News
Innovative thyroid ultrasound finds 49% of women executives show ‘significant’ abnormalities
Currently, there is no standard or routine screening test for thyroid cancer in the general population
Thyroid surgeons at a US women’s health conference have revealed abnormal findings in 49 per cent of the ultrasounds.
The experts from the Clayman Thyroid Center and Tampa’s new Hospital for Endocrine Surgery have teamed up with Tampa Bay Business & Wealth (TBBW) magazine for its annual Women’s Wellness Retreat where they screened women executives for thyroid cancer using state-of-the-art ultrasonography.
The event brought together female executives from the Tampa Bay area for a day of networking, relaxing and self-care.
The team from the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery performed free screening on over 70 per cent of the women in attendance and found abnormalities in 49 per cent of the ultrasounds.
Senior thyroid surgeon, Dr Rashmi Roy, led the program and reviewed each woman’s scans, connecting with those who had significant or abnormal findings to discuss the specifics of their case and suggest next steps.
“These women had no previous history of thyroid masses, nodules, goiters or cancer,” he said.
“So, this was a true screening program. We found 21 of the 43 women to have abnormal growths or cysts in their thyroid gland, 13 with scans suggested a more detailed workup and, possibly, biopsy was required and another five who were very likely to need surgery—possibly having thyroid cancer.”
One of the women identified with an abnormal finding was the event’s organiser and CEO of TBBW, Bridgette Bello, who was surprised by the results.
She said: “The goal of this event was to really encourage these busy, successful women to take a time out for themselves and to prioritise their own health.
“So, I was thrilled to have the expert surgeons from the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery on board for their screening program. I didn’t expect to have so many women with suspicious findings and I certainly didn’t expect myself to be one of them.”
Thyroid cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women and it is currently the most quickly increasing cancer diagnosis in the US.
It affects women nearly three times as often as men. However, screening for thyroid cancer is not performed anywhere in the world. Breast cancer screening, on the other hand, has been routine for decades.
The findings in these women aged 30 to 65 suggest that thyroid cancer screening, in select populations, should be done, the experts argue.
For those who need additional workups, biopsies and surgery following the event, Dr Nate Walsh, another one of the hospital’s surgeons specialising in thyroid cancer, says that an expert evaluation at the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery starts with a high-resolution ultrasound that looks at the thyroid gland and all the lymph nodes with a detection capability as small as one millimeter.
“If anything look suspicious, an ultrasound guided needle biopsy is immediately performed,” he explained.
“Endocrine pathologists are onsite and will immediately interpret the findings and determine if cancer is present. This process can take several weeks at most centres, but is provided at the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery in about 20 minutes.
“If surgery is required, it can be scheduled out or performed the same day as the biopsy. This is particularly beneficial for traveling patients who need to streamline and expedite the process.”
The team plans to perform more free thyroid cancer screenings in Tampa Bay in the near future and continue offering this programme at future TBBW events.
Dr Gary Clayman, director of thyroid surgery at the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery, said: “The good news is that we can identify cancers very early with this type of screening program which makes them nearly 100 per cent curable.
“When we find thyroid cancer earlier, it allows the robotic scarless approach possible in certain patients. This approach, which leaves no neck scar, whatsoever, is performed here at the Hospital for Endocrine Surgery more than any hospital in the US.”
Robotic thyroid surgery is an innovative, new approach which involves using minimally invasive techniques to treat thyroid tumours and small thyroid cancers. The results are a smaller surgery with less pain, an easier recovery and no visible scar in the neck.
Menopause
Medichecks acquires My Menopause Centre to expand specialist hormone health services
Digital diagnostics company Medichecks has acquired specialist menopause health platform and clinic My Menopause Centre.
The deal is part of Medichecks’ move into clinical services and follows its earlier purchase of Leger Clinic, creating what the company describes as a hormone health offering for women and men across the UK.
Medichecks and My Menopause Centre will combine digital services with clinical governance. The acquisition aims to enhance Medichecks’ ability to deliver integrated testing, diagnosis and ongoing clinical support.
The combined group plans to grow its specialist hormone health services, supporting patients across the UK with clinical care throughout different stages of their hormone health journey.
Helen Marsden, co-founder of Medichecks, said: “At Medichecks, our mission is to make healthcare more accessible, evidence-based and patient-centred.
“Helen and Clare have built an outstanding, clinically credible platform that is transforming menopause care for women across the UK.
“Medichecks now owns two CQC Outstanding-rated clinics, the only clinics in their respective sectors to achieve this rating, and we are deeply committed to delivering safe, compassionate and patient-centric care.
“We’re proud to continue the founders’ legacy while supporting the next stage of growth, ensuring more women can access high-quality menopause care when they need it most.”
The CQC, or Care Quality Commission, is the independent regulator of health and social care in England.
The acquisition supports Medichecks’ plans to make hormone healthcare more accessible by delivering integrated testing, diagnosis and ongoing clinical support for patients across the UK.
Helen Normoyle, co-founder and chief executive of My Menopause Centre, said: “We set out to build something resilient, clinically credible and scalable, not just fast.
“Our mission has always been to make menopause care compassionate, accessible and grounded in evidence. Medichecks shares that vision.
“Their digital platform, commitment to clinical excellence and patient-centred care make them the ideal partner to take My Menopause Centre into its next chapter.
“This milestone reflects not only a strong product, but a remarkable team and community.
“I’m deeply proud of what we’ve built and excited to see My Menopause Centre grow further under Medichecks’ leadership.”
Menopause
Menopause specialist Haver joins Midi Health
Menopause specialist Dr Mary Claire Haver has been appointed as the first chief agewell officer at virtual care clinic Midi Health.
In the role, Dr Haver will work with Midi’s clinical team to develop the AgeWell platform, described as a proactive health model that integrates perimenopause and menopausal care with metabolic health, bone density, brain health and cardiovascular risk assessment.
The platform aims to provide preventative care targeting what the company describes as the primary drivers of female mortality and disability: heart disease, bone loss and cognitive decline.
Joanna Strober, chief executive and co-founder of Midi Health, said: “Longevity care has historically ignored women’s biology, especially during the critical windows of midlife and menopause.
“At Midi Health, we are committed to extending healthspan, not just lifespan, and making that care accessible to millions of women as a core pillar of their health.
“By collaborating with Dr Haver, we are ensuring women continue to have access to care designed for their bodies, their hormones, and their real lives.”
Dr Haver is board-certified in obstetrics and gynaecology, a Menopause Society certified practitioner, a certified culinary medicine specialist and an adjunct associate professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at The University of Texas Medical Branch.
After a career in academic medicine, Dr Haver founded The Pause Life, described as a science and education-based resource for women navigating perimenopause and the menopause transition.
Through her books, unPaused podcast and digital platform, she has provided education on midlife health.
Dr Mary Claire Haver said: “I have spent my career advocating for women to receive the science-backed, no-nonsense guidance they deserve.
“I chose to partner with Midi Health because they are the only platform with the scale and medical rigour to deliver the kind of care women deserve, regardless of their zip codes.
“Together, we are setting a new standard for proactive, preventative care that meaningfully extends both lifespan and healthspan for women.”
Entrepreneur
Kate Ryder headlines Women’s Health Week USA 2026 as full agenda goes live
Women’s Health Week USA 2026 has unveiled its first populated agenda, anchored by an opening keynote from Kate Ryder, Founder and CEO of Maven Clinic, and featuring a cross-sector lineup shaping the next phase of scale in women’s health.
You can view the full agenda here.
Taking place May 13–14, 2026, at the New York Academy of Medicine, Women’s Health Week USA brings together the full women’s health ecosystem to focus on one central question: what does it take to move women’s health from innovation to institutional scale?
Kate Ryder will open Day 1 with a keynote drawing on her experience building Maven Clinic into the world’s largest virtual clinic for women’s and family health.
Under her leadership, Maven has partnered with employers and health plans to deliver care across fertility, maternity, postpartum, paediatrics, and menopause at scale.
Her perspective sets the tone for a program centered on commercialisation, partnership, and sustainable growth.
Beyond the opening keynote, the newly released agenda reflects the sector’s growing maturity.
Across two days, the program features 70+ speakers, with representation from leading organizations including the FDA, Planned Parenthood, CVS Health Ventures, Samsung Next, NIH, WHO, and Maven Clinic.
Sessions span investment and deal flow, clinical innovation, regulation, data and technology, and market expansion, alongside dedicated pitch sessions and curated 1:1 matchmaking designed to turn insight into action.
The agenda has been built to facilitate meaningful connections across the ecosystem, with partnerships positioned as the primary driver of scale.
As women’s health continues to attract institutional capital and global attention, Women’s Health Week USA 2026 offers a clear snapshot of where the market is heading, and who is shaping it.
The full agenda is now live, with additional speakers and partners to be announced in the coming months.
View the full programme here.
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