Latest California Healthline Stories
FDA Says Two Eczema Treatments Will Carry Black Box Warnings
FDA on Thursday said that two eczema treatments will be required to carry “black box” warning labels alerting physicians that they have been linked to an increased cancer risk and urging caution when prescribing them, the Washington Post reports.
Clinic Administered Wrong Antibiotic to Twice as Many Syphilis Patients as Originally Suspected
The Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center administered an improper medication to about 650 people with syphilis or at risk of contracting the disease, more than twice the number previously believed, according to details of a CDC investigation released Thursday, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Hearing Addresses Operations at California Institute of Regenerative Medicine
Sen. Deborah Ortiz (D-Sacramento) on Wednesday chaired a hearing on the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the agency created by Proposition 71 to oversee California’s stem cell research program, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Mortality Rates for Some Black Men More Than Double Those for White Men, Study Finds
The mortality rate for black men ages 45 to 54 is more than twice the rate for white men in the same age group, according to a study by former Surgeon General David Satcher, the AP/Detroit Free Press reports.
Residents of Low-Income Areas Have Limited Access to Health Care, Report Finds
Uninsured Sacramento County residents who live in low-income areas are less likely than other county residents to have access to regular physician care, which can prevent future hospitalizations, according to a report released Wednesday by Catholic Healthcare West, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Kerry To Launch Effort for Universal Health Coverage for Children
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) on Wednesday promised to campaign against Republicans who oppose his legislation (S 114) to fund universal health care for children by repealing tax cuts for U.S. residents who earn more than $319,100 annually, the Boston Globe reports.
Judge Dismisses Suit Over HHS Guidelines on Translation Services
U.S. District Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit that challenged HHS guidelines under which health care providers could lose federal funds for failure to provide translation services for patients who do not speak English, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
House Panel Approves FY 2006 Budget Proposal; Senate Plan Likely To Pass
The House Budget Committee on Wednesday voted 22-15 to approve its fiscal year 2006 budget resolution, which calls for $69 billion in cuts over five years to mandatory spending programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, about $18 billion more than President Bush requested in his budget proposal, CQ Today reports.
Secondhand Smoke Might Cause Breast Cancer, Report Finds
Secondhand cigarette smoke might cause breast cancer, according to a new report released by scientists at the California Air Resources Board, USA Today reports.
CNA Says Governor Improperly Re-allocated Funds Intended To Help Increase Nurse Staffing
The California Nurses Association on Wednesday said that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) inappropriately allocated $27.4 million in state funds to pay hospitals as part of Medi-Cal reimbursement rate increases included in the fiscal year 2004-2005 budget, funds CNA said the Legislature intended to help fund nurse staffing increases, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.