Rule Capping Hours Worked Per Shift For New Doctors Rolled Back Among Mixed Reviews
Patient and resident groups wanted to keep the 16-hour rule, but other doctors are glad to be rid of it.
KQED:
Is It OK For First-Year Doctors To Work 28 Hours In A Row? New Rule Says It’s Fine
So, in 2011, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education made a rule, saying first-year doctors could only work a maximum of 16 hours per shift. But this year, the council reversed itself, and starting this summer, new doctors can again work up to 28 hours in a row. (Dembosky, 8/3)
In other news affecting public health —
KQED:
Despite Marijuana Legalization, California’s Black Market Could Remain Huge
Legalizing marijuana, California voters were told last year, would create a “safe, legal and comprehensive system” allowing adults to consume the drug while keeping it out of the hands of children. ...But as state regulators prepare to begin offering licenses to marijuana businesses on Jan. 1, it turns out that a huge portion of the state’s weed is likely to remain on the black market. (Rosenhall, 8/4)
McClatchy:
New Study Finds Potential Link Between Sugar And Anxiety And Depression
Whenever we have a bad day, it’s not uncommon to reach for the nearest sugary comfort food for a quick boost. But a study published in the journal Scientific Reports has found a concerning link between a diet high in sugar and mood disorders in men. (Magness, 8/3)
San Jose Mercury News:
Health Advisory Issued On Eating Fish Caught At Two East Bay Lakes
For the first time, state health officials are advising people to limit their consumption of rainbow trout from two popular fishing spots, Lake Chabot and Lafayette Reservoir, because of industrial chemical PCBs detected in the fish. In revising health advisories on how much fish is safe to eat from each of the two lakes, state officials this week advised adults and children to eat no more than five servings per week of rainbow trout from Lafayette Reservoir. (Cuff, 8/3)