Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) is an increasingly recognized yet frequently underdiagnosed cause of heart failure, particularly among older adults. The AHA’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics Update reports that up to 13% of older adults hospitalized with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction may have ATTR‑CM, underscoring substantial opportunities to improve diagnosis in routine clinical care.

In October 2024, multi-industry stakeholders gathered for the DCRI Think Tank Anti-Obesity Pharmacotherapy: Need for Guidance, Access, and Equity, which focused on aligning and advancing the field of obesity medications (OMs). Their insights and collaboration resulted in the article Obesity Pharmacotherapy: An Urgent Need for Progressing Science, Access, and Equity published in the journal JACC: Advances.

The city of Durham formally recognized the importance of clinical research on May 18, when Mayor Leonardo Williams proclaimed May 20, 2026, as Clinical Trials Day during a Durham City Council meeting. The proclamation emphasized the role that clinical trials play in public health by advancing understanding of health and supporting the development of safe and effective treatments.

Duke University has been awarded $12.9 million from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) for a new clinical trial aimed at improving the standard of care for autistic children with chronic digestive discomfort.