Genital herpes rising in England, despite overall drop in STIs
bbc - STIs are particularly common among young people, with health experts saying testing for them is vital.
AI Summary: Public-health surveillance shows genital herpes cases climbing in England even as many other sexually transmitted infections fall. Experts warn the uptick signals gaps in prevention, testing and sexual-health services, underscoring the need for better awareness and targeted care rather than assuming the problem will fix itself. Yes, herpes is back on the agenda.
Medically tailored meals produce better health and lower costs, analysis finds
medicalxpress - At least a dozen U.S. states are rolling out medically tailored meals in pilot projects through Medicaid, the federal-state health insurance program serving 71 million Americans who qualify based on income or disability status.
AI Summary: Analyses of medically tailored meal programs, including a Massachusetts Medicaid demonstration, show reduced hospital use and lower healthcare costs alongside measurable health benefits. The findings bolster calls to move 'food is medicine' from pilot projects into mainstream policy — because apparently feeding patients the right food is cheaper than fixing the mess afterward.
RFK Jr. seeks access to Americans’ medical records
Naomi Diaz / beckershospitalreview - HHS, under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has sought access to detailed patient records held by state health information exchange systems as part of an effort to research a potential link between vaccines and autism, KFF Health News reported June…
AI Summary: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has requested access to large sets of Americans’ medical records to probe possible links between vaccines and developmental conditions, a move that reignites debates over research transparency, data privacy and the line between investigation and public alarmism. Privacy advocates warn of risks if safeguards are not ironclad.
Presbyterian Healthcare Services to discontinue MA plans in 2027, cut 150 jobs
fiercehealthcare - New Mexico-based health system Presbyterian Healthcare Services will discontinue most of its Medicare Advantage plans, a spokesperson confirmed to Fierce Healthcare.
AI Summary: Presbyterian Healthcare Services will discontinue most Medicare Advantage plans in 2027, a move expected to eliminate about 150 jobs and reshape local coverage options. The decision reflects financial and strategic recalibration, leaving patients and employees navigating plan changes and the organisation defending its long-term sustainability choices.
Lifepoint closes acquisition of 8 ScionHealth hospitals
Kelly Gooch / beckershospitalreview - Brentwood, Tenn.-based Lifepoint Health has completed its acquisition of eight community hospitals from Louisville, Ky.-based ScionHealth. The hospitals are spread across six states, according to a June 2 news release. Lifepoint acquired: Lifepoint origin…
AI Summary: Lifepoint Health has finalized its purchase of eight community hospitals previously held by ScionHealth, consolidating regional services under a larger system. The deal promises operational integration and potential investment but also raises typical concerns about community access, continuity of care and how local staff will fare under new management.
WellSpan Health, Philips launch 7-year AI, imaging partnership
Naomi Diaz / beckershospitalreview - York, Pa.-based WellSpan Health and Royal Philips have entered a seven-year strategic alliance covering advanced imaging technology, AI-enabled care and a joint research and co-development agreement across WellSpan’s 12 hospitals, diagnostic imaging cente…
AI Summary: WellSpan Health and Philips announced a seven-year collaboration to co-develop and deploy AI-enabled imaging solutions across the health system. The agreement aims to accelerate diagnostic imaging innovation, integrate AI into clinical workflows and support research — effectively a bet that smarter machines can shave time off scans and maybe improve patient outcomes.
Epic dismisses claims against SelfRx in medical record misuse lawsuit
Emily Olsen / healthcaredive - The EHR vendor accused SelfRx of retrieving over 100,000 records for financial gain in the high-profile lawsuit. Now, the chronic condition management firm said it doesn’t know who took the records.
AI Summary: A judge has dismissed claims against Epic in litigation alleging misuse of patient records involving pharmacy‑linked defendant SelfRx. The ruling narrows the case and leaves ongoing questions about third‑party access to electronic health records, vendor liability and data governance, underscoring persistent tensions in health IT and patient privacy.
FDA Approves Oral Combination of Decitabine and Cedazuridine Tablets with Venetoclax for Newly Diagnosed AML
esmo - Evidence for efficacy is based on the results from the Study ASTX727-07
AI Summary: The FDA has approved an oral combination (decitabine/cedazuridine plus venetoclax) as a treatment option for newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia patients who are older or unfit for intensive therapy. The approval offers an at-home alternative to frequent infusions, potentially reducing clinic visits and improving convenience for a vulnerable population.
- Experts celebrate all-oral AML option online (3)
- FDA approval and ASCERTAIN V trial evidence (3)
- Targeted therapies and regimen optimization in AML (3)
Experts celebrate all-oral AML option online
FDA approval and ASCERTAIN V trial evidence
Targeted therapies and regimen optimization in AML
Eli Lilly's ultimatum to hospitals: Send 340B claims data by June 1 or lose discounts
fiercehealthcare - The drugmaker has issued a June 1 ultimatum to an unspecified number of hospitals that have resisted a data submission policy it implemented in February. Furious hospital industry groups are pushing back, calling the decision unlawful and urging the admin…
AI Summary: Eli Lilly has given hospitals an ultimatum: submit 340B claims data within a tight deadline or lose drug discounts. The move pressures health systems to comply quickly, raising questions about administrative burden, data-sharing logistics and potential financial strain for safety-net providers that rely on the program’s savings.
PROTEUS Trial at ASCO 2026: Perioperative Apalutamide Plus ADT in high-risk localized or locally advanced prostate cancer
oncodaily - PROTEUS trial, was presented during the ASCO 2026 Plenary Session by Mary-Ellen Taplin, MD, FASCO. The study evaluated one year of perioperative apalutamide plus androgen deprivation therapy in patients with […]
AI Summary: A perioperative strategy adding apalutamide to androgen‑deprivation therapy around radical prostatectomy shows improved outcomes for men with high‑risk or locally advanced prostate cancer, reducing metastasis and disease‑related death. Findings were highlighted and debated at ASCO sessions, prompting discussion about changing perioperative standards — and yes, surgeons are already updating their talking points.
- Industry, webinars and social media amplification of ASCO results (3)
- On-the-ground clinician reaction and emerging cN1 debate (3)
- PROTEUS trial: perioperative apalutamide reduces metastasis and death (3)
Industry, webinars and social media amplification of ASCO results
On-the-ground clinician reaction and emerging cN1 debate
PROTEUS trial: perioperative apalutamide reduces metastasis and death
Ascension must sell 7 ASCs to complete $3.9B AmSurg deal: FTC
Alan Condon / beckershospitalreview - St. Louis-based Ascension has received Federal Trade Commission approval to move forward with its planned acquisition of AmSurg — an ambulatory surgery center operator with more than 250 facilities across 34 states — but only after agreeing to divest seve…
AI Summary: The Federal Trade Commission approved Ascension’s $3.9 billion acquisition of AmSurg only after ordering divestitures of specific ambulatory surgery centers to preserve competition. Ascension must sell those ASCs before closing to prevent local market concentration and potential price hikes — because apparently somebody still has to protect patients from monopolies.
CMS releases Medicaid work requirements guidance for states
Rebecca Pifer Parduhn / healthcaredive - The highly anticipated interim final rule weighs in on key issues for states hustling to operationalize work requirements before the 2027 deadline. But there’s still some gray area — and lots of critics.
AI Summary: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released a national framework for implementing Medicaid work requirements, giving states guidance on eligibility, reporting and enforcement. The directive outlines guardrails and operational expectations while leaving significant discretion to states, prompting debate over access, administrative burden and potential gaps in coverage during rollout.
Massachusetts sues UnitedHealthcare over alleged $100M in fraudulent Medicaid payments
Elizabeth Casolo / beckershospitalreview - Massachusetts filed a lawsuit against UnitedHealthcare, accusing the insurer of retaining more than $100 million in fraudulent Medicaid payments. The May 29 complaint, filed in a state court, focuses on UnitedHealthcare’s role as a contractor for “Senior …
AI Summary: The Massachusetts attorney general filed a civil suit accusing UnitedHealthcare of submitting improper Medicaid payments, alleging roughly $100 million in fraudulent claims tied to managed‑care contracts. The action seeks recovery and oversight remedies as state regulators press insurers on billing practices, underscoring growing scrutiny of Medicaid managed‑care arrangements.
Florida hospitals lose $2B opioid lawsuit against pharmacies
Ella Jeffries / beckershospitalreview - A Florida judge has ruled in favor of CVS, Walgreens and Walmart in a lawsuit brought by 16 hospitals seeking $2 billion in damages related to the opioid epidemic. Broward County Chief Judge Carol-Lisa Phillips entered judgment for the defendants May 26, …
AI Summary: A Florida court ruling overturned a multibillion‑dollar claim by hospitals against major pharmacy chains, finding in favor of CVS, Walgreens and Walmart in litigation tied to the opioid epidemic. The decision removes a major anticipated payout and reshapes liability questions in the national effort to hold corporate actors accountable for addiction harms — legal teams are predictably thrilled.
One-time gene editing treatment lowers 'bad' cholesterol by up to 62%
medicalxpress - Patients in London have received a pioneering new gene editing therapy that lowers "bad" cholesterol after a single infusion, as part of a study involving UCL scientists.
AI Summary: Early clinical data show a one‑time gene‑editing infusion can reduce LDL cholesterol by as much as 62% in patients with severe hypercholesterolemia. The approach, still experimental, produced large lipid drops with early safety signals, hinting at a possible future one‑and‑done therapy for high‑risk cardiovascular patients — pending larger trials and careful long‑term follow‑up.
RASolute 302 Trial at ASCO 2026 Plennary Session: Daraxonrasib Improves Survival Versus Chemotherapy in Previously Treated Metastatic PDAC
oncodaily - RASolute 302 Trial was presented by Brian M. Wolpin, MD, MPH, during the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting.The Trial evaluated daraxonrasib, an oral RAS(ON) multi-selective inhibitor, against investigator’s choice chemotherapy in […]
AI Summary: A plenary ASCO presentation reports daraxonrasib, an oral KRAS G12C inhibitor, significantly improved overall survival compared with chemotherapy in previously treated metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The data prompted immediate planning across cancer centers for anticipated demand and access changes — a rare dose of good news for a disease that usually gets none.
OPTIMA: Prosigna-Guided Chemotherapy Avoidance Shows Non-Inferior Outcomes in ER+/HER2− Early Breast Cancer
oncodaily - OPTIMA is one of the most important de-escalation studies presented at the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting, because it addresses a daily clinical dilemma in early breast cancer: which patients truly […]
AI Summary: The OPTIMA trial demonstrated that using the Prosigna genomic test to select low‑risk ER+/HER2− early breast cancer patients allows omission of adjuvant chemotherapy without compromising disease control. The de‑escalation approach reduced exposure to chemo toxicity and supports molecular risk stratification to spare large numbers of patients unnecessary treatment — elegant, evidence‑based thrift.
DESTINY-Lung03: T-DXd Confirms Activity in HER2-Overexpressing NSCLC, but Triplet Therapy Falls Short
oncodaily - DESTINY-Lung03 Part 1 provides an important signal for the treatment of HER2-overexpressing non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The study confirms that trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) monotherapy has clinically meaningful activity in […]
AI Summary: DESTINY‑Lung03 data confirmed trastuzumab deruxtecan has tangible activity in HER2‑overexpressing non‑small‑cell lung cancer, producing notable responses. Attempts to escalate to triplet regimens failed to add benefit, prompting a reality check on combination complexity and the need for sharper biomarkers rather than more drugs.
New Tool That Tracks How the Brain Removes Waste Could Offer Clues About Alzheimer’s
discovermagazine - Learn why understanding how the brain clears its waste could help researchers combat neurodegenerative diseases and age-related cognitive decline.
AI Summary: Researchers unveiled an imaging tool that tracks how the brain removes metabolic waste, mapping preferred drainage routes and pinpointing breakdowns associated with Alzheimer’s pathology. The technique could flag early clearance failure years before symptoms, offering potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets—because sometimes the answer to dementia is less about neurons and more about the plumbing.
UnitedHealthcare to nix nearly two thirds of pediatric prior auths
fiercehealthcare - UnitedHealthcare is set to eliminate close to two-thirds of pediatric prior authorization requirements by the end of the year.
AI Summary: UnitedHealthcare announced a major rollback of pediatric prior authorization requirements, eliminating roughly two‑thirds of those rules to reduce administrative burden and speed care for children. The move aims to ease clinician frustration and patient delays, while insurers and providers brace for workflow and cost‑management implications.