Michigan releases 2025 Eat Safe Fish Guides

by Becky Andrus | Jun 3, 2025 | Health and Wellness

Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 2, 2025 CONTACT: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112, SutfinL1@michigan.gov Michigan releases 2025 Eat Safe Fish Guides to help residents learn about and plan for local fish consumption LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has released the 2025 Eat Safe Fish Guides to help Michigan residents choose which fish are safe to eat for them and their families. The Eat Safe Fish Guides provide consumption guidelines for eating locally caught fish. Guidelines are based on levels of chemicals found in the portions of fish that people eat – typically the filets. Test results from the MDHHS Bureau of Laboratories are used to determine what is safe for people to eat over the long term. “There are many health benefits to eating fish and the Eat Safe Fish Guides provide consumption recommendations based on the levels of certain chemicals found in fish in waterbodies across the state,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. “Michigan families can use these guidelines to help make healthy choices about the fish they eat.” MDHHS’ Eat Safe Fish Guides are not laws or regulations, but instead serve as a free resource for those who want information about which fish and how much of those fish are healthy to eat from various bodies of water across the state. A recent scientific review of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) has provided MDHHS more information about the toxicity of PFOS and its impact on human health. PFOS has been found to be a greater threat to human health than previously thought and has resulted in changes to this year’s Eat Safe Fish Guides. Additional guidelines are included due to PFOS for both entire waterbodies and specific fish species, including an increase in the number of Do Not Eat guidelines. MDHHS also produces the Buy Safe Fish Guide to help residents choose seafood that is lower in mercury from local grocery stores, fish markets and restaurants. The Eat Safe Fish Guides and Buy Safe Fish Guide are available online at Michigan.gov/EatSafeFish.  For more information on how to buy, eat or prepare safe fish, or to get the 2025 Eat Safe Fish Guide for your region, visit Michigan.gov/EatSafeFish and select Find Your Area or call the MDHHS Division of Environmental Health at 800-648-6942. More information on the data that resulted in changes in PFOS guidelines is available in the PFOS Reference Dose Health Consultation.

MDHHS establishes mandatory reporting rule for ALS cases

by orionontv | Jun 3, 2025 | Health and Wellness

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 3, 2025

CONTACT: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112, SutfinL1@michigan.gov

MDHHS establishes mandatory reporting rule for ALS cases

LANSING, Mich.  – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has announced the adoption of a new administrative rule requiring mandatory reporting of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) cases. ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It currently has no cure, and slowly impacts diagnosed individuals’ ability to move, speak, eat and breathe.

The rule went into effect Thursday, May 15, making Michigan the fifth state in the U.S. to implement mandatory ALS case reporting, which will improve the state’s ability to monitor the disease.

“There are between 4,000 and 6,000 cases of ALS diagnosed across the country annually,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. “Mandatory reporting will help provide a better picture of who gets ALS and identify risk factors for the disease. This information will assist with research and could help offer a better future for those with ALS.”

“Establishing ALS as a reportable disease is a critical step toward reducing the burden of ALS in the state of Michigan,” said Dr. Stephen Goutman, Michigan Medicine Pranger ALS Clinic director. “Without a registry, we do not know the rates of ALS in the state or whether these rates are changing. Given the projected increase in ALS by 2030, it is essential that we collect this information now to inform changing disease trends, identify disease clusters and optimize the availability of care for all persons living with ALS.”

Under the new rule, health care professionals and health care facilities that diagnose and treat individuals with ALS will be required to report cases to MDHHS. These reports will help the department continue to develop a comprehensive registry of chronic diseases and contribute to the broader understanding of chronic disease trends in Michigan.

The rule allows public health officials to track the number of ALS cases and where they occur, offering important insight into the incidence and distribution of the disease across Michigan. Statewide ALS reporting will support trend analysis and epidemiologic understanding that can guide future research and public health actions.

“We applaud the State of Michigan and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for approving the creation of an ALS registry for the state,” said Dr. Eva L. Feldman, Michigan Medicine ALS Center of Excellence director. “We will now be the fifth state in the United States to have such a registry, pivotal in our fight against ALS. Michigan has one of the highest rates of ALS in the country, and this registry will help in our quest to solve why.”

The ALS reporting rule is available online. For questions about the rule or how chronic diseases, including ALS, are tracked in Michigan, contact MDHHS’ Chronic Disease Surveillance Team at MDHHS-Chronicle@Michigan.gov.