Sam's News — health — 2026-09-24¶
Health¶
7.5 Higher REM sleep associated with lower risk of 83 diseases¶
A study of 95,559 people found that greater REM sleep was associated with significantly lower risk for 83 diseases including dementia, heart failure, and Parkinson's disease over a median 8.9-year follow-up. The research used wrist accelerometers and deep-learning algorithms to measure sleep stages, though it cannot establish causation.
- Greater REM sleep (47.6 min per IQR) linked to lower risk across 83 conditions
- Dementia risk reduced 46% (HR 0.54); Parkinson's 80% lower (HR 0.20); heart failure 26% lower (HR 0.74)
- Sleeping <5 hours increased risk for 37 conditions; optimal window 6–8 hours
- Greater sleep irregularity and wakefulness after sleep onset linked to higher anxiety and substance use disorder risk
Sources: ScienceDaily AI Web Searched, ScienceDaily — Health RSS
7 GLP-1 drugs linked to nutritional deficiencies in nearly 1 in 6 children¶
A study of 2,031 children on GLP-1 medications found that 16.8% developed a nutritional deficiency within one year, with vitamin D deficiency most common at 12.4%. Only 5% received nutritional counseling within 30 days of treatment initiation.
- 16.8% of children (nearly 1 in 6) diagnosed with nutritional deficiency within first year
- Vitamin D deficiency most prevalent at 12.4%; iron and calcium also concerning for adolescent skeletal health
- Only 5% received nutritional counseling within 30 days; <25% within 6 months
- Liraglutide accounted for 78.6% of prescriptions; dulaglutide 10.4%; semaglutide 9.1%
Sources: ScienceDaily AI Web Searched, ScienceDaily — Health RSS, ScienceDaily — Nutrition RSS
5 Gilead Sciences emphasizes immunology expansion amid bullish leadership outlook¶
Gilead Sciences executives have publicly expressed strong confidence in the company's multi-year strategy to develop drugs targeting inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
Sources: STAT News RSS
5 Physician describes childhood measles brush with death amid disease resurgence concerns¶
Dr. Jewel Mullen, who nearly died from measles as a child, warns of her fears about measles returning.
Sources: STAT News RSS
Policy¶
6.5 White House plan to increase control over NIH grants appears abandoned¶
A planned executive order that would have expanded White House influence over National Institutes of Health grants is reportedly dead.
Sources: STAT News RSS
Health Policy¶
6 Dr. Heidi Overton, the president of the United States' FDA commissioner nominee, profile and background¶
Dr. Heidi Overton, the president of the United States' pick to lead the FDA, rose from rural New Mexico with a medical background.
Sources: STAT News RSS
6 Dr. Heidi Overton faces Senate confirmation hearing for FDA head position¶
Dr. Heidi Overton, the president of the United States' nominee for FDA commissioner, participated in Senate confirmation hearings.
Sources: STAT News RSS
5 Congress considers Patients First Act linking doctor payment to medical inflation¶
Congress is considering legislation that would tie physician payment rates to medical inflation under the proposed Patients First Act.
Sources: STAT News RSS
5 Trump administration's drug pricing claim overstates state interest in Medicaid initiative¶
The president of the United States and aides claimed all states wanted to participate in a federal drug pricing program through Medicaid, but several states have expressed uncertainty.
Sources: STAT News RSS
Healthcare AI¶
6 Radiology practices increasingly develop and deploy AI in-house, blurring technology and clinical lines¶
Radiology practices are building and deploying proprietary AI systems in-house, marketing themselves as 'AI-native' practices.
Sources: STAT News RSS