Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Florida Launches Lawsuit Against OpenAI, CEO, Alleging They Disregarded Dangers Of ChatGPT
AP: Florida Sues OpenAI And CEO Altman Over Claims Of Danger Posed By ChatGPT
The state of Florida filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman on Monday, claiming the company knowingly released and aggressively marketed ChatGPT to the public while concealing serious risks, including offering instructions to children considering suicide and helping suspects plot crimes. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said during a news conference that the company suppressed internal safety warnings and deceived users about the true nature and dangers of the product. He said Florida was the first state to sue OpenAI. (Fischer, 6/1)
NBC News: Around 1 In 5 Young People Use AI Chatbots For Mental Health Advice: Survey
Nearly 1 in 5 adolescents and young adults are turning to AI chatbots for advice when they’re sad, angry, nervous or stressed, according to a new study. The findings, from the research institute RAND, represent an increase from early 2025, when the nonprofit conducted a similar survey. At the time, around 13% of respondents said they used chatbots for such advice, but the share rose to 19% in the group’s latest survey in November, the results of which were published Monday in the journal JAMA Pediatrics. (Bendix and Yang, 6/1)
The Hill: Artificial Intelligence Use For Just 10 Minutes Can Compromise Cognitive Function, Researchers Say
Artificial intelligence continues to transform daily life, but researchers say even brief use may have downsides. A study conducted by scientists from Carnegie Mellon, Oxford, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of California, Los Angeles found that the technology can affect cognitive function and problem-solving abilities in a relatively short period. “We show that just 10-15 minutes of AI interaction can result in significant impairments in independent performance and persistence — capacities that are foundational to lifelong learning,” the study said. (Taub, 6/1)
The New York Times: Anthropic Files To Go Public, Setting Stage For Huge I.P.O.
Anthropic, the artificial intelligence company behind the chatbot Claude, confidentially filed on Monday for an initial public offering, joining what could be a once-in-a-generation, moneymaking moment on Wall Street. With its I.P.O. filing, Anthropic is expected to be among three high-profile companies preparing to go public this year, along with the rocket company SpaceX and OpenAI, which started the A.I. boom in 2022 with its ChatGPT chatbot. (Isaac, 6/1)
The latest in cancer studies —
Fox News: Veterans With Cancer Face Elevated Suicide Risk After Diagnosis, Study Finds
Veterans with cancer face a higher risk of suicide attempts, according to new research from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). The risk is especially prevalent in the months following diagnosis and can persist for years, states the study, which was published in JAMA Oncology. (Stabile, 6/1)
Bloomberg: Covid Pandemic Left 55,000 Cancer Cases Undiagnosed Across 7 Nations, Study Says
About 55,000 cancer cases went undiagnosed across seven high-income countries during the first nine months of the Covid-19 pandemic, underscoring the extent to which lockdowns and health-system disruptions affected routine medical care, a study found. An estimated 16% of expected cancer diagnoses across Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway and the UK were missing between April and December 2020, compared with pre-pandemic trends. (Gale, 6/1)
NBC News: A Personalized Vaccine For Melanoma Cut The Risk Of Cancer Returning After Five Years
An experimental vaccine from Moderna and Merck shows promise in keeping deadly skin cancer from returning for years, according to new clinical trial results. The research, presented Monday at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual meeting, found that a personalized mRNA vaccine halved the risk of melanoma returning after five years. The results were also published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. (Sullivan, 6/1)
The Guardian: Smart Drug That Strips Cancer Cells Of ‘Invisibility Cloak’ Can Shrink Tumours By 30%, Trial Shows
A smart drug that stops cancer cells “hiding” from treatment can shrink tumours by at least 30% in six of the world’s most common forms of the disease, early trial results show. While immunotherapy treatments have improved survival rates for many patients, their effectiveness can stall or fail when tumour cells hide and then spread. (Gregory, 6/1)
On obesity in the United States —
The New York Times: Obesity May Be More Prevalent Than Previously Thought
New research using an updated definition of obesity suggests that many more people may have the disease than previous studies have suggested. It’s estimated that 40 percent of adults in the United States have obesity. But much of the research used to produce those estimates has relied on body mass index, a measure of weight relative to height. Doctors have increasingly come to see B.M.I. as an imperfect tool for defining obesity, because it doesn’t distinguish excess weight from body fat or from bone and muscle. (Agrawal, 6/1)
MedPage Today: Obesity With A Normal BMI? Study Suggests It's Common
Over a quarter of U.S. adults with a normal body mass index (BMI) met recently proposed criteria for clinical obesity, a national cross-sectional study found. (Monaco, 6/1)
