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Experts in violence prevention say that many, if not most, perpetrators of such shootings have intensively researched earlier mass attacks, often expressing admiration for those who carried them out. The publicity that surrounds these killings can have an accelerating effect on other troubled and angry would-be killers who are already heading toward violence, they say. ... The potential for cultural contagion, many experts say, demands a public health response, one focused as much on early detection and preventive measures as on politically charged campaigns for firearm restrictions. But in some cases, efforts to identify and monitor potentially violent people can raise concerns about civil liberties. (Goode and Carey, 10/7)

When the Institute of Medicine came out last month with a report saying almost every American will experience a medical diagnostic error, Leslie Michelson wasn’t surprised. He runs Private Health Management, a Los Angeles based company that – for a substantial fee – helps patients figure out what’s wrong with them, often after an array of doctors have failed to do so. ... KHN spoke with him about how to navigate the health system and avoid diagnostic errors. (Appleby, 10/8)

At 27 years old, personal trainer and Zumba instructor Klyn Elsbury should be in the prime of her life. But because she suffers from cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening genetic condition that causes severe damage to her lungs, the Escondido, California, resident is in and out of the hospital every few weeks, often staying for a week at a time. A breakthrough new drug, Orkambi, offers hope for patients like Elsbury — along with sticker shock, at an annual price tag of more than a quarter million dollars. (Thompson, Chuck and Cappetta, 10/7)