The dramatic rise in diagnoses of breast abnormalities and neurodivergence profiles (such as autism) over recent decades is not the sign of a new epidemic, but stems from an improved capacity for detection and broadened evaluation criteria.

noli's read

The creator's logic is robust: our perception of a condition's prevalence depends directly on our capacity to identify and name it. For breast health, the adoption of systematic imaging screenings starting in 1976 naturally caused a surge in the detection of very early abnormalities. However, CDC epidemiological reports indicate that the overall rise in cases was 34% over this period, with the 300% figure applying specifically to the very first localized signs, sometimes called 'stage zero'. Regarding autism, a vast observational study published in JAMA Pediatrics (Hansen et al., 2015) confirms that successive changes in official evaluation criteria explain the majority of new cases recorded. The research of Professor Eric Fombonne also supports the view that the broadening of definitions and increased awareness have simply allowed for the identification of profiles that previously went unnoticed. The main thesis is therefore solidly validated by the evidence of data and the emergence of better vigilance.

the sources

No named source held this one up — that absence is part of the verdict.