NEJM This Week — May 7, 2026

This week's episode of NEJM This Week explores groundbreaking clinical research and critical policy debates shaping modern medicine. Key studies include a trial on left ventricular unloading during high-risk PCI, which found no significant benefit from mechanical circulatory support despite its widespread use, prompting a call for more selective application. In pancreatic cancer, the RAS inhibitor daraxin-rasib shows promising response rates in advanced, previously treated disease, though resistance remains a challenge. An mRNA influenza vaccine demonstrated superior efficacy over standard vaccines in adults over 50, with higher reactogenicity. For severe scabies, a combination of ivermectin and permethrin proved effective, though higher-dose ivermectin offered no advantage. A novel base-editing therapy for sickle cell disease showed durable fetal hemoglobin production and reduced sickling. The episode also features a review on cerebral amyloid angiopathy and a complex case of disseminated Mycobacterium abscessus infection linked to autoantibodies against interferon gamma. Perspectives critically examine the corporatization of academic medicine and the potential of most favored nation pricing models in Medicaid and Medicare Part B to reduce drug costs, while cautioning about unintended consequences for innovation and access.