Good morning! In this issue, we examine the importance of vaccines for population health, including how to communicate with patients about them, and what recent data are showing about US vaccination rates.

Also, learn about the latest developments in the cost of medical professional liability insurance.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 drugs for diabetes and weight loss may have potential benefits in oncology, according to Deborah Phippard, chief scientific officer at Precision for Medicine. A study involving 1.6 million patients with type 2 diabetes found a lower risk of certain cancers among those receiving GLP-1 drugs. Early research suggests GLP-1 drugs may help overcome chemotherapy resistance.

A study in the Annals of Emergency Medicine found that 0.7% of children who visit the emergency department with sentinel injuries experience serious abusive injuries within a year. The retrospective analysis of 23,919 children ages 24 months and younger found that 1.8% of patients had a serious injury within a year of the initial visit.

Stanford University and NBC News conducted an analysis of vaccination rates and school exemptions across the US, revealing significant gaps in herd immunity, particularly against measles. The investigation, which involved extensive data collection and standardization, highlights the potential for outbreaks in areas with declining immunization rates, such as St. Louis. A database of kindergarten vaccination and exemption statistics was created with data from state governments, mainly health-related agencies.

Nutrition experts say there is no one-size-fits-all approach to optimal meal timing and frequency, but they recommend eating when hungry and ensuring meals are balanced, with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats. Registered dietitian Marisa Moore recommends eating most food earlier in the day and avoiding large meals close to bedtime to aid digestion and sleep quality, while RD Jamie Nadeau notes that intermittent fasting is not necessarily more effective than traditional diet and lifestyle changes for weight management.

A Paubox survey found 52% of health care sector email breaches in 2024 involved Microsoft 365, up from 43% in 2023. Ineffective DMARC protection was seen in 79% of breached organizations, compared with 65% in 2024, and 16% of breaches involved business associates. More than 40% of respondents said that secure messaging had been bypassed at least once over the past year. "What we're seeing is a perfect storm of limited resources, expanding attack surfaces and security strategies that rely too heavily on human vigilance," said Paubox Chief Compliance Officer Rick Kuwahara.

Clinicians in Virginia are using artificial intelligence to improve patient care and streamline processes. Dr. Michael Campbell uses an AI tool to map foot surgeries, making them faster and more precise, and clinicians at Sentara Healthcare use generative AI to draft clinical notes and reduce administrative tasks. Sentara Chief Health Information Officer Joe Evans says AI will also advance medical training, and medical education curricula will increasingly cover the use of AI.

At the Immunization Summit in Little Rock, Ark., hosted by Immunize Arkansas, 160 health leaders discussed how to help patients make vaccination a consistent part of lifelong health. Three key strategies emerged: Making protection personally relevant, embedding vaccination into clinical practice and building trust over time.

Dr. David Johnson, past president of the American College of Gastroenterology, highlights updated preventive care guidelines for patients with inflammatory bowel disease that were published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. Johnson notes that the guidelines cover vaccinations in this group and address increased risks of infections, skin cancer and osteoporosis. He urges clinicians to review the guidance.

Naitive Technologies has received FDA 510(k) clearance for OsteoSight, an AI tool that analyzes X-rays to identify low bone mineral density in patients 50 and older.