- Public Health and Education 3
- After Arrest Using DNA Database Ethicists Left Wondering: Do The Ends Justify The Means?
- Vaping Products Can Be Well-Disguised, So California Is Telling Parents What To Look Out For
- California Students 'Clamoring' For More Mental Health Services
Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Family Caregivers Finally Get A Break — And Extra Coaching
Across the country, community groups, hospitals and government agencies are stepping in to support the estimated 42 million family caregivers. In California, that includes providing training and sometimes a dose of fun and relaxation. (Mindy Fetterman and Lynne Shallcross, )
More News From Across The State
After Arrest Using DNA Database Ethicists Left Wondering: Do The Ends Justify The Means?
Genetic testing and genealogy sites are widely popular these days, but the case of the Golden State Killer calls attention to privacy issues some had glossed over in the past.
The New York Times:
The Golden State Killer Is Tracked Through A Thicket Of DNA, And Experts Shudder
Genetic testing services have become enormously popular with people looking for long-lost relatives or clues to hereditary diseases. Most never imagined that one day intimate pieces of their DNA could be mined to assist police detectives in criminal cases. Even as scientific experts applauded this week’s arrest of the Golden State Killer suspect, Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, some expressed unease on Friday at reports that detectives in California had used a public genealogy database to identify him. Privacy and ethical issues glossed over in the public’s rush to embrace DNA databases are now glaringly apparent, they said. (Kolata and Murphy, 4/27)
The New York Times:
To Catch A Killer: A Fake Profile On A DNA Site And A Pristine Sample
To solve a decades-old serial rape and murder case that had gone cold, investigators used DNA gathered at a crime scene and created a fake profile and pseudonym on a genealogy website several months ago, according to law enforcement officials. An investigator with the Contra Costa County district attorney’s office and an F.B.I. lawyer worked together for several months, submitting the genetic profile of a DNA sample recovered from a 1980 murder to a genealogy website, which then delivered several matches of individuals who were distant relatives of the suspect. From there, in consultation with several genealogists, they were led to the doorstep of the man whom they believed carried out a spree of rapes and murders across California in the 1970s and 1980s. (Arango, Goldman and Fuller, 4/27)
The Wall Street Journal:
Use Of Genealogy Data To Track Golden State Killer Raises Privacy Questions
The use of DNA information in criminal investigations isn’t new, but what makes the case noteworthy, according to legal experts and bioethicists, is the use of a nonstate-owned DNA database, where individuals who share their genetic code are essentially sharing information about family members who may not have consented to reveal such data. State-owned databases contain DNA data of convicted criminals and, in some instances, people arrested. Sites like GEDmatch contain data of people who may not have had run-ins with law enforcement. (Hernandez, Kanno-Youngs and Elinson, 4/28)
Los Angeles Times:
From Golden State Killer To Grim Sleeper, DNA Helping Break Serial Killer Mysteries From 1970s And 1980s
Crime sprees on the scale of the Golden State Killer's are more difficult to pull off nowadays, some experts say: The same technology that helps solve such cold cases can thwart a modern-day criminal before he accumulates enough victims to earn a nickname. In recent years, serial killers who make headlines are more likely to be long retired than actively on the hunt. "It's a lot harder to be a serial killer or rapist now than it used to be — they get ID'd sooner," said former Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley. (Chang and Queally, 4/29)
The Associated Press:
AP Explains: A Look At DNA-Sharing Services And Privacy
The use of a genealogy website to track down a suspected California serial killer illustrates both the extraordinary power of DNA-sharing services and the broad privacy concerns that surround the fast-growing commercial market for genetic analysis. TV commercials for companies such as 23andMe and Ancestry.com pitch their services as simple and fun ways of learning about family heritage and health. And while those companies on Friday sought to distance themselves from the free GEDmatch website used by police, the California case exposed broader questions about what happens after consumers mail their saliva away for DNA analysis and upload the results to the internet. (4/27)
Orange County Register:
How Many Homicides Go Unsolved In California And The Nation?
Four decades. That’s how long it took police in California to identify and, on Wednesday, April 25, arrest Joseph James DeAngelo, 72, below, the man they believe is the Golden State Killer, who was linked to at least 12 homicides and 50 rapes in the 1970s and ’80s. While law enforcement, and victims of the killer, welcome the apprehension, it raises a question: How many killings go unsolved? (Snibbe, 4/29)
Vaping Products Can Be Well-Disguised, So California Is Telling Parents What To Look Out For
The effort is apart of a push for public health officials to try to control the hugely popular vaping trend among teens.
Capital Public Radio:
Heads Up Parents, Your Kid’s Flash Drive Might Be A Vape
Flavored tobacco companies are rolling out products that appeal to teens, and could allow them to sneak the unhealthy habit past parents and teachers. E-cigarettes, also called vaporizers, are hitting shelves disguised as candy sticks and pens. One particularly popular device called the Juul looks a lot like a flash drive. (Caiola, 4/27)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Schools Scramble To Combat Spread Of Vaping Devices
Health and education officials across the country are raising alarms over wide underage use of e-cigarettes and other vaping products. ...A new wave of smaller vapes has swept through schools in recent months, officials say, replacing bulkier e-cigarettes from the past. (Binkley, 4/30)
California Students 'Clamoring' For More Mental Health Services
Several bills pending in the California Legislature would set aside resources for mental health care at the state’s public colleges and universities.
The Mercury News:
A Push For Mental Health Care At Colleges: Depression And Anxiety ‘Really Eat Up Our Kids’
When student leaders from 23 California State University campuses came together last fall to set priorities for the academic year, improving campus mental health services received more nominations than any other issue. It beat out even that perennial concern, tuition costs. Cal State Student Association president Maggie White said she’s not surprised. (Mello, 4/29)
Sacramento Bee:
NRA Gun Ban At Pence Speech Baffles Parkland Survivors
Guns won’t be allowed when Vice President Mike Pence speaks Friday at a National Rifle Association convention in Dallas in order to protect his safety. The NRA says the Secret Service ordered the ban, but survivors of the Parkland, Fla., school shooting are calling the move hypocritical, noting the organization’s fierce opposition to gun-free zones in most public places. (Sweeney, 4/29)
Ventura County Star:
HIV/AIDS Cases Almost Doubled In Ventura County
Despite medication that dramatically reduces the chance of transmission, Ventura County HIV and AIDS cases nearly doubled in 2017 with elevated levels of infections holding steady so far this year. Last year, 85 people tested positive for HIV or AIDS, compared to 45 cases in 2016, according to county public health data presented Thursday and confirming provisional reports of the surge. Through the first three months of 2018, 24 people tested positive for HIV or AIDS in a pace consistent with last year’s rise, public health officials said. (Kisken, 4/28)
San Jose Mercury News:
Low-Income Californians Most Vulnerable As Climate Change Exacerbates Air Pollution, Report Says
California’s air pollution levels are among the worst in the country, and climate change is making the situation worse, according to a new report from the American Lung Association. Despite the state’s efforts to reign in air pollution, 90 percent of California residents are exposed to unhealthy air at some point during the year, according to the State of the Air 2018 report. (Boyd-Barrett, 4/29)
Some football players say Larry Burns and his Crosby Clinic have saved them. But the NFL is trying to shine a spotlight on his criminal past.
Boston Globe:
A Man With A Dubious Past And His Clinic That Aids Ailing Former NFL Players
[Larry] Burns, at the Crosby Clinic outside San Diego, has helped retired players gain millions of dollars in benefits through NFL worker’s compensation and disability programs, as well as secure concussion settlement payments even after their claims were denied. But other than energy and scrappy determination, Burns has few qualifications for this work. (Hohler, 4/28)
In other news from across the state —
Sacramento Bee:
CA Online Community College Would Offer Coding Program
The first program under Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed all-online community college would provide workers with an entry point into the growing health care field. The California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office is developing a four- to eight-month certificate program to train medical and health care coders in a partnership with the Service Employees International Union–United Healthcare West Joint Employer Education Fund. (Luna, 4/27)
The Bakersfield Californian:
Community Wellness Programs Aim To Educate Kern County On Health-Related Matters Free Of Charge
Stories documenting how Bakersfield ranks among the country’s unhealthiest cities. National publications and organizations have published works on the area’s poor air quality and prevalence of health-related issues such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer. But when it comes to addressing the health of Kern County’s residents, the first step is education. Healthy Kern was launched seven years ago as an online community-needs assessment dedicated to hosting current Kern County health information. The project was a joint effort by local community, government and health organizations. (Nessia, 4/28)
Sacramento Bee:
Caltrans Workers Seek Protections Clearing Homeless Camps
Last week, the union representing Caltrans maintenance workers filed a grievance against the [state transportation] department, contending that employees responsible for the massive cleanups are not being adequately protected. In many instances, workers are not given appropriate protective gear, vaccinations, training or enough compensation for the “dangerous hazmat duties they are performing” on Caltrans property, according to the grievance filed by the International Union of Operating Engineers, Unit 12. (Lundstrom, 4/30)
Ronny Jackson To Stay On White House Staff, But Won't Resume Role Of President's Personal Physician
Some names being tossed around for the VA spot now that Dr. Ronny Jackson has withdrawn are: Ascension President and CEO Anthony Tersigni, Cleveland Clinic CEO Dr. Toby Cosgrove, Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), and former Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.). Meanwhile, President Donald Trump defended his former nominee over the weekend.
The Washington Post:
Ronny Jackson Won’t Return To Job As Trump’s Physician
Ronny L. Jackson, the Navy rear admiral whom President Trump unsuccessfully nominated to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, will not return to his previous role as the president’s personal physician, a White House official said Sunday. Jackson, who withdrew as Trump’s VA pick last week, will remain on the staff of the White House medical unit, the official added. Sean Conley, a Navy veteran who took over Jackson’s responsibilities after his nomination, will remain in the role as Trump’s personal doctor. (Parker, 4/29)
Politico:
Ronny Jackson Won’t Return To Old Job As Trump’s Physician
Jackson bowed out last week after Montana Sen. Jon Tester, the top Democrat on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, released a document summarizing allegations by current and former colleagues that Jackson overprescribed pills, drank on the job and created a hostile work environment. Jackson has denied the allegations and has returned to work in the White House Medical Unit. (Johnson, 4/29)
The Hill:
White House: No Evidence Ronny Jackson Crashed Government Vehicle
An investigation did not uncover any evidence that President Trump's former nominee to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) drunkenly wrecked a government vehicle after a Secret Service party, White House officials told The Washington Post. The accusation against Navy Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson, the White House physician, was one of the more serious allegations the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee examined as part of his confirmation process this month. (Greenwood, 4/27)
The Hill:
Trump: Tester 'Dishonest And Sick' For Pushing Allegations Against VA Nominee
President Trump lashed out at Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) on Twitter Saturday afternoon, defending his former pick for Veterans Affairs (VA) secretary, Navy Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson. In the tweet, Trump called Tester "dishonest and sick" for pushing an allegation that Secret Service agents had to stop Jackson from drunkenly banging on the door of a female staffer on an overseas trip in 2015, worrying he would wake then-President Obama. (Bowden, 4/28)
The Associated Press Fact Check:
Trump Distorts Claims On VA Nominee, Vet Care
President Donald Trump is distorting some of the reasons why his pick to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, White House physician Ronny Jackson, abruptly withdrew his nomination. Trump casts late-surfacing allegations against Jackson as entirely partisan. He cites an investigation led by Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., even though the review involved interviews with military personnel and was conducted with the knowledge and support of Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., chairman of the committee considering Jackson’s nomination. (Yen, 4/29)
Modern Healthcare:
Ascension's Tersigni On Short List For VA Secretary
Ascension President and CEO Anthony Tersigni is among those being considered to lead the Veterans Affairs Department, sources close to the matter say. Other potential candidates include acting Secretary Robert Wilkie and former Cleveland Clinic CEO Dr. Toby Cosgrove. House Speaker Paul Ryan suggested that Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), chair of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, and former congressman Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) should also be considered. (Aguilar, 4/28)
CDC Director’s $375,000 Salary Called Into Question By Democratic Senator
CDC Director Robert Redfield's salary is nearly double what his predecessor made.
The Washington Post:
Top Democratic Senator Questions CDC Director’s $375,000 Salary
A top Democratic senator is raising questions about the $375,000 salary of Robert Redfield, the new leader of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who is getting almost twice what his predecessor earned and more than other past directors. In a letter Friday to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) asked for the justification for offering Redfield “a salary significantly higher” than that of his predecessors and other leaders at HHS. (Sun, 4/27)
In other national health care news —
The Associated Press:
Struggle For Transgender Rights Shifts To Health Care
Military service. Bathroom use. Job bias. And now, health care. The Trump administration is coming under fire for rewriting a federal rule that bars discrimination in health care based on "gender identity." Critics say it's another attempt to undercut acceptance for transgender people. The Health and Human Services Department rule dates to the Obama administration, a time when LGBT people gained political and social recognition. But a federal judge in Texas said the rule went too far by concluding that discrimination on the basis of gender identity is a form of sex discrimination, which is forbidden by civil rights laws. (4/30)
The Washington Post:
Bill Gates Calls On U.S. To Lead Fight Against A Pandemic That Could Kill 33 Million
Bill Gates says the U.S. government is falling short in preparing the nation and the world for the “significant probability of a large and lethal modern-day pandemic occurring in our lifetimes.” In an interview this week, the billionaire philanthropist said he has raised the issue of pandemic preparedness with President Trump since the 2016 presidential election. In his most recent meeting last month, Gates said he laid out the increasing risk of a bioterrorism attack and stressed the importance of U.S. funding for advanced research on new therapeutics, including a universal flu vaccine, which would protect against all or most strains of influenza. (Sun, 4/27)
Stat:
Bill Gates Says He Got Trump Fired Up About A Universal Flu Vaccine
Bill Gates was talking to President Trump in the Oval Office last month when the conversation turned to the notion of a universal flu vaccine — probably, as Gates recalled in an interview, “the longest conversation about universal flu vaccine that the president’s ever had.” “You should associate yourself with American innovation. Wouldn’t you love to have the universal flu vaccine be something that really got kicked off and energized by you?” Gates recalled asking Trump. (Branswell, 4/30)