By Christian John Lillis and Denice Hilty

The bacterial infection Clostridium difficile, or C. diff., is a common but quiet killer. Each year C. diff. infections (CDIs) claim the lives of what may be hundreds of New Yorkers, from toddlers to seniors. Thousands more face life-altering bouts with the disease, often acquired in health care settings and resistant to common medications.

Health care institutions and consumers both play an important role in fighting this epidemic. So can New York state lawmakers. They need to act on 3-year-old recommendations to include CDIs in disclosure and reporting requirements for health care institutions in the state.

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