On Aug. 15, Neurosurgery Blog cross-posted a blog featuring Michael J. Feldman, MD, a pediatric neurosurgery fellow at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a former AANS/CNS Washington Committee alternate resident fellow. The blog highlights Dr. Feldman’s efforts to reduce spina bifida rates in Alabama’s Hispanic community through folic acid fortification of corn masa flour.
To address this disparity, Dr. Feldman has collaborated with various organizations to form action groups advocating for federal legislative change. These groups are working diligently to draft and promote bills that would mandate the fortification of corn masa flour in Alabama. Dr. Feldman is also working with the state’s senators, Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), to advocate for federal policies and has met with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to discuss the implementation of an FDA citizen petition that would require all corn masa products to be labeled if they are not fortified with folic acid.
