The global logistics giant FedEx has unveiled a new specialist division dedicated to the transportation of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, biologics and clinical trial materials. The launch of FedEx Life Sciences combines the company’s worldwide shipping network with advanced monitoring capabilities and specialist healthcare expertise to serve pharmaceutical and healthcare stakeholders around the world.
FedEx’s global healthcare revenues have already grown to approximately US$10bn, underscoring the sector’s prominence within its existing operations. As medicines become more specialised and globally distributed, healthcare companies increasingly depend on logistics networks built for precision, visibility and reliability. The new division aims to meet that demand by offering end-to-end cold chain management, real-time tracking and regulatory compliance support for sensitive medical shipments.
In a separate development, Asda Pharmacy has introduced two in-store weight management services: personalised consultations at 19 pharmacy locations and a disposal scheme for consumers who have purchased unregulated weight loss products. The move follows a surge in demand and recent insights from UK General Practitioners, which found that 86% of GPs have noticed an increase in patients being offered unregulated products. Additionally, 25% of GPs reported encountering patients who required hospital care after complications from non-medically approved treatments.
AI Advances in Drug Discovery and Clinical Documentation
Artificial intelligence continues to reshape healthcare research and administration. Anthropic has released Claude Science, an “AI workbench for scientists” designed to support medical researchers. The tool provides open access to an AI agent equipped with more than 60 curated skills and connectors spanning life science disciplines. Anthropic plans to use the platform to pursue its own drug development programmes for rare and neglected diseases.
In clinical settings, AI-powered ambient voice technology is transforming how patient records are created. NHS England Midlands has become the first region to procure at scale an AI transcription provider for its 1,239 GP practices and more than 70,000 clinicians across 15 acute and community trusts. The technology records patient-clinician conversations and converts speech into structured medical documentation, freeing up GPs to see more patients and reducing administrative burdens. AI medical transcription developer Heidi Health has been selected as the sole supplier following the procurement process, marking the first and largest deployment of its kind in the NHS.
Meanwhile, the UK Government and Eli Lilly are providing an £85m (US$114m) grant to fund 12 obesity projects. The initiatives range from apps and round-the-clock advice on WhatsApp to AI-powered triage. With approximately 30% of adults in England living with obesity and more than 66% either overweight or obese, the funding targets a condition linked to heart disease, stroke and diabetes that costs the UK an estimated £107bn (US$143bn) annually. These combined efforts signal a hopeful path forward, as logistics, AI and targeted investments converge to improve patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency worldwide.