Multiple man-made 'forever chemicals' found in 98.5% of people tested
PFAS, a group of persistent man-made chemicals, were detected in 98.8% of over 10,500 blood samples, with most individuals carrying multiple types. The most common combination included five PFAS, such as PFOS and PFOA, found in 26.1% of samples. These findings underscore widespread, combined PFAS exposure and highlight the need for mixture-based risk assessment.
One of the PFAS most commonly detected in this new study (in 97.9% of samples) was perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (linear PFOA), which is already recognized as being linked to adverse health conditions—including potential impacts on the immune system, liver, and thyroid—prompting action, internationally, for its restriction.

Laura M. Labay et al, PFAS co-positivities identified in more than 10,000 serum/plasma samples, Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (2026). DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2025.2601605

This everyday plant protein may be quietly reshaping blood pressure risk in ways doctors cannot ignore
Higher intake of legumes (up to 170 g/day) and soy foods (60–80 g/day) is associated with a 16–19% lower risk of developing high blood pressure, with risk reduction plateauing beyond these amounts. The evidence suggests a probable causal relationship, potentially due to the potassium, magnesium, fiber, and isoflavones in these foods. Variability in study methods and definitions limits certainty, but findings support dietary recommendations to increase legume and soy consumption for blood pressure management.
And the optimal daily amount may be around 170 g of legumes, which include peas, lentils, chickpeas and beans, and 60 to 80 g of soy foods, examples of which include tofu, soy milk, edamame, tempeh, and miso, the findings indicate.

Legume and soy consumption and the risk of hypertension: a systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis of prospective studies, BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health (2026). DOI: 10.1136/bmjnph-2025-001449

Nearly 3,000 peer-reviewed medical papers have fake citations, AI-assisted audit finds
An AI-assisted audit of 2.5 million biomedical papers identified 4,046 fake citations across 2,810 papers, with the rate of fake references increasing over 12-fold since 2023, particularly after mid-2024. Most affected papers had not received publisher action. Recommendations include mandatory reference verification, enhanced metadata, systematic tracking, and retroactive screening to maintain research integrity.
A new Columbia University School of Nursing AI-assisted audit reveals nearly 3,000 peer-reviewed medical papers have fake citations that do not exist in scientific databases. The results highlight an alarming trend in academic publishing as the use of AI grows.
The research letter, "Fabricated citations: an audit across 2·5 million biomedical papers," is published in The Lancet. (Research letters published in the Correspondence section include research findings and are externally peer-reviewed. Unlike Articles containing original data, research letters are shorter and the research they contain is usually preliminary, exploratory, or reporting on early findings.)

To conduct their analysis, the research team developed an automated verification system using AI that scanned 2.5 million papers published from January 1, 2023, to February 18, 2026, in PubMed Central's Open Access.

Among 97.1 million verified references, they identified 4,046 fake citations across 2,810 papers. The rate has grown more than 12-fold since 2023, with the sharpest increase beginning mid-2024, coinciding with the rise of AI writing tools.

This discovery directly impacts patients as medical professionals make treatment decisions based on clinical guidelines.
A medical professional or clinical guideline developer has no way of knowing that the evidence they are relying on does not exist. For example, one paper we reviewed had 18 out of 30 fake references. Some of those citations are already being cited by other papers and appear in systematic reviews that inform clinical care.
Based on their findings, the authors recommend publishers verify references with each paper submission. They also recommend that indexing services add metadata to records so that users can assess the accuracy of references.

Lastly, the research team urges major research integrity databases to establish a dedicated category for fake references to enable systematic tracking and accountability. They call on publishers to retroactively screen existing publications and issue corrections or retractions where fake references compromise a paper's conclusions. Notably, at the time of the audit, 98.4% of affected papers had not received any publisher action.

Maxim Topaz et al, Fabricated citations: an audit across 2·5 million biomedical papers, The Lancet (2026). DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(26)00603-3

Howard Bauchner et al, Fabricated references: a new threat to editorial integrity, The Lancet (2026). DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(26)00798-1

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