Kratom's powerful allies; patients turn to AI and social media for health advice; the AMA says physicians aren't 'providers' — Morning Medical Update Weekly Recap

Kratom's risky rise finds powerful allies in Washington

A New York Times investigation links a Homeland Security secretary's financial stake to a federal retreat on the gas station supplement.

Kratom, a supplement derived from a Southeast Asian tree and sold widely at gas stations and convenience stores, acts on the brain's opioid receptors and has been linked to liver toxicity, seizures and thousands of deaths, often in combination with other substances.

A New York Times investigation published June 15 found that Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, a former Republican senator from Oklahoma, pressed federal officials to soften warnings about the product while disclosing an investment worth as much as $1 million in kratom maker Botanic Tonics. The Justice Department dropped a lawsuit against the company in December, and the firm later donated $1 million to a political committee tied to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The Department of Homeland Security said Mullin adheres to all ethics standards and has not lobbied on the company's behalf, and the White House said its health policy is guided by sound science.

For physicians, the reporting underscores a familiar clinical reality: an addictive, largely unregulated product remains on shelves and may surface in cases of overdose, withdrawal and drug interactions.

More patients are turning to social media and AI for health advice, KFF finds

A new tracking poll shows most who do never circle back to a clinician to check what they learned.

Nearly a third of U.S. adults now use social media for health information at least once a month, and 29% use artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots for the same purpose, a figure that has nearly doubled in two years, according to a KFF Tracking Poll on Health Information and Trust released June 17.

The two audiences differ: younger and lower-income adults gravitate to social media, while older and higher-income adults are more likely to consult AI tools. The poll found that most users do not verify what they find, with only about a third of social media users saying they follow up with a physician most of the time. Confidence in spotting false information was mixed, but trust in clinicians remained high, with 80% of adults confident in health information from a doctor. The findings point to both a misinformation risk and a continued opening for physicians as the source patients trust most.

AMA adopts policy opposing the term 'provider' for physicians

Delegates also backed independent research on scope of practice and moved to address pharmacy refusals.

The American Medical Association's (AMA’s) House of Delegates adopted new policy at its Annual Meeting in Chicago to oppose use of the term "provider" when it is meant to include physicians, arguing the catchall language confuses patients and erodes transparency and safety. The action builds on existing AMA policy prioritizing the term "physician" for those holding an M.D. or D.O.

Delegates also directed the association to fund independent, peer-reviewed research comparing patient outcomes under physician-led care and care delivered by non-physicians practicing independently, citing evidence that includes a study of Veterans Health Administration emergency care. More than half of U.S. states now permit nurse practitioners to practice without physician supervision. The meeting also produced action on pharmacists' refusals to fill valid prescriptions, with the AMA set to convene national pharmacy organizations and report back in 2027.

For more information on what was covered during the AMA’s 2026 House of Delegates meeting, check out last Friday’s Morning Medical Update Weekly Recap.