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.

How Metal Objects Interact with MRI Fields?

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.

Preventing MRI-Related Incidents

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:

• Patients are interrogated about implants, recent surgery or exposures at work related to metals.
• Radiologists sometimes use handheld metal detectors to search for hidden items.
• People who work with metal, like welders or machinists, will need additional testing to detect microscopic metal fragments within soft tissues or eyes.

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.

Changes in environmental conditions are driving bee sting deaths in India’s northeastern state Assam, warned a scientist at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

While rare and preventable, Assam sees about 15–20 deaths every year due to bee envenomation, Dr. Surajit Giri, a snakebite specialist and researcher with the ICMR Zero Snakebite Death Project, was quoted as saying to The Sentinel.

"A massive bee attack can cause instant death. Although Assam does not have accurate statistics, various sources suggest that approximately 15–20 people die every year in the state from such incidents. Importantly, many of these deaths are preventable — if both the public and healthcare providers remain alert and informed," Dr. Giri said.

He added that “changing environmental conditions are pushing bee attack cases” in the state.

Bee Sting Deaths In India: Why The Cases Are Rising?

In February, a 65-year-old umpire died while several players were injured after a swarm of bees attacked them during a cricket match in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district.

In 2025, a 62-year-old man in Kolkata’s Durgapur died after being stung by a swarm of bees 890 times. There are several such cases being reported from different parts of the country.

The mounting cases are an ecological warning and is directly linked to environmental stress, Dr. Ankit Upadhyaya, an entomologist at the Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, was quoted as saying to the Hindustan Times.

“Bees are struggling to find food,” he explained, even as "soaring temperatures and erratic rainfall" due to climate change have severely disrupted the “flowering cycle".

Fewer blooms mean nectar shortages, which leave bee colonies "starved, hypersensitive and primed for defense".

In such a scenario, disturbance by pedestrians, by traffic, by construction, and by birds results in aggression.

What Happens In Case Of A Bee Sting? How To Treat

A 2021 study, published in the BMJ Case Reports, explained that a bee sting typically leads to anaphylaxis -- a severe, rapid, and potentially fatal systemic allergic reaction occurring within seconds or minutes of exposure to venom.

Other major complications include

• acute renal (Kidney) failure,
• intravascular coagulation (abnormal blood clotting),
• rhabdomyolysis (rapid skeletal muscle breakdown)
• acute pulmonary oedema (excess fluid buildup in lungs)

Dr. Giri said that a bee sting can turn fatal rapidly because stingers left in the skin continue to inject venom slowly even after the attack ends. He urged the need to sensitize healthcare workers, especially those working in rural areas, about medication for bee sting patients.

Dr. Giri advised that if anyone gets caught in a bee attack:

• Do not jump into a water body as bees will continue to wait above the surface.
• Seek shelter in dense vegetation
• Use fingernails to remove stingers, opposite to their angle of entry.
• Do not squeeze or forcefully pull stingers, as this can inject more venom.
• Wash affected areas gently with soap and water,
• Seek medical care immediately,
• Remain under observation for at least 24 hours.

More than 150 people on board a Princess cruise ship which was touring the Caribbean have become ill with norovirus. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the total number to be 153, The CDC noted that 104 of them were passengers, while 49 were crew members. The outbreak was reported on Wednesday.

CDC noted that the Star Princess was a one-week voyage that ended Sunday and passengers and crew members were experiencing symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting.

Princess Cruises noted additional rounds of cleaning and disinfection which were done and ill passengers and crew members were isolated. Staff also consulted with CDC on best practices for eliminating the highly contagious and long-lasting virus - norovirus.

What Is Norovirus?

Also called the bug outbreak, it is caused by the group of viruses that cause severe vomiting and diarrhea. As per the UK Health Security Agency, data for the 2024-25 season in England shows that norovirus laboratory reports are notably higher than the 5-season average.

The data also shows that norovirus typically increases through autumn and into winter, however, this year, an unusual rise has been noticed. The Hospital Norovirus Outbreak Reporting System (HNORS) is showing more outbreaks than average.

Dr Luke Powles, Associate Clinical Director, Health Clinics Bupa Global and UK also explained that this virus is also called the winter vomiting bug and is "one of the most common stomach bugs in the UK. It is highly contagious, so spreads easily". The doctor also notes that while the name suggest 'winter', you can get it any time of the year, though it is most common in colder months.

How Do You Get The Virus?

For most people, having norovirus is unpleasant, but mild and recovery could be made in 1 to 2 days. However, it could be more serious for babies, older people and anyone with any existing health condition.

Anyone can get the virus by accidentally getting particles of virus in your mouth and ingesting it. These particles are from feces or vomit from infected people, or can be transmitted via contaminated food and water. It could also spread by touching unclean surfaces like door handles or cutlery.

It is also the No.1 cause of foodborne illness in the US and first occurred in Norwalk, Ohio, in a school in 1968. This is why the first strain is named after the location and is called the Norwalk virus.

It is the main cause of gastroenteritis. The common symptoms include:

• Nausea
• Projectile vomiting
• Watery diarrhea

Usually it lasts for up to 2 days, though for anyone as mentioned above with an existing health condition, or babies who do not yet have a fully developed immune systems, children and older people may be at more risk. If your symptoms are not relieved in 2 days, or it worsens, or you have a serious illness, it is best to consult your doctor.

Although antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is mainly caused by the misuse and overuse of medicines in humans, livestock, food production, and agriculture, gender-based violence and inequalities faced by women worldwide are significantly contributing to the problem by limiting their access to timely and quality healthcare.

Addressing gender inequality is essential to tackling the growing threat of AMR, said global health experts.

Speaking during the March AMR Dialogue session titled “AMR Under the Gender Lens,” organized by the Global AMR Media Alliance (GAMA), scientists, researchers and public health experts highlighted how women often are at a higher risk of AMR due to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), urinary tract infections (UTIs), and complications related to abortions.

The conditions often require antibiotics for effective treatment, but vulnerable women struggle to access them or fail to complete the course.

Antimicrobial Resistance: Why Women Are At High Risk?

According to Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, former Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), it is impossible to reduce or prevent AMR without addressing gender-based violence because such violence affects women’s ability to seek healthcare.

“Women are at a very high risk of intimate partner violence or domestic violence - physical or sexual. This could lead to more infections. And because of their position within the household and the community, they are less likely to seek timely and adequate care for these injuries or infections, which could lead to drug-resistant infections,” said Dr. Swaminathan, Chairperson at MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, and former Director General, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

“Whether it is STIs or UTIs, or reproductive tract infections, or pelvic inflammatory disease, all of these are linked with sexual violence and an increased risk of antibiotic use. Also, even if the woman may seek care, quite often follow-up is poor. She may have taken a partial course of antibiotics or the wrong doses. Women facing an unplanned pregnancy, who go for an unsafe abortion in some cases, are also at higher risk of AMR,” she added.

Shobha Shukla, Chairperson of GAMA, said gender inequalities and harmful social norms often lead to the neglect of women’s health, making girls and women more vulnerable to antimicrobial resistance.

The experts also discussed the risk of AMR with infectious diseases like TB and HIV/AIDS, which carry deep stigma for women. Women patients often hide their illness, delay testing, avoid clinics, take medicines secretly, or stop treatment early.

Also read: WHO's New Guidance to Accelerate Antibiotics Development for 3 Deadly Bacterial Infections

Antimicrobial Resistance: Gender norms And Power Play

Dr. Esmita Charani, Associate Professor at the University of Cape Town, South Africa highlighted the strong power imbalance between patients and healthcare providers, which is often shaped by gender norms.

“Women frequently have less power to advocate for themselves in healthcare settings, whether they are patients or healthcare workers. Many women also prioritize the health of their family members over their own. Social norms also play a major role in AMR control,” the expert said.

Further, Dr. Deepshikha Bhateja from the Indian School of Business noted that cultural practices surrounding menstruation, pregnancy, and caregiving responsibilities can limit women’s access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities.

Lower education levels and limited awareness also prevent many women and girls from seeking healthcare freely. This reduces their ability to access and afford essential antibiotics and quality medical services, leading to incorrect diagnoses and inappropriate treatments that worsen AMR.

Dr. Swaminathan also pointed to the “feminization of agriculture” as another factor.

“From an intersectional perspective, here is a woman who lives in a rural area, she is also a small farmer, she has some livestock, she does some agriculture, and she has a family to look after. And she is alone because she has a migrant husband. And therefore, she has less access to health centers. She has less financial autonomy as well. In such a situation, she would probably be more likely to either neglect infections or take inappropriate treatment”.

Antimicrobial Resistance: How To Tackle

The experts emphasized that effectively tackling AMR requires ensuring that

• Women are diagnosed early,
• women receive proper treatment,
• women complete their medications,
• health policies are designed with women’s realities in mind
• empowering women to play a leading role in preventing the misuse of antibiotics
• gender inequality gets addressed in national AMR action plans.