JMIR Publications released five feature News and Perspectives articles, covering the unexpected outcomes of social media regulations in Australia, China's AI health landscape, and how digital innovations are being used to improve health outcomes across the United States.
Wildfire Preparedness Protecting Those At Risk of Adverse Health Events
As wildfires—and their effects on air quality—increase in frequency, public health initiatives move from reactive to proactive. In " As Wildfires Rise Across the West, New Tools Aim to Protect At-Risk Populations ", JMIR Correspondent Virginia Gewin speaks with Reshma Gupta and Brooks Kuhn about their Population Health Wildfire Preparedness and Management Model at UC Davis, which identifies and alerts at-risk populations to mitigate adverse health events from poor air quality. The model integrates electronic health records, air quality data, and patient zip codes to determine which individuals are most at risk, then sends them instructional messages on how to protect themselves. Next steps for this and similar models, reports Gewin, include AI integration for patient identification, expanding the geographic reach of the service, and further personalization of alert thresholds across California's diverse climate.
Please cite as:
Gewin V. As Wildfires Rise Across the West, New Tools Aim to Protect At-Risk Populations.
J Med Internet Res 2026;28:e107243
URL: https://www.jmir.org/2026/1/e107243
DOI: 10.2196/107243
Digital Tools for Rural Maternal Care
Amidst a worsening maternal health crisis and hospital closures across the United States, digital technologies may be able to mitigate adverse outcomes. In " Digital Health Technologies Are Bridging the Maternal Mortality Gap ", JMIR Correspondent Anika Nayak covers recent innovations in digital health which help women in rural areas access obstetric care, including the Pregnancy+ app offering prenatal education and help navigating the healthcare system; Bluetooth-enabled blood pressure cuffs to allow for remote monitoring for early signs of pre-eclampsia; and Pulsenmore ES, an FDA-cleared home-use prenatal ultrasound platform. "The trend reflects a broader recognition that technologies once confined to hospitals and clinics can be safely deployed in patients' homes when appropriate clinical oversight exists," writes Nayak, noting also a 2025 review which found that rural maternal health programs were successful when combining digital tools with in-person care.
Please cite as:
Nayak A. Digital Health Technologies Are Bridging the Maternal Mortality Gap.
J Med Internet Res 2026;28:e107344
URL: https://www.jmir.org/2026/1/e107344
DOI: 10.2196/107344
Will Social Media Regulations Work?
Regulating children's access to online spaces may have unintended consequences, reports JMIR Correspondent Simon Spichak in " How Social Media and Chatbot Bans Could Backfire ". He speaks with experts on the politically fraught background of Australia's legislation banning youth under 16 from accessing social media, the debate on whether and how best to make the internet safe for children, and Canada's newly introduced Safe Social Media Act. Noting that up to 85% of underage users had remained on social media in Australia, evading the ban by moving to less regulated and potentially less safe platforms, Spichak discusses how potential blind spots in legislation may fail to protect children, instead cutting off vulnerable groups from online communities and access to information.
Please cite as:
Spichak S. How Social Media and Chatbot Bans Could Backfire.
J Med Internet Res 2026;28:e107251
URL: https://www.jmir.org/2026/1/e107251
DOI: 10.2196/107251
Breaking Down China's AI Consumer Health Platforms
MD-PhD candidate and JMIR Correspondent Tejas S Athni breaks down four major Chinese consumer-facing AI health care platforms in " China's AI-Enabled Consumer Health Ecosystems ": Ping An Good Doctor, JD Health, Alibaba Health, and WeDoctor. Athni argues that, unlike AI assistants in the United States, China's platforms can be better understood as AI-enabled health ecosystems, "integrating telemedicine, pharmacy services, hospital scheduling, and chronic disease management." The development and deep integration of AI in Chinese consumer care is "incentivized and driven in part by structural factors unique to its health care system: a significant shortage of physicians relative to its population…, stark geographic disparities in hospital quality between urban and rural areas, and chronically overburdened outpatient facilities," writes Athni.
Please cite as:
Athni T. China's AI-Enabled Consumer Health Ecosystems.
J Med Internet Res 2026;28:e107251
URL: https://www.jmir.org/2026/1/e107537
DOI: 10.2196/107537
Surgical AI's Opportunities and Risks
In " AI in the OR: Ethics and the Evolving Role of Surgeons ", JMIR Correspondent Jenna Congdon speaks with spinal surgery specialist Ehsan Jazini on how AI tools are increasingly used in surgical practice. These tools can assist with training, surgical planning, clinical decision support, automated measurements, preoperative imaging, and even autonomous robotic surgical processes, though ethical and legal governance over these technologies lag behind. As AI tools and autonomous systems continue to propel surgical practice, "fully informed consent for patients receiving surgery using AI-supported tools, data and privacy protection, and consistent regulatory standards surrounding clinician and manufacturer liability" is paramount, Congdon writes.
Please cite as:
Congdon J. AI in the OR: Ethics and the Evolving Role of Surgeons.
J Med Internet Res 2026;28:e107619
URL: https://www.jmir.org/2026/1/e107619
DOI: 10.2196/107619
About JMIR Publications News and Perspectives
JMIR Publications is a leading open access publisher of digital health research. The News and Perspectives section is the newest addition to its portfolio, established to bring the rigor and integrity of academic publishing to scientific journalism. The section features well-researched, expert-driven content from the Scientific News Editor, Kayleigh-Ann Clegg, PhD, and a network of specialist JMIR Publications Correspondents to keep the digital health community informed, inspired, and ahead of the curve.
About JMIR Publications
JMIR Publications is a leading open access publisher of digital health research and a champion of open science. With a focus on author advocacy and research amplification, JMIR Publications partners with researchers to advance their careers and maximize the impact of their work. As a technology organization with publishing at its core, we provide innovative tools and resources that go beyond traditional publishing, supporting researchers at every step of the dissemination process. Our portfolio features a range of peer-reviewed journals, including the renowned Journal of Medical Internet Research.
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