Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
U.S. SUES DIST. OF COLUMBIA OVER RESTRICTIVE GUN CONROL; CCRKBA CHEERS
BELLEVUE, Washington, Dec. 23 [Category: Political] -- The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms issued the following news release:
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U.S. SUES DIST. OF COLUMBIA OVER RESTRICTIVE GUN CONROL; CCRKBA CHEERS
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BELLEVUE, WA - The Trump administration has filed a federal lawsuit against the District of Columbia, challenging the city's continuing effort, despite Supreme Court rulings, to restrict and infringe upon the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens, and the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is cheering the action.
"We are proud to see the
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BELLEVUE, Washington, Dec. 23 [Category: Political] -- The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms issued the following news release:
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U.S. SUES DIST. OF COLUMBIA OVER RESTRICTIVE GUN CONROL; CCRKBA CHEERS
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BELLEVUE, WA - The Trump administration has filed a federal lawsuit against the District of Columbia, challenging the city's continuing effort, despite Supreme Court rulings, to restrict and infringe upon the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens, and the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is cheering the action.
"We are proud to see theTrump administration stand up for the constitutional and civil rights of Americans who want to exercise their Second Amendment rights," said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. "This lawsuit shows the night and day difference between this administration and the previous one that attacked the right to keep and Bear arms at every turn."
The lawsuit, filed by Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, head of the Civil Rights Division, names the District of Columbia and Metropolitan Police Chief Pamela Smith, in her official capacity, as defendants. In their complaint, the administration states the District "denies law-abiding citizens the ability to register a wide variety of commonly used semi-automatic firearms, such as the Colt AR-15 series rifles, which is among the most popular of firearms in America, and a variety of other semi-automatic rifles and pistols that are in common use."
"The significance of the administration's action here cannot be over-stated," Gottlieb observed. "The Trump administration is taking the fight to restore Second Amendment rights literally to the belly of the beast. This lawsuit sends a message to every other anti-gun jurisdiction that the days of dancing around, or completely ignoring, Supreme Court rulings in Heller, McDonald and Bruen have come to an end."
As the Justice Department's lawsuit clearly notes, "D.C's current semi-automatic firearms prohibition that bans many commonly used pistols, rifles or shotguns is based on little more than cosmetics, appearance, or the ability to attach accessories, and fails to take into account whether the prohibited weapon is "in common use today" or that law-abiding citizens may use these weapons for lawful purposes protected by the Second Amendment.
"This case concerns much more than dormant, bad law," the complaint adds. "It concerns the very real requirement that the DC Defendants have acted and are continuing to act in blatant disregard to our Constitution and the rulings of our Nation's highest court."
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Original text here: https://ccrkba.org/2025/12/23/u-s-sues-dist-of-columbia-over-restrictive-gun-conrol-ccrkba-cheers/
Northwell to Launch Long Island's First Pancreas Transplant Program
NEW HYDE PARK, New York, Dec. 23 -- Northwell Health issued the following news release:
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Northwell to launch Long Island's first pancreas transplant program
Northwell Transplant Institute is one of 59 adult transplant centers in the U.S. to offer heart, kidney, liver, lung and pancreas programs
Northwell Health has received approval to launch Long Island's first adult pancreas transplant program, according to a letter from the New York State Department of Health (DOH). The Northwell Transplant Institute at North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) recently hosted a site visit with DOH officials,
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NEW HYDE PARK, New York, Dec. 23 -- Northwell Health issued the following news release:
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Northwell to launch Long Island's first pancreas transplant program
Northwell Transplant Institute is one of 59 adult transplant centers in the U.S. to offer heart, kidney, liver, lung and pancreas programs
Northwell Health has received approval to launch Long Island's first adult pancreas transplant program, according to a letter from the New York State Department of Health (DOH). The Northwell Transplant Institute at North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) recently hosted a site visit with DOH officials,the final hurdle before opening the program to new patients.
Northwell's pancreas program will open access to patients across the greater New York and southern Connecticut, with multiple ambulatory locations. While there are 123 pancreas transplant programs in the United States, NSUH, which has 756 licensed beds and treats more than 90,000 patients each year, is one of just 59 adult transplant centers nationwide that offer heart, kidney, liver, lung and pancreas programs under one roof, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. That coordination of care, along with a state-of-the-art surgical pavilion and world-renowned surgeons, makes the Northwell Transplant Institute a leader in patient outcomes.
"Northwell now consistently performs more than 200 kidney transplants a year with excellent outcomes. The goal has always been to bring pancreas transplantation to Long Island and marry these similar disciplines," said Nabil Dagher, MD, senior vice president and director, Northwell Transplant Institute. "We've attracted some of the best nephrologists and surgeons in the world, true experts in kidney disease and diabetes. Adding pancreas transplantation to the Northwell Transplant Institute's already robust programs will further strengthen the care we deliver to all patients."
Meeting the demand: Northwell's commitment to transplant patients
The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) currently lists over 120,000 Americans in need of an organ transplant, including more than 800 awaiting a pancreas and another roughly 2,500 seeking a combination kidney/pancreas transplant as of 12/21/25. Nearly 45,000 organ transplants have been performed nationwide so far this year, yet the number of people needing a new organ keeps growing.
The Northwell Transplant Institute recently earned CMS recertification for several of its programs without a single deficiency, a testament to its distinction, broad reach, and outstanding performance. Northwell started performing adult kidney transplants at NSUH in 2007 and established its pediatric kidney transplant program at Northwell's Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park in 2017. Niraj Desai, MD, director of Northwell's Center for Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation, arrived at Northwell in 2024 to oversee kidney transplant and with the intent of launching the pancreas program. Dr. Desai was previously at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, MD, where he served as director of its kidney and pancreas transplant programs.
"The mission is to bring greater access to people in need, whether that's through making more organs available for transplantation -- which we've been working toward -- or creating new pathways to receive a life-saving transplant," said Dr. Desai. "We've pushed to expand the age and criteria for organ donation. I'm excited that we can open pancreas transplant to a new, underserved population."
A photograph of a man standing in front of two paintings.
Northwell appoints kidney transplant leader
Niraj Desai, MD, to head kidney transplant program at North Shore University Hospital.
Read more
Understanding Northwell's pancreas transplant program
Northwell's pancreas transplant program brings life-changing care to New Yorkers facing advanced diabetes. A pancreas transplant can eventually be required in patients with severe, hard-to-manage Type 1 diabetes (and sometimes Type 2). It's often performed alongside a kidney transplant and can restore natural blood sugar control and significantly reduce or eliminate the need for insulin, leading to a better quality of life.
"Kidney transplantation has risen in recent years, driven by greater awareness of its benefits and an increased availability of donated organs," said Vinay Nair, DO, medical director, Northwell's Center for Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation. "Unlike kidney transplantation, pancreas transplantation has remained stagnant, largely due to a lack of public knowledge and an insufficient number of centers offering the procedure. Our new program seeks to mitigate these challenges by both enhancing awareness and establishing local availability for pancreas transplantation."
The Northwell Transplant Institute offers world-class organ transplant care for adults with organ failure in need of a new heart, lung, liver, kidney, or pancreas, and children in need of a new heart or kidney. The Institute's committed and highly trained team of medical and surgical transplant specialists uses innovative and collaborative approaches to improve outcomes and access to transplantation for patients with all stages of end-stage organ failure. Transplant procedures are performed at two top-ranked hospitals with advanced surgical capabilities and specialty-trained staff - North Shore University Hospital and Cohen Children's Medical Center. The Transplant Institute has an expansive ambulatory network to enable access for patients close to home. Nearly 45,000 solid organ transplants have taken place across 250 transplant hospitals across the United States in the year to date (as of 12/21/2025) in 2025, including more than 400 at Northwell alone, according to the OPTN.
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Original text here: https://www.northwell.edu/news/the-latest/northwell-to-launch-long-islands-first-pancreas-transplant-program
[Category: Health Care]
LCV, ELM, and NYLCV Statements on Trump Administration Announcement to Halt 5 Offshore Wind Projects
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 [Category: Environment] -- The League of Conservation Voters posted the following news release:
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LCV, ELM, and NYLCV Statements on Trump Administration Announcement to Halt 5 Offshore Wind Projects
In response to the Trump administration ordering to halt five offshore wind projects, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV), Environmental League of Massachusetts (ELM), and New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV), released the following statements:
"This order only furthers Trump's attempt to gut cheap clean energy, that not only lowers costs but also provides
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 [Category: Environment] -- The League of Conservation Voters posted the following news release:
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LCV, ELM, and NYLCV Statements on Trump Administration Announcement to Halt 5 Offshore Wind Projects
In response to the Trump administration ordering to halt five offshore wind projects, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV), Environmental League of Massachusetts (ELM), and New York League of Conservation Voters (NYLCV), released the following statements:
"This order only furthers Trump's attempt to gut cheap clean energy, that not only lowers costs but also provideshigh-paying jobs for families," said Kathleen Meil, Local Clean Energy Deployment Director at the League of Conservation Voters. "Instead of taking well-vetted clean energy projects offline, the Trump administration should be focused on addressing skyrocketing energy costs, protecting the health and safety of our communities, and lowering costs across the board. What continues to be clear is that Trump cares more about Big Polluters and Big Oil, than hardworking families."
"Pausing fully-permitted offshore wind projects at the finish line doesn't just strand billions of dollars at sea," said Katie Segal, Senior Offshore Wind Director at Environmental League of Massachusetts and Regional Lead at New England for Offshore Wind. "It strands American workers, undermines our energy security, increases our energy bills, and sends a chilling message that no infrastructure project in this country is safe from political whim."
"The Trump administration's ridiculous effort to halt offshore wind projects - this time up and down the east coast - will bring good tidings for his fossil fuel allies (not to mention a sleigh-full of billable hours for lawyers) and nothing but a lump of coal for Americans struggling to pay their electric bills and the thousands of union workers he's kicking off the job right before the holidays," said Julie Tighe, President of New York League of Conservation Voters. "The New York projects alone would inject more than 1.7 gigawatts of clean, reliable, stable energy - enough to power more than 1.1 million homes. Stopping these projects now - when energy demand is rising and the president himself is claiming there is an energy emergency - makes no sense. The national security objections brought by the administration are absurd and we know that this attempt, like all those before it, will fail. We thank Governor Hochul for standing up to this, and call on the entire New York congressional delegation to fight this order and get these projects back online and the workers back on the job as soon as possible."
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Original text here: https://www.lcv.org/media-center/lcv-elm-and-nylcv-statements-on-trump-administration-announcement-to-halt-5-offshore-wind-projects/
Refuge, Fishery Review Offers Opportunity to Support Wildlife, Enhance Vital Public Lands
MERRIFIELD, Virginia, Dec. 22 [Category: Environment] -- The National Wildlife Federation posted the following news release:
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Refuge, Fishery Review Offers Opportunity to Support Wildlife, Enhance Vital Public Lands
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WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik's order to review the agency's fisheries and refuges is an opportunity to address the persistent funding and staffing problems facing the refuge system and ensure each of these important locations and the species they support have the resources to thrive for future generations.
"America's national wildlife
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MERRIFIELD, Virginia, Dec. 22 [Category: Environment] -- The National Wildlife Federation posted the following news release:
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Refuge, Fishery Review Offers Opportunity to Support Wildlife, Enhance Vital Public Lands
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WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Brian Nesvik's order to review the agency's fisheries and refuges is an opportunity to address the persistent funding and staffing problems facing the refuge system and ensure each of these important locations and the species they support have the resources to thrive for future generations.
"America's national wildliferefuge system is an invaluable asset for people and wildlife alike sustaining crucial habitat, supporting local economies, and providing unparalleled outdoor recreation opportunities for hunters, anglers, wildlife watchers, and others," said Mike Leahy, senior director of wildlife, hunting and fishing policy, National Wildlife Federation. "We're encouraged by Director Brian Nesvik's interest in better understanding and addressing systemic challenges facing the refuge and national fish hatchery systems. We will work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on this initiative and on opportunities to address refuges' maintenance backlogs and staff and funding shortfalls to ensure the entire system remains intact and thriving for future generations."
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Original text here: https://www.nwf.org//Home/Latest-News/Press-Releases/2025/12-22-25-Refuge-Review
New York Bans Commercial Horseshoe Crab Harvests
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 [Category: Biology] -- The Center for Biological Diversity posted the following news release:
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New York Bans Commercial Horseshoe Crab Harvests
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ALBANY, N.Y. Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act, which will phase out commercial harvests of horseshoe crabs from New York waters over a three-year transition period.
"Horseshoe crabs have saved countless human lives, and now New Yorkers are returning the favor," said Will Harlan, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity. "New York has taken bold action to save these ancient creatures
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 [Category: Biology] -- The Center for Biological Diversity posted the following news release:
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New York Bans Commercial Horseshoe Crab Harvests
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ALBANY, N.Y. Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act, which will phase out commercial harvests of horseshoe crabs from New York waters over a three-year transition period.
"Horseshoe crabs have saved countless human lives, and now New Yorkers are returning the favor," said Will Harlan, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity. "New York has taken bold action to save these ancient creaturesand the many other species that depend on them."
Nearly twice as old as dinosaurs, horseshoe crabs are brown, body-armored arthropods with 10 eyes and a long spiked tail. Each spring along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, horseshoe crabs lay their eggs in massive beach spawning events. They once blanketed beaches from Massachusetts to Louisiana, but overharvesting has devastated populations.
Horseshoe crab harvests by the biomedical industry have doubled in the past seven years. Horseshoe crabs are drained of their blood for drug safety testing even though synthetic alternatives are already available, approved and used widely in Europe and Asia.
Horseshoe crabs are also harvested for bait by the eel and whelk fisheries. Previously, New York allowed 150,000 horseshoe crabs a year to be harvested from state waters. Overharvesting has caused horseshoe crab populations to plummet by 70% in the past 25 years. The Center petitioned to protect horseshoe crabs under the Endangered Species Act in 2024.
As horseshoe crabs have declined, so have other species, such as endangered sea turtles, fish and birds. The rufa red knot, a shorebird species that feeds on horseshoe crab eggs during its 19,000-mile migration from South America to the Arctic, was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2015. The listing decision cited horseshoe crab overharvesting as one of the contributing factors to the red knot's decline.
In 2024 Gov. Hochul vetoed the legislation but she signed it this year. Center supporters sent more than 20,000 comments to Gov. Hochul's office urging her to sign the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act.
The legislation requires a 25% reduction in harvests over the next three years, with a full prohibition beginning in 2029.
New York joins New Jersey and Connecticut as states that have banned horseshoe crab harvests, and other states are considering similar measures.
"Horseshoe crabs have survived mass extinctions and dramatic changes to our planet, but they are now struggling to survive the impacts of human activity," said New York Assemblymember Deborah Glick, who championed the legislation. "Overharvesting for bait and biomedical use has pushed this ancient species into decline, with ripple effects being felt throughout coastal ecosystems. I thank Gov. Hochul for standing with advocates and the legislature to protect this critical species."
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Original text here: https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/new-york-bans-commercial-horseshoe-crab-harvests-2025-12-22/
CAIR Welcomes Dropping of Deportation Order for Chinese Man Who Documented Uyghur Concentration Camps
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 [Category: Sociological] -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release:
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CAIR Welcomes Dropping of Deportation Order for Chinese Man Who Documented Uyghur Concentration Camps
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The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the dropping of a deportation order for Heng Guan, a Chinese citizen who documented the Chinese government's Uyghur concentration camps.
Earlier this month, CAIR called for his release from ICE custody.
Guan, who fled China after
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 [Category: Sociological] -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release:
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CAIR Welcomes Dropping of Deportation Order for Chinese Man Who Documented Uyghur Concentration Camps
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The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today welcomed the dropping of a deportation order for Heng Guan, a Chinese citizen who documented the Chinese government's Uyghur concentration camps.
Earlier this month, CAIR called for his release from ICE custody.
Guan, who fled China aftergathering evidence of human-rights violations against the nation's Uyghur population, is reportedly at risk of being returned to the country after being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
SEE: ICE Holding Chinese Man Who Documented Uyghur Camps - WSJ
In a statement, Washington, D.C., based CAIR said:
"We welcome the decision to drop the deportation order against Mr. Guan and commend those who spoke out to protect him from being returned to China, where he could face severe retaliation for exposing human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims. Whistleblowers and human rights documentarians should be protected, not punished. The United States must uphold human rights for all and protect individuals in our nation who exposed our survived genocide, whether in China or Sudan or Palestine."
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CONTACT : CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com
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Original text here: https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-welcomes-dropping-of-deportation-order-for-chinese-man-who-documented-uyghur-concentration-camps/
Ascension Saint Agnes performs first single-port robotic surgery of its kind in the region, and expands treatment options for colorectal, thoracic and urology conditions
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 [Category: Health Care] -- Ascension, a faith-based healthcare organization, posted the following news release:
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Ascension Saint Agnes performs first single-port robotic surgery of its kind in the region, and expands treatment options for colorectal, thoracic and urology conditions
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Ascension Saint Agnes has become the first hospital in the Maryland-Delaware-Virginia region to successfully perform a single-port colon resection combined with transanal surgery, marking a major milestone in advanced, minimally invasive surgical care.
"Single-port robotic surgery is
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WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 [Category: Health Care] -- Ascension, a faith-based healthcare organization, posted the following news release:
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Ascension Saint Agnes performs first single-port robotic surgery of its kind in the region, and expands treatment options for colorectal, thoracic and urology conditions
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Ascension Saint Agnes has become the first hospital in the Maryland-Delaware-Virginia region to successfully perform a single-port colon resection combined with transanal surgery, marking a major milestone in advanced, minimally invasive surgical care.
"Single-port robotic surgery isa minimally invasive surgical technique performed through a single small incision and represents a major advancement from traditional multi-port approaches and open surgery," said Rohit Gulati, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Ascension Saint Agnes. "Our Ascension Saint Agnes surgeons are using the single-port robotic surgery system to perform complex colorectal, thoracic and urology procedures through a single incision, offering benefits to patients such as less pain, shorter recovery times, and faster return to normal function compared to traditional or multi-port robotic approaches."
First Hospital in the Maryland-Delaware-Virginia Region to Successfully Perform a Single-port Colon Resection
This groundbreaking procedure was led by Irina Bernescu, MD, FACS, Colon and Rectal Surgeon, and the Ascension Saint Agnes surgical team using the hospital's newest and most advanced robotic surgical technology. Colorectal surgery involves the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the large intestine, rectum and anus.
Unlike traditional or multi-port robotic surgery approaches that often require multiple incisions, the single-port approach allows surgeons to operate through one small opening. Transanal surgery allows surgeons to access certain areas through natural openings, further reducing the need for external incisions.
"It's exciting to have yet another way to ensure our patients receive the best care possible especially here, where I've contributed to the advancement of robotic surgery for many years," said Dr. Bernescu. "This milestone confirms we're on the right track and reinforces our commitment to continuing to do what's best for our patients."
Dr. Bernescu emphasized Ascension Saint Agnes' commitment to both innovation and individualized care, while also stressing the importance of early detection. "The earlier you can identify something, the easier it is to treat," Bernescu said.
First Single-Port Robotic Surgery on a Patient with Lung Cancer
Eric Krause, MD, FACS, Section Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital, successfully completed the first robotic single-port wedge resection on a patient with lung cancer at Ascension Saint Agnes.
Ascension Saint Agnes joins a niche group of hospitals performing this procedure in the state of Maryland.
"With the addition of this single-port robotic system, Ascension Saint Agnes continues to set the standard for personalized and compassionate care bringing leading-edge surgical options to patients in Baltimore and beyond," said Dr. Gulati.
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Original text here: https://about.ascension.org/news/2025/12/ascension-saint-agnes-performs-first-single-port-robotic-surgery-of-its-kind-in-the-region-and-expands-treatment-options-for-colorectal-thoracic-and-urology-conditions
