Stories with related Professional Interests

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.  

‘There’s Never a Good Time to Let Your Guard Down’: Measles Outbreak Ends, But Risks Remain - 08/28/2025

The West Texas measles outbreak has ended, officially. Nearly 100 people were hospitalized, and two fatalities occurred in school-aged children; the state spent between $8 million and $9 million to mount its response.

Talk to Patients About: Diphtheria - 08/18/2025

Most people know little about diphtheria today thanks to the effectiveness of its vaccine. But fear of this highly contagious bacterial infection – which chokes off patients’ ability to breathe –  was once so strong that it accidentally gave birth to a major sporting event: the Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race.

Talk to Patients About: Hib - 08/18/2025

Despite its name, Haemophilus influenzae type b – or Hib – doesn’t cause influenza. In the 1890s, doctors thought this bacteria might cause flu and – despite later research showing flu is caused by a virus – the name stuck. But Hib does cause several severe illnesses, mostly among children under 5 years old. Meningitis is the most common.

Tips for Monkeypox Testing - 08/18/2025

As monkeypox continues to spread in Texas, it’s possible you will encounter cases in your practice. If you do suspect a case of monkeypox, or need to prepare, the Texas Medical Association’s Committee on Infectious Diseases has these tips for you when thinking about testing for monkeypox.

Talk to Patients About: Tetanus - 08/13/2025

Almost all U.S. tetanus cases occur among people who are unvaccinated or did not receive a booster shot, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

DSHS Update: Pfizer Boosters Authorized for All Adolescents Aged 12-17 - 08/13/2025

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is highlighting recent updates to federal government recommendations for COVID-19 boosters and additional doses following the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) recent authorization for children as young as age 12 to receive boosters.

Combating Measles Resource Center - 08/12/2025

Get caught up on measles-related news from state and federal agencies, as well as TMA's actions and resources, with this webpage. Find information from DSHS, patient-facing materials, and links to clinical insights.

Omicron Variant Underscores Importance of Proven Tools to Fight COVID - 08/08/2025

The recently discovered omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus has sparked fears about increased infectivity and transmissibility heading into the holiday season. But Texas Medical Association experts and public health officials say physicians and patients can lean into proven prevention strategies – including vaccination, masking, social distancing, improved ventilation, testing, and handwashing – as scientists continue to study the new threat.

National Suicide Hotline Changes to Simpler “988” Format - 08/08/2025

People coping with suicidal thoughts can now call 988, the new three-digit number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

'The Canary in the Coal Mine': Wastewater Testing Advances Improve Physician and Public Readiness for Outbreaks - 08/08/2025

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

Alison Days, MD: “We Can’t Go Back” to COVID’s Worst Days - 08/05/2025

Even as much of the crippling fear from the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic has faded, its impact persists on El Paso pediatrician Alison Days, MD, her city, her county, and her day-to-day. After the pandemic kicked into gear during early 2020, Dr. Days and her staff at Healthy Days Pediatrics started eating lunch apart from each other. With the virus now less of a terrifying mystery, her staff have gone back to keeping each other company at lunchtime. She still hasn’t.

Measles Threat in West Texas Wanes, But Endemic Risk Persists - 07/30/2025

As the state’s numbers stabilize, public health authorities reiterate the importance of communication and information sharing amid an outbreak. TMA members can support immunization activities in their communities with a Vaccines Defend What Matters grant.

El Paso Physician Broadcast Arms Public with Health Care Knowledge - 07/29/2025

Physician-led efforts to educate patients on vaccines may help the U.S. battle recent surges of preventable diseases.

Budgetary Boost to Prehospital Whole Blood Access in Texas Stands to Save Lives - 07/29/2025

Texas’ Whole Blood Task Force will receive more than double its requested appropriation, supporting more emergency units in administering lifesaving prehospital whole blood to trauma patients, obstetrical patients, and patients with gastrointestinal bleeding.

Cardiologist Experiences COVID – and Its Ripple Effects - 07/23/2025

Dallas cardiologist Rick Snyder, MD, had already witnessed firsthand many of the big-picture impacts of COVID-19: cases of long COVID, elements of the “Great Resignation,” and of course, the chaos the pandemic brought to just about every medical practice starting two years ago.

TMA Moment in Time: Hurricane Harvey Response - 07/08/2025

In August 2017, Hurricane Harvey dumped a record 60 inches of rain in four days on the Gulf Coast region. The Texas Medical Association quickly put together a response that helped physicians in need and saved lives among those affected by the storm.

Contaminant Containment: Countering Foodborne Illness Outbreaks Takes Physician Awareness and Prompt Reporting - 06/26/2025

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.

Vaccines Still Offer Best Protection Against Respiratory Viruses, Medicine Affirms in Open Letter - 06/25/2025

Alongside the American Medical Association and state medical societies nationwide, TMA added its signatory to a reaffirmation of the value of vaccines to protect against flu, RSV, and other respiratory illnesses ahead of an expected difficult season.

TMA Grants Build Community Connections for Underserved Patients - 06/24/2025

Applications are open through Aug. 22 for Vaccines Defend What Matters local impact grants. The $3,500 grants, funded by the TMA Foundation, can be used to vaccinate underserved and uninsured populations and toward outreach initiatives that address vaccine hesitancy. Read more.

The Essence of Outreach: TMA Health Beat Broadens Its Audience to Advocate More Effectively for Physicians - 06/23/2025

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.

Study: Maternal Mental Health Shows Significant Declines - 06/23/2025

Self-reported declines in maternal mental health could portend adverse outcomes for children. State and national resources help physicians connect parents to help.

U.S., Texas Child Flu Deaths Increase Amid a Grim Season - 06/04/2025

Texas has recorded 15 pediatric flu deaths so far for the 2024-2025 flu season. That number is significantly higher than last year, when no child deaths associated with flu occurred in the state. Physicians continue to advocate immunization as the best defense.

Delivering Collaboration: Can Birthing Centers Help Ease Texas’ Maternal Deserts? - 05/05/2025

G. Sealy Massingill, MD, knows well the wildly unpredictable nature of birth. The consultant on TMA’s Committee on Reproductive, Women’s, and Perinatal Health has attended the deliveries of thousands of infants and wouldn’t dare to presume that any apparently healthy patient labors unencumbered by risk.

Vaccine Uptake Improves Amid Measles Momentum - 04/11/2025

With measles spreading to another corner of the state and showing little sign of slowing, adjusted vaccine recommendations apply to residents of and visitors to 10 affected counties. TMA Foundation grants are available to support vaccine clinics.