At the 2025 National Lipid Association conference, a compelling shift emerged: GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide (Ozempic) may protect the heart and kidneys regardless of weight loss. Traditionally seen as weight-loss and diabetes drugs, new data suggest they might do far more. The SELECT trial showed a 20% reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events—even in patients without diabetes. Meanwhile, the FLOW trial revealed significant kidney protection, including slower disease progression and reduced risk of kidney failure—effects observed even before patients lost weight. What’s driving this? Experts point to semaglutide’s anti-inflammatory properties, which may mitigate systemic inflammation linked to both cardiovascular…
Author: Abhay Panchal
In a provocative conversation on the Heart of Healthcare podcast, Eric Jon Larsen—President of TowerBrook Advisors and former president of The Advisory Board Company—argues that U.S. healthcare may be the most unprepared sector for the generative AI revolution, despite being the one that needs it most. Larsen, a veteran healthcare strategist and investor, points out that no other industry combines so much unstructured data with so many labor inefficiencies. He draws parallels between GenAI and transformative technologies like the microprocessor and the internet but emphasizes that unlike past tech waves, this one might finally force change in a healthcare system…
A quiet crisis is unraveling the promise of modern obesity and cardiometabolic care—not due to drug inefficacy, but due to poor adherence. Despite breakthrough therapies like GLP-1s and SGLT2s, real-world persistence remains alarmingly low, with up to 70% of patients discontinuing by year three. Dr. Pankaj Rajvanshi challenges the system-wide failure: what if adherence was part of the disease—not a patient flaw? By embedding behavioral support, digital nudges, simplified regimens, and real-time tracking into care design, we could transform outcomes. Adherence benefits everyone: patients stay healthier, providers hit value-based metrics, payers cut costs, and pharma sees sustained use. So, who…
Salvo Health just raised another $4M, bringing its seed funding to nearly $10M—and its growth numbers are explosive: an 800% patient increase and 8x revenue jump in just eight months. Its secret? A fully digital GI care model that complements, not competes with, local practices. Think obesity, IBD, IBS, and fatty liver managed through interdisciplinary teams—dietitians, therapists, nurses—coordinated through an app, with Medicare and commercial insurance footing the bill. As colonoscopies remain the norm, Salvo tackles everything in between: lifestyle, food, sleep, microbiome. The future of GI might just be hybrid—and highly personalized.
Only 2 in 5 U.S. physicians now work in independent, doctor-owned practices—down sharply from 60% just over a decade ago. What’s fueling this shift? A toxic mix of shrinking insurance reimbursements, rising overheads, and relentless red tape. The American Medical Association warns that private practices are unraveling under financial and regulatory strain—while hospitals and private equity firms are rapidly buying them up. Some specialties like ophthalmology still maintain majority independence, but in most fields, corporate ownership is the new norm.With Medicare payments dropping 33% (adjusted for inflation) since the late ’90s—and little relief expected from Congress—the question isn’t if the…
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.—even as incidence and mortality have declined. Nearly 42% of adults aged 45–75 are not up to date with screening, missing opportunities to detect and prevent cancer early. While options like colonoscopy and stool-based tests are proven effective, participation lags due to discomfort, inconvenience, or stigma. Current screening tools each have trade-offs, prompting the ongoing search for a test that is noninvasive, highly sensitive, specific, and broadly acceptable—the key to closing the persistent screening gap.
For patients with IBD, monitoring the disease often means enduring repeat colonoscopies—uncomfortable, invasive, and time-consuming. But Pfizer is helping change that.Their new push centers on intestinal ultrasound (IUS)—a noninvasive, real-time alternative that requires no sedation, no prep, and no recovery time. Endorsed by ECCO and now supported by the global PRISM consortium (launched by Pfizer and partners), IUS could dramatically improve patient comfort and access, while catching flare-ups earlier.
What if a workout routine could rival traditional cancer treatments? At the ASCO Annual Meeting, a groundbreaking trial revealed that structured exercise reduced cancer recurrence by 28% and death by 37% in patients with stage III or high-risk stage II colon cancer. These patients, post-surgery and chemotherapy, followed a supervised physical activity plan tailored just for them—and the results rivaled some of the most effective oncology drugs. The CHALLENGE trial, called a “new standard of care” by researchers, signals a paradigm shift: exercise isn’t just prevention—it may be a first-in-class anticancer therapy. The effect size? Comparable to, and sometimes exceeding,…
In a landmark update, the NCCN has added two noninvasive tests—ColoSense and Shield—to its official colorectal cancer screening guidelines. ✅ ColoSense, the first FDA-approved stool RNA test, shows 94% sensitivity for colorectal cancer (including 100% for Stage I) and detects nearly half of advanced adenomas.✅ Shield, a blood-based test detecting ctDNA, offers 83.1% sensitivity for CRC and over 89% specificity—but with lower performance for precancerous lesions. Both are recommended every 3 years—but only Shield carries a note: it’s best for patients unwilling to screen via other methods.
A rising tide of evidence suggests that complementary and mind-body therapies may be quietly transforming how we treat gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. With nearly half of GI patients turning to CAM—often without telling their doctors—mainstream gastroenterology is playing catch-up. From acupuncture and probiotics to hypnotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy, interventions once labeled “alternative” are now gaining clinical legitimacy. Doctors like Gerard Mullin and David Hass are leading a shift toward integrative GI care, driven by rising digestive disease rates, patient demand, and surprising clinical results.