Newsom Requests Federal Help For Snowstorm; Trapped Residents Need Food: Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday requested a presidential emergency declaration authorizing aid for 20 counties grappling with the aftermath of the recent blizzard. Meanwhile, in Tahoe, many residents remain trapped, unable to get food or gas. Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle and Southern California News Group.
Walgreens Snaps Back At California Over Abortion Pills: Walgreens said Thursday that California Gov. Gavin Newsom is unfairly targeting the pharmacy over plans for dispensing abortion pills in other states that it says are no different than those of its competitors. Read more from Bay Area News Group.
Below, check out the roundup of California Healthline’s coverage. For today's national health news, read KHN's Morning Briefing.
More News From Across The State
Bay Area Reporter:
Some STIs Down In SF Last Year
Rates of some sexually transmitted infections in San Francisco declined slightly in 2022, according to year-end numbers released by the city's Department of Public Health. The numbers came just before the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned about an increase of "extensively drug-resistant" Shigella bacteria that can be spread sexually. All told, rates of syphilis declined by about 7% (1,879 reported in 2021 compared to 1,684 reported in 2022) and rates of gonorrhea declined by less than 1% (5,264 cases reported in 2021 compared to 5,229 reported in 2022). Rates of chlamydia rose by about 4% (6,198 reported in 2021 compared to 6,467 reported in 2022). (Ferrannini, 3/8)
The New York Times:
These Morning-After Pills May Prevent STIs, Researchers Say
Sexually transmitted infections have soared in recent years in the United States, prompting an urgent search for solutions. New research suggests that a widely available antibiotic, taken after sex, may help stem the tide. A single dose of doxycycline taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex dramatically cuts the risk of a bacterial S.T.I., studies have found. The approach seems most effective for preventing chlamydia and syphilis, and slightly less so for preventing gonorrhea. (Mandavilli, 3/9)
San Francisco Chronicle:
California Opened A New Front In The Abortion War: Private Business
California just opened up a new front in the abortion wars, post-Roe v. Wade: the business community. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s termination of a $54 million state contract with Walgreens after the pharmaceutical chain said it would stop selling the abortion drug mifepristone in some states put private businesses on notice: Support abortion rights or face the wrath of what’s poised to become the world’s fourth-largest economy. (Garofoli, 3/9)
Los Angeles Times:
Newborn Found Alive In Gas Station Trash Can In Fullerton
A newborn was found abandoned Thursday in the restroom of a Fullerton gas station and quickly transported to a local hospital in critical condition. The first responders on the scene were Fullerton police officers who arrived at the gas station in the 900 block of West Orangethorpe Avenue. (Blume, 3/9)
Sacramento Bee:
Sacramento To Host Anti-Transgender ‘De-Transitioner’ Rally
Sacramento will become the latest front in the conservative culture war on transgender people Friday, as the Capitol is the site for a “De-transition Awareness Day” rally. Billed by organizers as the “biggest gathering of individuals harmed by gender ideology to date,” the event is expected to feature several “de-transitioners,” — people who sought gender-affirming treatment and later stopped it or attempted to reverse its affects. (Sheeler, 3/9)
Sacramento Bee:
340-Plus RNs At Adventist Lodi Memorial Vote To Join California Nurses Association Union
The nation’s largest union of registered nurses, the California Nurses Association, announced Thursday evening that RNs at Adventist Health Lodi Memorial had voted overwhelmingly to join the labor organization. More than 340 RNs work at Lodi Memorial. They will be able to begin collective bargaining for the first time after their vote is certified by the National Labor Relations Board. (Anderson, 3/9)
East Bay Times:
Rise In Fentanyl Deaths Justifies Use Of Military Force Against Mexican Drug Cartels, Says California Sheriff
Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes is counting on recently introduced federal legislation to help prevent narcotics from flowing into OC. In a March 6 letter he sent to the authors of legislation that would authorize the use of military force against Mexican drug cartels, Barnes said the cartels are “flooding American communities with the deadly drug fentanyl” and taking lives on “both sides of our southern border.” (Kang, 3/9)
AP:
Mexican President To US: Fentanyl Is Your Problem
Mexico’s president said Thursday that his country does not produce or consume fentanyl, despite enormous evidence to the contrary. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador appeared to depict the synthetic opioid epidemic largely as a U.S. problem, and said the United States should use family values to fight drug addiction. His statement came during a visit to Mexico by Liz Sherwood-Randall, the White House homeland security adviser, to discuss the fentanyl crisis. It also comes amid calls by some U.S. Republicans to use the U.S. military to attack drug labs in Mexico. (Stevenson, 3/9)
The New York Times:
Biden’s $6.8 Trillion Budget Proposes New Social Programs And Higher Taxes
President Biden on Thursday proposed a $6.8 trillion budget that sought to increase spending on the military and a wide range of new social programs while also reducing future budget deficits, defying Republican calls to scale back government and reasserting his economic vision before an expected re-election campaign. The budget contains some $5 trillion in proposed tax increases on high earners and corporations over a decade, much of which would offset new spending programs aimed at the middle class and the poor. It seeks to reduce budget deficits by nearly $3 trillion over that time, compared with the country’s current path. (Tankersley, 3/9)
Stat:
Biden Puts Drug Pricing At The Center Of His Budget
President Biden made lowering drug prices a key part of his budget with proposals to expand Medicare drug price negotiation, squeeze more rebates out of drug companies, and lower the cost of insulin for everyone with insurance. (Wilkerson, 3/9)
The Hill:
White House Budget Leans Into Drug Pricing, ObamaCare Expansion
President Biden’s budget proposal focuses heavily on expanding access to health care and lowering the cost of prescription drugs. In an effort to extend the life of Medicare’s hospital trust fund, the budget proposal would increase the number of drugs that can be negotiated, and allow those negotiations to begin sooner. (Weixel, 3/9)
Stat:
An $11 Billion White House Plan To End Hepatitis C
The Biden administration is calling on Congress to fund a more than $11 billion program to eliminate hepatitis C in the United States. It’s a significant price tag for a single line in the broader budget request; while the $11 billion ask would cover five years of the new initiative, it still dwarfs the annual budget request for the entire Food and Drug Administration, at $7.2 billion. The annual request for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration also comes in below the hepatitis C topline, at $10.8 billion. (Florko, 3/9)
AP:
Biden To Seek More Than $2.8B From Congress For Cancer Fight
President Joe Biden is asking Congress for more than $2.8 billion in the federal budget he’s sending to Capitol Hill on Thursday to help advance his cancer-fighting goals. More than half of the money, $1.7 billion, would go to the Department of Health and Human Services to support the Democratic president’s cancer initiatives across an array of departments and agencies, according to White House officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share details with The Associated Press before Biden formally unveils his spending blueprint later Thursday in Philadelphia. (Superville, 3/9)
Politico:
15 Budget Asks That Are Actually Biden's Reelection Pitch
While Biden hasn’t announced that he’s running again yet, his budget proposal stakes out what might as well be campaign positions on how to counter Chinese aggression, save Medicare from insolvency, tackle tax loopholes for the wealthy and more. The proposal touts trillions of dollars in spending and policies enacted on Biden’s watch, building on passage of the $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid package and bipartisan infrastructure bill, plus Democrats’ signature tax, climate and health law. Here are 15 ways the president’s fiscal 2024 budget request frames his electoral pitch. (Scholtes and Emma, 3/9)
CIDRAP:
Omicron Less Likely Than Wild-Type Virus To Result In Long COVID, Study Suggests
Swiss researchers find that the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant is much less likely to lead to long COVID than the original, wild-type virus. The research, to be presented at next month's European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) in Copenhagen, Denmark, and not peer-reviewed, found that healthcare workers (HCWs) first infected with Omicron BA.1 were no more likely to have long COVID than their never-infected peers. (Van Beusekom, 3/9)
Los Angeles Times:
The Coronavirus Has Infected New York City's Rats. Why That's Bad News For People
Rats, whose populations in cities exploded during the pandemic, have now joined the list of wildlife believed to be capable of catching and transmitting the virus that causes COVID-19, new research finds. In a study published Thursday in the journal mBio, researchers showed that rats — like dogs, cats, hamsters, ferrets and humans’ other close cohabitants — can pick up the pandemic virus from their environment. (Healy, 3/10)
San Francisco Chronicle:
In A First, Zoo Lion Infects Its Keepers
According to a new study, an Indiana zoo lion likely transmitted COVID-19 to its zookeepers, marking the first documented case of animal-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in a zoo setting. In December 2021, the unidentified African lion, who was 20 years old and required hand feeding by zoo employees at Potawatomi Zoo in South Bend due to its physical limitations, tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 after developing a cough and showing signs of difficulty breathing. (Vaziri, 3/9)
The Hill:
Diabetes Drug Proves Beneficial In Preventing Long COVID In Clinical Trials
COVID-19 patients who took the diabetes drug metformin for two weeks after a diagnosis were less likely to develop long COVID-19 symptoms, according to results from a clinical trial. The trial enrolled about a thousand participants who were symptomatic with a COVID-19 infection for less than a week. Participants were randomly selected to receive a placebo or one of three drugs: metformin, ivermectin or fluvoxamine. (Hou, 3/8)
AP:
US Requires New Info On Breast Density With All Mammograms
About half of women over age 40 have dense breasts, with less fatty tissue and more connective and glandular tissue. That tissue appears white on X-rays, the same color as growths in the breast, making mammograms harder to read. Dense breast tissue is one of the factors that can increase a woman’s chances of developing cancer. Under the new rules, women with dense breasts will receive a written memo alerting them that their status “makes it harder to find breast cancer.” Those patients will also be directed to speak with their doctor about their results. (Perrone, 3/9)
Axios:
FDA Mammography Update Raises Cost Questions
The FDA is updating mammography guidelines in a move that could protect people at higher risk of developing breast cancer but also drive up demand for more tests and screenings. The agency's new rule requires mammogram providers to notify patients about breast density, which can make it harder to detect cancer and as a result, puts some at increased risk of the disease. 38 states already have such reporting requirements. (Gonzalez, 3/10)
The Wall Street Journal:
Hepatitis B Screening Recommended For All Adults
Federal officials recommended that all adults be tested for hepatitis B, a virus that can lead to liver damage and cancer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday that people 18 years or older should get screened at least once for the virus, which is transmitted through contact with infected blood or body fluids. An estimated 580,000 to 2.4 million people are living with chronic hepatitis B in the U.S., the CDC said, and two-thirds might be unaware they are infected. Universal screening of adults is inexpensive and could avert liver disease and death, the agency said. (Toy, 3/9)
Fox News:
Millennials Are Racking Up More Chronic Health Conditions Compared To Other Generations: Study
Millennials are seeking more professional help for health issues than ever, a new study revealed. Conducted by United Healthcare and Health Action Council, the study explored factors and claims data from policyholders ages 27 to 42 — a total of 126,000 individuals. It compared current data from April 2021 through March 2022 to historical data dating back to 2012. The findings were presented in the groups' sixth annual white paper. (Stabile, 3/9)
Los Angeles Times:
Walgreens Shows Cowardice On Abortion Pills
There has long been reason to question whether, despite its pledges to do the right thing, corporate America will stand up for environmental, social and democratic principles. Here comes Walgreens to extinguish any doubt. (Michael Hiltzik, 3/6)
San Diego Union-Tribune:
As Pandemic Aid Ends For Food And Health Care, San Diego Nonprofits Will Be Relied On More
The COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis that followed have left many San Diegans with an urgent need for food and health care assistance, as people lose jobs, lose family members or lose stability. Local nutrition and social services nonprofits have become a lifeline for millions. But now that California’s COVID-19 state of emergency ended on Feb. 28, the emergency aid programs and provisions that have enabled these groups to respond effectively will start to disappear. (Jenna Novotny, 3/6)
San Francisco Chronicle:
How COVID And Anti-Asian Hate Gutted Chinatown Family Associations
Again, as it has for the past three years, planning for the biggest event of the year for associations comes against the backdrop of COVID pandemic concerns, anti-Asian crime and the lack of banquet restaurants in San Francisco Chinatown to hold these gatherings. Indeed, these factors along with declining interest may be the death knell for family associations in the Bay Area. (Harry Gin, 3/10)
San Francisco Chronicle:
COVID Is Like Gambling In Vegas. The House Wins No Matter What
I went to Vegas and lost at the casinos. And to COVID. For most of the pandemic, I’ve worked from home and adhered to public health advice for masking and avoiding crowded places. But like many people, when the shutdowns ended, I relaxed my precautions, and I started traveling again. (Harry Mok, 3/4)
The Mercury News:
How Has American Health Care Gone So Terribly Wrong?
We all have bad weeks. Mine recently made me marvel at the astonishing dysfunction of our health care system. In calling out the system I intend no disrespect to the talented and heroic overachievers in nursing, pharmacy, medicine and the other providers who fight the system every day on behalf of our patients. Despite such efforts, the sad but undeniable fact is that our health care system — the way the U.S. distributes and pays for health care — makes it the most expensive failed enterprise in the history of human civilization. (Daniel J. Stone, 3/9)
Bay Area Reporter:
Let's Reauthorize PEPFAR
During President Joe Biden's recent State of the Union address, he briefly touched on a program that I helped start that has benefited people living with HIV/AIDS in countries around the world — the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. The president's mention of PEPFAR touted the success of the global health initiative that just reached its 20th birthday. As I reflected on Biden's remarks, I remembered those we have lost in the struggle against this disease, and stand in solidarity with the millions across the globe who continue to fight against it. PEPFAR was announced during President George W. Bush's State of the Union speech 20 years prior, in 2003, but was born well before that. (Rep. Barbara Lee, 3/1)
Orange County Register:
The Real Value Of Having End-Of-Life Options
President Jimmy Carter’s last days in hospice are a profound reminder of the importance of comfort care at the end of life. Our ailing president’s decision to stop medical treatment and die at home in hospice was also my mother-in-law’s last wish. Throughout her later years, Mrs. Genoveva de la Rosa always prayed and told us that when her time came, she wanted to die in her sleep. (Patricia Gonzalez Portillo, 3/5)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Why Is SF Still Struggling To Fill Its Vacant Homeless Housing?
San Francisco’s homelessness crisis is visible to anyone who lives in or visits the city. And yet despite the obvious need for action, the city continues to struggle to place homeless individuals approved for permanent supportive housing into open units. (3/5)
San Francisco Chronicle:
‘Policing In Red Rather Than Blue’: SF Street Crisis Team Is In Crisis
When Diana Valentine, a licensed social worker, first heard about San Francisco’s plan to launch an emergency response team that didn’t include cops, she was amazed. After two decades of working with unhoused people in San Francisco and seeing the negative effects of policing on their lives, the idea seemed radical. “Creating a community rather than a police response — I never thought I’d see that in my career,” she told me. (Nuala Bishari, 3/4)
The (Santa Rosa) Press Democrat:
California’s Baby Bust Has Long-Term Consequences
Californians are having fewer babies, and that will profoundly affect public policy for years to come. Local and state governments need to start planning now to handle the demographic shift. (3/5)