter MIT president: Why so many optimistic scientists are losing heart High-impact science is being damaged and derailed https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/27/science-funding-derailed-breakthroughs/ By Sally KornbluthMay 27, 2026 Kornbluth is the president of MIT. Sen. Dick Durbin: Trump is letting Big Tobacco target children Allowing the sale of kid-friendly e-cigarette flavors will set back hard-won progress https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/27/flavored-vapes-e-cigarettes-fda-trump-durbin/ By Dick DurbinMay 27, 2026 Durbin is the senior U.S. senator from Illinois.

It’s the end of science as we know it, and I feel fine Let’s stop mourning the end of the ivory tower and start celebrating what comes next

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/27/science-enterprise-replication-crisis-ivory-tower-community/ By Jonathan JacksonMay 27, 2026 Jackson is a cognitive neuroscientist and clinical trialist.

The patients demanding unvaccinated blood transfusions Unfounded concerns about blood transfusions put patients — especially pediatric ones — at risk

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/27/unvaccinated-blood-transfusions-directed-donation-interview/ By Torie BoschMay 27, 2026 Editor, First Opinion

How Stanford patients help expose ‘fault lines’ in health AI adoption Patient panels offer Stanford Health Care a window into what patients want from AI tools

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/27/stanford-patient-panels-feedback-on-ai-shaping-health-care/ By Brittany TrangMay 27, 2026 Health Tech Reporter

‘Are we just going to give up and die like every other generation?’ At the Vitalist Bay longevity conference, dreamers and entrepreneurs launch an industry By Sarah ToddMay 27, 2026

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/27/longevity-movement-shift-fringe-idea-to-big-business/?utm_campaign=the_readout&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8L2Pnmr9kiCB6RyV7Z3DvOTidg_TxMG-Loh4JI-7ExYWemzkJeYZx2o7oWpJ5Z30hrX0ivN4JziweFW8CUNbF9BEq2bQ&_hsmi=420814327&utm_content=420814327&utm_source=hs_email The longevity movement is becoming a booming industry Though the longevity movement still faces widespread skepticism and has a long way to go before becoming mainstream, there's no doubt that it's rapidly gaining steam and investment. That was no more apparent than at Vitalist Bay, a recent longevity conference that brought together founders, investors, researchers, and biohackers. My colleague Sarah Todd attended the festival this year and takes us into the burgeoning industry, which includes scores of companies developing body scans, blood tests, and lab-grown organs. As the community shifts from “a movement to really more of an industry,” as one attendee put it, it has to grapple with key questions like how rigorous its science has to be and how accessible the new technology will be.

Charting a course in specialty therapy access Cencora leaders gathered at the 2026 Asembia AXS Summit to explore the complexity and expansion of specialty treatment access

https://sbs.statnews.com/asembia-2026

Kailera Reports First Quarter 2026 Financial Results and Provides Clinical Data Updates May 26, 2026

https://investors.kailera.com/news-releases/news-release-details/kailera-reports-first-quarter-2026-financial-results-and?utm_campaign=the_readout&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--rt-yETpHe7TC-qElm6tCl1MSsQeYQwmmhjO4a73CF98vQ1Kr7Tvpiz1QVnNCfcUzfTTlf03jhoDdvOrr6o4nKjOFpCw&_hsmi=420814327&utm_content=420814327&utm_source=hs_email Kailera's own 'triple-G' drug also looks very powerful Kailera said yesterday that its investigational obesity drug that targets three hormones led to significant weight loss in a Phase 1 study. After 12 weeks, patients who received the highest dose of the weekly injectable drug, called KAI-4729, experienced up to 16% weight loss, while those on placebo lost 5.4% of their weight. That's a really rapid rate of weight loss. For context, Novo Nordisk's Wegovy led to 15% weight loss over 68 weeks in its pivotal trial. (It is notable, though, that the placebo group experienced a higher rate of weight loss than we typically see with placebo groups.) Kailera's drug activates receptors of the GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon hormones. It's similar to Eli Lilly's investigational treatment retatrutide (also known as the “triple-G” drug). Retatrutide has been shown to be very efficacious in Phase 3 studies, but it's also raised concerns about whether the field is pushing patients to lose too much weight loss too quickly. Kailera launched in 2024 with a plan to develop and sell obesity drug candidates from the Chinese company Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals. Last month, it raised $625 million when going public. Hengrui ran this latest study in China and Kailera said it will start another Phase 1 trial outside of China this year, with data expected next year.

Apogee Therapeutics Announces $1.3 Billion Strategic Financing Collaboration with Blackstone Life Sciences to Advance Phase 3 Development and Commercialization of Zumilokibart

https://investors.apogeetherapeutics.com/news-releases/news-release-details/apogee-therapeutics-announces-13-billion-strategic-financing?utm_campaign=the_readout&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--AE_lRviz5uTdzuaSeIS7j4n4Tii-OET1hZ-xR5Y7-Wtpsqj7yRT7EJFT9KJgYg7PS590IQ8XYea9EzAsP5JTzyL8UQQ&_hsmi=420814327&utm_content=420814327&utm_source=hs_email Blackstone Life Sciences, a private equity fund, is providing Apogee Therapeutics with up to $1.3 billion to pay for the Phase 3 development and potential commercialization of zumilokibart, the biotech's long-acting treatment for atopic dermatitis.

US FDA decision date extended for SERENA-6 filing of camizestrant to enable review of additional data

https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2026/us-fda-decision-date-camizestrant-extended.html?utm_campaign=the_readout&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--TO9rHilB0PJ0Ul9jc-LZtbCbZMHt4OB414_MzUu1l5lN88Dgpwuu6mE2-6VcdNNgaXAb0Rfx0g8uh3RsJLmHDP4PyGg&_hsmi=420814327&utm_content=420814327&utm_source=hs_email The FDA has pushed back the decision date for AstraZeneca's experimental breast cancer drug camizestrant, following a negative vote from a group of agency advisers, the company said. The extra time will allow the FDA to review additional analyses that AstraZeneca is providing. FDA advisers took issue with the study design of the pivotal SERENA-6 trial, though European regulators have recommended the drug be approved. AstraZeneca did not specify the new target date for an FDA decision.

Viewpoints: Medical System Deserts Women After Birth; What Covid Taught Us About Traveling And The Spread Of Disease

https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/viewpoints-medical-system-deserts-women-after-birth/

CVS Health Sues Tennessee Pharmacy Board Over New Law Targeting PBMs

CVS Health Sues Tennessee Pharmacy Board Over New Law Targeting PBMs The new law will prohibit pharmacy benefit managers from owning pharmacies in Tennessee, Modern Healthcare reports. CVS Health alleges in the lawsuit that it unfairly favors independent, local pharmacies and is unconstitutional. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/health-industry-10/

1 Dead, 9 Missing After Hazardous Chemical Tank Implodes In Washington State; Authorities Say There's No Threat To Public

1 Dead, 9 Missing After Hazardous Chemical Tank Implodes In Washington State; Authorities Say There's No Threat To Public Another nine people were hurt, some of them severely, at the paper mill in Longview, AP reported. The tank was holding a liquid consisting of mainly sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide, which is used with heat to break down wood to make kraft paper. The effort to stabilize the tank will continue during daylight today. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/states-125/

FDA Approves New Treatments For Triple-Negative Breast Cancer And Chronic Hepatitis D

FDA Approves New Treatments For Triple-Negative Breast Cancer And Chronic Hepatitis D Datopotamab deruxtecan gained approval as a first-line option for triple-negative breast cancer patients ineligible for immunotherapy, MedPage Today reports, while the bulevirtide injection became the first FDA-approved treatment for chronic hepatitis delta virus. Also: Researchers have identified a protein that facilitates the spread of Parkinson’s disease in the brain. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/pharma-and-tech-3/

Trump's Frequent Medical Exams Aren't Unusual For An Elderly Person, Former White House Doc Says

Trump's Frequent Medical Exams Aren't Unusual For An Elderly Person, Former White House Doc Says Dr. Jeffrey Kuhlman, who served under three presidents, told PBS NewsHour that most 80-year-olds go to the doctor frequently. President Donald Trump, who turns 80 next month, spent more than three hours at Walter Reed medical facility on Tuesday. Kuhlman explained that Walter Reed is usually used for performing more advanced checkups, such as colonoscopies and CT scans. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/trumps-frequent-medical-exams-arent-unusual-for-an-elderly-person-former-white-house-doc-says/

Suicide Surge Among ICE Detainees Reveals A Broken System, AP Probe Finds

Suicide Surge Among ICE Detainees Reveals A Broken System, AP Probe Finds The increase in detainee suicides “reflects failures in how the system’s being operated," one jail expert noted. An AP investigation found that detention center staff ignored signs of distress, delayed mental health treatment, and did not monitor at-risk detainees. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/top-3-immigration/

FDA Panel Zeroing In On XFG Strain For Inclusion In Covid Vaccine

FDA Panel Zeroing In On XFG Strain For Inclusion In Covid Vaccine The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee will meet Thursday to discuss the composition of the next covid shot. XFG is considered a variant under monitoring, The Hill reports. Other news outlets report on the surge in dengue cases in the U.S., the latest news on the hantavirus outbreak, and more. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/top-3-covid-other-outbreaks/

White House To Set Up Ebola Treatment Facility In Kenya For Americans

White House To Set Up Ebola Treatment Facility In Kenya For Americans The New York Times reports that U.S. citizens exposed to the Ebola virus will be taken to Kenya for observation and treatment. Public health experts say the plan to treat U.S. citizens in foreign lands is surprising, given the U.S. has multiple facilities with state-of-the-art resources for monitoring and treating dangerous diseases, including Ebola. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/top-3-ebola-3/

Readers Address Drugged Driving, Suicide Prevention, Worker Shortages May 27, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/letter-to-the-editor/readers-drugged-driving-suicide-prevention-worker-shortages-single-payer-may-2026/

Nurse Convicted in Patient’s Death Turns Fatal Drug Error Into a Cautionary Tale By Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio May 27, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/syndicate/nurse-drug-errors-hospital-safety-radonda-vought-tennessee/ When RaDonda Vaught got her first speaking request, it had been a year since that day in a Nashville courtroom, when she listened as a jury read her guilty verdict for negligent homicide and neglect of an impaired adult.

Montana Hurries To Adopt Trump’s Medicaid Work Rules Amid Budget Woes The state is ramping up to implement the federal work requirements six months ahead of the deadline. But Montana is one of several states already struggling to pay for health services. By Katheryn Houghton May 27, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/medicaid/medicaid-work-requirements-trump-montana-budget-shortfalls/ Montana plans to be one of the first states to enforce President Donald Trump’s work mandate for Medicaid enrollees, adding another challenge for state health officials trying to plug a massive budget hole.

Eli Lilly says Verve’s gene editor lowers cholesterol levels in early study Treatment was center of $1 billion buyout

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/25/eli-lilly-verv-102-gene-editing-cholesterol-phase-1-trial-data/?utm_campaign=the_readout&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9jih8AOmLYTNhfcako_Oakyta8q3YBhmCNx-22C4RPQCQh1ppFLeOtxiuw3u4axGqr_mvd59Ax_6XhGYoAm2Gr2_7guA&_hsmi=420539245&utm_content=420539245&utm_source=hs_email By Jason MastMay 25, 2026 General Assignment Reporter Lilly's one-time cholesterol edit shows promise Eli Lilly’s experimental gene-editing therapy lowered LDL cholesterol by 62% in an early-stage trial. The treatment, acquired through Lilly’s $1 billion buyout of Verve Therapeutics, works by permanently disabling PCSK9 in the liver through a single-letter DNA edit. It suggests that a one-time DNA edit could someday replace lifelong cholesterol medication. “The results appear durable (likely permanent),” Steven Nissen, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic, said in an email. Importantly, researchers reported no treatment-related serious adverse events, STAT’s Jason Mast writes — a notable outcome after Verve abandoned an earlier candidate over safety concerns. The data, published in the NEJM, showed LDL reductions lasting up to 575 days in lower-dose cohorts. Still, major questions remain about whether patients will embrace irreversible gene editing when existing PCSK9 drugs already work well with periodic dosing

Eli Lilly to buy three small vaccine developers The companies are working on shots against pathogens that can cause long-term health issues

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/26/eli-lilly-acquisitions-vaccine-developers/?utm_campaign=the_readout&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8ALuHnUhg-wOSdJnkpBSgzTtMBEBG8SW_G2msUBKnpeTSgTJ3rhJJUvJxIppiL2shtOjfJw4BPpXxQSB3n6vxw_53s1Q&_hsmi=420539245&utm_content=420539245&utm_source=hs_email By Andrew JosephMay 26, 2026 Europe Correspondent Lilly is also spending more of its GLP-1 cash Indeed, this morning brings another round of deal-making for Lilly. The pharma giant announced plans to acquire three early and mid-stage vaccine developers for a combined $4 billion, my colleague Andrew Joseph reports. The companies being bought are Curevo, LimmaTech Biologics, and Vaccine Company. The new acquisitions will give Lilly a much larger footprint in infectious diseases, an area that hasn’t recently been a priority for the company. Lilly framed the move as one that fit with a broader focus on preventing serious health problems.

An AI biotech CEO sets the record straight on AI drug development hype Peyton Greenside, CEO of BigHat Biosciences, gets real about what AI can and can’t do

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/26/ai-biotech-bighat-biosciences-ceo-on-ai-drug-development-hype/?utm_campaign=the_readout&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_z0rAgkGSDVZQwtFqwfJhR1hLNostdtp2-Djy1wNPSXMLbxuluLphCOmt-26mjsC7lED2ySkg5kQex2tLqzortS3JUFA&_hsmi=420539245&utm_content=420539245&utm_source=hs_email By Brittany TrangMay 26, 2026 Health Tech Reporter An AI biotech CEO sets the record straight BigHat Biosciences CEO Peyton Greenside has a refreshingly unsentimental take on AI drug discovery hype: designing a protein in six hours — or even 20 minutes — is the easy part. The hard part, she argues, is everything that comes afterward: validating molecules, engineering them into actual drugs, testing toxicity, manufacturing them, and proving they work in humans. Speaking with STAT’s Brittany Trang, Greenside said the real opportunity with AI isn’t cranking out endless simple antibodies faster than China or flashy de novo design startups. Instead, the goal is to engineer highly sophisticated multispecific molecules capable of hitting difficult biology that conventional antibodies can’t safely target. “We’re in a business where success is really low frequency, right — most things fail. So how do you climb percentages of probability of success towards what you want?” she said.

The innovation trap: How pharma weaponizes a word to extend monopolies The patent system has become more of an exclusivity system for financial investment, not invention

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/26/humira-patents-abbvie-innovation-pharma-monopoly-excerpt/?utm_campaign=the_readout&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--NqIYrTSeyL_QWImwocq__kMwvu4Uqd-XBN-0WjHYurxeY8CGB8KyAoDdbQSPtt3xGkIPaEqH3CAMQPbQubsqSKwyMnA&_hsmi=420539245&utm_content=420539245&utm_source=hs_email By Tahir Amin and Rohit MalpaniMay 26, 2026 Amin and Malpani are the authors of “Pharma Monopoly: The Battle for the Future of Medicines,” out now from Polity, from which this essay is adapted Humira became pharma's masterclass in monopoly Rather than using it to protect innovation, biopharma has transformed the patent system into a machine designed to maximize profits and delay competition, opine patent policy experts Tahir Amin and Rohit Malpani. To them, Humira is the clearest example: After the blockbuster drug’s original patent expired in 2016, AbbVie built a thicket of 136 patents around dosing tweaks, manufacturing methods, and additional disease uses. This extended its monopoly for years, generating $114 billion in extra revenue — and the drug’s price climbed 470%. Congressional investigations later revealed McKinsey consultants actively helped devise strategies to block biosimilar competition. Much of what pharma calls “innovation” today, Amin and Malpani write, consists of legally repackaging existing science into incremental changes that offer little therapeutic benefit. “For policy-makers and anyone else affected by the pharmaceutical medicines system, a 50-year fealty to the god of innovation should force some serious questioning of the system,” they write in this essay, adapted from their book, "Pharma Monopoly: The Battle for the Future of Medicines."

8 former CDC directors: Reform PEPFAR, don’t dismantle it A State Department plan scheduled to be implemented June 1 would strip the U.S. of decades of disease defense

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/26/pepfar-state-department-plan-dismantling-hiv-cdc/ By William Roper, Jeffrey Koplan, Richard Besser, Tom Frieden, Anne Schuchat, Robert Redfield, Rochelle Walensky, and Mandy CohenMay 26, 2026 The authors are former directors or acting directors of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

How Kyle Diamantas defied expectations as he rose to lead the FDA Unlike many leaders at Marty Makary’s FDA, new acting commissioner earned trust of career staff

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/26/kyle-diamantas-acting-fda-commissioner-wins-trust-exceeds-expectations/?utm_campaign=the_readout&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9UONnCkcAe00w4vX8ZujHHfhjcWEmT1HoVsFNs1Z-pu2sLIodO8brwKxMr1vuC8QTOMSwg2Ee2_xH5AoDndMRTVBqBQw&_hsmi=420539245&utm_content=420539245&utm_source=hs_email By Lizzy LawrenceMay 26, 2026 FDA Reporter The unexpected rise of Acting FDA chief Diamantas When the Trump administration last year appointed Florida attorney Kyle Diamantas as the FDA’s top food official, the broader public health world expected a politically connected industry lawyer with little scientific credibility. Instead, food industry groups, consumer advocates, and FDA staffers are describing him as unusually competent, prepared, and willing to listen, STAT’s Lizzy Lawrence writes. He has presented a sharp contrast with some other recent FDA leaders who alienated career staff by steamrolling scientific expertise. “Kyle is someone who listens to everyone,” said Scott Faber, senior vice president of the Environmental Working Group. “He’s earned the respect of career staff and the FDA stakeholder community. He’s a natural leader, but he isn’t going to rush to the cameras.” Diamantas, a former Jones Day attorney who represented food and tobacco clients and apparently hunts wild turkeys with Donald Trump Jr., has built credibility by doing something shockingly rare in Washington: reading briefing materials before meetings and treating stakeholders seriously.

HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY +++ +++ +

HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY Modern Healthcare: Travel Nursing Market Steadies As Profitability Issues Persist https://www.modernhealthcare.com/providers/staffing/mh-travel-nursing-market-profitability-survey/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--U-V1V5vBzmca8VdRzfR7wL2zgMLcgi2gPpwVQPUuYlxduyFHt5bH_cPEKxfxUCN1yK9X3EZe_klUkUK0m9QGCHTKsdQ&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email The travel nurse market is normalizing and several key performance metrics appear to be stabilizing above pre-Covid pandemic levels, according to the annual SIA NATHO Travel Nurse Benchmarking Survey. At the same time, profitability remains under pressure even as bill rates hold relatively steady. Overall, the data suggests the market is no longer in sharp decline but is instead moving into a more stable and operationally disciplined environment. (Fullilove, 5/22) AP: State Asylums' Psychiatric Records Are Often Hard To Get https://apnews.com/article/state-asylum-psychiatric-records-df3ae6af27ca1d51df9a98fdb34185a7?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--O254e2OWTsYyWPA4krE0tQCnLplKKmTpR-Z03-4C1nUrhV5lPnpWNmcy3JgHF0NTmwh3IQfn1tBOa_8q2hdsOFIeY9A&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email Breta Meria Conole was in a state psychiatric hospital for more than two decades. But the reason why is a family mystery. Debby Hannigan, her great grandniece, tried for years to access Conole’s medical records, because she thought they might hold clues to mental health issues in her family, including her oldest daughter’s depression. Hannigan twice wrote to the state of New York for the records. The second time she included a supporting note from her daughter’s therapist, who said the details would help “to know their family medical history better.” Both times she was turned away. (Stobbe, 5/24) NPR: Mental Health Therapists Who Use AI To Take Notes Face Questions About Trust https://www.npr.org/2026/05/26/nx-s1-5826943/talk-therapy-mental-health-ai-artificial-intelligence-privacy-trust?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_NpT7xegl8Bpuit16O461WCI3lc3X5mqrdNmikfzmR5aYuCE8kcw4SXVzw8ruEUTpFeAZD5F8GJSTknJ3YNhrv2i0Ucg&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email For two years, Molly Quinn trusted her therapist with things she hadn't told anyone else. So when her therapist mentioned trying an artificial intelligence tool to take notes, Quinn didn't immediately refuse. The 31-year-old librarian from Fayetteville, Ark., asked to research it first. She wanted to understand where her words would go — whether they would stay local or be processed somewhere in the cloud. (Johnston, 5/26) The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer: Ohio Therapists See Clawbacks Paused, Pay Reduced https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2026/05/caresource-halts-medicaid-clawbacks-but-cuts-pay-for-ohio-therapists.html?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9LwMBjjbO8-qubVEQWrvDhkf827lUsSy4AvOf-xZqFtf2rX1e3B6Ca3pjXAyEsUBf20dnhpznFpZkOqs3XNX0trNqJyQ&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email The first thing Ohio therapists saw was the bill. It came from CareSource, Ohio’s largest Medicaid managed care plan, which covers more than 1.4 million members. In April, the Dayton-based organization told some behavioral health providers that it had been paying them too much for treating Medicaid patients — and that the therapists would have to pay the money back. (Washington, 5/25) The Baltimore Sun: Eastern Shore Receives $3.1 Million Federal Healthcare Funding https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/05/24/eastern-shore-health-funding/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--SNZwxxDXUiPoJa3QNfp9GEGqqWAdr4odExWCaXDtGIU88_QNAQoVXdbnpqVKJv5-OgZ6jur4a0vG8cl3KFRCHK1A8Ow&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email Communities on Maryland’s Eastern Shore have received more than $3 million in federal funding to assist with clinic staffing and other health care needs. The $3,139,017 in funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced Sunday by U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, will go to Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties. (Hubbard, 5/24) Carolina Public Press: UNCW Gets UNC System Blessing To Continue Medical School Planning https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2026/05/24/uncw-gets-unc-system-blessing-to-continue-medical-school-planning/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8GYkSW0xg7Ubqj3wm4D7T2zsfvP-8vVRwwNznQFo2R_D3fagxYe4PtSWtVqVdS5y8ujnKCKLuPfWXGyhfu8smn2XfQ6w&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email The University of North Carolina System Board of Governors voted Thursday to let UNC-Wilmington move forward with the planning process for its proposed medical school. It’s the next step — though an unusual one — in the university’s effort to mend healthcare inequity by increasing access in Southeastern North Carolina. (Denning, 5/24) The Washington Post: Weight-Loss Compounder Hims & Hers Is Shifting To Wellness And Longevity https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/05/24/weight-loss-compounder-hims-hers-is-shifting-wellness-longevity/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-867zLRuiEkfxeIoLc1k4prGCkiEhDiZLpwrRWHAUG3GyB_Iqv61y6yQIhApuaUKVVPxO6UlQOmlXRddxOxjPplUPFOAg&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email The next phase of Andrew Dudum’s quest to change how Americans get their health care is taking shape behind the walls of a nondescript factory, tucked off a side street in Silicon Valley. As co-founder and CEO of telehealth company Hims & Hers, Dudum has helped lead the tech industry’s encroachment on traditional medicine, using social media to sell popular prescription drugs over the internet. (Rowland, 5/24)

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ++++ +

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION Bloomberg: Trump Doctor Visit Renews Health Scrutiny As 80th Birthday Nears President Donald Trump’s upcoming medical examination is intensifying health-related scrutiny that has surrounded him ever since his first campaign for the nation’s highest office more than a decade ago. Trump on Tuesday is heading to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for his fourth publicly disclosed doctor’s appointment since the start of his second term. The White House has offered few details about the visit, saying it would involve “routine annual dental and medical assessments.” (Lucey, 5/24) https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-24/trump-doctor-visit-renews-health-scrutiny-as-80th-birthday-nears?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8uV_9LP_fhGgKnuj4DoUUPkEjpx036y31fkA510UZxT536LOlSQeEa8U4ysLcsJyuyjjjbjA_dQLuzX77XK-bJlXq6kg&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email Stat: What Prompted, And What's Holding Up, An Agency For Men's Health Just before he was sworn in as assistant secretary for health at the end of 2025, Admiral Brian Christine — a urologist whose practice treated primarily male patients — talked at an FDA panel on testosterone about a series of alarming statistics: Male life expectancy is close to seven years shorter than women’s; men have higher mortality rates in 10 of the leading causes of death; and they make up the vast majority of deaths by suicide. (Merelli, 5/22) https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/22/state-of-mens-health-act-new-office-slowed/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-89v3AC0kO3vi7mXDhM3oAWKDqDVk3sVpzp3dpN6-7Kt2ZFHw3WhMjF0GPqFP289f7HagwrYgdJZpEfwuHQlYBycpTdiw&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email Stat: Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas Is Defying Expectations People in the food world didn’t know what to expect when the Trump administration appointed a little-known Florida attorney as the FDA’s top food official in 2025. (Lawrence, 5/26) https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/26/kyle-diamantas-acting-fda-commissioner-wins-trust-exceeds-expectations/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--9cZ_Qk1DmrNTxjrpgs9WbCvWSuSvumX8l0pNVNDbjl8Anv4DQM9eiVYaPBzOwGqqeg5CFHSwRtXIn_s7jCmFc4tyzVA&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email Stat: Trump Wants To Expand Medicaid Cuts, Building On Tax Cut Bill Hospitals and other providers are bracing for an end to the extra money they’ve gotten for treating Medicaid patients, one of the many cuts contained in Republicans’ sweeping 2025 tax law. But the Trump administration disclosed this week that it plans to take the cuts to state directed payments even further, setting up what’s likely to be a showdown with provider groups. (Bannow, 5/22) https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/22/medicaid-state-directed-payments-trump-proposes-more-cuts/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_7JqZDGEUwQDsy_78c88ggjVVmf_dymJL51YIm0TRtgvJoepM39OHauyplFlIFr_azaBWeNfTOoifxZrgaowuKjCHELQ&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email MILITARY HEALTH Military.com: Robert Irvine’s 23-Year Fight To Fix Military Food Is Finally Paying Off The Army spends roughly $3 billion annually on food procurement and has been expanding a campus-style dining modernization effort designed to improve quality, access and flexibility for soldiers. Robert Irvine says the transformation is long overdue. (Lindsay, 5/25) https://www.military.com/robert-irvines-23-year-fight-to-fix-military-food-is-finally-paying-off?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9aDR2PSsAdhzhEBNzGoNKD-Bq6NRk9ZDn5M5PcLzSTz-eZqvf2J1ZswiJ60csvSJfepSFlp0akSuPX2zKZVPJ2VhFvyg&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email

HEALTHCARE COSTS AND COVERAGE +++

HEALTHCARE COSTS AND COVERAGE Modern Healthcare: PacificSource To Quit ACA Exchanges, Exit Montana Market PacificSource Health Plans is the latest health insurance company to pull out of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 marketplaces. The nonprofit insurer will not offer exchange plans in Idaho, Montana, Oregon or Washington next year. PacificSource Health Plans will entirely leave Montana, where it currently covers 42,000 members in Medicare Advantage, employer-sponsored and marketplace plans. The insurer has more than 500,000 members in those four states. About 30,000 are exchange enrollees, according to the consulting firm Evensun Health. (Tepper, 5/22) https://www.modernhealthcare.com/insurance/mh-pacificsource-aca-exchanges-montana/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8WnUQ2AoUcQJTPyh0aM6K1sYLk68rrYfMY0qBO-SJpRLaao-6cmI19CelxpmjStw_ljO-2lFdsU9mG8NK9EYqeqFkqig&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email Politico: RFK Jr., States At Odds Over Cause Of Obamacare’s Enrollment Declines Both the Trump administration and state officials agree on the numerical fact: People this year are dropping their Obamacare coverage — to the tune of 1.2 million people out of a total enrollment of 24.3 million as of March, according to the latest federal data. But they are at odds over why. (King and Hooper, 5/25) https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/25/obamacare-affordability-premiums-fraud-midterms-looming-00930051?utm_campaign=KHN:+First+Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_TOkNu9apdHmqMirJQj74coPsfTlVYdkHBPV8YiWK6YHLdrKwrlYb3h-xsxfA0rQLHsyYizPeiRTWQjaKwntrdNCzuxA&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email Modern Healthcare: Hospital Pricing Under Fire From GOP, Insurers And Employers Hospitals are under attack in Washington, and not just by their longtime foes in the insurance and drug industries. Those political powerhouses have indeed stepped up campaigns targeting hospitals, and all sides have ramped up spending on lobbyists. But increasingly others, including employers and conservative groups, have weighed in. Lawmakers in GOP-run Washington appear to be listening. (McAuliff, 5/22) https://www.modernhealthcare.com/politics-regulation/mh-hospital-pricing-gop-insurers-employers/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8I0y5l7o3scKWARK9Nfi4XlfsyaE7fbuzuEsY5CcajNQIDtrla0ZX9Kv2rLOMBIv-narNC-PVoWl2QCb1QGjSGc7ZP7A&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email

Peptide Manufacturing Enters the Industrial Era avatar David Alvaro, Ph.D. Editor in Chief Pharma's Almanac

https://www.pharmasalmanac.com/articles/peptide-manufacturing-enters-the-industrial-era Key Takeaways GLP-1 demand has transformed peptide manufacturing from a specialized capability into a strategic capacity challenge requiring larger-scale synthesis, purification, lyophilization, and supply-chain planning. Peptide API manufacturing depends on more than solid-phase peptide synthesis capacity; bottlenecks can emerge in raw materials, purification, freeze-drying, analytical release, fill-finish, and distribution. High solvent and reagent use makes peptide manufacturing both an environmental and economic challenge, linking sustainability directly to cost, throughput, waste handling, and facility utilization. CDMOs are becoming strategic partners in peptide development as sponsors seek expertise in process development, scale-up, impurity control, quality systems, and long-term supply security. Recent investments by peptide manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies show that industrial-scale peptide capacity is becoming a critical enabler of future therapeutic growth.

Old Drugs, New Tricks: FDA’s Drug Repurposing Initiative May 26, 2026 By Charles D. Snow & Kalie E. Richardson —

https://www.thefdalawblog.com/2026/05/old-drugs-new-tricks-fdas-drug-repurposing-initiative/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=old-drugs-new-tricks-fdas-drug-repurposing-initiative Don’t look now, but drug repurposing is having a moment. On May 11, 2026, FDA announced a new public docket soliciting stakeholder input on its drug repurposing initiative—specifically, which chronic disease areas should be prioritized and which approved drugs have the most potential to treat conditions outside their existing labels. The accompanying Federal Register notice (Docket No. FDA-2026-N-4492) has a comment deadline of June 11, 2026, which means the clock is already ticking. In parallel, FDA launched a dedicated “Drug Repurposing” webpage.

Viewpoints: Are Smartphones Behind The Birth Rate Decline?; Lilly's New GLP-1 Could Be Game-Changer For Those With Severely High BMI

https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/viewpoints-are-smartphones-behind-the-birth-rate-decline-eli-lillys-new-glp-1-rivals-surgery/

Kyle Busch Had Pneumonia And Sepsis, Family Says; Symptoms Of Sepsis Can Be Hard To Spot

Kyle Busch Had Pneumonia And Sepsis, Family Says; Symptoms Of Sepsis Can Be Hard To Spot Especially among younger people, the onset of sepsis can be sudden and the symptoms difficult to recognize, says Dr. Todd Rice of Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Rice, who is not connected to Busch's treatment, explained to People how pneumonia can cause sepsis. Plus: Your household dust might hold secrets that could affect your health. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/kyle-busch-had-pneumonia-and-sepsis-family-says-symptoms-of-sepsis-can-be-hard-to-spot/

Powdered Fentanyl Blamed After Dozens Sickened Last Week In New Mexico

Powdered Fentanyl Blamed After Dozens Sickened Last Week In New Mexico More than a dozen first responders were put in quarantine after arriving at a home to investigate an overdose incident that left three people dead. Elsewhere in the U.S.: California residents are returning home after a chemical tank scare; Pennsylvania dental patients are urged to test for hepatitis and HIV; and more. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/states-124/

Experimental Gene-Editing Treatment Could Prevent Heart Disease In One Infusion

Experimental Gene-Editing Treatment Could Prevent Heart Disease In One Infusion The New York Times reports on a small study that shows an experimental gene-editing drug could dramatically lower cholesterol levels permanently and might lead to a one-and-done way to prevent heart disease if confirmed in a larger study. More news covers STI treatments, weight loss drugs, and more. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/vaccines-pharma-and-tech/

No Child Deaths Conclusively Linked To Covid Vaccine, FDA Says In Quietly Released Report

No Child Deaths Conclusively Linked To Covid Vaccine, FDA Says In Quietly Released Report The FDA looked into 96 claims made on the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System and concluded that none of the deaths reported could be definitively linked to the covid vaccine. The analysis contradicts a claim made by former FDA vaccine chief Dr. Vinay Prasad nearly six months before. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/for-kit-fda-report-shows-no-child-deaths-conclusively-linked-to-covid-vaccine/

PacificSource Health Plans Will Exit Some ACA, Medicare Exchanges For 2027

PacificSource Health Plans Will Exit Some ACA, Medicare Exchanges For 2027 “The healthcare system is unsustainable. Costs continue to rise, access is inconsistent, and the experience often falls short of what people need and deserve," a spokesperson for the nonprofit insurer said. Also, Politico reports on how many are dropping their Obamacare coverage this year. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/aca-health-industry/

CDC Suspends US Entry To Lawful Residents Traveling From Ebola-Affected Region

CDC Suspends US Entry To Lawful Residents Traveling From Ebola-Affected Region Green Card holders who have been to the Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the past 21 days are prohibited from entering the United States through mid-June, according to an interim final rule issued Friday. Public health specialists warn that travel restrictions offer no guarantee that the U.S. will be protected from Ebola. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/ebola-2/

US Will Shield Drugmakers Who Make Hantavirus Treatment; Patient In Quarantine Tests Positive

US Will Shield Drugmakers Who Make Hantavirus Treatment; Patient In Quarantine Tests Positive Axios reported that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. extended legal protections through July 18 to develop favipiravir, an experimental antiviral used to manage flu and other infections, according to a Federal Register filing. The move drew criticism from MAHA supporters. Meanwhile, a passenger on the MV Hondius who was in quarantine in Spain has tested positive. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/lauren-will-do-this-one-hanta-ebola/

Cheaper, Alternative Health Plans Are Having a Moment, but Critics Urge Caution Congress' decision not to extend enhanced marketplace tax credits has boosted the appeal of alternative health coverage with lower monthly premiums. By Sarah Kwon May 26, 2026

Cheaper, Alternative Health Plans Are Having a Moment, but Critics Urge Caution Congress' decision not to extend enhanced marketplace tax credits has boosted the appeal of alternative health coverage with lower monthly premiums. https://kffhealthnews.org/health-industry/alternative-health-plans-growth-sharing-ministries-short-term-aca-premiums/ By Sarah Kwon May 26, 2026 When Melanie Miller saw that her health insurance premium payment was set to nearly triple to $914 a month this year, she stopped shopping on the Affordable Care Act marketplace.

Viva Saliva Book: The ultimate guide to saliva Book preview Download

https://www.news-medical.net/industry-focus/Viva-Saliva-Book-The-ultimate-guide-to-saliva-Book-preview-Download “Viva Saliva” is a thorough guide for experts interested in improving their laboratory methods. It provides an in-depth look at salivary sample preparation and saliva hormone testing, integrating peer-reviewed research with Tecan's results. The Book is intended to improve laboratory accuracy and efficiency by providing critical insights into adopting advanced saliva-based hormone testing in research and diagnosis settings.

eBook: Advancing neurodegenerative research with iPSC-derived microglia models

https://www.news-medical.net/industry-focus/eBook-Advancing-neurodegenerative-research-with-iPSC-derived-microglia-models Neurodegenerative diseases affect about 15 % of the global population and are on the rise due to aging demographics. Neuroinflammation, driven by the brain’s immune cells known as microglia, is a key factor in these diseases. Due to microglia’s close link to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, ALS, and Parkinson’s, they play an increasingly vital role in in vitro neurodegenerative and neurological disease modeling.

Enhancing confidence in chemical ionization spectrometry data +... +... +...

https://www.news-medical.net/industry-focus/Enhancing-confidence-in-chemical-ionization-spectrometry-data Proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) and selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) are decades-old field-deployable chemical ionization technologies with portable features. Transform your cell imaging https://www.news-medical.net/industry-focus/Transform-your-cell-imaging The world of cellular imaging is vast, ranging from endpoint and live-cell imaging applications to the imaging and analysis of 2D monolayers, 3D cell models, and organ-on-a-chip platforms. eBook: Using iPSCs models for human disease research and drug discovery https://www.news-medical.net/industry-focus/eBook-Using-iPSCs-models-for-human-disease-research-and-drug-discovery The urgent need for better human disease models in drug discovery is increasingly recognized, with human iPSCs playing a crucial role in developing physiologically relevant in vitro models for safer, more effective therapies. Advanced iPSC models provide significant advantages, including better human relevance over traditional in vivo and simple in vitro models, scalability from individual patients to large populations, and a broader demographic representation throughout the drug discovery process.

Industry Focus eBook - Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (1st edition)

https://www.news-medical.net/industry-focus/Industry-Focus-eBook-Pharmaceutical-Manufacturing-(1st-edition) Pharmaceutical manufacturing sits at the intersection of science, technology, and global health - driving critical advances in how medicines are developed, produced, and delivered. News Medical has compiled a collection of the top articles, interviews, and industry insights from the past 12 months in this latest edition of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing eBook.

Industry Focus eBook - Cell & Gene Therapy (1st Edition)

https://www.news-medical.net/industry-focus/Industry-Focus-Cell-Gene-Therapy Explore the frontier of medical innovation with the latest Industry Focus eBook on Cell & Gene Therapy. This exclusive eBook brings together the latest in research, expert commentary, and personal stories that show how cell and gene therapy is making a real difference. You’ll find everything from firsthand accounts of CAR T-cell breakthroughs to exciting developments in single-cell analysis and CRISPR-based diagnostics - all in one place.

Industry Focus eBook - Forensics & Toxicology (1st edition)

https://www.news-medical.net/industry-focus/Industry-Focus-eBook-Forensics-Toxicology-(1st-edition) Scientific innovation is changing the world of forensic science and toxicology, enhancing accuracy, reliability, and speed from the crime scene to the lab. In our latest Forensics & Toxicology Industry Focus eBook, we’ve gathered a curated collection of standout articles, expert perspectives, and key scientific developments from the past year that are shaping the field today.

Ultimate guide to the essential tools for the characterization of proteins, polymers and nanoparticles

https://www.news-medical.net/industry-focus/Ultimate-Guide-to-the-essential-tools-for-the-characterization-of-proteins-polymers-and-nanoparticles This guide offers a clear, in-depth look at the capabilities, applications, and innovations behind Wyatt Technology’s light scattering solutions, equipping you with the information needed to make confident choices in high-resolution macromolecular analysis.

How to solve the hidden bottleneck in lipid nanoparticle development

https://www.news-medical.net/industry-focus/How-to-solve-the-hidden-bottleneck-in-lipid-nanoparticle-development Outdated offline methods are slowing you down. They compromise speed, consistency, and regulatory confidence. It’s time for a continuous solution. This new eBook from Inprocess LSP shows how to overcome these bottlenecks with real-time, continuous particle size analysis. It offers practical guidance on enhancing process control, accelerating development, and achieving seamless scale-up. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are transforming drug delivery, powering innovations from mRNA vaccines to gene therapies. Yet, maintaining precise size control, which is essential for stability, efficacy, and regulatory approval, remains a major challenge. Traditional offline analysis often leads to delays, inconsistencies, and a lack of real-time visibility into production.

Industry Focus eBook - Medical device (2nd edition)

https://www.news-medical.net/industry-focus/Industry-Focus-eBook--Medical-device-(2nd-edition) Welcome to this Industry Focus eBook on Medical Devices, a collection of expert perspectives and essential insights into the technologies shaping modern healthcare. As the landscape of healthcare continues to evolve, the role of medical devices is becoming both broader and more sophisticated. Innovation at the intersection of engineering, data science, and materials is driving real progress in diagnostics, therapy delivery, and patient care.

Industry Focus eBook - Neurology & Neuroscience (1st edition)

https://www.news-medical.net/industry-focus/Industry-Focus-eBook-Neurology-Neuroscience-(1st-edition) This Industry Focus eBook on Neurology and Neuroscience brings together expert perspectives on Alzheimer’s disease and the broader field of brain health. As progress in diagnostics, therapeutics, biomarker development, and digital health continues, our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and related neurological conditions is becoming more refined. Work taking place across research laboratories and clinical settings is informing earlier detection strategies, more precise measurement tools, and evolving approaches to patient care.

Industry focus eBook - Cell biology (3rd edition)

https://www.news-medical.net/industry-focus/Industry-focus-eBook--Cell-biology-(3rd-edition) Cell biology is advancing at a remarkable speed. From the choreography of molecular machines to breakthroughs in imaging and therapeutic design, researchers are uncovering new layers of complexity that define how cells function in health and disease. In our latest Cell Biology Industry Focus eBook, we’ve curated a collection of in-depth features and research highlights that reflect the vitality of this rapidly evolving field.

CDC report reveals what 24 years of nutrition biomarkers say about America’s health

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260524/CDC-report-reveals-what-24-years-of-nutrition-biomarkers-say-about-Americae28099s-health.aspx From vitamin status to omega-3 levels and supplement use, the forthcoming CDC report turns decades of NHANES blood and urine data into a national snapshot of America’s nutritional health. A brief communication published in the journal Current Developments in Nutrition provides an overview of the 2026 “National Report on Biochemical Indicators of Diet and Nutrition in the US Population,” scheduled for release in June 2026 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The availability of such easily accessible data on national health and nutrition helps identify problems, assign priorities, frame programs, and monitor interventions for effectiveness.

Genentech is soliciting research that can be used to blunt pharma reforms in Washington While such overtures are not uncommon, the company is being unusually direct about its interests

https://www.statnews.com/pharmalot/2026/05/22/genentech-soliciting-academics-write-papers-to-blunt-pharma-reforms-dc/ By Ed SilvermanMay 22, 2026 Pharmalot Columnist, Senior Writer

Check-in and intake at the doctor’s office are perfect for AI A chatbot would be more efficient — and perhaps more pleasant — than the status quo

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/22/chatbots-doctor-office-check-in-intake-ai/ By Risa JampelMay 22, 2026 Jampel is a board-certified dermatologist with a master’s in bioethics and is involved in projects related to AI and ethics.

Longevity startup Retro Biosciences says latest fundraising values it at $1.8 billion Sam Altman-backed company is seeking to add 10 health years to human lifespan

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/22/retro-biosciences-longevity-valuation/ By Allison DeAngelisMay 22, 2026 Biotech Startups and Venture Capital Reporter

Pioneering trial for treating genetic disease before birth nears reality UCSF team are in advanced talks with the FDA about first-in-human study of in utero gene therapy

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/20/tippi-mackenzie-in-utero-gene-therapy-nears-first-fda-trial/ By Megan MolteniMay 20, 2026 Science Writer

The China question is tearing biotech apart Its ascent is forcing U.S. firms and investors to pick a side: Is the country an ally or an existential threat?

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/18/biotech-industry-split-chinese-drugs-opportunity-versus-existential-threat/ By Damian GardeMay 18, 2026 Garde, who has covered biotech for nearly 15 years, spoke with more than a dozen investors, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders about how China has caused a rift between peers and partners.

Congress slashed Medicaid funding to providers. The Trump administration wants to cut even further Behavioral health providers, dentists, and doctors could face steep cuts

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/22/medicaid-state-directed-payments-trump-proposes-more-cuts/ By Tara BannowMay 22, 2026 Hospitals and Insurance Reporter

Eli Lilly says Verve’s gene editor lowers cholesterol levels in early study Treatment was center of $1 billion buyout By Jason MastMay 25, 2026 General Assignment Reporter

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/25/eli-lilly-verv-102-gene-editing-cholesterol-phase-1-trial-data/

A federal office of men’s health has never been closer, yet it’s likely still years away Despite growing bipartisan support, politics is pushing back its creation

https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/22/state-of-mens-health-act-new-office-slowed/?utm_campaign=daily_recap&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz---awfBe8y666qyScjOOAgeCHoYVAPCYS87iPoILtalNBJI0mOoz_2TF0G0Pt4Fah89rdA0MfCupFe7WwuRyPVTirYkCg&_hsmi=420166547&utm_content=420166547&utm_source=hs_email By Annalisa MerelliMay 22, 2026 Contributing Writer

Tablets and telehealth: expanding care reach by closing the digital divide Open Access Britni Wilcher , Josephine Jacobs , James Van Campen , Liberty Greene , Rachel Kimerling , Donna M Zulman

https://academic.oup.com/healthaffairsscholar/article/4/5/qxag066/8539058?login=false

The Need to Protect Older Immigrants’ Health in a Changing Policy Landscape Open Access Darrell J Gaskin, PhD , Kamaria Kaalund , Rachael R McCleary , Mervin Dino, MPH

https://academic.oup.com/healthaffairsscholar/advance-article/doi/10.1093/haschl/qxag127/8691155?rss=1&login=false

Advancing Medicare-Medicaid Integration In Fee-For-Service LTSS Systems Laura Chaise,Camille Dobson,Rachel Neely,andCourtney Priebe May 22, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/advancing-medicare-medicaid-integration-fee-service-ltss-systems?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8-aye7dMRmpll1751Z6QgUxmD8Fez02w8hE6UoYZcAZYZQ2240oh2_nZ5lhpNTZVfoQ63Okn_bvxJZjrlnkgMaIAm-KA&_hsmi=420157662&utm_source=hasu With funding from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, our ADvancing States team worked with states to pair research on successful rebalancing strategies with approaches to further integrate care for dual-eligible individuals.

The Business Of Autism Treatment: Private Equity Implications For State Medicaid Programs Yashaswini Singh,Corrie Mook,Jared Perkins,Nathan Hostert,andDaniel R. Arnold May 22, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/business-autism-treatment-private-equity-implications-state-medicaid-programs?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9TrR4WFLDHZVr1KMLUOJhc8iK6O2-MHvgWzs7cy1F1KYjW92FOMAgBMKH9u2Op-EZ6mDvizhGUDoQcp2iKqeUVFoPC3A&_hsmi=420157662&utm_source=hasu The rapid expansion of autism therapy for children has been driven by increased need, generous taxpayer-funded Medicaid payments, and private equity penetration. Some companies have capitalized on the opportunity, at times outpacing regulatory oversight.

Emergency Care Exposes Vulnerabilities In Choice-Based Health Reform: Evidence From The VA Anita A. VashiandKenneth W. Kizer May 21, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/emergency-care-exposes-vulnerabilities-choice-based-health-reform-evidence-va?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8VmwB8IFCUrL4AlPzD9F85rNJ396OgmPlHybozV9piFhj0GZTxmdbRFMucPAqe7OXQgQ5KB10ip_S8R4RCP4ZHCpZD2g&_hsmi=420157662&utm_source=hasu Without deliberately designed mechanisms for data integration and oversight, greater choice may weaken the accountability that is a hallmark benefit of integrated delivery systems.

In Times Of Disaster, FEMA Should Guarantee Rapid Replacement Of Assistive Devices For People With Disabilities Henry Bair May 21, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/times-disaster-fema-should-guarantee-rapid-replacement-assistive-devices-people?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8tYf4Ej3yLRrUYm-ZYx60hdCpSBMcnhnrMZkk_uZTtGXjSEcVDqk9Dyw6L6QxkVdhlbySr9GPsqi1sKYRducEQbDT99g&_hsmi=420157662&utm_source=hasu There’s still no dedicated, time-bound mechanism for replacing the devices a survivor needs to communicate with responders, move through damaged environments, or remain safely in the community. That needs to change.