epidemiology

A large retrospective analysis of more than 665,000 bariatric procedures presented at the ASMBS 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting shows a clear correlation between preoperative body mass index (BMI) and postoperative complications. Patients in the highest BMI category (≥50 kg/m²) experienced the greatest increase in both overall and serious adverse events compared with those in lower BMI ranges.

A document circulated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to justify Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s abrupt policy change on COVID-19 vaccines has drawn fierce criticism from leading medical experts. Titled “COVID Recommendation FAQ,” the memo was sent to members of Congress who questioned Kennedy’s decision to remove routine recommendations for pregnant women and healthy children—an action that bypassed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) established review process. According to multiple specialists, the HHS briefing misrepresents legitimate peer-reviewed research, cites unpublished or disputed studies, and omits key evidence demonstrating vaccine safety, amounting to what one prominent OB-GYN professor labeled “willful medical disinformation.”

Mark Renton’s journey from aspiring sports scientist in Australia to postdoctoral researcher at Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute underscores a broader shift in biomedical research: the convergence of exercise physiology and cellular biology. While he grew up dreaming of designing exercise regimens for elite athletes, an undergraduate course in exercise metabolism awakened Renton’s fascination with the cellular machinery of muscle. That curiosity ultimately led him to pursue a doctorate in cardiac biology, and more recently, to investigate how obesity undermines heart health at the microscopic level.

OAK BROOK, Ill. (June 3, 2025) – A new study published today in Radiology, the journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), reveals that carotid artery plaques—which may exist quietly in patients with no symptoms—can evolve into dangerous lesions over time. Researchers from the Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, and collaborators analyzed data from the long-running Rotterdam Study in the Netherlands and found that even calcified plaques once considered stable can develop internal bleeding, dramatically increasing the risk of plaque rupture and subsequent stroke.

A newly designated sublineage of Omicron, named NB.1.8.1, has rapidly established itself as the dominant COVID-19 variant in parts of Asia and is now “pretty much everywhere” in Australia, according to leading virologists. First detected in January 2025, NB.1.8.1 carries mutations in the spike protein that appear to enhance its transmissibility and ability to evade immune defenses. In early May, the World Health Organization classified NB.1.8.1 as a Variant Under Monitoring, underscoring the need for heightened surveillance and vaccination efforts as the southern hemisphere heads into winter.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a groundbreaking framework that links the twin challenges of climate change and tuberculosis (TB), calling for urgent and coordinated action to prevent a resurgence of the world’s deadliest infectious disease. According to the report, rising temperatures, extreme weather events and environmental degradation are converging to create conditions that will worsen TB transmission, delay diagnosis and disrupt treatment—particularly among the world’s most vulnerable populations.

A groundbreaking new study by RAND Corporation and the University of Southern California reveals that illicit opioid use—particularly of nonprescription fentanyl—is far more widespread in the United States than official estimates have indicated. In an online survey of 1,515 American adults conducted in June 2024, researchers found that 11 percent reported using illicit opioids in the past year, and 7.5 percent reported use of illicitly manufactured fentanyl. These figures dwarf the 0.3 percent fentanyl prevalence reported by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) in 2022, underscoring a critical need for more accurate, near–real-time monitoring tools to guide the nation’s response to the ongoing opioid crisis.

A new global study from the University of Queensland has found that women with endometriosis are significantly more likely to experience premature or early menopause—especially if brought on by surgery—posing long-term risks to their health. Drawing on data from nearly 280,000 women across Australia, the UK, Sweden, and Japan, the research provides the most extensive evidence to date that endometriosis can influence not only fertility but also the timing and type of menopause.