Latest California Healthline Stories
New Venture Fund to Invest in Health Information
Merck & Co. is expected today to announce the creation of a new $100 million ehealth venture fund, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Americans Wary of Privacy of Online Medical Information
Americans possess an “overwhelming distrust” of the Internet as a storage place for their medical information, Reuters Health reports.
Gates Donates $1M to Reiner Foundation for Children’s Health
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation yesterday donated $1 million to the Beverly Hills-based “I am Your Child Foundation,” to foster “public awareness about the importance of early childhood development,” the Los Angeles Times reports.
U.S.-Mexico Commission Addresses Border Health Concerns
In response to the high rate of tuberculosis infection along the 2,000-mile United States-Mexico border, the “newly formed” United States-Mexico Border Health Commission intends to “launch a pilot program” next year for a “binational” program allowing tuberculosis patients to receive treatment on either side of the border.
Mentally Ill Twice as Likely to Use Tobacco
People with mental illnesses are approximately twice as likely to smoke cigarettes, according to a recent Harvard Medical School study published in today’s issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, the Los Angeles Times reports.
KPC Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
KPC Medical Management filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Friday after reaching a deal with several HMOs to fund the final paychecks for the group’s 2,000 employees, the Orange County Register reports.
Clinton Signs Bill Boosting Minority Health Research
President Bill Clinton signed the Health Care Fairness Act into law on Nov. 22, Reuters/Washington Post reports.
Breyer Urges Judges to Learn About Genetics Law
At the forefront of a “rare public crusade,” Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer called on scientists and others to help judges “better understand” developments in the field of genetics and their potential impact on court decisions, USA Today reports.
Cantwell Wins in Washington, 50-50 Senate Split Looms
More than two weeks after the Nov. 7 election, challenger Maria Cantwell (D) last week was declared the winner of the U.S. Senate race in Washington state, defeating incumbent Sen. Slade Gorton (R) by 1,953 votes out of 2.5 million votes cast, the New York Times reports.
Los Angeles County Faces ‘Extreme’ Health Care Troubles
Los Angeles County is “struggling on a … basic level to keep its health care system from melting down,” the Los Angeles Times reports.