Author: Newsbit

The UK has become the first country in the world to join a new global network of health regulators focused on the safe, effective use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare.

The move puts the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) at the centre of global efforts to get trusted AI tools safely into clinics faster – supporting earlier diagnosis, cutting NHS waiting times, and backing growth in the UK’s health tech sector.

By joining the HealthAI Global Regulatory Network as a founding ‘pioneer’ country, the MHRA will work with regulators around the world to share early warnings on safety, monitor how AI tools perform in practice, and shape international standards together – helping make AI in healthcare safer and more effective for patients around the world. Other countries are expected to join in the coming months.

The MHRA will draw on its leading work at home to help shape the network from the ground up. That includes AI Airlock, a global leading example of a regulatory sandbox for AI medical devices – which lets companies test new tools with the regulator before wider NHS roll-out. Early examples include AI models to help GPs spot lung conditions sooner and AI to support more personalised cancer care.

The MHRA has updated guidance and begun reforming medical device safety regulations, and continues to adapt them for fast-developing areas such as adaptive and generative AI. The MHRA is also working with researchers, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the NHS to strengthen real-world evidence on how these tools perform in practice.

A signing ceremony to mark the UK’s membership took place today at Westminster with Science Minister Lord Vallance, MHRA Chief Executive Lawrence Tallon and Dr Ricardo Baptista Leite, CEO of HealthAI.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said, “I’m delighted that the UK has been invited to become a Pioneer Country in HealthAI’s Global Regulatory Network.

“This recognition underscores our commitment to being at the forefront of responsible AI innovation in healthcare. As we implement our 10 Year Health Plan, cutting-edge technology will be crucial to transforming patient care and NHS efficiency.

“Working with international partners through this network will ensure we harness AI’s incredible potential, while maintaining the highest standards of safety and ethics.”

Science and Tech Secretary Peter Kyle said, “The UK is leading the way in making sure AI delivers real-world benefits – from better care for patients to new opportunities for growth.”

“By shaping global standards and breaking down unnecessary regulatory barriers at home, we’re helping innovators to get trusted tools into the NHS faster, improving treatments for patients while growing our economy in support of our Plan for Change.”

MHRA Chief Executive Lawrence Tallon said:
“AI has huge promise to speed up diagnoses, cut NHS waiting times and save lives – but only if people can trust that it works and is safe. That’s why we’re proud to be leading the way, shaping how this powerful technology is used safely in healthcare here and around the world. From our AI Airlock testbed to new guidance on fast-moving tech like generative AI, we’re backing smart innovation that works for patients – and makes the UK the best place in the world to develop it.”

Dr Ricardo Baptista Leite, CEO of HealthAI, – The Global Agency for Responsible AI in Health, said, “We are proud of this landmark collaboration with the UK Government and the MHRA. The UK has long been a trailblazer at the intersection of artificial intelligence and health, and we are honoured to welcome it as the first of ten pioneer countries in the HealthAI Global Regulatory Network, fostering global collaboration and shared learning in the regulation and scaling of AI for health. We believe the UK will both strengthen its leadership in this critical field and offer invaluable expertise to its peers, accelerating global progress toward equitable, AI-powered health systems that ultimately contribute to improving quality of life and well-being for all.” GOV.UK

Researchers have raised “urgent concerns” after discovering two new bat viruses in China with the potential to infect humans and cause severe brain inflammation and respiratory disease.

The viruses, along with multiple new bacteria and parasite species, were discovered in bats inhabiting orchards in southwestern China’s Yunnan province, according to a study published on Tuesday in the journal PLoS Pathogens.

These viruses are closely related to the deadly Nipah and Hendra pathogens, which cause severe brain inflammation and respiratory disease in humans, according to researchers, including from the Yunnan Institute of Endemic Disease Control and Prevention.

Nipah is a lethal pathogen known to cause severe disease in humans, including acute respiratory distress with a high mortality rate of 35-75 per cent.

The Hendra virus has been responsible for multiple fatal outbreaks in humans and horses.

“These viruses are naturally hosted by fruit bats and are typically transmitted to humans through bat urine or saliva, often via contamination of food sources,” researchers said.

The study raises concerns about the potential for similar new viruses to spread from bats to livestock or humans in the region.

“This finding is particularly significant as Yunnan province is a recognised hotspot for bat diversity,” it notes.

Due to their unique immune systems, bats are a natural reservoir for a wide range of microorganisms, including notable pathogens transmitted to humans.

While the exact origins of the Covid-19 pandemic remain unclear, numerous studies suggest horseshoe bats as one of the most likely host candidates from which the novel coronavirus jumped to humans.

However, the complete array of viruses, fungi, bacteria and parasites that infect bats remains unknown as most previous studies have focused on faeces from the flying mammal alone without inspecting the organs.

The latest study peered inside the kidneys of 142 bats from 10 species, which were collected over four years across five areas of Yunnan.

Genome sequencing of the samples revealed 22 viruses, of which 20 are new to science.

Two of these were henipaviruses, the same genus as Nipah and Hendra, which have had high fatality rates in humans in previous epidemic outbreaks.

Since these viruses can potentially spread through urine, scientists raise concerns about the risk of these pathogens jumping to humans or livestock via contaminated fruit from the orchards.

The findings underscore the need for a multi-organ screening approach to understand the microbial diversity harboured by bats.

Scientists call for “comprehensive, full-spectrum microbial analyses of previously understudied organs to better assess spillover risks from bat populations”.

“By analysing the infectome of bat kidneys collected near village orchards and caves in Yunnan, we uncovered not only the diverse microbes bats carry, but also the first full-length genomes of novel bat-borne henipaviruses closely related to Hendra and Nipah viruses identified in China,” they say.

Researchers have also expressed “urgent concerns about the potential for these viruses to spill over into humans or livestock”. The Independent

Healthcare firm Abridge, which uses artificial intelligence to build medical documents, has raised $300 million at a $5.3 billion valuation, it said on Tuesday.

The latest funding round, aimed at improving revenue cycles and bridging the gap between clinicians and billing teams, was led by venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz – also known as A16z – with participation from Khosla Ventures.

Search startup Glean was valued at $7.2 billion in a $150 million financing round earlier in this month, led by asset manager Wellington Management.

Andreessen Horowitz has made big bets on AI and seeks to raise $20 billion, the largest fundraise in its history, to capitalize on global investor interest in US artificial intelligence companies.

Founded in 2018, Pittsburgh-based Abridge automates clinical notes and medical conversations for doctors using AI.

“While the healthcare system has evolved over the last 30 years, the one constant has been rising costs and the growing burden on clinicians and patients alike,” said David George, general partner at A16z, adding that Abridge addresses these particular issues.

Abridge also said it is partnering with over 150 enterprise health systems across the US.

The latest fundraise comes after Abridge raised $250 million earlier this year, co-led by investor Elad Gil, known for his bets in fintech firm Stripe and venture capital firm IVP.

The firm was valued at $850 million after a funding round last year where it raised $150 million.

It also announced the expansion of its platform last week to farther inpatient care and streamline outpatient orders. Reuters

Despite the focus on the price of cars, iPhones and other consumer goods, the Trump administration’s tariffs are starting to drive up prices in an entirely different industry – healthcare.

On Monday, Matt McGough, with nonprofit health policy organization KFF, wrote that several individual insurance companies have already notified state regulators that they will be raising premiums to offset the potential impact of tariffs on pharmaceuticals.

Trump hasn’t yet targeted pharmaceuticals with tariffs, but has repeatedly brought it up, including on Monday aboard Air Force One.

“We’re going to be doing pharmaceuticals very soon,” Trump said, according to Reuters. “That’s going to bring all the companies back, into America.”

In a May filing, the Independent Health Benefits Corporation (IHBC) said it was submitting a premium rate change of 38.4% for 2026, “primarily due to increased costs due to inflation and tariffs, and changes in risk adjustment.”

An IHBC spokesperson told Axios that roughly 3% of that increase was to directly account for the impact of tariffs, specifically on drug prices.

McGough notes that there are other insurers who either haven’t specifically mentioned the potential effect of tariffs or who declined to include an offsetting increase in 2026 premium rates.

“A large proportion of medical goods currently comes from international sources, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices and personal protective equipment, as well as other low-margin, high-use essentials like syringes, needles and blood pressure cuffs,” Tina Freese Decker, board chair of the American Hospital Association, wrote in a May post. “Tariffs on these items could impact patient care by jeopardizing the availability of vital medications and essential health care devices. They also could raise costs for hospitals and heighten shortages and supply chain disruptions.”

Meantime, millions of Affordable Care Act (ACA) enrollees could see an over 75% average increase in premiums if Biden-era subsidies aren’t extended by Congress before they expire at the end of the year, according to KFF estimates.

How much tariffs are weighing on the calculations of insurers will become a bit more clear on Aug. 1, Axios notes, when proposed 2026 premium rates are posted. The Hill