All articles tagged with #healthcare
A Stamford Superior Court jury awarded $49 million to a Darien woman who claimed her gynecologist failed to follow standard monitoring for high-risk HPV, allowing cervical cancer to progress to late-stage metastatic disease; the verdict found the defendants negligent, with $39 million to the patient and $10 million to her husband, and Westmed indicated it will pursue post-trial motions and an appeal.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the dismantling of a major hospice fraud scheme that defrauded the state of about $267 million, with 21 people charged in Los Angeles.
WIRED tests Muse Spark, Meta's health-focused AI, which encourages users to paste lab results and biometric data for analysis, but privacy risks loom since data can be stored to train models and used for ads, HIPAA protections don’t apply to consumer AI, and experts warn the tool is not a doctor and can give risky guidance (including an extreme fasting plan).
An Orange County man pleaded guilty to leading a scheme that billed Medi-Cal from May 2022 to April 2023 for expensive, often unnecessary drugs via Monte Vista Pharmacy, totaling nearly $270 million with about $178 million paid; funds were laundered and kickbacks were used, and he faces a statutory maximum of 30 years in prison at sentencing on August 3.
Epic Games laid off more than 1,000 employees to cut costs; terminally ill programmer Mike Prinke reportedly lost his life insurance due to the layoff, prompting Tim Sweeney to pledge that Epic will 'solve the insurance' for the family and be in contact, highlighting ongoing concerns about employer-based health coverage in the US.
AstraZeneca's anti-IL-33 antibody tozorakimab posted positive Phase 3 results in COPD (Oberon and Titania), reducing the annualized rate of moderate-to-severe exacerbations versus placebo in former smokers and showing benefit across the overall population, with a favorable safety profile. The drug’s supposed differentiation comes from complete inhibition of ST2 and RAGE/EGFR signaling, unlike rivals Roche and Sanofi/Regeneron’s IL-33 blockers that produced mixed results. AZ plans to present full data at an upcoming meeting and is pursuing two additional Phase 3 trials (Prospero, Miranda), while maintaining a target of potentially $3–5 billion in peak sales if approved.
For the third time ever, women now outnumber men in the U.S. workforce, driven by rapid growth in health-care jobs dominated by women and a decline in male participation, with many expanding roles paying less than traditional male-dominated sectors. Experts note barriers keep men from HEAL professions (health, education, care), and that boosting male participation could help address labor shortages and improve representation in vital fields.
Rocket Pharmaceuticals announced that the FDA granted accelerated approval for KRESLADI (marnetegragene autotemcel), an autologous hematopoietic stem cell–based gene therapy for pediatric patients with severe LAD-I due to ITGB2 variants who lack an HLA-matched donor. Approval is based on increased neutrophil CD18/CD11a expression and will rely on longer-term follow-up data and a post‑marketing registry to confirm benefit. The FDA also awarded Rocket a Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher, which the company plans to monetize. LAD-I is ultra-rare and causes recurrent life-threatening infections; safety concerns include infections during conditioning, veno-occlusive disease, engraftment failure, potential insertional oncogenesis, hypersensitivity, anti-retroviral interactions, and possible HIV test false positives, necessitating long-term monitoring. A conference call is planned for March 27, 2026.
Thousands of Kaiser Permanente mental health workers staged a 24-hour strike in Northern California, voicing fears that AI and automation are replacing licensed clinicians. They report triage and screenings being handled by unlicensed staff or apps, while management pressures charting and patient visits. Kaiser denies widespread automation, but union members, joined by thousands of nurses, say AI is already changing roles and worsening working conditions.
A federal judge ruled that the government overreached its authority in issuing a transgender health care declaration, signaling limits on how federal agencies can frame or enforce transgender health policy.
HSBC analyst Rajesh Kumar downgraded Eli Lilly (LLY) from Hold to Sell, arguing that pricing dynamics and a downsized total addressable market, intensified competition from Novo Nordisk, and potential headwinds for Lilly’s oral obesity drug orforglipron could limit upside; he cut the price target from $1,070 to $850 as TAM is viewed at about $80–120B versus consensus around $150B+, while the broader market remains bullish with a Strong Buy consensus and ~36% upside over the next year.
Johnson & Johnson won U.S. approval for Icotyde, a daily oral medication for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in patients 12 and older, designed to mimic the effects of top-selling injectables like Skyrizi and Tremfya without injections. The pill could expand the patient market and is projected to reach more than $5 billion in peak annual sales, potentially reshaping competition in a multibillion-dollar field.
The FDA approved ICOTYDE (icotrokinra), the first oral peptide that selectively blocks the IL-23 receptor, for adults and adolescents 12+ weighing at least 40 kg with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy. In Phase 3 ICONIC trials, about 70% achieved IGA 0/1 and 55% reached PASI-90 by Week 16, with adverse events similar to placebo through Week 16 and no new safety signals through Week 52, suggesting a convenient once-daily option that could shift systemic treatment patterns. Johnson & Johnson notes patient support via ICOTYDE withMe and collaboration with Protagonist Therapeutics.
Sutter Health and Allina Health have signed a Letter of Intent to merge into a single nonprofit system spanning Northern California, Minnesota and Wisconsin, with Allina becoming the Upper Midwest Division of Sutter Health. The plan aims to expand access and affordability, reduce administrative burdens via AI and digital tools, accelerate physician recruitment, advance research, and invest over $2 billion to grow ambulatory and specialty care sites, improve scheduling, and enhance patient and caregiver experiences. The combined network would include 39 hospitals, 400+ care sites, 18,000 physicians, 88,000 employees, serving more than 5 million patients, with a closing target by the end of 2026 pending regulatory approval.
President Trump publicly revealed that Rep. Neal Dunn has a terminal heart illness and was initially predicted to die by June, a diagnosis linked to Dunn’s January retirement announcement; Dunn, a Florida Republican and surgeon, reportedly underwent procedures and has since appeared energized as he leaves Congress.