CDC Stumped By Polio-Like Paralyzing Illness In Children As Cases Surge In 22 States
The condition striking kids in a growing number of states is called acute flaccid myelitis and it can cause paralysis, but health officials are unable to find a cause for the increased number of cases. The wave of illnesses seems to come in alternating years, and this one is similar to surges seen in 2014 and 2016.
The Associated Press:
Mysterious Paralyzing Illness Found Among Kids In 22 States
U.S. health officials on Tuesday reported a jump in cases of a rare paralyzing illness in children, and said it seems to be following an every-other-year pattern. At least 62 cases have been confirmed in 22 states this year, and at least 65 additional illnesses in those states are being investigated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Similar waves of the same illness occurred in 2014 and 2016. (Stobbe, 10/16)
In other national health care news —
The New York Times:
Why White Supremacists Are Chugging Milk (And Why Geneticists Are Alarmed)
Nowhere on the agenda of the annual meeting of the American Society of Human Genetics, being held in San Diego this week, is a topic plaguing many of its members: the recurring appropriation of the field’s research in the name of white supremacy. “Sticking your neck out on political issues is difficult,” said Jennifer Wagner, a bioethicist and president of the group’s social issues committee, who had sought to convene a panel on the racist misuse of genetics and found little traction. But the specter of the field’s ignominious past, which includes support for the American eugenics movement, looms large for many geneticists in light of today’s white identity politics. (Harmon, 10/17)
The New York Times:
Domestic Violence Awareness Hasn’t Caught Up With #MeToo. Here’s Why.
When Kaylee Kapatos posted on Facebook this month that she was a survivor of domestic violence, using the hashtag #WhyIStayed, the response among her friends was muted. Only the week before, she had posted about sexual assault with the hashtag #WhyIDidntReport and got what she called “overwhelmingly positive feedback.” “It’s totally different,” said Ms. Kapatos, 25, who works as a residence life coordinator at Michigan Technological University. “People just don’t want to talk about it.” (Mervosh, 10/16)
The New York Times:
Is It Possible To Be An Anti-Abortion Democrat? One Woman Tried To Find Out
Joan Barry has been a member of the Missouri Democratic Party for 53 years. As a state legislator, she voted regularly for workers’ rights, health care and programs for the poor. So when the party began writing a new platform after its crushing losses in 2016, Ms. Barry, a member of its state committee, did not think it was too much to ask for a plank that welcomed people like her — Democrats who oppose abortion. (Tavernise, 10/16)
Modern Healthcare:
Anthem's $16M Breach Settlement Reminds Others To Assess Their Cyber Risks
Anthem's record-breaking data breach settlement on Monday has put providers and insurers on notice that ignoring cybersecurity risks could come with a hefty pricetag. The nation's second-largest insurer will pay HHS' Office for Civil Rights $16 million over a 2015 data breach that affected almost 79 million people, the largest data breach ever reported to the agency. Other healthcare organizations face similar threats, especially if they have large sets of data that can entice hackers, according to cybersecurity experts. (Arndt and Livinsgton, 10/16)