内容摘要：The Hungarian Helsinki Committee, a human rights group, has said the planned amendment “is a significant escalation in the Government’s efforts to suppress dissent and weaken human rights protection.”

The Hungarian Helsinki Committee, a human rights group, has said the planned amendment “is a significant escalation in the Government’s efforts to suppress dissent and weaken human rights protection.”

were thrown into a tizzy. Panic spread and local veterinarians saw a surge in pet owners coming in with their cats — all because of posts that went viral on social media.It began with a warning in January from veterinarians in the disputed Himalayan region, where the cat population has soared over the past years, partly because of stray cats roaming free and pet stores bringing in ever more costly breeds to keep up with local demand.

A stray cat looks out from the window of a house in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025 (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)A stray cat looks out from the window of a house in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025 (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)A shopkeeper plays with kittens on display inside a pet shop in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Monday, March 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

A shopkeeper plays with kittens on display inside a pet shop in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Monday, March 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)The vets said there’s been an uptick in infections among the feline population due to lack of vaccination and mishandling of strays.

What was meant to be a cautionary note was misinterpreted. Video clips and news reports started claiming that cats transmit potentially deadly infections to humans, and that cat-borne diseases can cause miscarriages among women.

Days later, the region’s animal husbandry department issued a statement saying there’s no harm in keeping cats as pets as long as proper hygiene is maintained.Genetic testing companies such as GeneDx have made some headway in screening more people of diverse backgrounds, but inequities remain.

For example, comprehensive data about cystic fibrosis is scarce among African populations – affecting people who live on the continent as well as those who trace their ancestry there.Black cystic fibrosis patients are more likely than their white counterparts to be among the 10% who don’t benefit from modulator therapies.

While there’s little chance of changing market dynamics, researchers said, one solution is to develop “mutation agnostic” gene therapies targeting all patients with a disease. This approach is being tried in diseases of the retina as well as cystic fibrosis.“There’s a huge push to develop these therapies,” said Dr. Garry Cutting of the Johns Hopkins Cystic Fibrosis Center.