Quest Diagnostics Settles Lawsuit Over Hazardous Waste: Quest Diagnostics, one of America’s largest medical testing companies, has agreed to pay $5 million to settle charges that it improperly disposed of hazardous chemicals, medical waste, and patient information at multiple locations across the Bay Area and California. Read more from Bay Area News Group.
SF Overdose Epidemic Shows No Sign Of Slowing: Sixty-six people died from accidental drug overdoses in January, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Wednesday. This comes on the heels of San Francisco's deadliest recorded year for overdoses. Scroll down for more on the opioid crisis. Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Below, check out the roundup of California Healthline’s coverage. For today's national health news, read KFF Health News’ Morning Briefing.
More News From Across The State
Los Angeles Times:
Children's Hospital Los Angeles Unveils New Fetal Cardiac Clinic
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has opened its new Fetal Cardiac Clinic, a unique space for expectant mothers and the fetal patient population to continue receiving the highest level of comprehensive care during pregnancy, birth and beyond. Located next door to CHLA at Hollywood Presbyterian Doctors Tower, the Fetal Cardiac Clinic is home to CHLA’s world-class team of specialists trained in diagnosing and treating congenital heart defects and heart diseases before birth. (2/14)
Becker's Hospital Review:
California Hospital CEO To Retire
Sherie Hickman is retiring from her role as CEO of Sutter Delta Medical Center in Antioch, Calif. A representative for Sutter Health confirmed the move to Becker's on Feb. 14. Ms. Hickman's last day will be April 12, and the hospital has commenced a search for her successor. (Kayser, 2/14)
San Francisco Chronicle:
California COVID Hospitalizations Hit Lowest Point In Months
COVID-19 hospital admissions in California have reached their lowest point in over two months, providing a welcome reprieve following another challenging winter marked by the coexistence of the coronavirus, influenza and respiratory syncytial viruses, known as the “tripledemic.” The recent surge in COVID-19 cases was relatively mild in terms of severe outcomes compared with the first three years of the pandemic. Despite the emergence of highly mutated virus strains, such as JN.1 and BA.2.87.1, there is the potential for a relatively calm spring and summer if trends persist. (Vaziri, 2/14)
Los Angeles Times:
Risk For Chronic Fatigue Soars Among COVID-19 Patients, Study Says
People who have had COVID-19 have a significantly higher risk of suffering chronic fatigue than those who haven’t had the disease, a new study published Wednesday shows. “Our data indicate that COVID-19 is associated with a significant increase in new fatigue diagnoses,” according to the study, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. “Physicians should be aware that fatigue might occur or be newly recognized [more than a year] after acute COVID-19,” the report said. (Lin II, 2/14)
Stat:
Long Covid Research Funding Gets A Major Boost From NIH
The Biden administration has dedicated an additional $515 million to a major initiative to study long Covid, a nearly 50% increase to the project’s budget. The research initiative at the National Institutes of Health, dubbed RECOVER, was created in 2020 with a $1.15 billion investment in research to understand and investigate treatments for long Covid. (Cohrs, 2/15)
CIDRAP:
Researchers Report COVID Home Tests As Accurate As The Same Tests Given By A Clinician
A single-center study conducted at a free community testing site in Maryland suggests that patient-administered BinaxNow COVID-19 rapid antigen tests (RATs) have similar accuracy as those performed by a clinician, although the results can be misinterpreted or falsely negative. (Van Beusekom, 2/14)
The New York Times:
Some Pregnant Women And Infants Received The Wrong R.S.V. Shots
This winter, for the first time ever, there were two vaccines available to ward off respiratory syncytial virus, which is particularly dangerous to older adults and infants. Only one of them — Abrysvo, made by Pfizer — was approved for pregnant women, and neither was for young children. The distinction apparently slipped by some clinicians and pharmacists. At least 128 pregnant women were mistakenly given the alternative vaccine — Arexvy, by GSK — and at least 25 children under age 2 received a vaccination, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned. (Mandavilli, 2/14)
Politico:
Salas Slams Hurtado On Abortion Rights Amid A Messy California Democratic Primary
With less than three weeks until the primary, former California Assemblymember Rudy Salas is launching attacks on fellow Democrat Melissa Hurtado, going after her record on abortion rights as Democratic groups scramble to avoid being locked out of the November election for the swing House seat. Salas, who came within 3,000 votes of knocking out Republican incumbent Rep. David Valadao in 2022, is hoping for a rematch for the Central Valley district. But a challenge from Hurtado, a sitting state senator, has put unexpected pressure on the primary — forcing party leaders to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in the last month to elevate Salas. (Kort, 2/13)
Bay Area Reporter:
CDC: Many Factors Contribute To High HIV Risk For Trans Women
Several factors, including discrimination, homelessness, and violence, help explain why transgender women have a higher risk for HIV, according to a report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "To accelerate health equity, leaders of health care institutions should better recognize transgender patients' health disparities and work to remediate barriers to primary and preventive care," B. Kaye Hayes and colleagues wrote in a summary for Public Health Reports. "Transgender people's health can thrive both when they are free to express who they are and when they are able to access affirming health care services." (Highleyman, 2/14)
Stat:
Amid Drug Shortages, FTC To Probe The Role Of Middlemen
The Federal Trade Commission is launching a probe into the extent to which group purchasing organizations and wholesalers may contribute to ongoing shortages of key medicines at hospitals and other facilities across the country. (Silverman and Wilkerson, 2/14)
Stat:
Trade Deal Leak Raises Alarm Over Access To Generic Medicines
A leaked version of a proposed agreement between India and the European Free Trade Association is causing alarm among civil society and patient advocacy groups over concerns the deal would delay access to affordable generic versions of newer, lifesavings medicines for several years. (Silverman, 2/14)
Modesto Bee:
Stanislaus Sets Target Date For Involuntary Drug Treatment
Stanislaus County supervisors on Tuesday approved a Jan. 1, 2025, target date to implement significant changes to conservatorship and involuntary mental health treatment laws. A state Senate bill signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in October went into effect last month, but almost all counties including Stanislaus exercised an option to delay the changes for up to two years. (Carlson, 2/14)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
Oversight Board Again Asks Jails To Scan Deputies For Drugs
The voices demanding that Sheriff Kelly Martinez do more to stop overdoses inside San Diego County jails continue to grow louder. Family members of people who died in sheriff’s custody spoke out Tuesday before the civilian oversight board, and board members voted for the third time in two years to recommend that the Sheriff’s Department scan deputies for illegal drugs as they enter work. (McDonald, 2/14)
The Charlotte Observer:
Fitness Trackers Find New Symptom Of Depression: Body Temperature
When a group of California researchers started a COVID-19 study in 2020 using fitness tracking rings, they didn’t know they would make a leap forward for an entirely different condition. (Wright, 2/14)
NPR:
Tai Chi Is Better At Reducing Blood Pressure Than Aerobic Exercise, Study Finds
Tai chi, a traditional, slow-moving form of Chinese martial art, is known to increase flexibility and improve balance. Now, new research suggests it's better than more vigorous aerobic exercises for lowering blood pressure in people with prehypertension. Prehypertension is blood pressure that's higher than normal but doesn't quite reach the level of high blood pressure, or hypertension. It's considered a warning sign that heart disease may be ahead, and it raises the risk of having a heart attack. (Godoy, 2/14)
CNN:
Walking, Yoga And Strength Training May Treat Depression As Well As Therapy, Data Shows
When a wave of depression hits, exercise may sound like the last thing you want to do. But a new study says it could be crucial to feeling better. Many types of exercise — including walking, jogging, yoga, tai chi, aerobic exercises and strength training — showed benefits as strong as therapy when it came to treating depression, according to the study published Wednesday in the BMJ. (Holcombe, 2/14)
Axios:
Living Alone Linked To Higher Rates Of Depression In New National Health Survey
Living alone is linked to higher rates of self-reported depression than living with others, according to data released today from a 2021 National Health Interview Survey. (Mallenbaum, 2/15)