Starting May 15, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services requires healthcare providers to report all cases of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis to the state. Michigan is now among several states with mandatory reporting for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a progressive disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of movement, speech, eating, and breathing abilities, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Service.
Michigan now requires health care professionals and facilities that diagnose and treat Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis to report cases to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the chief medical executive, said, "There are between 4,000 and 6,000 cases of ALS diagnosed across the country annually." She also said, "Mandatory reporting will help provide a better picture of who gets ALS and identify risk factors for the disease." The reported data will be added to a chronic disease registry to help track Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis cases and their locations in the state. This will assist in identifying disease clusters and improving research and care.
“We applaud the State of Michigan and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for approving the creation of an ALS registry for the state,” said Dr. Eva L. Feldman. The registry will collect data on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis cases in Michigan, a state with high rates of the disease. Dr. Stephen Goutman noted, “Without a registry, we do not know the rates of ALS in the state or whether these rates are changing.” The registry is intended to help track and study Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, especially as cases are expected to increase by 2030. For more information, contact the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Chronic Disease Surveillance Team at [email protected].
