Top news stories from AMA Morning Rounds®: Week of April 24, 2023

Read AMA Morning Rounds®’ most popular stories in medicine and public health from the week of April 24, 2023–April 28, 2023.

The Hill (4/27, Sforza) reports, “A record-low number of adults reported cigarette use in 2022, while reported usage of electronic cigarette rose among adults.” Preliminary survey data from the CDC show “that just 11% of American adults—or about one in nine—reported they are smokers, which is a drop from 12.5% reported in 2020 and 2021.” These “data, which is based on based on responses from 27,000 adults, also captured an uptick of e-cigarette use among adults, from 4.5% who reported use in 2021 to 6% in 2022.”

The Washington Post (4/26, Reynolds) reports a study “found that incorporating simple workouts such as jogging or weight training into treatment improved the likelihood of recovery from a variety of substance-use disorders, including to cocaine, opioids, cannabis and alcohol.” The study was published Wednesday in PLOS One. The study’s findings “build on other research, some with animals, showing that exercise changes our brains and thinking in ways that can reduce drug cravings and relapse and might even stave off addictions in the first place.”

The Washington Post (4/25, Amenabar) reports that research shows that “the chewy melatonin gummies that many people take before bedtime to promote sleep may contain far more of the hormone than what’s printed on the label.”

The New York Times (4/25, Blum) reports that investigators “analyzed 25 melatonin gummy products from different brands and found that 22 contained different amounts of melatonin than what was listed on their labels; one contained only 74% of the advertised amount of melatonin, while another had 347% more.” Meanwhile, “another product contained no detectable melatonin at all.” The findings were published in JAMA.

The Washington Post (4/24, McGinley) reports that now, as “changes are coming in how” Alzheimer’s disease “is diagnosed and treated...patients with mild cognitive impairment are at the center of the efforts,” while “scientists are trying desperately to delay the worst phase of the illness.” Medications are emerging that “are designed to slow the disease, not just treat symptoms, for people with mild cognitive impairment...and early dementia from Alzheimer’s.” In addition, “new blood tests are making it easier to diagnose the ailment,” and “a growing number of studies suggest that lifestyle changes can help keep people in the early stage longer.”

The New York Times (4/21, A1, VanSickle) reported, “The Supreme Court said Friday evening that” abortion medication “mifepristone would remain widely available for now, delaying the potential for an abrupt end” to the drug.

Reuters (4/21, Chung, Kruzel) reported the justices “blocked new restrictions set by lower courts” on mifepristone. They “granted emergency requests by the Justice Department” and manufacturer “Danco Laboratories to put on hold an April 7 preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Texas.”

The AP (4/21, Sherman) reported the Supreme Court’s action “almost certainly will leave access to mifepristone unchanged at least into next year, as appeals play out, including a potential appeal to the high court. The next stop for the case is at the New Orleans-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, which has set arguments in the case for May 17.” NBC News (4/21, Jarrett) said the decision also maintains access to mifepristone by mail.

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