(Published in JamaNetwork.com)
Concern about lead exposure in her pediatric patients thrust Mona Hanna-Attisha, MD, director of the pediatric residency program at Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Michigan, into the eye of a growing public health scandal surrounding lead contamination in Flint’s water supply.
In January, President Obama declared a federal state of emergency in Flint to help the municipality grapple with drinking water contamination. The announcement drew national attention to a crisis that began in April 2014, when a state-appointed emergency manager switched Flint from Lake Huron water supplied by Detroit to water from the Flint River, according to the state of Michigan. Soon after, residents complained of discolored or foul-smelling water.
