Thanks to the Undiagnosed Diseases Network, hundreds of patients with previously undiagnosed diseases have been given hope for a cure. One child, Elizabeth Nagorniak, had been far behind on her developmental milestones for reasons doctors couldn’t explain. With the help of UDN, however, her family now knows the root of her problems; she had a variant of Smith-Kingsmore Syndrome. After receiving treatment, she’s now learning new skills weekly ー a huge improvement over only learning one skill yearly.
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Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
