Letter: System needed to track diseases
Friday, Jan. 4, 2002 | 9:05 a.m.
The report of the latest case of leukemia in Fallon underlines the importance of a congressional appropriation to establish state pilot programs to track and investigate chronic diseases.
Our public health system is currently lacking in its ability to track the occurrence of chronic diseases and potential links to environmental factors. Public health officials have not been given basic tools and resources they need if they are to get to the bottom of disease clusters like Fallon's.
Sen. Harry Reid's successful efforts to get initial funding for a nationwide health tracking network will change that. As reported last week, Congress has set aside $17.5 million in funding for state pilot programs to track chronic disease. Those programs are expected to create the foundation for a nationwide system. In the meantime, clusters like that of childhood leukemia in Fallon will continue to occur, and our public health system will be hard-pressed to meet the public's demands for answers.
We need nationwide tracking and monitoring of cancer and other chronic diseases like birth defects and asthma to better understand where these diseases occur and what links they may have to environmental factors.
Given the resources they need, public health officials will be better able to do their job of preventing disease in our communities.
AMY GOFFE Washington, D.C.
Editor's note: The writer is deputy director of Health-Track, an advocacy group that has pushed for a national database of all diseases.
archive
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- Palin craze puzzling, given ’08 disaster
- The ins and outs of CityCenter traffic
- Vdara hotel marks opening of CityCenter
- Henderson postpones vote on massage parlor law
- MGM Mirage begins lifting veil on CityCenter today
- Despite few points, inspiration keeps ‘Chop’ high on plus-minus list
- Greenspun reorganizes local media operation, cuts staff
- Planet Hollywood’s Thomas McCartney headed for Tropicana
- Harry Reid on mortgages: ‘Bank of America must do more’
- Search committee to narrow UNLV athletic director list
Blogs
Politics: Ralston's Flash
Brian Sandoval is still against taxes, for limiting government and empowering people (5 Comments)
Elsewhere
TCU extends Gary Patterson through 2016
The Kats Report
Dissimilar landmarks -- Binion's and CityCenter -- reflect today's Las Vegas (6 Comments)
High School Sports Scene
Prep Football: State Championship (1 Comment)
Elsewhere
UFC debut in Boston likely July or August (1 Comment)
The Kats Report
Planet Hollywood's Thomas McCartney headed for Tropicana (17 Comments)
Elsewhere
LV woman robs Kentucky strip club, police say (6 Comments)
Calendar »
- 2 Wed
- 3 Thu
- 4 Fri
- 5 Sat
- 6 Sun
-
Nic Faniciulli at Godskitchen
Body English | 10:30 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Mischieve Wednesdays at T&T
Tacos and Tequila
-
Ben Sherman gift bag giveaways at Wasted Space
Wasted Space | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Technorati






