August 2026

Family physicians should counsel patients to prioritize whole, plant-based foods; limit ultra-processed products; and promote culturally flexible dietary patterns, referring to dietitians when needed.

Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the gastrointestinal tract and often causes extraintestinal manifestations. Evaluation includes endoscopy, imaging, and fecal calprotectin testing. Management is guided by disease severity, complications, and…

Most patients with aortic stenosis are asymptomatic initially, but as the disease progresses to severe stenosis, symptoms may develop, leading to the need for valve replacement. Management is dependent on many factors, including symptoms, severity, rate of progression, and left…

Patient-initiated discontinuation of buprenorphine should involve shared decision-making, flexible tapering plans, and overdose prevention. For some patients, sustained dose reduction may be a more feasible end point than complete cessation.

Herpes zoster (ie, shingles) is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus and commonly presents with a painful, vesicular skin rash that resolves within weeks. Treatment involves antiviral medications and pain management. The most frequent complication is…

Funded Educational Content: Obesity and Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease: Association, Aetiology, Disease Progression, and Management

The 20 most relevant research studies of 2025 for family physicians include new evidence regarding infections, women's health, cardiovascular disease, and neurology.

The federal child and adolescent immunization schedule differs significantly from those of the American Academy of Family Physicians and other major medical organizations, which has the potential to create public confusion and challenges for family physicians.

In recent years, research on the health implications of ultraprocessed foods has grown significantly.

A color rating of yellow (unclear benefits) has been assigned for prescribing proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) monoclonal antibodies for primary and secondary prevention of CVD; the decision is based on small and uncertain benefits as adjunctive treatment…

Telemedicine-based models of care, compared with in-clinic care, result in similar rates of successful abortion, adherence (eg, to medication regimen, follow-up plan), and continued pregnancy. Telemedicine-based models of care compared with in-clinic care result in little to no…

Compared with nonpharmacologic treatment as usual, sustained-release naltrexone reduces the risk of nonprescribed (ie, illicit) opioid use but does not decrease the risk of overdose or death. Compared with oral naltrexone, extended-release naltrexone reduces the risk of…

Physicians should counsel pregnant patients that increased heat exposure may increase the risk of poor pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth, placental abruption, and stillbirth.

Patients with type 2 diabetes taking GLP-1 receptor agonists had a 0.4% lower absolute risk of nonfatal stroke compared with patients taking a placebo. In adults with obesity but not type 2 di-abetes, these drugs are associated with a 7% lower rate of stroke.

First-person accounts from the front lines of family medicine.

A 30-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes and hypertension presented with an asymptomatic, slowly enlarging growth on the anterior aspect of her right hip.

A 60-year-old man presented with a rash on his right hand that developed 3 months earlier.

Does daily application of an emollient reduce the likelihood that children will be diagnosed with atopic dermatitis at 2 years of age?

Are high-dose influenza vaccines more effective in reducing hospitalizations in older adults than a standard dose?

In postmenopausal women with vasomotor symptoms, does estrogen replacement therapy, with or without progesterone, affect the likelihood of experiencing a cardiovascular event?

Does the avoidance of caffeine, compared with consuming caffeinated coffee, following cardioversion reduce the risk of recurrent atrial fibrillation?

The American Urological Association has published amended guidelines for the evaluation of microhematuria.

The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) updated guidelines for the management of complicated intra-abdominal infections focusing on imaging and microbiologic evaluation.

Reply: Jeffrey D. Quinlan, MD; Amy Wiser, MD

Letters to the Editor

Reply: Alexis Reedy-Cooper, MD, MPH

Incorrect test and testing requirements. “HIV Infection: What Is New in Prevention and Treatment?” (May 2026,p. 479) incorrectly identified a laboratory test in Table 3, “Recommended Laboratory Tests Before Prescribing HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis.” Hepatitis B core antibody…

A group of multidisciplinary experts from primary care, endocrinology, and gastroenterology settings convened to explore perspectives across practice settings on addressing constipation associated with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs).