Latest California Healthline Stories
States Ban Medicaid Coverage of Erectile Dysfunction Treatments for Sex Offenders
Several states last week began the process of outlawing Medicaid coverage of erectile dysfunction drugs such as Viagra for convicted sex offenders, the New York Times reports.
Hispanics Less Likely To Seek Professional Assistance for Chronic Pain, Study Finds
Seventy percent of Hispanics who have chronic pain reported seeing a doctor for the condition within the past three months, compared with 84% of whites and 85% of blacks, according to the results of a survey published last week in the Journal of Pain, the Washington Post reports.
Democratic Legislators Block Some Schwarzenegger Proposals, Including Health Measures
State Democratic legislators “appear especially determined to block items that” might improve Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s (R) public ratings, such as a program to provide lower-cost prescription drugs to state residents and a nurse training initiative at community colleges, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Stolen Laptop Contains Information for Medi-Cal Beneficiaries
The Department of Health Services last week began notifying 21,600 Medi-Cal beneficiaries that a laptop computer containing their names, social security numbers and personal health information was stolen on April 15, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Drug Companies Ghostwrite Some Submissions to Medical Journals, Editors Say
USA Today on Tuesday examined how some editors of medical journals say they have received submissions for publication that appear to have been ghostwritten by pharmaceutical companies intending to promote a particular product.
California Healthline Highlights Recent Senate Action, Pending Anti-Toxics Legislation
The Senate last week approved measures addressing a cervical cancer campaign and the regulation of some chemicals.
Purdue Pharma, H.D. Smith To Introduce Prescription Drug Tracking System
Drug maker Purdue Pharma and wholesaler H.D. Smith are expected to announce on Monday the launch of a radio-frequency-identification tracking system for prescription drugs, a system that “could serve as a national model” because it is one of the first to comply with state legislation, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Scripps Health Reaches New Medi-Cal Agreement
Scripps Health officials on Thursday announced a two-year contract with the California Medical Assistance Commission to treat Medi-Cal beneficiaries, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Tentative Ruling Upholds State Nurse Staffing Rules; Final Ruling Scheduled for Friday
Sacramento Superior Court Judge Judy Holzer Hersher on Thursday issued a tentative ruling upholding state nurse staffing rules, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Legislation Would Factor Advertising Costs to Federal Prescription Drug Prices
Sens. John Sununu (R-N.H.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) on Thursday introduced a bill that would require pharmaceutical companies to eliminate advertising expenses from the calculation of drug costs for federal programs such as Medicaid, the Washington Times reports.