#5: Policy shake-ups, India's obesity crisis, & a new player in the weight-loss drug market

This week in healthcare: From AI-powered healthcare to policy shake-ups—this week’s health news is packed with big moves! From Microsoft’s Dragon Copilot easing doctors’ workloads to India’s rising obesity crisis and Kerala’s free growth therapy, we’ve got the top headlines shaping the future of healthcare.

HealthTech & Innovation

• 🧬 Think you're as young as you feel? Delhi-based startup, Genefitletics’ Agegorithm uses AI to analyse your gut, mouth, and mitochondria to reveal your real biological age—plus personalised hacks to optimise health and slow your aging! (EH)

• 🐉 Microsoft’s Dragon Copilot is here to lighten the load for doctors, using AI-powered voice dictation and ambient listening to handle documentation, cut down admin time, and boost patient care efficiency. Less typing, more healing! (AIM)

• 👁️ Blink and It’s Done! A new AI-powered LASIK technology is shaking up eye care, performing vision-correcting surgery in just 10 seconds—a game-changer that could challenge traditional treatments! (ET)

Research & Healthcare Professionals

• 🤰 A Nature study reveals that a Western-style diet during pregnancy is linked to a higher risk of neuro-developmental disorders in children by age 10, reinforcing the importance of good nutrition for long-term brain health. (Nature)

• 🏋️‍♂️ A Lancet study projects that by 2050, India could have over 440 million overweight and obese adults, making it the second-highest globally after China! Time to swap those samosas for salads before we roll into the future—literally! (BS)

• 🩸Anaemia alert! A Redcliffe Labs study indicates that three out of five women in India are at risk of anaemia, highlighting a significant gender disparity in health, as women are three times more susceptible to anaemia than men. (BS)

• 🏥 No QR, no practice? The Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) now requires doctors to display a QR code-based registration card in their clinics, making it easier for patients to verify credentials and curb medical fraud! (ET)

Pharmaceuticals, Regulations, & Insurance

• 💊Sun Pharma is stepping into the weight loss game! The Indian pharma giant plans to roll out Utreglutide, its anti-obesity and type 2 diabetes drug, within five years—taking on big names like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly in the booming GLP-1 market. (ET)

• ⚠️ Glenmark Pharmaceuticals is recalling 1.5 million bottles of its ADHD drug Atomoxetine in the U.S. due to manufacturing issues and excess levels of a potential carcinogenic impurity flagged by the FDA. (ET)

Policy, Public Health & Government

🇮🇳 India

• 🩺 India’s first transgender medical clinic has shut down in three cities after former US President Donald Trump pulled the plug on its foreign funding. (BBC)

• 😷 Swine flu is making an unwelcome comeback in India, with 20,414 infections and 347 deaths recorded so far, hitting Delhi, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Gujarat the hardest. Time to mask up, wash those hands, and keep that immunity strong! (TOI)

• 📈 Kerala is helping kids grow—literally! Under its KARE scheme, the state is offering free growth hormone therapy to children with Turner syndrome and hormone deficiencies. First batch of 20 kids is in—many more to benefit! (ET)

• 👩‍👧 Karnataka is investing ₹320 crore to combat maternal mortality, ensuring better healthcare access and safer pregnancies for mothers and babies across the state! (ET)

🌏️ Global

• 🫁 TB fight takes a hit! The WHO warns that USAID's funding cuts to global tuberculosis programs could seriously derail progress, especially in high-burden countries like India, potentially leading to more infections and deaths—a major setback in the fight against TB. (ET)

Industry, Deals & IPOs

🇮🇳 India

• 👩 Arva Health, a Bengaluru-based femtech startup, has raised $1 million in pre-seed funding to launch tech-enabled fertility clinics and transform fertility care in India. (eHealth)

• 🧪 Metropolis Healthcare is making moves! India's second-largest pathology chain is set to acquire Agra-based Scientific Pathology for ₹55-83 crore, boosting its footprint in Western Uttar Pradesh. (VCC)

• 🤖 AI is set to give India’s healthcare a mega boost! AI in healthcare is expected to add $25-30 billion to India’s GDP by 2025, driven by government initiatives and digital advancements, though challenges like data security and infrastructure gaps remain. (ET)

🌏️ Global

• ​​🧠 Masawa, the world’s first mental health-focused VC fund, is flipping the script on venture investing—because thriving founders build thriving businesses! With its Nurture Capital approach, Masawa minimises risk, boosts founder wellbeing, and proves that doing good and doing well go hand in hand. (TechEU)

• 💰Health Catalyst drops $86M to boost patient care! The healthcare data and analytics giant has acquired Upfront Healthcare, a patient engagement platform, to enhance personalised patient communication and care navigation. (eHealth)