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MedPage Today published a roundup of comments from reporters’ coverage on Oct. 18, 2026, spanning AI in healthcare, a new mRNA flu shot and several research topics. The quotations capture experts’ cautions and interpretations; the roundup itself does not provide the underlying studies or additional details about the developments.
MedPage Today published a weekly roundup of health-related quotations on Oct. 18, 2026, bringing together comments from clinicians and researchers about artificial intelligence, a new mRNA flu shot, pregnancy research and other medical topics. The collection gives readers a snapshot of issues raised in the outlet’s reporting, but does not itself supply detailed findings or full study context.
The roundup opens with Mishal Khan, a researcher at UC Berkeley’s Labor Center, discussing AI in healthcare: “Tech is not good or bad, but neither is it neutral.” The comment frames technology as something whose effects depend on how it is developed and used, rather than as inherently beneficial or harmful. The excerpt does not describe the specific AI system or research behind the remark.
Other entries address access to a new flu vaccine, cosmetic surgery, pregnancy and heart transplantation. Amesh Adalja of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security said people seeking the mRNA flu shot mFlusiva would need to use a website or call around. Plastic surgeon Kelly Killeen criticized the approach portrayed in the early-2000s television show “The Swan,” calling it demoralizing and inconsistent with how plastic surgery should be practiced.
Several quotations describe research with caution. Krista Huybrechts of Brigham and Women’s Hospital said findings on benzodiazepine use early in pregnancy were reassuring while warning the drugs are not risk-free. Ahmed Zayed of Staten Island University Hospital said pulmonary vascular resistance should not be interpreted on its own when evaluating outcomes after heart transplantation. The roundup also includes comments on sickle cell disease and cancer risk, HIV care, and screening for pediatric obesity.
The Questions Behind the Quotes
The collection matters as a concise guide to the range of issues appearing in current medical reporting, from technology’s role in care to how clinicians and researchers interpret evidence. Its quotations emphasize that a headline or single measurement may not capture the full picture: Zayed called for reading pulmonary vascular resistance alongside other factors, while Liu noted that adolescents with similar body mass index can have different health profiles.
The comments also make clear where caution is warranted. Huybrechts paired a reassuring interpretation of pregnancy findings with a reminder about medication risks, and Vijay Sankaran said evidence connecting sickle cell disease with cancer risk had not yet met its burden of proof. These are attributed expert views, not a substitute for the underlying research or a complete account of clinical guidance.
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Eight Topics in One Roundup
MedPage Today describes the item as a collection of quotations heard by its reporters. The Oct. 18 roundup contains remarks from people affiliated with universities, hospitals and professional organizations. The topics range from AI and vaccine access to plastic surgery, pregnancy, transplantation, sickle cell disease, HIV and childhood obesity.
Because the supplied report is a short quotation roundup, it does not give study titles, methods, sample sizes, publication dates or links to the research discussed. The quotations therefore provide a record of what the named speakers said, while readers seeking the evidence behind a particular comment would need the full reporting or original study.
““Tech is not good or bad, but neither is it neutral.””
— Mishal Khan, PhD, of UC Berkeley’s Labor Center
Evidence Behind Each Comment
The roundup does not provide enough detail to independently evaluate the research or policy questions referenced. It is unclear which studies informed several of the remarks, how the research was conducted, or what limitations the researchers identified. The item also does not explain the availability, eligibility rules or distribution arrangements for mFlusiva beyond Adalja’s comment about needing to use a website or call around.
Several statements are interpretations rather than complete findings. The source excerpt does not report the size or precise results of the pregnancy study, the measures used to assess transplant outcomes, or the evidence behind the comments on HIV and pediatric obesity. Those details should not be inferred from the quotations alone.
Follow the Studies and Access Details
The next step for readers interested in a particular topic is to consult the full MedPage Today coverage and, where available, the original studies or guidance. That would clarify the methods, results and limitations behind each quotation. For mFlusiva, further information from the relevant provider or distributor would be needed to establish how people can obtain it and what access options are available.
The roundup itself does not announce a forthcoming study, policy decision or follow-up date. Its immediate value is as a set of attributed remarks; any further development will depend on the research and reporting connected to each subject.
Key Questions
What did MedPage Today publish?
It published a weekly collection of quotations from its reporters’ health coverage on Oct. 18, 2026.
What was the roundup’s main subject?
It covered several topics rather than one central study, including AI in healthcare, mFlusiva, pregnancy research, HIV and pediatric obesity.
Did the roundup include full study results?
No. The supplied item presents brief quotations and does not include study methods, sample sizes or detailed results.
What did the AI quotation say?
Mishal Khan said, “Tech is not good or bad, but neither is it neutral,” while commenting on AI in healthcare. The roundup does not identify a specific AI system.
What remains unknown about mFlusiva access?
The roundup includes Adalja’s comment that people would need to use a website or call around, but it does not specify availability, eligibility or distribution arrangements.
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