September 19th Newsletter

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AI can forecast your future health – Scientists developed an AI model called Delphi-2M that can forecast a person’s risk of more than 1,000 diseases up to 10 years in advance by analyzing medical records. Tested on millions of patients in the UK and Denmark, it proved especially accurate for conditions like diabetes, heart attacks, and sepsis. Link

Northeast states, New York City band together on public health - Seven Northeastern states and New York City formed the Northeast Public Health Collaborative to share resources, coordinate on issues like vaccines and emergency preparedness, and reinforce evidence-based health guidance. The coalition plans joint initiatives on infectious disease, workforce development, and major events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Link

FDA clearances: GE HealthCare, Siemens Healthineers, Fresenius - The FDA cleared new devices from GE HealthCare, Siemens Healthineers, Fresenius, and others, ranging from advanced MRI and AI prostate imaging tools to cardiac monitors, radiation therapy systems, and safer drug delivery sets. All received 510(k) clearance, confirming safety and similarity to existing technologies. Link

VillageMD sells 32 Texas clinics to Harbor Health - VillageMD is selling 32 Texas clinics to Harbor Health, expanding Harbor’s reach into San Antonio, El Paso, and Dallas and adding 80+ clinicians. Harbor says the deal boosts its ability to serve up to 14 million Texans and supports its growth into health insurance. Link

Over half of US healthcare workers plan to switch jobs by next year, survey finds - More than half of U.S. healthcare workers are considering leaving their jobs, according to a Harris Poll of 1,500+ employees. The survey revealed widespread burnout, with 84% feeling underappreciated and only 20% believing their employer supports career growth. Experts warn the exodus could worsen a projected shortage of nearly 700,000 doctors and nurses by 2037, though tuition assistance and advancement opportunities may improve retention. Link

FSU and Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare join forces to establish academic health center - Florida State University and Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare finalized an agreement to create an academic health center that will expand specialized care, research, and medical training in North Florida. The partnership transfers TMH’s assets to FSU under a 40-year lease, rebrands the hospital as FSU Health, and preserves its community mission while adding new services and research capacity. Link

Amazon invests over $1 billion to raise employee pay, lower healthcare costs - Amazon will invest over $1 billion to boost U.S. fulfillment and transportation worker pay and cut healthcare costs, raising average total compensation to more than $30 an hour. Starting in 2026, employee healthcare premiums will drop 34%, with entry-level coverage costing $5 per week. Link

Stanford Develops Real-World Benchmarks for Healthcare AI Agents - Stanford researchers created MedAgentBench, the first benchmark to test how well AI agents perform real-world clinical tasks like ordering tests and retrieving patient data. Early results show some models reach 70% accuracy, suggesting AI could soon help with routine tasks to ease clinician workload, though safety and reliability remain key hurdles. Link

Good News: Vitamin B3 can help protect against skin cancer - A study of 34,000 veterans found Vitamin B3 (nicotinamide) supplements reduced the risk of recurring non-melanoma skin cancers by up to 54% in patients with prior diagnoses. Doctors now recommend it more widely as a safe, low-cost option for secondary prevention. Link

RECALLS:

1.    BD Provides Update on Voluntary Recall of Certain BD Alaris™ Pump Infusion Sets.

2.    Sprout Organics Voluntarily Recalls One Lot of Sweet Potato Apple and Spinach Due to Possible Health Risk.

3.    Haifa Smoked Fish Recalls “Cold Smoked Salmon” and “Cold Smoked Seabass” Due to Possible Health Risk.