Fake References in Medical Papers are Skyrocketing
A reference-integrity audit of 2.5 million biomedical papers and 125.6 million references in PubMed Central identified 4,046 fabricated references across 2,810 papers after multi-database verification and filtering.
Fabrication rates rose markedly, from 1 in 2,828 papers in 2023 to 1 in 458 in 2025, a more than 12-fold increase overall. Most affected papers contained one or two fabricated ref…
The Condition PCOS is Now Called PMOS
Researchers and clinicians have renamed polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) to polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) to better reflect the condition’s broader hormonal and metabolic impacts and improve patient care.
Affecting an estimated 1 in 8 women worldwide, the condition is associated with irregular menstrual cycles, elevated androgen levels, infertility, and increased risk of Typ…
Fruit-Flavored E-cigarettes for Adults OK'd By FDA
The FDA authorized its first fruit-flavored e-cigarettes for adult smokers, marking a significant shift in federal vaping policy amid declining youth vaping rates, which are now at a 10-year low. The newly authorized products include mango and blueberry flavors and incorporate smartphone-based age verification and Bluetooth access controls intended to reduce youth access.
FDA officials emphas…
Americans Aren't Sleeping Enough
A May 2026 CDC data brief reports that 30.5% of U.S. adults surveyed in 2024 are sleeping fewer than the recommended seven hours per night, a figure largely unchanged since 2020. Sleep insufficiency is clinically associated with cardiometabolic conditions including diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.
Approximately 15% of adults report difficulty falling asleep and 18% struggle to stay asleep. A concurrent publication indicates that roughly 13% of U.S. adults use sleep aids nightly — including prescription medications, OTC supplements, and cannabis-derived products — prompting c…
CDC Data Show Weekly ER Visits for Tick Bites Higher than Usual
CDC's Tick Bite Data Tracker shows weekly emergency department visits for tick bites are currently above historical norms in most U.S. regions, with rates in all areas except the South Central U.S. at their highest for this time of year since 2017.
CDC is urging preventive measures ahead of Lyme Disease Awareness Month in May, citing risks of Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and alpha-gal syndrome. Recommended actions include EPA-registered repellents, permethrin-treated clothing, and routine tick checks. Prompt tick removal — within 24 hours — is identified as a key interventi…