Read AMA Morning Rounds®’ most popular stories in medicine and public health from the week of June 22, 2026–June 26, 2026.
FDA committee recommends approval for Moderna’s mRNA flu shot for older adults
Reuters (6/18, Santhosh, Sunny, Erman) reports the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee “on Thursday backed approval of Moderna’s flu vaccine for adults aged 50 and older, saying its benefits outweigh its risks, boosting the company’s chances of launching the first mRNA-based seasonal flu shot.”
The Hill (6/18, Weixel) reports, “According to company data, Moderna’s vaccine reduced flu cases by about 27% compared with those from the standard dose vaccine in adults 50 and older.” Meanwhile, “in a smaller study of people ages 65 and older, the mRNA shot generated a strong protective immune response compared with an existing high-dose flu vaccine already recommended for that age group.”
Middle-aged women have highest levels of problematic alcohol use, survey suggests
HealthDay (6/22) reports, “Middle-aged women have the highest levels of problematic alcohol use, a new national survey shows, yet they may be the least aware that drinking can increase breast cancer risk.” Investigators “questioned 2,200 women, 18 and older, about their drinking habits and mental health, as well as their knowledge and beliefs about alcohol and breast cancer.” The survey results showed that “middle-aged women reported the highest levels of problematic drinking while also showing the lowest awareness of its link to breast cancer.” The findings were presented at a meeting of the Research Society on Alcohol.
You may also be interested in: 10 things doctors want women to know about their health
Medical journal publishes delayed COVID-19 vaccine study
The Washington Post (6/23, Sun) reports a COVID-19 “vaccine study that the CDC’s chief halted this spring…was published Tuesday in JAMA Network Open.” The study “had been slated for publication in March in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report” before Acting CDC Director Jay Bhattacharya “delayed publication of the study.” The results show that “between September and December last year, healthy adults who received the COVID-19 vaccine reduced their likelihood of emergency department and urgent care visits by 50% and cut the likelihood of COVID-associated hospitalizations by 55%, compared with those not receiving a 2025-26 vaccine dose.” The findings “were consistent with what researchers have found in past years, that the vaccine can help reduce the risk of severe illness in adults even after accounting for immunity from prior vaccination or infection.”
The AP (6/23, Stobbe) says the CDC “argued that the study’s design was too vulnerable to false assumptions that could produce flawed results. But many public health researchers maintain it’s a reliable design.”
You may also be interested in: Get the latest medical society recommendations on respiratory virus vaccines and immunization schedules
Use and misuse of GLP-1 receptor agonists common in people with eating disorders
MedPage Today (6/24, Firth) reports, “Use and misuse of GLP-1 receptor agonists were common in people with eating disorders,” according to interim results from “an ongoing cross-sectional study” published as a research letter in JAMA Psychiatry. The study shows that “among over 400 people with eating disorders, 32.1% said they have used GLP-1 drugs, and 22% reported current use.” In addition, “10.1% said they have misused the medications, and 9.9% reported using noncommercial compounded products.”
Base editing reveals role of NANOG gene in embryonic development
The Washington Post (6/25, Johnson) reports a new study published in Nature “announced the successful use of a next-generation tool to precisely edit human embryos’ DNA, highlighting a major advance in the ability to tweak genes as life takes shape – and fueling the ongoing debate over the ethics and safety of ‘designer babies.’” Researchers “used base editing to probe the role a gene called NANOG plays in the first week of embryonic development, helping illuminate one of the most consequential black boxes in human biology.”
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