Read AMA Morning Rounds®’ most popular stories in medicine and public health from the week of May 11, 2026–May 15, 2026.
Certain everyday foods may help lower risk of developing high blood pressure
HealthDay (5/8) reported researchers found that “everyday foods like beans, lentils and tofu may help lower your risk of developing high blood pressure.” In a new study, “people with higher legume intake were 16% less likely to develop high blood pressure, while higher soy intake was linked to a 19% lower risk.” The largest “reduction in hypertension risk was linked to just under one cup (170 grams) of legumes a day, including peas, lentils, chickpeas and beans.” Meanwhile, “the biggest benefit with soy was seen with a 2- to 3-ounce (60- to 80-gram) serving of foods like tofu, edamame, soy milk or miso.” The findings were published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health.
You may also be interested in: What doctors need to know about healthy diet patterns.
AMA launches framework to protect physicians from AI-generated deepfakes
Fierce Healthcare (5/11, Gleeson) reports, “The American Medical Association (AMA) rolled out a comprehensive framework to protect physicians from unauthorized artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes.” This “guide, created by the organization’s Center for Digital Health and AI, aims to modernize physician identity protections while closing legal gaps.” Fierce Healthcare adds, “The framework is based on seven policy principles: physician identity as a protected right; prohibition on deceptive medical impersonation; informed, opt-in and revocable consent; mandatory transparency and labeling; shared responsibility to prevent impersonation; enforcement and practical remedies and minimizing administrative burden.” In a statement, AMA CEO John Whyte, MD, MPH, said that “deepfakes impersonating physicians are not solely scams, but also ‘a public health and safety crisis.’” According to Dr. Whyte, “When bad actors exploit a doctor’s identity, they undermine patient trust and can steer people toward harmful, unproven care.” Dr. Whyte added, “We need strong action by federal and state lawmakers to protect physicians’ identities, ensure transparency, and stop this fraud. Safeguarding professional integrity is essential to preserving trust and delivering high-quality care in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.”
Editor's note: Learn more about how the AMA is responding to the escalating risk of AI-manipulated images, videos and audio that impersonate physicians.
Incidence of stage IV breast cancer increased significantly from 2010 through 2021
MedPage Today (5/12, Bassett) reports, “Despite improvements in survival, the incidence of stage IV breast cancer increased significantly from 2010 through 2021, according to a U.S. population-based cohort study.” Investigators found that “the age-adjusted incidence rate of de novo stage IV breast cancer significantly increased from 9.5 cases per 100,000 females in 2010 to 11.2 cases in 2021, an annual percentage change (APC) of 1.2% (95% CI 0.8-1.6).” The data indicated that “among males, there was also a statistically significant increase in stage IV incidence, from 0.12 cases per 100,000 in 2010 to 0.20 cases in 2021, an APC of 3.7% (95% CI 1.0-6.5).” Additionally, “the incidence of stage IV breast cancer increased significantly across age groups and numerically across all races and ethnicities.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.
You may also be interested in: What factors increase breast cancer risk?
U.S. overdose deaths declined for third straight year in 2025
The AP (5/13, Stobbe) reports preliminary data released Wednesday by the CDC show that “about 70,000 Americans died of drug overdoses last year—about 14% fewer than the previous year.” This marks the “third straight annual drop, making it the longest decline in decades.” Declines were observed “across a number of drug types, including fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine. Overdose deaths fell in the vast majority of states, although seven saw at least slight increases, including jumps of 10% or more in Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico.” Nevertheless, “the number of Americans dying from overdoses is still high, and deaths declined at a slower pace last year.”
Reuters (5/13, Sunny) reports the wide availability of naloxone “has significantly contributed to the drop, according to experts.” Furthermore, “deaths involving opioids fell to an estimated 44,564 in 2025 from 55,296 a year earlier, the CDC estimates showed. Synthetic opioids, including Fentanyl, are the single largest contributor to overdose deaths in the country.”
Heart attack survivors have increased risk of cognitive impairment
HealthDay (5/14, Thompson) reports a study found that “heart attack survivors have a yearly 5% increased risk of developing cognitive impairment.” The research team “tracked the brain function of nearly 21,000 men and women over a 10-year period. The participants underwent a medical interview and electrocardiogram at the start of the study to determine whether they’d had a heart attack in the past.” Study results showed “that people who’d had a silent heart attack experienced an accelerated rate of brain decline compared to those who hadn’t had a heart attack. This matters more for women, who more often experienced silent heart attacks, researchers said.” The study was published in Stroke.
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