A delegation from the Association of British HealthTech Industries just completed a two-day tour of Memphis to establish stronger relationships with local health care organizations.

“The difference is that we know about this infection, it’s been here since 1950,” said an infectious disease expert. “We’re so far ahead with monkeypox, compared to where we were with COVID. But it makes it just truly a different type of problem altogether.”

Shelby County reported its first confirmed case of monkeypox on Monday, July 25, marking the 18th reported case in Tennessee. 

David Williams is a longtime dynamo in the city’s nonprofit sphere with a career dating back to the 1970s. At 68, he persists in his personal mission of serving nonprofits that serve disadvantaged populations in Memphis. 

A former construction worker with a fondness for Shakespeare, Vincent Miller kneads away University Club clients’ stress while filling his own need for tranquility.

“There is a population in Lake and Lauderdale counties who have poorer health care outcomes due to difficulty accessing care,” said University of Tennessee Health Science Center Assistant Professor Diana Dedmond.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has committed a total of $12.9 billion to accelerate research and treatment for children around the world with cancer and other catastrophic diseases.

The new three-story physicians building will improve cancer care, consolidating two existing Southaven locations. 

Shelby County Commissioner Van Turner said Regional One Health saved his life following a horrific car wreck. Before he terms out, he hopes to see progress in the ambitious plan to replace the aging hospital buildings. 

So far, 354 children in the 6-months to 5-years age group have been vaccinated for COVID-19 in Shelby County — a figure that includes vaccinations from both public and private healthcare practitioners.

“The executive order ... protects contraception and providers who are going to be needing to do their jobs to save the women that we’re going to see an influx of,” said one local OB-GYN. “I think that’s a good start.”

The first SpineXpress — a satellite clinic for Semmes Murphey — has opened in Arlington. If successful, similar clinics could be on the horizon in other parts of the Memphis metro area.

Baptist Memorial Hospital-Collierville is looking to expand its services in Collierville and add a dedicated senior space on its facility.

The physiology department at UTHSC is one of the best in the country, but its facilities are among the worst. Faculty are expected to start moving into a renovated building by the end of next year.

“The disease does what it is going to do,” said Judy Jenkins, retired nurse practitioner. “The question is always: ‘OK, how long am I going to get this delayed?’”

Some major employers are offering benefits to help employees access abortion services across state lines while others are determining whether they’ll need to make adjustments to their employees’ health care plans.

Grace Medical plans a $2.8 million expansion at its Bartlett headquarters to enhance its position in otology.

Memphis Obstetrics and Gynecological Association, the Mid-South’s largest OB-GYN practice, has purchased the iconic Opera Memphis building at 6745 Wolf River Blvd. 

The story of Memphis as a hub of sickle cell disease research began in 1929, when Dr. Lemuel W. Diggs encountered the disease within a week of arriving in Memphis to join the UTHSC faculty. The city still attracts researchers and clinicians from around the world. 

U.S. health officials on Saturday recommended COVID-19 vaccines for infants, toddlers and preschoolers — the last group without the shots.

ZeroTo510, a successful accelerator program founded in 2012 and designed to help entrepreneurs bring medical devices and companies to market, is seeking candidates for its Fall 2022 cohort of med tech founders. 

“LIV Golf exists to whitewash murder and human rights violations in Saudi Arabia. The FedEx St. Jude Championship raises money for St. Jude. Which side do you want to support? This really isn’t hard.”

The August event kicks off the FedEx Cup playoffs and will feature a bigger field, the return of the pro-am and a “good old-fashioned Memphis block party.”

The research mobile exhibit, led by the National Institutes of Health, stops in Memphis this week.