Read AMA Morning Rounds®’ most popular stories in medicine and public health from the week of April 27, 2026–May 1, 2026.
Retinas with advanced aging linked to increased risk for chronic diseases
HealthDay (4/24, Thompson) reported a study found that “people had a higher risk of chronic disease if they had advanced aging of their retinas—the light-sensitive layer of cells that lines the back wall of the eye.” For the study, “researchers trained the AI model to assess retinal age using more than 50,000 fundus images.” They found that “the AI model became good at accurately predicting a person’s actual age based on their retina,” but the researchers noted “there was a larger gap between retinal age and calendar age for some people. Analysis showed that people with diabetes, heart disease or a history of stroke tended to have a significantly larger gap between their retinal and calendar age. The retinas of these people appeared older than expected.” The study was published in Communications Medicine.
You may also be interested in: What does healthy aging look like?
Nearly three in 10 physicians have been sued at least once in their career
Medical Economics (4/28, Payerchin) reports, “The rate at which U.S. physicians face medical malpractice claims has declined over the past decade, but nearly three in 10 doctors have been sued at least once in their career, according to data from the” AMA. AMA’s Medical Liability Claim Frequency Among U.S. Physicians indicates that “surgeons in high-risk specialties face lifetime lawsuit rates approaching 75%.” The new “report’s central finding: In 2024, just 1.8% of physicians were sued in the prior year, down from 2.3% in 2016. As of 2024, 28.7% of physicians reported having been sued at least once in their career, compared with 34% in 2016.” AMA President Bobby Mukkamala, MD, said, “Physicians know the practice of medicine carries risk, and even highly skilled doctors face lawsuits.” Dr. Mukkamala added, “But a claim does not mean a mistake was made. Most cases never find fault with the physician, and the majority are dropped or dismissed before trial. Doctors continue to take on complex, high-risk care because patients depend on it. However, the ongoing liability risk not only challenges physicians but it increases practice expenses, reinforces defensive medical practices, and drives up healthcare costs for patients and families.”
Editor's note: For more information on the AMA's two latest reports on medical liability, read the full press release. You can also attend the upcoming Advocacy Insights webinar on medical liability reform trends on May 20. Register now.
Lung cancer screening uptake with low-dose CT increased from 2022 to 2024, but remains low
MedPage Today (4/28, Bassett) reports, “Lung cancer screening uptake with low-dose CT increased from 2022 to 2024, but remains low, according to a cross-sectional study.” Investigators found that “across the U.S., 24.49% of survey respondents who met U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) eligibility criteria were up to date on their lung cancer screening in 2024—an increase in prevalence of 6 percentage points since 2022, with significant increases across most subgroups and no declines.” But, “despite this improvement, ‘adherence to annual lung cancer screening remained low and uneven in 2024, underscoring the need to strengthen and expand programs and policies that increase uptake among eligible adults,’ according to researchers. The finding were published in a research letter in JAMA Internal Medicine.
You may also be interested in: Demystifying a new tool for early lung cancer detection.
FDA says samples of tested infant formula contain undetectable or very low levels of contaminants
Reuters (4/29, S K) reports that on Wednesday, the FDA “said samples of tested infant formula available in the country contained very low levels of contaminants, confirming that the nation’s supply of infant formula is safe for consumption.”
The Hill (4/29, Weixel) reports, “Between 2023 and 2025, FDA purchased and tested more than 300 infant formula samples at retail stores covering 16 brands.” The FDA “tested for contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides and...PFAS.” Among “all the products tested, the majority of infant formula samples had undetectable or very low levels of contaminants, the agency said.” The Hill adds, “The levels of lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic were below federal requirements for drinking water across all samples.”
FDA proposes crackdown on GLP-1 compounding
CNBC (4/30, Constantino) reports the FDA on Thursday proposed excluding semaglutide and tirzepatide from the “list of drugs that outsourcing facilities can use for compounding in bulk.” The proposal “also covers Novo’s older molecule liraglutide.” If finalized, the exclusion would likely limit the mass compounding “of those medicines unless they appear on the FDA’s drug shortage list.” The proposal “specifically targets 503B outsourcing facilities, which manufacture compounded drugs in bulk with or without prescription and are largely regulated by FDA guidelines. The proposal does not impact 503A pharmacies, which make compounded drugs according to individual prescriptions for a specific patient and are largely regulated by states rather than the FDA.”
MedPage Today (4/30, Monaco) reports the move “comes just 2 months after the FDA announced a crackdown on GLP-1 copycats, citing concerns that compounded drugs cannot be verified for quality, safety, and efficacy. Other organizations, including the American Medical Association...have also been vocal about the risks of knock-off GLP-1 products.” The FDA will consider public comments on the proposal through June 29.
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