Staying #Up2Date 🚨

1: Less May Be More: Early Antibiotic Use and Long-Term Pediatric Health

This population-based cohort study looked at whether antibiotic exposure in early childhood led to health issues later on. Among 43K children, those given antibiotics as infants had higher rates of infection and asthma later in childhood (OR: 1.91, P < 0.05). A more cautious approach to prescribing antibiotics in young children could help prevent these problems down the line.

2: Stem Cells Spark Hope in Early Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) Trial

A phase 1-2 study of 14 participants tested the safety and efficacy of zimisclecel, a stem-cell therapy targeting pancreatic islets, in people with Type 1 diabetes. After 12 months, all participants showed successful engraftment. With islet function restored, they kept HbA1c levels below 7% and 83% no longer needed insulin. It’s early days, but this could be a step toward a real cure.

3: What’s in the Wax!

In this diagnostic study, researchers developed an AI-based model to detect early Parkinson’s disease (PD) by analyzing earwax. They found 4 volatile organic compounds, including ethylbenzene and pentanal, as biomarkers that helped identify and classify PD patients. With more work, this could help pioneer a clinically useful bedside PD diagnostic tool. 

4: Perk Up: Black Coffee Linked to Lower Mortality 

A prospective cohort study of 46K adults in the US found that higher coffee consumption (2-3 cups per day) was linked with lower all-cause mortality (HR 0.83, 95% CI [0.75, 0.93]). The catch: mortality benefits were restricted to black coffee (HR 0.86, 95% CI [0.77, 0.97]) and brews with minimal added fat and sugar (HR 0.86, 95% CI [0.75, 0.93]). Cool beans.

One Shot Is All It Takes 💉

Can HIV transmission be a thing of the past? Experts weigh in

What happened: The US has approved the first-ever twice-a-year shot to prevent HIV.

Why it’s interesting: Lenacapavir, made by Gilead Sciences, has the potential to be the next best option after the HIV vaccine. In 2 groundbreaking studies, the shot eliminated new infections for high-risk people, proving to be more effective than the preventive pills they might forget to take.

While condoms can help lower the risk of infection, doctors still recommend that folks use PrEP, a daily pill or vaccine that’s given every 2 months. Lenacapavir’s 6-month protection makes it the longest-lasting option, which could attract people who have trouble remembering to take their medication or who are wary of doctors.

HIV affects more than 1.3 million people worldwide, and it’s been proven that medications like PrEP decrease HIV infections. However, half of the new infections are women who often need protection they can take without their partner’s knowledge or consent. A study from South Africa and Uganda found that out of 5,300 sexually active young girls who took the shot, none were infected with HIV. It’s also proven to be effective in gay men and gender-nonconforming people in the US.

But: Most things in life don’t come free, and lenacapavir is no exception. With cuts to public health agencies and Medicaid, getting the shot might be difficult. While PrEP is supposed to be covered under most private insurers, the Supreme Court might overturn that requirement. To make a bad situation worse, the Trump administration has dismantled HIV prevention work at the CDC.

HIV experts worry that folks won’t know about lenacapavir, and if they do, they won’t be able to afford it.

Bottom line: Every person in the US who is at risk of HIV should have access to PrEP and lenacapavir, and restricting it could lead to misinformation and more infections.

Hot Off The Press

1: 🇮🇱🇮🇷 A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran appears to be holding after a 12-day conflict — brokered, oddly, by an expletive-laced outburst from US President Trump. Both sides claim victory, though US intelligence has cast doubt on Trump’s assertion that American strikes “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program. Israel has lifted nationwide restrictions, Iran’s president has called for diplomacy, and NATO leaders are watching closely. But with unclear terms and accusations from both sides, the calm may not last.

2: 🇺🇸 It’s been a week of upheaval in US health and politics. RFK Jr. is under fire for gutting the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel and stacking it with under-qualified, anti-mRNA voices, prompting Senator Bill Cassidy to call for a delay. Over at the FDA, mass layoffs have hollowed out the agency’s ethics and transparency staff, and its top drug regulator just quit. All this comes on the heels of the No Kings protests, where millions hit the streets in what may be the largest single-day demonstration in US history — a sweeping call for transparency, democracy… and a reckoning with science-for-hire?

3: ✈️ Trump’s visa restrictions are seeping into healthcare as international medical residents are stuck abroad. The administration’s new executive order has delayed visas from 19 countries, including Nigeria, Iran, and Egypt. Residents need a National Interest Exception to be considered, leaving many US medical programs in limbo.

4: 🔪 A new COVID-19 variant is creeping up, and officials have nicknamed one of the symptoms ‘razor blade throat.’ The variant’s official name is NB.1.8.1, and has been found in New York, Illinois, Texas, and California. Health experts say there’s no cause for panic yet, as the strain doesn’t seem to be more severe than previous variants and are asking the public to test themselves if they think they might have it.

Notable Numbers 🔢

75%: how much the new RSV vaccine cuts the risk of serious illness in older adults. The CDC now recommends it for everyone 75+, and for those 60–74 with health risks. For seniors, it’s a game-changer for staying healthy and out of the ER.

160: the number of heat records broken in the US over the past 3 days. The most notable record went to North Hartland, Vermont, where the town hit 101 degrees on the 23rd, making it hotter than Tucson and Yuma, Arizona!

$2.25M: the amount awarded to parents of a decapitated baby after the autopsy report was shared on social media. The tragedy happened during delivery, and a pathologist posted the video to social media without consent from the parents. The doctor believes he didn’t violate HIPAA as it’s ‘not required to get consent to report a crime or health issue to the public.’

Postcall Picks ✅

🎧 Listen: to the newest episode of the Funny Medicine Podcast. This week, the hosts uncover the secrets to living to 100!

😂 Laugh: at this TikTok about burnout!

@doctorsood

You’re burned out, underpaid, and still reviving people 💉💀 #medicalhumor #healthcarehumor Inspired by: @just.cecilia_

🤑 Save: on patio furniture and grills just in time for the 4th of July at Home Depot!

First Question: ___ radiation, on the far right of the electromagnetic spectrum

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