Medical News Podcast
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The Medical News Podcast by PeerDirect delivers news and interviews with clinical thought leaders and researchers to keep you informed of the latest breakthroughs, guidelines, and insights in your specialty. Designed for clinicians with stories selected by the PeerDirect editorial board. Visit us at peerdirect.com to sign-up for our newsletter.
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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 of severe infection by 70%, with nearly threefold higher infection-related hospitalization or death in severe obesity. Finally, a randomized trial in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health found no increased risk of eczema or respiratory illness in infants receiving acetaminophen versus ibuprofen, providing reassurance about its safety.
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, without more bleeding. Finally, a large meta-analysis confirmed most reported statin side effects are not causally linked, reinforcing their strong benefit–risk profile.
Drs. Danzig and Vakharia review new AAO 2025 data on high-dose aflibercept, early corticosteroid implants, and emerging TKI inserts for RVO, DME, and wet AMD. These therapies aim to maintain vision while reducing injection burden through extended dosing and promising safety profiles.
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 complicated infection or sepsis. A Danish registry study in JAMA Internal Medicine found SGLT2 inhibitors offer greater kidney protection than GLP-1 receptor agonists in type 2 diabetes. Long-term ASPREE follow-up in JAMA Oncology showed low-dose aspirin did not lower cancer incidence and increased cancer-related mortality in older adults.
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 clinical trial eligibility.
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 cases found no increased risk of non-cardia adenocarcinoma with long-term proton pump inhibitor use after comprehensive confounder adjustment. Finally, a U.S. cohort study of older adults linked shingles vaccination to lower inflammation and slower biological aging across multiple systems, though causality cannot be confirmed due to observational design.
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, reinforcing obesity as a chronic condition requiring long-term planning. Finally, a large sham-controlled trial found no meaningful benefit of trigeminal nerve stimulation for pediatric ADHD, suggesting prior perceived effects were placebo-driven.
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 substantially increased cardiovascular risk over 30 years, supporting targeted one-time screening. Finally, Medicare data revealed that one in four older adults with dementia received CNS-active medications, often without clear indications, underscoring opportunities to reduce inappropriate prescribing.
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 at 48 weeks, with no new safety signals, potentially expanding durable treatment options. Finally, experimental data demonstrate that even a single 10-minute bout of vigorous exercise can rapidly trigger molecular changes that suppress pathways linked to colon cancer development.
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 national rise in influenza activity, dominated by H3N2, with increasing hospitalizations and pediatric deaths; vaccination and early antiviral treatment remain strongly recommended. Finally, the FDA approved once-daily oral semaglutide 25 mg for weight management and cardiovascular risk reduction, offering efficacy comparable to injectable therapy and potentially expanding patient access when launched in 2026.
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 mutations and overexpression.
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 and safe as standard infusion therapy for acute ischemic stroke while simplifying workflows, and that vascular brain injury and inherited risk independently increase dementia risk, underscoring the importance of aggressive management of modifiable vascular factors.
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 areas.
Drs. Adegunsoye and Kaul review their takeaways from CHEST 2025, where pulmonary experts revealed a transformative approach to interstitial lung disease that emphasizes precision medicine and personalized treatments. The conference marked a shift from passive observation to proactive intervention, focusing on early screening, targeted therapies, and reducing healthcare disparities.
A long-term analysis of major prediabetes trials found that achieving remission or returning glucose levels to normal was associated with over a 50% reduction in cardiovascular death or heart failure, with durable benefits decades later; delaying diabetes without remission did not show similar benefit. A randomized trial in critically ill adults found no difference in 28-day mortality between ketamine and etomidate for intubation, though ketamine increased the risk of cardiovascular collapse. Finally, molecular data showed indoor tanning causes widespread DNA mutations linked to melanoma, reinforcing its carcinogenic risk.
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