This Week in Medicine - May 10:
RSV Wins, Measles Returns, and Utah Fails Teeth
If you like your medical news raw, sarcastic, and unafraid to call out stupidity when it punches public health in the face, you’re in the right place.
This week we have some genuine victories in science, a few absolutely preventable setbacks, and a strong reminder of why we still need evidence-based medicine more than ever.
✅ RSV Vaccines Are Quietly Saving Lives
Let’s start with some good news — a rare unicorn in American health coverage.
The U.S. infant mortality rate dropped to approximately 5.5 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024, down slightly from the previous two years. That may not sound like much — but across millions of births, it translates to thousands of infant lives saved.
So what happened? Experts point to a vaccination campaign against RSV — respiratory syncytial virus. New antibody shots for infants and maternal vaccines introduced in 2023 have made a measurable impact.
In fact, according to the CDC, infant hospitalizations during the 2024-25 RSV season were down more than 40% compared to historical averages.
For those of you who understand population-scale health data: this is a big deal. For those whose brains have been hollowed out by TikTok worm-detox kits — just know this means: vaccines work.
🧯 Measles Is Back — Again
Just as RSV goes down, measles climbs back up. Over 1,000 measles cases have been reported in the U.S. so far this year — only the second time we’ve crossed that threshold since the disease was eliminated in 2000.
At least 12 distinct outbreaks are fueling the surge, with more than 800 cases linked to a West Texas outbreak that has spread into New Mexico, Oklahoma, and possibly Kansas.
The last time we saw this many cases? 2019 — courtesy of anti-vaxx pockets in New York. This is not a mystery. This is what happens when people trade medical journals for memes.
💉 Moderna’s Combo COVID + Flu Shot Looks Promising
Moderna is developing a dual mRNA vaccine for flu and COVID-19. New data published in JAMA shows that it triggers a stronger immune response in adults over 50 than existing single shots.
But the FDA wants more: specifically, data showing the vaccine actually reduces disease. That means approval is now expected in 2026.
Progress? Yes. Fast enough? No. But hey — at least this one doesn’t come from a vitamin shop in a strip mall.
💀 Lipoprotein(a): The Cholesterol You’re Not Measuring
In a study of over 273,000 people with atherosclerosis, patients with the highest levels of Lipoprotein(a) — or Lp(a) — had a 40% higher risk of recurrent heart attacks or strokes.
The data, published in the European Heart Journal, confirms that Lp(a) is an independent risk factor. While treatments for it are limited, LDL-lowering therapies like statins and PCSK9 inhibitors helped reduce risk.
Take-home message: Lowering LDL still matters. Even if your podcast host says otherwise.
🦷 Utah Just Banned Fluoride in Water. Again.
Utah has decided to remove fluoride from public drinking water, reigniting a debate that science settled decades ago.
Let’s be clear: this is not the first time this experiment has been run. Cities that pulled fluoride in the past saw the same result — a spike in cavities and oral disease, especially in children. And remember: tooth decay is the most common chronic disease of childhood in the U.S.
Fluoridation is safe, effective, and inexpensive. Removing it is not “health freedom.” It’s negligence.
🍎 Healthy Food Costs Are Crushing Americans
According to a new Pew Research Center survey, 90% of Americans say the price of healthy food has gone up. And 69% say it’s now harder to eat healthily.
Nearly half of low-income Americans say they struggle to afford a healthy diet. Yet 60% still say their diets are “somewhat healthy” — while over a million Americans die each year from diet-related illness.
We have a taste-based food system, a price-based barrier to nutrition, and a nation in denial. That’s a recipe for disaster, served three times a day.
🥼 Burnout in Medicine: The Cost of Pandemic Denial
A study in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that 10% of internal medicine doctors meet criteria for burnout — emotional exhaustion, detachment, and a sense of futility.
But in the Western U.S.? It’s 15% — significantly higher than the rest of the country.
This isn’t just long hours. It’s what happens when dedicated doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, and support staff spent years risking their lives in overwhelmed hospitals… only to come home and hear that the pandemic was a hoax.
The denial broke us. And now you’re wondering why the nurse doesn’t come running when you ring the call bell?
It’s because burnout isn’t just a statistic — it’s a staffing crisis. And the COVID truthers wore us out.
🥜 Diverticulitis and Seeds — The Myth Dies
For years, people with diverticulosis were told to avoid nuts, seeds, and popcorn. That advice? Garbage.
A new study of 30,000 women over 19 years found no increased risk of diverticulitis from these foods. In fact, diets rich in plant-based fiber may help prevent the condition.
Eat the popcorn. Unlearn the nonsense.
🧠 Protect Your Heart, Save Your Brain
A Circulation study of over 365,000 people found that following a heart-healthy lifestyle reduces dementia risk — even in people genetically predisposed to coronary artery disease.
Your salad today isn’t just good for your arteries — it may save your memory.
🧬 GLP-1s: Fighting More Than Diabetes
Finally, new data from JAMA Network Open shows that GLP-1 receptor agonists — like Ozempic and Mounjaro — are associated with a lower risk of certain blood cancers, including myelodysplastic syndromes and myeloproliferative neoplasms, when compared to insulin and metformin.
Another benefit to this class of drugs that keeps outperforming expectations.
🧾 Final Thoughts
This week showed us what public health can achieve — and what happens when we ignore it.
From RSV vaccines saving lives, to measles and misinformation making a comeback, to Utah literally pulling the plug on oral health, the takeaway is clear: medicine only works if we use it.
Stay informed. Stay vaccinated. And maybe don’t take fluoride advice from someone who thinks essential oils cure polio.
I love the RSV win!! As a family practice PA-C, post-pandemic COVID denial and science denial are real issues daily in my practice. It feels like a large group of patients believes we are committed to misinformation or lying about treatments. It is exhausting to have to rebuild basic trust in medicine again. It is also exhausting to fight the "machine" of medicine for your patient who doesn't understand the intricacies or rightly care about the process when it affects their health.