Latest California Healthline Stories
California news organizations also cover public health stories on the aging paradox and veganism.
Nonprofit Pediatric Dental Surgery Center Has Special Chairs For Special Needs Kids
At PDI, Northern California’s only nonprofit dental surgery center for kids on Medi-Cal, these chairs make dental care possible for kids who have a variety of special needs, such as cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, autism and developmental disabilities. In other related news, a study concludes that black and Latino children are less likely to be diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Should A Breast Cancer Patient Skip Chemo? Gene Testing May Provide Answer
“You would have to treat 100 of those [patients] with chemotherapy for the benefit of one,” says Dr. Laura van’t Veer, a leader of the breast oncology program at the University of California, San Francisco, who helped develop the test.
Federal Appeals Court Reaffirms That 23andMe Won’t Face Class Action Suit
The appellate court panel said the allegations that the genetic testing company misled consumers belong in arbitration. Also in the news, some tech workers in Silicon Valley are using nootropic “smart pills” to give them an edge.
Pasadena Doctor Is Sentenced To Four Years In Prison In Fraud Case
Dr. Boyao Huang also has to pay $1.3 million in restitution after being convicted in a Medicare and Medi-Cal fraud.
Orange County Secures Funding For Emergency Mental Health Centers
The county votes to take a $3.1 million state grant to help pay for building renovations and start-up costs. The new facilities aim to alleviate caseloads at local hospitals and provide better psychiatric care. In other news, federal government award money goes to 163 health centers in California.
California In-Home Caregivers Look To Legislative Measure For Hope Of Financial Help
The Senate this week passed a rewritten bill that would create an advisory committee to look at the situation of caregivers. In other action from Sacramento, Gov. Jerry Brown signs climate legislation that could have environmental health implications.
EpiPen Pricing Backlash Spurs Mylan To Offer More Discounts
The drugmaker announces that it will increase its copay savings card amount and expand eligibility for financial assistance. The move comes after a flurry of news stories questioning Mylan’s pricing spike for the lifesaving allergy medication, as well as pressure from lawmakers including Hillary Clinton.
Proposition 61 Offers State One More Chance To Rein In Drug Prices
As the national controversy continues surrounding the high cost of EpiPens — the most recent to focus attention on drug costs, the San Francisco Chronicle reports on this November ballot measure, which would prohibit state agencies from paying more for drugs than does the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Assembly Passes ‘Right-To-Try’ Legislation For Experimental Drugs
Gov. Jerry Brown must now decide whether to veto the measure, as he did last year.