When Doctors Are Stumped By Rare Cases, They Can Call In These ‘Disease Detectives’
The Undiagnosed Diseases Network, set up by the National Institutes of Health, brings in specialists trained to diagnose mystery symptoms and "the rarest of rare diseases."
San Francisco Chronicle:
‘Disease Detectives’ Crack Cases Of 130 Patients With Mysterious Illnesses
A national network of “disease detectives” has cracked the complicated medical mysteries of more than 130 patients with rare, previously unidentified diseases, though the bulk of the cases that come to them remain unsolved, according to an analysis of the network released Wednesday. The Undiagnosed Diseases Network — which now has 12 clinics nationwide, including one at Stanford — has a solve rate of about 35 percent, according to the analysis, published in the New England Journal of Medicine. (Allday, 10/10)
In other public health news —
KQED:
Big Data Gives A Boost To Immunology Research And Potentially, Treatments
Researchers at UC San Francisco have unveiled the largest searchable database of immunology data, gathered from 10,000 people of various ages, ethnicity, and backgrounds. It could lead to more effective treatments for a wide range of immune disorders. (Ahmed, 10/10)
The San Diego Union-Tribune:
Woman With Bipolar Disorder Will Receive $110,000 From Company That Dismissed Her After She Texted During Manic Episode
Triton Management Services, a Carlsbad-based company that provides administrative and other services for bail bond businesses, has agreed to pay $110,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging discrimination against an employee with a disability, federal regulators announced Wednesday. The lawsuit, filed a year ago in federal court by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission after pre-litigation settlement negotiations failed, accused Triton of denying a leave of absence an employee who needed medical attention and firing her instead of trying to provide reasonable accommodation. (Cook, 10/10)