When the FDA speaks, it is a good idea to listen, and the annual FDLI conference offered a peek into the thinking of senior FDA officials – and the lawyers that have to deal with the Agency on a regular basis. Then FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and other senior FDA officials offered a look into the changes being initiated at the Agency.

Here is the medical news to follow for May 18-24, 2026

This new annual conference got off to a good start in its first year – with great speakers, good topics, and a focus on artificial intelligence, robotics, and drug development, particularly traditional Chinese medicine. The Global Innovation Show joins a growing list of conferences that are showcasing the technology, drugs, and research coming out of Asia, particularly out of China. It should be on your schedule for 2026, so note the dates: August 25-27 in Hong Kong.

Data presented at ASCO-GI is likely to change how colorectal cancer (CRC) is treated. One study showed that GLP-1 receptor agonists are better than aspirin for primary prevention of CRC, and an update on the BREAKWATER trial showed that Pfizer's Braftovi (encorafenib) + cetuximab + FOLFIRI (for patients who can't or won't take FOLFOX) is an effective option for BRAFV600E-mutant metastatic CRC

Here is a quick look at some of the things being presented at TCT 2025 in San Francisco that stand out

At the 2025 EURETINA Congress in Paris, two presentations provided promising new data on Oculis’ OCS-01 (a high concentration dexamethasone topical eye drop) for diabetic macular edema (DME). A third study reported on Oculis’ privosegtor (OCS-05), an intravenous SGK2 agonist and neuroprotective agent, in acute optic neuritis.