Eighty-one women have filed a lawsuit against Army Maj. Blaine McGraw, a gynecologist accused of secretly recording patients during examinations. The lawsuit follows charges from the Army's Office of Special Trial Counsel, which includes 54 counts of "indecent visual recording" and other offenses. Initially, the case involved 44 alleged victims.

The expanded lawsuit alleges sexual assault, assault, and battery under Texas law, claiming harmful and offensive physical contact with patients. One notable case involves an active-duty soldier who believes McGraw photographed her during a rape kit examination after she was sexually assaulted. The lawsuit asserts that McGraw failed to document the rape kit in her medical records, which impeded the prosecution of her alleged assailant, who was ultimately acquitted.

The Army has stated it is taking the allegations seriously, initiating investigations shortly after a patient reported misconduct on October 17. McGraw was suspended immediately following the allegation. His attorney has expressed disappointment with the Army's investigation, claiming there is no evidence supporting inappropriate touching. One of the victim's lawyers noted that the Army's response reflects systemic failures similar to those seen in the case of Maj. Michael Stockin, who pleaded guilty to misconduct involving male patients.

Most of the alleged victims reside in Texas, where McGraw practiced at Fort Hood, but others are located in 14 different states. The lawsuit also references alleged misconduct dating back to 2021 during McGraw's tenure at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii. It outlines three primary methods of abuse: recording patients without consent, performing unnecessary medical procedures, and engaging in sexual touching during examinations. The lawsuit details how McGraw allegedly took deliberate steps to ensure unobstructed recordings, using his Army nameplate to position his phone for clear views of patients.

The lawsuit calls for an investigation into McGraw's earlier service at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where no outreach to patients has been reported. Advocates argue that the Army's failure to address complaints against McGraw allowed his alleged behavior to continue unchecked, contributing to a culture that has not adequately protected women from sexual violence within military healthcare settings.

In a separate public health concern, a measles outbreak that began in South Carolina in early October has escalated, with health officials reporting 27 new cases since Friday, bringing the total to 111. This outbreak is now comparable to ongoing outbreaks in Utah and Arizona, which have reported 115 and 176 cases, respectively. If the transmission of the virus is not contained by January, it will have circulated for 12 consecutive months, potentially jeopardizing the U.S. measles elimination status achieved in 2000 through vaccination efforts.

The South Carolina Department of Health has indicated that the outbreak is not yet under control. Of the 27 new cases, 16 were linked to exposure at the Way of Truth Church in Inman, with additional exposures identified at Inman Intermediate School, resulting in over 100 students being quarantined across four schools in the area. Currently, 254 individuals, including 43 students from Inman Intermediate School, are in quarantine, as the incubation period for measles is 21 days from exposure.

Measles is highly contagious, with up to 90 percent of unvaccinated individuals contracting the virus upon exposure. The outbreak is concentrated in Spartanburg and Greenville Counties, both of which have low vaccination rates. For the 2024–2025 school year, only 90 percent of students in Spartanburg were vaccinated, while Greenville's rate was 92.4 percent, both below the 95 percent threshold needed to prevent community transmission. Additionally, these counties have high rates of religious exemptions from vaccination, with Spartanburg having the highest rate in the state at 8.2 percent.

Among the 111 cases reported in the outbreak, 105 were unvaccinated, three were partially vaccinated, two had unknown vaccination status, and one was fully vaccinated. Nationally, vaccination rates have declined due to misinformation propagated by anti-vaccine activists, contributing to a 33-year high in measles cases, with nearly 2,000 cases and 46 outbreaks reported this year.