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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Drs. Isaacs and Traina review how HER2CLIMB‑05 and PATINA challenge the old CLEOPATRA‑based approach by showing that adding tucatinib or palbociclib to maintenance therapy can extend progression‑free survival in metastatic HER2+ breast cancer. They stress tailoring maintenance regimens to each patient’s hormone receptor status, CNS risk, and tolerance for side effects.
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, particularly in overweight patients.
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 opioid and benzodiazepine tapering program in older adults showed no significant advantage over usual care.
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 population.
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 diabetic cirrhosis patients.
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 various GI cancer subtypes.
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 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.
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