When should you get a mammogram? Conflicting advice makes it hard to know
medicalxpress - Deciding when to get routine mammograms is confusing. Some health groups recommend women begin at age 40 or 45 while another recently opted for age 50. They also differ on whether yearly or every other year is best.
AI Summary: Conflicting guidance about when to start and how often to perform mammography continues to confuse patients and clinicians, complicating shared decision‑making. Experts urge individualized risk assessment and clearer communication of benefits and harms to reduce both undertreatment and unnecessary anxiety, because apparently screening schedules enjoy being controversial.
- Patient confusion over mammogram timing (2)
- Risk-based screening: AI and trials (3)
- USPSTF political shake-up threatens screening guidance (4)
- All Other Stories
Patient confusion over mammogram timing
Risk-based screening: AI and trials
USPSTF political shake-up threatens screening guidance
All Other Stories
Women’s experiences are forgotten in research on childbirth and breastfeeding
Thomas Saïas, Professeur de psychologie, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) / theconversation - Two studies in the field of perinatal care show how, in the areas of breastfeeding and obstetrics, science prioritizes risk and the baby at the expense of mothers’ well-being.
AI Summary: New analyses show that research into childbirth and breastfeeding repeatedly sidelines women's firsthand experiences, prioritizing clinical metrics over lived realities. Experts warn this gap limits understanding of postpartum challenges, skews policy and perpetuates poorer care. Calls are growing for qualitative measures, patient-centered outcomes and inclusive study designs that actually listen to mothers.
- Clinical and policy focus on fetus over mothers' care (3)
- Mothers’ experiences ignored in childbirth and breastfeeding research (4)
- Women’s pain and reproductive conditions dismissed by medicine (4)
- All Other Stories
Clinical and policy focus on fetus over mothers' care
Mothers’ experiences ignored in childbirth and breastfeeding research
Women’s pain and reproductive conditions dismissed by medicine
All Other Stories
Sleep and diet may matter more than exercise for buffering the health toll of chronic stress
Nick Turner, Professor and Future Fund Chair in Leadership, Haskayne School of Business, University / theconversation - A 10-year study of nearly 3,000 Canadian workers finds that sleep quality and diet do more to protect health under chronic work stress than exercise.
AI Summary: New research suggests sleep quality and dietary patterns buffer the physiological harms of chronic stress more effectively than exercise alone. The findings point to prioritizing sleep and nutrition in stress mitigation programs and clinical advice, reminding clinicians and patients that the obvious — rest and real food — still matter more than the latest workout trend.
Prosecutors seek NYU hospital information on gender-affirming care for children
abcnews - A New York health care system has received a federal grand jury subpoena issued in Texas seeking information about children who received gender-affirming care and the medical providers who administered it
AI Summary: Federal prosecutors have issued a subpoena seeking NYU Langone medical records related to gender-affirming care for minors, escalating legal scrutiny of hospital practices. Authorities are pursuing documentation and communications as part of an inquiry into pediatric services; the move could prompt broader institutional reviews and legal battles over patient privacy and standards of care.
Antiviral ensitrelvir cuts risk of COVID-19 in household contacts by two-thirds, study finds
medicalxpress - The antiviral drug ensitrelvir prevents infection in household contacts of COVID-19 patients when given within 72 hours after symptom onset in the index patient, according to a Phase III randomized controlled trial published in the New England Journal of …
AI Summary: A randomized trial shows the oral antiviral ensitrelvir, used as post‑exposure prophylaxis, reduced the risk of symptomatic COVID‑19 in household contacts by roughly two‑thirds. The finding suggests a practical option for preventing spread after close exposure, offering public‑health teams a less dramatic but highly useful tool than lockdowns.
FDA clears 1st AI sepsis monitoring tool
Giles Bruce / beckershospitalreview - A tool from tech company Bayesian Health has become the first continuous AI sepsis monitor to gain FDA approval. The solution monitors hospital patients to detect deterioration and flag sepsis early on. The application was developed at Baltimore-based Joh…
AI Summary: Regulators have cleared the first AI‑driven sepsis early‑warning system for clinical deployment, enabling hospitals to use algorithmic alerts to identify patients at risk of deterioration earlier. The clearance opens the door for broader adoption of AI in acute care while renewing debates about clinical oversight, false alarms and integration into existing workflows.
License to deliver: Some midwives break the law to assist with home births
medicalxpress - In a midwife's suburban Atlanta home with a playground and chicken coop outside, Madie Collins lay on an examination table while the midwife measured her pregnant belly. Unlike at many a doctor's office, no crinkly paper sheet covered the table and no ant…
AI Summary: A growing number of midwives are reportedly supporting planned home births outside legal frameworks, knowingly operating without required licences. Regulators and health systems face a tricky balance between enforcing safety standards and meeting demand for community-based birthing options. Expect investigations, heated debates, and at least one bureaucrat suddenly very busy.
What to know about new Ebola outbreak that has killed 65 people in Congo
medicalxpress - Africa's top public health body has confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in Congo's Ituri province, the 17th since the disease first emerged in the country in 1976.
AI Summary: Health authorities have confirmed a fresh Ebola outbreak in a remote province of the Democratic Republic of Congo that has killed roughly 65 people. Public-health teams are scrambling to trace contacts, ramp up surveillance, and deploy vaccines and treatments amid logistical and security hurdles. Containment hinges on rapid mobilization and local cooperation.
- Confirmed Ituri outbreak: cases, deaths and on-the-ground response (4)
- Vaccine shortages, high lethality and push for new vaccines (3)
- WHO declares global health emergency; international response underway (4)
- All Other Stories
Confirmed Ituri outbreak: cases, deaths and on-the-ground response
Vaccine shortages, high lethality and push for new vaccines
WHO declares global health emergency; international response underway
All Other Stories
Positive VOLGA Phase III Results for Imfinzi Plus Neoadjuvant EV in MIBC
oncodaily - On May 14, 2026, AstraZeneca announced positive high-level results from a planned interim analysis of the Phase III VOLGA trial, evaluating perioperative Imfinzi with or without Imjudo in combination with […]
AI Summary: Phase III VOLGA trial results reveal that combining durvalumab (Imfinzi) with neoadjuvant enfortumab vedotin improved survival outcomes in muscle‑invasive bladder cancer. Investigators and industry voices highlight potential practice-changing implications for perioperative therapy, while stakeholders weigh regulatory filings and integration into treatment guidelines. Clinicians will want full datasets and toxicity details.
- Clinician reactions, biology and resistance concerns (4)
- Global GU oncology meetings and community coverage (3)
- VOLGA Phase III readout and regulatory landscape (3)
- All Other Stories
Clinician reactions, biology and resistance concerns
Global GU oncology meetings and community coverage
VOLGA Phase III readout and regulatory landscape
All Other Stories
Supreme Court preserves access to abortion pill by mail
Sydney Halleman / healthcaredive - The ruling maintains access to mifepristone while litigation continues. The drug can still be prescribed at pharmacies or by mail without requiring in-person visits.
AI Summary: The Supreme Court intervened to maintain access to mifepristone, temporarily restoring telehealth prescribing and preserving mail distribution while litigation proceeds. The decision keeps the pill available nationwide, blocking lower-court restrictions that would have sharply limited remote access and complicated routine clinical care for patients and providers.
Bristol Myers Squibb and Hengrui Forge $15.2 Billion Strategic Alliance, Reshaping China-Out Licensing Landscape
oncodaily - Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) and Jiangsu Hengrui Pharma (600276.SH; 01276.HK) on Tuesday unveiled one of the largest cross-border biopharma collaborations of the year: a global strategic alliance encompassing 13 […]
AI Summary: Bristol Myers Squibb and Hengrui Pharma announced a sweeping strategic alliance covering multiple oncology assets, with potential payments and milestones that could reach roughly $15.2 billion. The deal bundles discovery, development and commercialization rights, reshaping China‑out‑licensing dynamics and signaling continued consolidation and collaboration in global cancer drug development.
CMS launches initiative to speed electronic prior authorization adoption
Emily Olsen / healthcaredive - The effort, part of the agency’s ambitious Health Tech Ecosystem, aims to accelerate the industry’s progress before requirements on electronic prior authorization go into effect next year.
AI Summary: CMS launched a national initiative to accelerate adoption of electronic prior authorization, recruiting major health‑IT vendors and health systems to pilot interoperable digital workflows. The program aims to cut paperwork and speed care decisions by automating approvals, though providers warn integration challenges and real‑world impact will take time to materialize.
- AI and automation firms reshaping prior authorization workflows (4)
- CMS' national push to accelerate electronic prior authorization (3)
- Policy fights, insurer delays and patient impact of prior auth (4)
- All Other Stories
AI and automation firms reshaping prior authorization workflows
CMS' national push to accelerate electronic prior authorization
Policy fights, insurer delays and patient impact of prior auth
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US drug overdose deaths fall for 3rd straight year: 5 notes
Kristin Kuchno / beckershospitalreview - An estimated 69,973 Americans died of drug overdoses in the 12-month period ending December 2025, a 13.9% decline from the previous year and the third consecutive year that figure has dropped, according to CDC data published May 13. The decline marks the …
AI Summary: Provisional data show U.S. drug-overdose deaths fell for the third straight year, marking a welcome dip in a long-running crisis. Public-health experts caution the improvement masks shifting drug supplies, regional variation and policy gaps, urging sustained prevention, treatment access and surveillance to avoid backsliding.
CMS pauses hospice, home health Medicare enrollments in fraud crackdown
fiercehealthcare - The Trump administration has issued a six-month moratorium on hospice and home health agencies enrolling in Medicare as part of its efforts to combat fraud.
AI Summary: CMS has suspended new Medicare enrollments for hospice and home health providers nationwide amid a fraud crackdown, pausing approvals while investigators audit suspicious applications and billing patterns. The freeze seeks to protect patients and taxpayer dollars, though it may delay access where new providers were expected to step in — because apparently some providers preferred creative billing over care.
- Nationwide moratorium on hospice and home health enrollments (4)
- Policy and patient access fallout from the freeze (3)
- White House fraud crackdown and enforcement sweep (4)
- All Other Stories
Nationwide moratorium on hospice and home health enrollments
Policy and patient access fallout from the freeze
White House fraud crackdown and enforcement sweep
All Other Stories
Mayo Clinic CEO Gianrico Farrugia stepping down at year's end
fiercehealthcare - Mayo Clinic is looking for a new leader as Gianrico Farrugia, M.D., who has served as president and CEO since 2019, announced he would step down at the end of this year.
AI Summary: Gianrico Farrugia will step down as Mayo Clinic CEO at the end of the year, closing a chapter at one of the nation’s flagship health systems. The move triggers leadership succession planning and board attention amid continuing strategic and operational challenges, as the institution prepares for new stewardship while reassuring staff and patients.
Optum Rx unveils new transparent PBM model
fiercehealthcare - UnitedHealth Group's pharmacy benefit manager, Optum Rx, is making the shift to a more transparent model, the company announced Monday.
AI Summary: Optum Rx unveiled a new pharmacy benefit model that separates drug list prices from PBM fees and adopts clearer pass‑through pricing. Aimed at employers and payers fed up with opaque pharmacy economics, the proposal promises simpler contracts and fee clarity — an attempt to make PBMs boringly accountable and maybe slightly less profitable.
- Industry responses to rising drug costs and PBM models (4)
- Lawmakers and states press PBM vertical-integration reform (4)
- Optum Rx unveils transparent PBM model (4)
- All Other Stories
Industry responses to rising drug costs and PBM models
Lawmakers and states press PBM vertical-integration reform
Optum Rx unveils transparent PBM model
All Other Stories
F.D.A. Commissioner Marty Makary Resigns After Weeks of Pressure
Christina Jewett / nytimes - The agency’s top food official will step in as acting commissioner, after Dr. Makary’s tumultuous run as the nation’s top food, drug, tobacco and medical device regulator.
AI Summary: F.D.A. commissioner Marty Makary resigned after weeks of intense scrutiny and internal pressure over leadership and policy choices, following reports he faced possible removal. The agency now confronts leadership turbulence as officials rush to steady regulatory priorities, reassure stakeholders and clean up an exit that leaves unfinished reviews and awkward staff memos.
- Firing reports and buildup to Makary's ouster (4)
- Regulatory ripple effects and agency departures (3)
- Resignation announced and immediate leadership vacuum (5)
- All Other Stories
Firing reports and buildup to Makary's ouster
Regulatory ripple effects and agency departures
Resignation announced and immediate leadership vacuum
All Other Stories
PCOS has been officially renamed PMOS, and it’s a momentous move
newscientist - PCOS will now be known as PMOS (polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome), and for Alice Klein, who has the conditon, it's been a long time coming
AI Summary: Medical experts have rebranded polycystic ovary syndrome as "polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome" (PMOS) to better reflect its metabolic and endocrine drivers and improve diagnosis and treatment for about 170 million affected women worldwide. The change follows years of debate over an inaccurate name and aims to reduce misdiagnosis and guide more targeted care—because calling it something sensible might actually help.
Healthcare bankruptcies increased 33% in Q1: 6 things to know
Andrew Cass / beckershospitalreview - Healthcare Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings rose to 12 cases in the first quarter of 2026, up from 9 cases in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to an April report by Gibbins Advisors. The report analyzed Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings with liabilities of …
AI Summary: A new report finds healthcare bankruptcies rose 33% in the first quarter, underscoring mounting financial pressure across providers from squeezed margins, rising expenses and a tricky reimbursement environment. The surge raises concerns about patient access, consolidation and creditor fallout, and suggests policymakers and executives may need to stop pinching pennies and start fixing structural problems.
- Budgeting, Labor and Management Fixes Under Strain (5)
- Closures, Downgrades and State Rescue Responses (4)
- Q1 Bankruptcy Surge: Numbers and Sector Breakdown (3)
- All Other Stories
Budgeting, Labor and Management Fixes Under Strain
Closures, Downgrades and State Rescue Responses
Q1 Bankruptcy Surge: Numbers and Sector Breakdown
All Other Stories
A Cancer Driven by Ultra-Rare Mutation Gets Its First FDA-Approved Therapy
Frank Vinluan / medcitynews - Partner Therapeutics’ Bizengri is now FDA approved for treating advanced cases of cholangiocarcinoma driven by NRG1 gene fusions. Partner acquired U.S. rights to this bispecific antibody from Merus in 2024. The post A Cancer Driven by Ultra-Rare Mutation …
AI Summary: The FDA approved zenocutuzumab‑zbco for NRG1‑fusion–positive cholangiocarcinoma, delivering the first cleared therapy for cancers driven by this ultra‑rare genomic alteration. Trial data showed meaningful responses in heavily pretreated patients, prompting regulators to greenlight a precision option that offers targeted benefit where none existed — a small‑population win for genomic oncology.