MRI scans are strong diagnostics with high-definition images of what lies inside a body. Strong magnetic fields require precaution, as brought out by an instance where a young woman suffered very serious injuries due to an oversight in a metallic core within a silicone sex toy that she happened to have before the MRI scan. This makes a stark reminder about the potentially deadly consequences of missing metal objects when such procedures are being performed. In April 2023, a 23-year-old woman went into an MRI with a silicone plug containing a metal core that was not known.
She thought that the item is made entirely out of silicone according to the advertising. However, the strong magnetic field of the MRI machine interacted with the hidden metal, dragging the object through her body and causing excruciating pain. According to reports from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the scene was harrowing, with the woman screaming in agony and requiring immediate hospitalization. Despite pre-scan screenings, which are routine prior to a scan, the patient did not inform the facility that the object existed because he presumed it was purely non-metallic. This caused serious injuries that led to the patient's law suit against the manufacturer for deceitful misrepresentations of material content.
MRI machines employ magnets between 0.5 to 3 Tesla (T). This is thousands of times stronger than the Earth's magnetic field. The tremendous force causes ferromagnetic materials, like iron and nickel, to be magnetized quickly and become strongly attracted toward the magnet. Objects as small as hairpins or paper clips will accelerate at 40 miles per hour inside the magnetic field.
The force can lead to catastrophic injuries in items lodged within the body, such as metallic implants or foreign objects. Metallic cores within devices, like pacemakers or intrauterine devices, must be disclosed to radiologists to prevent such complications.
On these claims, Dr. Adam Taylor, a specialist in human anatomy, weighed his words in a international health website and added that the distance away and mass of this object would increase its velocity towards that of sound, "The acceleration would be phenomenal, but with a metallic core, it can't go anywhere near supersonic speeds. As for the size, the magnetic acceleration to the internal soft tissues would ensure that there could be severe intracranial trauma."
The injuries inflicted in this case likely involved damage to major blood vessels, nerves, or organs, highlighting the devastating impact of even minor oversight during an MRI scan.
This is not an isolated case. There are documented cases of metallic objects causing serious damage during MRI scans with a 65-year-old man with schizophrenia swallowed metal objects, including sockets and a hinge pin. The powerful magnetic field during an MRI scan caused the objects to rupture his stomach, resulting in serious injuries.
A toddler who ingested 11 small magnets perforated his bowel while undergoing a scan, making his case unique. In another deadly but extremely rare incident, there have been people who hide a firearm on themselves during MRI procedures. Magnetic attraction can trigger a discharge in a weapon and has led to some fatal injuries.
These cases emphasize the very strong need for adequate screening and patient education prior to an MRI.
Medical professionals have been trained to avoid risks. This is by properly screening a patient for metallic objects. In general, most pre-scan protocols include:
The case emphasizes the importance of product labeling by manufacturers, especially those products that are likely to unintentionally cause harm to health. The patient's assumption that her device was 100% silicone points to a larger problem in consumer markets with misinformation.
It also reminds the patients to report any possible dangers to the medical professionals, no matter how the objects look non-metallic. In sensitive cases, patients can request private discussions with healthcare providers to ensure safety without discomfort.
In the end, it is a joint effort from manufacturers, healthcare professionals, and patients that can prevent such tragedies. Manufacturers must ensure truthful marketing, while healthcare providers should educate patients about the dangers of metal objects in MRI settings. For patients, understanding the risks and actively participating in pre-scan disclosures can be lifesaving.
This young woman's experience is a sobering example of the unforeseen dangers posed by MRI machines when precautions are overlooked. It serves as a wake-up call to address gaps in patient awareness, medical protocols, and product transparency. By learning from this incident, the medical community and the public can work together to ensure MRI scans remain a safe and effective diagnostic tool.
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Teen mental health in the US is improving, with fewer high school students reporting persistent sadness or hopelessness, poor mental health and suicidal thoughts, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), conducted among high school students nationwide in 2025, provides data on youth mental health, physical activity, sleep, diet and digital behaviors. The latest report includes national data from 2023 to 2025 and 10-year trends from 2015 to 2025.
Several mental health and suicide risk indicators improved between 2023 and 2025:
Also read: More COVID Infections, More Health Problems? Back, Respiratory, Mental Problems Among New Risks
"These are meaningful improvements, and they show that progress is possible when schools, families, and communities work together to support young people," said Dr. Jennifer Shuford, CDC's deputy director and chief medical officer.
At the same time, the data showed that many teenagers, especially girls and teenagers who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual, are still struggling.
Thirty-three percent of high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in the last 12 months, down from a peak of 42 percent in 2021.
Fourteen percent of teenagers reported that they had seriously considered attempting suicide, down from 22 percent in 2021.
“Those declines in depression and suicidal thoughts are very striking, particularly that they’re lower than 2019,” said Jean Twenge, a psychologist at San Diego State University who has studied the mental health impacts of smartphones and social media use on teenagers, NYT reported.
“This isn’t just post-pandemic anymore; this is a more longstanding trend in improvement,” Twenge added.
Some healthy behaviors also improved between 2023 and 2025:
However, daily physical activity, muscle-strengthening activity and meeting recommended activity guidelines remained unchanged.
Only 24% of students reported getting at least eight hours of sleep on an average school night in 2025, similar to 23% in 2023.
Insufficient sleep is linked to poor mental health, difficulty concentrating and risky behaviors.
About 36% of students reported using social media every hour or more in 2025, similar to 37% in 2023.
Among students who drove in the previous month, 46% reported texting or emailing while driving, up from 42% in 2023.
The CDC noted that digital behaviors can affect sleep, physical activity, nutrition, safety and mental well-being.
The Youth Risk Behavior Survey has been conducted every two years since 1991 and provides nationally representative data to help identify emerging health challenges and track long-term trends.
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NHS England has announced the expansion of Martha’s Rule to all hospital emergency departments and waiting rooms in England to help patients, families and staff raise concerns about worsening conditions.
Martha’s Rule was introduced following the death of 13-year-old Martha Mills and mandated at acute inpatient sites in 2025. Its expansion to A&Es will be phased in and completed by March 2028.
“A&Es see some of our most vulnerable patients, so the ability to raise concerns about deterioration quickly and trigger a rapid review of care is essential,” said Professor Aidan Fowler, National Director of Patient Safety at NHS England.
“Martha’s Rule is already having a transformative effect in making our acute care even safer, and by expanding Martha’s Rule into A&Es, we are giving even more patients, their families and NHS staff a critical new lifeline to help improve care and save more lives,” he added.
Also read: UK Flu Jabs Begin For Children And Pregnant Women: What You Need To Know
An NHS England pilot, conducted between September 2025 and March 2026, found that Martha’s Rule could work alongside existing emergency-care procedures to identify early signs of deterioration without requiring additional clinical staff.
During the pilot, 69 calls were made to dedicated Martha’s Rule numbers. Some resulted in urgent surgery or transfer to intensive care.
“Martha’s Rule is about making sure patients and their loved ones are heard when they raise concerns about their care,” said Health and Social Care Minister Baroness Merron.
“Expanding it to A&E will give patients, families and staff another way to speak up when they are worried that someone’s condition is getting worse, ensuring concerns are acted on quickly,” Merron added.
Martha’s Rule is named after 13-year-old Martha Mills, who developed sepsis while being treated at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in south London in 2021 and later died.
Her parents repeatedly raised concerns about her worsening condition. An investigation later found that Martha might have survived if signs of deterioration had been recognized and she had been transferred to intensive care.
Her parents subsequently campaigned for a formal system allowing patients and families to raise concerns and seek an urgent clinical review.
The rule has three main components:
Hospitals provide a dedicated number that patients and families can use to request a rapid review by a different team when concerns are not being addressed.
In July 2026, 1,678 calls were made through Martha’s Rule — the highest monthly total so far.
More than 19,000 calls (19,177) were made by patients, families and NHS staff between September 2024 and July 2026.
The rule has been rolled out at 221 acute adult and pediatric inpatient sites, with the current rollout expected to be completed in 2026/27.
It is also being extended to A&E, maternity and neonatal units, with the wider rollout due to be completed by March 2028.
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Novo Nordisk's next-generation obesity drug CagriSema has delivered greater weight loss than a lower dose of Eli Lilly's tirzepatide in a new late-stage trial. The trial has given giving the Danish drugmaker new evidence for its upcoming weight loss injectable as it competes in the rapidly expanding GLP-1 obesity drug market.
In the Phase 3 REIMAGINE 5 trial, adults with type 2 diabetes receiving CagriSema lost an estimated 12.4% of their body weight after 60 weeks, compared with 9.1% among those receiving 5 mg of tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Lilly's Mounjaro and Zepbound. CagriSema also resulted reduction in HbA1c, a measure of average blood sugar.
However, the trial compared 1 mg/1 mg CagriSema to 5 mg tirzepatide, rather than the highest doses used in obesity treatment. Earlier this year, a separate Phase 3 trial in people with obesity found that CagriSema did not meet its goal against high-dose 15 mg tirzepatide. At 84 weeks, CagriSema resulted in 23% weight loss compared to 25.5% with tirzepatide.
CagriSema is a once-weekly injection that combines two active ingredients: semaglutide and cagrilintide.
Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Novo's Wegovy and Ozempic. It belongs to the GLP-1 receptor agonist class and helps reduce appetite and food intake. Cagrilintide mimics amylin, a hormone involved in appetite regulation and feelings of fullness. By combining the two medicines, Novo is attempting to produce greater weight loss results.
Unlike Wegovy and Ozempic, however, CagriSema is still investigational. Novo submitted it to the US FDA for weight management in December 2025. The regulatory decision is expected in the fourth quarter of 2026.
Also read: Hundreds Of American GLP-1 Users Sue Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly Over Vision Loss: What Is NAION?
REIMAGINE 5 is based on adults with type 2 diabetes whose blood sugar was not controlled properly with metformin, an SGLT2 inhibitor or both. After 60 weeks, CagriSema showed 12.4% average weight loss. Tirzepatide 5 mg resulted in 9.1% average weight loss.
CagriSema showed 1.71% HbA1c reduction while tirzepatide resulted in 1.67%.
Novo said the combination was generally well tolerated. Gastrointestinal side effects are among the common adverse effects that were seen with the treatment.
Novo's chief scientific officer Martin Holst Lange called the findings “very encouraging” and said they strengthen the company's confidence in CagriSema's potential.
The new study establishes that CagriSema outperformed 5 mg tirzepatide for weight loss in this particular population sample with type 2 diabetes.
But tirzepatide is available at substantially higher doses, and the earlier obesity head-to-head trial compared CagriSema with 15 mg tirzepatide, where tirzepatide produced better weight loss results.
Therefore, the company has not declared that CagriSema consistently produces more weight loss than tirzepatide across all trials.
CagriSema is Novo's attempt to move beyond single-pathway GLP-1 treatment by combining GLP-1 and amylin biology. In another new Phase 3 trial, REDEFINE 9, CagriSema produced 21% weight loss after 68 weeks, compared with 2% with placebo, in adults with overweight or obesity.
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