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MedPage Today published a roundup of comments its reporters heard during the week, covering artificial intelligence in health care, a new mRNA flu shot and several medical research topics. The quotes capture clinicians’ and researchers’ cautions and interpretations; the roundup does not provide full study details or establish the claims independently.
MedPage Today published a weekly roundup of health-related quotes on October 18, 2026, bringing together remarks from clinicians and researchers about artificial intelligence, an mRNA flu shot and several medical studies. The comments offer snapshots of how experts framed current issues, but the roundup is not a full account of the research or a substitute for its underlying evidence.
The collection opens with Mishal Khan, PhD, of the UC Berkeley Labor Center, speaking about artificial intelligence in health care: “Tech is not good or bad, but neither is it neutral.” The statement underscores that technology’s effects depend on how it is designed and used, while the brief item does not spell out which AI system, application or effects Khan was discussing.
Another comment concerns mFlusiva, described in the roundup as a new mRNA flu shot. Amesh Adalja, MD, of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said: “If someone wants to get mFlusiva, they’re going to have to use that website or call around.” The roundup does not identify the website, explain the process in detail or provide information about eligibility or availability.
The remaining quotes span other topics. They include a study of benzodiazepine use in early pregnancy and congenital malformations; research on pulmonary vascular resistance after heart transplantation; cancer risk among people with sickle cell disease; long-acting therapy for people with HIV; and screening for pediatric obesity. The article also includes plastic surgeon Kelly Killeen’s criticism of the early-2000s television show The Swan.
How the Quotes Frame Health Decisions
The roundup matters as a compact record of how health professionals describe questions that can affect clinical practice, patient access and public understanding. Its range—from AI and vaccine access to pregnancy, transplantation and HIV care—shows that the quoted concerns are not limited to one specialty or a single research development.
Several speakers explicitly resist simple conclusions. Krista Huybrechts said findings on benzodiazepines in early pregnancy were “reassuring,” while adding that the medicines are “not risk-free.” Ahmed Zayed said pulmonary vascular resistance should not be discarded, but should not be interpreted in isolation. Those distinctions matter: a short quote can signal a study’s implications, but readers need the study design, results and limitations to assess them.
The comments also point to practical questions beyond evidence alone. Adalja’s remark about needing to use a website or call around highlights the potential importance of access routes for a new vaccine. Khan’s observation about technology raises questions about the choices and systems that shape how AI is used in health care. The roundup does not answer those questions, but records experts drawing attention to them.
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Eight Topics in One Weekly Roundup
MedPage Today labels the item “Quotable quotes heard by MedPage Today reporters” and dates it October 18, 2026. It is a short editorial roundup rather than a single-study report: each quote is paired with a speaker’s name and institutional affiliation, along with a brief description of the topic under discussion.
Among the research-related remarks, Vijay Sankaran, MD, PhD, of Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital said, “The burden of proof remains to be shown,” referring to data about cancer risk in people with sickle cell disease. Fiona Cresswell, MBChB, PhD, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Uganda Research Unit described advanced HIV disease as “mostly a problem of disengagement, not late diagnosis,” in a discussion of research on long-acting therapy. Ligang Liu, PharmD, MPH, of Western University of Health Sciences noted that adolescents with similar body mass indexes can have different health profiles.
The roundup also quotes Killeen, of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, criticizing the extreme makeover show The Swan: “That’s just not how plastic surgery should ever be … it’s demoralizing.” These comments are presented as speakers’ views; the source does not include extended interviews or supporting documentation for each discussion.
““Tech is not good or bad, but neither is it neutral.””
— Mishal Khan, PhD, UC Berkeley Labor Center
Study Details Still Need Review
The roundup does not provide the full studies, their methods, sample sizes, results or limitations. It is therefore not possible from the quotes alone to determine how strong the evidence is behind the remarks on pregnancy medication, cancer risk in sickle cell disease, transplantation, HIV treatment or pediatric obesity screening.
Likewise, the item does not explain the specific AI tools Khan addressed or provide further details about mFlusiva’s availability and access arrangements. The speakers’ comments should be read as attributed statements, not as independent confirmation of broader claims. No additional findings, policy changes or clinical recommendations are reported in the source material.
Full Research Provides the Next Step
The next step for readers seeking to evaluate the research is to consult the underlying studies and any related reporting, including information about methods, results and limitations. For the mFlusiva discussion, further details about the website, phone access and availability would clarify Adalja’s comment. The roundup itself announces no upcoming study release, regulatory decision or follow-up event.
Until more information is available, the October 18 item is best understood as a weekly collection of attributed expert comments, not a comprehensive update on each medical topic it mentions.
Key Questions
What did MedPage Today publish?
It published a weekly roundup of quotes heard by its reporters, dated October 18, 2026, on health care and medical research topics.
What was the comment about AI in health care?
Mishal Khan of the UC Berkeley Labor Center said: “Tech is not good or bad, but neither is it neutral.” The roundup does not identify a particular AI tool or use case.
What does the roundup say about mFlusiva access?
Amesh Adalja said people seeking the new mRNA flu shot would need to use a website or call around. The article does not give further details on access or availability.
Does the article provide full details of the studies it mentions?
No. It briefly describes research topics and quotes speakers, but does not include the studies’ full methods, results or limitations.
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