An attempt to overturn a one-of-a-kind Florida law—known by some critics as “free kill”—has recharged debate over how to reduce medical malpractice premiums.

Passed in 1990 as part of the state’s Wrongful Death Act, Florida Statute 768.21 says only a legal spouse or child under 25 can sue for pain and suffering damages if an adult 25 or older dies due to medical malpractice. That means if a childless and unmarried person dies, their unwed partner and family members couldn’t sue for pain and suffering on their behalf.

On May 1, the state Senate passed a reform in a 33–4 vote (HB 6017) that would undo this limitation, allowing parents to file a wrongful death suit on behalf of their adult children as well as adult children to sue on behalf of their parents if the deceased was unmarried.

Then on May 29, Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed the reform, saying repealing the statute would bring “unpredictable liability” and incentivize “unmeritorious claims.”

Though it’s not necessarily a done deal yet, experts say.—CC

The FDA has greenlit the first at-home device to help screen for cervical cancer—no stirrups, speculums, or awkward small talk required.

The device, made by women’s health company Teal Health, is a wand with a sponge-like end that patients can use to self-collect vaginal samples. The service also includes a virtual visit with a Teal provider to discuss your history before receiving a device and another after if follow-up care is needed.

The samples are mailed to a lab for primary human papillomavirus (HPV) testing, the American Cancer Society’s recommended method for cervical cancer screening since 2020. (It’s an alternative to the dreaded Pap smear, which is a less accurate test.)

As co-founder and CEO Kara Egan told us: “It’s not the ‘Pap smear from home’ because you shouldn’t be doing the Pap smear anymore. You should be doing primary HPV [testing].”

See the full Q&A here.—CC

Welcome back to AI 411, a monthly roundup of artificial intelligence (AI) announcements from across the healthcare industry.

This month, health tech companies saw big fundraisers and announced new products that use AI to support patient care.

Let’s get into it. Here is your roundup of health-related AI updates from May.

Akido. Akido, a Los Angeles-based care delivery company announced a $60 million Series B funding round on May 15. Funding was led by venture capitalist Oak HC/FT. The money will be used to bring to more patients the company’s system, ScopeAI, which supports medical appointments with AI tools that listen, take notes, and build clinical reports.

See the full roundup of updates here.—CM