JAMA

02/11/2026

Opioid use disorder is the third most prevalent substance use disorder worldwide.

Author Alexander Walley, MB, MSc, of Boston Medical Center and Boston University joins JAMA Deputy Editor Kristin Walter, MD, MS, to discuss the efficacy, safety, and practical considerations of treating patients with medications for opioid use disorder, opioid withdrawal, and opioid overdose.

https://ja.ma/4aGrXHH

02/11/2026

Medications can decrease risk of withdrawal, overdose, and death in people with opioid use disorder, which is compulsive opioid use that interferes with functioning at work, school, or home.

📄 This JAMA Patient Page describes medications used to treat opioid use disorder, opioid withdrawal, and opioid overdose.

https://bit.ly/4asp7Vt

02/11/2026

An estimated 61 million people used unregulated opioids in 2023 worldwide.

Opioid use disorder (OUD) is the third most prevalent substance use disorder globally after alcohol and to***co use disorders.

Although buprenorphine and methadone substantially reduce morbidity and mortality, only 25% of individuals with OUD receive medications for OUD.

📌 This Review discusses the efficacy, safety, and practical considerations of treating patients with medications for opioid use disorder, opioid withdrawal, and opioid overdose.

https://bit.ly/46HOYre

02/11/2026

📊 Research Summary: Among adults presenting to 29 US emergency departments with untreated opioid use disorder, 7-day extended-release injectable buprenorphine resulted in similar treatment engagement at 7 days compared with sublingual buprenorphine.

https://bit.ly/4rjQ84Q

02/11/2026

💬 Editorial: Initiating buprenorphine for opioid use disorder in the emergency department ( ) addresses a critical need for low-barrier access to evidence-based therapies.

A recent multicenter study by D’Onofrio et al found similar rates of treatment engagement at 7 and 30 days for patients receiving extended-release injectable vs sublingual buprenorphine, with low rates of precipitated withdrawal in both groups.

However, the absence of longer-term safety and adherence data, limited outcome ascertainment, and reliance on self-reported measures highlight the need for standardized protocols, patient-centered consent, and thorough safety monitoring beyond the ED visit.

https://bit.ly/4039bUH

02/11/2026

Among adults presenting to the emergency department with untreated opioid use disorder, ED-initiated 7-day extended-release injectable buprenorphine and sublingual buprenorphine resulted in similar rates of treatment engagement at 7 days.

https://bit.ly/46HKOzC

02/11/2026

💬 Editorial: A randomized clinical trial evaluated the efficacy of valacyclovir, an antiviral agent, in patients with mildly symptomatic carrying HSV-1 or amyloid biomarkers. The study demonstrated no evidence of cognitive benefit and revealed greater cognitive decline in the treatment group compared to placebo.

The viral hypothesis of Alzheimer disease (AD) states that neurotropic herpesviruses, especially herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), may be a cause of, or a contributor to, AD.1-5 Although never explicitly stated, the viral hypothesis has 2 temporally disconnected formulations. In one formulation,....

02/11/2026

The VALAD randomized clinical trial evaluated valacyclovir vs placebo in adults with early symptomatic and herpes simplex virus seropositivity. Over 78 weeks, valacyclovir was associated with greater cognitive decline compared to placebo and did not provide benefit for functional outcomes or biomarker changes in amyloid or tau.

This randomized clinical trial compares the efficacy and adverse effects of valacyclovir vs placebo in patients with early symptomatic Alzheimer disease and seropositivity to herpes simplex viruses.

02/10/2026

📌 Editor’s Choice from this week's issue of JAMA:

➡️ Spinal Manipulation and Clinician-Supported Self-Management for ,
➡️ Head and Neck Review,
➡️ Targeted Oxygen for Resuscitation of Infants, and more.

https://bit.ly/4apN7sh

02/10/2026

Head and neck is the seventh most common cancer worldwide. In 2024, approximately 58 450 individuals were diagnosed with oral cavity and pharynx cancer and 12 650 were diagnosed larynx cancer in the US.

Although many malignancies originate in the head and neck region, the term head and neck cancer typically applies to tumors arising in the lining or mucosa of the upper aerodigestive tract. Approximately 90% of head and neck cancers are caused by squamous cell .

This Review summarizes the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas ( ) of the upper aerodigestive tract.

https://bit.ly/45UclxF

02/10/2026

💬 Editorial: Recent data from the TORPIDO 30/60 demonstrate that the choice of moderate initial FIO2 is not a primary determinant of mortality or major brain injury for preterm newborns.

Despite improvements in short-term cardiorespiratory metrics with higher FIO2, the lack of clear survival advantage suggests that other factors—such as the overall approach to delivery room care and targeted physiologic endpoints—may be more relevant for long-term outcomes.

https://bit.ly/4ajHRWZ

02/10/2026

Preterm birth is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide, and the best initial oxygen concentration for resuscitating preterm infants remains a major clinical question.

In the multinational TORPIDO 30/60 randomized clinical trial, researchers enrolled 1469 newborns at 23 to 28 weeks’ gestation across 31 hospitals in Australia, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Spain, and the US, comparing initial fractions of inspired oxygen (FIO2) of 0.6 vs 0.3 during delivery room resuscitation.

The primary outcome was death or major brain injury at 36 weeks’ corrected gestational age. Results showed no significant difference in rates of death or brain injury between the higher and lower oxygen groups.

https://bit.ly/3MefSjG