Washington HB 2548 Expands Health Care Transaction Review Requirements

Washington Governor signed HB 2548 into law on March 25, 2026 (effective June 11, 2026), expanding the state's health care transaction review law under Chapter 19.390. The new law broadens the definition of material change to include changes in ownership or control, transfers of majority assets, and nonprofit-to-for-profit conversions. Parties to covered transactions must now provide additional ownership disclosures and pay tiered filing fees ranging from $2,500 to $25,000 based on transaction value.

HIPAA Allows PHI Disclosure to Law Enforcement and Courts with Warrants

Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick published a client alert summarizing HHS guidance on when HIPAA permits covered entities to disclose protected health information to law enforcement. The alert covers court orders, warrants, subpoenas, and administrative requests under 45 CFR 164.512(f), noting that guidance is informal and subject to change.

FedNow Intermediary Access Proposal

The Federal Reserve Board issued a proposal on April 8, 2026, allowing U.S. banks and credit unions to use intermediaries for FedNow Service fund transfers. Currently, FedNow transfers are limited to two U.S. banks per transaction. The proposal would expand functionality to enable correspondent banking relationships and cross-border payment facilitation. The Federal Reserve is seeking public comments for 60 days following Federal Register publication.

International Review of CCTV Effectiveness in Care Home Settings

RQIA in Northern Ireland commissioned Queen's University Belfast to conduct a rapid evidence assessment on the effectiveness of CCTV use in care home settings. The January 2020 review examined international evidence on surveillance technology in care homes, covering ethical debates, rights-based issues, practical perspectives, and existing policies and guidance. The review found the evidence base for CCTV effectiveness in care homes is limited overall.

Vertex APOL1 inhibitors patent EP4204423A1, published Apr 1

Vertex APOL1 inhibitors patent EP4204423A1, published Apr 1

Pyrrolopyrimidine Amines as Complement Inhibitors

The European Patent Office published Biocryst Pharmaceuticals' patent application EP4125914A1 covering pyrrolopyrimidine amine compounds as complement inhibitors. The application covers therapeutic uses including immunological, oncological, neurological, nephrological, respiratory and cardiovascular conditions across 15 different IPC classifications.

Method for producing aromatic heterocyclic ring-substituted difluoroacetic acid derivative

The European Patent Office published patent EP4101843A1, granted to AGC Inc., covering a method for producing aromatic heterocyclic ring-substituted difluoroacetic acid derivatives. The patent was filed by inventors Nomura Yoshitaka and Anraku Eiichiro and classifies under multiple heterocyclic compound categories. Designated states include all EU member states and participating European countries.

Improved Method for LSD Production and Novel Derivatives

The European Patent Office published patent application EP4178956A2 for MiHKAL GmbH on April 1, 2026, covering an improved method for producing lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and novel derivatives thereof. The patent application, filed under IPC classification C07D (heterocyclic compounds), designates 31 European contracting states including Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.

Modulators of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator

The European Patent Office published patent application EP4225447A1 for Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, covering CFTR (Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator) modulator compounds. The application was published April 1, 2026 with IPC classifications in pharmaceutical compositions (A61P 43/00, A61K 31/519) and specific chemical compounds (C07D 515/04). The patent lists 24 named inventors and designates all EPO contracting states.

Fluoropyrimidine Compound and Fluoropyrimidinone Compound

The European Patent Office granted Patent EP4155299A1 to Unimatec Co., Ltd. for fluoropyrimidine and fluoropyrimidinone compounds. The patent, classified under IPC C07D 401/04 (heterocyclic compounds), provides Unimatec with exclusive rights to these chemical compounds across 34 designated contracting states. Inventors include AOTSU Rie, SEINO Junya, and KOKIN Keisuke.