Minnesota pol looking to prove Lou Gehrig was correctly diagnosed with disease named after legend

[The Straight Story]

Minnesota pol looking to prove Lou Gehrig was correctly diagnosed with disease named after legend

A Minnesota lawmaker wants to prove Yankee great Lou Gehrig was correctly diagnosed with the disease that now bears his name.

State Rep. Phyllis Kahn (D-St. Paul) is introducing a bill tomorrow that would unseal the slugger's medical records, according to the Post-Bulletin in Rochester, Minn. Her proposal comes after a medical journal last summer questioned if the Hall of Famer indeed had Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a deadly disease that is commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

The researchers suggested he and other athletes with the same diagnosis had brain trauma from concussions suffered on the field. Doctors at Minnesota's Mayo Clinic, where Gehrig was treated, have not unsealed his records. His remains were cremated.

Kahn's bill would allow medical records to be released without consent if the patient has been dead for 50 years. Gehrig died in 1941, two years after he was diagnosed with ALS.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2011/02/06/2011-02-06_pol_looks_to_prove_lou_had_gehrigs_disease.html#ixzz1DCuYgjhK

[Kaleva]

1. Does it really matter if he had the disease or not?

[hlthe2b]

3. From the standpoint of ALS, no... but for understanding the

true impact of concussive brain injuries in football... maybe.

My first instinct when I saw a "POL" was pushing this was to assume the worst. But, there might be value in doing so.

[MH1]

2. I don't really care if Gehrig had ALS, but is it a good idea to unseal medical records?

What if it reveals a hereditary condition that the kids and grandkids might not want the world knowing?

haven't thought about it a lot, but that question immediately comes to my mind.

[hlthe2b]

5. I don't think so, at least publicly... perhaps to medical researchers

that were looking at a specific research question, as here. It appears the issue is whether repeated concussive brain injury may have caused his symptoms as well as those of others--thus aiding in defining the spectrum of risk.

So, if they were to release, it should be under strict controlled protocols to a small number of researchers looking to address only a specific question.

[etherealtruth]

4. WTF does it even matter

Lou Gehrig died an awful death .... those with Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS) die horrific deaths.

Perhaps lawmakers may spend there time addressing real issues that matter

[Happyhippychick]

6. I totally agree.