The discovery of previously unknown nerve disease in the Canadian province of New Brunswick appears to be a false alarm. In its final report, published at the end of February, an oversight commission from the provincial public health agency came to this decision.

The report said the 48 patients had varying symptoms. There’s no reason to believe the individuals all had the same undiagnosed illness.

In 41 individuals, neurologists have made a probable alternative diagnosis. Patients and their families, who are requesting clarification and additional testing from authorities, are naturally skeptical of the report, considering it to be politically driven.

Last year, the supposed new disease was discovered. Memory issues, muscle atrophy, impaired eyesight, and physical aches plagued those who were impacted.

Even though they were previously healthy, some people’s health quickly deteriorated. Tests for diseases such as Creutzfeldt-Jakob were negative.

A so-called cluster, a spatial and temporal aggregation of uncommon cases of sickness, was declared in the spring of last year.

As a result, there were various contradictions, investigating committees were formed and then disbanded, autopsy results were published before the relatives were informed, and the health authorities did not appear to have a strong desire to clarify.

According to media accounts, the number of persons infected was actually far greater; there was also speculation that the ailment was caused by a man-made toxin in the environment, and that the government were trying to hide it.

The authority now wants to establish rules

But now it looks as if perhaps the greatest inconsistency is also the decisive one: Of the 48 officially registered patients, 46 were diagnosed by a single doctor. That was already known.

Now, however, the authority admits: Apparently, no second opinion was sought in all these cases. It is recommended that this should be standard in the future before a previously unknown disease is diagnosed.

In general, a regulated procedure for the proclamation of any clusters should now ensure that this situation is not repeated – because one understands, it was said, that the lack of such rules has also contributed to the speculation and mistrust.

Before they mentioned a cluster of an unknown nervous ailment, it appears that those in charge in the provincial government had not previously come up with the concept of getting a second opinion on every case, even without a defined method.

In the end, what you really have to criticize the authorities for is that they failed to do this as a matter of course.

Source: gnb.ca

Image Credit: Getty

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