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Published November 1, 2025

Morning Report — Not Your Typical Medical Newsletter

We get it, you see a lot of medical newsletters, so hear us out. Once a month, we’ll highlight important medical news sprinkled with witty commentary, fun facts, giveaways, and more… because learning should be fun! Subscribe to receive the Morning Report directly.

Good morning and welcome to November—Diabetes Awareness Month. To mark the occasion, we’re highlighting one of medicine’s most awkward origin stories: the discovery of insulin. In 1923, Sir Frederick Banting rejoiced at winning the Nobel Prize for discovering the hormone—until he read the fine print. He’d be sharing it with his boss—John “your idea, my name” Macleod—whose main contributions, in Banting’s eyes, were lab space, diabetic dogs, and above-average public speaking. During the aftermath, Banting admitted to stress-drinking the lab’s alcohol.

Rounding out the academic tension were three more claimants to insulin’s legacy: (1) Banting’s bitter lab partner, who cried foul until 1978; (2) Macleod’s biochemist, who made insulin usable but was rewarded with a full-body shove; and (3) a German researcher who might’ve cracked it first—if not for war and politics. Their names have been lost to history—and this newsletter.

Insulin changed everything—except the egos that discovered it. Fortunately, the science held up, if not the scientists.

Low-Dose Relief in Osteoarthritis Care 

OSTEOARTHRITIS OUTCOMES

Sometimes Europeans get there first—printing books, perfecting public transit, and turning August into a collective out-of-office. And new research suggests they may have been ahead of the curve on something else: low-dose radiation therapy (LDRT) for osteoarthritis. This nonpharmacologic approach could offer real relief and improved mobility for patients who find limited benefit from standard therapies.

In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial from Korea, researchers tested whether LDRT could relieve pain in mild-to-moderate knee osteoarthritis. More than 100 participants received either 0.3 Gy, 3 Gy, or a sham treatment over six sessions. After four months, the 3 Gy group pulled ahead, with 70% hitting responder criteria. The 0.3 Gy group barely edged out placebo (a nonsignificant 58% vs 42%), and that 42% placebo response—while high—reminds us that in osteoarthritis trials, belief can be as potent as biology.

A little radiation goes a long way

Patients may recoil at the word “radiation,” often equating any exposure with oncologic treatment levels, but principal investigator Dr. Byoung Hyuck Kim quickly dismantled that misconception. In osteoarthritis, he explained, the dose is a sliver of what’s used in oncology (<5%) and directed only at the joint—well clear of vital organs. The study reported zero radiation-related side effects.

Key takeaways 

LDRT for osteoarthritis isn’t new—it finally has the rigorous, placebo-controlled evidence to back it up. Long used in European clinics, the therapy now comes with validation and greater insight into dosing, safety, and patient selection. Next up: extended follow-up to test durability, imaging studies to track joint changes, and larger trials to define when—and for whom—this approach fits best.

 

For more education on osteoarthritis, check out this CME activity: Metformin: A Fresh Angle for Treating Knee Osteoarthritis

Cracking the Blood-Type Barrier in Kidney Transplantation 

EMERGING TRENDS

In transplant medicine, finding “the one” has always resembled high-stakes matchmaking—a notoriously short list of matches, tight deadlines, and rejection with dire consequences. But a new proof-of-concept study from scientists in Canada and China may have just rewritten the rules: Instead of searching for a perfect match, they may have found a way to make one.

O is the new A

To convert a donor kidney from type A to universal type O, researchers used enzymes to strip away A-type antigens on the organ’s surface. Acting ex vivo, the enzymes effectively erased the molecular markers that typically trigger immune rejection. In a bid to make biochemistry accessible, the team served up a metaphor salad to explain the process: The enzymes are “molecular scissors” that “snip off the name tags”—or, as one co-author put it, “[The process is] like removing the red paint from a car to reveal the neutral primer”—all to make the immune system less judgmental. After the enzymes were flushed out, the modified kidney was transplanted into a recipient who was brain-dead. For two days, the organ showed no antibody-mediated rejection, but by day three, A-antigens returned, triggering an immune response.

Conquering the blood-type divide is only part of the puzzle, experts say. Even with antigens stripped, the immune system may still react. The real test will come in clinical trials that demonstrate how long the conversion holds and whether it can scale beyond a one-off case.

Key takeaways

The researchers stress that the science is early and imperfect—more VHS fuzz than 4K clarity, to keep the metaphors rolling. But the potential is huge. This donor-centric approach—modifying the organ instead of suppressing the recipient’s immune system—could make transplantation faster, safer, and cheaper. Because the process may work with both living and deceased donors, and takes only about an hour, it could also help close long-standing gaps in transplant equity. And it could shorten the long, unforgiving wait faced by recipients with blood type O.

For more education on kidney care, check out this CME activity: Prescribing with Precision: Optimizing Medication Use in Patients with Kidney Disease

Flu Vaccine Delivered to Your Home—No Needle Required
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTOR—FRANK DOMINO, MD


If an aversion to “injecting something into my body” is the reason your patients are saying “no” to the influenza vaccine, there’s some really good news. A home delivery option for patients is now available in a mist form for only $8.95 per person. It’s indicated for individuals ages 2-49 years and solves a major problem for patients hesitant about yet another injection. And no, this is NOT a paid ad—just genuine excitement around solving a real-world problem.

This vaccine is sprayed into the nose and is at least as effective as the injection—in some trials, even more effective—at preventing adverse outcomes in children, and equally as effective in adults. It’s very safe, with mild side effects such as nasal congestion, low-grade fever, and sore throat.

The main contraindications and precautions for home use include a history of severe reaction to a previous influenza vaccine and egg allergy, and it should be used carefully in those with asthma (as it may induce wheezing). Full prescribing information and adverse effects can be found here.

So, when your patient hesitates about a “flu shot,” consider offering this non-injected option. They may still say “no,” but for some, it could make all the difference.

To learn more about this study, check out this Frankly Speaking about Family Medicine podcast.

Interested in more healthcare news? Here are some other articles we don’t want you to miss:

Morning Report is written by:

  • Alissa Scott, Author
  • Aylin Madore, MD, MEd, Editor
  • Margaret Oliverio, MD, Editor
  • Ariel Reinish, MD, MEd, Editor
  • Emily Ruge, Editor

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Please note that the summaries in Morning Report are intended to provide clinicians with a brief overview of an article, and while we do our best to select the most salient points, we ask that you please read the full article linked in each summary for clarification before making any practice-changing decisions.

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You don’t just need to know about the latest metabolism study—you also need to know how it parallels an Alanis Morissette hit. If you’re reading about acupuncture treatment, you need us to skip the needle puns and get straight to the point. We keep things simple, but when we do get into the scientific weeds, we always remind you to check for ticks.

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