Mandy Oaklander | November 09, 2026

Scientists keep learning more about the effects of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, and my colleague Alice Park is tracking every development.

Two such medicines from Eli Lilly—one an approved daily pill, one an experimental weekly injectable—appear to have some benefits you might not expect, according to newly published studies. In her piece out today, Alice explains how easing obstructive sleep apnea and reducing knee pain from osteoarthritis might be on that list.

TODAY’S TOPICS

Why you shouldn’t feed AI your medical imaging
VR for anxiety
Measles is running rampant
New uses for weight-loss drugs
Small talk is more important than ever

QUICK CHAT

The MRI panic spiral

I've asked ChatGPT to explain plenty of things I don't understand. But after a recent conversation with spine surgeon Dr. Wellington Hsu, I might think twice before feeding it my medical test results.

Hsu told me he's seeing patients who upload their MRI reports into chatbots, read the explanations, and arrive at their appointments convinced something terrible is happening. But what looks alarming on paper isn't always alarming in real life. —Angela Haupt

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Trifonov_Evgeniy—Getty Images

You're seeing patients who ask ChatGPT to interpret their MRIs. What happens?

People come in after putting their MRI report into ChatGPT or another chatbot, and they think they're dying because of all the terms being used. They're asking, “Am I going to be able to walk again?” They're thinking the worst.

Why do the explanations scare them so much?

When a radiologist reads an MRI, they're describing what they see. Those findings can indicate something wrong, but they can also reflect normal aging. It's like the tread on the tires of your car wearing out.

So an MRI can look bad without necessarily meaning something terrible is happening?

Exactly. The radiologist doesn't usually say, “These changes look bad, but they're actually pretty normal for a 65-year-old.” That context isn't in the report. So people see all these medical terms and assume the worst.

What would you tell someone who's already looked up their results and is panicking?

Wait for a specialist to put those findings into perspective. We can explain what the changes mean for you, given your symptoms, your age, and what we're seeing clinically.

INSIGHT OF THE DAY

How VR can help calm kids before surgery

Fear and anxiety are common for anyone about to undergo surgery—especially children, who have less experience with medical procedures. A new study published in PLOS Digital Health shows that a session with a virtual reality (VR) headset can help kids through that discomfort.

Researchers provided 80 children aged 6 to 15 with a VR experience immediately before surgery showing an interactive playroom or a soothing beach scene. Self-reported distress and fear fell following the session, as did heart rate and blood pressure.

The authors of the paper see VR as a simple, non-pharmacological intervention that could be offered by nurses and other caregivers in children’s surgical units. —Jeffrey Kluger

WHAT’S GOING AROUND?

Measles is infecting and killing more Americans

Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library—Getty Images

Measles continues to run rampant across the U.S. Last week, three people—including an infant in Wisconsin—died from measles-related complications, according to state health departments. There have been at least 5,182 measles cases in the U.S. this year, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data. It’s the country’s highest number of measles cases in decades, and is more than double the number from 2025. Most people sickened from measles this year were unvaccinated, the CDC says. —Dominique Mosbergen

ONE DRUG TO KNOW

The daily weight-loss pill that can also help sleep apnea

UCG/Contributor—Getty Images

GLP-1s, originally developed for diabetes and weight loss, are proving to be a versatile class of medications. In a new study, Eli Lilly’s daily weight-loss pill called Foundayo, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April, reduced episodes of obstructive sleep apnea by about 44% compared to placebo.

That’s not all: an experimental weekly injectable that Lilly is working on, called retatrutide, appeared to reduce knee pain in another new study. —Alice Park

Read the full story here.

TIME100 Most Influential Companies is expanding

TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2027 entries are now open.

With new Exceptional Workplaces categories, the TIME100 Companies publication is expanding to recognize businesses pioneering new approaches to how people work, from flexible and hybrid work to technology integration and career development.

Because it’s no longer just what you do, but how you do it.

Submit your company.

WHAT WE’RE READING

What's the secret to a great conversation? Ian Sample at the Guardian explores why a little "pink noise" could make your next chat more enjoyable.
Nebraska was the first state to enforce Medicaid work rules, and people like Eli McCreary, who has cancer, are already falling through the cracks and losing insurance, Rachana Pradhan writes for NPR.
In an increasingly transactional and screen-mediated world, small talk might matter more than we think, writes Meehika Barua for TIME.