Latest California Healthline Stories
Frist, Satcher Discuss Public Health System Response to Bioterrorism on PBS
Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher spoke on PBS’ “NewsHour with Jim Lehrer” Oct. 15 on the public health response to the recent anthrax reports.
CMA, UCLA Establish Education Programs on Bioterrorism for Physicians, Public Health Officials
In light of the discovery of several cases of anthrax across the country in the past two weeks, two California organizations are organizing statewide “educational campaigns” for physicians who have never treated patients infected with anthrax or other agents of bioterrorism, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Growing Anthrax Fear Leads to Increased Wariness
Fears of anthrax exposure multiplied yesterday across the nation, especially in New York and Washington, D.C., where new cases of the bacteria possibly traveling through the mail were announced and “false alarms” increased the workload of already “exhausted teams of experts,” the Washington Times reports.
Many Former California Welfare Recipients Lose Health Insurance, Report Finds
A new report released today by the California Budget Project found that thousands of California residents who have left the welfare rolls in recent years have lost their health insurance — an “unintended consequence” of 1996 federal welfare reforms, the Contra Costa Times reports.
Two More Develop Anthrax Disease; Daschle’s Office Hit
The “anthrax scare widened” yesterday with news that two more people have developed the disease and that a letter thought to contain anthrax was discovered in the office of Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), the New York Times reports.
WebMD, Quintiles Reach Agreement to ‘Terminate’ Business Ties
WebMD Corp. agreed last Friday to repurchase 35 million shares of stock from Quintiles Transnational Corp. for $185 million in a settlement that “terminates all business ties” between the companies, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Bush Seeks $1.5 Billion For Drugs, Readiness
With the number of reported anthrax cases increasing and fears about the disease spreading, the Bush administration plans to ask Congress for an additional $1.5 billion in funding for counter-bioterrorism measures, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Health Officials Say Providers Are Unprepared for Bioterrorism
Although tens of thousands of physicians have received “crash courses” on bioterrorism in the past month, public health officials warn that “vast numbers” of doctors “aren’t familiar” with the 12 bacteria, viruses and toxins likely to appear in an attack, the Washington Post reports.
Davis Signs Legislation Limiting ‘Junk Food’ in Elementary, Middle Schools
Gov. Gray Davis (D) yesterday signed SB 19, which is intended to “improve the eating habits” of elementary and middle school children by restricting the sale of soft drinks and “junk food” in schools, the AP/San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Rx Drug Plan, Patients’ Rights Not Forgotten, But Time is Running Out
Despite the increased government focus on national security and bioterrorism after the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, President Bush says he remains “committed” to Medicare reform and patients’ rights, the AP/Nando Times reports.