Hotdogs and motorways: The ripples created by Denmark's Ozempic and Wegovy boom
(bbc.com)
American demand for weight-loss drugs is supercharging Denmark’s economy and transforming a small Danish community into an unlikely boomtown.
American demand for weight-loss drugs is supercharging Denmark’s economy and transforming a small Danish community into an unlikely boomtown.
China's leap in pharma: slow and fast trends behind its rise
(alexkesin.com)
In 2024, China’s pharmaceutical industry made headlines. To some extent – it was one of the biggest shocks of last year. Once known primarily for generic drugs and contract manufacturing, China is now producing innovative therapies, attracting major investments, and striking high-profile deals with Western pharma – something few expected only a decade ago would happen.
In 2024, China’s pharmaceutical industry made headlines. To some extent – it was one of the biggest shocks of last year. Once known primarily for generic drugs and contract manufacturing, China is now producing innovative therapies, attracting major investments, and striking high-profile deals with Western pharma – something few expected only a decade ago would happen.
IVF insurance startup Future Family promises a baby or your money back
(techcrunch.com)
For decades, couples going through in vitro fertilization have had to spend tens of thousands of dollars on the procedures with no guarantee of success.
For decades, couples going through in vitro fertilization have had to spend tens of thousands of dollars on the procedures with no guarantee of success.
UnitedHealth laying off 30-35k employees by May 1
(reddit.com)
Unitedhealth laying off 30 - 35k by May 1recently laid off (self.Layoffs)
Unitedhealth laying off 30 - 35k by May 1recently laid off (self.Layoffs)
Why community pharmacies are closing – and what to do if yours shutters
(theconversation.com)
Neighborhood pharmacies are rapidly shuttering.
Neighborhood pharmacies are rapidly shuttering.
When Doctors with A.I. Are Outperformed by A.I. Alone
(erictopol.substack.com)
A recent M.I.T.-Harvard study, of which one of us, Dr. Rajpurkar, is an author, examined how radiologists diagnose potential diseases from chest X-rays. The study found that when radiologists were shown A.I. predictions about the likelihood of disease, they often undervalued the A.I. input compared to their own judgment. The doctors stuck to their initial impressions even when the A.I. was correct, which led them to make less accurate diagnoses.
A recent M.I.T.-Harvard study, of which one of us, Dr. Rajpurkar, is an author, examined how radiologists diagnose potential diseases from chest X-rays. The study found that when radiologists were shown A.I. predictions about the likelihood of disease, they often undervalued the A.I. input compared to their own judgment. The doctors stuck to their initial impressions even when the A.I. was correct, which led them to make less accurate diagnoses.
How Medical Research Cuts Would Hit Colleges and Hospitals in Every State
(nytimes.com)
A proposal by the Trump administration to reduce the size of grants for institutions conducting medical research would have far-reaching effects, and not just for elite universities and the coastal states where many are located.
A proposal by the Trump administration to reduce the size of grants for institutions conducting medical research would have far-reaching effects, and not just for elite universities and the coastal states where many are located.
'It's a money game to them':son takes on UnitedHealth over elderly father's care
(theguardian.com)
Two years ago, Robby Martin got an unsettling call from his father, Jackie. The 82-year-old told his son that a representative of the insurance giant UnitedHealth Group had barged into his nursing home room at 2.30 in the morning, announcing that he was going to be checked out at the end of the week.
Two years ago, Robby Martin got an unsettling call from his father, Jackie. The 82-year-old told his son that a representative of the insurance giant UnitedHealth Group had barged into his nursing home room at 2.30 in the morning, announcing that he was going to be checked out at the end of the week.
Larry Ellison wants to put all America's data in AI, including DNA
(theregister.com)
If governments want AI to improve services and security for their citizens, then they need to put all their information in one place – even citizens’ genomic data – according to Larry Ellison, the Oracle database tycoon.
If governments want AI to improve services and security for their citizens, then they need to put all their information in one place – even citizens’ genomic data – according to Larry Ellison, the Oracle database tycoon.
Cheap blood test detects pancreatic cancer before it spreads
(nature.com)
Researchers have developed a simple blood test to detect pancreatic cancer before it spreads to other sites in the body.
Researchers have developed a simple blood test to detect pancreatic cancer before it spreads to other sites in the body.
A Leftist Activist Group Helped Torpedo a Psychedelic Therapy
(nytimes.com)
After more than three decades of planning and a $250 million investment, Lykos Therapeutics’ application for the first psychedelic drug to reach federal regulators was expected to be a shoo-in.
After more than three decades of planning and a $250 million investment, Lykos Therapeutics’ application for the first psychedelic drug to reach federal regulators was expected to be a shoo-in.
UnitedHealth hired a defamation law firm to go after social media posts
(fortune.com)
UnitedHealth hired a defamation law firm to go after social media posts criticizing the company
UnitedHealth hired a defamation law firm to go after social media posts criticizing the company
NIH's drastic cut to indirect cost rates is a critical threat to US research
(statnews.com)
The National Institutes of Health has made a landmark decision that could irreparably damage the backbone of American scientific innovation: a dramatic reduction in the indirect cost rate for research grants.
The National Institutes of Health has made a landmark decision that could irreparably damage the backbone of American scientific innovation: a dramatic reduction in the indirect cost rate for research grants.
Veterans Affairs reboots Oracle health records project for $330M
(theregister.com)
The US Department of Veterans Affairs has restarted a project to implement Oracle electronic health records in its hospitals after the project was suspended in 2023.
The US Department of Veterans Affairs has restarted a project to implement Oracle electronic health records in its hospitals after the project was suspended in 2023.
UnitedHealth Hires Defamation Firm over Social Media Posts
(bloomberglaw.com)
UnitedHealth Group Inc. has hired a prominent defamation law firm to counter what it sees as inaccurate and irresponsible social media posts about the company’s practices.
UnitedHealth Group Inc. has hired a prominent defamation law firm to counter what it sees as inaccurate and irresponsible social media posts about the company’s practices.
Show HN: CoPlay – Enabling In-Room Xbox Gaming for Children's Hospitals
(coplay.io)
CoPlay XM is a tool built to help alleviate the common challenges faced by hospitals and organizations when managing fleets of Xbox consoles and users. It automates the process of monitoring and controlling the interactions of groups of xbox live users, adding/removing friends, and wiping user data.
CoPlay XM is a tool built to help alleviate the common challenges faced by hospitals and organizations when managing fleets of Xbox consoles and users. It automates the process of monitoring and controlling the interactions of groups of xbox live users, adding/removing friends, and wiping user data.
'No medical evidence' to support Lucy Letby's conviction, expert panel finds
(theguardian.com)
Babies the former nurse Lucy Letby was convicted of murdering were in fact the victims of “bad medical care” or deteriorated as a result of natural causes, an expert panel has concluded.
Babies the former nurse Lucy Letby was convicted of murdering were in fact the victims of “bad medical care” or deteriorated as a result of natural causes, an expert panel has concluded.
Predicting sex from retinal fundus photographs using deep learning (2021)
(nature.com)
Deep learning may transform health care, but model development has largely been dependent on availability of advanced technical expertise.
Deep learning may transform health care, but model development has largely been dependent on availability of advanced technical expertise.
Health Data of 1M Americans Stolen by Hackers
(newsweek.com)
A Connecticut-based healthcare provider has confirmed that a hacker was able to access the sensitive data of more than a million patients.
A Connecticut-based healthcare provider has confirmed that a hacker was able to access the sensitive data of more than a million patients.
Medical billing firm Medusind discloses breach affecting 360k people
(bleepingcomputer.com)
Medusind, a leading billing provider for healthcare organizations, is notifying hundreds of thousands of individuals of a data breach that exposed their personal and health information more than a year ago, in December 2023.
Medusind, a leading billing provider for healthcare organizations, is notifying hundreds of thousands of individuals of a data breach that exposed their personal and health information more than a year ago, in December 2023.
Backdoor found in two healthcare patient monitors, linked to IP in China
(bleepingcomputer.com)
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is warning that Contec CMS8000 devices, a widely used healthcare patient monitoring device, include a backdoor that quietly sends patient data to a remote IP address and downloads and executes files on the device.
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is warning that Contec CMS8000 devices, a widely used healthcare patient monitoring device, include a backdoor that quietly sends patient data to a remote IP address and downloads and executes files on the device.
Instagram and Facebook Blocked and Hid Abortion Pill Providers' Posts
(nytimes.com)
Instagram and Facebook have recently blurred, blocked or removed posts from two abortion pill providers. Instagram also suspended the accounts of several abortion pill providers and hid the providers from appearing in search and recommendations.
Instagram and Facebook have recently blurred, blocked or removed posts from two abortion pill providers. Instagram also suspended the accounts of several abortion pill providers and hid the providers from appearing in search and recommendations.
Patient Monitor Contec CMS8000 Contains a Backdoor
(cisa.gov)
This fact sheet details an analysis of three firmware package versions of the Contec CMS8000, a patient monitor used by the U.S. Healthcare and Public Health (HPH) sector. Analysts discovered that an embedded backdoor function with a hard-coded IP address, CWE – 912: Hidden Functionality (CVE-2025-0626), and functionality that enables patient data spillage, CWE – 359: Exposure of Private Personal Information to an Unauthorized Actor (CVE-2025-0683), exists in all versions analyzed.
This fact sheet details an analysis of three firmware package versions of the Contec CMS8000, a patient monitor used by the U.S. Healthcare and Public Health (HPH) sector. Analysts discovered that an embedded backdoor function with a hard-coded IP address, CWE – 912: Hidden Functionality (CVE-2025-0626), and functionality that enables patient data spillage, CWE – 359: Exposure of Private Personal Information to an Unauthorized Actor (CVE-2025-0683), exists in all versions analyzed.
Groups helping Americans find abortion pills report Instagram 'shadow-banning'
(theguardian.com)
Over the last week, the accounts of some major organizations that help Americans find abortion pills had their Instagram posts censored or removed, and at least one group said its account became difficult to find through searching – a practice known as “shadow-banning”.
Over the last week, the accounts of some major organizations that help Americans find abortion pills had their Instagram posts censored or removed, and at least one group said its account became difficult to find through searching – a practice known as “shadow-banning”.
Backdoor found in two healthcare patient monitors, linked to IP in China
(bleepingcomputer.com)
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is warning that Contec CMS8000 devices, a widely used healthcare patient monitoring device, include a backdoor that quietly sends patient data to a remote IP address and downloads and executes files on the device.
The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is warning that Contec CMS8000 devices, a widely used healthcare patient monitoring device, include a backdoor that quietly sends patient data to a remote IP address and downloads and executes files on the device.
CA, NY Attorneys General sue to resume federal funding of Medicaid, FEMA, PEPFAR
(oag.ca.gov)
California Attorney General Rob Bonta today, along with New York Attorney General Letitia James, led a coalition of 23 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to block implementation of a memo by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) threatening to freeze up to $3 trillion in federal assistance funding effective at 2pm PT / 5pm ET today.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta today, along with New York Attorney General Letitia James, led a coalition of 23 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to block implementation of a memo by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) threatening to freeze up to $3 trillion in federal assistance funding effective at 2pm PT / 5pm ET today.