Anthony Letai, M.D., Ph.D., sworn in as NCI director; pediatric opioid emergencies rising; dietary habits toed to childhood asthma – Morning Medical Update

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Anthony Letai sworn in as NCI director

Anthony Letai, M.D., Ph.D., has officially taken over as director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), following his swearing-in by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., on Monday. Letai, a Harvard Medical School professor and Dana-Farber oncologist, is internationally recognized for his research on programmed cell death in cancer, including pioneering work that helped bring the BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax into clinical practice. Jay Bhattacharya, M.D., Ph.D., director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), praised Letai’s “drive, integrity, and expertise” as key to advancing cancer research at a pivotal moment in U.S. public health. Letai pledged to accelerate discovery of cancer’s root causes, predictive biomarkers and novel therapies, emphasizing that breakthroughs in apoptosis and replication biology will be central to reducing the nation’s cancer burden.

Pediatric opioid emergencies rising

Emergency calls for suspected opioid exposure among U.S. children have risen sharply in recent years, with the largest increases seen in middle school–aged patients. New research presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics 2025 National Conference found calls involving 11–13-year-olds more than doubled between 2019 and 2023, climbing from 257 to 560 cases. Younger patients were more likely to present in critical condition compared to older adolescents, and most cases in this group involved girls. Calls involving high school–aged teens peaked in 2022 before slightly declining in 2023.

Dietary habits tied to childhood asthma risk in Shanghai

Preferences for pickled, smoked and fried foods may increase asthma risk in children, according to a large study of more than 8,400 first-graders in Shanghai published in Pediatric Investigation. Researchers found that children who liked pickled and smoked foods were nearly twice as likely to have asthma, while seafood preference was linked to a reduced risk. Notably, girls who preferred fried foods had a markedly higher risk, and boys were especially vulnerable to pickled and smoked foods.