JoNel Aleccia is a Senior Correspondent focused on aging and end-of-life issues on the KHN enterprise team. Before joining KHN in November 2016, she was a health reporter for more than a decade, covering regional and national news at outlets including The Seattle Times, NBCNews.com, TODAY.com and MSNBC.com. Before that, she was a reporter, editor and columnist at newspapers in the Northwest. JoNel was a member of reporting teams that won National Press Club Awards for digital journalism focused on the Great Recession and on amputees in the 2010 earthquake in Haiti.
JoNel Aleccia
From this contributor
Despite measles outbreaks, vaccine exemptions easy to obtain in U.S. states
As measles outbreaks continue across the United States, newly revealed health records from Oregon suggest it’s surprisingly easy to opt out of required vaccinations in that state — as in several others.

Despite measles outbreaks, vaccine exemptions easy to obtain in U.S. states
U.S. measles outbreak sends hesitant families scrambling for vaccines
Demand for measles vaccine has surged in the Washington county where the highly contagious virus is linked to more than 50 confirmed illnesses this year — including among people who had previously shunned the shots.

U.S. measles outbreak sends hesitant families scrambling for vaccines
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Connectomics 2.0: Simulating the brain
With a complete fly connectome in hand, researchers are taking the next step to model how brain circuits fuel function.

Connectomics 2.0: Simulating the brain
With a complete fly connectome in hand, researchers are taking the next step to model how brain circuits fuel function.
CDC autism prevalence numbers warrant attention—but not in the way RFK Jr. proposes
The head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is ignoring decades of research findings.

CDC autism prevalence numbers warrant attention—but not in the way RFK Jr. proposes
The head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is ignoring decades of research findings.
‘These plans are simply not acceptable’: Q&A with Helen Tager-Flusberg
Last week, Tager-Flusberg formed the Coalition of Autism Scientists to push back on the U.S. government’s plans for autism research, as described by Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. The coalition already has 220 members.

‘These plans are simply not acceptable’: Q&A with Helen Tager-Flusberg
Last week, Tager-Flusberg formed the Coalition of Autism Scientists to push back on the U.S. government’s plans for autism research, as described by Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. The coalition already has 220 members.