Dr. Sanne Magnan has been named the new head of the Minnesota Department of Health. Her predecessor, Dianne Mandernach, failed to disclose a spike in mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer closely associated with asbestos exposure, among miners in Minnesota’s Iron Range. Dr. Magnan must rebuilt the trust that was lost as a result, and in her early remarks, she has stressed the need to share data with the public. Comparing her role as health commissioner to her approach as a physician, the 55-year-old doctor of internal medicine said she would inform the public, as she would a patient, about what’s known, what’s not yet known, and what she is doing to monitor a particular situation. She pointed out that, even when the data collected is not understood, it can be shared with the public in such a way that people understand its significance and limitations. Although Magnan is not yet well-known in political circles, the Democratic leader on issues of health and welfare praised Magnan’s “utmost integrity.” Regarding the spike of mesothelioma diagnoses among Iron Range miners, Dr. Magnan said she will consult with department researchers to understand and plot a course for addressing the problem.
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