Trade Associations
Here's a look at documents from national and international trade associations
Featured Stories
U.S. Chamber Endorses Rep. Josh Gottheimer for New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District
WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce posted the following news release:
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U.S. Chamber Endorses Rep. Josh Gottheimer for New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District
October 28, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced its endorsement of Rep. Josh Gottheimer for New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District. The U.S. Chamber endorses candidates for federal office who will support policies that drive innovation, grow the economy, and create opportunities for American businesses and workers.
"The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is proud to endorse Rep. Josh ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce posted the following news release: * * * U.S. Chamber Endorses Rep. Josh Gottheimer for New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District October 28, 2026 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced its endorsement of Rep. Josh Gottheimer for New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District. The U.S. Chamber endorses candidates for federal office who will support policies that drive innovation, grow the economy, and create opportunities for American businesses and workers. "The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is proud to endorse Rep. JoshGottheimer for reelection to the House of Representatives. A steadfast champion of free enterprise and bipartisan problem-solving, Congressman Gottheimer has worked across party lines to strengthen America's workforce, foster innovation, drive economic growth for businesses and families in New Jersey's fifth Congressional district and across the country," said Kyla Miller, Manager for the Eastern Region at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
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About the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business organization representing companies of all sizes across every sector of the economy. Our members range from the small businesses and local chambers of commerce that line the Main Streets of America to leading industry associations and large corporations. For more than 114 years, we have advocated for pro-business policies that help businesses create jobs and grow our economy.
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Original text here: https://www.uschamber.com/improving-government/u-s-chamber-endorses-rep-josh-gottheimer-for-new-jerseys-fifth-congressional-district
[Category: Business]
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U.S. Chamber Endorses Rep. Josh Gottheimer for New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District
October 28, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced its endorsement of Rep. Josh Gottheimer for New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District. The U.S. Chamber endorses candidates for federal office who will support policies that drive innovation, grow the economy, and create opportunities for American businesses and workers.
"The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is proud to endorse Rep. Josh ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- The U.S. Chamber of Commerce posted the following news release: * * * U.S. Chamber Endorses Rep. Josh Gottheimer for New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District October 28, 2026 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced its endorsement of Rep. Josh Gottheimer for New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District. The U.S. Chamber endorses candidates for federal office who will support policies that drive innovation, grow the economy, and create opportunities for American businesses and workers. "The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is proud to endorse Rep. JoshGottheimer for reelection to the House of Representatives. A steadfast champion of free enterprise and bipartisan problem-solving, Congressman Gottheimer has worked across party lines to strengthen America's workforce, foster innovation, drive economic growth for businesses and families in New Jersey's fifth Congressional district and across the country," said Kyla Miller, Manager for the Eastern Region at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
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About the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business organization representing companies of all sizes across every sector of the economy. Our members range from the small businesses and local chambers of commerce that line the Main Streets of America to leading industry associations and large corporations. For more than 114 years, we have advocated for pro-business policies that help businesses create jobs and grow our economy.
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Original text here: https://www.uschamber.com/improving-government/u-s-chamber-endorses-rep-josh-gottheimer-for-new-jerseys-fifth-congressional-district
[Category: Business]
NWTF Texas, Partners Invest More Than $1.8 Million for Mission Delivery in 2027
EDGEFIELD, South Carolina, Oct. 29 -- The National Wild Turkey Federation issued the following news release:
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NWTF Texas, Partners Invest More Than $1.8 Million for Mission Delivery in 2027
October 28, 2026
EDGEFIELD, S.C. -- The Texas State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation recently met in Bullard to review Super Fund project proposals for the 2027 fiscal year. The board budgeted $60,403 for conservation projects, $26,500 for wild turkey research and $18,000 for the NWTF's Waterways for Wildlife Initiative, along with $56,909 for education and outreach events, chapter scholarships ... Show Full Article EDGEFIELD, South Carolina, Oct. 29 -- The National Wild Turkey Federation issued the following news release: * * * NWTF Texas, Partners Invest More Than $1.8 Million for Mission Delivery in 2027 October 28, 2026 EDGEFIELD, S.C. -- The Texas State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation recently met in Bullard to review Super Fund project proposals for the 2027 fiscal year. The board budgeted $60,403 for conservation projects, $26,500 for wild turkey research and $18,000 for the NWTF's Waterways for Wildlife Initiative, along with $56,909 for education and outreach events, chapter scholarshipsand other efforts. The approved conservation projects will be matched with more than $1.7 million in partner and grant funding.
"I want to sincerely thank our dedicated volunteers and staff across Texas who work tirelessly to raise these critical funds," said Annie Farrell, NWTF district biologist. "Their commitment allows us to invest directly into the state's top conservation priorities: improving habitat, supporting wild turkey research and expanding our hunting heritage programs. Because of their efforts, 2027 will be a strong year for wild turkeys in the great state of Texas."
The Super Fund is a funding model through which NWTF volunteers raise money at banquets and other fundraisers, allocating a significant portion of those funds to meaningful conservation and outreach projects in their respective states and beyond.
Texas' 2027 conservation investments will support habitat enhancement and research on seven wildlife management areas, prescribed burning efforts and prairie restoration support.
The Texas NWTF State Chapter also allocated funding for wild turkey research at Tarleton State University and to the wildturkeyDNA initiative. Research at Tarleton State University will investigate wild turkey diseases and their potential effects on populations, while wildturkeyDNA is using genetic samples from hunter-harvested birds to examine population genetics and genetic diversity, providing information that can help inform future conservation and management decisions.
In addition, the Texas NWTF State Chapter earmarked $18,000 for conservation projects across the Great Plains as part of the NWTF's Waterways for Wildlife Initiative. The initiative aims to improve 75,000 acres of riparian habitat and enhance 1,500 miles of waterways by 2032. Learn more about the NWTF's Waterways for Wildlife Initiative and its impact across America's Great Plains.
Funding will also support NWTF education and outreach programs that connect Texans with the outdoors, introduce young people to shooting sports and hunting heritage, and expand opportunities for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. Investments include local 4-H programs, youth shooting sports, JAKES, Wheelin' Sportsmen, Women in the Outdoors, scholarships and other chapter-led efforts.
2027 Conservation and Research Funding
* $52,803 to support Texas Parks and Wildlife Department habitat enhancement and research projects on Chaparral WMA, Gus Engeling WMA, Kerr WMA, Matador WMA, Pat Mayse WMA, Richland Creek WMA and Teacup Mountain WMA, impacting 2,000 acres.
* $10,000 to support prescribed burning efforts through equipment purchases supporting Pheasants Forever Quail Forever, the East Texas Prescribed Burn Association and the North Texas Prescribed Burn Association.
* $3,600 to support Native Prairies Association of Texas with prairie restoration on Harvey Prairie.
* $18,000 to support NWTF's Waterways for Wildlife Initiative.
* $4,000 to support Eastern wild turkey restoration efforts in Texas.
* $10,000 to support wild turkey disease research at Tarleton State University.
* $6,500 to support wildturkeyDNA at University of Georgia/University of Texas - El Paso.
2027 Hunting Heritage Funding
* $2,125 to support multiple local 4-H programs and the Gus Engeling WMA's youth shooting sports program.
* $2,000 to support Texas Wildlife Association Foundation's Texas Big Game Awards.
* $8,500 for JAKES, Wheelin' Sportsmen, Women in the Outdoors events and youth shooting sports.
* $5,000 for the 2027 Texas State Scholarship.
* $6,500 for sponsored travel to convention and the state awards banquet.
* $32,783 for miscellaneous expenses, including marketing, sponsorship of the Texas Calling Contest and Texas Leadership Conference, Texas NWTF State Chapter rebate and more.
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About the National Wild Turkey Federation
Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has positively impacted over 25 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. Since 2022, the NWTF has also invested over $2.7 million in critical wild turkey research that, when leveraged with partner contributions, has resulted in more than $25 million to guide the management of the wild turkey and to ensure sustainable populations. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale to create healthy forests and wildlife habitats, clean and abundant water, resilient communities and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners and staff, the NWTF is committed to creating a nation united by the life-changing power of the outdoors.
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Original text here: https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/nwtf-texas-partners-invest-more-than-1-8-million-for-mission-delivery-in-2027
[Category: Animals]
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NWTF Texas, Partners Invest More Than $1.8 Million for Mission Delivery in 2027
October 28, 2026
EDGEFIELD, S.C. -- The Texas State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation recently met in Bullard to review Super Fund project proposals for the 2027 fiscal year. The board budgeted $60,403 for conservation projects, $26,500 for wild turkey research and $18,000 for the NWTF's Waterways for Wildlife Initiative, along with $56,909 for education and outreach events, chapter scholarships ... Show Full Article EDGEFIELD, South Carolina, Oct. 29 -- The National Wild Turkey Federation issued the following news release: * * * NWTF Texas, Partners Invest More Than $1.8 Million for Mission Delivery in 2027 October 28, 2026 EDGEFIELD, S.C. -- The Texas State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation recently met in Bullard to review Super Fund project proposals for the 2027 fiscal year. The board budgeted $60,403 for conservation projects, $26,500 for wild turkey research and $18,000 for the NWTF's Waterways for Wildlife Initiative, along with $56,909 for education and outreach events, chapter scholarshipsand other efforts. The approved conservation projects will be matched with more than $1.7 million in partner and grant funding.
"I want to sincerely thank our dedicated volunteers and staff across Texas who work tirelessly to raise these critical funds," said Annie Farrell, NWTF district biologist. "Their commitment allows us to invest directly into the state's top conservation priorities: improving habitat, supporting wild turkey research and expanding our hunting heritage programs. Because of their efforts, 2027 will be a strong year for wild turkeys in the great state of Texas."
The Super Fund is a funding model through which NWTF volunteers raise money at banquets and other fundraisers, allocating a significant portion of those funds to meaningful conservation and outreach projects in their respective states and beyond.
Texas' 2027 conservation investments will support habitat enhancement and research on seven wildlife management areas, prescribed burning efforts and prairie restoration support.
The Texas NWTF State Chapter also allocated funding for wild turkey research at Tarleton State University and to the wildturkeyDNA initiative. Research at Tarleton State University will investigate wild turkey diseases and their potential effects on populations, while wildturkeyDNA is using genetic samples from hunter-harvested birds to examine population genetics and genetic diversity, providing information that can help inform future conservation and management decisions.
In addition, the Texas NWTF State Chapter earmarked $18,000 for conservation projects across the Great Plains as part of the NWTF's Waterways for Wildlife Initiative. The initiative aims to improve 75,000 acres of riparian habitat and enhance 1,500 miles of waterways by 2032. Learn more about the NWTF's Waterways for Wildlife Initiative and its impact across America's Great Plains.
Funding will also support NWTF education and outreach programs that connect Texans with the outdoors, introduce young people to shooting sports and hunting heritage, and expand opportunities for hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. Investments include local 4-H programs, youth shooting sports, JAKES, Wheelin' Sportsmen, Women in the Outdoors, scholarships and other chapter-led efforts.
2027 Conservation and Research Funding
* $52,803 to support Texas Parks and Wildlife Department habitat enhancement and research projects on Chaparral WMA, Gus Engeling WMA, Kerr WMA, Matador WMA, Pat Mayse WMA, Richland Creek WMA and Teacup Mountain WMA, impacting 2,000 acres.
* $10,000 to support prescribed burning efforts through equipment purchases supporting Pheasants Forever Quail Forever, the East Texas Prescribed Burn Association and the North Texas Prescribed Burn Association.
* $3,600 to support Native Prairies Association of Texas with prairie restoration on Harvey Prairie.
* $18,000 to support NWTF's Waterways for Wildlife Initiative.
* $4,000 to support Eastern wild turkey restoration efforts in Texas.
* $10,000 to support wild turkey disease research at Tarleton State University.
* $6,500 to support wildturkeyDNA at University of Georgia/University of Texas - El Paso.
2027 Hunting Heritage Funding
* $2,125 to support multiple local 4-H programs and the Gus Engeling WMA's youth shooting sports program.
* $2,000 to support Texas Wildlife Association Foundation's Texas Big Game Awards.
* $8,500 for JAKES, Wheelin' Sportsmen, Women in the Outdoors events and youth shooting sports.
* $5,000 for the 2027 Texas State Scholarship.
* $6,500 for sponsored travel to convention and the state awards banquet.
* $32,783 for miscellaneous expenses, including marketing, sponsorship of the Texas Calling Contest and Texas Leadership Conference, Texas NWTF State Chapter rebate and more.
* * *
About the National Wild Turkey Federation
Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has invested over half a billion dollars into wildlife conservation and has positively impacted over 25 million acres of critical wildlife habitat. Since 2022, the NWTF has also invested over $2.7 million in critical wild turkey research that, when leveraged with partner contributions, has resulted in more than $25 million to guide the management of the wild turkey and to ensure sustainable populations. The organization continues to deliver its mission by working across boundaries on a landscape scale to create healthy forests and wildlife habitats, clean and abundant water, resilient communities and robust recreational opportunities. With the help of its dedicated members, partners and staff, the NWTF is committed to creating a nation united by the life-changing power of the outdoors.
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Original text here: https://www.nwtf.org/content-hub/nwtf-texas-partners-invest-more-than-1-8-million-for-mission-delivery-in-2027
[Category: Animals]
Association of American Medical Colleges: How Doctors are Working to Make Cars Safer
WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- The Association of American Medical Colleges issued the following news release:
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How doctors are working to make cars safer
Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injury and death. Physicians at academic health systems are helping to improve automotive design.
By Bridget Balch, Staff Writer
Oct. 27, 2026
Automobile accidents in the United States accounted for 44,000 deaths, 2.8 million emergency department visits, and nearly half a trillion dollars in costs in 2023, the most recent year with complete data on the subject, according to the Centers for Disease ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- The Association of American Medical Colleges issued the following news release: * * * How doctors are working to make cars safer Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injury and death. Physicians at academic health systems are helping to improve automotive design. By Bridget Balch, Staff Writer Oct. 27, 2026 Automobile accidents in the United States accounted for 44,000 deaths, 2.8 million emergency department visits, and nearly half a trillion dollars in costs in 2023, the most recent year with complete data on the subject, according to the Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention.
That's why doctors and researchers at academic health systems across the country are involved in efforts to collect data on crashes and come up with solutions to better prevent them and mitigate the worst outcomes when they happen.
"It's a public health issue," says Jonathan Rupp, PhD, director of the Injury Prevention Research Center at Emory University School of Medicine, in Atlanta. "These crashes have a huge effect on morbidity and mortality."
Emory is one of nine academic institutions in the United States that are part of the Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN), which was established by the National Academy of Sciences in 1985 to stem the rapid rise in crash fatalities and injuries. As cars and trucks became the main mode of transportation following the construction of the interstate highway system in the 1950s, fatalities climbed from fewer than 29,000 in 1942 to more than 56,000 in 1972, according to the National Safety Council.
CIREN brings together multidisciplinary teams, including mechanical and biomechanical engineers, trauma surgeons, radiologists, orthopedic surgeons, emergency medicine physicians, first responders, crash investigators, and representatives of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), to collect data and use it to make recommendations about vehicle design and emergency response.
"It's kind of like an orchestra," says Shayn Martin, MD, MBA, a trauma surgeon on the CIREN team and a professor of trauma and surgery at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. "You've got people from so many different areas of expertise, that all comes together when we're hashing out what occurred during the crash -- how did these injuries occur, and what were the circumstances surrounding them?"
Over the decades, CIREN research has contributed to major leaps forward in vehicle-safety regulations and design, including Advanced Automatic Collision Notification (technology that detects a crash and transmits information to first responders), the development of more biologically accurate crash test dummies, and adaptive seat belt restraint and airbag deployment. Several academic health systems not currently affiliated with CIREN have also contributed to road-safety research, including the University of Michigan Medical School International Center for Automotive Medicine (ICAM), in Ann Arbor, and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Center for Injury Research and Prevention.
With recent developments in technology, including artificial intelligence (AI) and self-driving cars, experts say that we are living in a promising time for leaps forward in safety improvement.
But road safety is complex. At the same time safety technology has advanced, vehicles have gotten larger and heavier, and distracted driving has become more prevalent. It also can take an estimated 20 years for newer, safer vehicle models to saturate the roads. Furthermore, pedestrian and cyclist injuries and deaths have increased in recent decades.
Now experts are using the latest technology to detect and prevent crashes, to create virtual crash reconstructions and AI crash test dummies, to weigh in on road design and traffic enforcement, to help shape emergency response protocol, and to prepare for the advent of fully autonomous vehicles, among other contributions.
"The future is happening right now," says Joel Stitzel Jr., PhD, program leader of the Virginia Tech - Wake Forest University Center for Injury Biomechanics and the chair and a professor of biomedical engineering at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
"Technology is going to get better and we're going to be able to avoid more crashes."
A history of medical contribution
For nearly 100 years, physicians have played a role in advocating for motor vehicle safety. As early as the 1930s, a plastic surgeon, Claire Straith, MD, gave lectures on how car dashboard design contributed to head and facial injuries. A neurosurgeon, Frank Mayfield, MD, helped develop the first car-safety package for Ford in the 1950s. An orthopedic surgeon, John States, MD, helped draft the first U.S. seat belt law, in 1984. And a pediatrician, Ben Hoffman, MD, advocated for child car seat laws in the 1980s. More recently, another pediatrician, Flaura Winston, MD, PhD, has led efforts to further improve child passenger-safety laws across the country.
The United States did not have national standards for vehicle safety until the passage of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966, which created the regulatory agency now known as NHTSA.
Later, a 1985 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report, "Injury in America: A Continuing Public Health Problem," framed death and disability caused by accidental injury as a preventable health issue as opposed to random misfortune or personal failure. This led to a more systematic and academic approach to collecting detailed information on traffic accidents, which could help inform regulations and design. And so, CIREN was born.
"The network was formed to bring engineers, industry, academia, and medicine together to talk about how people get injured in crashes and how to build safer vehicles," Rupp says.
When CIREN first started its work, there were about 157 million licensed drivers in the United States. As of 2024, that number was estimated at 240 million. Though fatalities reached a 60-year low in 2011, they climbed back up over the past 15 years, with a surge during the pandemic, before gradually declining again beginning in 2021. Still, fatality rates are far below what they were at their peak in the 1970s, thanks to changes in vehicle design and safety laws and regulations.
Like those early physicians who drew public attention to the medical toll of crash injuries, many doctors see it as part of their duty to not only treat the injuries that come into their hospitals, but to make driving safer. Thousands of people injured in motor vehicle accidents arrive at emergency departments throughout the nation every day. Level I trauma centers, most of which are based in teaching hospitals, see the most severe injuries.
"There's only so much you can do when you're taking care of patients at the bedside," says Raymond Alexander Jean, MD, an acute care surgeon, a clinical assistant professor, and the assistant medical director of ICAM, at the University of Michigan. "A lot of our work as physicians is trying to improve injury prevention."
The physicians who work on case studies and research contribute their knowledge about the body to help the team piece together exactly what about the crash caused the injuries and to inform engineers about how vehicle design influences the severity of the injuries.
For example, first-generation airbags deployed with such speed and force, even during low-speed crashes, that they resulted in injuries and deaths. Since the 1990s, researchers have helped car manufacturers create more advanced airbags, which adjust based on the severity of the crash and the weight of the occupants.
And as seat belts and advanced airbags decreased head and torso injuries, CIREN researchers observed that crashes were resulting in a high number of foot and lower-limb injuries. The data led to the development of vehicles designed with energy-absorbing footrests and flooring, reducing the force placed on the lower extremities.
Stitzel, who is an engineer, says that the input from the physicians he works with is invaluable to putting together a complete picture of what went wrong in a crash and how to mitigate it.
"The physicians are really specific and extremely knowledgeable," he says.
Educating across disciplines
Each of these programs is housed within an academic health system, making education a core pillar of the programs' mission.
Martin, who was a trauma fellow when he first started working with CIREN, says that he is always seeking to include learners in the program, from using case studies to teach them to recruiting them to help with research.
At the University of Michigan, ICAM extends education beyond medical school learners by offering a one-year fellowship for engineers who work for General Motors. The fellows have an opportunity to immerse themselves in the medical side of crash investigations. The fellowship year includes lectures from industry experts, training alongside crash investigators, taking an anatomy lab to get firsthand knowledge of the human body, and conducting a capstone research project.
Jean, who helps run the fellowship program, adds that the multidisciplinary nature of medical education is not just about engineers and physicians learning from one another. He studied engineering at Harvard University before going to medical school, and he's noticed a trend in recent years of other discipline-changers entering medicine.
"It used to be every student in medicine [majored in] biology," Jean says. "A lot of people who studied engineering or math and science -- or may have had prior careers in engineering -- are able to translate these concepts. We're seeing so much team science and team health care where you can leverage everyone's strengths."
The path to Vision Zero
In 1997 the Swedish government adopted a road-safety plan known as Vision Zero, which stated that no motor vehicle-related deaths are acceptable. The country developed a safe-system approach that incorporated five pillars: safe speeds, safe roads, safe vehicles, safe road users (pedestrians, cyclists, etc.), and postcrash care. It then implemented interventions such as medians, bike lanes, and roundabouts, and pledged to place safety as a priority over speed and efficiency when designing roads and vehicles.
Hundreds of cities across the world and dozens in the United States, including Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago, have adopted the Vision Zero goal, officially accepting that governments and systems must take responsibility for saving lives and reducing the risks of living in a car-centric society. The U.S. Federal Highway Administration has also adopted a safe-systems approach, seeking to look at road safety through a public health lens.
"This approach talks about the multiple dimensions to building a system that optimally protects those who use it," Rupp says. "The implementation of that changes how we think about safety. It's the overarching framework of safe streets: pedestrian-friendly environments, moderate traffic speeds, safe roadsides, and improved access to first responders."
While advanced technology in newer cars, including forward collision warning, blind spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking and lane correction, have helped reduce and mitigate crashes in recent years, the doctors, engineers, and other team members studying road safety have plenty of challenges ahead of them.
Among them are the changes to the population over the past few decades, Rupp explains. There are far more Americans who have obesity or who are older and frailer than in previous generations, which means that the test dummies previously used often don't accurately simulate the dangers to these body types.
Women are also more likely to be injured in a crash than men are. This could be, in part, because there are no crash test dummies currently used in U.S. regulatory testing based on the female body. The Trump administration approved the first female crash test dummy in 2025, which is expected to be implemented in testing in 2027.
However, as technology advances, engineers are using more virtual crash simulations. This helps to account for various body types and crash situations without the expense of using a test dummy -- which can cost up to $1 million for more advanced models.
"Product development is becoming more virtualized," Stitzel says. "It can represent more aged people or different sizes of people, and that's all really important to the public."
CIREN has also increased its focus on crashes involving vulnerable road users (VRUs), such as pedestrians and cyclists, after an increase in fatalities in the 2010s. The data has helped in the development of vehicle designs that protect not only the vehicle occupants, but also any other people who might be involved in a collision. Pedestrian Automatic Emergency Braking, softer bumpers, sloping hoods, and safety-shattering glass have all been part of the push to protect VRUs. Some manufacturers have even built vehicles with external airbags to soften collisions with VRUs, but they're not commercially available in the United States.
"Autonomy is the next big thing," Rupp adds. Because self-driving cars can implement advanced safety technologies and reduce human errors, they offer hope for significant reductions in crash injuries and fatalities. Rupp and others are already considering how autonomous driving vehicles will change safety design needs. When people no longer have to sit up and drive, how can they still be safe lying down or in seats facing other occupants?
Autonomous vehicles "are going to have a big effect on safety for those who can afford them," Rupp says. "But it takes many, many years for those to penetrate into the vehicle fleet."
They are also not immune to mistakes. In 2024, the Association for Computing Machinery published a document warning of some of the potential safety risks that autonomous vehicles have that human drivers don't face, including cyberattacks and malfunctioning software.
Jean is skeptical that autonomous vehicles will completely replace driving.
"Driving is really an American pastime. In some way, it's going to be present for the foreseeable future," he says. "As the technology advances and vehicles become more and more advanced, we're all hopeful that safety is going to keep improving."
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Bridget Balch is a staff writer for AAMCNews whose areas of focus include medical research, health equity, and patient care. She can be reached at bbalch@aamc.org.
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Original text here: https://www.aamc.org/news/how-doctors-are-working-make-cars-safer
[Category: Medical]
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How doctors are working to make cars safer
Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injury and death. Physicians at academic health systems are helping to improve automotive design.
By Bridget Balch, Staff Writer
Oct. 27, 2026
Automobile accidents in the United States accounted for 44,000 deaths, 2.8 million emergency department visits, and nearly half a trillion dollars in costs in 2023, the most recent year with complete data on the subject, according to the Centers for Disease ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 -- The Association of American Medical Colleges issued the following news release: * * * How doctors are working to make cars safer Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injury and death. Physicians at academic health systems are helping to improve automotive design. By Bridget Balch, Staff Writer Oct. 27, 2026 Automobile accidents in the United States accounted for 44,000 deaths, 2.8 million emergency department visits, and nearly half a trillion dollars in costs in 2023, the most recent year with complete data on the subject, according to the Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention.
That's why doctors and researchers at academic health systems across the country are involved in efforts to collect data on crashes and come up with solutions to better prevent them and mitigate the worst outcomes when they happen.
"It's a public health issue," says Jonathan Rupp, PhD, director of the Injury Prevention Research Center at Emory University School of Medicine, in Atlanta. "These crashes have a huge effect on morbidity and mortality."
Emory is one of nine academic institutions in the United States that are part of the Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN), which was established by the National Academy of Sciences in 1985 to stem the rapid rise in crash fatalities and injuries. As cars and trucks became the main mode of transportation following the construction of the interstate highway system in the 1950s, fatalities climbed from fewer than 29,000 in 1942 to more than 56,000 in 1972, according to the National Safety Council.
CIREN brings together multidisciplinary teams, including mechanical and biomechanical engineers, trauma surgeons, radiologists, orthopedic surgeons, emergency medicine physicians, first responders, crash investigators, and representatives of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), to collect data and use it to make recommendations about vehicle design and emergency response.
"It's kind of like an orchestra," says Shayn Martin, MD, MBA, a trauma surgeon on the CIREN team and a professor of trauma and surgery at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. "You've got people from so many different areas of expertise, that all comes together when we're hashing out what occurred during the crash -- how did these injuries occur, and what were the circumstances surrounding them?"
Over the decades, CIREN research has contributed to major leaps forward in vehicle-safety regulations and design, including Advanced Automatic Collision Notification (technology that detects a crash and transmits information to first responders), the development of more biologically accurate crash test dummies, and adaptive seat belt restraint and airbag deployment. Several academic health systems not currently affiliated with CIREN have also contributed to road-safety research, including the University of Michigan Medical School International Center for Automotive Medicine (ICAM), in Ann Arbor, and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Center for Injury Research and Prevention.
With recent developments in technology, including artificial intelligence (AI) and self-driving cars, experts say that we are living in a promising time for leaps forward in safety improvement.
But road safety is complex. At the same time safety technology has advanced, vehicles have gotten larger and heavier, and distracted driving has become more prevalent. It also can take an estimated 20 years for newer, safer vehicle models to saturate the roads. Furthermore, pedestrian and cyclist injuries and deaths have increased in recent decades.
Now experts are using the latest technology to detect and prevent crashes, to create virtual crash reconstructions and AI crash test dummies, to weigh in on road design and traffic enforcement, to help shape emergency response protocol, and to prepare for the advent of fully autonomous vehicles, among other contributions.
"The future is happening right now," says Joel Stitzel Jr., PhD, program leader of the Virginia Tech - Wake Forest University Center for Injury Biomechanics and the chair and a professor of biomedical engineering at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
"Technology is going to get better and we're going to be able to avoid more crashes."
A history of medical contribution
For nearly 100 years, physicians have played a role in advocating for motor vehicle safety. As early as the 1930s, a plastic surgeon, Claire Straith, MD, gave lectures on how car dashboard design contributed to head and facial injuries. A neurosurgeon, Frank Mayfield, MD, helped develop the first car-safety package for Ford in the 1950s. An orthopedic surgeon, John States, MD, helped draft the first U.S. seat belt law, in 1984. And a pediatrician, Ben Hoffman, MD, advocated for child car seat laws in the 1980s. More recently, another pediatrician, Flaura Winston, MD, PhD, has led efforts to further improve child passenger-safety laws across the country.
The United States did not have national standards for vehicle safety until the passage of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966, which created the regulatory agency now known as NHTSA.
Later, a 1985 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report, "Injury in America: A Continuing Public Health Problem," framed death and disability caused by accidental injury as a preventable health issue as opposed to random misfortune or personal failure. This led to a more systematic and academic approach to collecting detailed information on traffic accidents, which could help inform regulations and design. And so, CIREN was born.
"The network was formed to bring engineers, industry, academia, and medicine together to talk about how people get injured in crashes and how to build safer vehicles," Rupp says.
When CIREN first started its work, there were about 157 million licensed drivers in the United States. As of 2024, that number was estimated at 240 million. Though fatalities reached a 60-year low in 2011, they climbed back up over the past 15 years, with a surge during the pandemic, before gradually declining again beginning in 2021. Still, fatality rates are far below what they were at their peak in the 1970s, thanks to changes in vehicle design and safety laws and regulations.
Like those early physicians who drew public attention to the medical toll of crash injuries, many doctors see it as part of their duty to not only treat the injuries that come into their hospitals, but to make driving safer. Thousands of people injured in motor vehicle accidents arrive at emergency departments throughout the nation every day. Level I trauma centers, most of which are based in teaching hospitals, see the most severe injuries.
"There's only so much you can do when you're taking care of patients at the bedside," says Raymond Alexander Jean, MD, an acute care surgeon, a clinical assistant professor, and the assistant medical director of ICAM, at the University of Michigan. "A lot of our work as physicians is trying to improve injury prevention."
The physicians who work on case studies and research contribute their knowledge about the body to help the team piece together exactly what about the crash caused the injuries and to inform engineers about how vehicle design influences the severity of the injuries.
For example, first-generation airbags deployed with such speed and force, even during low-speed crashes, that they resulted in injuries and deaths. Since the 1990s, researchers have helped car manufacturers create more advanced airbags, which adjust based on the severity of the crash and the weight of the occupants.
And as seat belts and advanced airbags decreased head and torso injuries, CIREN researchers observed that crashes were resulting in a high number of foot and lower-limb injuries. The data led to the development of vehicles designed with energy-absorbing footrests and flooring, reducing the force placed on the lower extremities.
Stitzel, who is an engineer, says that the input from the physicians he works with is invaluable to putting together a complete picture of what went wrong in a crash and how to mitigate it.
"The physicians are really specific and extremely knowledgeable," he says.
Educating across disciplines
Each of these programs is housed within an academic health system, making education a core pillar of the programs' mission.
Martin, who was a trauma fellow when he first started working with CIREN, says that he is always seeking to include learners in the program, from using case studies to teach them to recruiting them to help with research.
At the University of Michigan, ICAM extends education beyond medical school learners by offering a one-year fellowship for engineers who work for General Motors. The fellows have an opportunity to immerse themselves in the medical side of crash investigations. The fellowship year includes lectures from industry experts, training alongside crash investigators, taking an anatomy lab to get firsthand knowledge of the human body, and conducting a capstone research project.
Jean, who helps run the fellowship program, adds that the multidisciplinary nature of medical education is not just about engineers and physicians learning from one another. He studied engineering at Harvard University before going to medical school, and he's noticed a trend in recent years of other discipline-changers entering medicine.
"It used to be every student in medicine [majored in] biology," Jean says. "A lot of people who studied engineering or math and science -- or may have had prior careers in engineering -- are able to translate these concepts. We're seeing so much team science and team health care where you can leverage everyone's strengths."
The path to Vision Zero
In 1997 the Swedish government adopted a road-safety plan known as Vision Zero, which stated that no motor vehicle-related deaths are acceptable. The country developed a safe-system approach that incorporated five pillars: safe speeds, safe roads, safe vehicles, safe road users (pedestrians, cyclists, etc.), and postcrash care. It then implemented interventions such as medians, bike lanes, and roundabouts, and pledged to place safety as a priority over speed and efficiency when designing roads and vehicles.
Hundreds of cities across the world and dozens in the United States, including Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago, have adopted the Vision Zero goal, officially accepting that governments and systems must take responsibility for saving lives and reducing the risks of living in a car-centric society. The U.S. Federal Highway Administration has also adopted a safe-systems approach, seeking to look at road safety through a public health lens.
"This approach talks about the multiple dimensions to building a system that optimally protects those who use it," Rupp says. "The implementation of that changes how we think about safety. It's the overarching framework of safe streets: pedestrian-friendly environments, moderate traffic speeds, safe roadsides, and improved access to first responders."
While advanced technology in newer cars, including forward collision warning, blind spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking and lane correction, have helped reduce and mitigate crashes in recent years, the doctors, engineers, and other team members studying road safety have plenty of challenges ahead of them.
Among them are the changes to the population over the past few decades, Rupp explains. There are far more Americans who have obesity or who are older and frailer than in previous generations, which means that the test dummies previously used often don't accurately simulate the dangers to these body types.
Women are also more likely to be injured in a crash than men are. This could be, in part, because there are no crash test dummies currently used in U.S. regulatory testing based on the female body. The Trump administration approved the first female crash test dummy in 2025, which is expected to be implemented in testing in 2027.
However, as technology advances, engineers are using more virtual crash simulations. This helps to account for various body types and crash situations without the expense of using a test dummy -- which can cost up to $1 million for more advanced models.
"Product development is becoming more virtualized," Stitzel says. "It can represent more aged people or different sizes of people, and that's all really important to the public."
CIREN has also increased its focus on crashes involving vulnerable road users (VRUs), such as pedestrians and cyclists, after an increase in fatalities in the 2010s. The data has helped in the development of vehicle designs that protect not only the vehicle occupants, but also any other people who might be involved in a collision. Pedestrian Automatic Emergency Braking, softer bumpers, sloping hoods, and safety-shattering glass have all been part of the push to protect VRUs. Some manufacturers have even built vehicles with external airbags to soften collisions with VRUs, but they're not commercially available in the United States.
"Autonomy is the next big thing," Rupp adds. Because self-driving cars can implement advanced safety technologies and reduce human errors, they offer hope for significant reductions in crash injuries and fatalities. Rupp and others are already considering how autonomous driving vehicles will change safety design needs. When people no longer have to sit up and drive, how can they still be safe lying down or in seats facing other occupants?
Autonomous vehicles "are going to have a big effect on safety for those who can afford them," Rupp says. "But it takes many, many years for those to penetrate into the vehicle fleet."
They are also not immune to mistakes. In 2024, the Association for Computing Machinery published a document warning of some of the potential safety risks that autonomous vehicles have that human drivers don't face, including cyberattacks and malfunctioning software.
Jean is skeptical that autonomous vehicles will completely replace driving.
"Driving is really an American pastime. In some way, it's going to be present for the foreseeable future," he says. "As the technology advances and vehicles become more and more advanced, we're all hopeful that safety is going to keep improving."
* * *
Bridget Balch is a staff writer for AAMCNews whose areas of focus include medical research, health equity, and patient care. She can be reached at bbalch@aamc.org.
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Original text here: https://www.aamc.org/news/how-doctors-are-working-make-cars-safer
[Category: Medical]
ASTRO Updates Guideline on Shorter-course Radiation Therapy for Localized Prostate Cancer
ARLINGTON, Virginia, Oct. 29 -- The American Society for Radiation Oncology issued the following news release:
* * *
ASTRO updates guideline on shorter-course radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer
Recommendations support moderate hypofractionation across all risk groups and ultrahypofractionation/SBRT as a standard option for many patients
ARLINGTON, Va., October 27, 2026
An updated clinical guideline from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) provides evidence-based recommendations on the use of hypofractionated radiation therapy for patients with localized prostate ... Show Full Article ARLINGTON, Virginia, Oct. 29 -- The American Society for Radiation Oncology issued the following news release: * * * ASTRO updates guideline on shorter-course radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer Recommendations support moderate hypofractionation across all risk groups and ultrahypofractionation/SBRT as a standard option for many patients ARLINGTON, Va., October 27, 2026 An updated clinical guideline from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) provides evidence-based recommendations on the use of hypofractionated radiation therapy for patients with localized prostatecancer. The guideline replaces ASTRO's 2018 recommendations and reflects a substantially matured evidence base showing that shorter-course radiation therapy can maintain cancer control while reducing overall treatment burden for patients receiving definitive external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). The guideline was published in Practical Radiation Oncology, ASTRO's clinical practice journal.
Approximately one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. It is the second most common cancer among men in the United States, after skin cancer. In 2026, nearly 334,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed among U.S. adults. When prostate cancer is diagnosed while still localized, outcomes are generally excellent, and patients often have several effective approaches to consider based on their individual priorities.
For patients with localized prostate cancer who choose radiation therapy, EBRT is a standard definitive treatment option. Hypofractionated EBRT delivers radiation therapy in fewer treatment sessions than conventional fractionation, using a higher dose per treatment while maintaining a similar overall therapeutic effect. Moderate hypofractionation typically is delivered over four to six weeks, while ultrahypofractionation, most commonly delivered as stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), allows patients to complete treatment in five sessions over one to two weeks.
The updated guideline recommends moderate hypofractionation over conventional fractionation for patients across all prostate cancer risk groups who choose EBRT, supported by high-quality randomized data showing comparable outcomes, side effects and quality of life. It also strongly recommends ultrahypofractionation as a standard option for many patients, including those with intermediate-risk disease, marking a broader role for five-treatment SBRT in prostate cancer care.
"SBRT has moved from a promising alternative to a standard treatment option for many patients with localized prostate cancer," said guideline task force chair Scott C. Morgan, MD, a radiation oncologist at The Ottawa Hospital and professor of radiation oncology at the University of Ottawa. "These recommendations give clinicians clear direction on using shorter-course treatment safely while preserving the excellent outcomes patients expect from definitive radiation therapy."
"The evidence supporting hypofractionation is now much stronger in the years since ASTRO's previous guideline was published," said guideline task force vice chair Karen Hoffman, MD, MPH, FASTRO, a professor of radiation oncology and the Mays Radiation Oncology Center Medical Director at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. "This guideline also reflects how treatment planning has evolved, including greater use of daily image guidance and more precise approaches to managing motion during treatment."
Key recommendations from the guideline are listed below. Shared decision making between physicians and patients is emphasized throughout, particularly when treatment options vary by risk group, baseline urinary function and patient preferences.
Indications for Moderate Hypofractionation
* For patients with localized prostate cancer receiving EBRT to the prostate with or without treatment of the seminal vesicles, moderate hypofractionation is recommended over conventional fractionation across all risk groups. The guideline notes that randomized trials involving more than 7,000 patients support this approach, with long-term data showing comparable cancer control, side effect profiles and quality of life.
* Moderate hypofractionation is recommended regardless of patient age, comorbidity, anatomy or baseline urinary function. The guideline also states that decisions about androgen deprivation therapy should be made independently from the choice of fractionation regimen.
* For patients receiving elective pelvic nodal radiation therapy, moderate hypofractionation to the prostate with concurrent conventional or near-conventional radiation therapy to the pelvic lymph nodes is recommended using a single-phase plan.
Indications for Ultrahypofractionation
* Ultrahypofractionated EBRT is recommended as a treatment option for patients with low-risk localized prostate cancer who decline active surveillance and choose EBRT, as well as for patients with intermediate-risk disease receiving EBRT to the prostate and seminal vesicles. For patients with high-risk or very high-risk disease, ultrahypofractionated EBRT is conditionally recommended as a treatment option.
* For patients with significant baseline urinary symptoms, moderate hypofractionation is conditionally recommended over ultrahypofractionation. The guideline notes that ultrahypofractionation may increase the risk of treatment-related urinary side effects for patients with substantial preexisting lower urinary tract symptoms.
* Ultrahypofractionated EBRT for elective pelvic nodal treatment is conditionally recommended only as part of a clinical trial.
Dose, Target Volumes and Treatment Delivery
* For moderately hypofractionated EBRT, recommended dose schedules include 6000-6200 cGy in 20 fractions or 7000 cGy in 28 fractions. For ultrahypofractionated EBRT, a dose of 3625-4000 cGy in five fractions is conditionally recommended, while regimens using fewer than five fractions are not recommended outside of a clinical trial.
* Recommendations for target volumes vary by risk group and disease features. For patients with low-risk disease declining an active surveillance approach, treatment of the prostate alone is recommended. For patients with higher-risk disease, inclusion of at least part of the seminal vesicles is recommended or conditionally recommended depending on clinical risk, and focal intraprostatic boost may be considered for selected patients with a dominant lesion visible on MRI.
* Best practices for treatment planning and delivery emphasize precision and safety, including MRI-informed planning when appropriate, daily motion management and intensity modulated radiation therapy. The guideline also conditionally recommends intrafraction tracking for patients receiving ultrahypofractionated EBRT and discusses use of rectal spacers as part of shared decision making.
The guideline also highlights important implementation and equity considerations. In national datasets, use of hypofractionated EBRT has varied by age, race, socioeconomic factors and treatment setting. Because shorter-course treatment can reduce travel, time away from work and other burdens associated with care, the guideline notes that equitable access to high-quality hypofractionated radiation therapy should remain a priority.
About the Guideline
"Hypofractionated Radiation Therapy for Localized Prostate Cancer: An ASTRO Clinical Practice Guideline" was developed by a multidisciplinary task force of radiation, medical and urological oncologists, as well as a medical physicist and patient representative. The guideline was developed in collaboration with the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Urological Association (AUA), the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) and the Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO). It was endorsed by AUA, ESTRO and SUO.
The recommendations are based on a systematic evidence review funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute and conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, supplemented by ASTRO's formal guideline development process and expert consensus where evidence was limited.
ASTRO's clinical guidelines are intended as tools to promote appropriately individualized, shared decision-making between physicians and patients. None should be construed as strict or superseding the appropriately informed and considered judgments of individual physicians and patients.
* * *
ABOUT ASTRO
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is the world's largest professional society dedicated to advancing radiation medicine, with 11,000 members including physicians, nurses, physicists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and other professionals who work to improve patient outcomes through clinical care, research, education and advocacy. Radiation therapy is integral to 40% of cancer cures worldwide, and more than one million Americans receive radiation treatments for their cancer each year. For information on radiation therapy, visit Speed of Light - The ASTRO Foundation. To learn more about ASTRO, visit our website and press room and connect with us on social media.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.astro.org/news-and-publications/news-and-media-center/news-releases/2026/astro-updates-guideline-on-shorter-course-radiation-therapy-for-localized-prostate-cancer
[Category: Medical]
* * *
ASTRO updates guideline on shorter-course radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer
Recommendations support moderate hypofractionation across all risk groups and ultrahypofractionation/SBRT as a standard option for many patients
ARLINGTON, Va., October 27, 2026
An updated clinical guideline from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) provides evidence-based recommendations on the use of hypofractionated radiation therapy for patients with localized prostate ... Show Full Article ARLINGTON, Virginia, Oct. 29 -- The American Society for Radiation Oncology issued the following news release: * * * ASTRO updates guideline on shorter-course radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer Recommendations support moderate hypofractionation across all risk groups and ultrahypofractionation/SBRT as a standard option for many patients ARLINGTON, Va., October 27, 2026 An updated clinical guideline from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) provides evidence-based recommendations on the use of hypofractionated radiation therapy for patients with localized prostatecancer. The guideline replaces ASTRO's 2018 recommendations and reflects a substantially matured evidence base showing that shorter-course radiation therapy can maintain cancer control while reducing overall treatment burden for patients receiving definitive external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). The guideline was published in Practical Radiation Oncology, ASTRO's clinical practice journal.
Approximately one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. It is the second most common cancer among men in the United States, after skin cancer. In 2026, nearly 334,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed among U.S. adults. When prostate cancer is diagnosed while still localized, outcomes are generally excellent, and patients often have several effective approaches to consider based on their individual priorities.
For patients with localized prostate cancer who choose radiation therapy, EBRT is a standard definitive treatment option. Hypofractionated EBRT delivers radiation therapy in fewer treatment sessions than conventional fractionation, using a higher dose per treatment while maintaining a similar overall therapeutic effect. Moderate hypofractionation typically is delivered over four to six weeks, while ultrahypofractionation, most commonly delivered as stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), allows patients to complete treatment in five sessions over one to two weeks.
The updated guideline recommends moderate hypofractionation over conventional fractionation for patients across all prostate cancer risk groups who choose EBRT, supported by high-quality randomized data showing comparable outcomes, side effects and quality of life. It also strongly recommends ultrahypofractionation as a standard option for many patients, including those with intermediate-risk disease, marking a broader role for five-treatment SBRT in prostate cancer care.
"SBRT has moved from a promising alternative to a standard treatment option for many patients with localized prostate cancer," said guideline task force chair Scott C. Morgan, MD, a radiation oncologist at The Ottawa Hospital and professor of radiation oncology at the University of Ottawa. "These recommendations give clinicians clear direction on using shorter-course treatment safely while preserving the excellent outcomes patients expect from definitive radiation therapy."
"The evidence supporting hypofractionation is now much stronger in the years since ASTRO's previous guideline was published," said guideline task force vice chair Karen Hoffman, MD, MPH, FASTRO, a professor of radiation oncology and the Mays Radiation Oncology Center Medical Director at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. "This guideline also reflects how treatment planning has evolved, including greater use of daily image guidance and more precise approaches to managing motion during treatment."
Key recommendations from the guideline are listed below. Shared decision making between physicians and patients is emphasized throughout, particularly when treatment options vary by risk group, baseline urinary function and patient preferences.
Indications for Moderate Hypofractionation
* For patients with localized prostate cancer receiving EBRT to the prostate with or without treatment of the seminal vesicles, moderate hypofractionation is recommended over conventional fractionation across all risk groups. The guideline notes that randomized trials involving more than 7,000 patients support this approach, with long-term data showing comparable cancer control, side effect profiles and quality of life.
* Moderate hypofractionation is recommended regardless of patient age, comorbidity, anatomy or baseline urinary function. The guideline also states that decisions about androgen deprivation therapy should be made independently from the choice of fractionation regimen.
* For patients receiving elective pelvic nodal radiation therapy, moderate hypofractionation to the prostate with concurrent conventional or near-conventional radiation therapy to the pelvic lymph nodes is recommended using a single-phase plan.
Indications for Ultrahypofractionation
* Ultrahypofractionated EBRT is recommended as a treatment option for patients with low-risk localized prostate cancer who decline active surveillance and choose EBRT, as well as for patients with intermediate-risk disease receiving EBRT to the prostate and seminal vesicles. For patients with high-risk or very high-risk disease, ultrahypofractionated EBRT is conditionally recommended as a treatment option.
* For patients with significant baseline urinary symptoms, moderate hypofractionation is conditionally recommended over ultrahypofractionation. The guideline notes that ultrahypofractionation may increase the risk of treatment-related urinary side effects for patients with substantial preexisting lower urinary tract symptoms.
* Ultrahypofractionated EBRT for elective pelvic nodal treatment is conditionally recommended only as part of a clinical trial.
Dose, Target Volumes and Treatment Delivery
* For moderately hypofractionated EBRT, recommended dose schedules include 6000-6200 cGy in 20 fractions or 7000 cGy in 28 fractions. For ultrahypofractionated EBRT, a dose of 3625-4000 cGy in five fractions is conditionally recommended, while regimens using fewer than five fractions are not recommended outside of a clinical trial.
* Recommendations for target volumes vary by risk group and disease features. For patients with low-risk disease declining an active surveillance approach, treatment of the prostate alone is recommended. For patients with higher-risk disease, inclusion of at least part of the seminal vesicles is recommended or conditionally recommended depending on clinical risk, and focal intraprostatic boost may be considered for selected patients with a dominant lesion visible on MRI.
* Best practices for treatment planning and delivery emphasize precision and safety, including MRI-informed planning when appropriate, daily motion management and intensity modulated radiation therapy. The guideline also conditionally recommends intrafraction tracking for patients receiving ultrahypofractionated EBRT and discusses use of rectal spacers as part of shared decision making.
The guideline also highlights important implementation and equity considerations. In national datasets, use of hypofractionated EBRT has varied by age, race, socioeconomic factors and treatment setting. Because shorter-course treatment can reduce travel, time away from work and other burdens associated with care, the guideline notes that equitable access to high-quality hypofractionated radiation therapy should remain a priority.
About the Guideline
"Hypofractionated Radiation Therapy for Localized Prostate Cancer: An ASTRO Clinical Practice Guideline" was developed by a multidisciplinary task force of radiation, medical and urological oncologists, as well as a medical physicist and patient representative. The guideline was developed in collaboration with the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Urological Association (AUA), the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) and the Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO). It was endorsed by AUA, ESTRO and SUO.
The recommendations are based on a systematic evidence review funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute and conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, supplemented by ASTRO's formal guideline development process and expert consensus where evidence was limited.
ASTRO's clinical guidelines are intended as tools to promote appropriately individualized, shared decision-making between physicians and patients. None should be construed as strict or superseding the appropriately informed and considered judgments of individual physicians and patients.
* * *
ABOUT ASTRO
The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) is the world's largest professional society dedicated to advancing radiation medicine, with 11,000 members including physicians, nurses, physicists, radiation therapists, dosimetrists and other professionals who work to improve patient outcomes through clinical care, research, education and advocacy. Radiation therapy is integral to 40% of cancer cures worldwide, and more than one million Americans receive radiation treatments for their cancer each year. For information on radiation therapy, visit Speed of Light - The ASTRO Foundation. To learn more about ASTRO, visit our website and press room and connect with us on social media.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.astro.org/news-and-publications/news-and-media-center/news-releases/2026/astro-updates-guideline-on-shorter-course-radiation-therapy-for-localized-prostate-cancer
[Category: Medical]
ASCO and ESMO Issue Joint Consensus Calling for Streamlined Clinical Research Under Updated International Standards
ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, Oct. 29 -- The American Society of Clinical Oncology posted the following news release:
* * *
ASCO and ESMO Issue Joint Consensus Calling for Streamlined Clinical Research Under Updated International Standards
Oct 28, 2026
ALEXANDRIA, VA -- The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) have released a joint consensus statement highlighting strategies to reduce administrative burden and streamline cancer clinical trials. The statement focuses on leveraging newly updated guidelines from the International Council for ... Show Full Article ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, Oct. 29 -- The American Society of Clinical Oncology posted the following news release: * * * ASCO and ESMO Issue Joint Consensus Calling for Streamlined Clinical Research Under Updated International Standards Oct 28, 2026 ALEXANDRIA, VA -- The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) have released a joint consensus statement highlighting strategies to reduce administrative burden and streamline cancer clinical trials. The statement focuses on leveraging newly updated guidelines from the International Council forHarmonisation (ICH), the global organization that sets universal safety and quality standards for clinical trials, known as Good Clinical Practice (GCP).
The commentary, titled "ESMO and ASCO Consensus on Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Guidelines E6(R3): a Step Forward Towards Streamlining Clinical Research," was published simultaneously in JCO Oncology Advances and ESMO Open. It breaks down the practical applications of the latest guidance update, known as ICH E6(R3), which modernizes international clinical trial standards.
In recent years, the growing administrative load on research sites and clinical investigators has delayed trial startup, increased operational costs, and diverted critical time away from patient care. The authors note that these challenges often arise from unnecessary administrative complexity and overinterpretation of regulations by trial sponsors and contract research organizations.
"Excessive administrative burden in clinical research diverts valuable time and resources away from patient care and slows down the progress of innovative cancer therapies," said Julie R. Gralow, MD, FACP, FASCO, ASCO's Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President. "The updated guidelines provide a clear, risk-proportionate framework that allows research teams to strip away unnecessary complexity while upholding the highest standards for patient safety and data integrity. Together with ESMO, we are committed to turning these guidelines into practical solutions that make clinical trials more efficient and accessible worldwide."
Key insights that ASCO and ESMO applauded in the new GCP guidelines include:
* Risk-Proportionate Management: Recommending monitoring and oversight that matches specific trial risks rather than applying broad, heavy-handed administrative requirements.
* Elimination of Duplicative Tasks: Clarifying trial documentation rules, such as eliminating redundant entry of informed consent data and restricting re-consenting requirements to updates that affect a patient's decision to remain in a trial.
* Stakeholder-Informed Design: Emphasizing the integration of feedback from investigators, research staff, and patients into trial protocols to eliminate burdensome or impractical procedures.
The consensus statement represents an ongoing joint effort between ASCO and ESMO. In 2024, the organizations joined forces within the ESMO Industry Strategic Forum (EISF) Streamlining Clinical Research Group, uniting leaders across academia, professional societies, and industry to advocate for practical solutions that modernize trial operations globally.
To view the full consensus statement, visit JCO Oncology Advances (https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/OA-26-00107).
To explore these updates further, join ASCO and ESMO for an upcoming webinar on November 2, 2026, discussing the practical implementation of the E6(R3) guidelines and strategies to streamline clinical research.
* * *
About the American Society of Clinical Oncology
Founded in 1964, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (ASCO(R)) is committed to the principle that knowledge conquers cancer. Together with the Association for Clinical Oncology, ASCO represents more than 50,000 oncology professionals who care for people living with cancer. Through research, education, and promotion of high quality patient care, ASCO works to conquer cancer and create a world where cancer is prevented or cured, and every survivor is healthy. Conquer Cancer(R), the ASCO Foundation, supports ASCO by funding groundbreaking research and education across cancer's full continuum. Learn more at www.ASCO.org, and follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube.
* * *
About the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO)
ESMO is a professional and scientific society representing over 50,000 oncology professionals globally. Driven by a shared determination to secure the best possible outcomes for patients, ESMO is committed to delivering optimal resources to its members and the global oncology community, wherever they are, empowering them to provide the highest quality care. www.esmo.org
* * *
URL: European Society for Medical Oncology
* * *
Original text here: https://www.asco.org/about-asco/press-center/asco-esmo-joint-consensus-statement-streamlining-clinical-research
[Category: Medical]
* * *
ASCO and ESMO Issue Joint Consensus Calling for Streamlined Clinical Research Under Updated International Standards
Oct 28, 2026
ALEXANDRIA, VA -- The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) have released a joint consensus statement highlighting strategies to reduce administrative burden and streamline cancer clinical trials. The statement focuses on leveraging newly updated guidelines from the International Council for ... Show Full Article ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, Oct. 29 -- The American Society of Clinical Oncology posted the following news release: * * * ASCO and ESMO Issue Joint Consensus Calling for Streamlined Clinical Research Under Updated International Standards Oct 28, 2026 ALEXANDRIA, VA -- The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) have released a joint consensus statement highlighting strategies to reduce administrative burden and streamline cancer clinical trials. The statement focuses on leveraging newly updated guidelines from the International Council forHarmonisation (ICH), the global organization that sets universal safety and quality standards for clinical trials, known as Good Clinical Practice (GCP).
The commentary, titled "ESMO and ASCO Consensus on Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Guidelines E6(R3): a Step Forward Towards Streamlining Clinical Research," was published simultaneously in JCO Oncology Advances and ESMO Open. It breaks down the practical applications of the latest guidance update, known as ICH E6(R3), which modernizes international clinical trial standards.
In recent years, the growing administrative load on research sites and clinical investigators has delayed trial startup, increased operational costs, and diverted critical time away from patient care. The authors note that these challenges often arise from unnecessary administrative complexity and overinterpretation of regulations by trial sponsors and contract research organizations.
"Excessive administrative burden in clinical research diverts valuable time and resources away from patient care and slows down the progress of innovative cancer therapies," said Julie R. Gralow, MD, FACP, FASCO, ASCO's Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President. "The updated guidelines provide a clear, risk-proportionate framework that allows research teams to strip away unnecessary complexity while upholding the highest standards for patient safety and data integrity. Together with ESMO, we are committed to turning these guidelines into practical solutions that make clinical trials more efficient and accessible worldwide."
Key insights that ASCO and ESMO applauded in the new GCP guidelines include:
* Risk-Proportionate Management: Recommending monitoring and oversight that matches specific trial risks rather than applying broad, heavy-handed administrative requirements.
* Elimination of Duplicative Tasks: Clarifying trial documentation rules, such as eliminating redundant entry of informed consent data and restricting re-consenting requirements to updates that affect a patient's decision to remain in a trial.
* Stakeholder-Informed Design: Emphasizing the integration of feedback from investigators, research staff, and patients into trial protocols to eliminate burdensome or impractical procedures.
The consensus statement represents an ongoing joint effort between ASCO and ESMO. In 2024, the organizations joined forces within the ESMO Industry Strategic Forum (EISF) Streamlining Clinical Research Group, uniting leaders across academia, professional societies, and industry to advocate for practical solutions that modernize trial operations globally.
To view the full consensus statement, visit JCO Oncology Advances (https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/OA-26-00107).
To explore these updates further, join ASCO and ESMO for an upcoming webinar on November 2, 2026, discussing the practical implementation of the E6(R3) guidelines and strategies to streamline clinical research.
* * *
About the American Society of Clinical Oncology
Founded in 1964, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (ASCO(R)) is committed to the principle that knowledge conquers cancer. Together with the Association for Clinical Oncology, ASCO represents more than 50,000 oncology professionals who care for people living with cancer. Through research, education, and promotion of high quality patient care, ASCO works to conquer cancer and create a world where cancer is prevented or cured, and every survivor is healthy. Conquer Cancer(R), the ASCO Foundation, supports ASCO by funding groundbreaking research and education across cancer's full continuum. Learn more at www.ASCO.org, and follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube.
* * *
About the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO)
ESMO is a professional and scientific society representing over 50,000 oncology professionals globally. Driven by a shared determination to secure the best possible outcomes for patients, ESMO is committed to delivering optimal resources to its members and the global oncology community, wherever they are, empowering them to provide the highest quality care. www.esmo.org
* * *
URL: European Society for Medical Oncology
* * *
Original text here: https://www.asco.org/about-asco/press-center/asco-esmo-joint-consensus-statement-streamlining-clinical-research
[Category: Medical]
AICPA Proposes Update of SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria to Enhance the Relevance, Usability and Value of CPAs' Reports
NEW YORK, Oct. 29 -- The American Institute of CPAs issued the following news release:
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AICPA Proposes Update of SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria to Enhance the Relevance, Usability and Value of CPAs' Reports
Working Group Seeks Feedback on Exposure Draft by Jan. 15, 2027
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NEW YORK (Oct. 28, 2026) - The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) is seeking comment on a proposed SOC 2(R) Trust Services Criteria update that represents a significant modernization of the framework used by CPAs to evaluate controls over information systems.
SOC 2(R) is an examination performed by a licensed, independent ... Show Full Article NEW YORK, Oct. 29 -- The American Institute of CPAs issued the following news release: * * * AICPA Proposes Update of SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria to Enhance the Relevance, Usability and Value of CPAs' Reports Working Group Seeks Feedback on Exposure Draft by Jan. 15, 2027 - NEW YORK (Oct. 28, 2026) - The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) is seeking comment on a proposed SOC 2(R) Trust Services Criteria update that represents a significant modernization of the framework used by CPAs to evaluate controls over information systems. SOC 2(R) is an examination performed by a licensed, independentCPA under the AICPA Attestation Standards that evaluates controls relevant to the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality or privacy of an organization's systems. The proposed updates are intended to improve the clarity and usability of SOC 2(R) reports so they continue to meet the evolving needs of report users, while ensuring the underlying criteria remain relevant as artificial intelligence, automation and other emerging technologies alter third-party risk considerations.
"The way organizations manage and process information and identify risk has changed substantially over the past decade," said Amy Pawlicki, the AICPA's vice president of assurance and advisory innovation. "These proposed revisions are intended to improve the usability of SOC 2 reports and refine criteria so they can adapt to rapidly evolving technologies."
The proposed updates include targeted restructuring of the criteria, including consolidating duplicative concepts, removing criteria where appropriate, adding new criteria where greater clarity or emphasis is needed, and revising existing criteria language to provide concise and uniform understanding of the intention of each criterion. The objective is to ensure the criteria remain relevant, clear and practical.
At the same time, the exposure draft incorporates expanded considerations for emerging technologies, including AI. For example, new points of focus address issues such as AI governance, model monitoring, prompt manipulation, data poisoning, transparency of AI-generated outputs, training data management, and the risks associated with automated decision-making. These additions are designed to help organizations and auditors evaluate whether controls effectively address the growing risks introduced by advanced technologies.
The AICPA's SOC 2 Working Group is seeking public comment on the exposure draft through Jan. 15, 2027. If approved next year, the proposed 2027 SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria would be effective for engagements beginning on or after Dec. 31, 2027, with early adoption permitted.
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Original text here: https://www.aicpa-cima.com/news/article/aicpa-proposes-update-of-soc-2-r-trust-services-criteria-to-enhance-the-relevance-usability-and-value-of-cpas-reports
[Category: Accounting]
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AICPA Proposes Update of SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria to Enhance the Relevance, Usability and Value of CPAs' Reports
Working Group Seeks Feedback on Exposure Draft by Jan. 15, 2027
-
NEW YORK (Oct. 28, 2026) - The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) is seeking comment on a proposed SOC 2(R) Trust Services Criteria update that represents a significant modernization of the framework used by CPAs to evaluate controls over information systems.
SOC 2(R) is an examination performed by a licensed, independent ... Show Full Article NEW YORK, Oct. 29 -- The American Institute of CPAs issued the following news release: * * * AICPA Proposes Update of SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria to Enhance the Relevance, Usability and Value of CPAs' Reports Working Group Seeks Feedback on Exposure Draft by Jan. 15, 2027 - NEW YORK (Oct. 28, 2026) - The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) is seeking comment on a proposed SOC 2(R) Trust Services Criteria update that represents a significant modernization of the framework used by CPAs to evaluate controls over information systems. SOC 2(R) is an examination performed by a licensed, independentCPA under the AICPA Attestation Standards that evaluates controls relevant to the security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality or privacy of an organization's systems. The proposed updates are intended to improve the clarity and usability of SOC 2(R) reports so they continue to meet the evolving needs of report users, while ensuring the underlying criteria remain relevant as artificial intelligence, automation and other emerging technologies alter third-party risk considerations.
"The way organizations manage and process information and identify risk has changed substantially over the past decade," said Amy Pawlicki, the AICPA's vice president of assurance and advisory innovation. "These proposed revisions are intended to improve the usability of SOC 2 reports and refine criteria so they can adapt to rapidly evolving technologies."
The proposed updates include targeted restructuring of the criteria, including consolidating duplicative concepts, removing criteria where appropriate, adding new criteria where greater clarity or emphasis is needed, and revising existing criteria language to provide concise and uniform understanding of the intention of each criterion. The objective is to ensure the criteria remain relevant, clear and practical.
At the same time, the exposure draft incorporates expanded considerations for emerging technologies, including AI. For example, new points of focus address issues such as AI governance, model monitoring, prompt manipulation, data poisoning, transparency of AI-generated outputs, training data management, and the risks associated with automated decision-making. These additions are designed to help organizations and auditors evaluate whether controls effectively address the growing risks introduced by advanced technologies.
The AICPA's SOC 2 Working Group is seeking public comment on the exposure draft through Jan. 15, 2027. If approved next year, the proposed 2027 SOC 2 Trust Services Criteria would be effective for engagements beginning on or after Dec. 31, 2027, with early adoption permitted.
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Original text here: https://www.aicpa-cima.com/news/article/aicpa-proposes-update-of-soc-2-r-trust-services-criteria-to-enhance-the-relevance-usability-and-value-of-cpas-reports
[Category: Accounting]
AARP: Family Caregivers' Out-of-Pocket Costs Jump Almost 60% in Five Years to More Than $11,500 Annually
WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 (TNSrpt) -- AARP issued the following news release:
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AARP: Family Caregivers' Out-of-Pocket Costs Jump Almost 60% in Five Years to More Than $11,500 Annually
New findings underscore the need for tax credits and other financial relief for America's 63 million family caregivers
October 28, 2026
WASHINGTON - Family caregivers are spending significantly more of their own money than five years ago to care for older parents, spouses and other loved ones. According to a new AARP report released today, family caregivers spend an average of $11,508 a year out of pocket on caregiving ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 (TNSrpt) -- AARP issued the following news release: * * * AARP: Family Caregivers' Out-of-Pocket Costs Jump Almost 60% in Five Years to More Than $11,500 Annually New findings underscore the need for tax credits and other financial relief for America's 63 million family caregivers October 28, 2026 WASHINGTON - Family caregivers are spending significantly more of their own money than five years ago to care for older parents, spouses and other loved ones. According to a new AARP report released today, family caregivers spend an average of $11,508 a year out of pocket on caregivingexpenses, up almost 60% from 2021.
On average, family caregivers spend 31% of their annual household income on caregiving expenses, according to the report. For caregivers with household incomes below $40,000, that figure jumps to 76%.
"Family caregivers are spending more than $11,500 a year of their own money to care for loved ones -- almost half a year of the average Social Security retirement benefit," said Debra Whitman, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Public Policy Officer. "Whether they're paying for groceries, housing or medical care, family caregivers are making a significant financial commitment that can affect their own economic security."
"Millions of Americans are providing essential care for the people they love. They shouldn't have to sacrifice their own financial security to do it," said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer. "That's why AARP is fighting for commonsense solutions that put money back in people's pockets and get them the support they need to make their big responsibilities a little bit easier."
The 2026 AARP Caregiving Out-of-Pocket Costs Study also found:
Caring for someone with dementia costs more.
* Family caregivers supporting someone with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia spend an average of $15,846 annually, compared with $10,221 for those caring for someone without dementia.
Housing and medical care account for most caregiving costs.
* Together, they make up 71% of annual out-of-pocket spending: 42% for housing and household expenses ($4,797) and 29% for medical expenses ($3,313). Of the money spent on medical care, more than 37% goes toward insurance premiums, copays, coinsurance and direct payments to health care providers.
Caregiving affects jobs and retirement.
* 65% of working caregivers experienced at least one work-related disruption because of caregiving, including changing work hours, taking time off or taking on additional work.
* Those who retired earlier than planned because of caregiving spent an average of $18,940 annually out of pocket -- 64% more than the national average.
Some communities face greater financial challenges.
* Asian American/Pacific Islander caregivers report the highest average annual out-of-pocket expenses at $16,716, representing 31% of their household income, compared with the national average of $11,508.
* Meanwhile, Black caregivers spend the highest percentage of their household income on caregiving at 52%, with average annual out-of-pocket expenses of $13,565.
* Hispanic/Latino caregivers report the highest average financial stran among the racial and ethnic groups surveyed, despite spending less than the national average on caregiving expenses ($10,684 annually, representing 29% of their household income).
Caregiving costs vary significantly depending on where you live.
* Family caregivers in the Mid-Atlantic (New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania) spend an average of $15,845 annually out of pocket, nearly twice as much as caregivers in the West North Central region (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota), who spend $7,955 -- the lowest among the nine U.S. Census regions.
Across the country, 63 million family caregivers help loved ones manage medications, prepare meals, attend medical appointments, and handle other essential daily activities. Together, family caregivers provide approximately $1 trillion in mostly unpaid labor annually, helping Americans remain in their homes and reducing the need for more costly institutional care.
AARP is fighting for financial relief through tax credits, grants and tax-free accounts, along with paid leave for working caregivers, expanded home care options and help navigating the health care system. At the federal level, AARP is pushing for passage of the bipartisan Lowering Costs for Caregivers Act, to provide financial relief by allowing a family caregiver with a tax-free flexible spending or health savings account to use those funds for the qualified medical expenses of a parent or parent-in-law.
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About AARP
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the 125 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health and financial security, and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest-circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and the AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit aarp.org, aarp.org/espanol or follow @AARP, @AARPLatino and @AARPadvocates on social media.
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REPORT: https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/research/topics/ltss/family-caregiving/family-caregivers-cost-survey-2026.doi.10.26419-2fres.01136.001.pdf
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Original text here: https://www.aarp.org/press/releases/2026-10-28-aarp-family-caregivers-out-of-pocket-costs-jump-almost-60-in-five-years-to-more-than-11500-annually/
[Category: Sociological]
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AARP: Family Caregivers' Out-of-Pocket Costs Jump Almost 60% in Five Years to More Than $11,500 Annually
New findings underscore the need for tax credits and other financial relief for America's 63 million family caregivers
October 28, 2026
WASHINGTON - Family caregivers are spending significantly more of their own money than five years ago to care for older parents, spouses and other loved ones. According to a new AARP report released today, family caregivers spend an average of $11,508 a year out of pocket on caregiving ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 (TNSrpt) -- AARP issued the following news release: * * * AARP: Family Caregivers' Out-of-Pocket Costs Jump Almost 60% in Five Years to More Than $11,500 Annually New findings underscore the need for tax credits and other financial relief for America's 63 million family caregivers October 28, 2026 WASHINGTON - Family caregivers are spending significantly more of their own money than five years ago to care for older parents, spouses and other loved ones. According to a new AARP report released today, family caregivers spend an average of $11,508 a year out of pocket on caregivingexpenses, up almost 60% from 2021.
On average, family caregivers spend 31% of their annual household income on caregiving expenses, according to the report. For caregivers with household incomes below $40,000, that figure jumps to 76%.
"Family caregivers are spending more than $11,500 a year of their own money to care for loved ones -- almost half a year of the average Social Security retirement benefit," said Debra Whitman, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Public Policy Officer. "Whether they're paying for groceries, housing or medical care, family caregivers are making a significant financial commitment that can affect their own economic security."
"Millions of Americans are providing essential care for the people they love. They shouldn't have to sacrifice their own financial security to do it," said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy and Engagement Officer. "That's why AARP is fighting for commonsense solutions that put money back in people's pockets and get them the support they need to make their big responsibilities a little bit easier."
The 2026 AARP Caregiving Out-of-Pocket Costs Study also found:
Caring for someone with dementia costs more.
* Family caregivers supporting someone with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia spend an average of $15,846 annually, compared with $10,221 for those caring for someone without dementia.
Housing and medical care account for most caregiving costs.
* Together, they make up 71% of annual out-of-pocket spending: 42% for housing and household expenses ($4,797) and 29% for medical expenses ($3,313). Of the money spent on medical care, more than 37% goes toward insurance premiums, copays, coinsurance and direct payments to health care providers.
Caregiving affects jobs and retirement.
* 65% of working caregivers experienced at least one work-related disruption because of caregiving, including changing work hours, taking time off or taking on additional work.
* Those who retired earlier than planned because of caregiving spent an average of $18,940 annually out of pocket -- 64% more than the national average.
Some communities face greater financial challenges.
* Asian American/Pacific Islander caregivers report the highest average annual out-of-pocket expenses at $16,716, representing 31% of their household income, compared with the national average of $11,508.
* Meanwhile, Black caregivers spend the highest percentage of their household income on caregiving at 52%, with average annual out-of-pocket expenses of $13,565.
* Hispanic/Latino caregivers report the highest average financial stran among the racial and ethnic groups surveyed, despite spending less than the national average on caregiving expenses ($10,684 annually, representing 29% of their household income).
Caregiving costs vary significantly depending on where you live.
* Family caregivers in the Mid-Atlantic (New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania) spend an average of $15,845 annually out of pocket, nearly twice as much as caregivers in the West North Central region (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota), who spend $7,955 -- the lowest among the nine U.S. Census regions.
Across the country, 63 million family caregivers help loved ones manage medications, prepare meals, attend medical appointments, and handle other essential daily activities. Together, family caregivers provide approximately $1 trillion in mostly unpaid labor annually, helping Americans remain in their homes and reducing the need for more costly institutional care.
AARP is fighting for financial relief through tax credits, grants and tax-free accounts, along with paid leave for working caregivers, expanded home care options and help navigating the health care system. At the federal level, AARP is pushing for passage of the bipartisan Lowering Costs for Caregivers Act, to provide financial relief by allowing a family caregiver with a tax-free flexible spending or health savings account to use those funds for the qualified medical expenses of a parent or parent-in-law.
* * *
About AARP
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the 125 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health and financial security, and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest-circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and the AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit aarp.org, aarp.org/espanol or follow @AARP, @AARPLatino and @AARPadvocates on social media.
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REPORT: https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/research/topics/ltss/family-caregiving/family-caregivers-cost-survey-2026.doi.10.26419-2fres.01136.001.pdf
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Original text here: https://www.aarp.org/press/releases/2026-10-28-aarp-family-caregivers-out-of-pocket-costs-jump-almost-60-in-five-years-to-more-than-11500-annually/
[Category: Sociological]