Latest California Healthline Stories
President Bush Signs $388 Billion Appropriations Bill for FY 2005
President Bush on Wednesday signed a $388 billion, fiscal year 2005 omnibus appropriations bill (HR 4818) that includes funds for HHS and other federal departments, as well as many federal agencies, the AP/Contra Costa Times reports.
Martinez Unified School District Receives Asthma Grant
Martinez Unified School District has secured a $280,000, three-year grant to provide health services and educational information to about 12,000 students in the county with respiratory conditions such as asthma, a leading cause of student absenteeism, the Contra Costa Times reports.
Chiron Flu Vaccine Manufacturing Plant Suspension Extended, Other Companies Weigh Market Entry
British Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency officials late Tuesday extended from January to April the suspension of the manufacturing license for Chiron’s plant in Liverpool, England, possibly “jeopardizing” Chiron’s ability to contribute to the U.S. flu vaccine supply next season and prompting other manufacturers to consider entering the U.S. market, the Washington Post reports.
Aromatase Inhibitors More Effective Than Tamoxifen in Treating Breast Cancer, Study Finds
Medications in a class called aromatase inhibitors, which block hormones, are more effective in the treatment of breast cancer than tamoxifen, reduce the number of recurrences of the disease and eliminate the most severe side effects of tamoxifen, according to a study published on Wednesday in the Lancet, the New York Times reports.
Girls in State Juvenile Halls Not Receiving Adequate Health Care, Study Finds
Females in the California Youth Authority’s juvenile halls have “unique needs that are going unmet” — including sex education, diet and medical care — “especially for pregnant girls,” according to a study conducted by students from the University of California-Berkeley released Tuesday at a Capitol briefing, the Stockton Record reports.
San Francisco Chronicle Examines Service Reductions Under Proposed San Francisco Budget
The San Francisco Chronicle on Thursday examined how some services could be affected by proposed funding reductions included in San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom’s (D) proposal for budget cuts.
Waxman Requests FDA Investigation of Crestor Advertisements
Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) on Friday sent a letter to FDA requesting that the agency review allegedly “misleading advertising” by AstraZeneca related to safety concerns for its cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor and order the company to post a correction if the claims are found to be erroneous, USA Today reports.
Ortiz Introduces Legislation Addressing Hospital Charity Care Policies
Sen. Deborah Ortiz (D-Sacramento) on Tuesday introduced legislation (SB 24) that would establish minimum charity care requirements for state hospitals, the Sacramento Bee reports.
One-Year Anniversary of New Medicare Law Marred by Bad News
The Bush administration, led by HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson, celebrated the one-year anniversary of the signing of the new Medicare law on Wednesday, but the enthusiasm was tempered by the “latest” bad news to emerge about implementation efforts, the Washington Times reports.
Report Estimates Annual Cost of Undocumented Immigrants’ Use of State Services at $10.5 Billion
California pays $10.5 billion annually to provide services, including health care, to undocumented immigrants, according to a report released Monday by the Federation for American Immigration Reform, the Washington Times reports.