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Texas Lung Cancer Cases Down as Screening, Treatment Lag - 01/14/2026

Texas’ rate of new cases declined 15% over five years, according to the American Lung Association’s “State of Lung Cancer” report. However, barriers still impede regular screening for high-risk groups.

TMA Grants to Help Your Practice Improve Local Vaccination Rates - 01/13/2026

Apply for a grant. Vaccines Defend What Matters (formerly Be Wise – Immunize) is TMA’s integrated, multimedia public health education and advocacy effort to overcome vaccine hesitancy and increase vaccination rates in Texas. 

Newborn Screening Resource Center - 12/30/2025

The Texas Newborn Screening Program requires collection of two specimens from each newborn. The first screen requires blood from the newborn’s heel collected at 24 to 48 hours of age. The second specimen collection is at 7 to 14 days, a minimum of 168 hours, of age. The state’s public health laboratory analyzes the specimens.

Budget Crunch: Uncertainty Besets Texas’ Public Health Infrastructure as Federal Funding Streams Dry Up - 12/24/2025

Federal budget cuts from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and other federal actions could hinder public health initiatives in Texas in 2026.

2025 Legislative Wrap-Up: TMA Defeats Concerning Vaccine Bills For Second Session in a Row - 12/08/2025

Two bills that did survive will took effect Sept. 1, one of which imposes a specific informed consent form on physicians.

Inaugural TexMed Blood Drive Augments Whole Blood Efforts - 12/04/2025

The blood drive will take place April 17-18, 2026. Earlier this year, physician leaders joined other stakeholders to request funding for whole blood. Now, TMA looks to support and strengthen efforts as funds roll out.

Physicians Caution Texans to Avoid Kratom Products - 12/04/2025

Given a recent spike in people suffering harm from exposures to the opioid-like chemical found in the kratom plant, physicians and state health officials are cautioning Texans not to use the products and offering guidance to help people suffering their ill effects.

Frequently Asked Questions - 11/21/2025

Hard Hats for Little Heads FAQs

Diabetes Complications Can Be Devastating, TMA Physicians Warn - 11/20/2025

This National Diabetes Awareness month, TMA physicians are reminding Texans about the dangers of undiagnosed or unmanaged diabetes.  Over 38 million people in the U.S. – including 2.9 million in Texas – live with the disease. More than one in 10 (12.7%) Texans have diabetes.

'The Canary in the Coal Mine': Wastewater Testing Advances Improve Readiness for Outbreaks - 11/13/2025

Houston is home to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Wastewater Surveillance System of Excellence.

The Essence of Outreach: TMA Health Beat Broadens Its Audience to Advocate More Effectively - 11/13/2025

Louise Bethea, MD, sometimes encounters resistance in persuading her patients with asthma to adhere to their daily medication regimen. It’s a problem she attributes, in part, to low health care literacy.

Contaminant Containment: Foodborne Illness Outbreaks Takes Physician Awareness - 11/13/2025

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates each year some 48 million people get sick from a foodborne illness, more than 127,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die.

$3 Billion Dementia Research Investment Up for Vote in November - 11/05/2025

Alzheimer’s disease, which comprises 60-80% of dementia cases, is rising in Texas and becoming a public health crisis, per state officials. TMA supports a new research institute aiming to change that.

New TMA Guide Urges Screening for Colon Cancer - 10/30/2025

Younger adults are seeing an “alarming” increase in colon cancer cases, so the Texas Medical Association (TMA) urges people to ask their physician about colorectal screening.

Hemp Sales See Age Requirement of 21 with More Rules to Come - 10/29/2025

Physicians say medicine must continue to stay at the table and advocate for safe regulation and enforcement, with the new age requirement of 21 only part of the solution. The state is studying and drafting rules for permanent consideration.

Opioid-like Exposures from Kratom Derivative on the Rise - 10/06/2025

The Texas Department of State Health Services warns physicians and patients of the harms of 7-OH, a chemical derivative of kratom, which at high concentrations can cause rapid heart rate, seizures, and respiratory depression. TMA previously testified on kratom’s risks to the public.

New Colorectal Education Resources Equip Patients and Physicians - 10/06/2025

Signs and symptoms, risk factors, and screening guidelines for colorectal cancer can be found in TMA’s new one-pagers, a patient-facing resource and a handout for physicians. Reluctance to discuss symptoms can impede timely diagnosis.

Texas Expands Newborn Screening Panel to Include Four Lysosomal Diseases - 10/01/2025

The addition of four rare genetic conditions to the state’s battery of blood tests for infants brings the total of screened conditions to 59. Each newborn is assessed twice to identify infants who may have one or more of the dozens of conditions.

Misinformation Increasingly Complicates Care, Physicians Foundation Survey Finds - 09/22/2025

Most physicians feel equipped to identify and correct misinformation in conversations with patients, but a significant portion doubt patients’ ability to access accurate health information online.

Legislature Boosts Nutrition, Physical Activity in Texas Schools, Adds Physician CME Requirement - 09/12/2025

Senate Bills 25 and 379, which took effect Sept. 1, guarantee physical activity and recess for grade school children and ban sugar-sweetened drinks and candy from SNAP, respectively. Meanwhile, TMA is monitoring medical school and CME requirements still in development.

Talk to Patients About: Vaccines During Pregnancy - 09/11/2025

Protecting moms and babies from certain diseases often starts with pregnant women. Child-bearing women may not realize they pass on disease-fighting antibodies to their babies, protecting them early in life. That protection improves greatly when women get certain vaccines before and during pregnancy. They also may not realize getting vaccinated right after pregnancy can stop the spread of illnesses.  

Brownsville Alliance’s Annual Jump-a-Thon Empowers Youth and Families - 09/02/2025

Over the course of the event, kids received free jump ropes, helmets courtesy of TMA’s Hard Hats for Little Heads giveaway program, and books complimentary of the association’s Texas BookShare. Read more.

Hundreds of Kids Get Helmets with County Medical Society Back-to-School Events - 08/26/2025

Local physicians took advantage of TMA’s Hard Hats for Little Heads outreach program to help Texas children have a safe return to school. TMA matches helmet purchases to prevent injuries while promoting a healthy lifestyle.

West Nile Virus Begins to Percolate in Texas - 08/18/2025

Locally contracted and travel-acquired mosquito-borne viruses have begun their annual ascent. Proactive personal protection and public health measures mitigate the risk.

New Tool Alerts Physicians, Patients to Dangerous Heat Levels, Related Risks - 08/15/2025

For patients at greater risk, health-related heat impacts can stack up on 100-plus degree days. A new resource, localized by ZIP code, aims to simplify gauging the hazards of a given summer day and includes clinician guidance.