healthcare

A nationwide public sector strike is planned for Tuesday, September 29 in France, involving teachers, healthcare workers, firefighters and public transport staff. In Paris, a demonstration is set to march from Place de la République to Place de la Nation via Bastille. Travellers are warned that RATP services may be disrupted, and schools, hospitals and transport across the country could be affected.

The US Food and Drug Administration has released draft guidance for surgical robots, setting out proposed recommendations for devices used in robotic-assisted surgery. The guidance, reported by MedTech Dive, gives manufacturers and healthcare providers a framework to review. Stakeholders can weigh in before the agency finalizes its position.

The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to let it deny hormone therapy to transgender inmates, in a move reported by the New York Times. The filing asks the justices to intervene in litigation over prison healthcare for transgender people. The request is drawing attention from civil rights advocates and reigniting debate over transgender rights and the treatment of incarcerated people under the administration.

The US Food and Drug Administration has issued draft guidance for cardiovascular surgical robots, outlining the agency's current thinking on the development and review of robotic systems used in cardiac and vascular procedures. The document gives manufacturers and clinicians a framework to follow, and a public comment period typically allows stakeholders to give feedback before the guidance is finalized.

A federal bill modeled on an Oregon state law has been introduced in Washington DC seeking a nationwide ban on the corporate practice of medicine. The legislation would restrict corporations from employing physicians or interfering with clinical decisions, targeting the growth of private-equity-backed and corporate-owned medical practices. Commentators, including law firms advising healthcare clients, are flagging the bill's potential to reshape ownership structures across the US healthcare industry if it advances.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed legislation creating a new label for foods that are not ultra-processed, part of a broader package of health bills that state officials describe as a nation-leading healthcare strategy. The move positions California at the forefront of US efforts to regulate ultra-processed foods and give consumers clearer nutritional information at the point of sale.

Nurses at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston have voted to authorize an open-ended strike, giving union leadership the ability to call a walkout at any time. The authorization reflects ongoing disputes over working conditions and contract terms, and trade outlets including Healthcare Finance News and Fierce Healthcare are covering the vote as tensions between hospital management and nursing staff continue.

Robots capable of drawing blood from patients are being promoted as the next step in hospital automation, with Forbes highlighting machines that could perform phlebotomy tasks traditionally handled by human technicians. The development raises questions about accuracy, patient comfort, and the future of clinical lab work as automated systems enter routine medical settings.

Patients are increasingly consulting the internet for health information before contacting doctors or medical services, according to a report from Chronicle Online. The trend suggests people are using online searches as a first step to assess symptoms and decide whether professional care is needed. Commentators note this raises questions about the reliability of online health advice and how medical services should respond to better-informed, or misinformed, patients.

Health insurers are warning that the rapid spread of artificial intelligence in medicine could drive billions of dollars in additional healthcare costs, citing the potential for AI-enabled care to expand utilization and billing volumes. Medical billing companies are pushing back, arguing the technology actually reduces administrative expenses and improves efficiency. The dispute highlights a growing divide in the industry over how AI will reshape health spending, with insurers and billing firms offering sharply conflicting forecasts as adoption accelerates across hospitals and physician practices.

UF Health researchers report that cancer diagnoses in the United States drop sharply during holiday periods, while outcomes for patients diagnosed around those dates are worse. The findings suggest holiday disruptions delay screenings and follow-up care, allowing cancers to be caught at later, harder-to-treat stages, and raise questions about how seasonal healthcare patterns affect patient survival.

A new study reports that women presenting with symptoms similar to men's often receive less intensive medical care. The findings point to possible disparities in how treatment decisions are made in hospitals, echoing long-running concerns about gender bias in medicine. Researchers and commentators say the results underline the need for clinicians to reassess how urgently women's symptoms are evaluated and treated.

A new study indicates healthcare workers are battling persistent long COVID symptoms, with many continuing to experience fatigue, brain fog and other lasting effects well after infection. The findings highlight the ongoing toll of the pandemic on medical staff, raising concerns about workforce shortages and the need for better support and treatment for affected clinicians.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity around healthcare facilities in Pennsylvania is generating fear that immigrants may avoid seeking medical care. Reports from the Pennsylvania Capital-Star highlight concerns that patients without legal status could be deterred from hospitals and clinics if enforcement operations take place nearby, raising public health questions.

A coalition of civil society organisations has issued a joint statement for International Safe Abortion Day 2026, declaring that safe abortion is essential healthcare and issuing a call to action. The statement urges governments and health systems to treat abortion access as a fundamental part of medical care and human rights, adding to ongoing global advocacy around reproductive rights.

Nurses at SSM Health Dean Medical Group have voted to form a union, according to Spectrum News. The vote marks a significant step for the Wisconsin-based medical group's nursing staff, who will now gain collective representation in dealings with their employer over workplace conditions and pay.

Jesus Caban, chief data and artificial intelligence officer at the Defense Health Agency, spoke about efforts to scale artificial intelligence across military health systems. The discussion covered how AI tools can move from pilots to broader use in care delivery and health data operations, and what barriers the agency faces in deploying AI at scale across the Military Health System.

Small business owners travelled to the US Capitol for a healthcare summit focused on the challenges they face with health coverage costs and access. Organized by the NFIB, the advocacy group for small and independent business, the event gives owners a chance to meet lawmakers directly. Rising healthcare premiums have long been one of the top cost concerns for small employers, and participants are expected to push for policy changes.

UnitedHealthcare has appointed Hunter as president of the company, a leadership change announced as its fully insured employer business continues to shrink. The move signals a strategic push to stabilise a segment facing enrollment losses, and industry watchers are weighing what new leadership means for the insurer's employer coverage strategy.

As California's gubernatorial race takes shape, former Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton have laid out their healthcare proposals for the state's next governor. Coverage compares where each candidate stands on affordability, coverage and reform, giving voters a side-by-side look at how they would approach healthcare if elected.

Methodist Healthcare is seeking approval for a new trauma center in San Antonio, prompting city leaders to push for safeguards protecting the military mission of Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC). Officials want to ensure expanded civilian trauma capacity does not undermine BAMC's role, which includes treating service members and burn victims. The debate highlights tensions between growing healthcare needs and preserving a key military medical institution.

Bright Smile Dental Care, a dental practice in Fishers, Indiana, has notified patients of a security breach affecting its systems. The practice says notification letters are going out to affected individuals, though the scope of the incident and what patient data may have been exposed have not yet been detailed publicly.