JAMA Medical News

JAMA Editor in Chief and a professor of pediatrics discuss how AI can reduce clinician burden and streamline health systems. Topics include AI in the back office of healthcare, types of studies needed in AI and clinical practice, equitable considerations in applying new technologies, and transforming electronic health records with AI.

Discussion on a new blood test for Alzheimer's disease risk and the impact of wildfires on air quality and health. Opinions of experts on the test and effects of wildfires on air quality. Disproportionate impact of wildfire smoke and air pollution on vulnerable communities.

JAMA Editor in Chief Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo and UCSF's Chief Research Informatics Officer Ida Sim discuss the transformative potential of AI in medicine, exploring generative AI and large language models. They reflect on AI augmentation in medicine and the importance of AI in medical practice. The potential role of AI in clinical practice is also explored, emphasizing the need for collaboration between computer science and medical professionals in AI innovation.

Dr. Michael Howell, pulmonologist and chief clinical officer at Google, discusses AI gaslighting and hallucinations in healthcare, the collaboration between healthcare professionals and AI innovators, advancements in people intelligence and chatbot capabilities, ethics of automation bias, and safeguarding patient privacy and data in healthcare technology.

Vanessa Kerry, WHO Special Envoy for Climate Change and Health, discusses the impact of climate change on health and the urgent need for solutions. Topics include increasing disease, mental health issues, extreme flooding, and physician advocacy for climate change.

This podcast covers the approval of a pill for postpartum depression, the potential effectiveness of updated COVID vaccines against the new variant BA.2.86, and the development of a monovalent vaccine targeting the Omicron sub-variant EG.5. It also discusses the prevalence of postpartum depression, the limitations of current treatments, ongoing clinical trials, and the spike protein mutations of the variants.

Treating Long COVID's Mental Health Symptoms in Primary Care; This Fall's COVID-19 Vaccine Will Target Omicron XBB Subvariants—Who Needs to Get It; Avian Influenza Update Related Content: HHS Urges Primary Care Clinicians to Help Patients Manage Long COVID's Mental Health Symptoms Vigilance Urged Against Bird Flu Amid Ongoing Outbreaks in Mammals This Fall's COVID-19 Vaccines Will Target Omicron XBB Subvariants, but Who Needs Them Remains to Be Seen

Data on a new crop of hormone analogues for weight loss—including an oral version of semaglutide and the triple agent retatrutide—were recently presented at the American Diabetes Association's annual Scientific Sessions. Robert Gabbay, MD, PhD, the ADA's chief scientific and medical officer, speaks with JAMA's Jennifer Abbasi about this and other clinical data presented at the meeting. Related Content: New Weight Loss Drugs Make Headlines at Diabetes Meeting

The 2021 US maternal mortality rate is more than 10 times the rate of other high-income countries, according to a March 2023 CDC report. In this Q&A, JAMA Editor in Chief Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, PhD, MD, MAS, is joined by Monica McLemore, PhD, MPH, RN, University of Washington, Audra Meadows, MD, MPH, UC San Diego, and Joia Crear-Perry, MD, founder and president of the National Birth Equity Collaborative, to discuss these concerning numbers and why preventable death rates are worsening in the US. Related Content: Trends in State-Level Maternal Mortality by Racial and Ethnic Group in the United States Worsening US Maternal Death Rates US Maternal Mortality Is Unacceptably High, Unequal, and Getting Worse—What Can Be Done About It? Trends in Maternal Mortality and Severe Maternal Morbidity During Delivery-Related Hospitalizations in the United States, 2008 to 2021

The podcast discusses the new WHO guideline on sugar substitutes and their impact on weight control. It also highlights the risks associated with the use of sugar substitutes, including the increased risk of heart disease and diabetes. The Surgeon General's advisory on the effects of social media on youth mental health is also discussed, emphasizing the role of physicians in mitigating the negative impacts by setting limits and educating about privacy settings.