Literature Review

Ethics of AI in health and biomedical researchThe Hastings Center for Bioethics; 2025The Hastings Center conducts research and produces public engagement activities on the ethics of artificial intelligence in health and biomedical research. Our publications include articles and essays on the rapidly evolving issues raised by AI in health and research. Our scholars publish articles on their research findings and are quoted in the media.Publisher's Note: This series of articles was featured in The Hasting's Center's year in review.

Flu cases are rising in 32 states. Check maps and see how to stay safeUSA Today - Centers for Disease Control; by Jennifer Borresen and Janet Loehrke; 12/31/25 A new flu variant is sweeping across the United States, causing millions of reported cases and doubling the number of hospitalizations in a surge doctors say may not end for weeks. Flu activity is at "high" or "very high" levels in 32 states and jurisdictions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's report Dec. 30. That's an increase from 17 states reported in the previous week. ... Hospitalizations nearly doubled in just one week, climbing to 19,053 from 9,944 the week before, based on CDC data. About 3,100 deaths have been reported. Editor's Note: This map is updated weekly. How does ILINet State Activity Indicator Map

Malnutrition deaths are soaring in the US – especially among seniors Independent; by Brendan Rascius; 1/5/26 Malnutrition deaths are soaring in the United States — particularly among seniors — and the reasons are unclear, according to a new report. In roughly the last 10 years, deaths linked to malnutrition have skyrocketed by a factor of six, making it the fastest-growing killer in the country, The Washington Post reported, citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Donna Gregory’s extraordinary people: Gwen Whitley reflects on nearly 18 years of service WWAY News, Leland, NC; by Matt Bennett; 12/29/25 Nearly 18 years ago, Gwen Whitley began working at Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, guided by an experience that had changed her life years earlier. ... Whitley said she never viewed leadership as a title, but as a responsibility to patients, families and staff. During her time as CEO, Whitley oversaw several major developments. She points to two accomplishments she is most proud of: the creation of the LifeCare Memory Partners program ... and the organization earning a Five-Star Rating from Medicare in August. ... As she prepares for retirement, Whitley said she plans to remain involved as a volunteer and through the organization’s foundation.

Hospice: Care, commerce, and the cost of a separate category The Pine Belt News, Hattiesburg, MS; by Cathy Eaker; 1/5/26 Hospice care is often presented as a compassionate alternative to aggressive medicine—a gentler path that prioritizes comfort, dignity, and peace at the end of life. In theory, it is a humane model. In practice, hospice exists at the intersection of care and commerce, and that intersection deserves far more scrutiny than it receives. ... That does not mean hospice nurses, aides, social workers, or chaplains are unethical. Quite the opposite. Most of the people providing hands-on hospice care have good hearts. They care deeply. They show up. They bathe patients gently, sit at bedsides, hold hands, and witness grief with humanity. The problem is not the caregivers—it is the structure they work within. ...

How private equity is ruining hospice care in the U.S. Halifax Examiner; by Philip Moscovitch; 12/29/25 ... In a recent study for the Law and Political Economy Project, Elle Rothermich, a senior research fellow at Yale’s Solomon Center for Health Law, looks at how for-profit and private equity firms have come to dominate ... hospice ... in the U.S. Of some 6,000 Medicare-certified hospices in the country, about 4,400 are for-profit affairs. Rothermich writes: 

[Updates] New York expected to enact medical aid in dying law in 2026 Nixon Peabody; Press Release; 12/29/25 Explore key amendments and compliance steps in the amended bill, which is expected to take effect in 2026. What’s the impact?

Is Alzheimer’s disease more common than previously thought? Medscape; by Megan Brooks; 12/24/25 Alzheimer’s disease (AD) may be more common than previously thought in some demographic groups, according to the first population-based study to use a blood test to gauge AD-related neuropathological changes (ADNCs). ... A “major advance” of this study is the use of blood-based biomarkers as a way to generate more accurate, population-level estimates of AD pathology, Nicholas Ashton, PhD, senior director of the Banner Fluid Biomarker Program, Banner Sun Health Research Institute in Sun City, Arizona, told Medscape Medical News.

The 8 quotes that defined home-based care in 2025 Home Health Care News; by Morgan Gonzales; 12/23/25 In 2025, specific quotes from Home Health Care News’ conversations with provider executives and industry stakeholders stood out. These quotes illustrate what 2025 held for home-based care providers, including the top pressures, strategies and growth opportunities. They also demonstrate pressure on home-based care providers’ reimbursement and margin landscapes, regulatory uncertainty and the weight that the government shutdown had on the industry. 

'I want to carry on mum's legacy after her death' BBC News; by Lynette Horsburgh; 1/3/26 A man whose mother spent her final days in a hospice has described how it has inspired a decade of fundraising challenges with the latest his "toughest yet" - to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. David Clarke's mother, Margaret, of Blackburn, died aged 69 in East Lancashire Hospice in 2014. The next year he started challenges to raise funds for the hospice which provided "incredible" care to his mother who was known for her charity work and "carry on her legacy". ... "It costs £10,000 a day to run the hospice and that was my original target. "But my mum spent three days there so now I really want to raise £30,000."

Why hospice is approaching AI differently than the rest of healthcare1520ai press release; by Ernesto Lopez; 1/3/26Artificial intelligence is moving quickly across healthcare. Health systems are deploying AI to automate administrative work, summarize clinical encounters, optimize revenue cycle processes, and support clinical decision making. In many areas of healthcare, adoption is accelerating with great enthusiasm. Hospice has had a different experience. While hospice leaders are paying close attention to AI, they are approaching it with greater caution and intention. That is not because hospice is behind the curve. It is because the realities of hospice care demand a higher standard. [Key takeaways include:]

Fourth temporary extension of COVID-19 telemedicine flexibilities for prescription of controlled medications Federal Register - The Daily Journal of the United States Government; A Rule by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Health and Human Services Department on 12/31/2025 AGENCY: Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services. ACTION: Temporary rule. SUMMARY: The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) jointly with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is issuing a fourth extension of telemedicine flexibilities for the prescribing of controlled medications through December 31, 2026. DATES: This rule is effective January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026.

Hospice of Michigan receives $10,000 grant for pediatric hospice care Ludington Daily News, Manistee, MI; 12/20/25Hospice of Michigan has received a $10,000 grant from the Manistee County Community Foundation to support its Jo Elyn Nyman Anchors Programs for Children, which provide specialized pediatric hospice care for children with life-limiting illnesses and their families. The grant will help fund medical, emotional, social and spiritual support services delivered through the not-for-profit’s pediatric hospice programs. Hospice of Michigan is the only statewide hospice provider offering specialized pediatric hospice care services in northeast Michigan.