US officially leaves World Health Organization
bbc - Trump ordered the withdrawal a year ago, accusing the UN agency of failing to adopt reforms and mishandling the pandemic.
AI Summary: The U.S. has officially completed its exit from the World Health Organization—a policy ordered over a year ago—while uncertainties remain regarding the full finalization timeline. This move marks a dramatic reorientation of America’s role in global health governance.
‘Vertical integration is destroying people’s ability to access care’: Payer CEOs face bipartisan congressional grilling
Jakob Emerson / beckershospitalreview - The CEOs of the nation’s largest health insurers drew the ire of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle during congressional hearings Jan. 22 over industry consolidation, prior authorization practices and executive pay, with members pressing executives to e…
AI Summary: Lawmakers grilled top health insurance executives in a high‐profile congressional hearing over rising healthcare costs, vertical integration and shifting of cost burdens to hospitals and drug makers. The grilling highlighted deep concerns over patient access and systemic inefficiencies in American healthcare.
5,500-year-old human skeleton discovered in Colombia holds the oldest evidence yet that syphilis came from the Americas
livescience - An ancient DNA analysis of a 5,500-year-old human skeleton reveals that an ancestor of the bacterium that causes syphilis was present in the Americas at least 3,000 years earlier than previously thought.
AI Summary: Researchers have uncovered compelling genetic evidence in 5500‐year‐old human remains from Colombia that extend the timeline for the syphilis-causing bacterium by thousands of years. The findings challenge long-held views on the disease’s emergence and suggest a broader, earlier evolutionary history in the Americas.
Why doing a mix of exercise could be the key to longer life
bbc - Don't just focus on one activity - doing a variety every week gives you more health benefits, a study suggests.
AI Summary: Recent research highlights that combining different types of physical activity – rather than sticking with just one – is associated with longer life and improved health. Experts suggest that cross-training may offer cumulative benefits that help maintain overall fitness and reduce risks linked to a sedentary lifestyle.
Epic & Providers Sue Health Gorilla Over Alleged Data Exploitation
Katie Adams / medcitynews - Epic Systems and several healthcare providers have sued Health Gorilla and other companies, alleging they exploited interoperability networks to improperly access and monetize nearly 300,000 patient medical records without consent.The post Epic & Provider…
AI Summary: A lawsuit has been filed by Epic Systems along with several major healthcare providers alleging that Health Gorilla exploited interoperability networks to access patient records for financial gain. The legal action raises questions about data security practices in digital health exchanges.
US overdose deaths fell through most of 2025, federal data reveals
go - U.S. overdose deaths fell through the most of last year, suggesting a lasting improvement in an epidemic that had been worsening for decades
AI Summary: New federal data reveal that overdose fatalities in the United States dropped markedly throughout most of 2025, signaling a potential turning point in a decades‐long worsening epidemic. Concerns over opioid misuse remain, but these trends hint at improved outcomes.
European women's lung cancer mortality rates predicted to level off by 2026
medicalxpress - After increasing for more than 25 years, lung cancer death rates are finally leveling off among women in European Union (EU) countries apart from Spain, according to predictions of mortality rates from the disease for 2026.
AI Summary: After more than 25 years of steadily rising death rates, recent findings indicate that lung cancer mortality among European women is now stabilizing—with projections extending to 2026 in most EU nations. Health experts view this as a promising sign that improved screening, prevention, and treatment strategies are beginning to have an impact.
F.D.A. Decisions on Abortion Pill Were Based on Science, New Analysis Finds
Pam Belluck / nytimes - A study of more than 5,000 pages of agency documents on mifepristone over 12 years found that agency leaders almost always followed the evidence-based recommendations of scientists.
AI Summary: New in‑depth analyses of internal FDA documents reveal that regulatory decisions on the abortion pill mifepristone were firmly based on thorough evidence rather than political pressure, dispelling common misconceptions about politicized review processes.
No Link Between Acetaminophen in Pregnancy and Autism, a New Study Finds
Azeen Ghorayshi / nytimes - The review looked at more than three dozen studies and found no evidence that acetaminophen increased the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children.
AI Summary: A new comprehensive review of more than three dozen studies found no evidence that taking acetaminophen during pregnancy increases the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, ADHD or intellectual disabilities. Despite lingering public anxiety and the occasional skeptical quip, expectant mothers can take a breath of relief.
Life-extending prostate cancer drug to be offered to thousands in England
bbc - Abiraterone will be available in a matter of weeks and will be offered to 7,000 men a year.
AI Summary: Health authorities in England have announced that nearly 7,000 additional men with hormone‐sensitive prostate cancer will soon be eligible for abiraterone—a breakthrough treatment that extends survival. The drug is expected to be available within weeks, marking a significant step forward in targeted prostate cancer care.
FDA rejects cancer therapy for rare post-transplant disease
Ella Jeffries / beckershospitalreview - Atara Biotherapeutics received a second complete response letter from the FDA for its biologics license application for Ebvallo (tabelecleucel). The letter, received Jan. 9, said the FDA no longer considers the single-arm ALLELE trial adequate to support …
AI Summary: The FDA has again rejected Atara’s cell therapy aimed at treating rare post‐transplant complications linked to Epstein–Barr virus. Despite high hopes for this innovative approach, regulatory concerns remain over its safety and efficacy—clearly a “repeat performance” in the world of breakthrough therapies.
Judge orders HHS to restore funding for children's health programs as lawsuit continues
go - A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to restore nearly $12 million in funding to the American Academy of Pediatrics
AI Summary: A federal judge has stepped in to save nearly US$12 million for the American Academy of Pediatrics – not exactly a miracle cure, but a legal fix that forces HHS to undo its funding cuts. The order guarantees critical support for children’s health programs amid ongoing litigation.
US reports 168 new measles cases with outbreak in South Carolina
medicalxpress - The U.S. measles outbreak that drove cases to a 34-year high in 2025 shows no signs of slowing, as 168 more people have become infected since the start of the new year.
AI Summary: Multiple reports indicate a concerning surge in measles cases in South Carolina. One update cites 168 new cases, another confirms 124 new cases, while further news describes the outbreak spreading into neighboring states such as North Carolina and Ohio. Health officials are urging prompt vaccination and coordinated public health interventions to curb the outbreak.
CDC studies show value of nationwide wastewater disease surveillance, as potential funding cut looms
medicalxpress - Wastewater testing can alert public health officials to measles infections days to months before cases are confirmed by doctors, researchers said in two studies published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
AI Summary: New CDC studies reveal that nationwide wastewater testing can detect disease outbreaks days to weeks before clinical diagnoses, offering a critical early warning system. Yet, as potential funding cuts loom, public health officials warn that sustaining this innovative surveillance method is essential for proactive outbreak management.
AI Model Identifies How Every Country Can Improve Its Cancer Outcomes
esmo - For the first time, researchers have used machine learning – a type of artificial intelligence (AI) – to identify the most important drivers of cancer survival in nearly all the countries in the world
AI Summary: A novel machine‐learning model has pinpointed key drivers that could boost cancer outcomes worldwide. By analyzing extensive global health data, the model reveals actionable strategies to reduce mortality and enhance patient care, providing policymakers with a quantitative blueprint for impactful intervention.
- AI Innovations in Cancer (7)
- Clinical Advances & Trials (9)
- Other Developments (1)
- Policy & Advocacy Collaborations (4)
- All Other Stories
AI Innovations in Cancer
Clinical Advances & Trials
Other Developments
Policy & Advocacy Collaborations
All Other Stories
Compounding pharmacy sues Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk over GLP-1 access
Ella Jeffries / beckershospitalreview - Strive Compounding Pharmacy filed a federal antitrust lawsuit Jan. 14 against Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, alleging the two drugmakers used their market power to restrict access to compounded GLP-1 medications and suppress competition. The lawsuit, filed i…
AI Summary: A compounding pharmacy has taken legal aim at industry giants Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk, alleging an anti‑competitive scheme designed to restrict access to their blockbuster GLP‑1 therapies. The lawsuit puts the pharmaceutical titans on the defensive as antitrust concerns mix with therapeutic access debates.
NVIDIA and Eli Lilly Launch $1B AI Co-Innovation Lab to Reinvent Drug Discovery
oncodaily - Dave Ricks, Chair, CEO at Eli Lilly and Company, shared Eli Lilly and Company‘s post on LinkedIn, adding: “Exciting news from the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference: Lilly and NVIDIA are joining […]
AI Summary: Eli Lilly and Nvidia have teamed up to invest up to $1 billion in a brand‑new AI lab aimed at reinventing drug discovery. This collaborative venture promises to streamline R&D with cutting‑edge artificial intelligence while hinting that pharma’s reliance on tech is evolving – and it’s not all sci‑fi smoke and mirrors.
FDA moves to remove suicide warnings from GLP-1 weight loss drugs
medicalxpress - Federal health regulators say popular weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound do not increase the risk of suicidal thoughts, and they have asked drugmakers to remove those warnings from medication labels.
AI Summary: In a surprising twist, the FDA has decided that the long‐rumored risk of suicidal ideation on popular GLP‑1 weight‐loss drugs may have been overblown. Regulators have now asked drugmakers – including Lilly and Novo Nordisk – to scrub these warnings from product labels, a move that is sure to spark both relief and raised eyebrows among critics.
H.H.S. Reverses Decision to Cut $2 Billion for Mental Health and Addiction Services
Jan Hoffman / nytimes - A day after funding termination notices went out to more than 2,000 programs nationwide, the administration reversed itself and reinstated the money.
AI Summary: After sending termination notices that slashed billions in funding for thousands of substance abuse and mental health programs, the Trump administration abruptly backtracked. Critics blasted the move as a chaotic flip-flop that left vital services in limbo and fueled political outrage.
US healthcare spending climbed 7.2% in 2024: 8 things to know
Kelly Gooch / beckershospitalreview - U.S. healthcare spending reached $5.3 trillion in 2024, a 7.2% increase from $4.9 trillion the previous year, and similar to 7.4% growth in 2023, according to a CMS analysis published Jan. 14 by Health Affairs. Eight things to know, per the analysis: 1. H…
AI Summary: New data released by CMS reveals that US healthcare spending reached an all‐time high of $5.3 trillion in 2024, with a 7.2% increase driven largely by enhanced utilization and heavier use of medical services. The report underscores persistent growth trends in spending despite ongoing cost‐containment efforts.