- California Healthline Original Stories 2
- A Push To Get Older Adults In Better Shape For Surgery
- In Trump’s First Year, Anti-Abortion Forces Make Strides Despite Setbacks
- Sacramento Watch 1
- Terminally Ill Patients Still Struggling To Find Doctors Who Participate In Aid-In-Dying Law
- Public Health and Education 3
- It's Not Just Aches And A Fever You Have To Worry About -- The Flu Can Also Trigger A Heart Attack
- California Sues Trump Administration To Reinstate Rules On Fracking
- Three-Decades-Old Law Could Require Coffee To Come With A Warning Label
Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
A Push To Get Older Adults In Better Shape For Surgery
Some hospitals now focus on preparing seniors for the risks and realities of surgical care. (Judith Graham, )
In Trump’s First Year, Anti-Abortion Forces Make Strides Despite Setbacks
As a candidate, President Trump promised a ban on abortions that take place after 20 weeks and federal funding to Planned Parenthood, but Congress has not obliged. Still, other anti-abortion policy goals have been realized. They are anathema in California, which has a long history of supporting abortion rights. (Julie Rovner, )
More News From Across The State
Terminally Ill Patients Still Struggling To Find Doctors Who Participate In Aid-In-Dying Law
The legislature held a hearing on Wednesday to listen to testimony from experts and patients about how the recently passed aid-in-dying law is being executed in the state.
San Jose Mercury News:
California's Right-To-Die Law Is Working But Challenges Remain
California’s right-to-die law has been embraced by many around the state — from scores of patients and their families to individual doctors, some hospice caregivers and several health care systems. But as positive as the reception appears to be so far, plenty of challenges remain, according to testimony offered from experts and other stakeholders during an almost 3½ hour-long legislative hearing at the state capitol on Wednesday. (Seipel, 1/24)
Apple Adding Feature To Allow Users To Store Medical Records On iPhones
It's the latest move that shows Apple has its eye on the profitable health care landscape.
The New York Times:
Apple, In Sign Of Health Ambitions, Adds Medical Records Feature For IPhone
In the latest indication of Apple’s growing ambitions in the digital health market, the tech giant on Wednesday unveiled a new feature that would allow users to automatically download and see parts of their medical records on their iPhones. The feature is to become part of Apple’s popular Health app. It will enable users to transfer clinical data — like cholesterol levels and lists of medications prescribed by their doctors — directly from their medical providers to their iPhones, potentially streamlining how Americans gain access to some health information. (Singer, 1/24)
San Jose Mercury News:
IPhone Users Will Be Able To See Their Medical Records
Apple announced Wednesday that in its iOS update coming in the spring, the Health app will streamline medical records from a dozen medical facilities across the United States. In the new Health Records feature, users will be able to see their records about allergies, conditions, immunizations, lab results and medications in a single app. (Lee, 1/24)
The San Diego Union-Tribune:
UCSD Among 12 Nationwide To Pilot Apple Inc. New Medical Records System
UC San Diego patients will be among the first in the nation to test an iPhone-based medical records access system now under development by Apple Inc. The Cupertino-based technology company announced Wednesday that it has selected a dozen health systems from coast to coast to pilot automatic synchronization of patient data, from test results to medications prescribed, within a health application that Apple has been including with every iPhone since 2014. (Sisson, 1/24)
In other health technology news —
The New York Times:
This Tiny Robot Walks, Crawls, Jumps And Swims. But It Is Not Alive.
Researchers in Germany have developed a robot that is about a seventh of an inch long and looks at first like no more than a tiny strip of something rubbery. Then it starts moving. The robot walks, jumps, crawls, rolls and swims. It even climbs out of the pool, moving from a watery environment into a dry one. ... The robot hasn’t been tested in humans yet, but the goal is to improve it for medical use — for instance, delivering drugs to a target within the body. (Gorman, 1/24)
It's Not Just Aches And A Fever You Have To Worry About -- The Flu Can Also Trigger A Heart Attack
Although doctors have long-noticed a trend of an increase in heart attacks during flu season, a new study links an increased rick of a cardiac event with the virus.
Los Angeles Times:
Another Way The Flu Could Kill — Increasing Your Risk Of A Heart Attack
Not into the flu shot? Think of it as a heart attack vaccine instead. That's because the first week or so of a flu infection appears to make you much more susceptible to a heart attack, according to a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine. (Kaplan, 1/24)
Ventura County Star:
Flu Death Count Reaches 30 In Ventura County
A flu season that has packed emergency rooms and caused ambulances to be sent to less-congested hospitals has contributed to at least 30 deaths in Ventura County. The fatalities are by the far the most in at least a decade for Ventura County. They are double the 15 deaths during the swine flu outbreak that started in 2009, according to Ventura County public health records. (Kisken, 1/24)
California Sues Trump Administration To Reinstate Rules On Fracking
The lawsuit cites public health concerns as one of the reasons the regulations should be brought back.
Sacramento Bee:
New Lawsuit In California Vs. Trump Seeks To Tighten Rules On Fracking
California, the third-largest oil producing state in the nation, on Wednesday sued the Trump administration to reinstate an Obama-era rule governing hydraulic fracturing, commonly referred to as fracking. In a lawsuit filed in federal court in San Francisco, state Attorney General Xavier Becerra argued the move by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to repeal regulations on fracking represents a threat to public health and the environment. (Hart, 1/24)
In other news —
San Francisco Chronicle:
California Cites Tesla For Poor Hazardous Chemical Training At Factory
As Tesla ramps up production of its new Model 3 sedan, California’s workplace safety watchdog has cited the company for alleged violations of state labor law, most of them related to the handling of hazardous chemicals at the automaker’s Fremont factory. In a citation sent to Tesla on Jan. 17, the state’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health — or Cal/OSHA — proposed fining the company $4,455 and gave Tesla 15 days to appeal. Tesla said Wednesday that it would appeal the citation. (Baker, 1/24)
Three-Decades-Old Law Could Require Coffee To Come With A Warning Label
Businesses must warn about the presence of any of about 900 chemicals — one of which is in coffee — under the law, known as Proposition 65. A court is expected to rule sometime in the coming months.
The Wall Street Journal:
In California, Where Cancer Warnings Abound, Coffee Is Next In Line
A California court case could turn every cup of coffee here into a jolt of reality on the risks of cancer. Under a state law, cancer warnings already follow Californians when they enter the lobby of apartment buildings, drive into parking garages and sit down at restaurants. They also pop up on products including kitty litter, ceramic plates and black licorice. (Randazzo, 1/24)
In other public health news —
NPR:
Will States Continue To Fund Stem Cell Research?
The year was 2004, and according to certain TV ads in California, great medical breakthroughs might be just around the corner. In these political ads, celebrities Michael J. Fox and Christopher Reeve, both facing serious, chronic conditions, touted the promise of stem cell research, which they believed could lead to a plethora of cures for life-threatening diseases. (Gorn, 1/25)
Los Angeles Times:
Tobacco Giant Presses Its Case For A Better-For-You Cigarette
At a meeting this week outside Washington, the world's premier purveyor of cigarettes is trying to convince a panel convened by the Food and Drug Administration that its newest offering will be a boon to the nation's public health. Philip Morris and its U.S. partner, Altria, want the FDA's permission to sell a tobacco product it calls the IQOS system in the United States. (Healy, 1/25)
Studies Show Legalizing Marijuana Does Not Have Large Effect On Teens, But More Evidence Needed
There has only been research done on the few states where marijuana is legalized, so experts say more data is needed to properly assess the effects.
Orange County Register:
Impact Of Marijuana Legalization In California On Teens Uncertain
Now that California has legalized marijuana for recreational use for adults 21 years old and older, one pressing public health question is whether legalization will contribute to greater use of cannabis among younger users, especially teenagers. ...But because so few states have legalized marijuana for recreational use — and most very recently — experts say much more research needs to be done to know what its impact on teens will be. (Freedberg and Savidge, 1/24)
Modesto Bee:
Two Is Enough; Riverbank Calls Time Out On More Pot Shops
City leaders unanimously banned additional marijuana dispensaries, but not before several people chastised them for approving two others in recent weeks. The moratorium will last six months, and could be extended if the City Council hasn't by then gathered enough feedback on how the first two are doing. (Stapley, 1/24)
Senate Approves Trump's HHS Pick Despite Critics' Qualms About Azar's Ties To Pharma Industry
Alex Azar will take the helm of the Department of Health and Human Services after the Senate confirmed his nomination 53-43. Azar, who is replacing former Secretary Tom Price who resigned over ethical questions about his travel, is expected to make lowering drug prices one of his top priorities.
The New York Times:
Senate Confirms Trump Nominee Alex Azar As Health Secretary
The Senate confirmed Alex M. Azar II on Wednesday to be secretary of health and human services, clearing the way for President Trump’s second health secretary to begin controlling more than a trillion dollars a year in spending on medical insurance coverage for about one-third of all Americans. The vote was 55 to 43. (Pear, 1/24)
The Associated Press:
Senate Confirms Alex Azar As Trump's New Health Secretary
A 50-year-old Ivy League-educated lawyer, Azar says he has four main priorities for the Health and Human Services Department: help curb the cost of prescription drugs; make health insurance more affordable and available; continue bipartisan efforts to focus Medicare payments on quality; and confront the opioid addiction epidemic. (1/24)
The Washington Post:
Alex Azar Confirmed By Senate As New Head Of Health And Human Services
Azar, 50, will take over as policies in the sprawling department, with its budget of more than $1.1 trillion, are tilting to the right. A new civil rights division has just been created to protect health-care workers who refuse to provide contraception and other services inconsistent with their moral or religious beliefs. For the first time, new rules allow states to impose work requirements as part of their Medicaid programs. Other priorities Azar will oversee include trying to control rampant opioid addiction that is ravaging many U.S. communities. He will be under pressure to find ways to constrain drug prices — a realm in which suspicions of him run high given his years as a top executive of Eli Lilly. In addition, he will be at the vortex of the ongoing political feud over the Affordable Care Act, the 2010 law that has spread insurance to millions of Americans and is a main target of the administration and congressional Republicans. (Goldstein, 1/24)
The Wall Street Journal:
Alex Azar Confirmed As Health And Human Services Secretary
Republicans praised Mr. Azar as a detail-oriented lawyer familiar with the workings of government and the health industry. Mr. Trump nominated Mr. Azar in November, saying in a tweet that “he will be a star for better health care and lower drug prices!” Democrats, noting that Mr. Azar recently headed an affiliate of Eli Lilly & Co., warned he would do little to bring down drug prices and would undermine the ACA. (Armour, 1/24)
Kaiser Health News:
Big Pharma Greets Hundreds Of Ex-Federal Workers At The ‘Revolving Door’
Alex Azar’s job hop from drugmaker Eli Lilly to the Trump administration reflects ever-deepening ties between the pharmaceutical industry and the federal government. A Kaiser Health News analysis shows that hundreds of people have glided through the “revolving door” that connects the drug industry to Capitol Hill and to the Department of Health and Human Services. (Lupkin, 1/25)
Kentucky Medicaid Enrollees Sue To Stop First-In-Nation Work Requirements
Republican Gov. Matt Bevin has already issued the ultimatum that if the court touches the requirements, he'll roll back the Medicaid expansion entirely.
The Associated Press:
Medicaid Recipients Sue To Block New Work-Requirement Rules
Fifteen people in Kentucky who get their health insurance through Medicaid have sued the federal government, asking a judge to block new first-in-the-nation rules that would make them work to keep their taxpayer-funded benefits. The lawsuit , filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by three nonprofit groups, is the first legal challenge of a Medicaid waiver granted by the Trump administration. (1/24)
In other national health care news —
The Washington Post:
Trump Administration Seeks New Ways To Allow People To Dodge Obamacare’s Individual Mandate
The Trump administration is exploring ways to excuse more Americans from the requirement that they prove they’re insured in the remaining months before the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate is laid to rest. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is working on guidance expanding the “hardship” exemptions from the 2010 health-care law’s mandate that people purchase health plans, according to two people familiar with the effort. Agency officials haven’t yet finalized the guidance, but aim to increase the number of reasons people could cite as justifications for not showing they’re insured when they file their tax returns. (Winfield Cunningham and Eilperin, 1/24)
The Washington Post:
Cecile Richards Expected To Step Down From Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards is expected to step down after 12 years at the abortion rights and women’s health-care organization, with an announcement coming as soon as next week. “Cecile plans to discuss 2018 and the next steps for Planned Parenthood’s future at the upcoming board meeting,” the organization said in a statement. (Weigel, 1/24)
The Washington Post:
Agencies Target 'Illegal, Unapproved' Products That Claim To Treat Opioid Addiction
Federal regulators said Wednesday that they are cracking down on marketers and distributors selling a dozen products that “illegally” claimed to treat or cure opioid addiction and withdrawal. In letters sent earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission cited products that target people desperate to find relief from their addictions. They include “Opiate Freedom 5-Pack,” “CalmSupport” and “Soothedrawal.” Most of the 12 items are marketed as dietary supplements, while two are homeopathic remedies, the FDA said. (McGinley, 1/24)
The New York Times:
New Findings Could Save Lives Of More Stroke Patients
Many more stroke victims than previously thought can be saved from disability or death if doctors remove blood clots that are choking off circulation to the brain, a new study has shown. “These striking results will have an immediate impact and save people from lifelong disability or death,” Dr. Walter J. Koroshetz, director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, said in a statement. “I really cannot overstate the size of this effect.” (Grady, 1/24)
Stat:
Why Do Hospitals Bare Butts When There Are Better Gowns Around?
But if everyone agrees that the old garments are horrible, and if fashion designers — working with doctors and nurses, no less — have created better gowns, why are we still having this conversation? The higher cost of new gowns is a big reason why many hospitals still use traditional tie-in-the-back johnnies. In addition, some fans of the old design think the new versions aren’t patient-friendly enough, and the standard ones are just fine; they’re convenient and functional, giving easy access to parts of the body clinicians need to poke and prod (Tedeschi, 1/25)