Doctor convicted in $2.3 million ‘goody bag’ scheme; the first CDC vaccine meeting under RFK Jr.; migraines may explain stroke risk in young adults with heart defect – Morning Medical Update

Author(s):

Austin Littrell

Key Takeaways

A Pennsylvania physician was convicted for healthcare fraud and illegal opioid distribution, facing up to 130 years in prison.
The CDC's vaccine advisory panel, under RFK Jr., conducted its first meeting without political interference, addressing new vaccine recommendations.
A study highlights nontraditional risk factors, like migraines with aura, as significant contributors to unexplained strokes in adults under 50.

The top news stories in medicine today.

Doctor convicted in $2.3 million ‘goody bag’ fraud and opioid scheme

A Pennsylvania physician was convicted of running a multimillion-dollar health care fraud and opioid distribution scheme that forced patients to accept unnecessary “goody bags” of medication in exchange for prescriptions. Neil K. Anand, MD, was found guilty of submitting false claims to Medicare and private insurers, laundering over $1 million, and illegally prescribing thousands of oxycodone pills — often through unlicensed interns using pre-signed prescription pads. He faces up to 130 years in prison at sentencing in August.

First CDC vaccine meeting under RFK Jr. sticks to science

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) vaccine advisory panel met publicly for the first time under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s leadership, proceeding largely without disruption despite fears of political interference. The committee voted on new vaccine recommendations for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), meningococcal disease, and chikungunya, while also grappling with public health funding cuts and a measles outbreak in Texas. While technical issues and concerns about CDC capacity surfaced, experts described the session as “business as usual” — a relief amid ongoing uncertainty about the administration’s stance on vaccines. Read more from NPR.

Migraines, not blood pressure, may explain stroke risk in young adults with heart defect

A new study in Stroke reveals that nontraditional risk factors like migraines with aura, cancer, and liver disease are more strongly linked to unexplained strokes in adults under 50 — especially those born with a heart defect called patent foramen ovale (PFO). Traditional risks like high blood pressure played a lesser role, particularly among younger women. Researchers say the findings underscore the need for broader stroke risk assessments in younger patients, as cryptogenic strokes continue to rise in this age group.