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Surgical Oncologist Dr. Timothy J. Eberlein of St. Louis Installed as 2026-2027 ACS President
CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 29 -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release:
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Surgical Oncologist Dr. Timothy J. Eberlein of St. Louis Installed as 2026-2027 ACS President
WASHINGTON (September 27, 2026) -- Timothy J. Eberlein, MD, FACS, FRCS (Glasg)(Hon), FRCSEd (Hon), MAMSE, a renowned surgical oncologist and long-serving past Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of American College of Surgeons (JACS), was installed as the 107th President of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) during the ACS Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, D.C. Dr. Eberlein succeeds Anton N. Sidawy, ... Show Full Article CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 29 -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release: * * * Surgical Oncologist Dr. Timothy J. Eberlein of St. Louis Installed as 2026-2027 ACS President WASHINGTON (September 27, 2026) -- Timothy J. Eberlein, MD, FACS, FRCS (Glasg)(Hon), FRCSEd (Hon), MAMSE, a renowned surgical oncologist and long-serving past Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of American College of Surgeons (JACS), was installed as the 107th President of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) during the ACS Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, D.C. Dr. Eberlein succeeds Anton N. Sidawy,MD, MPH, FACS, DFSVS, MAMSE, who served as president of the ACS from 2025-2026.
For his presidential year, Dr. Eberlein chose the theme, "The House of Surgery: Stronger Together." The theme reflects a desire to collaborate across surgical disciplines to make the advancements that are only possible through such connections. This is particularly powerful now, as surgery navigates rapid changes to policy, technology, and clinical care.
"I am humbled to serve the College and our Fellows with this appointment. I look forward to listening, learning and working with all specialties to make The House of Surgery stronger," Dr. Eberlein said.
Dr. Eberlein is the Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Distinguished Professor, founding director of the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, and senior associate dean for cancer programs at Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Eberlein simultaneously served as the Bixby Professor and chair of the Department of Surgery at Washington University for 241/2 years.
ACS Achievements
Dr. Eberlein has been active within the ACS for more than 30 years. He has served as a member of the Board of Governors, Chair of the Board of Regents, and longstanding Editor-in-Chief of JACS (2004-2025). His improvements to the journal included adding rigorous biostatistical reviews for all manuscripts and affiliating with regional surgical societies nationwide, as well as the Excelsior Surgical Society, the ACS military surgery group. For his numerous achievements, he has received the Rodney E. and Thomas G. Sheen Award from the New Jersey Chapter of the ACS and the ACS Owen H. Wangensteen Scientific Forum Award.
Dr. Eberlein also has held leadership positions at the American Board of Surgery, Advisory Committee to the Board for Surgical Oncology, Board of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, Society of Surgical Oncology, Society of Surgical Chairs, American Surgical Association, Southern Surgical Association, and the National Cancer Institute. A prolific researcher and editorial board member, he served as associate editor of the Annals of Surgical Oncology for 17 years. He was also elected a member of the National Academy of Medicine in 2004.
Background and Training
After earning his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, he completed his internship and residency at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, including a year as chief resident. He also completed two research fellowships at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. After training, Dr. Eberlein joined the faculty of Harvard Medical School and rose to become the Wilson Professor of Surgery at Harvard and vice chair of the Department of Surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital before moving to St. Louis.
Vice-Presidents
First Vice President Sharon M. Henry, MD, FACS, and Second Vice President Robert P. Sticca, MD, FACS, were also installed at the Convocation Ceremony during Clinical Congress.
Dr. Henry is the Anne Scalea Professor of Trauma Surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. A highly skilled trauma surgeon, Dr. Henry is the first African American female surgeon to be inducted in the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma. Within the ACS, her service includes more than 20 years with the Committee on Trauma. She has been a course director for Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) for many years, including promulgating the course in Slovenia, Iraq, Haiti, and Bangladesh and participating in the steering committee for the 11th edition (released in 2025). For this work, she received the Meritorious Service Award in 2009.
Dr. Sticca is an emeritus professor of surgery at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine in Grand Forks, where he helped to develop and lead the only surgical residency program in that state. He has been a leader in helping improve surgical access to underserved rural populations. In that capacity, he has been part of the ACS Commission on Cancer, ATLS, and other committees and projects within the ACS. A surgical oncologist and general surgeon by training, he has also championed the use of opportunistic bilateral salpingectomy to prevent ovarian cancer.
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About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has approximately 95,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. "FACS" designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
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Original text here: https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2026/surgical-oncologist-dr-timothy-j-eberlein-of-st-louis-installed-as-2026-2027-acs-president/
[Category: Medical]
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Surgical Oncologist Dr. Timothy J. Eberlein of St. Louis Installed as 2026-2027 ACS President
WASHINGTON (September 27, 2026) -- Timothy J. Eberlein, MD, FACS, FRCS (Glasg)(Hon), FRCSEd (Hon), MAMSE, a renowned surgical oncologist and long-serving past Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of American College of Surgeons (JACS), was installed as the 107th President of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) during the ACS Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, D.C. Dr. Eberlein succeeds Anton N. Sidawy, ... Show Full Article CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 29 -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release: * * * Surgical Oncologist Dr. Timothy J. Eberlein of St. Louis Installed as 2026-2027 ACS President WASHINGTON (September 27, 2026) -- Timothy J. Eberlein, MD, FACS, FRCS (Glasg)(Hon), FRCSEd (Hon), MAMSE, a renowned surgical oncologist and long-serving past Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of American College of Surgeons (JACS), was installed as the 107th President of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) during the ACS Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, D.C. Dr. Eberlein succeeds Anton N. Sidawy,MD, MPH, FACS, DFSVS, MAMSE, who served as president of the ACS from 2025-2026.
For his presidential year, Dr. Eberlein chose the theme, "The House of Surgery: Stronger Together." The theme reflects a desire to collaborate across surgical disciplines to make the advancements that are only possible through such connections. This is particularly powerful now, as surgery navigates rapid changes to policy, technology, and clinical care.
"I am humbled to serve the College and our Fellows with this appointment. I look forward to listening, learning and working with all specialties to make The House of Surgery stronger," Dr. Eberlein said.
Dr. Eberlein is the Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Distinguished Professor, founding director of the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, and senior associate dean for cancer programs at Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Eberlein simultaneously served as the Bixby Professor and chair of the Department of Surgery at Washington University for 241/2 years.
ACS Achievements
Dr. Eberlein has been active within the ACS for more than 30 years. He has served as a member of the Board of Governors, Chair of the Board of Regents, and longstanding Editor-in-Chief of JACS (2004-2025). His improvements to the journal included adding rigorous biostatistical reviews for all manuscripts and affiliating with regional surgical societies nationwide, as well as the Excelsior Surgical Society, the ACS military surgery group. For his numerous achievements, he has received the Rodney E. and Thomas G. Sheen Award from the New Jersey Chapter of the ACS and the ACS Owen H. Wangensteen Scientific Forum Award.
Dr. Eberlein also has held leadership positions at the American Board of Surgery, Advisory Committee to the Board for Surgical Oncology, Board of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, Society of Surgical Oncology, Society of Surgical Chairs, American Surgical Association, Southern Surgical Association, and the National Cancer Institute. A prolific researcher and editorial board member, he served as associate editor of the Annals of Surgical Oncology for 17 years. He was also elected a member of the National Academy of Medicine in 2004.
Background and Training
After earning his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, he completed his internship and residency at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, including a year as chief resident. He also completed two research fellowships at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. After training, Dr. Eberlein joined the faculty of Harvard Medical School and rose to become the Wilson Professor of Surgery at Harvard and vice chair of the Department of Surgery at Brigham and Women's Hospital before moving to St. Louis.
Vice-Presidents
First Vice President Sharon M. Henry, MD, FACS, and Second Vice President Robert P. Sticca, MD, FACS, were also installed at the Convocation Ceremony during Clinical Congress.
Dr. Henry is the Anne Scalea Professor of Trauma Surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. A highly skilled trauma surgeon, Dr. Henry is the first African American female surgeon to be inducted in the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma. Within the ACS, her service includes more than 20 years with the Committee on Trauma. She has been a course director for Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) for many years, including promulgating the course in Slovenia, Iraq, Haiti, and Bangladesh and participating in the steering committee for the 11th edition (released in 2025). For this work, she received the Meritorious Service Award in 2009.
Dr. Sticca is an emeritus professor of surgery at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine in Grand Forks, where he helped to develop and lead the only surgical residency program in that state. He has been a leader in helping improve surgical access to underserved rural populations. In that capacity, he has been part of the ACS Commission on Cancer, ATLS, and other committees and projects within the ACS. A surgical oncologist and general surgeon by training, he has also championed the use of opportunistic bilateral salpingectomy to prevent ovarian cancer.
* * *
About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has approximately 95,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. "FACS" designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
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Original text here: https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2026/surgical-oncologist-dr-timothy-j-eberlein-of-st-louis-installed-as-2026-2027-acs-president/
[Category: Medical]
Roger S. Foster, Jr., MD, FACS, and Baiba J. Grube, MD, FACS, Are the ACS Foundation Distinguished Philanthropists of the Year
CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 29 -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release:
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Roger S. Foster, Jr., MD, FACS, and Baiba J. Grube, MD, FACS, Are the ACS Foundation Distinguished Philanthropists of the Year
September 27, 2026
WASHINGTON -- The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Foundation announced Roger S. Foster, Jr., MD, FACS, and Baiba J. Grube, MD, FACS, as the recipients of its prestigious Distinguished Philanthropist Award, which was presented during the ACS Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, DC. The award recognizes the married couple's exemplary investment ... Show Full Article CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 29 -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release: * * * Roger S. Foster, Jr., MD, FACS, and Baiba J. Grube, MD, FACS, Are the ACS Foundation Distinguished Philanthropists of the Year September 27, 2026 WASHINGTON -- The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Foundation announced Roger S. Foster, Jr., MD, FACS, and Baiba J. Grube, MD, FACS, as the recipients of its prestigious Distinguished Philanthropist Award, which was presented during the ACS Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, DC. The award recognizes the married couple's exemplary investmentin the mission of the ACS and surgical care worldwide.
The Distinguished Philanthropist Award, established in 1989, celebrates outstanding individuals who have significantly supported the ACS Foundation's mission to advance surgical practices, research, and patient care.
"Dr. Foster and Dr. Grube's generosity is a powerful force for progress in surgery, but it is their unique combination of philanthropic support and hands-on leadership that truly sets them apart," said H. Randolph Bailey, MD, FACS, Chair of the ACS Foundation. "Their dedication to advancing surgical oncology, trauma care, and surgical education, backed by their own clinical experience, has left an indelible mark on the ACS and the patients we all serve."
For both Dr. Foster and Dr. Grube, the recognition capped long and productive surgical careers and highlighted a selfless focus on the wellbeing of the ACS.
Dr. Foster enjoyed a career as a leader in surgical oncology. He earned his medical degree at Case Western Reserve University, then completed surgical residency at University Hospitals of Cleveland in Ohio and a fellowship at Roswell Park Memorial Institute in Buffalo, New York. A drive to research brought him to the University of Vermont in Burlington, where he began surgical practice as an assistant professor. As his career gained recognition, he participated in eleven National Cancer Institute committees and chaired the Cancer Clinical Investigations Review Committee. He retired as the Wadley R. Glenn Professor of Surgery at Emory University and Chief of Surgical Services at Emory's Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.
His leadership included significant contributions to the ACS. Dr. Foster served as secretary of the Vermont chapter, participated in nearly a dozen ACS committees, joined the Board of Governors, and became a member of the Board of Regents for 9 years, where he served on the Executive Committee of the Board of Regents for 6 of those years. He also holds a rare distinction: a connection by marriage to an ACS founder. Dr. Foster met George W. Crile, Jr., MD, FACS, and his family during his first year in medical school. Joan Crile and Dr. Foster married after his third year of medical school. Joan's active support of his career began with his research activities during his first two medical school summers. George W. Crile, Jr., MD, FACS, was a son of George W. Crile, MD, FACS, who co-founded the Cleveland Clinic and the ACS. Dr. Foster later married Dr. Crile's daughter, Joan, making him a grandson-in-law of the ACS founder.
Four years after his wife's death in 2000, after his wife's death in 2000, Dr. Foster remarried to Baiba Grube, MD, FACS. The two first encountered each other at the University of Vermont, where Dr. Grube completed her surgical residency and where Dr. Foster served as one of her research mentors. A native of Albany, New York, Dr. Grube attended medical school at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. She completed a fellowship in trauma and burn care at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, then retrained in surgical oncology at the City of Hope in Duarte, California, and completed supplemental education in breast oncology at the John Wayne Cancer Institute. She retired from surgery in 2011 from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
Drs. Foster and Grube are dedicated, generous philanthropists. Dr. Grube has donated to Latvian social and cultural organizations, the Association of Women Surgeons, The Scripps Research Institute, University of Utah Medical School, University of Texas Medical Branch, and New England Surgical Society, and music organizations. Dr. Foster has focused on the universities that touched his life: Haverford College, Case Western Reserve University, and the University of Vermont. Together, they established the Foster Family Scholarship Fund at Haverford College to alleviate undergraduate students' financial need, and The Roger S. Foster, Jr., MD, Catamount Surgeon Visiting Professorship at the University of Vermont.
They are both amateur musicians, Baiba piano and Roger cello, and they have been particularly supportive of the Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival, where Roger served as Chairman of the Board for five years.
Their strongest interest, however, may be the ACS. "I lived all my life as a participant in the field of surgery, and those hours were greater than hours spent with family or with friends. So, it's important to give back to our professional family, just like you support your children or you support your parents or relatives," Dr. Grube explained.
Their gifts to the ACS Foundation have been unrestricted, permitting the College flexibility to use the funds where they are needed most. "I want a strong organization to be able to go the way they need to go," Dr. Foster said.
Asked about their own legacies, both expressed little concern, instead saying the wellbeing of the College was their chief interest. "It's the future generations of the College to impact and support them in the best way possible," Dr. Foster said.
"The legacy should be the College," Dr. Grube concurred.
* * *
About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has approximately 95,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. "FACS" designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2026/roger-s-foster-jr-md-facs-and-baiba-j-grube-md-facs-are-the-acs-foundation-distinguished-philanthropists-of-the-year/
[Category: Medical]
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Roger S. Foster, Jr., MD, FACS, and Baiba J. Grube, MD, FACS, Are the ACS Foundation Distinguished Philanthropists of the Year
September 27, 2026
WASHINGTON -- The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Foundation announced Roger S. Foster, Jr., MD, FACS, and Baiba J. Grube, MD, FACS, as the recipients of its prestigious Distinguished Philanthropist Award, which was presented during the ACS Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, DC. The award recognizes the married couple's exemplary investment ... Show Full Article CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 29 -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release: * * * Roger S. Foster, Jr., MD, FACS, and Baiba J. Grube, MD, FACS, Are the ACS Foundation Distinguished Philanthropists of the Year September 27, 2026 WASHINGTON -- The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Foundation announced Roger S. Foster, Jr., MD, FACS, and Baiba J. Grube, MD, FACS, as the recipients of its prestigious Distinguished Philanthropist Award, which was presented during the ACS Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, DC. The award recognizes the married couple's exemplary investmentin the mission of the ACS and surgical care worldwide.
The Distinguished Philanthropist Award, established in 1989, celebrates outstanding individuals who have significantly supported the ACS Foundation's mission to advance surgical practices, research, and patient care.
"Dr. Foster and Dr. Grube's generosity is a powerful force for progress in surgery, but it is their unique combination of philanthropic support and hands-on leadership that truly sets them apart," said H. Randolph Bailey, MD, FACS, Chair of the ACS Foundation. "Their dedication to advancing surgical oncology, trauma care, and surgical education, backed by their own clinical experience, has left an indelible mark on the ACS and the patients we all serve."
For both Dr. Foster and Dr. Grube, the recognition capped long and productive surgical careers and highlighted a selfless focus on the wellbeing of the ACS.
Dr. Foster enjoyed a career as a leader in surgical oncology. He earned his medical degree at Case Western Reserve University, then completed surgical residency at University Hospitals of Cleveland in Ohio and a fellowship at Roswell Park Memorial Institute in Buffalo, New York. A drive to research brought him to the University of Vermont in Burlington, where he began surgical practice as an assistant professor. As his career gained recognition, he participated in eleven National Cancer Institute committees and chaired the Cancer Clinical Investigations Review Committee. He retired as the Wadley R. Glenn Professor of Surgery at Emory University and Chief of Surgical Services at Emory's Crawford Long Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.
His leadership included significant contributions to the ACS. Dr. Foster served as secretary of the Vermont chapter, participated in nearly a dozen ACS committees, joined the Board of Governors, and became a member of the Board of Regents for 9 years, where he served on the Executive Committee of the Board of Regents for 6 of those years. He also holds a rare distinction: a connection by marriage to an ACS founder. Dr. Foster met George W. Crile, Jr., MD, FACS, and his family during his first year in medical school. Joan Crile and Dr. Foster married after his third year of medical school. Joan's active support of his career began with his research activities during his first two medical school summers. George W. Crile, Jr., MD, FACS, was a son of George W. Crile, MD, FACS, who co-founded the Cleveland Clinic and the ACS. Dr. Foster later married Dr. Crile's daughter, Joan, making him a grandson-in-law of the ACS founder.
Four years after his wife's death in 2000, after his wife's death in 2000, Dr. Foster remarried to Baiba Grube, MD, FACS. The two first encountered each other at the University of Vermont, where Dr. Grube completed her surgical residency and where Dr. Foster served as one of her research mentors. A native of Albany, New York, Dr. Grube attended medical school at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. She completed a fellowship in trauma and burn care at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, then retrained in surgical oncology at the City of Hope in Duarte, California, and completed supplemental education in breast oncology at the John Wayne Cancer Institute. She retired from surgery in 2011 from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
Drs. Foster and Grube are dedicated, generous philanthropists. Dr. Grube has donated to Latvian social and cultural organizations, the Association of Women Surgeons, The Scripps Research Institute, University of Utah Medical School, University of Texas Medical Branch, and New England Surgical Society, and music organizations. Dr. Foster has focused on the universities that touched his life: Haverford College, Case Western Reserve University, and the University of Vermont. Together, they established the Foster Family Scholarship Fund at Haverford College to alleviate undergraduate students' financial need, and The Roger S. Foster, Jr., MD, Catamount Surgeon Visiting Professorship at the University of Vermont.
They are both amateur musicians, Baiba piano and Roger cello, and they have been particularly supportive of the Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival, where Roger served as Chairman of the Board for five years.
Their strongest interest, however, may be the ACS. "I lived all my life as a participant in the field of surgery, and those hours were greater than hours spent with family or with friends. So, it's important to give back to our professional family, just like you support your children or you support your parents or relatives," Dr. Grube explained.
Their gifts to the ACS Foundation have been unrestricted, permitting the College flexibility to use the funds where they are needed most. "I want a strong organization to be able to go the way they need to go," Dr. Foster said.
Asked about their own legacies, both expressed little concern, instead saying the wellbeing of the College was their chief interest. "It's the future generations of the College to impact and support them in the best way possible," Dr. Foster said.
"The legacy should be the College," Dr. Grube concurred.
* * *
About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has approximately 95,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. "FACS" designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2026/roger-s-foster-jr-md-facs-and-baiba-j-grube-md-facs-are-the-acs-foundation-distinguished-philanthropists-of-the-year/
[Category: Medical]
National MS Society: Global Estimate of People Living With Multiple Sclerosis Reaches 3.1 Million
NEW YORK, Sept. 29 (TNSjou) -- The National Multiple Sclerosis Society issued the following news:
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September 28, 2026
Global Estimate of People Living with Multiple Sclerosis Reaches 3.1 Million
New findings from the MSIF Atlas of MS provide the most comprehensive assessment of global multiple sclerosis prevalence to date.
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A newly published analysis from the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation Atlas of MS, published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal, estimates that approximately 3.1 million people worldwide are living with multiple sclerosis, up from a previous estimate of ... Show Full Article NEW YORK, Sept. 29 (TNSjou) -- The National Multiple Sclerosis Society issued the following news: * * * September 28, 2026 Global Estimate of People Living with Multiple Sclerosis Reaches 3.1 Million New findings from the MSIF Atlas of MS provide the most comprehensive assessment of global multiple sclerosis prevalence to date. - A newly published analysis from the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation Atlas of MS, published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal, estimates that approximately 3.1 million people worldwide are living with multiple sclerosis, up from a previous estimate of2.8 million. The findings are based on updated data from 133 countries representing 93% of the world's population and provide the most comprehensive assessment of global MS prevalence to date. Nearly 1 million people live with MS in the United States.
The updated estimate likely reflects multiple factors, including earlier diagnosis, improved data collection and surveillance, and population growth. Researchers note that the increase does not necessarily indicate a rise in the underlying risk of developing MS. Researchers note that the increase does not necessarily indicate a rise in the underlying risk of developing MS.
Key Findings
* Approximately 3.1 million people worldwide are living with multiple sclerosis.
* The global prevalence of MS increased from 24.8 per 100,000 people in 2013 to 38.1 per 100,000 people in 2024.
* An estimated 120,000 new MS diagnoses occur annually across reporting countries.
* At least 40,000 children and adolescents are living with pediatric-onset MS in countries reporting pediatric prevalence data.
* Women continue to be disproportionately affected, accounting for approximately 70% of people living with MS globally.
"This updated estimate reinforces the significant global impact of multiple sclerosis and the importance of continued investment in research, access to care, and support for people living with the disease," said Bruce Bebo, Chief Research and Medical Affairs Officer at the National MS Society. "While advances in diagnosis and treatment have helped many people with MS live longer and healthier lives, this new global estimate is also a reminder of how many individuals and families are affected by the disease around the world. The findings highlight the importance of continued research, earlier diagnosis, equitable access to care, and ensuring that everyone living with MS has the support they need while we work toward a cure.
"The full study (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13524585261479954), "Global prevalence of multiple sclerosis surpasses 3 million: 2024 update of the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation Atlas of MS," is available through the Multiple Sclerosis Journal.
* * *
About Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system. Currently there is no cure. Symptoms vary from person to person and may include disabling fatigue, mobility challenges, cognitive changes, and vision issues. An estimated 1 million people live with MS in the United States. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to minimize disability. Significant progress is being made to achieve a world free of MS.
* * *
About the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
The National MS Society, founded in 1946, is the global leader of a growing movement dedicated to creating a world free of MS. The Society funds cutting-edge research for a cure, drives change through advocacy and provides programs and services to help people affected by MS live their best lives. Connect to learn more and get involved: nationalmssociety.org, Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram, YouTube or 1-800-344-4867.
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Original text here: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/news-and-magazine/news/global-ms-prevalence-update
[Category: Health Care]
* * *
September 28, 2026
Global Estimate of People Living with Multiple Sclerosis Reaches 3.1 Million
New findings from the MSIF Atlas of MS provide the most comprehensive assessment of global multiple sclerosis prevalence to date.
-
A newly published analysis from the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation Atlas of MS, published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal, estimates that approximately 3.1 million people worldwide are living with multiple sclerosis, up from a previous estimate of ... Show Full Article NEW YORK, Sept. 29 (TNSjou) -- The National Multiple Sclerosis Society issued the following news: * * * September 28, 2026 Global Estimate of People Living with Multiple Sclerosis Reaches 3.1 Million New findings from the MSIF Atlas of MS provide the most comprehensive assessment of global multiple sclerosis prevalence to date. - A newly published analysis from the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation Atlas of MS, published in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal, estimates that approximately 3.1 million people worldwide are living with multiple sclerosis, up from a previous estimate of2.8 million. The findings are based on updated data from 133 countries representing 93% of the world's population and provide the most comprehensive assessment of global MS prevalence to date. Nearly 1 million people live with MS in the United States.
The updated estimate likely reflects multiple factors, including earlier diagnosis, improved data collection and surveillance, and population growth. Researchers note that the increase does not necessarily indicate a rise in the underlying risk of developing MS. Researchers note that the increase does not necessarily indicate a rise in the underlying risk of developing MS.
Key Findings
* Approximately 3.1 million people worldwide are living with multiple sclerosis.
* The global prevalence of MS increased from 24.8 per 100,000 people in 2013 to 38.1 per 100,000 people in 2024.
* An estimated 120,000 new MS diagnoses occur annually across reporting countries.
* At least 40,000 children and adolescents are living with pediatric-onset MS in countries reporting pediatric prevalence data.
* Women continue to be disproportionately affected, accounting for approximately 70% of people living with MS globally.
"This updated estimate reinforces the significant global impact of multiple sclerosis and the importance of continued investment in research, access to care, and support for people living with the disease," said Bruce Bebo, Chief Research and Medical Affairs Officer at the National MS Society. "While advances in diagnosis and treatment have helped many people with MS live longer and healthier lives, this new global estimate is also a reminder of how many individuals and families are affected by the disease around the world. The findings highlight the importance of continued research, earlier diagnosis, equitable access to care, and ensuring that everyone living with MS has the support they need while we work toward a cure.
"The full study (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13524585261479954), "Global prevalence of multiple sclerosis surpasses 3 million: 2024 update of the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation Atlas of MS," is available through the Multiple Sclerosis Journal.
* * *
About Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system. Currently there is no cure. Symptoms vary from person to person and may include disabling fatigue, mobility challenges, cognitive changes, and vision issues. An estimated 1 million people live with MS in the United States. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical to minimize disability. Significant progress is being made to achieve a world free of MS.
* * *
About the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
The National MS Society, founded in 1946, is the global leader of a growing movement dedicated to creating a world free of MS. The Society funds cutting-edge research for a cure, drives change through advocacy and provides programs and services to help people affected by MS live their best lives. Connect to learn more and get involved: nationalmssociety.org, Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram, YouTube or 1-800-344-4867.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.nationalmssociety.org/news-and-magazine/news/global-ms-prevalence-update
[Category: Health Care]
Eight Renowned Surgeons Receive Honorary ACS Fellowship
CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 29 -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release:
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Eight Renowned Surgeons Receive Honorary ACS Fellowship
September 27, 2026
WASHINGTON -- Honorary Fellowships in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) were awarded to eight highly recognized surgeons from around the world at this year's ACS Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, D.C.
Conferral of Honorary Fellowship in the ACS began in 1913 upon the founding of the ACS. Individuals selected for Honorary Fellowship generally practice outside of the United States, possess an international ... Show Full Article CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 29 -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release: * * * Eight Renowned Surgeons Receive Honorary ACS Fellowship September 27, 2026 WASHINGTON -- Honorary Fellowships in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) were awarded to eight highly recognized surgeons from around the world at this year's ACS Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, D.C. Conferral of Honorary Fellowship in the ACS began in 1913 upon the founding of the ACS. Individuals selected for Honorary Fellowship generally practice outside of the United States, possess an internationalreputation in the field of surgery or medicine, and have provided distinguished humanitarian service in the field of medical science.
The surgeons were awarded Honorary Fellowships on Saturday, September 26, at the Convocation Ceremony, which preceded the opening of the 2026 ACS Clinical Congress. This year's recipients are:
Jorge Daes, MD, FACS, Bogota, Colombia -- Dr. Daes is a general surgeon who is globally recognized for achievements in laparoscopic, bariatric, and hernia repair surgery. He is the academic director of the Minimally Invasive Surgery Department at Clinicas Portoazul and Iberoamerica, in Barranquilla, Colombia.
Paolo De Coppi, MD, PhD, FMedSci, FRCS (Hon), London, England -- Dr. De Coppi is an internationally renowned leader in pediatric surgery, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. He is the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Professor and Nuffield Chair of Paediatric Surgery at the University College London (UCL) Institute of Child Health, as well as head of the Surgery Unit in the Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Section of the Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme at the UCL Great Ormond Institute of Child Health, in London, England.
Christian Gerber, MD, PhD, FRCS (Ed; Hon), Zurich, Switzerland -- Dr. Gerber is a leader in orthopaedic surgery and expert in musculoskeletal medicine. He is a former professor and the former chair and current chair emeritus of the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of Zurich, as well as the former medical director of Balgrist University Hospital in Zurich, Switzerland.
Rosa Maria Jorba Martin, MD, PhD, Tarragona, Spain -- Dr. Jorba Martin is a renowned academic gastrointestinal surgeon and surgeon-leader. She is the clinical director of the Surgery Department at Joan XXIII University Hospital and an associate professor at Rovira i Virgili University, both in Tarragona, Spain.
Abhay Rane, OBE, MBBS, MS, FRCS (Glas), FRCS(Urol), Surrey, England -- Dr. Rane is a urologist known for his pioneering work in laparoscopic surgery. A consultant urological surgeon and professor of surgery at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill, England, she is a prolific researcher. He also led the team performing the first single-port nephrectomy, which led to development of the single-port robotic surgery platforms used widely today.
Jean-Baptiste Ricco, MD, PhD, FEBVS, Poitiers, France -- Dr. Ricco is a prominent emeritus professor of vascular surgery with notable achievements in humanitarian surgery. Dr. Ricco spent his career at University of Poitiers in Poitiers, France, where he became a tenured professor and chief of the Department of Surgery, then emeritus professor of vascular surgery and chair of educational affairs.
Norbert Senninger, MD, PhD, FACS, FRCS, Munster, Germany -- Dr. Senninger is an innovator in transplantation and complex gastrointestinal oncological surgery. While serving as a surgeon at Heidelberg University Hospital in Heidelberg, Germany, Dr. Senninger performed the first pancreas transplant in that city.
Han-Kwang Yang, MD, PhD, FACS, Seoul, Korea -- Dr. Yang is an acclaimed gastric cancer surgeon and global leader on management of cancers of the stomach. He has served in various leadership roles at Seoul National University in Seoul, South Korea, for more than 30 years, including serving as chair of the Department of Surgery and Cancer Research Institute, director of the Gastric Cancer Center, and general director of the Seoul National University Cancer Hospital. Under his leadership, the center completed 1,000 gastric cancer procedures per year, of which Dr. Yang performed 250 himself.
A photo and additional information on each of this year's Honorary Fellows are available by contacting pressinquiry@facs.org.
* * *
About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has approximately 95,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. "FACS" designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
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Original text here: https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2026/eight-renowned-surgeons-receive-honorary-acs-fellowship/
[Category: Medical]
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Eight Renowned Surgeons Receive Honorary ACS Fellowship
September 27, 2026
WASHINGTON -- Honorary Fellowships in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) were awarded to eight highly recognized surgeons from around the world at this year's ACS Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, D.C.
Conferral of Honorary Fellowship in the ACS began in 1913 upon the founding of the ACS. Individuals selected for Honorary Fellowship generally practice outside of the United States, possess an international ... Show Full Article CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 29 -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release: * * * Eight Renowned Surgeons Receive Honorary ACS Fellowship September 27, 2026 WASHINGTON -- Honorary Fellowships in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) were awarded to eight highly recognized surgeons from around the world at this year's ACS Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, D.C. Conferral of Honorary Fellowship in the ACS began in 1913 upon the founding of the ACS. Individuals selected for Honorary Fellowship generally practice outside of the United States, possess an internationalreputation in the field of surgery or medicine, and have provided distinguished humanitarian service in the field of medical science.
The surgeons were awarded Honorary Fellowships on Saturday, September 26, at the Convocation Ceremony, which preceded the opening of the 2026 ACS Clinical Congress. This year's recipients are:
Jorge Daes, MD, FACS, Bogota, Colombia -- Dr. Daes is a general surgeon who is globally recognized for achievements in laparoscopic, bariatric, and hernia repair surgery. He is the academic director of the Minimally Invasive Surgery Department at Clinicas Portoazul and Iberoamerica, in Barranquilla, Colombia.
Paolo De Coppi, MD, PhD, FMedSci, FRCS (Hon), London, England -- Dr. De Coppi is an internationally renowned leader in pediatric surgery, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. He is the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Professor and Nuffield Chair of Paediatric Surgery at the University College London (UCL) Institute of Child Health, as well as head of the Surgery Unit in the Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Section of the Developmental Biology and Cancer Programme at the UCL Great Ormond Institute of Child Health, in London, England.
Christian Gerber, MD, PhD, FRCS (Ed; Hon), Zurich, Switzerland -- Dr. Gerber is a leader in orthopaedic surgery and expert in musculoskeletal medicine. He is a former professor and the former chair and current chair emeritus of the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of Zurich, as well as the former medical director of Balgrist University Hospital in Zurich, Switzerland.
Rosa Maria Jorba Martin, MD, PhD, Tarragona, Spain -- Dr. Jorba Martin is a renowned academic gastrointestinal surgeon and surgeon-leader. She is the clinical director of the Surgery Department at Joan XXIII University Hospital and an associate professor at Rovira i Virgili University, both in Tarragona, Spain.
Abhay Rane, OBE, MBBS, MS, FRCS (Glas), FRCS(Urol), Surrey, England -- Dr. Rane is a urologist known for his pioneering work in laparoscopic surgery. A consultant urological surgeon and professor of surgery at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill, England, she is a prolific researcher. He also led the team performing the first single-port nephrectomy, which led to development of the single-port robotic surgery platforms used widely today.
Jean-Baptiste Ricco, MD, PhD, FEBVS, Poitiers, France -- Dr. Ricco is a prominent emeritus professor of vascular surgery with notable achievements in humanitarian surgery. Dr. Ricco spent his career at University of Poitiers in Poitiers, France, where he became a tenured professor and chief of the Department of Surgery, then emeritus professor of vascular surgery and chair of educational affairs.
Norbert Senninger, MD, PhD, FACS, FRCS, Munster, Germany -- Dr. Senninger is an innovator in transplantation and complex gastrointestinal oncological surgery. While serving as a surgeon at Heidelberg University Hospital in Heidelberg, Germany, Dr. Senninger performed the first pancreas transplant in that city.
Han-Kwang Yang, MD, PhD, FACS, Seoul, Korea -- Dr. Yang is an acclaimed gastric cancer surgeon and global leader on management of cancers of the stomach. He has served in various leadership roles at Seoul National University in Seoul, South Korea, for more than 30 years, including serving as chair of the Department of Surgery and Cancer Research Institute, director of the Gastric Cancer Center, and general director of the Seoul National University Cancer Hospital. Under his leadership, the center completed 1,000 gastric cancer procedures per year, of which Dr. Yang performed 250 himself.
A photo and additional information on each of this year's Honorary Fellows are available by contacting pressinquiry@facs.org.
* * *
About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has approximately 95,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. "FACS" designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2026/eight-renowned-surgeons-receive-honorary-acs-fellowship/
[Category: Medical]
American College of Surgeons: 15 Million Americans Live in a County With No General Surgeon
CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 29 (TNSxrep) -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release:
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15 Million Americans Live in a County With No General Surgeon
A new study in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons compares, for the first time, the surgeon supply across 12 surgical specialties, county by county, with an interactive data visualization available to the public
September 28, 2026
Key Takeaways
* A new study from the American College of Surgeons and the UNC Cecil G. Sheps Center maps surgeon supply across 12 surgical specialties and every US county, and ... Show Full Article CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 29 (TNSxrep) -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release: * * * 15 Million Americans Live in a County With No General Surgeon A new study in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons compares, for the first time, the surgeon supply across 12 surgical specialties, county by county, with an interactive data visualization available to the public September 28, 2026 Key Takeaways * A new study from the American College of Surgeons and the UNC Cecil G. Sheps Center maps surgeon supply across 12 surgical specialties and every US county, anda companion interactive tool visualizes the findings.
*Of 3,144 US counties, 951 had no identified surgeon in any of the 12 surgical specialties, and 1,180 counties had no general surgeon, representing 15.1 million people lacking access to surgical care.
*434 critical access hospitals, the small rural facilities many communities rely on for emergency and inpatient care, are in counties with no identified full-time surgeon.
*Every US hospital referral region had at least one general surgeon, yet 1,180 counties had none, illustrating that the potential designation of federal shortage areas will be critically dependent on the choice of geographic scale.
-
WASHINGTON -- More than 15 million Americans live in one of the 1,180 US counties with no general surgeon, and 951 counties have no surgeon in any of 12 surgical specialties, according to a new national analysis announced today at the ACS Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, D.C., and simultaneously published today in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS).
The study and a companion interactive tool built on the same data, developed by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, map surgeons across 12 specialties and all 3,144 US counties from a single data source, allowing direct comparison for the first time. Previous studies examined one specialty at a time, used different data sources, or reported only national and state totals.
The ACS Surgical Workforce Mapping Tool visualizes the study's findings and gives patients, clinicians, and policymakers direct access to county-level data, allowing hospital boards, residency program directors, state legislators, congressional staffers, and patients to look up, compare, and download surgical workforce data for any county, referral region, or metropolitan/micropolitan area in the country.
"For a patient, the question is not how many surgeons the country has; it is whether there is one available where they live," said Thomas C. Tsai, MD, MPH, FACS, Medical Director for Health Policy Research in the ACS Division of Advocacy and Health Policy and a co-author of the study. "National averages can obscure substantial differences from one community to another. This study highlights a need to assess whether our national health workforce and reimbursement policies are supporting the ability of patients to access the right care at the right time and the right place."
The analysis identified 201,394 surgeons practicing in the U.S. as of April 2025, or 59.2 surgeons per 100,000 people, and mapped each of them to the county, hospital referral region, and metropolitan/micropolitan area where they practice.
Study Results
The 951 counties (30%) with no identified surgeon in any of the 12 specialties are home to 9.6 million people. The 1,180 counties (38%) with no general surgeon are home to 15.1 million.
Every one of the country's 306 hospital referral regions had at least one general surgeon, but these regions are large, multi-county areas defined by where patients travel for major surgical care, so the presence of a surgeon somewhere within one does not mean surgical care is close at hand for patients in its rural counties. Overall, surgeon supply across all 12 specialties was 12 times higher in some regions than others, from 20.8 surgeons per 100,000 people in Harlingen, Texas, to 250.4 in Rochester, Minnesota.
Access varied sharply by specialty. Transplant surgery, at 0.3 surgeons per 100,000 people, was absent from 179 of the country's 306 hospital referral regions, and the most specialized fields were consistently the smallest and the most geographically concentrated. Because the study classified all 12 specialties from a single data source using definitions the ACS developed with input from more than a dozen surgical societies, a community can see which specific specialties it lacks rather than a single aggregate surgeon count.
The findings also highlight potential challenges for rural communities. Researchers overlaid surgeon locations with federal facility files and found 475 hospitals and surgical facilities in counties with no identified full-time surgeon. Of those, 434 were critical access hospitals, the small rural facilities many communities depend on for emergency and inpatient care.
"The Surgical Workforce Mapping Tool gives policymakers, health systems, and communities a practical tool to understand their local surgical workforce and identify gaps in access to care," said Erin P. Fraher, PhD, MPP, Director of the Carolina Health Workforce Research Center at the UNC Sheps Center and the study's lead author.
Users can filter by specialty, switch between counties, hospital referral regions, and metropolitan/micropolitan areas, overlay hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers, and download maps for use in reports and presentations.
"Mapping the surgical workforce is the first step to crafting a thoughtful growth strategy," said Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS, Executive Director and CEO of the American College of Surgeons. "These data will help guide investments in surgical training and support for surgeons in underserved communities, with the goal of improving patients' access to care."
The authors caution that uneven distribution is not automatically a problem to be corrected. Transplant surgery is concentrated in part because complex procedures are deliberately regionalized to preserve quality, and the most appropriate distribution is unlikely to be the same for every specialty.
Policy Applications
The findings come as federal policymakers consider how to better identify communities with limited access to surgical care. The Ensuring Access to General Surgery Act of 2026 (H.R. 7198) would direct the Health Resources and Services Administration to develop a methodology for identifying general surgery shortage areas that considers surgeon supply and geographic service areas.
The mapping tool could help policymakers and health care leaders identify where workforce interventions may have the greatest impact, including investments in graduate medical education, rural surgical training, and programs designed to attract and retain surgeons in underserved communities.
About the Data
The study and interactive tool use surgeon location data from the April 2025 National Plan and Provider Enumeration System, a federal registry of clinicians with National Provider Identifiers. Facility locations were drawn from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Provider of Services files.
The analysis identifies where surgeons are located but does not measure patient travel time, surgical volume or capacity, or whether individual surgeons practice at specific hospitals. Full methodology, data sources, and study limitations are available in the JACS study.
Access the ACS Surgical Workforce Mapping Tool
The ACS Surgical Workforce Mapping Tool (https://www.facs.org/advocacy/health-policy/acs-surgical-workforce-mapping-tool/) is free and publicly available on the ACS website. Full methodology and data source documentation are available on facs.org. The study is published as an article in press on the JACS website.
Manuscript Citation: Fraher E, Galloway E, Ricketts T, et al. A National Atlas of Surgeon Supply Across Specialties and Geographic Areas. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. 2026. DOI: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000002224
Cite the Tool: American College of Surgeons & Program on Health Workforce Research and Policy (PHWRP), Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, UNC-Chapel Hill. (2026). Surgery Workforce Interactive Map. Data from NPPES April 2025 and CMS Provider of Services Q2 2025. facs.org/advocacy/acs-surgical-workforce-mapping-tool.
Note: The ACS Surgical Workforce Mapping Tool reflects surgeon locations as of April 2025 and will be updated as new federal data are released.
* * *
About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has approximately 95,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. "FACS" designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2026/15-million-americans-live-in-a-county-with-no-general-surgeon/
[Category: Medical]
* * *
15 Million Americans Live in a County With No General Surgeon
A new study in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons compares, for the first time, the surgeon supply across 12 surgical specialties, county by county, with an interactive data visualization available to the public
September 28, 2026
Key Takeaways
* A new study from the American College of Surgeons and the UNC Cecil G. Sheps Center maps surgeon supply across 12 surgical specialties and every US county, and ... Show Full Article CHICAGO, Illinois, Sept. 29 (TNSxrep) -- The American College of Surgeons issued the following news release: * * * 15 Million Americans Live in a County With No General Surgeon A new study in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons compares, for the first time, the surgeon supply across 12 surgical specialties, county by county, with an interactive data visualization available to the public September 28, 2026 Key Takeaways * A new study from the American College of Surgeons and the UNC Cecil G. Sheps Center maps surgeon supply across 12 surgical specialties and every US county, anda companion interactive tool visualizes the findings.
*Of 3,144 US counties, 951 had no identified surgeon in any of the 12 surgical specialties, and 1,180 counties had no general surgeon, representing 15.1 million people lacking access to surgical care.
*434 critical access hospitals, the small rural facilities many communities rely on for emergency and inpatient care, are in counties with no identified full-time surgeon.
*Every US hospital referral region had at least one general surgeon, yet 1,180 counties had none, illustrating that the potential designation of federal shortage areas will be critically dependent on the choice of geographic scale.
-
WASHINGTON -- More than 15 million Americans live in one of the 1,180 US counties with no general surgeon, and 951 counties have no surgeon in any of 12 surgical specialties, according to a new national analysis announced today at the ACS Clinical Congress 2026 in Washington, D.C., and simultaneously published today in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS).
The study and a companion interactive tool built on the same data, developed by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, map surgeons across 12 specialties and all 3,144 US counties from a single data source, allowing direct comparison for the first time. Previous studies examined one specialty at a time, used different data sources, or reported only national and state totals.
The ACS Surgical Workforce Mapping Tool visualizes the study's findings and gives patients, clinicians, and policymakers direct access to county-level data, allowing hospital boards, residency program directors, state legislators, congressional staffers, and patients to look up, compare, and download surgical workforce data for any county, referral region, or metropolitan/micropolitan area in the country.
"For a patient, the question is not how many surgeons the country has; it is whether there is one available where they live," said Thomas C. Tsai, MD, MPH, FACS, Medical Director for Health Policy Research in the ACS Division of Advocacy and Health Policy and a co-author of the study. "National averages can obscure substantial differences from one community to another. This study highlights a need to assess whether our national health workforce and reimbursement policies are supporting the ability of patients to access the right care at the right time and the right place."
The analysis identified 201,394 surgeons practicing in the U.S. as of April 2025, or 59.2 surgeons per 100,000 people, and mapped each of them to the county, hospital referral region, and metropolitan/micropolitan area where they practice.
Study Results
The 951 counties (30%) with no identified surgeon in any of the 12 specialties are home to 9.6 million people. The 1,180 counties (38%) with no general surgeon are home to 15.1 million.
Every one of the country's 306 hospital referral regions had at least one general surgeon, but these regions are large, multi-county areas defined by where patients travel for major surgical care, so the presence of a surgeon somewhere within one does not mean surgical care is close at hand for patients in its rural counties. Overall, surgeon supply across all 12 specialties was 12 times higher in some regions than others, from 20.8 surgeons per 100,000 people in Harlingen, Texas, to 250.4 in Rochester, Minnesota.
Access varied sharply by specialty. Transplant surgery, at 0.3 surgeons per 100,000 people, was absent from 179 of the country's 306 hospital referral regions, and the most specialized fields were consistently the smallest and the most geographically concentrated. Because the study classified all 12 specialties from a single data source using definitions the ACS developed with input from more than a dozen surgical societies, a community can see which specific specialties it lacks rather than a single aggregate surgeon count.
The findings also highlight potential challenges for rural communities. Researchers overlaid surgeon locations with federal facility files and found 475 hospitals and surgical facilities in counties with no identified full-time surgeon. Of those, 434 were critical access hospitals, the small rural facilities many communities depend on for emergency and inpatient care.
"The Surgical Workforce Mapping Tool gives policymakers, health systems, and communities a practical tool to understand their local surgical workforce and identify gaps in access to care," said Erin P. Fraher, PhD, MPP, Director of the Carolina Health Workforce Research Center at the UNC Sheps Center and the study's lead author.
Users can filter by specialty, switch between counties, hospital referral regions, and metropolitan/micropolitan areas, overlay hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers, and download maps for use in reports and presentations.
"Mapping the surgical workforce is the first step to crafting a thoughtful growth strategy," said Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS, Executive Director and CEO of the American College of Surgeons. "These data will help guide investments in surgical training and support for surgeons in underserved communities, with the goal of improving patients' access to care."
The authors caution that uneven distribution is not automatically a problem to be corrected. Transplant surgery is concentrated in part because complex procedures are deliberately regionalized to preserve quality, and the most appropriate distribution is unlikely to be the same for every specialty.
Policy Applications
The findings come as federal policymakers consider how to better identify communities with limited access to surgical care. The Ensuring Access to General Surgery Act of 2026 (H.R. 7198) would direct the Health Resources and Services Administration to develop a methodology for identifying general surgery shortage areas that considers surgeon supply and geographic service areas.
The mapping tool could help policymakers and health care leaders identify where workforce interventions may have the greatest impact, including investments in graduate medical education, rural surgical training, and programs designed to attract and retain surgeons in underserved communities.
About the Data
The study and interactive tool use surgeon location data from the April 2025 National Plan and Provider Enumeration System, a federal registry of clinicians with National Provider Identifiers. Facility locations were drawn from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Provider of Services files.
The analysis identifies where surgeons are located but does not measure patient travel time, surgical volume or capacity, or whether individual surgeons practice at specific hospitals. Full methodology, data sources, and study limitations are available in the JACS study.
Access the ACS Surgical Workforce Mapping Tool
The ACS Surgical Workforce Mapping Tool (https://www.facs.org/advocacy/health-policy/acs-surgical-workforce-mapping-tool/) is free and publicly available on the ACS website. Full methodology and data source documentation are available on facs.org. The study is published as an article in press on the JACS website.
Manuscript Citation: Fraher E, Galloway E, Ricketts T, et al. A National Atlas of Surgeon Supply Across Specialties and Geographic Areas. Journal of the American College of Surgeons. 2026. DOI: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000002224
Cite the Tool: American College of Surgeons & Program on Health Workforce Research and Policy (PHWRP), Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, UNC-Chapel Hill. (2026). Surgery Workforce Interactive Map. Data from NPPES April 2025 and CMS Provider of Services Q2 2025. facs.org/advocacy/acs-surgical-workforce-mapping-tool.
Note: The ACS Surgical Workforce Mapping Tool reflects surgeon locations as of April 2025 and will be updated as new federal data are released.
* * *
About the American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is a scientific and educational organization of surgeons that was founded in 1913 to raise the standards of surgical practice and improve the quality of care for all surgical patients. The College is dedicated to the ethical and competent practice of surgery. Its achievements have significantly influenced the course of scientific surgery in America and have established it as an important advocate for all surgical patients. The College has approximately 95,000 members and is the largest organization of surgeons in the world. "FACS" designates that a surgeon is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.facs.org/media-center/press-releases/2026/15-million-americans-live-in-a-county-with-no-general-surgeon/
[Category: Medical]
AFIA Committees Bring Animal Food Industry Priorities to Capitol Hill
ARLINGTON, Virginia, Sept. 29 -- The American Feed Industry Association issued the following news release:
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AFIA Committees Bring Animal Food Industry Priorities to Capitol Hill
September 28, 2026
The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) welcomed 34 members of its Aquaculture, Pet Food, Equine and Global Affairs committees in Washington, D.C., last week for committee meetings and visits to Capitol Hill. Members met with 45 congressional offices to explain how federal policies affect animal food manufacturers, suppliers and their customers.
"Our committee members bring firsthand experience ... Show Full Article ARLINGTON, Virginia, Sept. 29 -- The American Feed Industry Association issued the following news release: * * * AFIA Committees Bring Animal Food Industry Priorities to Capitol Hill September 28, 2026 The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) welcomed 34 members of its Aquaculture, Pet Food, Equine and Global Affairs committees in Washington, D.C., last week for committee meetings and visits to Capitol Hill. Members met with 45 congressional offices to explain how federal policies affect animal food manufacturers, suppliers and their customers. "Our committee members bring firsthand experienceto conversations about how policy decisions affect the animal food industry," said Leah Wilkinson, AFIA's chief policy officer. "By meeting directly with lawmakers, they make the personalized case for policies that support innovation, strengthen supplies of essential ingredients and keep the U.S. animal food industry competitive."
Members urged lawmakers to advance feed innovation, supply chain resilience and U.S. agricultural competitiveness. One priority is the passage of the Innovative Feed Enhancement and Economic Development (Innovative FEED) Act (S. 1906 / H.R. 2203), which is included in the Senate farm bill. This legislation would modernize the Food and Drug Administration's review process for certain novel animal food ingredients by allowing the agency to use the existing Food Additive Petition process for reviewing ingredients that provide non-nutritive benefits such as improved animal health, enhanced food safety or reduced environmental impact.
Members also advocated for passage of language from the Pet Food Uniform Regulatory Reform (PURR) Act of 2025 that is included in H.R. 8646, the Fiscal Year 2027 Agriculture appropriations bill. The PURR Act language aims to modernize and streamline the regulation of animal food by reducing the current patchwork of state-by-state regulatory requirements for product label reviews.
Members also discussed solutions to reduce the United States' reliance on China for critical vitamins and amino acids, an issue highlighted by the November 2025 strategic assessment from the Institute for Feed Education and Research. The report found that critical nutrients that would impact animal food, animal protein and the human food supply are overwhelmingly concentrated in one region.
In addition to the Capitol Hill visits, AFIA members convened in their respective committees for meetings to receive AFIA updates and discuss current and emerging issues affecting their sectors. The AFIA thanks the 34 committee members who took the time to represent the animal food industry and share their perspectives with congressional offices.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.afia.org/news/news-release-items/afia-committees-bring-animal-food-industry-priorities-to-capitol-hill/
[Category: Agriculture]
* * *
AFIA Committees Bring Animal Food Industry Priorities to Capitol Hill
September 28, 2026
The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) welcomed 34 members of its Aquaculture, Pet Food, Equine and Global Affairs committees in Washington, D.C., last week for committee meetings and visits to Capitol Hill. Members met with 45 congressional offices to explain how federal policies affect animal food manufacturers, suppliers and their customers.
"Our committee members bring firsthand experience ... Show Full Article ARLINGTON, Virginia, Sept. 29 -- The American Feed Industry Association issued the following news release: * * * AFIA Committees Bring Animal Food Industry Priorities to Capitol Hill September 28, 2026 The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) welcomed 34 members of its Aquaculture, Pet Food, Equine and Global Affairs committees in Washington, D.C., last week for committee meetings and visits to Capitol Hill. Members met with 45 congressional offices to explain how federal policies affect animal food manufacturers, suppliers and their customers. "Our committee members bring firsthand experienceto conversations about how policy decisions affect the animal food industry," said Leah Wilkinson, AFIA's chief policy officer. "By meeting directly with lawmakers, they make the personalized case for policies that support innovation, strengthen supplies of essential ingredients and keep the U.S. animal food industry competitive."
Members urged lawmakers to advance feed innovation, supply chain resilience and U.S. agricultural competitiveness. One priority is the passage of the Innovative Feed Enhancement and Economic Development (Innovative FEED) Act (S. 1906 / H.R. 2203), which is included in the Senate farm bill. This legislation would modernize the Food and Drug Administration's review process for certain novel animal food ingredients by allowing the agency to use the existing Food Additive Petition process for reviewing ingredients that provide non-nutritive benefits such as improved animal health, enhanced food safety or reduced environmental impact.
Members also advocated for passage of language from the Pet Food Uniform Regulatory Reform (PURR) Act of 2025 that is included in H.R. 8646, the Fiscal Year 2027 Agriculture appropriations bill. The PURR Act language aims to modernize and streamline the regulation of animal food by reducing the current patchwork of state-by-state regulatory requirements for product label reviews.
Members also discussed solutions to reduce the United States' reliance on China for critical vitamins and amino acids, an issue highlighted by the November 2025 strategic assessment from the Institute for Feed Education and Research. The report found that critical nutrients that would impact animal food, animal protein and the human food supply are overwhelmingly concentrated in one region.
In addition to the Capitol Hill visits, AFIA members convened in their respective committees for meetings to receive AFIA updates and discuss current and emerging issues affecting their sectors. The AFIA thanks the 34 committee members who took the time to represent the animal food industry and share their perspectives with congressional offices.
* * *
Original text here: https://www.afia.org/news/news-release-items/afia-committees-bring-animal-food-industry-priorities-to-capitol-hill/
[Category: Agriculture]
AARP North Carolina Poll: Older Voters Could Be Decisive in U.S. Senate Race
WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 -- AARP issued the following news release:
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New AARP North Carolina Poll: Older Voters Could Be Decisive in U.S. Senate Race
Highly motivated 50+ voters are focused on Social Security, Medicare, and local affordability conversations in the lead-up to November's election.
September 28, 2026
WASHINGTON - Today, AARP released new bipartisan polling highlighting the outsized role older voters are poised to play in North Carolina's closely-watched Senate race this November. Older North Carolinians remain highly motivated to vote and are focused on a range of affordability ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 -- AARP issued the following news release: * * * New AARP North Carolina Poll: Older Voters Could Be Decisive in U.S. Senate Race Highly motivated 50+ voters are focused on Social Security, Medicare, and local affordability conversations in the lead-up to November's election. September 28, 2026 WASHINGTON - Today, AARP released new bipartisan polling highlighting the outsized role older voters are poised to play in North Carolina's closely-watched Senate race this November. Older North Carolinians remain highly motivated to vote and are focused on a range of affordabilityconcerns -- including national issues like Social Security and Medicare and local conversations around data center utility costs and the affordable housing shortage, according to the survey.
"Older voters are highly engaged, motivated to vote, and likely to determine close midterm races," said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer. "Candidates looking to gain an edge must speak to their everyday concerns, including whether Social Security will be there for them and if they'll be able to keep up with rising prices for everyday essentials like groceries, gasoline and health care."
Voters 66+ alone accounted for 35% of all voters in North Carolina's 2026 primary election - and new polling suggests this rate of involvement is likely to continue: 83% of voters 50+ rated themselves a "10" on a 10-point motivation-to-vote scale, compared with 66% of voters under 50. Swing 50+ voters -- those not voting a straight ticket for both the U.S. Senate and generic House races -- make up 6% of North Carolina's electorate, underscoring this bloc's importance for candidates looking to gain an advantage.
In the race for U.S. Senate, Democrat Roy Cooper has an 11-point edge over Republican Michael Whatley with all voters (53%-42%), while Whatley leads among voters 50+ by 6-points (51%-45%). Cooper wins both women and men, though women by a larger margin. Women 50+ are competitive, with Cooper up by 3-points, while men 50+ back Whatley by 16-points
"Both candidates would be wise to speak clearly and directly to the issues older voters care about," said AARP North Carolina State Director Michael Olender. "North Carolinians 50 and older are concerned about national issues like Social Security and Medicare, but are also focused on local conversations like ensuring data centers don't raise utility costs and addressing the affordable housing shortage. Older North Carolinians want to know they will be able to age with financial security and independence and are looking for candidates who can answer that plainly."
AARP's polling found that affordability is the top issue for North Carolina voters 50+, followed by threats to democracy, then Social Security and Medicare.
Among voters age 50+:
* 83% say Social Security is an important issue when deciding their vote, and 93% are more likely to support a candidate who will make sure workers receive the Social Security benefits they earned.
* 77% say Medicare is an important voting issue, and 84% are more likely to support a candidate who would expand Medicare's ability to negotiate prescription drug prices.
* 74% support requiring local communities to permit more accessory dwelling units (ADUs), a proposal aimed at helping address North Carolina's affordable housing shortage.
* 80% believe that state policy makers should work to ensure that the utility costs for serving new data centers should not be passed on to residential consumers.
AARP commissioned the bipartisan polling team of Fabrizio Ward (R) and Impact Research (D) to conduct the survey of likely North Carolina voters. This is the seventh poll in AARP's 2026 battleground polling series, following surveys of Alaska, Texas, Michigan, Arizona, Ohio and Georgia. The firms interviewed 1,115 likely voters statewide. The survey was done between September 17-20, 2026. The interviews were conducted via live interviewer on cell phone (40%) and landline (15%), as well as SMS-to-web (45%). The sample was randomly drawn from the North Carolina voter list. The margin of sampling error at the 95% confidence level for the 1,115 statewide sample is +-2.9%.
View the full survey results at www.aarp.org/nc2026voterpoll and more information on our poll at www.aarp.org/NCpoll. Additional information about AARP's 2026 battleground polling series is available at www.aarp.org/voterpolls2026.
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About AARP
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the 125 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health and financial security, and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest-circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and the AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit aarp.org, aarp.org/espanol or follow @AARP, @AARPLatino and @AARPadvocates on social media.
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Original text here: https://www.aarp.org/press/releases/2026-09-28-new-aarp-north-carolina-poll-older-voters-could-be-decisive-in-u-s-senate-race/
[Category: Sociological]
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New AARP North Carolina Poll: Older Voters Could Be Decisive in U.S. Senate Race
Highly motivated 50+ voters are focused on Social Security, Medicare, and local affordability conversations in the lead-up to November's election.
September 28, 2026
WASHINGTON - Today, AARP released new bipartisan polling highlighting the outsized role older voters are poised to play in North Carolina's closely-watched Senate race this November. Older North Carolinians remain highly motivated to vote and are focused on a range of affordability ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 -- AARP issued the following news release: * * * New AARP North Carolina Poll: Older Voters Could Be Decisive in U.S. Senate Race Highly motivated 50+ voters are focused on Social Security, Medicare, and local affordability conversations in the lead-up to November's election. September 28, 2026 WASHINGTON - Today, AARP released new bipartisan polling highlighting the outsized role older voters are poised to play in North Carolina's closely-watched Senate race this November. Older North Carolinians remain highly motivated to vote and are focused on a range of affordabilityconcerns -- including national issues like Social Security and Medicare and local conversations around data center utility costs and the affordable housing shortage, according to the survey.
"Older voters are highly engaged, motivated to vote, and likely to determine close midterm races," said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer. "Candidates looking to gain an edge must speak to their everyday concerns, including whether Social Security will be there for them and if they'll be able to keep up with rising prices for everyday essentials like groceries, gasoline and health care."
Voters 66+ alone accounted for 35% of all voters in North Carolina's 2026 primary election - and new polling suggests this rate of involvement is likely to continue: 83% of voters 50+ rated themselves a "10" on a 10-point motivation-to-vote scale, compared with 66% of voters under 50. Swing 50+ voters -- those not voting a straight ticket for both the U.S. Senate and generic House races -- make up 6% of North Carolina's electorate, underscoring this bloc's importance for candidates looking to gain an advantage.
In the race for U.S. Senate, Democrat Roy Cooper has an 11-point edge over Republican Michael Whatley with all voters (53%-42%), while Whatley leads among voters 50+ by 6-points (51%-45%). Cooper wins both women and men, though women by a larger margin. Women 50+ are competitive, with Cooper up by 3-points, while men 50+ back Whatley by 16-points
"Both candidates would be wise to speak clearly and directly to the issues older voters care about," said AARP North Carolina State Director Michael Olender. "North Carolinians 50 and older are concerned about national issues like Social Security and Medicare, but are also focused on local conversations like ensuring data centers don't raise utility costs and addressing the affordable housing shortage. Older North Carolinians want to know they will be able to age with financial security and independence and are looking for candidates who can answer that plainly."
AARP's polling found that affordability is the top issue for North Carolina voters 50+, followed by threats to democracy, then Social Security and Medicare.
Among voters age 50+:
* 83% say Social Security is an important issue when deciding their vote, and 93% are more likely to support a candidate who will make sure workers receive the Social Security benefits they earned.
* 77% say Medicare is an important voting issue, and 84% are more likely to support a candidate who would expand Medicare's ability to negotiate prescription drug prices.
* 74% support requiring local communities to permit more accessory dwelling units (ADUs), a proposal aimed at helping address North Carolina's affordable housing shortage.
* 80% believe that state policy makers should work to ensure that the utility costs for serving new data centers should not be passed on to residential consumers.
AARP commissioned the bipartisan polling team of Fabrizio Ward (R) and Impact Research (D) to conduct the survey of likely North Carolina voters. This is the seventh poll in AARP's 2026 battleground polling series, following surveys of Alaska, Texas, Michigan, Arizona, Ohio and Georgia. The firms interviewed 1,115 likely voters statewide. The survey was done between September 17-20, 2026. The interviews were conducted via live interviewer on cell phone (40%) and landline (15%), as well as SMS-to-web (45%). The sample was randomly drawn from the North Carolina voter list. The margin of sampling error at the 95% confidence level for the 1,115 statewide sample is +-2.9%.
View the full survey results at www.aarp.org/nc2026voterpoll and more information on our poll at www.aarp.org/NCpoll. Additional information about AARP's 2026 battleground polling series is available at www.aarp.org/voterpolls2026.
* * *
About AARP
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the 125 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health and financial security, and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest-circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and the AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit aarp.org, aarp.org/espanol or follow @AARP, @AARPLatino and @AARPadvocates on social media.
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Original text here: https://www.aarp.org/press/releases/2026-09-28-new-aarp-north-carolina-poll-older-voters-could-be-decisive-in-u-s-senate-race/
[Category: Sociological]