The NHL received notice Monday that they must turn over injury and concussion-related data as part of a lawsuit filed by former players.
The order was issued by Federal Court judge Susan Nelson.
Nelson’s order was quoted in part, by TSN.
“The Court finds that the (NHL’s) blanket application of the physician-patient privilege – protecting all medical data from disclosure – is inapplicable here,” Nelson wrote.
“The clubs are ordered to produce any internal reports, studies, analyses and databases in their possession (whether initiated by the U.S. clubs, NHL, or retained researchers) for the purpose of studying concussions in de-identified form. The U.S. clubs shall produce any responsive correspondence and/or emails between themselves, themselves and the NHL, or with any research or other professional about the study of concussions.”
The issue of concussions remains a contentious one for all sides and those on the sidelines with little or no experience in the arenas of professional sports or pathology.
Conclusive evidence has been reported in peer-reviewed journals.
Prior to a law suit filed against the National Football League in the US, the issue of concussions was buried in back pages of literature and media as “bell ringer” “dinged” and “got his clock rung”. All equally colorful and all equally trivializing of a serious by-product of the professional sports landscape.
Loss of memory, depression, loss of motor skills, and suicidality are among the more sensational outcomes of repeated brain trauma from concussive events.
Pro Hockey News has kept on eye on this issue for several years and has repeatedly reported on new revelations and outcomes.
We have also repeatedly published the brain tissue samples below and do so again to remind our readers of the devastating effects of concussive injuries.
NBC Sports online reported the judge’s order today and it was accompanied by the almost pedantic response from naysayers.
Immunological staining of brain tissues for presumptive diagnostic tau protein in normal, pro football player and pro boxer (l. to r.)
It may be true that concussions were vague diagnoses of the macho sports community before the 1980’s but there were several peer-reviewed papers published in the literature of the time based on European science and investigation into protecting hockey players.
More recently, the authors Js Kutcher and CC Giza published on the need and responsibility for neurologists to be involved in the diagnosis and managed head and brain trauma for athletes. Their paper (um (Minneap Minn). 2014 Dec;20(6 Sports Neurology):1552-69) they describe what their work leads to in the field of head trauma.
Providing recommendations regarding the long-term effects of brain trauma and the need for retirement from contact sports requires an appreciation for both the reason for concern and the lack of data to frame this risk. As science continues to advance in this area, so will our diagnostic approaches and management schema. Neurologists caring for athletes with brain trauma should continue to seek the best possible evidence to help shape their clinical decisions.
There has been recognition of concussions as an affecter of brain trauma for decades; in fact the earliest connections between repeated closed head trauma and Parkinson’s disease were performed in boxers.
All professional and amateur sports leagues and organizations must acknowledge the potential for brain trauma and consider the consequences for their leagues and their assets (the players).
