Christie Brinkley attends the American Humane Hero Dog Awards at The Breakers on Nov. 10, 2023 in Palm Beach, Florida. (Mireya Acierto/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — Actress and model Christie Brinkley revealed she has been diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer, in an Instagram post featuring photos of her recovery from surgery.
“The good news for me is we caught the basal cell Carcinoma early,” said Brinkley, 70, in the post on March 13. “And I had great Doctors that removed the cancer and stitched me up to perfection like an haute couture Dior.”
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, and is diagnosed in at least two million people each year. It originates in basal cells, a type of cell that produces new skin cells, and often occurs in areas of the skin that are exposed to the sun, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The Sports Illustrated model also used her post as an opportunity to urge care and vigilance in skin protection.
“The good news for you is that all of this can be avoided by being diligent with your sun protection!” wrote Brinkley, adding, “I got serious a bit late so now for this ole mermaid/gardener, I’ll be slathering on my SPF 30, reapplying as needed, wearing long sleeves and a wide brim hat. And doing regular total body check ups..that is a MUST !”
Brinkley revealed she only became aware of her cancer when accompanying her daughter to a doctor’s appointment and saw the doctor closely examining her daughter’s skin. She asked the doctor to examine a “tiny dot” she said she felt as she applied foundation.
“He took a look and knew immediately it needed a biopsy! He did it then and there!” she said.
She concluded the post with a final message of guidance for those at risk of skin cancer.
“So make your own good luck by making that check up appointment today. And slather up my friends!” Brinkley said.
(NEW YORK) — What began as symptoms of fatigue for one Florida man became a life-changing cancer diagnosis at age 25.
Jace, who asked that his last name not be used to protect his privacy, told ABC News’ Good Morning America he attributed the fatigue he experienced in early 2023 to being a workaholic.
The 25-year-old is the co-founder of a marketing company and an entrepreneur in the health and wellness industry.
“I’m very passionate about what I do, and I love what I do,” he told GMA. “And for that reason, you know, I tend to push the limits of my energy a little bit.”
Prior to his cancer diagnosis, Jace said he had no serious health issues and led an active lifestyle, often going for a run or golfing as part of his regular activities.
“I’ve been a very healthy person my whole life,” he said, adding that he came from a very fitness-oriented family.
The Florida resident said whenever he found himself in New York City on business trips, he enjoyed running through Central Park.
However, during a run at the park last September, he said he felt his “energy was low.”
“I could not catch my breath. It was alarming,” he said. “I had to stop multiple times to catch my breath. My heart was pounding incredibly hard. It felt like it was beating out of my chest.”
Not long after the incident, Jace said he began experiencing severe back pain.
“[It was] in my upper back toward my shoulder blades, and it was horrible,” he said. “I had shooting pains all the way through my arm.”
Advocating for himself to find a diagnosis
To check on the pain, Jace said he went to urgent care, where he was treated with muscle relaxer and steroids.
A second doctor visit led to Jace being put on medication for what his doctor thought was just acid reflux. At another doctor visit, Jace said he was told to see a sports injury specialist for his pain.
Jace said at the time, he was beginning to feel despair, telling GMA, “I just felt like nothing was working.”
Following additional testing, Jace said doctors discovered three masses in his chest that were equivalent to the size of a softball.
After losing 20 pounds and experiencing more symptoms like night sweats, Jace saw an oncologist, whom he said diagnosed him with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of cancer in which “malignant cells form in the lymph system,” according to the National Cancer Institute.
Battling cancer in the public eye
After the shock of his diagnosis, Jace said he decided to document his cancer journey on social media to help raise awareness.
His Instagram account, JaceBeatsCancer, has amassed more than 435,000 followers.
“I decided to start posting content not just to document the journey for myself but to document, really, the journey for my loved ones and my friends so that they could see how I was doing and what I was going through,” he explained. “I had no idea that people would be drawn to this content.”
Jace shares everything on his social media accounts from his emergency room visits to undergoing chemotherapy and antibody therapy — and experiencing the side effects that come with those therapies — to connecting with other people who are battling cancer, or who have loved ones doing so as well.
He has also shared moments of vulnerability through his cancer journey, including writing his own will with his father at the age of 25.
“The most compelling lesson that I’ve learned through this is to understand what’s truly important in life, and for me, what’s truly important is helping other people and spending time with those you love,” he said. “If you can do those two things, you will have a very, very fulfilled life.”
To keep himself motivated, Jace said he focuses on the new perspective he has gained and reminds himself to not give up.
“I do a lot of work with myself when I’m looking in the mirror. And I’m looking at my bald head. And I remember that I am fighting a war against cancer,” he said. “I remind myself that I’m strong, and that I love myself and that it takes a lot to go through this and that it’s OK to be weak — but it’s not OK to give up.”
Speaking to GMA, Jace’s oncologist, Dr. Steven B. Newman of the Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, said Jace is currently going through “a very tough regimen that includes both chemotherapy, and a monoclonal antibody therapy directed against one of the surface proteins on his lymphoma cell.”
He added that Jace’s chances of beating the cancer are “extremely good.”
“The survival rate for him should be in excess of 80%,” he said.
Newman also shared that Jace has a strong chance of recovery. He said Jace’s desire and determination to get better has inspired himself to continue the work he does in his profession.
“This is my 42nd year in medical practice as an oncologist. I’ve been doing this for a long time, and it is patients exactly like Jace that keep me coming to work every day,” Newman said. “It’s incredibly invigorating. It’s challenging, but working with someone like him, who has exceptional energy, intelligence and insight, makes it even more special.”
(SANTA FE, N.M.) — A New Mexico man has died from plague in the state’s first human fatality since 2020, according to health officials.
The man lived in Lincoln County — located in the southeastern part of the state — and was hospitalized from the disease before dying, the New Mexico Department of Health said in a press release last week.
No other identifying information about the man was available, including his name, age or race/ethnicity.
Plague is treatable with commonly available antibiotics and the odds of full recovery are higher if a patient seeks medical care early, according to the CDC.
The NMDOH said staff members are reaching out to residents of the area and will be conducting an environmental assessment in the community to determine risk.
The last human plague case in the state was a resident of Torrance County in 2021, according to the health department. In 2020, there were four human cases including one in Santa Fe County, two in Torrance County and the fatal case in Rio Arriba County.
Although plague is often associated with killing millions of Europeans during the Middle Ages, it is not an eradicated disease, State Public Health Veterinarian Dr. Erin Phipps told ABC News.
“This is the same bacteria that caused the Black Death that decimated the European population, and it is indeed still present. It does still circulate in the present day,” she said.
Plague is a disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. It naturally occurs in the western U.S., particularly in rural and semi-rural areas of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It typically affects wild rodents including wood rats, rock squirrels, ground squirrels, mice, prairie dogs and chipmunks. Humans can contract the disease by being bitten by a rodent flea carrying the bacterium or by coming into direct contact with an animal infected with plague, which may include pets.
Phipps said there are three types of plague: bubonic plague, which is associated with enlarged lymph nodes called buboes; septicemic plague, which occurs when the bacteria enter the bloodstream; and pneumonic plague, which is when the infection enters the lungs.
Other symptoms typically include headache, fever, chills and weakness.
“Bubonic plague has the enlarged lymph nodes but otherwise, the symptoms [of plague] are similar to several other diseases,” Phipps said. “And that’s what some of the challenge is. Because it’s rare, it’s not always on people’s radar.”
She said this is why diagnosis from a trained physician is extremely important to receive treatment.
Before antibiotics, two-thirds of people who contracted plague died of the disease, according to Phipps. Currently, about 10% of people die from plague, she said.
To reduce the risk of plague, the NMDOH recommends cleaning up areas near the home where rodents could live, preventing pets from roaming and hunting, putting away pet food to not attract rodents and keeping hay and wood as far away from the house as possible.
Additionally, have a sick pet examined immediately by a veterinarian and talk to your doctor if you have signs of unexplained illness.
“People don’t realize that [plague] is not a disease of the past,” Phipps said. “We get cases in the western United States every year. We hope by increasing awareness, we can encourage early diagnosis and agreement.”
She added: “It’s not something to be overly anxious about, but by ensuring it stays on the radar, it will help … people take measures if they live in wild areas or near wild rodent populations, especially with indoor and outdoor pets.”
The news of the New Mexico man’s death comes just a month after an Oregon resident contracted plague, likely from their cat, according to health officials in the state.
(CHICAGO) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is sending a team to Chicago to help respond to the first measles cases detected in the city since 2019, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) confirmed to ABC News.
Three cases of the highly infectious virus have been confirmed over the last week.
The CDC confirmed to ABC News a team is being sent to the city and is expected to arrive Tuesday.
“CDC is sending a team of experts to support the local response to the recent measles cases with arrival expected tomorrow,” a spokesperson told ABC News on Monday. “CDC continues to recommend the safe and effective MMR vaccination as part of the routine immunizations schedule for all children and adults, with special guidance for international travel. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.”
The CDPH announced Sunday a second case of measles had been identified at a new arrivals shelter in Pilsen.
The two cases at the shelter are among young children, the CDPH said. The first patient recovered and is no longer infectious while the second patient is hospitalized in good condition, according to CDPH.
The third, unrelated case occurred in a Chicago resident whose source of infection is unknown but whose contagious period ended March 6, health officials said.
The CDPH said it is now doubling down on its message to all Chicagoans, including those at the new arrivals shelter, to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their communities.
Officials told ABC News station WLS-TV that 13% of shelter residents remain unvaccinated while those recently vaccinated have been encouraged to quarantine at the shelter for 21 days.
The CDC currently recommends two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine with the first dose given between ages 12 to 15 months and the second dose between ages 4 and 6. Adults are eligible to receive one dose of the vaccine if they are not immune.
The MMR vaccine is required to attend Chicago Public Schools but parents are allowed to seek exemptions for religious reasons, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
CDPH Commissioner Olusimbo “Simbo” Ige said recently that the risk to most people is low because the majority of Chicagoans are vaccinated against measles, but urged those aren’t vaccinated to do as soon as possible.
The vaccine “is by far the best protection against measles, which for the first time in years is in our city,” Ige said. “Because of how contagious measles is, I anticipate seeing more cases. Should you be exposed to someone who has measles, if you are not vaccinated you need to immediately quarantine and call a health provider. If you are not sure of your vaccination status, stay home and call your health provider as soon as possible.”
Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but pockets of unvaccinated or undervaccinated communities have led to sporadic outbreaks over the last several years.
As of March 7, 2025, 45 measles cases have been reported in 16 states — California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington — according to the CDC.
(CHICAGO) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reportedly sending a team to Chicago to help health officials respond to the first measles cases detected in the city since 2019.
Over the last week, three cases of the highly infectious virus have been confirmed.
The Chicago Department of Public Health announced Sunday a second case of measles had been identified at a new arrivals shelter in Pilsen.
The two cases are among young children. The first patient recovered and is no longer infectious while the second patient is hospitalized in good condition, according to CDPH.
The third, unrelated case occurred in a Chicago resident whose source of infection is unknown but whose contagious period ended March 6, health officials said.
The CDPH said it is now doubling down on its message to all Chicagoans, including those at the new arrivals shelter, to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their communities.
The CDC is now deploying to help with the measles response at the shelter, according to ABC News station WLS-TV. This will likely include monitoring residents for symptoms and offering vaccines to those who are unvaccinated or undervaccinated.
Officials told WLS that 13% of shelter residents remain unvaccinated while those recently vaccinated have been encouraged to quarantine at the shelter for 21 days.
The CDC currently recommends two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine with the first dose given between ages 12 to 15 months and the second dose between ages 4 and 6. Adults are eligible to receive one dose of the vaccine if they are not immune.
The MMR vaccine is required to attend Chicago Public Schools but parents are allowed to seek exemptions for religious reasons, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Why this state is lagging behind the rest of the US in routine childhood vaccinations CDPH Commissioner Olusimbo “Simbo” Ige said recently that the risk to most people is low because the majority of Chicagoans are vaccinated against measles, but urged those aren’t vaccinated to do as soon as possible.
The vaccine “is by far the best protection against measles, which for the first time in years is in our city,” Ige said. “Because of how contagious measles is, I anticipate seeing more cases. Should you be exposed to someone who has measles, if you are not vaccinated you need to immediately quarantine and call a health provider. If you are not sure of your vaccination status, stay home and call your health provider as soon as possible.”
The CDC did not immediately reply to ABC News’ request for comment. The CDPH pointed ABC News to its latest press release in response to a request for comment.
Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but pockets of unvaccinated or undervaccinated communities have led to sporadic outbreaks over the last several years.
As of March 7, 2025, 45 measles cases have been reported in 16 states — California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington — according to the CDC.
PHOTO: Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts speaks with actresses Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Christina Applegate. Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts speaks with actresses Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Christina Applegate. Eric Mccandless/ABC
(NEW YORK) — Actresses Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler are opening up for the first time together about the health battle they both share: multiple sclerosis.
“I live kind of in hell,” Applegate, 52, told Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts about her battle with MS. She was diagnosed with the disease in 2021.
“I’m not out a lot, so this is, like, a little difficult, just for my system,” Applegate said. “But, yeah, of course, the support is wonderful, and I’m really grateful.”
Applegate received a standing ovation in January when she walked onstage to present the best supporting actress in a comedy award at the 2024 Emmys.
The “Married… With Children” actress told Roberts she felt “beloved” in the moment, and shocked.
“I actually kinda blacked out,” Applegate said. “People said, ‘Oh, you were so funny,’ and I’m like, I don’t even know what I said. I don’t know what I was doing. I got so freaked out that I didn’t even know what was happening anymore.”
She continued, “And I felt really beloved, and it was really a beautiful thing.”
Applegate walked onstage at the Emmys with the aid of a cane, an assistance made necessary by MS, an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks myelin, the tissue that surrounds nerves, including those in the brain and spinal cord, according to the National Institutes of Health.
It is an unpredictable disease, one that causes different symptoms with variable timing and frequency in different people, from fatigue, numbness or tingling, weakness, dizziness and vertigo to rendering a person unable to write, speak or walk in the most severe cases, the NIH says.
Applegate and Sigler, 42, who was diagnosed with MS over 20 years ago, are sharing their journey with the disease in a new podcast, titled “MeSsy.”
The average age of the start of symptoms for people with MS is between the ages of 20 to 40, and the disease is three times more common in women than men, according to the NIH and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, a nonprofit organization focused on raising MS awareness and increasing research.
Tune into Good Morning America on Tuesday, March 12, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. ET for more of Robin Roberts’ interview with Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler.
(NEW YORK) — Monday marks four years since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic.
Since the first cases in Wuhan, China, in 2019, there have been millions of infections and deaths around the world.
There have also been major successes including vaccines for nearly all age groups, the development of antiviral drugs to treat those at risk of severe illness and the proliferation of at-home tests.
ABC News takes a look back at the some of the most important moments over the last four-plus years:
Dec. 31, 2019
The World Health Organization office in China is notified about a mysterious pneumonia-like illness that originated in Wuhan and has been spreading.
Jan. 7, 2020
Chinese public health officials identify a new type of coronavirus as the source of the outbreak.
Jan. 10, 2020
WHO begins using 2019-nCoV to refer to the outbreak. Because the disease is similar to the SARS virus, it is called SARS-CoV-2.
Jan. 20, 2020
The U.S. confirms its first case in a man in his 30s in Washington state, who developed symptoms after a trip to Wuhan.
Jan. 30, 2020
The WHO declares the outbreak of the virus to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms person-to-person transmission in the U.S.
Feb. 11, 2020
The WHO proposes calling the disease caused by the virus COVID-19, which stands for coronavirus disease 2019.
March 11, 2020
The WHO classifies COVID-19 as a pandemic.
March 13, 2020
President Donald Trump declares the COVID-19 outbreak a national emergency.
March 19, 2020
The U.S. Department of State issues a global Level 4 “Do Not Travel” health advisory.
April 2, 2020
More than 1 million people worldwide have confirmed cases of COVID-19.
April 3, 2020
The CDC announces new guidelines for mask wearing and advises all Americans to wear a mask outside of the home.
May 15, 2020
President Trump announces Operation Warp Speed, a national program to fast-track the development, manufacturing and distribution of COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines.
May 28, 2020
The U.S. surpasses 100,000 COVID-19 deaths, a little more than four months after confirming the first known case.
Aug. 6, 2020
The State Department lifts the global Level 4 “Do Not Travel” health advisory.
Aug. 28, 2020
The first case of COVID-19 reinfection in the U.S. is reported by the Nevada State Public Health Laboratory.
Sept. 28, 2020
Global COVID-19 deaths surpass 1 million.
Dec. 11, 2020
FDA grants Pfizer-BioNTech the first EUA for a COVID-19 vaccine for those aged 16 and older.
Dec. 14, 2020
Nurse Sandra Lindsay is the first person to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. as distribution begins.
Dec. 18, 2020
The FDA grants the same EUA to Moderna for its vaccine for those aged 18 and older.
Jan. 12, 2021
The CDC says all air passengers entering the U.S. must present a negative COVID-19 test result.
Feb. 27, 2021
The FDA issues an EUA for the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine for those aged 18 and older.
May 10, 2021
The FDA expands the EUA for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to adolescents between ages 12 and 15.
May 13, 2021
CDC guidance is updated for fully vaccinated people, ending indoor mask requirements.
May 26, 2021
President Joe Biden issues a statement saying the U.S. intelligence community cannot determine whether COVID-19 originated in animals and jumped to humans or came from a laboratory accident, with some believing the former and others the latter.
Aug. 12, 2021
The FDA amends EUA for Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to authorize additional booster for certain groups with weakened immune systems.
Sept. 22, 2021
The FDA authorizes a booster dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for certain groups.
Oct. 6, 2021
The WHO publishes a clinical case definition of “post COVID-19 condition” or long COVID.
Oct. 20, 2021
The FDA authorizes a booster dose of the Moderna and J&J COVID-19 vaccines for certain groups.
Oct. 29, 2021
The FDA authorizes emergency use of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11.
Nov. 8, 2021
All non-citizens who are traveling to the U.S. are now required to be fully vaccinated and provide proof of their vaccination status to fly to the U.S., the White House announces. All travelers will continue to be required to show a negative pre-departure COVID-19 test taken no more than three days before they board their flights.
Nov. 19, 2021
The CDC updates guidance to recommend everyone aged 18 and older to get a COVID-19 booster.
Dec. 9, 2021
The FDA expands eligibility to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 boosters.
Dec. 22-23, 2021
The FDA issues EUA for two oral antivirals to treat COVID-19 — Merck’s molnupiravir and Pfizer’s Paxlovid — for those with mild to moderate illness at high risk of severe disease.
Jan. 3, 2022
The FDA expands the EUA for Pfizer-BioNTech’s booster to include 12-to-15-year-olds and a third primary dose for some immunocompromised children ages 5 to 11.
Jan. 4, 2022
The U.S. reports the first day of more than 1 million daily COVID-19 cases during the omicron wave.
Jan. 15, 2022
The U.S. reaches a peak of weekly new hospital admissions for COVID-19 at 150,650 during the omicron wave.
Jan. 18, 2022
The White House launches a program to mail at-home COVID-19 tests directly to Americans’ homes with a new website.
March 8, 2022
The Biden administration announces the launch of “Test to Treat” so people at high-risk for developing severe COVID-19 and complications can get tested at a pharmacy and, if positive, receive antiviral pills on the spot for free.
March 29, 2022
The FDA authorizes a second booster dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for people aged 60 and older and certain immunocompromised groups.
May 12, 2022
COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. surpass 1 million. President Biden orders flags to be flown at half-staff.
May 17, 2022
FDA expands eligibility for a booster dose of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5 to 11.
June 10, 2022
The CDC rescinds its order requiring a negative COVID-19 test result before boarding a flight to the U.S., taking effect on June 12.
June 17, 2022
The FDA grants EUA for Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 6 months to 5 years and for Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 6 months to 6 years.
Aug. 31, 2022
The FDA authorizes Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna bivalent COVID-19 vaccines to use as a booster dose for those ages 12 and older and those ages 17 and older, respectively.
Oct. 12, 2022
The FDA authorizes an updated bivalent COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 and older for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and for children aged 6 and older for the Moderna vaccine.
Dec. 8, 2022
The FDA authorizes bivalent vaccines to use as a booster dose for children under age 5.
April 10, 2023
President Biden signs H.J.Res.7, ending the national emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
May 5, 2023
The WHO downgrades COVID-19 from being a Public Health Emergency of International Concern but continues to classify it as a pandemic. The CDC says it will no longer track transmission levels.
Sept. 11, 2023
The FDA authorizes and approves an updated COVID vaccine for all Americans ages 6 months and older.
May 11, 2023
The public health emergency designation in the U.S. for COVID-19 expires.
Nov. 10, 2023
The WHO updates its COVID treatment guidance, including recommending use of the antiviral drugs remdesivir and molnupiravir for only severe cases.
March 1, 2024
People who are recovering from COVID-19 no longer need to remain isolated for five days after symptoms, according to new CDC guidance.
March 10, 2024
The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center stops collecting data for its famous COVID-19 dashboard.
Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, speaks with people in Malawi. — Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
(NEW YORK) — Each day, almost 800 women around the world die due to preventable pregnancy and childbirth-related causes, according to the World Health Organization.
Using artificial intelligence, or AI, to provide maternal health care to women, especially those in rural and low-income areas, could be a “game-changer” in saving the lives of pregnant women, Melinda Gates, chairperson of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, told ABC News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton.
Gates highlighted a specific tool, AI-enabled ultrasound, that is revolutionizing pregnant women’s access to ultrasounds, or sonograms, a prenatal test that uses sound waves to check a baby’s development during pregnancy, and check for pregnancy complications.
Ultrasounds are a routine part of prenatal care to which two-thirds of pregnant women around the world do not have access, according to the Gates Foundation.
“If you’re a mom, let’s say in the United States, when you go in and you get an ultrasound, it’s quite a large machine. You go into a special room to have it done,” Gates told Ashton, a board-certified OB-GYN and obesity medicine physician, in an interview to mark International Women’s Day, March 8. “We were able, with our partners, to come up with a very small AI-assisted ultrasound that literally can plug into your phone or plug into a tablet.”
The portable ultrasound device, which typically weighs less than a pound, can display the ultrasound images on the smartphone or tablet, so health care professionals — whether nurses, doctors or midwives — can read the ultrasound instantly, allowing for faster diagnoses and faster treatment.
“In these low-resource settings, [pregnant] women often … can’t get into a community health clinic. The lines are long. They don’t have the bus fare. They might walk. It might be shut down or not open at the right time of day,” Gates said. “A community health worker goes out to these women so she can have an AI-enabled ultrasound and, literally with a few scans of that mom’s belly, be able to see, is the child growing properly? Is the mom’s health OK in terms of what you can see in the ultrasound?”
Gates continued, “It’s a game-changer … it’s a pretty simple device, but again, it really can make a difference in terms of the mom and the baby.”
Gates said now that the technology exists, the Gates Foundation is working with partners to try to lower the price of the devices and get more health care workers trained so they can go to more underserved communities.
The AI ultrasound technology is one of several advancements that Gates said she sees as transformative for women’s health care, which has historically been underfunded and under-researched on a global level, data shows.
“We know that women can’t do well unless they are well, so you first have to start and be healthy to then be able to get an education and to work productively in society,” Gates said. “So when you think about how little funding is going into actually saving women’s lives, from diseases that are specific to women, to childbirth, which is very specific to women, that just shouldn’t be.”
Any advancements being made for women’s health — like a one-dose HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer and a drape that can reduce a woman’s chance of dying from postpartum hemorrhaging by 60% — can only make a difference, Gates noted, if they reach the women who need them.
The HPV vaccine, for example, was approved in the United States in 2006 by the Food and Drug Administration but is just now reaching millions of women in need in Africa as a one-dose vaccine. HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection that, if left untreated, can invade the cervical cells of the uterus and cause cancer.
In 2022, cervical cancer led to 350,000 deaths globally, with the highest rates of mortality in low and middle-income countries, according to the WHO.
Gates said for more than a decade, female leaders in Africa have asked her for the vaccine on her trips to the continent.
“They’re saying, ‘We have full communities where we see aunts, sisters dying of cervical cancer. You have this vaccine in the United States, when are we going to get it?'” Gates recalled. “And the issue has been it’s an expensive vaccine and it’s two doses.”
With the lower-priced one-dose vaccine now available, Gates said the HPV vaccine can be distributed in places like schools and community clinics.
“We can give it out in places where they gather,” Gates said. “So often a young girl never makes it into the clinic. She may not ever make it in clinic at all until after she’s had a child, or she might make it in at the time of birth, and that’s too late.”
Another women’s health advancement, longer-lasting and injectable contraceptives, have the potential to not only transform women’s health, but all aspects of their lives, including their economic well-being. According to the Gates Foundation, over 250 million women and girls globally who do not want to get pregnant are still not using modern contraceptive methods.
Gates said if she could make one change to women’s health, she would focus solely on contraceptives.
“It would be that every single girl and women on this planet who wants to have access to a contraceptive can have access,” Gates said. “We know that when women can time and space the birth of their children, women are healthier. The children are healthier. The family is wealthier.”
She continued, “So I would make sure every single woman had access to contraceptives so she could decide when and whether to have a child.”
How being a mom, grandmother motivates her work for women’s health
Gates, who lives in Seattle, is a mom of three, who became a first-time grandmother last year when her eldest daughter Jenn Gates Nassar gave birth to a daughter.
Gates said she was with her daughter while she was in labor, which made her reflect on the care her daughter received in the U.S., versus what she would have been able to receive if she delivered in a lower-income country.
“I could sit there … and think about all the places I’ve been in the developing world where I’ve been in the delivery room and think, ‘Oh my gosh, if my daughter didn’t have somebody here taking her blood pressure,’ or, ‘I know what hemorrhage looks like. I know what the pain of childbirth is like in these settings,'” Gates said. “So, to see that my daughter was getting good care, and still you’re concerned at the time of the birth of a baby, it’s a bit scary until that baby comes healthy, I could think about all those things.”
Even in the U.S., with its advanced health care, the state of maternal and infant health is dire, data shows.
Last year, the March of Dimes, a nonprofit organization focused on improving the health of pregnant people and babies, named the U.S. one of the “most dangerous developed nations” for childbirth. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. could have been prevented.
Gates said she believes “no mom” should die in childbirth anywhere in the world.
“Now having two healthy daughters and a healthy granddaughter, it makes me all the more passionate about let’s make sure no mom dies in childbirth,” she said. “That just shouldn’t happen in this day and age.”
(NEW YORK) — After two weeks of agonizing limbo for families in the midst of fertility treatment in Alabama, the state legislature on Wednesday night passed the final version of a bill to restore halted access to in-vitro fertilization in the state.
Republican Gov. Kay Ivey signed the bill quickly after the legislature passed it. Lawmakers passed similar legislation last week, kicking off the process, but the state’s process requires a series of votes.
The legislation comes weeks after the Alabama state Supreme Court issued a decision that embryos are children, causing three of the state’s largest IVF treatment providers to halt care for fear of wrongful death lawsuits when handling embryos.
The ruling led to immense public outcry and an organizing effort at the State House to correct the fallout for women and families using fertility treatment to have children.
The bill that passed on Wednesday will provide “civil and criminal immunity” to patients and clinics during IVF services, giving doctors, patients and manufacturers legal cover to proceed with the treatments.
Doctors at Alabama Fertility Specialists, one of the Birmingham clinics where IVF is paused, told ABC News they plan to resume treatments as soon as the bill becomes law. Some patients are already scheduled for treatments at the clinic later this week.
“We have kept our lab fully operational so that we’d be positioned to resume care as soon as possible,” Dr. Janet Bouknight, a fertility physician at Alabama Fertility Specialists, said in an interview Wednesday.
“It has been incredibly stressful for everyone involved. So I am hopeful that this allows that extra anxiety to settle down and focus again on the right treatment for the couple that sits in front of us,” she said.
But doctors, lawmakers and patients involved in the legislative process were clear-eyed that the bill passage Wednesday would not be the final step.
Much of the debate over the bill among lawmakers stemmed from whether the bill provides too broad of protection to clinics in cases of malpractice. They also debated whether the bill goes far enough to protect IVF treatment should more lawsuits come forward in the future, since it does not address the root of the Supreme Court’s decision — the ruling that embryos are children.
“I’ve trusted the legislators to get something in place that gets us back to care as quickly as possible. And I think that’s what has been done,” Bouknight said.
“I think there’s things that absolutely remain to be seen,” she added.
Republican lawmakers who authored the legislation acknowledged that the issue will require more discussion, but for now, it allows patients to continue their IVF treatment.
“We know that we’ll continue the work, and we’ll see what we have to do in the future,” Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter said in a press conference after the House passed the legislation.
Ivey, the governor, also emphasized the need to identify and pass longer-term protection for IVF.
“IVF is a complex issue, no doubt, and I anticipate there will be more work to come, but right now, I am confident that this legislation will provide the assurances our IVF clinics need and will lead them to resume services immediately,” Ivey said in a statement.
Corinn O’Brien, an IVF patient in Birmingham and the lead organizer behind a 300-person rally of patients and families at the State House last week, said she would continue to push for a longer-term fix, likely in the form of a constitutional amendment.
“We haven’t addressed the core question, which is are embryos outside of the uterus considered life or potential life, and you’re gonna have to come back to that,” O’Brien said.
“It’s our next battle. We’re focused today on what we have in front of us, but we’re not done here,” O’Brien said.
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The House subcommittee tasked with investigating the nation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday subpoenaed former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in relation to his administration’s handling of nursing homes during the pandemic, according to documents first obtained by ABC News.
Specifically, the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic is seeking to question Cuomo about one of his administration’s most controversial COVID-era directives: instructing nursing homes to admit recovering COVID-positive patients from hospitals, a move that has faced criticism that it led to increased deaths in nursing homes.
The subpoena and letter from the Republican-led subcommittee is the latest development for the former New York governor, who has faced intense scrutiny into his administration’s handling of nursing homes during the pandemic. In 2021, ABC News reported that federal prosecutors in Brooklyn were investigating Cuomo’s coronavirus task force with a focus on nursing homes. No charges were brought.
“Accordingly, attached to this letter please find a subpoena for you to appear for a deposition,” Tuesday’s letter states.
The subpoena was signed by Republican Rep. James Comer, the chairman of the Oversight Committee, which authorizes the subcommittee to issue subpoenas. It requests a May 24 deposition in Washington.
Cuomo, who was at one point heralded for his leadership during the pandemic and became known for his daily briefings, has defended the March 2020 directive, which he reversed weeks later. He said it was based squarely on federal guidelines and accused those investigating the issue of “playing politics.”
In the seven-page letter to Cuomo that accompanied Tuesday’s subpoena, the committee said his testimony was “vital” as the panel continues it to investigate “the effectiveness of federal guidance and regulations” that were implemented during the pandemic.
An attorney for Cuomo did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment.
The committee, chaired by Republican Rep. Brad Wenstrup, in its letter directly linked what it called Cuomo’s “misguided decision” to “predictable but deadly consequences” in nursing homes, and referenced “troubling evidence” that Cuomo’s administration “at best downplayed its impacts and at worst covered them up.”
“Former Governor Cuomo owes answers to the 15,000 families who lost loved ones in New York nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Chairman Wenstrup in a statement. “His testimony is crucial to uncover the circumstances that led to his misguided policies and for ensuring that fatal mistakes never happen again.”
A New York State Department of Health report that analyzed the effects of the directive found it “could not be the driver” of cases or deaths in nursing homes. An impeachment investigation into Cuomo later found that report had been “substantially revised by the Executive Chamber and largely intended to combat criticisms” about the directive.
Cuomo has also come under fire for allegedly misreporting the number of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes. In early 2021, a report from New York State Attorney General Letitia James found that COVID deaths in New York state had been “undercounted” by as much as 50%.
Cuomo later said he “took responsibility” and that “we should have provided more information faster.”
The subpoena for Cuomo’s interview with the committee came after months of correspondence with his attorney in an effort to schedule a voluntary interview, which the committee alleges in the letter was an attempt by Cuomo to “delay and undermine our investigation.” The letter lays out dozens of emails and multiple meetings between Cuomo’s attorney and subcommittee staff throughout December, January, and February, culminating in Cuomo’s attorney saying he would be available in August.
“You have repeatedly and consistently dismissed, deflected, or ignored all questions and requests from the Select Subcommittee related to your handling of nursing homes,” the letter said. “Your unwillingness to seriously cooperate with our requests and to negotiate a reasonable date to participate in a transcribed interview has unjustifiably delayed our investigation. This is unacceptable.”
The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic was formed in 2020.
ABC News’ Aaron Katersky contributed to this report.
