Morning Breakouts

Latest California Healthline Stories

FDA Targets Stem Cell Clinics In California Offering Pricey, But Unproven, Treatments

The clinics have largely avoided regulation because they use stem cells from their patients’ own bodies, but critics call the therapies dangerous quackery. “It’s a huge, unapproved human experiment,” said Paul Knoepfler, a stem cell researcher at the University of California at Davis.

Theranos Gets Extension For Reporting Ways It Will Fix Deficiencies At Lab

The blood testing startup has hired a new director, and the company has asked for time for him to review its plans to fix the flaws at the Palo Alto lab. In other marketplace news, Cofactor Genomics has acquired Narus Biotechnologies.

New University Is First For-Profit Traditional Medical School Accredited In U.S.

With an inaugural class of 60 students, the California Northstate University College of Medicine in Elk Grove says it hopes to make a dent in the nation’s physician shortage. In other medical education news, USC’s Ostrow School of Dentistry launches its largest-ever mobile dental clinic.

FDA Announces New Opioid Strategy: ‘We’re Not Winning The Battle At This Point’

The FDA will now mandate that any new opioid go before an outside committee of experts unless the product has abuse-deterrent properties and require more warnings and safety information on drug labels. In other national news, companies are joining forces to help hold down the cost of providing workers with benefits, Cigna’s profits take a hit from proposed Anthem merger and hospitals claim a victory in federal courts.

Lawmakers Hit Brick Wall As Shkreli Pleads The Fifth At Price Gouging Hearing

The former Turing CEO smirked his way through questions from the committee members who grew increasingly exasperated with his refusal to provide answers about his company’s high costs for lifesaving drugs. Shkreli promptly tweeted that the lawmakers were “imbeciles” after he left the hearing.