Memorial Day - Honoring All Who Served

USMA Memorial Day Message 2026

On Memorial Day, our nation pauses to honor the men and women who gave their lives in service to the United States. For 250 years, generations of patriots have defended the freedoms we cherish. This holiday carries deep significance, and it's the busiest time of year for those of us at the National Cemetery Administration. [National Cemetery Administration]

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Throughout the weekend, our cemeteries will be open from dawn to dusk. You're welcome to visit, walk the grounds, place flowers, or leave an individual U.S. flag at a Veteran's final resting place. Also, many cemeteries will hold ceremonies, so please check with your local Veterans cemetery for details.

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Illinois will receive $295 million to address lead in drinking water as part of a $921 million regional investment, the federal government has announced. [Chicago Tribune] 

The move is one of many actions under the Federal Lead Action Plan, launched in President Donald Trump’s first term and aligned with his administration’s newer campaign to “Make America Healthy Again.”

Illinois has 677,000 known lead service lines and another 820,000 suspected lines currently connected to the state’s water systems. That’s more than any other state.

Chicago alone has more than 400,000 of the toxic pipes, by far the most of any U.S. city, as clout-heavy unions ensured the plumbing code required lead service lines until Congress banned the practice in 1986.

The funding announcement made on Wednesday — and another one on Thursday for $232 million to monitor bacteria levels at Illinois beaches — comes even as the Trump administration rolls back other clean water protections, including a move last week to reduce limits for PFAS levels in drinking water. Also known as forever chemicals, these can cause reproductive, endocrine and neurodevelopmental diseases in humans, as well as cancer, studies show. 

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Most people say health care is a right. Americans support eliminating inequities for everyone. The Nation's Health, APHA, May 2026.  

More than two-thirds of adults agree that the US should prioritize eliminating health inequities for everyone, according to new survey results from the John Hopkins School of Nursing's Institute for Policy Solutions. More>

The national survey, released in February, found that 70% of adults believe health care is a right, not a privilege, and 75% feel everyone should have access to health care regardless of ability to pay. The Nation's Health, APHA, May 2026

Join us at the 2026 Leadership Awards & Annual Meeting - Let's Do More Together.

2026 Leadership Awards & Annual Meeting  - JUNE 25, 2026 

Celebrate with the Leadership Award Recipients!

IOMC Humanitarian Global Health Award
Mildred Olivier, MD

The Portes Foundation & IOMC Award for Excellence in Prevention of Disease
Michael Rakotz, MD

IOMC Innovation in Health Care / Health Care Delivery
Pamela Ganschow, MD - Individual
Debra Kissen, PhD, MHSA - Organization

IOMC Award for Public Service
Sandra Wilks, RN, MSN, CNE

IOMC Lifetime Achievement Award
William McDade, MD

-Awards
-Recognizing the Class of 2026 New Fellows
-Lively Spirits & Dinner
-Networking and networking -did we say networking~ 

The 2026 Leadership Awards & Annual Meeting is a joyful celebration of the Institute’s ongoing dedication to health equity—honoring our journey, our achievements, and our dreams for the future. We invite you to be part of this inspiring moment, as we come together to spark social change and foster a world with fewer healthcare disparities.

We will honor the new Board of Governors, express gratitude to the 2025-2026 Board for their dedication, reflect on the past year’s successes, and look ahead with hope and determination.

Together, we will express heartfelt appreciation to Dr. Lorenzo Pence, DO, FACOFP and the 2025-2026 Board of Governors for their leadership and lasting impact. We are delighted to welcome Dr. Archana Chatterjee, MD, PhD, as our incoming 2026-2027 President, along with the new Board of Governors.

Join us as we set a hopeful, collaborative agenda for the year ahead!

More details and to Register>

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Four in 5 (81.2%) U.S. adults 18 and older who needed substance use disorder treatment in 2023-2024 did not receive it, according to KFF data derived from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health.  [Becker's Behavioral Health]

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Participants were classified as needing treatment if they met criteria for a drug or alcohol use disorder outlined in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or had received treatment through inpatient or outpatient counseling, medication-assisted treatment, telehealth services or care provided in a prison, jail or juvenile detention center.

Estimated numbers were rounded to the nearest 1,000, and the survey noted the findings carry additional uncertainty because of a high proportion of respondents categorized under “substance unspecified” treatment. 

...17. Illinois — 82.8%

Full list and More>

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My mother called me from the pharmacy last fall. "Jessy, is this something I need to get? I saw it at the counter, but I haven't heard anything about it." [CIDRAP] 

She was talking about the RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) vaccine. She is in her seventies, immunocompetent, and has a daughter with a doctorate in public health. If anyone in the country should have heard about the vaccine by now, it is my mother. And yet there she was in the CVS aisle, calling me to ask if she should get it.

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From the looks of the data, she isn't an outlier.

The three respiratory virus vaccines we now have all face barriers, and the barriers are not the same. The flu vaccine fights "it's just the flu," and a recurring suspicion that it's not worth the trouble because its effectiveness varies year to year, depending on how well it matches circulating strains. (For the record: even a moderately matched flu vaccine running at 40% is meaningfully better than zero.) The COVID vaccine fights distrust, much of it inherited from a rollout that looked rushed because the vaccine trials ran in parallel rather than sequentially, even though the rigor was the same

Widespread unawareness

The RSV vaccine is different. It does not have a reputation problem or a trust problem. It has an awareness problem. Most people do not know what RSV is, do not know they are at risk, and do not know there is something they can do about it. It is the middle child of respiratory season, the one we keep forgetting is in the room.

In a recent international survey of adults 50 and older across four countries, only 40% had heard of RSV. In the US, a survey of adults 60 and older and adults with chronic heart, lung, or metabolic conditions found that only 43% had heard of RSV, and among those who had, only about a third felt they knew much about the disease. Numbers like these would be unthinkable for the other two.

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Illinois ranked 28th among states for senior health, according to a recent report by the United Health Foundation.  [Health News Illinois]

The state saw a drop in the number of homicides per 100,000 seniors, and a 6 percent increase in the percentage of mental health providers. However, it saw a drop in the percentage of those who received flu shots, and an increase in the percentage of those who reported depression.

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The report highlights that Illinois did well when it came to having a low prevalence of frequent mental distress and cigarette smoking, and access to dental care providers. 

Challenges included a high prevalence of excessive drinking, preventable hospitalization rates and air pollution.

Nationally, the report found improvements in preventive health behaviors, growth in the workforce for older adults, a decline in physical inactivity and improvements in the early death rate. It uncovered challenges in mental and behavioral health for seniors, as well as increasing food insecurity. 

“Our nation has made meaningful progress in prevention and expanding the workforce that supports older adults,” Dr. Rhonda Randall, executive vice president and chief medical officer for UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual, said in a statement. “There are still urgent challenges that require focused attention, particularly related to behavioral health and substance use.”

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News Release: Institute of Medicine of Chicago Recognizes 2026 Leadership Award Recipients

Excellence in Healthcare, Public Health and Population Health Awards

CHICAGO- It is with great pleasure that the Institute of Medicine of Chicago announces the recipients of its 2026 Annual Leadership Awards. These inspiring individuals will be honored at our Annual Leadership Awards & Annual Meeting, a signature gathering dedicated to advancing health equity and reducing healthcare disparities. More details and to register here>

The Annual Leadership Awards illuminate extraordinary accomplishments and the unwavering spirit needed to overcome challenges in healthcare and public health. With a focus on excellence across healthcare, public health, and population health, these honorees serve as beacons of inspiration, guiding us through a continually evolving landscape.

We warmly welcome you to join us in celebrating and uplifting these extraordinary leaders.

2026 Leadership Awards

IOMC Humanitarian Global Health Award  

Mildred Olivier, MD   

The Portes & IOMC Award for Excellence in Prevention of Disease  

Michael Rakotz, MD                               

                                                                      

IOMC Innovation in Health Care / Health Care Delivery  

Pamela Ganschow, MD - Individual                                                                     

Debra Kissen, PhD, MHSA - Organization                           

 

IOMC Award for Public Service    

Sandra Wilks, RN, MSN, CNE

                                    

IOMC Lifetime Achievement Award  

William McDade, MD   

The 2026 Leadership Awards & Annual Meeting is a joyful celebration of the Institute’s ongoing dedication to health equity—honoring our journey, our achievements, and our dreams for the future. We invite you to be part of this inspiring moment, as we come together to spark social change and foster a world with fewer healthcare disparities. We will honor the new Board of Governors, express gratitude to the 2025-2026 Board of Governors for their dedication, reflect on the past year’s successes, and look ahead with hope and determination.

We are honored to welcome our keynote speaker, Dr. Aron Sousa, MD, FACP, President of Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science and Fellow of IOMC. Dr. Sousa’s presentation, “Universities as Engines for Community Health,” weaves together his decades of community-based work in Michigan with Rosalind Franklin University’s trailblazing efforts to advance health. From the university’s student-run Interprofessional Community Clinic and free Community Care Connection to the Children’s Advocacy Center Medical Clinic—the only one of its kind in Illinois—Dr. Sousa highlights how academic leadership can spark transformation. His keynote shines a spotlight on innovative cash allowance programs such as Rx Kids, which provide universal support for mothers and babies to improve maternal and newborn health. This creative, collaborative approach exemplifies the power of partnerships among universities, public health, philanthropy, and government to ignite meaningful, community-centered change.

Together, we will express heartfelt appreciation to Dr. Lorenzo Pence, DO, and the 2025-2026 Board of Governors for their leadership and lasting impact. We are delighted to welcome Dr. Archana Chatterjee, MD, PhD, as our incoming 2026-2027 President, along with the new Board of Governors. Join us as we set a hopeful, collaborative agenda for the year ahead—united in our commitment to advancing health equity and reducing disparities for all.

We warmly invite everyone to share in this special gathering. The evening promises friendly connections, a delightful dinner, inspiring awards, and joyful moments together. Learn more about the awards here.

We wish to thank our sponsors for their support: Golden Square, and Labcorp. Our meeting partners include Health News Illinois and Cannon. For more information on sponsorship, the convening and the Institute’s history of accomplishments, visit this www.iomc.org.

The Institute of Medicine of Chicago (IOMC), since 1915, is an independent 501c3 non-profit organization of distinguished leaders in the health field who collaborate to improve the health of the public. Drawing upon the expertise of a diverse membership and other regional leaders, the IOMC addresses critical health issues through a range of interdisciplinary approaches, including education, research, communication of trusted information, and community engagement. With the public's health at its core, IOMC is building new programs and services to meet better the needs of its members and the Chicago, Counties and the State of Illinois community. Visit www.iomc.org.  

More details and to register for the 2026 Leadership Awards & Annual Meeting here>

Download a copy of news release>

Check out other news here>News Releases

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Even among experts, there is no single, universally accepted way to diagnose the condition—whether it should be based on body size, fat distribution, metabolic consequences, or some combination of all 3. [JAMA Network]

But as global prevalence continues to rise, with more than a billion people now estimated to be living with obesity, and as increasingly effective weight loss medications reshape the treatment landscape, accurate diagnosis is more important than ever. How obesity is defined can influence who qualifies for treatment, what insurers cover, and how clinicians prioritize care.

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Last year, a global commission convened by editors of The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology published a new diagnostic framework that moves beyond body mass index (BMI) by incorporating more refined assessments of excess adiposity and distinguishing between preclinical and clinical obesity. Rather than advancing the field toward consensus, however, the proposal has reignited debate among experts.

At the center of the discord is, interestingly, an area of agreement: a broad recognition that BMI, a metric that has been used for decades to estimate a person’s body fat based on weight and height alone, is insufficient.

Although the simplicity of BMI has cemented its position as the dominant obesity screening tool, some experts have deemed it too blunt an instrument for the examination room, where clinical care demands greater precision based on a patient’s specific profile.

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The World Health Organization's annual health statistics report explains that less international aid from wealthy countries has disrupted medical services and weakened disease surveillance. This, along with the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, is contributing to many dying of preventable causes, CIDRAP reports. [KFF] 

CIDRAP: Fragile Progress On Global Public Health Under Threat

The World Health Organization's (WHO’s) annual health statistics report paints a sobering picture. Too many people are dying of preventable causes, while hard-fought gains are losing steam or even reversing, said Yukiko Nakatani, MD, PhD, the WHO's assistant director‑general for health systems, access and data. (Boden, 5/14)  [CIDRAP-Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy - Research and Innovation Office, University of Minnesota, MN]

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Some people who may have been exposed to a hantavirus that can transmit from human to human returned to the U.S. before the outbreak aboard a cruise ship was known. [MEDPAGE TODAY]

This includes seven Americans who disembarked the ship on the remote island of St. Helena on April 24. MedPage Today broke that story last week. 

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It also includes at least nine Americans who were on the same plane from St. Helena to Johannesburg as the widow of the first cruise ship passenger who died. That woman was symptomatic during the flight, and died not long after landing in South Africa.

State health officials have contacted these people and have advised them to quarantine as best they can, with home monitoring and daily symptom and fever checks. According to CDC's interim guidance, they are all high risk, as they were either on the ship as of April 6, when the first patient died, or were seated close to the symptomatic passenger on the plane.

Some people who may have been exposed to a hantavirus that can transmit from human to human returned to the U.S. before the outbreak aboard a cruise ship was known.

This includes seven Americans who disembarked the ship on the remote island of St. Helena on April 24. MedPage Today broke that story last week.

It also includes at least nine Americans who were on the same plane from St. Helena to Johannesburg as the widow of the first cruise ship passenger who died. That woman was symptomatic during the flight, and died not long after landing in South Africa.

State health officials have contacted these people and have advised them to quarantine as best they can, with home monitoring and daily symptom and fever checks. According to CDC's interim guidance, they are all high risk, as they were either on the ship as of April 6, when the first patient died, or were seated close to the symptomatic passenger on the plane.

More>

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