Category: Health

(NEW YORK) — From a pig kidney transplant to restoring genetic deafness, 2024 was a year full of medical breakthroughs.

The breakthroughs include the discovery of a cause of an autoimmune disease, the development of a “game-changing” drug and potential hope for those experiencing end-stage organ failure.

Here are five of the biggest highlights in medical achievements this year:

Gene therapy restores hearing in children

Children with hereditary deafness regained their hearing thanks to a type of gene therapy, according to the results of a clinical trial published in the medical journal The Lancet in January.

Investigators from Mass Eye and Ear, a specialty hospital in Boston, examined six children who had a form of genetic deafness called DFNB9, which is caused by a gene mutation that interferes with the transmission of sound signals from the ear to the brain.

Gene therapy involved the use of an inactive virus carrying a functioning version of the gene, which was introduced into the inner ears of the six children.

After 26 weeks, five of the six children recovered their hearing and could even conduct “normal conversation.”

“Children with this genetic hearing loss…the only treatment option for them until now is [a] cochlear implant,” Dr. Zheng-Yi Chen, an associate scientist in the Eaton-Peabody Laboratories at Mass Eye and Ear and study co-investigator, told ABC News. “And of course, [a] cochlear implant can help them tremendously, but it’s with its own limitations.”

“But with this gene therapy, the children regain hearing, and they were able to speak. So, in a way, the life is totally transformed,” he continued. “This study really opened up the whole field that, in the future, we’ll be able to develop a treatment for other [types] of genetic hearing loss, for which there is no treatment at all at the moment.”

Groundbreaking animal organ transplant

Surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) conducted the world’s first genetically-edited pig kidney transplant into a living human in March 2024.

During a four-hour procedure, a surgical team connected the pig kidney’s blood vessels and ureter – the duct that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder – with those of 62-year-old Richard Slayman, a man living with end-stage kidney disease.

“For patients with kidney failure, we know that transplantation is the best treatment option, but unfortunately, we face an immense organ shortage,” Dr. Leonardo Riella, medical director of kidney transplantation at MGH, told ABC News. “So, we have over 100,000 patients waiting for a kidney transplant in the U.S., and more than 17 patients die every day on the waiting list.”

“So, the idea here is, how can we overcome this organ shortage barrier? And having kidneys from another species that could be delivered in a timely manner for these patients once they develop kidney failure could be game-changing for the entire field,” he added.

Slayman passed away in May of this year, but there is no evidence it was the result of the transplant, according to MGH.

Riella said over the course of Slayman’s care, much was learned about how to best deliver care when using animal organs for transplants in the hopes of making the treatment more widely available to patients waiting for a new organ.

A cause of lupus discovered

A team at Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Northwestern Medicine said they have discovered a cause of the autoimmune disease lupus and a possible way to reverse it.

Lupus sees the body’s immune system mistakenly attack its own healthy cells and tissues, which can cause inflammation and damage in organs or systems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In a study, published in the journal Nature in July, researchers compared blood samples from 19 lupus patients to 19 patients without the condition and found imbalances in the types of T-cells lupus patients produce.

T-cells are a certain type of white blood cell that plays a crucial role in the body’s immune response to the disease.

“We’ve identified a fundamental imbalance in the immune responses that patients with lupus make, and we’ve defined specific mediators that can correct this imbalance to dampen the pathologic autoimmune response,” co-corresponding author Dr. Deepak Rao, a rheumatologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and co-director of its Center for Cellular Profiling, said in a press release at the time.

1st new class of schizophrenia drug in more than 3 decades

In September, the FDA approved the first new class of drug to treat people with schizophrenia in more than 30 years.

The pill, called Cobenfy – manufactured by Bristol Myers Squibb – combines two drugs, xanomeline and trospium chloride, and is taken twice a day.

Clinical trials showed the combination helped manage schizophrenia symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions and disorganized thinking.

Dr. René Kahn, chair of psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, said it took many years to develop the first medications for schizophrenia, which are effective in preventing psychosis and work by blocking dopamine receptors.

“Blocking the dopamine receptor directly or indirectly is very unpleasant. Sometimes for patients, they can have unpleasant side effects. It can decrease their energy, it can make them feel depressed, and it can give them Parkinsonian side effects,” Kahn told ABC News.

He described Cobenfy as “game-changing in the sense that this is the first drug that doesn’t directly – with the emphasis on directly – influence the dopamine system and certainly doesn’t block dopamine receptors. So that’s very important, because it may show that we don’t have to directly block or affect the dopamine system but can do that through a different mechanism.”

Kahn said the next step will be monitoring the drug as it is prescribed to thousands of schizophrenia patients to ensure it works and that side effects are minimal.

1st over-the-counter combo flu and COVID test outside of emergency use

The FDA authorized the first over-the-counter combination COVID-19 and flu test outside of emergency use in October.

The Healgen Rapid Check COVID-19/Flu A&B Antigen Test can be purchased at a pharmacy or other stores without a prescription.

While there are other over-the-counter combination tests currently available, this is the first to be marketed to consumers using the traditional approval pathway outside of a public health emergency, according to the FDA.

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(NEW YORK) — The FDA has expanded the approval of Eli Lilly’s obesity medication Zepbound to include treating moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea for people with obesity — the first medication approved for the condition.

The new, expanded Zepbound approval means that insurance providers, including Medicare, will likely cover the medication for people with sleep apnea and obesity. Some insurance providers, including Medicare, do not offer reimbursement to treat obesity alone.

The new approval is for people with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea who are also living with obesity. Eli Lilly estimates that is about 15-20 million adults in the U.S.

Obstructive sleep apnea isn’t just an inconvenience, it’s a serious medical condition that impairs breathing and sleep quality. Obesity and obstructive sleep apnea are linked. People tend to see their obstructive sleep apnea get better when they lose a significant amount of weight. It’s likely the weight loss associated with the medication is helping improve the sleep apnea.

Right now, there is no medicine to treat obstructive sleep apnea — it’s only treated with a positive airway pressure device.

In a study, people who took Zepbound had at least 25 fewer breathing interruptions per hour while they slept. They also lost an average of 20% of their body weight.

The study also followed people over a year, and found that up to half of the adults taking Zepbound no longer had obstructive sleep apnea symptoms at the end of the year.

Obstructive sleep apnea is more common in men than women. Up to 34% of U.S. men have OSA compared to 17% of U.S. women, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Common signs of sleep apnea include heavy snoring at night, long pauses in breathing while sleeping as well as excessive daytime sleepiness, forgetfulness and morning headaches. The symptoms of the disorder can lead to significant medical problems.

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(NEW YORK) — Nearly 12 years ago, Jessie Owen’s life changed forever.

“My family was going over a mountain pass and a tree fell on our car. In that moment, my parents passed away, my siblings were severely injured, and I became quadriplegic,” Owen said. “I lost my independence. I lost my job. I lost my apartment. I lost my autonomy and the life that I dreamed for myself.”

Like Owen, more than 300,000 people live with spinal cord injuries in the United States, with an estimated 18,000 new cases each year, data shows.

Motor vehicle accidents account for the majority of spinal cord injuries and are closely followed by falls, acts of violence and sports activities, according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center.

For years, options for recovery have been limited, but a newly FDA-cleared external spinal stimulator, ARC-EX Therapy, which received clearance on Dec. 19, may offer hope for people like Owen.

“ARC-EX is simply electrodes attached to skin on the back of the neck,” explained Chet Moritz, M.D., a professor of rehabilitation medicine at the University of Washington. “It allows us to pass current through the skin to activate the sensory nerves as they enter the spinal cord. Now, those sensory nerves make direct connections to the motor nerves which help people to move.”

Owen, who participated in the Up-LIFT study, a clinical trial focusing on the health benefits of ARC-EX Therapy, saw a life-changing impact.

“I was wildly surprised and pleased to see that it was making meaningful change in my life. I can now paint with my hands. I can open a jar of peanut butter. I can tie my shoes. It [used to] take me 30 minutes to get dressed. Now it takes 12. [I used to require] 20 caregiving hours a week and I was able to move down to about eight.”

The Up-LIFT study produced promising results.

Of the 60 patients with cervical spinal cord injuries studied, 72% saw improvements in hand strength and function. Participants also reported fewer muscle spasms, better sleep, less pain, and improved independence during daily activities.

“The success of [this] study of people with spinal cord injuries is phenomenal,” noted Moritz. “There are essentially no current therapies for chronic spinal cord injury, and so having the majority of patients respond in both strength and function measures [is] just an outstanding result.”

With FDA approval, ARC-EX Therapy is expected to become more accessible.

“Patients can work with their local rehabilitation clinics to see a therapist and work with them in the clinic at first to tune the device,” Moritz said. Results may appear quickly — some participants noticed changes within just a few sessions, he added.

While the device is currently cleared for improving hand strength, function and sensation, Moritz noted other benefits: “Some people will have modest improvements in their bladder function, heart rate, or blood pressure control.”

Leah Croll, M.D., vascular neurologist at Maimonides Health and assistant professor of neurology at SUNY Downstate, shared the excitement over the device.

“The idea that ARC-EX Therapy may accelerate or augment neurologic recovery is really exciting. Any improvement in neurologic function is meaningful and has far-reaching impact in the daily lives of these patients and their families,” she said.

The road to recovery after a spinal cord injury is grueling, Croll said.

“After emergency and ICU care is completed, the mainstay of treatment is working closely with physical therapists, occupational therapists and other rehabilitation professionals to support neurologic recovery,” said Croll. “Patients may also need medications and certain procedures, depending on their unique symptoms.”

For Owen and others, ARC-EX Therapy represents a renewed sense of hope and an exciting change in the way these patients can be treated.

“[With ARC-EX Therapy], I continued to gain function back, and I found I was able to pour more into other people,” Owen said. “The first indicator of success that I noticed was my own happiness. It works, and it gives us hope and passion.”

Natalie S. Rosen, M.D., is a physician in the Hematology & Oncology Department at New York-Presbyterian Columbia and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.

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(NEW YORK) — A deadly, undiagnosed disease that has been spreading in one region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) may be linked to malaria, health officials said Thursday.

As of Dec. 14, the latest date for which data is available, 592 cases have been reported with 37 confirmed deaths and 44 deaths under investigation, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the public health agency of the African Union.

Over the last week, 181 samples from 51 cases were tested in a laboratory, Dr. Ngashi Ngongo, Africa CDC chief of staff, said during a Thursday press briefing.

Laboratory testing showed 25 out of 29 tested were positive for malaria. Additionally, rapid testing showed 55 out of 88 patients were positive for malaria.

Ngashi said there are two hypotheses: The first is that the undiagnosed disease is severe malaria “on a background of malnutrition and viral infection” and the second is the disease is a viral infection “on a background of malaria and malnutrition.”

Malaria is a serious disease caused by a parasite that infects a certain type of mosquito, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most people contract malaria after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

Most cases of malaria occur in sub-Saharan Africa, but it also occurs in parts of Oceania and in parts of Central and South America and Southeast Asia.

Malaria can be deadly if is not diagnosed and treated quickly, the CDC said.

What we know about the disease

The disease first appeared in a remote area in the province of Kwango, in the southwestern part of the DRC on the border with Angola, according to Africa CDC.

The first case was documented on Oct. 24. Patients have been experiencing flu-like symptoms including fever, headache, coughing and difficulty breathing as well as anemia, Africa CDC said during a press briefing earlier this month.

A plurality of cases, or 42.7%, have occurred in children under 5 years old. This age group also has the largest number of deaths, with 21 so far, data from Africa CDC shows. Children between ages 5 and 9 make up the second highest number of cases

Africa CDC said in a post on X earlier this month that it took five to six weeks after the first case was reported for local authorities to alert the national government, highlighting “gaps in Africa’s disease detection systems: limited surveillance, testing delays & weak lab infrastructure.”

-ABC News’ Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed the first case of severe bird flu in the United States.

The federal health agency said Wednesday that the patient has been hospitalized in Louisiana. No identifying details about the patient were made available.

Genomic data showed the Louisiana patient was infected with a version of the virus recently found to be spreading in wild birds and poultry in the U.S., as well as found in some human cases in Canada and Washington state, according to the CDC.

This is different than the version of the virus found to be spreading in dairy cows and some poultry populations in the U.S.

The Louisiana patient was exposed to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks, although an investigation into the source of the illness is ongoing, the CDC said. This is the first case of human bird flu in the U.S. linked to exposure to backyard flock.

There have been 61 reported human cases of bird flu reported in the U.S. since April, according to CDC data.

Almost all confirmed cases have had direct contact with infected cattle or infected livestock. Prior to the case confirmed in the Louisiana patient, cases had been mild and patients had all recovered after receiving antiviral medication, according to the CDC and state health officials. One previous case in Missouri was hospitalized, but health officials pointed to other health conditions aside from bird flu infection involved in the patient’s admission to the hospital.

Signs and symptoms of infection in humans often include sore throat, cough, fever, runny or stuffy nose, headache, muscle or body aches, fatigue and shortness of breath, the CDC says. Less common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and seizures.

Infections can range from no symptoms or mild illness, such as flu-like symptoms, to more severe illness, such as pneumonia that could require hospitalizations, the CDC says.

“The best way to prevent bird flu is to avoid exposure whenever possible. Infected birds shed avian influenza A viruses in their saliva, mucous and feces,” the CDC wrote Wednesday in a press release. “Other infected animals may shed avian influenza A viruses in respiratory secretions and other bodily fluids (e.g., in unpasteurized cow milk or ‘raw milk’).”

The CDC said no person-to-person transmission has been detected and the risk to the general public is low. However, those who work with birds, poultry or cows — or have recreational exposure to them — are at higher risk and should take precautions recommended by the health agency.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a new federal order last week that raw milk samples nationwide will be collected and shared with the department in order to test for bird flu.

The decision came after the bird flu virus was found in samples of raw milk from a California farm, which issued a recall of all of its raw milk products earlier this week. The farm was also placed under quarantine by state health officials.

ABC News’ Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) — Authorities are looking into online accounts believed to be those of Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old Ivy League graduate charged with murder in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a Manhattan street, that have posted about health struggles and possible medical successes.

Mangione appeared to operate a Reddit profile where he detailed health issues including back pain, brain fog and sciatica. The account made several posts on a subreddit dedicated to spondylolisthesis — a condition where a vertebra slips out of alignment. Mangione also might have planned to read or already read multiple books on back pain based on a Goodreads account associated with him.

Law enforcement sources have told ABC News that the Reddit profile — which has since been taken down — is being reviewed for additional details about the extent of the injuries mentioned. A Reddit spokesperson told ABC News regarding the page that their policy is to suspend accounts that may potentially be related to suspects in high-profile criminal investigations.

Mangione is accused of gunning down Thompson outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel on Dec. 4. Written on the shell casings were the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose,” according to police sources. Mangione was apprehended in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on Monday after nearly one week on the run. He allegedly had a spiral notebook detailing plans about how to eventually kill the CEO, according to law enforcement officials.

Mangione is being held without bail in Pennsylvania, where he faces charges including allegedly possessing an untraceable ghost gun. Defense attorney Thomas Dickey told reporters on Tuesday that Mangione will plead not guilty to the Pennsylvania charges. He said he anticipates that Mangione will also plead not guilty to the second-degree murder charge in New York.

The posts and reading lists paint a picture of someone seeking answers, sharing how spinal fusion surgery brought the author relief after years of discomfort.

“Chronic pain can be incredibly debilitating. It can affect every aspect of your life,” Dr. Joseph Shrand, chief medical officer of Riverside Community Care in Massachusetts and a Harvard Medical School faculty member, told ABC News.

While the Reddit posts suggest a spinal surgery was a significant moment in his life, the author of the posts said the procedure left him pain-free, and he frequently encouraged others to undertake similar procedures.

In an August 2023 post, the user remarked how his spinal injury was once “completely devastating” and worried he was “destined to chronic pain and a desk job for the rest of my life” before considering surgery.

Chronic pain, defined as pain lasting three months or more, affects about 50 million U.S. adults, according to the National Institutes of Health. Of these, 17 million Americans experience “high impact” chronic pain, which is so debilitating that it disrupts daily activities like work, self-care and relationships, the NIH says.

Women, older adults, and those living in poverty or rural areas tend to report the highest rates of persistent pain. So do people who are divorced or separated, identify as bisexual, or say they are generally in poor health, according to the NIH.

Studies suggest that chronic pain can put people at a higher risk of mental health struggles, as well as create a financial burden.

Research shows that between 35% to 45% of those with chronic pain experience depression, while anxiety disorders are similarly common. Pain may interfere with sleep, increase stress, and create cycles of declining mental and physical health.

“Chronic pain puts you at a disadvantage mentally because you may think other people see you as broken,” Shrand said. “There will be times where you may feel in such physical pain that it becomes emotional pain, too.”

Some studies suggest a biological link between chronic pain and mental health disorders. For example, depression can heighten pain sensitivity, reinforcing the connection between the two, according to a study in the journal Neural Plasticity.

Chronic pain affects every facet of life. It can limit employment opportunities, disrupt social connections and lead to cognitive challenges, including “brain fog.”

“People have difficulty getting out of bed in the morning because their backs hurt, which means that they’re potentially at risk of coming into work late, which then puts them at risk for the cascade effects of all those things that can happen because they are now perceived as a person who isn’t doing their job right,” Shrand said.

Chronic pain can lead to a substantial financial burden, as well. According to one Journal of Pain study, individuals with severe pain spend more than $4,000 more annually on health care versus those without pain.

Managing chronic pain requires a combination of medical, psychological and lifestyle interventions, but insurance often prioritizes medications and procedures with inconsistent results.

For instance, lumbar fusion surgeries — such as the one purportedly described by Mangione — are commonly performed but often fail to provide lasting relief, according to various studies.

When Mangione was arrested on Monday, he had “written admissions about the crime” with him, according to the New York arrest warrant.

Mangione had several handwritten pages on him that expressed a “disdain for corporate America” and indicated “he’s frustrated with the health care system in the United States,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny told ABC News’ “Good Morning America” on Tuesday.

The words on the bullets echo the title of the 2010 book “Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It.” Police are aware of the similarity, and are investigating whether one possible motive is anger at the insurance industry, sources said.

While the Reddit posts suggest a spinal surgery was a significant moment in his life, the author of the posts said the procedure left him pain-free, and he frequently encouraged others to undertake similar procedures.

One of Mangione’s apparent posts on the r/Spondylolisthesis subreddit in February 2024 referred to having had a surgery for the condition six months prior. The author said that “[w]within 7 days of the fusion I was on zero pain meds.”

Many widely used approaches, such as opioids or steroid injections, provide only temporary solutions to chronic pain. Meanwhile, treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy, yoga and acceptance therapy show promise but remain difficult to access due to cost and insurance coverage gaps.

However, many chronic pain patients face a maze of treatments that don’t fully address their needs or the root causes of their pain.

Shrand said the best approach often requires a combination of solutions.

“You can’t just attack the physical. You’ve got to address the biological, mental and social aspects of life,” he said. “You can manage this pain — it’s part of your body, and we can find a way to take care of you.”

ABC News’ Peter Charalambous, Aaron Katersky, Kerem Inal, Chris Looft and Sasha Pezenik contributed to this report.

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(MARIN COUNTY, Calif.) — Health officials in Marin County, California say a child with a suspected bird flu infection drank raw milk before getting sick.

“[Marin County Public Health] is reporting a suspected case of bird flu in a child who experienced fever and vomiting after drinking raw milk,” according to a statement. “The child has recovered, and no other family members became sick, indicating no person-to person transmission.”

“MCPH is actively investigating this possible case of bird flu linked to raw milk consumption with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),” the statement continued, further noting that “raw milk, which hasn’t been pasteurized, poses a risk of spreading diseases, including influenza.”

For now, the child is only suspected of having bird flu, pending tests to confirm the diagnosis. However, officials are concerned about the risks of drinking raw milk in an ongoing bird flu outbreak in the state, with 32 human cases confirmed in the state so far, all but one of which officials say originated from exposure to cattle.

California health officials last week announced that it had “secured a broad, voluntary recall” of raw milk and cream products from supplier Raw Farm, LLC after it tested positive for the virus “at both retail and dairy storage and bottling sites.”

It’s not yet clear whether people can become infected with bird flu from drinking raw milk, but studies in cats and mice suggest the animals can get sick from drinking contaminated raw milk.

The CDC continues to warn against drinking raw milk, which can contain bacteria and viruses that can lead to gastrointestinal distress. In rare cases, it can lead to more severe illness such as Guillain-Barre syndrome, which can cause paralysis.

There have been at least 58 human cases of bird flu so far this year in the U.S., according to the CDC, almost all of which have been farm workers exposed to infected livestock.

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(NEW YORK) — The rates of late-stage breast cancer at diagnosis have risen among women in all racial and ethnic groups, but Black women have been hit the hardest, according to a new study published in the journal Radiology.

The study, which looked at data from 2004 to 2021, found that advanced breast cancer rates have risen among women of all ages, with the sharpest increases in young women aged 20 to 39, and women over 75.

Black women experience advanced diagnoses 55% more often than white women and are more likely to die from the disease, the study found.

While mammography does save lives by catching cancer earlier, fewer than 70% of eligible women are up to date on their screenings, the study found.

This trend is particularly alarming because early detection significantly improves survival. Five-year survival rates drop drastically from 99% for early-stage breast cancer to just 31% when the cancer is more advanced and has already spread to other parts of the body, the study found.

However, disparities persist despite Black women having similar self-reported mammography use rates as white women.

“Black women tend to have more aggressive breast cancers, including a higher rate of triple-negative breast cancers,” study co-author, Edward Hendrick, Ph.D., clinical professor of radiology at the University of Colorado told ABC News. “There may also be differences in how findings are acted upon, reflecting barriers to high-quality care.”

The COVID-19 pandemic made things worse as well, Hendrick noted, with many women skipping or delaying mammograms.

“Volumes at screening sites for the year 2020 were down as much as 90% from 2019 levels,” he said. “These missed screenings contributed to higher rates of advanced breast cancers in 2021 and likely subsequent years.”

The study also pointed to other possible reasons for the uptick in later-stage diagnoses.

“Obesity in post-menopausal women increases breast cancer risk, as does prolonged exposure to estrogen from early periods or late menopause,” explained study co-author, Debra L. Monticciolo, M.D., a professor of radiology at Texas A&M University.

She added that physicians could help by offering a breast cancer risk assessment to their patients starting at age 25. Identifying high-risk women early would help catch cancers sooner, she said.

Despite the concerning statistics, the study suggested that solutions are within reach. Increasing screening rates, expanding healthcare access, and ensuring follow-up care after abnormal mammograms could make a difference.

“Improving equity in care is critical to saving lives,” Monticciolo said. “By prioritizing access to care for all and emphasizing the importance of early detection, we believe this trend of rising late-stage diagnoses can be reversed.”

Late-stage breast cancer diagnoses are not just statistics — they reflect missed opportunities for prevention and early treatment, Hendrick added.

“We could benefit from greater public awareness of the importance of catching breast cancer at its earliest, most curable stages,” he said.

Breast cancer accounts for about one in three new cancer diagnoses in women every year, according to the latest American Cancer Society statistics. More than 40,000 American women die from the disease yearly.

Esther Zusstone, MD, is a radiology resident at NYU Langone, and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.

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(NEW YORK) — Fury, anger and resentment toward the health care industry have exploded in the public rhetoric in the wake of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killing and one activist said that “volcanic” eruption of emotion has been boiling up for years.

People have been flooding social media posts with statements chastising UHC for its policies, bringing up times they were personally denied coverage or hit with huge bills for services.

In some instances, some users have even praised Thompson’s murder and the shooter, who is still on the lam and not been publicly identified as of Friday evening. UHC’s Facebook post memorializing Thompson was filled with “laughing” emojis and comments chastising the insurer before comments were shut off.

Derrick Crowe, a spokesman for the nonprofit People’s Action Institute, a social advocacy nonprofit that has protested UHC and other health care, told ABC News that he was horrified by Thompson’s shooting and offered his condolences to his loved ones.

However, he noted the anger online has been a long time coming.

“I think the reason that anger was pent up and it came out in such a volcanic way is that corporations have too much power in this country and they’re standing in the way of dealing with two big epidemics,” he told ABC News. “One is the epidemic of gun violence, which we saw an example of in Manhattan, and one is an epidemic of care denials across the country.”

Crowe said more than 250 million health claims are denied annually by health insurance companies. He claimed the UHC “by far leads the clear care denials of people’s claims when they’re seeking health care.”

He cited examples such as patients claiming they were denied coverage for a congenital defect or infant care.

“Many of the folks that we’ve talked to have had personal stories of needing acute health care quickly and have found that this company has been standing in their way,” he said.

When asked by ABC News about the increase in rhetoric against the healthcare industry following the shooting, a UHC spokesperson deferred to its latest statement about Thompson’s killing.

“While our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring of kindness and support in the hours since this horrific crime took place. So many patients, consumers, health care professionals, associations, government officials and other caring people have taken time out of their day to reach out. We are thankful, even as we grieve,” the statement said.

“Our priorities are, first and foremost, supporting Brian’s family; ensuring the safety of our employees; and working with law enforcement to bring the perpetrator to justice. We, at UnitedHealth Group, will continue to be there for those who depend upon us for their health care. We ask that everyone respect the family’s privacy as they mourn the loss of their husband, father, brother and friend,” the statement continued.

In the past, protests have been held against UHC in Minneapolis, where its headquarters are based, including one back in July.

Crowe said that his organization has led many movements to call out the insurance companies for their practices.

“The purpose of that action was to draw attention to the epidemic of claims, denials and care denials across the country, and to bring people who have had their health care directly affected by a care denial by this corporation to the place where the denial is coming from, and to demand that they stop putting profits over people’s lives,” he said.

Crowe reiterated that his group only supports non-violent and peaceful means of protesting the industry and condemned Thompson’s murder. However, he reiterated that the fight against greed in the health insurance industry needs to continue.

“We believe that in keeping with the principles behind the First Amendment, that there are democratic, powerful, nonviolent ways that we can take that private pain and turn it into public power when we bring people together. And we’re going to continue to do that. And we think that’s an essential part of making change in our democracy,” he said.

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(NEW YORK) — Raw samples nationwide will now be collected and shared with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in order to test for bird flu, according to a new federal order issued by the agency on Friday.

The new federal order by the USDA includes three new requirements. Raw milk samples must now be shared upon request by dairy farms, bulk milk transporters or dairy processing facilities.

Herd owners with cattle that test positive for bird flu have to provide information that allows health officials to perform contact tracing and disease surveillance. Private laboratories and state veterinarians must now report positive bird flu test results to the USDA.

The decision comes after bird flu virus was found in samples of raw milk from a California farm, which issued a recall of all of its raw milk products earlier this week. The farm was also placed under quarantine by state health officials.

The USDA order marks the start of the agency’s National Milk Testing Strategy, a program intended to boost surveillance of the nation’s milk supply and dairy herds and increase understanding of how bird flu is spreading.

“Since the first … detection in livestock, USDA has collaborated with our federal, state and industry partners to swiftly and diligently identify affected herds and respond accordingly,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement. “This new milk testing strategy will build on those steps to date and will provide a roadmap for states to protect the health of their dairy herds … and it will put us on a path to quickly controlling and stopping the virus’ spread nationwide.”

In April, reports emerged of bird flu fragments found in samples of pasteurized milk.

The fragments, however, were inactive remnants of the virus; they could not cause infection because the commercial milk supply undergoes pasteurization.

The USDA has previously warned of the possible dangers associated with drinking raw, unpasteurized milk due to elevated risks of foodborne illness.

The risks of raw milk as it relates to bird flu were highlighted on Tuesday when Raw Farm, LLC voluntarily recalled all raw whole milk and cream products still on store shelves after multiple detections of bird flu virus in the company’s milk and dairy supply, according to the California Department of Public Health.

Officials have also placed the farm under quarantine and suspended any new distribution of its raw milk, cream, kefir, butter and cheese products produced on or after Nov. 27.

As of Friday, no human cases of bird flu have been linked to products from Raw Farm.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said it considers exposure to raw milk without personal protective equipment a “high-risk exposure event” for bird flu.

The U.S. has been facing an outbreak of bird flu, or avian influenza, since April, when the first human case was reported.

As of Thursday, 58 human cases have been confirmed in seven states, according to CDC data. California has the highest number of cases with 32.

Almost all confirmed cases have had direct contact with infected cattle or infected livestock. So far, all bird flu cases in the U.S. have been mild, and patients have all recovered after receiving antiviral medication.

Signs and symptoms of infection in humans often include sore throat, cough, fever, runny or stuffy nose, headache, muscle or body aches, fatigue and shortness of breath. Less common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and seizures.

Infections can range from no symptoms or mild illness, such as flu-like symptoms, to more severe illness, such as pneumonia that could require hospitalizations, the CDC says.

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