Smokers who make the decision to quit will experience immediate health benefits, including a rapid reduction in their risk of atrial fibrillation (A-Fib), according to new research published in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology. The study, conducted by Dr. Gregory Marcus, a cardiologist at the University of California, San Francisco, offers compelling evidence for smokers to quit, showing that it’s never too late to avoid the damaging effects of smoking on heart health.

Dr. Marcus, the senior author of the study, emphasized that A-Fib can be prevented even in individuals who have smoked for years. "The findings provide a compelling new reason to show current smokers that it’s not too late to quit, and that having smoked in the past doesn’t mean you’re ‘destined’ to develop A-Fib," Marcus explained. "Even for the current and longtime smoker, A-Fib can still be avoided."

What is Atrial Fibrillation (A-Fib)?

"There’s strong evidence that smoking increases the risk of A-Fib," Marcus said. "But the benefits of quitting smoking have been less certain." With this in mind, his team sought to determine whether quitting could significantly lower a person’s risk of developing A-Fib, or if the risk would remain the same.

The research team analyzed data from over 146,700 current and former smokers, tracking their smoking habits and health over a 12-year period using data from the UK Biobank database. The results were promising: former smokers had a 13% lower risk of developing A-Fib compared to current smokers, while those who quit during the study saw an 18% reduction in their risk.

"This is likely a testament to the potency of reducing atrial fibrillation risk pretty shortly after quitting," Marcus said in a statement from the American College of Cardiology.

The findings highlight the importance of quitting smoking, not only for general health but specifically for reducing the risk of serious heart conditions like A-Fib.

Tips for Quitting Smoking

Quitting smoking is one of the most effective ways to lower the risk of A-Fib and improve overall heart health. While it can be challenging, the benefits of quitting are clear and immediate. Here are some tips to help you quit smoking successfully:

1. Choose a specific date to quit smoking and stick to it. Prepare yourself mentally and physically for this change.

2. Reach out to family, friends, or a support group to help keep you accountable. Sharing your goals with others can provide encouragement.

3. Options like nicotine patches, gum, or lozenges can help ease withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings.

4. Identify situations that make you want to smoke, such as stress or social gatherings, and find healthy ways to cope with them.

5. Regular exercise can help distract you from cravings and improve your mood during the quitting process.

6. Drinking water can help flush nicotine out of your system faster, reducing cravings.

7. Activities like yoga, meditation, or deep breathing exercises can help manage stress, a common trigger for smoking.

Quitting smoking offers immediate and significant benefits, particularly in reducing the risk of atrial fibrillation. The latest research provides smokers with more motivation to quit, showing that it's never too late to take control of their heart health.

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order seeking major changes to the country’s childhood vaccination recommendations, including a proposal to split the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine into three separate shots.

The order follows his long-standing view that some vaccines should be given separately over different medical visits.

The order, signed on August 10, calls for childhood vaccines to be administered at separate medical visits whenever possible and narrows the federal recommendations to vaccines against 11 core diseases.

It also directs federal health agencies to develop a plan for separate measles, mumps and rubella vaccines, which are currently not available as individual shots in the US.

Trump described the move as establishing “gold-standard” childhood vaccine recommendations and repeatedly raised the topic of vaccine and autism during the signing ceremony.

However, medical experts and lawmakers have opposed the move, saying that the proposed changes are not supported by new scientific evidence.

Why Does Trump Want To Split The MMR Vaccine?

The MMR vaccine currently protects children against three diseases with a combination shot. Under existing CDC guidance, children receive two doses, generally at 12 to 15 months and again at 4 to 6 years.

The CDC says two doses of measles-containing vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles.

He recently increased pressure on Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to identify the cause of autism, something Kennedy had pledged to do with new research unveiled last year.

At a Cabinet meeting last month, Trump asked, "How are you doing on the autism research?" Kennedy replied, "We will have an answer for you."

Dr. Andrew Racine, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said the announcement could create unnecessary uncertainty for families.

“Science about vaccines and their efficacy has not changed,” Racine said.

Also read: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Plans To Freeze Eggs As She Eyes 2028 US Presidential Run

The Problem With Three Separate Shots

One of the biggest hurdles in implementing tis proposal is that individual measles, mumps and rubella vaccines are not currently available in the US.

Dr. Elizabeth Mack, a pediatric critical care physician, questioned how such a system would work.

“We don't have a system that supports this,” she said, raising questions about additional appointments and insurance coverage.

Merck, which manufactures the MMR vaccine, also said there is no published scientific evidence showing a benefit from splitting the combination vaccine. More injections and additional appointments could instead increase the chances of delayed or missed vaccinations.

Also read: Dr. Erica Schwartz Confirmed As CDC’s First Permanent Director In Nearly A Year

How Will This Impact Children?

Doctors are particularly concerned about separating the vaccines and keeping them too far apart. When children need multiple visits to receive protection against different diseases, there can be longer periods during which they remain unprotected.

Public health experts warn this could become especially problematic during outbreaks of diseases that can be prevented by vaccines.

The order also seeks to encourage states to reconsider vaccination requirements for schoolchildren, although states retain authority over school vaccine schedules.

The latest order follows earlier efforts by the Trump administration to overhaul the federal childhood vaccine schedule. In January, Kennedy’s Health and Human Services Department attempted to remove several vaccines from routine childhood recommendations.

That move was challenged in court and blocked by a federal judge. The new executive order seeks to reinforce the administration’s approach while that legal battle continues.

Republican Senator Bill Cassidy, a physician and chairman of the Senate health committee, also criticised the latest move. “I’m a doctor. This executive order is wrong,” Cassidy said. “The President does not have the expertise to make these changes.”

The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has authorized Eli Lilly’s orforglipron, marketed as Foundayo, for weight management and type 2 diabetes.

With the approval, the UK has become the first country in Europe to authorize Lilly’s once-daily GLP-1 tablet. It is also the second oral GLP-1 weight-loss medicine authorized in the UK after Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy.

“As with all GLP-1 receptor agonists, this is a prescription-only medication, and the MHRA will keep the safety and effectiveness of orforglipron under close review,” said Julian Beach, MHRA Executive Director of Healthcare Quality and Access.

Who Can Take Foundayo?

Orforglipron is a prescription-only pill and is authorised for weight loss and weight maintenance in adults with:

• A BMI of 30 or above; or
• A BMI between 27 and 30 with at least one weight-related condition.
• It is also authorised to improve blood sugar control in adults with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes.

How Is Foundayo Taken?

Unlike injectable GLP-1 medicines such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, Foundayo is taken as a once-daily tablet. It can be taken at any time of day, with no restrictions on food or water.

Treatment starts at 0.8 mg and is gradually increased through 2.5 mg, 5.5 mg, 9 mg, 14.5 mg and 17.2 mg, with at least one month at each dose level. Patients should follow the dosing instructions provided with the medicine.

Is Foundayo Available on the NHS?

Although Foundayo has been authorized for use in the UK, it is not currently available through the NHS. The NHS availability will depend on established processes, including assessment by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

The MHRA urged people to buy the prescription only GLP-1 medicines from a registered pharmacy, with a prescription from a doctor. Buying GLP-1 medicines from unregulated sellers carries serious health risks.

What Is Foundayo and How Does It Work?

Orforglipron is Eli Lilly’s first oral GLP-1 medicine for weight management, marketed as Foundayo. It was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April this year.

The medicine is a GLP-1 receptor agonist that mimics the action of glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone involved in appetite and blood sugar regulation.

By activating GLP-1 receptors, orforglipron helps reduce hunger and food cravings and increases feelings of fullness. Along with diet and lifestyle changes, this can support weight loss.

In people with type 2 diabetes, it also helps lower blood glucose levels. Unlike some oral GLP-1 medicines, orforglipron does not require patients to take it on an empty stomach or avoid food and water around the time of dosing.

Is Foundayo Better Than Injectable Mounjaro or Wegovy?

A recent clinical trial led by Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian showed that Foundayo may be help prevent rebound weight gain caused by GLP-1 weight-loss drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro.

The ATTAIN-MAINTAIN trial included people who had previously taken tirzepatide or semaglutide and whose weight loss had plateaued.

• Among those who switched from tirzepatide, patients maintained an average 74.7% of their previous weight reduction, compared with 49.2% in the placebo group.
• Among those who switched from semaglutide, patients maintained 79.3% of their previous weight reduction, compared with 37.6% in the placebo group.

Foundayo: Side Effects and Safety Concerns

Foundayo is not approved for use in children. Its safety information also includes a warning about the potential risk of thyroid tumours, including thyroid cancer.

Patients should seek medical advice if they develop symptoms such as:

• A lump or swelling in the neck
• Hoarseness
• Difficulty swallowing
• Shortness of breath

• Nausea
• Constipation
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Indigestion
• Stomach pain
• Headache
• Abdominal bloating
• Fatigue.

Amid speculation about a potential 2028 US presidential run, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has revealed that she plans to freeze her eggs.

The 36-year-old New York Democrat shared her decision in a series of Instagram Stories, including footage of herself administering fertility medication.

“This is a choice that I am making to feel more in control of my life,” Ocasio-Cortez said.

AOC Opens Up About Egg Freezing

Ocasio-Cortez said she had been saving for the procedure for a long time and noted that women often lack information about fertility and their reproductive health.

She also spoke about balancing fertility treatment with her work as a congresswoman, saying she would take her medication injections in a dressing room before a scheduled ABC interview.

“I want you all to see that,” she said, adding that women can balance fertility treatment with their professional lives. Ocasio-Cortez also showed some of the medicines and supplies used during the process, including syringes and alcohol wipes. Egg-freezing treatment typically involves hormone injections over about 10 days or longer.

She joked about the process before administering an injection herself. Afterward, she said: “That wasn’t so bad!”

AOC Wants To Normalize Fertility Conversations

During an interview with ABC News, Ocasio-Cortez said she had not “ruled out the possibility” of running for president. She also said she wanted to normalize conversations about fertility treatment, particularly for working women.

“In this political environment where this administration is denying reproductive care to women across the country, from abortion rights to the ability to carry out a healthy pregnancy, I think it’s important for us as leaders to have these conversations and share these processes,” she said.

What Is Egg Freezing?

Egg freezing, medically known as oocyte cryopreservation, allows women to preserve eggs at a younger reproductive age for potential use in the future.

It does not guarantee a future pregnancy but can provide an additional reproductive option for women who want to delay childbearing for personal, social or medical reasons.

Planned egg freezing may be considered after appropriate counselling and fertility assessment, particularly when undertaken at a younger age.

Who May Benefit From Egg Freezing?

Dr. Tarang Yadav, Senior Consultant – IVF, Obstetrics and Gynecology, ShardaCare–Healthcity, told HealthandMe that fertility preservation may benefit women who:

• Plan to delay pregnancy because of career or personal circumstances
• Have not yet found a suitable life partner
• Are undergoing cancer treatment such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy
• Have severe endometriosis
• Are undergoing ovarian surgery
• Have diminished ovarian reserve
• Have a family history of premature ovarian insufficiency

“In such situations, fertility preservation can provide psychological reassurance and reproductive flexibility before ovarian function declines further,” Dr. Tarang said.

Why Does Timing Matter?

Egg-freezing outcomes are generally better when eggs are frozen at a younger age, particularly before 35. Younger eggs tend to have better quality and chromosomal competence, which may improve the chances of successful IVF in the future.

Dr. Tarang stressed the importance of early fertility counselling and ovarian reserve assessment. Tests such as Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH), ultrasound-based antral follicle count (AFC) and an overall reproductive evaluation can help determine whether egg freezing is appropriate.