Low-dose CT chest scans could help detect pneumonia in at-risk patients while exposing them to only small amounts of radiation, a new study has found. The research, published in Radiology: Cardiothoracic Imaging, shows that ultra-low-dose scans can effectively detect pneumonia in patients with compromised immune systems, enabling doctors to treat the infection before it becomes life-threatening. According to the researchers, these scans expose patients to just 2% of the radiation dose used in a standard CT scan.

"This study paves the way for safer, AI-driven imaging that reduces radiation exposure while preserving diagnostic accuracy,” lead researcher Dr Maximiliano Klug, a radiologist with the Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel, said in a news release. He added that CT scans are the gold standard for detecting pneumonia but there are concerns regarding the risk posed by repeated exposure to radiation. There is a solution- ultra-low-dose CT scan. However, the problem is that these scans can be grainy and hard to read, researchers said.

Study Gives Solution To This

To overcome that, Klug's team developed an AI program that could help "de-noise" low-dose scans, making them sharper and easier to read. Between September 2020 and December 2022, 54 patients with compromised immune systems who had fevers underwent a pair of chest CT scans -- a normal dose scan and an ultra-low-dose scan. The AI program cleaned up the low-dose scan, and then both sets of images were given to a pair of radiologists for assessment. Radiologists had 100% accuracy in detecting pneumonia and other lung problems with the AI-cleaned low-dose scans, but 91% to 98% accuracy in examining the scans that hadn’t been improved through AI, results show.

"This pilot study identified infection with a fraction of the radiation dose," Klug said. "This approach could drive larger studies and ultimately reshape clinical guidelines, making denoised ultra-low dose CT the new standard for young immunocompromised patients.

How Can You Detect Pneumonia?

Pneumonia is a lung infection that causes the air sacs in the lungs to fill with fluid or pus and can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. The symptoms can range from milk to severe, which includes:

Coughing with or without cough

Fever

Chills

Trouble breathing

Chest pain, especially when breathing deeply or coughing

Sweating or chills

Rapid heart rate

Loss of appetite

Bluish skin, lips, and nails

Confusion.

How to detect Pneumonia in coughing newborns and toddlers?

Pneumonia can severely affect newborns and young children as their lungs are comparatively more sensitive. As per Dr Goyal, young children can cough for various reasons including seasonal infections and tonsillitis, which is very common in this age group. But if they look visibly irritable and have poor sleep patterns, then parents must reach out to an expert. "I am not saying that parents must visit a hospital but any local paediatrician would be able to detect pneumonia in your kid.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today launched a pilot program aimed at speeding up early-stage drug research and reducing delays before potential new medicines enter human trials.

Called the Expedited Investigational New Drug (IND) Pilot, the program is part of the US Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Operation TrailBlazer, launched in June.

The initiative aligns with the Trump Administration’s efforts to accelerate clinical trials and drug research in the US and maintain American leadership in medical innovation, particularly ahead of China.

“The pilot not only pairs industry innovators with top research institutions to accelerate high-quality data being submitted to the FDA, it also tests if the partnership can accelerate what happens after the FDA allows a clinical trial to proceed,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas, J.D.

How Will the Pilot Work?

Also read: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Launches Reforms To Speed Up Early Drug Research In US

The pilot aims to shorten the time between identifying a potential drug and starting a first-in-human clinical trial by pairing drug companies with qualified research institutions (QRIs).

These institutions will provide scientific expertise to support the preparation of Investigational New Drug (IND) applications.

The FDA said first-in-human clinical trials can currently take up to two years to complete in the US. Similar trials are completed faster in China and Australia, raising concerns about America's position in global scientific innovation.

The FDA will accept applications to participate in the pilot until October 30, 2026.

Review of IND Applications

Under the pilot, selected QRIs will support the IND application preparation process. This will allow the FDA to review and accept individual components of an application on a rolling basis during the pre-IND phase, rather than waiting for all components before beginning review.

The approach is intended to help identify and resolve issues with an IND application sooner and reduce the risk of the FDA placing a first-in-human clinical trial on hold during the 30-day IND period.

Read More: 18-Year-Old Dies From Rare Measles Brain Complication As Pennsylvania Death Toll Hits 4

The FDA said the goal is to make the path from scientific discovery to first-in-human trials faster, more predictable and more collaborative.

The federal agency said earlier planning and coordination could reduce unnecessary delays between the start of IND preparation and the beginning of first-in-human studies.

“The pilot hopes to utilize the American innovation ecosystem to accelerate the time to first-in-human clinical trials,” said Karim Mikhail, Director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER).

Who Can Apply?

Drug sponsors and prospective QRIs will apply as a pair, with drug sponsors submitting applications to the FDA.

Applications will be reviewed by FDA scientific experts. The agency expects to select 8–10 Sponsor-QRI pairs for the initial pilot cohort.

READ: Fall Vaccines 2026: US Doctors Issue COVID, Flu And RSV Jab Guidance

What Is Operation TrialBlazer?

While launching Operation TrialBlazer, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in a Fox News op-ed, said, “America should continue to lead the world in clinical research and medical innovation. Instead, we are losing ground.”

He cited a study showing that China now conducts more early-stage clinical trials than the United States.

In 2025, Chinese companies accounted for nearly half of global pharmaceutical licensing deal activity. “Those trends should concern every American,” Kennedy said, stressing that “the future of medicine should be built in America.”

According to the FDA, Operation TrialBlazer will help shorten development timelines by six to 12 months through a series of measures, including pairing drug developers with qualified academic centers and contract research organizations to prepare first-in-human trial applications.

The use of an experimental peptide, popularly known as part of the 'Wolverine stack', has surged significantly in the US, despite limited evidence that it actually helps people recover from injuries.

A new study based on more than 15 million medical records found that documented use of BPC-157, an unapproved peptide promoted online for pain relief, healing and performance enhancement, increased 33-fold between 2020 and 2026.

The findings were reported as US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has backed efforts to make the peptide available through compounding pharmacies.

BPC-157 is often combined with TB-500, a peptide derived from thymosin beta-4, in what users call the 'Wolverine stack'. The combination is marketed online as a way to accelerate tissue repair and recovery from muscle, tendon and other injuries.

Why Are People Taking BPC-157?

Researchers identified 1,039 patients with documented BPC-157 use. Among 644 patients, the peptide was taken for conditions ranging from sports injuries and chronic pain to gastrointestinal problems.

Pain and gastrointestinal symptoms were among the most common reasons for starting BPC-157. Many users obtained it through compounding pharmacies or grey-market peptide vendors.

The appeal comes largely from claims that BPC-157 can promote tissue repair and accelerate recovery. But these claims have not been established through the kind of controlled human trials normally required to demonstrate that a treatment works.

Also read: Bouncy Castles Linked To MRSA Outbreak In 48 Children In Ireland

Effect Of BPC-157 On Injury Recovery

The new analysis was based on real-world medical records, rather than a randomised clinical trial. Only around one-third of patients had documented responses to treatment. Some doctors recorded improvements, but patients were frequently taking other drugs or undergoing other treatments at the same time for recovery.

Dr Flynn McGuire of the University of Utah, who was not involved in the research, said, “There was no placebo or untreated comparator, and there was no standardized indication, formulation, dose, route, treatment duration, or outcome assessment.”

That makes it impossible to determine whether reported improvements came from BPC-157, another treatment, natural recovery or placebo effects. McGuire said randomised controlled trials are needed to establish whether the peptide produces meaningful clinical improvement.

Also read: BORG Drinking Trend: Why These Viral Alcohol Jugs Can Be Dangerous

Concern About Its Safety

BPC-157 is not approved by the US FDA for medical use. The FDA has previously raised concerns about the peptide, including the possibility of immune reactions and problems related to peptide impurities and product quality.

The agency says it has limited safety information for BPC-157 in humans and lacks enough information to determine whether some routes of administration could cause harm.

The FDA has also reported adverse events in its database involving reactions at the injection site, shortness of breath and skin or gum pigmentation changes, although it cautions that these events cannot necessarily be attributed to BPC-157.

In July, an FDA advisory committee considered whether BPC-157 and other peptides should be permitted as bulk substances for compounding. The process does not mean BPC-157 has been approved as a drug.

Pennsylvania has reported its fourth measles-associated death after an 18-year-old from Mifflin County died from a rare and severe neurological complication of the infection.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health confirmed two additional measles-associated deaths on September 15, including the 18-year-old and an unvaccinated person from Jefferson County. The state has now recorded four measles-associated deaths in 2026 as its outbreak continues to expand.

The latest casualty highlights acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), one of the most serious complications of measles can cause. In this condition, the inflammation damages the brain and spinal cord.

How Can Measles Affect The Brain?

According to Mifflin County Coroner Andrea Alcalde, a review of medical records and available investigative information determined that the 18-year-old died from acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, which she described as a rare and severe neurological complication of measles.

Ruled as a natural death, the individual was unvaccinated, according to Pennsylvania health officials. ADEM entails inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. It can cause neurological symptoms and in extreme cases, can become life-threatening.

Measles itself is highly contagious and can cause complications that could impact multiple organs. Pennsylvania health officials say serious complications can include pneumonia and brain swelling, while around 20% of people identified with measles in the state have required hospitalisation during the current outbreak.

Also read: Chile Eliminates Dog-Transmitted Rabies: What Other Countries Can Learn

Pennsylvania Has Now Recorded 4 Deaths

The latest deaths come as Pennsylvania continues to experience its worst measles outbreak in more than three decades. The state has recorded 693 confirmed measles cases across 38 counties in 2026, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

The four deaths include two infants from Lancaster County reported in August, a 40-year-old woman from Jefferson County who died from measles complications, and the 18-year-old from Mifflin County. The outbreak has been concentrated in Lancaster and Mifflin counties, although infections have now been reported across more than half of Pennsylvania's counties.

The state health department said all four individuals were unvaccinated. The two infants were too young to receive routine measles vaccination.

Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr Debra Bogen said, “My thoughts are with the two families who lost loved ones to this highly-contagious virus, as Pennsylvania faces the worst measles outbreak in more than three decades.”

She added, “We remain committed to working with our partners across Pennsylvania to stem this outbreak and prevent more deaths. That means ensuring people have the facts about measles and access to the MMR vaccine – which kept measles outbreaks at bay for decades.”

Also read: 3D-Printed Mosquito ‘Toilets’ Track West Nile, Find New Virus In Americas

Worst Measles Outbreak In History

Measles is among the world's most contagious infectious diseases. It spreads through respiratory droplets and airborne particles when an infected person coughs, sneezes or breathes.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health says measles-associated deaths, while rare, occur in around one to three people per 1,000 cases.

The department also says two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine provide 97% lifetime protection. The state has identified four breakthrough infections among appropriately vaccinated people during the current outbreak.