Orphia, a voice-based AI agent that can call patients to discuss their upcoming cataract surgery and lens options, will soon be available from Bausch + Lomb, according to a press release.
“Lens selection involves a large amount of information. Using this agentic approach enables the patient to access this information as many times as they need before they sit face-to-face with their surgeon,” Manisha Narasimhan, PhD, president, digital health services, Bausch + Lomb, told Healio. “Having this additional education option will help patients to become better informed and more

ACOG released updated clinical guidance on the screening and prevention of HIV, recommending several strategies and processes that could help lower the incidence of the virus.
The guidance states that health care professionals recommend an HIV test at least once to all their patients through an opt-out approach.
It also advises people with ongoing HIV risk factors, such as a history of sexually transmitted infections, use of injection drugs, inconsistent use of condoms during vaginal or anal sex, living in a correctional facility, multiple sexual partners with unknown HIV statuses or a sexual

The FDA granted full approval to iptacopan to slow kidney function decline in adults with primary immunoglobulin A nephropathy at risk for disease progression, according to a company press release.
Iptacopan (Fabhalta, Novartis) is a first-in-class factor B complement inhibitor. Based on data from the APPLAUSE-IgAN trial, accelerated approval was granted in August 2024.
The FDA considers new agents for treating immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy according to an accelerated approval pathway for drugs that show reduction in proteinuria at 9 months. Medications approved under this pathway are

Compounded forms of semaglutide and tirzepatide were being sold by dozens of compounded pharmacies from August to October 2025, months after the FDA declared an end to compounding for those drugs, researchers reported.
As Healio previously reported, the FDA removed tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound, Eli Lilly) from its drug shortage list in December 2024 and semaglutide from its drug shortage list in February 2025. The FDA prohibited the distribution of compounded forms of the drugs after May 22, 2025. However, a “secret shopper” study published in JAMA Health Forum identified 75 businesses in

CG-P5, a topical peptide eye drop, met safety and efficacy endpoints for wet age-related macular degeneration, according to a presentation at the American Society of Retina Specialists annual meeting.
“When we start thinking about the current demand and what we actually need for patients with wet macular degeneration, there’s a clear need for up to 40% of patients who don’t have full optimal treatment,” David Almeida, MD, MBA, PhD, of Erie Retina Research in Pennsylvania, told Healio. “What do we do with those patients? This is where I think this phase 1 study really becomes interesting and

More than one-quarter of children in the United States diagnosed with malaria in the past decade had a delayed diagnosis because they were not tested during their first health care encounter after the onset of symptoms, researchers found.
According to the CDC, approximately 2,000 cases of malaria are reported in the U.S. each year, most among people who traveled to or recently immigrated from countries where the mosquito-borne disease is endemic. Local transmission in the U.S. can occur — there were 10 cases in 2023 — but it is rare.
Sesh A. Sundararaman, MD, PhD, a pediatric infectious disease

Telehealth could substantially reduce travel burdens for children and adolescents with cancer undergoing intensive chemotherapy without significantly impacting safety.
A randomized trial in Germany showed that patients receiving virtual follow-up care saved more than 40,000 km combined, and they had similar rates of grade 3 or worse adverse events compared with those treated in-person.
“This study argues for implementation of telemedicine in routine patient care even during intensive chemotherapy — which may ease life for patients, families and for hospitals,” Denis M. Schewe, MD, professor and

A proprietary extended-release oral minoxidil tablet induced rapid, robust and consistent hair growth in women with female pattern hair loss, according to topline results.
Results from study 207 showed VDPHL01 (Veradermics) increased hair count for women who received once or twice daily dosing for 6 months and was generally well tolerated with no evidence of serious adverse events, including cardiac events of special interest, according to a company press release. If approved, this pill would be the first oral treatment indicated for female pattern hair loss.
“Female pattern hair loss has long

Healio Gastroenterology is excited to announce the nominees for its annual Disruptive Innovators Awards in gastroenterology and hepatology.
Individuals who changed the face of the specialty and pushed the status quo toward betterment of the field will be recognized during a live event at ACG Annual Meeting Oct. 9-14 in Nashville.
In this video, awards ceremony cohosts Edward V. Loftus Jr., MD, chief medical editor of Healio Gastroenterology, and Ugo Iroku, MD, MHS, cofounder of the Association of Black Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists (ABGH), are joined by Amrita Sethi, MD, founder and

Variation in facility fees was linked to significant differences in cost of cardiology services with major national insurers, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.
Facility fees varied by nearly $30,000 for certain cardiology procedures, with UnitedHealthcare and Blue Cross Blue Shield having the highest facility prices and Aetna consistently having the lowest, researchers reported.
“In 2023, implementation of Hospital Price Transparency and Transparency in Coverage (TIC) rules mandated insurers to publicly disclose negotiated rates for health care services. These policies aim to