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It was an appropriately hazy afternoon on the day my son Dylan, age two years, seven months, and sixteen days, was diagnosed with autism. The doctor was empathetic but serious when she said that he showed “symptoms consistent with an autism spectrum diagnosis.” (Pamela Feliciano, 8/18)

This November, Boston will host the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association, the largest public health conference in the world. Past meetings have drawn more than 12,000 attendees. The event will feature hundreds of sessions and thousands of presentations. Yet one scheduled talk, by Dr. Leana Wen, a CNN medical analyst and frequent pundit, professor of health policy at George Washington University, and former president of Planned Parenthood, has caused an uproar. (David Zweig, 8/18)

We know that the right healthcare data, used meaningfully, can ensure patients receive the right care at the right time, help avoid unnecessary duplication of services, and prevent medical errors. Data can also help lower readmission rates and, as a result, healthcare spending. Despite this evidence for powerful outcomes, communities are often stuck at the first step: a lack of data-sharing. (Dolores Green, 8/18)

I had a COVID patient who was dying, and his family had to say goodbye through a screen. The man had his eyes closed. He was breathing heavily and shallowly, seemingly unaware of what was happening around him. As his family spoke, I placed my hand on his. He seemed to smile. The he passed away. (Victor Ruiz, 8/18)

Two-and-a-half years into the Covid-19 pandemic, the Biden administration released its national action plan to address longer-term impacts of Covid-19, which include orphaned children, bereavement, and the disabling condition known as long Covid that is accompanying the disease. The plan offers a good start for addressing long Covid, but leaves much undone. (Ryan Prior and Kimberly Knackstedt, 8/19)

"It's is never too late to get caught up with a vaccine series." That message from Dr. Gigi Chawla, vice president and chief of general pediatrics at Children's Minnesota, is sound medical advice for parents and students as the new school year looms. But it's especially timely this year with new viral enemies such as COVID-19 still circulating and an older foe, polio, surfacing in New York. (8/18)

The sharp decline in routine childhood immunization rates the World Health Organization recently reported is a stark warning that today’s pandemic mistakes and rise of vaccine misinformation could harm generations to come. (Amanda McClelland, 8/19)