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Health officials in Pennsylvania have reported two recent deaths from measles, the first US deaths from the disease in 2026. Measles is highly contagious, and health experts say falling vaccination rates have raised the risk of outbreaks. The cases have renewed calls for parents to vaccinate their children on schedule.
Pennsylvania health officials reported two recent deaths from measles, the first deaths from the disease in the United States in 2026. The cases add to a growing outbreak that has raised alarms among public health experts. Measles is highly contagious and can cause severe complications, especially in young children and unvaccinated people. Health officials urged families to check vaccination records and get the MMR shot if needed. The deaths come as vaccination rates have slipped in parts of the country, leaving communities more exposed. Doctors said early treatment and vaccination are the best defenses. State officials are working to trace contacts and contain the outbreak before it spreads further.
Two unvaccinated people have died of measles in Pennsylvania, the state's first measles deaths in 35 years. Health officials said both deaths occurred in the same region and both patients developed severe complications. The deaths come as measles cases climb across the country amid falling vaccination rates in some communities. The MMR vaccine is about 97 percent effective after two doses, and public health experts called the deaths preventable. The state health department is setting up free vaccination clinics in the affected region and reviewing immunization records in schools.
A study of more than 260,000 adults finds that waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio predict cardiovascular disease risk better than body mass index alone. The research, published in JACC, the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology, followed participants for an average of about 20 years. Nearly one in five people with a normal BMI but a high waist-to-hip ratio had up to 50 percent higher risk for several heart conditions, and BMI alone would have missed them. Inflammation explained part of the link between belly fat and heart failure. The authors say waist measurements should be part of routine heart risk checks, since BMI cannot show where fat is stored and fat around the organs is more dangerous than fat under the skin.
A study in PLOS Digital Health finds that nearly all FDA-cleared AI medical devices lack evidence they improve patient health. Of 1,357 AI-enabled devices cleared for patient care, only 34 were linked to registered clinical trials and just three evaluated patient-centered outcomes such as mortality, hospital readmissions or quality of life. Radiology accounts for 1,059 of the cleared devices, and most evidence comes from retrospective accuracy studies rather than clinical benefit trials. Researchers said regulatory clearance shows a device resembles something already on the market, not that it helps anyone, and called for stronger clinical validation requirements.
Mayo Clinic researchers have validated an AI model that can spot signs of pancreatic cancer up to three years before a formal diagnosis. The tool analyzes electronic health records and flags at-risk patients with high accuracy. Pancreatic cancer is often found too late for surgery, and early detection could improve survival odds. The next step is a clinical trial to test the model in routine care.
A new analysis found that only three of 1,357 AI-enabled medical devices cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have been tested for their effect on patient outcomes. Hundreds of AI tools are entering clinical care, but the study traced how quickly the evidence thins when focus shifts from regulatory approval to trials that measure what actually happens to patients. Researchers said most devices are cleared based on technical performance rather than proof they improve health. The findings raise questions about how AI is adopted in hospitals. Experts called for stronger evidence requirements before AI tools reach patients.
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Pasatru (garetosmab) to treat fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), an ultra-rare genetic disorder in which muscles and soft tissue slowly turn to bone. The drug, made by Regeneron, is the second approved treatment for the disease, following palovarotene (Sohonos) in 2023. Pasatru is a monoclonal antibody that blocks activin A, a protein that drives the abnormal bone growth. In the phase 3 OPTIMA trial, patients receiving monthly infusions showed up to a 94 percent reduction in new bone lesions compared with placebo. The drug is given intravenously once a month. Regeneron says it plans to test the treatment in children and adolescents in a new trial.
A phase 3 trial shows that glofitamab, a bispecific antibody, extends survival in patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma who cannot receive a stem cell transplant. Patients who received glofitamab plus gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (GemOx) lived longer and went longer without their disease progressing than those given rituximab plus GemOx. The 274-patient STARGLO trial randomized patients two to one between the two regimens. Serious side effects were more common with glofitamab, but those patients also received substantially more treatment. Researchers say the results support glofitamab-GemOx as a standard option for this group.
A 20-year study has linked nitrites in processed meats to a higher risk of colon cancer in men, researchers reported this week. Nitrites are used to preserve bacon, ham, sausage and deli meats, and can form cancer-linked compounds when cooked at high temperatures. The study followed a large group of participants for two decades and found the strongest link among men with the highest nitrite intake; the same pattern did not appear in women. The findings add to existing guidance from the World Health Organization, which classifies processed meat as a probable cause of cancer. Experts say people do not need to eliminate processed meat but should treat it as an occasional food and consider replacing it with poultry, fish or plant proteins.