Medical Bulletin 03/August/2026

• A new analysis published in PLOS Digital Health reveals that of the 1,357 AI-based medical devices authorized by the FDA, only three were tested to determine if they actually improve patient health outcomes. • The study found a significant lack of rigorous validation, noting that only 34 of the cleared devices were linked to registered clinical trials.

• Scientists in India have developed a "smart" cancer drug designed to target tumors more precisely, potentially reducing the reliance on traditional chemotherapy. • In a separate study published in the American Journal of Cardiovascular Drugs, researchers from the University of East Anglia and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital analyzed data from nine studies.

• NanoViricides has received regulatory approval to initiate a Phase II Clinical Trial for NV-387 Oral Gummies. • The trial is being conducted under the leadership of Professor Katoto, with Patrick, a Fogarty Fellow and member of the Institute for Health Metrics, involved in the process.

• Recent health updates highlight a shift toward less aggressive therapy options for treating prostate cancer to reduce patient side effects. • Meta glasses are being integrated into hospital settings to explore how augmented reality can assist medical professionals in clinical environments.

• Moderna and Merck have reported positive results from a large Phase 3 clinical trial of a personalized mRNA-based cancer vaccine designed to treat melanoma. • Unlike traditional treatments, this therapy trains a patient's own immune system to recognize and destroy the specific cancer cells threatening them.

• Researchers have developed a promising new mRNA-based vaccine combined with an immunotherapy drug designed to prevent melanoma from returning in patients. • The treatment targets skin cancer recurrence, showing results significant enough to cause the developing companies' stock prices to soar.

• Merck and Moderna announced Wednesday that a personalized mRNA-based cancer vaccine successfully extended the lifespan of melanoma patients in a large, late-stage trial. • The companies intend to present the trial data at an upcoming international medical meeting to begin discussions with regulators regarding official filing submissions for approval.

• Moderna and Merck are developing personalized cancer vaccines designed to train the immune system to target mutations specific to an individual's tumor. • The treatment represents a potential breakthrough in oncology by shifting toward highly tailored immunotherapy rather than one-size-fits-all approaches.

• Moderna and Merck announced that an experimental mRNA vaccine effectively prevented skin cancer recurrence in a large-scale clinical trial. • The therapy utilizes the same messenger RNA technology used in COVID-19 vaccines to deliver a customized treatment tailored to a patient's specific tumors.

• HHS Secretary RFK Jr. is facing criticism for prioritizing general dietary advice over urgent public health responses as infectious disease outbreaks surge across the U.S. • Recent health crises include a massive recall of over 1.5 million dozen eggs linked to a salmonella outbreak that sickened approximately 100 people across 17 states by late July.

• The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has established a comprehensive timeline of public health policy actions for the 2025-2026 period under the Trump administration. • The initiatives focus on critical health areas, including the management of bird flu, chronic disease prevention, and HIV/AIDS strategies within the U.S.

• The FDA has approved Pasatru™ (garetosmab-grts) as the first and only treatment to reduce new heterotopic ossification (HO) lesions and clinician-assessed flare-ups in adults with Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP). • The approval follows the OPTIMA Phase 3 clinical trial, a multinational study designed to evaluate the drug's efficacy, safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics in patients with active FOP.