Latest California Healthline Stories
Researchers Unveil ‘Smart’ Medicine Cabinet
Researchers from Accenture unveiled a “smart” medicine cabinet, which would notify consumers of a medicine’s dosage and potential drug interactions, at a “futures” conference held by the Association for Computing Machinery in San Jose last week, the Sacramento Bee reports.
Mental Health Stigma Remains, Prescriptions Increase
The Los Angeles Times reports that despite “extensive research” indicating that most people with schizophrenia improve with treatment, stereotypes “clin[g]” to the “outdated notion” the patients will “deteriorate.”
New Fresno Program Hopes to Aid ‘At-Risk’ Women
Women most at risk for HIV infection — those in the criminal justice system, sex-industry workers, the homeless and drug abusers — have a new resource to turn to in Fresno, the Fresno Bee reports.
Residency Program Draws Top Medical Graduates Back to South Bay
A medical residency program run by Scripps Memorial Hospital Chula Vista, the UCSD School of Medicine and the San Ysidro Health Center is “lur[ing] top medical school graduates” who grew up in the South Bay to return home to serve “the poor, the uninsured and those who otherwise might not receive health care,” the San Diego Union Tribune reports.
L.A. County Partnership Would Add 80 Beds for Mental Health
The Los Angeles Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote tomorrow on a proposal to partner with a private mental health corporation to create an 80-bed facility for mentally ill patients, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Bill Targets Soda and High-Fat Foods in Schools
Responding to concerns about child obesity, Sen. Martha Escutia (D-Montebello) has proposed a bill that would ban the sale of sodas and high-fat snacks on school campuses, restrict fast food portion size and prohibit student clubs from selling candy for fundraisers, the Sacramento Bee reports.
FDA Cracks Down on Drug Manufacturing
The FDA is “scrambling” to “crack down” on pharmaceutical companies engaging in “sloppy manufacturing practices,” the Newark Star-Ledger reports.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi Discusses Ryan White, Reproductive Health Issues
The Kaiser Daily Reports recently interviewed Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) about her contributions during the last Congress and to learn about her legislative plans for the 107th Congress.
Senate OKs Bankruptcy Bill Minus Health Measures
The Senate, on an 83-15 vote, approved bankruptcy reform legislation yesterday, as Republicans “fought off” amendments favored by consumer groups and some Democrats, including a provision to ease the new restrictions for those with debts resulting from medical bills, the
Washington Post reports.
Bill Closes Mental Health ‘Loophole’ in Parity Law
Sens. Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.) and Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) have proposed legislation that would require companies that offer mental health benefits as part of a health plan to provide equal coverage for both mental and physical health, the AP/St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.