Latest California Healthline Stories
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) next month will launch a $2 million direct mail campaign to five million voters “to make or break an array of ballot measures in the Nov. 2 election,” the Sacramento Bee reports.
Opening Arguments in Justice Department Lawsuit Against Tobacco Companies To Begin on Tuesday
Attorneys for the Department of Justice on Tuesday will begin opening arguments in a lawsuit filed over allegations that the four largest U.S. tobacco companies violated the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Parents Refuse To Allow Children To Participate in NIH-Sponsored Antidepressants Clinical Trial
Some parents are choosing not to allow children who have attempted suicide to take antidepressants in an NIH-sponsored clinical trial, after an FDA advisory panel recommendation that the agency put a black box warning on the drugs’ labels to indicate that they are linked to suicidal behavior in children, the AP/Akron Beacon Journal reports.
Measure To Fund Stem Cell Research Would Give California Largest State Scientific Research Program
California would have “by far the largest” state-run scientific research program in the United States if voters approve Proposition 71, a measure on the Nov. 2 statewide ballot that would issue state bonds to raise an average of $295 million annually over 10 years to promote stem cell research, the New York Times reports.
Schwarzenegger Addresses Reimportation Legislation in Radio Interview
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Friday in an interview with a Sacramento radio station “singled out” legislation that would direct the state to consider reimporting lower-cost, U.S. made prescription drugs from Canada, the Contra Costa Times reports.
Santa Clara County Officials Recommend Restricting Trauma Care to County Residents
Santa Clara County health officials this fall will recommend ending a policy that allows trauma patients from nearby counties to be transported directly to trauma centers in Santa Clara County for treatment, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
FDA Approves Over-the-Counter Sales of Home Defibrillator
FDA regulators on Thursday approved over-the-counter status for Philips Medical Systems’ HeartStart Home Defibrillator to treat cases of sudden cardiac arrest, the Boston Globe reports.
Supporters of Proposition 71, a measure on the Nov. 2 statewide ballot that would issue state bonds to raise an average of $295 million annually over 10 years to promote stem cell research, this month are expected to launch television advertisements featuring celebrities, well-known scientists and patients to help “shift polls in their favor,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
Medicare Private Plans Paid More Than Fee-For-Service, MedPAC Study Shows
A Medicare Payment Advisory Commission report released to Congress on Thursday shows that CMS pays Medicare private health plans an average of 107% of what it would cost to care for the same beneficiaries under the traditional fee-for-service program, the New York Times reports.
Ventura County Supervisors Vote To Purchase Santa Paula Memorial Hospital
The Ventura County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted unanimously to purchase Santa Paula Memorial Hospital through a deal with the bankrupt hospital’s creditors that bypasses the hospital board of trustees, the Ventura County Star reports.