NC NEWSLINE • December 4, 2024
I support public health officials who are trying to increase testing for H5N1 and applaud my fellow health care professionals treating patients with bird flu. In addition to keeping this crisis at bay, now is the time to take a hard look at the food production system that puts farm workers in close contact with sick cows and birds, the Standard American Diet that demands it, and the health ramifications of both. From a doctor’s perspective, shifting food production away from intensive animal agriculture can benefit public health. ~ Joseph Barrocas, MD