In an ambitious move to modernize the drug and device approval process, the FDA introduced “Elsa”—an AI assistant designed to fast-track reviews. However, a CNN investigation reveals that Elsa frequently “hallucinates” fake studies and misrepresents research, making it unreliable for high-stakes regulatory decisions. While the FDA touts Elsa’s ability to summarize documents and identify priority inspections, internal staff have expressed serious concerns. Six current and former officials say the tool is only marginally useful for tasks like email templates, and not viable for scientific reviews due to its factual inaccuracies. Elsa can’t even access core regulatory submissions, limiting its utility…
Author: Abhay Panchal
EndoQuest Robotics just secured a Series D-2 funding round co-led by Crescent Enterprises and surgical robotics pioneer Dr. Fred Moll—aiming to fast-track its flexible endoluminal surgical platform through FDA clearance and pivotal trials. Backed by investors like UTHealth Houston and Puma Venture Capital, EndoQuest is advancing the PARADIGM study in top hospitals (Mayo, Cleveland Clinic, Brigham, and more), showcasing its potential to remove complex colorectal lesions without invasive surgery. With bold ambitions in GI procedures, cutting-edge visualization tech, and a growing U.S.–Korea presence, the company is positioning itself as a category-defining force in scar-free robotic surgery.
CMS’s proposed 2026 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule includes major telehealth updates:
What’s stopping value-based care from taking off? According to this hard-hitting Health Affairs article, it’s not lack of innovation—it’s lack of participation from dominant provider systems. The piece calls out how “must-have” hospitals avoid downside risk and game the system through fee-for-service and risk coding. The authors urge CMS to mandate VBP participation, overhaul fee schedules, and rethink risk adjustment to break the status quo. The takeaway: real transformation won’t come from tweaks—it’ll take political courage.
HBO Max’s hit series The Pitt, set in a fictional Pittsburgh emergency department, is earning praise not just for its Emmy nominations—but for its realism. Filmed partly at Allegheny General Hospital, the show consulted real physicians and nurses to authentically portray the pressures and pace of urban emergency medicine. Healthcare leaders say the series accurately captures the chaos, compassion, and systemic strain faced daily by clinicians. As one doctor noted, The Pitt offers a rare, unfiltered view of a healthcare system on the brink.
The newly signed U.S. budget law grants physicians a temporary Medicare pay bump for 2026—but at a steep cost: a historic $1 trillion cut to Medicaid over the next decade that could leave nearly 12 million Americans without coverage. With new federal loan caps and the elimination of Grad PLUS loans, aspiring doctors may face greater financial barriers, while current providers—especially in primary care, pediatrics, and emergency medicine—brace for increased uncompensated care. Although direct primary care sees a win through expanded HSA eligibility, the overall outlook for access, equity, and practice sustainability remains deeply concerning.
CMS has released its proposed 2026 Medicare physician payment rule, and for GI, it’s a mixed bag. While the conversion factor is set to increase and telehealth flexibilities like direct supervision will continue, the proposal also introduces an “efficiency adjustment” that cuts work and practice expense RVUs for GI procedures—potentially lowering reimbursements for hospital- and ASC-based services. GI societies including AGA, ACG, and ASGE are reviewing the details and will release a full analysis soon.
A new study in The Lancet suggests that a simple capsule-sponge test could safely replace endoscopy for low-risk patients with Barrett’s esophagus—potentially cutting the need for invasive surveillance by half. By identifying cellular biomarkers through a non-endoscopic swab of the esophagus, researchers stratified patients into risk tiers with high accuracy. With a 97.8% negative predictive value in low-risk individuals and up to 85% cancer detection in ultra–high-risk cases, this test may dramatically reduce unnecessary procedures while focusing endoscopy resources where they matter most.
As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms gastroenterology, one voice remains largely missing: the patient’s. Despite tens of thousands of AI studies in healthcare, fewer than 1% include patient perspectives. This article argues it’s time to shift from building AI tools around patients to building them with patients—by addressing their concerns, values, and expectations. Without trust and transparency, even the smartest algorithms risk rejection. Can GI truly integrate AI without first earning patient buy-in?
The National Cancer Institute has enrolled the first patient in its Vanguard Study to evaluate Guardant Health’s Shield™ multi-cancer detection (MCD) blood test, which can screen for multiple cancers—including colorectal, lung, breast, prostate, pancreatic, liver, ovarian, gastric, esophageal, and bladder cancers—from a single blood draw. With plans to enroll up to 24,000 participants over four years, the study aims to assess the feasibility and impact of using MCD tests in large-scale cancer screening trials. Shield has already received FDA Breakthrough Device Designation, positioning it as a potential game-changer for early detection in average-risk individuals.