Medical News Podcast

Drs. Petri and Woolfson review the American College of Rheumatology Convergence 2025 data that suggest belimumab might lower mortality in SLE compared with traditional oral immunosuppressants, supporting earlier biologic use. They also discuss an observational study in lupus nephritis that links GLP-1 agonists to better kidney, survival, and cardiovascular outcomes than SGLT2 inhibitors, particula...

Drs. Vakharia and Danzig highlight new AAO 2025 data on high-dose aflibercept, sleep apnea as a potential AMD risk factor, and an AI-guided anti-VEGF regimen that cuts injections while maintaining vision. Together, these advances point toward more personalized, efficient care for patients with neovascular AMD and DME.

Oral semaglutide reduced heart failure hospitalizations and cardiovascular death in type 2 diabetes patients with existing heart failure, particularly those with preserved ejection fraction, but showed no benefit in those without baseline heart failure. Modern total hip replacements demonstrate excellent longevity, with over 92% of implants surviving revision-free at 30 years. A pharmacist-led opi...

Drs. Isaacs and Traina discuss new data in HER2+ breast cancer from the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, focusing on early-stage studies including DESTINY-Breast11 and DESTINY-Breast05 and how data from these studies could potentially impact patient care in the future.

Drs. Wierda and O’Brien discuss emerging data showing the non-covalent BTK inhibitor pirtobrutinib outperforming traditional chemoimmunotherapy and showing favorable efficacy and safety versus ibrutinib in CLL. They also highlight promising early results from a triplet regimen for Richter transformation, suggesting the best survival outcomes yet seen in this historically high‑risk, hard‑to-treat p...

New AHA/ACC guidelines overhaul pulmonary embolism management with a five-tier risk classification, endorsing ED discharge for low-risk patients and DOACs as first-line therapy. A JAMA trial confirms IV acetaminophen adds modest but real pain relief when combined with morphine. A large cohort study shows SGLT2 inhibitors dramatically reduce kidney, cardiovascular, and liver complications in diabet...

Drs. Cytryn, Foote, and Thummalapalli discuss recent data on HER2 testing modalities and the prevalence of HER2 positivity across hepatobiliary, upper GI, and colorectal cancers, highlighting implications for precision medicine. The conversation reviews the latest clinical trial findings and the evolving landscape of HER2-targeted therapies, with insights into optimal treatment sequencing for vari...

Drs. Ailani and Dougherty discuss onabotulinumtoxinA, a cornerstone treatment for chronic migraine, which reduces headache days and disability when given regularly with the PREEMPT protocol. They emphasize its unique benefits and how it pairs with CGRP therapies, oral preventives, and lifestyle changes for individualized care.

Three major studies reshape preventive care. Long-term follow-up from diabetes prevention trials, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, shows that achieving remission of prediabetes—normalizing glucose levels—cuts cardiovascular death or heart failure risk by about 50%, with benefits lasting decades. In The Lancet, a multicohort analysis of 540,000 adults found obesity increases risk o...

Drs. Dizon and Campos discuss how new antibody drug conjugates like trastuzumab deruxtecan are transforming treatment options for HER2+ gynecological cancers, showing promising results even in patients with low HER2 expression. They shared impressive clinical trial successes while emphasizing the importance of ongoing research into treatment sequencing and patient safety.

Drs. Campos and Dizon explore how groundbreaking research is redefining HER2-targeted therapies in gynecological cancers, moving beyond the old one-size-fits-all approach. They spotlight the promise and ongoing challenges of customizing treatment using new biomarkers and clinical trial data.

A phase 3 trial in The New England Journal of Medicine found that the oral PCSK9 inhibitor enlicitide reduced LDL by 57% at 24 weeks in high-risk patients, with similar adverse events to placebo. An oral option may improve uptake and help more patients reach lipid targets. In The Lancet, SMART-CHOICE 3 showed clopidogrel monotherapy after DAPT post-PCI reduced death, MI, or stroke versus aspirin,...

A JAMA Network Open consensus guide standardizes adult UTI triage for telehealth and in-person care. Nonpregnant women with classic cystitis symptoms and no resistance risks may receive empiric antibiotics without testing; men and higher-risk women require urinalysis with culture before treatment. Urine color or odor alone does not justify testing, and urgent evaluation is advised for suspected co...

Drs. Coombs and Danilov explore how to optimally sequence covalent BTK inhibitors, non‑covalent BTK inhibitors (such as pirtobrutinib), and venetoclax-based regimens for relapsed CLL, emphasizing real-world data and emerging trial results. They highlight that treatment choices hinge on prior response depth and duration, tolerability, mutational profile, and the need to preserve future options and...

A large Lancet meta-analysis found no clinically meaningful association between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability after restricting analyses to adjusted and sibling-comparison studies, with odds ratios essentially null; acetaminophen remains first-line for pain and fever in pregnancy. A Nordic BMJ case-control study of more than 17,000 gastric cancer case...

Firearm ownership has surged in the U.S., yet safety discussions remain uncommon in clinical care. An NEJM article supports routine, nonpolitical firearm counseling using the “3 A’s” (Ask, Advise, Assist) to reduce risks such as suicide and unintentional injury. Separately, a BMJ meta-analysis shows that patients stopping GLP-1 weight-loss medications typically regain weight within 1.5–2 years, re...

A large U.S. cohort study found that children who were late for routine 2- or 4-month immunizations were six to seven times more likely to miss MMR vaccination entirely by age two, highlighting early delays as a strong predictor of future vaccine refusal amid rising measles cases. A long-term study of more than 27,000 women showed that very high lipoprotein(a) levels were associated with substanti...

New real-world data suggest that GLP-1 receptor agonists used for adolescent obesity are associated with roughly half the rate of asthma exacerbations, fewer emergency visits, and reduced steroid and rescue inhaler use, indicating a possible dual benefit beyond weight loss. In HIV care, Phase 3 ARTISTRY-2 topline results show a once-daily bictegravir/lenacapavir tablet was non-inferior to Biktarvy...

The FDA has issued a major safety alert on andexanet alfa, used to reverse factor Xa inhibitors, after post-marketing data and the ANNEXA-I trial showed roughly double the risk of serious and fatal thromboembolic events versus usual care. Concluding that risks now outweigh benefits, U.S. sales will end, forcing hospitals to urgently reassess reversal protocols. Meanwhile, the CDC reports a sharp n...

Drs. Yu and Herzberg discuss recent developments in HER2- and EGFR-targeted therapies for lung cancer, focusing on clinical trial results at ESMO 2025. Key highlights include promising response rates, toxicity profiles, and the potential for these targeted therapies to treat patients with specific genetic mutations, particularly those with CNS metastases.

Drs. Herzberg and Yu continue their discussion on emerging clinical data presented at ESMO and WCLC 2025. They highlight recent advancements in HER2-targeted therapies for NSCLC and review new HER2-targeted therapies, international study results, and the promise of evolving targeted approaches for HER2-altered lung cancer.

Drs. Herzberg and Yu explore emerging clinical data from the 2025 meetings of the European Society For Medical Oncology (ESMO) and World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC), highlighting recent advancements in HER2-targeted therapies for NSCLC. Their discussion focuses on new drugs (eg, zongertinib and trastuzumab deruxtecan), their efficacy and safety profiles, and the potential for treating HER2 mu...

A large cardiovascular outcomes trial in high-risk adults with type 2 diabetes showed that a dual incretin therapy was noninferior to an established comparator for major adverse cardiovascular events over four years, with similar overall safety but more gastrointestinal side effects and no added cardiovascular benefit. Separate trials demonstrated that a single-bolus thrombolytic was as effective...

Drs. Kaul and Adegunsoye discuss advanced technologies to improve early detection and treatment of interstitial lung disease in veterans, with innovative approaches including the MAVRIC trial and AI-powered risk prediction models. These efforts aim to transform pulmonary care by identifying high-risk patients and developing targeted interventions.

Drs. Kaul and Adegunsoye discuss Veterans Affairs’ innovative approach to understanding and treating pulmonary fibrosis among veterans by leveraging extensive electronic health records and data repositories. The work focuses on addressing healthcare disparities, exploring risk factors, and developing a hub-and-spoke telehealth model to provide specialized care to veterans in rural and underserved...