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In June, we reported some of the latest findings on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy for rheumatologic conditions such as lupus. In this report, we take a look at what may be coming down the pike in this area.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/rheumatology/generalrheumatology/119229
Race for the Rheum Disease Cure Heats Up
CAR T-cell therapy is just the beginning, experts say
www.medpagetoday.com
January 1, 2026 at 7:35 PM
The FDA approved tradipitant (Nereus), an oral neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist, to prevent vomiting induced by motion in adults.

The approval marks the first new drug treatment for motion sickness in over four decades.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/neurology/generalneurology/119230
FDA Greenlights First Motion Sickness Drug in More Than 40 Years
NK-1 receptor antagonist tradipitant approved to prevent vomiting induced by motion
www.medpagetoday.com
December 31, 2025 at 8:40 PM
The devastating consequences of Hunter syndrome may soon become preventable if early results with an investigational enzyme replacement therapy prove out in randomized trials.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/neurology/generalneurology/119228
Turning Point for Hunter Syndrome?
Investigational drug shows strong promise in early clinical trial
www.medpagetoday.com
December 31, 2025 at 7:16 PM
"In doing so, he has placed generations of Americans at risk."

Adam Brown, MD, MBA, reflects on what HHS Secretary Kennedy has gotten right -- and wrong -- on health and medicine in the past year.

https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/prescriptionsforabrokensystem/119218?trw=no
Opinion | I Was Wrong About RFK Jr.
In early 2025, I was overly optimistic he might get a thing or two right for public health
www.medpagetoday.com
December 31, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Immunotherapy-based combinations have rapidly become the dominant first-line treatment for advanced HCC, but real-world outcomes remain heavily constrained by liver function & comorbidity burden, according to a large U.S. database study.
http://medpagetoday.com/hematologyoncology/othercancers/119226
Liver Cancer Treatment Landscape Shifts Rapidly, but Best Sequencing Still Unclear
Real-world analysis shows liver function drives survival; only 20% reach second-line therapy
medpagetoday.com
December 31, 2025 at 2:16 AM
The use of BsAb before CAR-T appeared to be a more optimal treatment sequence than BsAb after CAR-T in patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/hematologyoncology/lymphoma/119225
Bispecifics Before CAR-T May Be Best-Bet Sequence for Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Meta-analysis shows greater response rate but research is hypothesis generating, experts say
www.medpagetoday.com
December 31, 2025 at 12:28 AM
As the year comes to a close, the Trump administration seems to be going in two different directions when it comes to the use of prior authorization in Medicare.

Read more at: https://www.medpagetoday.com/practicemanagement/reimbursement/119157?trw=no
Medicare Is of Two Minds on Prior Authorization
CMS is cracking down on it in Medicare Advantage while expanding its use in traditional Medicare
www.medpagetoday.com
December 30, 2025 at 11:18 PM
A large study showed that children conceived through assisted reproductive technology were more likely to develop asthma, allergic rhinitis, or atopic dermatitis compared with those conceived naturally. www.medpagetoday.com/dermatology/...
Assisted Reproduction Linked to Child's Risk of Asthma, Eczema
Large observational study from Taiwan sheds light on modest association
www.medpagetoday.com
December 30, 2025 at 10:01 PM
A rushed, perfunctory end-of-year meeting by the National VICP ACCV led to no recommended policy changes, but the event's public comments foreshadowed potentially profound changes ahead in 2026. @doritreiss.bsky.social
www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdi...
Vaccine Injury Advisors' Meeting May Portend a Contentious 2026
Attempts to add autism to VICP's injury table could upend the program, vaccine advocates warn
www.medpagetoday.com
December 30, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Five leaders in a single year. An acting director with no experience approving drugs. Mounting fears that a century of progress is being undone.

Read more at: https://www.medpagetoday.com/publichealthpolicy/fdageneral/119211?trw=no
Five Leaders in One Year: FDA's Drug Center Enters 2026 at a Crossroads
Leadership churn, politicized decisions threaten CDER's scientific core, experts warn
www.medpagetoday.com
December 30, 2025 at 7:21 PM
"The court is expected to issue a wave of decisions over the months ahead, ending in June 2026, affecting medical standards, transgender rights, firearm access, vaccine exemptions, and access to sensitive information."

Read more: https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/the-health-docket/119204?trw=no
Opinion | On the Health Docket for 2026
Repercussions for public health lie ahead
www.medpagetoday.com
December 30, 2025 at 4:47 PM
"What began in 2025 as a year of hope -- that the federal administration would take bold action on ultraprocessed foods -- is ending with the sobering reality that no such action will come."

Read the full #OpEd:
https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/second-opinions/119170?trw=no
Opinion | Nutrition Policy Rang Hollow in 2025
MAHA's stated focus on ultraprocessed foods didn't translate into action
www.medpagetoday.com
December 30, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Adolescents with overweight or obesity and asthma had a lower risk of asthma exacerbations after starting a GLP-1 receptor agonist, a retrospective cohort study found.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/pediatrics/asthma/119208
GLP-1 Agents Tied to Less Risk of Asthma Exacerbations in Teens With Obesity
Underlying mechanism of action remains unclear, researchers say
www.medpagetoday.com
December 30, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Compared with enhanced usual care, collaborative care did not lead to better outcomes in patients with opioid use disorder, major depression, and/or PTSD, in the randomized CLARO trial.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/psychiatry/opioids/119206
No Added Benefit for Collaborative Care in Patients With OUD and Mental Illness
Trial evaluated OUD patients with co-occurring PTSD, depression, or both
www.medpagetoday.com
December 30, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Treatment with incretin-based therapies after bariatric surgery was associated with lower risks of new-onset AUD and initiation of medications for AUD compared with non-incretin anti-obesity drugs, a study found.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/gastroenterology/generalgastroenterology/119190
Incretin Therapies After Bariatric Surgery Linked to Lower Risk of Alcohol Disorder
Findings add to evidence that GLP-1s may influence reward, addiction pathways beyond weight loss
www.medpagetoday.com
December 30, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Exposure to nonbenzodiazepine sedative hypnotics, known as Z-drugs, in the first trimester of pregnancy was not associated with an increased risk of congenital malformations, a population-based cohort study suggested.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/psychiatry/sleepdisorders/119161
Reassuring Findings for Use of Common Sleep Medications in Pregnancy
It's important that we have treatments for pregnant people with sleep issues, expert says
www.medpagetoday.com
December 29, 2025 at 11:36 PM
"Purpose and trust, once eroded, are hard to rebuild."

In an #OpEd, an anonymous CDC employee revisits their experience of surviving the shooting to shed light on the mood at the agency over the last several months.

https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/second-opinions/119178?trw=no
Opinion | The CDC Shooting Isn't What Broke Me
Continuing to show up to work at an agency I no longer trust is devastating
www.medpagetoday.com
December 29, 2025 at 10:52 PM
Walter Koroshetz, MD, long-time director of NINDS, is stepping down after his reappointment request was unexpectedly denied.

@aanmember.bsky.social voiced "significant concern over the abrupt decision" by the NIH to terminate its contract with Koroshetz.
www.medpagetoday.com/neurology/ge...
NIH Neurology Director Abruptly Ousted
American Academy of Neurology voices 'significant concern' over the decision
www.medpagetoday.com
December 29, 2025 at 10:04 PM
According to @yalesph.bsky.social:

Total U.S. measles cases: 2,024
Past-week new cases: 38

The U.S. passed 2,000 measles cases this week, ending the year with a record number of cases since measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000. The next-highest annual case count was 1,274 in 2019.
December 29, 2025 at 9:21 PM
⬇️What we heard in 2025 ⬇️ #MedSky

"I don't know how many died." -- HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., during a Senate hearing when asked whether he accepted the fact that a million Americans died from COVID-19.
December 29, 2025 at 9:03 PM
A high risk of obstructive sleep apnea was associated with higher odds of a composite of depression and mental health conditions in a large observational study.
https://www.medpagetoday.com/pulmonology/sleepdisorders/119202
December 29, 2025 at 8:20 PM
For ACIP, Charles Dickens' iconic opening line in A Tale of Two Cities defined 2025: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness."

https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/vaccines/119176?trw=no
A Tale of Two ACIPs -- How 2025 Upended CDC's Influential Vaccine Panel
ACIP 'has made itself irrelevant in terms of immunization recommendations that can be trusted'
www.medpagetoday.com
December 29, 2025 at 8:18 PM
"The battle is far from over."

As part of our review of the past year's biggest events, Don Ingber, MD, PhD, revisits the administration's war on science and discusses the consequences for innovation in medicine.

Read more: https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/second-opinions/119160?trw=no
Opinion | Dismantling the American Research Enterprise
The government's self-sabotage could not come at a worse time
www.medpagetoday.com
December 29, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Recent findings suggest that #ALS may be a treatable disease.

Early initiation of tofersen (Qalsody) was associated with a numerically slower decline in people with SOD1 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) compared with delayed treatment, according to data.
www.medpagetoday.com/neurology/ge...
Long-Term Tofersen Use May Slow ALS Progression, 3-Year Data Suggest
Some SOD1-ALS patients showed trends toward improvements
www.medpagetoday.com
December 29, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Reposted by MedPage Today
last year I wrote w hope that momentum in the #ultraprocessedfood world would translate to impactful #publichealth policy from the US. See below for my reflection in @medpagetoday.com about how things actually panned out...

@gfriedman.bsky.social
www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/seco...
Opinion | Nutrition Policy Rang Hollow in 2025
MAHA's stated focus on ultraprocessed foods didn't translate into action
www.medpagetoday.com
December 28, 2025 at 3:13 PM