Immigration: A terrifying medical threat that bears on this election
August 03, 2016, 10:58 am
Immigration: A terrifying medical threat that bears on this election
As a doctor, it has been incredible to see the eradication or minimization of so many infectious diseases over the course of my lifetime. Unfortunately, some of those diseases are being re-introduced to America through our immigration system. I worry this will jeopardize the health and well-being of the American people in the years ahead.
Tuberculosis was previously a fatal disease that until recently had become well controlled in the U.S. It is now making a comeback, and much of this rests on the shoulders of our present immigration policy. Recent data indicates that tuberculosis cases rose last year for the first time in 23 years.
The health of the nation is something that should concern each and every one of us. But lost in the arguments for and against immigration is the threat that TB and other “controlled” diseases pose and the amazing financial burden they place on all of us. Each individual with drug-sensitive TB must receive 6-9 months of treatment and costs the citizens of this country roughly $17,000 dollars. This is not taking into account the exposure risk of individuals who may not know they carry the disease.
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-bl...-this-election
