Public Health

Mumps: Virus Causes Puffy Cheeks and Sometimes, Serious Complications - 04/24/2023

The bottom line: Mumps is a viral contagious disease. People know mumps for patients’ swollen cheeks and jaw, but patients also suffer fever, headache, muscle aches, tiredness, and loss of appetite. Outbreaks occur every year in the United States and Texas. The MMR vaccine protects people against this disease.

Taking the Pain out of Prescribing Opioids: CDC Revises Guidelines - 04/14/2023

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued guidelines to help physicians prescribe opioids safely, and one of the reasons, the agency freely admits, is to clear up confusion caused by its last set of guidelines, which were issued in 2016.

Hard Hats for Little Heads: TMA’s Helmet Giveaway Saves Lives - 04/03/2023

The Texas Medical Association's Hard Hats for Little Heads program allows physicians to supply bike helmets to kids. The organization's longest-running outreach program has helped protect children's health and promote exercise by giving away more than 375,000 helmets.

TMA Chart Shows COVID-19 Risks for Various Activities - 03/15/2023

Texas Medical Association (TMA) physician experts recently created a chart  to help Texans make informed choices about which activities are safest to do during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Blood Test Update to Help Detect, Treat Child Lead Exposure Sooner - 02/28/2023

Consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, Texas health officials have updated blood testing in children to help detect and treat lead exposure sooner.

WIC Baby Formula Flexibilities End in March as Shortage Resolves - 02/14/2023

With the nationwide baby formula shortage coming to an end, February is the last month that alternative infant formula brands will be offered to families under the Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), says the Texas Department of State Health Services. The change comes as Texas WIC begins its five-year contract with Enfamil manufacturer Mead Johnson.

New Screening Guidelines Approved to Improve Early Detection of Diabetes and HIV - 01/24/2023

Medicaid and most group health plans will implement updated screening guidelines for diabetes during and after pregnancy, beginning in 2024, thanks to changes recently approved by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration.

Monkeypox Cases Resurface; CDC Urges Vigilance - 01/05/2023

With cases of monkeypox recently reported in several countries that don’t normally have that virus – including at least one confirmed case in the U.S. – federal health authorities are advising physicians to be on the lookout for the characteristic rash usually associated with monkeypox.

Texas Physicians Warn: Don’t Let Accidental Overdose Ruin Your Holidays (and Your Life) - 12/13/2022

The holidays are a time of joy and celebration for many, but they could turn tragic if someone takes one pill they should not. Substance misuse – especially unwittingly taking street drugs that contain fentanyl – can destroy a life. A very small amount of illegally manufactured fentanyl (IMF) can be deadly.

Newborn Screening Kits Expire Dec. 31; Cost Updates Expected Spring 2023 - 12/08/2022

Newborn screening kits with a nine-digit serial number beginning with 20 (e.g. TX 20-XXXXXXX) will expire on Dec. 31, and physicians are encouraged to use the kits to collect specimens and to ensure their stock is up to date after the end of the month.

'They Came in Droves': Former TMA President Douglas Curran, MD, Starts an FQHC - 12/04/2022

Former TMA President Doug Curran, MD, fulfilled a long-time dream of expanding care by cofounding the East Texas Community Clinic, a federally qualified health center.

The Down and Dirty on Wastewater Surveillance: COVID-19 Gives it a Boost - 12/04/2022

Wastewater epidemiology has been around for about two decades, but it didn't really take off in Texas until COVID-19 came along.

Physicians Serve as Lead Clinicians to Support Mental Health Intervention - 11/17/2022

The impact of adverse childhood events (ACEs) can be lasting and costly on patient health and medical outcomes. In the United States, more than 20% of adults report experiencing three ACEs during their youth, potentially increasing the risk of negative, chronic health consequences and challenges such as alcoholism, depression, unemployment, heart disease and substance abuse, among many others.

CDC: “Brie” Mindful of Listeria Outbreak Linked to Cheese - 11/01/2022

Don’t cut, bake, or serve recalled cheeses this holiday season.

Physicians Urge Texans to Safely Return Unused Prescription Medication - 10/27/2022

Texas physicians recommend people with unused or expired prescription drugs at home dispose of them safely this weekend, so they are not accidently consumed. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is organizing its biannual prescription drug Take Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 29. Prescription drugs can be returned anonymously at pop up locations across the state.

Prepare for Disasters With TMA’s Help - 10/08/2022

The Atlantic hurricane season has begun, and physicians who may be affected by a hurricane or other tropical storm need to be prepared. For help doing so, look to TMA's Disaster Preparedness and Response Resource Center.

Keeping Pace: Monkeypox Poses Public Health Challenges - 10/03/2022

In yet another test to the state’s public health response efforts, monkeypox – rarely seen outside of countries in Africa – has spread rapidly since late spring, and Texas physicians and other health care professionals likely unfamiliar with the virus should remain vigilant for the possibility of cases among their patients.

Reaching for the Cure: Texas Medicaid Doesn't Cover Hep C Drugs Until Patients Are Seriously Ill - 09/07/2022

Infectious disease specialist Ogechika Alozie, MD, has a ready-made solution for patients diagnosed with hepatitis C now that five medications can rid patients of this deadly disease. But for Texas Medicaid patients, there’s a catch. The program does not pay for the cure based just on a diagnosis. Instead, Medicaid pays only after a blood test, biopsy, or sonogram shows the liver is so badly damaged that it’s on the verge of cirrhosis. At that point, patients who get the medication will be cured of their hepatitis C but more vulnerable to other deadly illnesses, like liver cancer.

Hurricane Harvey: One Year Later - 09/01/2022

Studies of the public health, mental health, and environmental effects of the storm could take years to complete. Meanwhile, physician practices share their own lessons learned.

State of Public Health in Texas Focus of Distinguished Speaker Event - 08/10/2022

John W. Hellerstedt, MD, Texas Department of State Health Services commissioner, will address the state’s public health priorities at a Distinguished Speaker Series event hosted by the Texas Public Health Coalition (TPHC) and the Texas Medical Association (TMA).

Talk to Patients About: Human Papillomavirus Vaccine - 07/29/2022

The vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most effective life-saving measures in medicine, and yet it has long suffered from poor public perception.

Coming Soon at TMA: “The State of Public Health in Texas” - 07/26/2022

Join the Texas Medical Association and the Texas Public Health Coalition – in-person or via streaming – as John Hellerstedt, MD, commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services, reports on “The State of Public Health in Texas” on Thursday, Aug. 11, from noon to 1 pm CT.

Texas’ Expanded Medical Cannabis Program: What You Need to Know - 07/19/2022

Legal uses for medical cannabis in Texas have reached an all-time high. Soaring even higher is interest in the Texas Compassionate Use Program under which physicians can prescribe it.

Infant Formula Shortage: What Physician Practices Need to Know - 05/31/2022

The recent nationwide shortage of baby formula has prompted many families to contact their child’s physician for help finding formula, or with questions about safe alternatives.

CDC Probing Monkeypox Case in Dallas - 05/24/2022

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating a case of monkeypox in a person who was diagnosed with the virus after traveling from Nigeria to Dallas.