- California Healthline Original Stories 2
- For ‘Dreamers,’ The Dream To Become A Doctor Now ‘At The Mercy’ Of Courts
- States Extend Medicaid For Birth Control, Cutting Costs — And Future Enrollment
- Public Health and Education 2
- With New Generation, Teen Suicide Is Changing, And Experts Are Left Scrambling To Combat Increase
- Disruptive Classroom Behaviors Can Be Tied To Students' Childhood Trauma
Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
For ‘Dreamers,’ The Dream To Become A Doctor Now ‘At The Mercy’ Of Courts
In September, the Trump administration announced its plan to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, setting off an ongoing political and legal battle that could doom the dreams of immigrant doctors in training. (Ana B. Ibarra, )
States Extend Medicaid For Birth Control, Cutting Costs — And Future Enrollment
Medicaid family planning programs reduce unplanned births, but some are caught in disputes over federal funding to Planned Parenthood. (Phil Galewitz and Anna Gorman, )
More News From Across The State
With New Generation, Teen Suicide Is Changing, And Experts Are Left Scrambling To Combat Increase
Stress over success and digital popularity is leading to an uptick in young people taking their own lives. Advocates are working to address risk factors, but in the new era, they're sometimes a step behind.
The Orange County Register:
Internet A “Digital ‘Lord Of The Flies'”: Teen Suicide Uptick Began After Instagram, Snapchat Launched
Kids are cutting and killing themselves in increasing numbers and experts are only beginning to understand why — and more importantly how to stem the tide of tragedy. Several weeks ago, the Orange County chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics went so far as to make a public statement about what experts call a suicide cluster. (Whiting, 3/21)
In other public health news —
The San Diego Union-Tribune:
Healthy, Vaccinated 40-Year-Old Among Six New Flu Deaths In San Diego
San Diego County’s flu season continues to show plenty of strength at a time of year when the number of new cases usually starts to shrink. Though emergency department activity continues to be about average for March, the number of cases reported across the region is still three time higher, at 684 cases, than it was last year during the second week of March. That number is a little more than twice the prior three-year average. ...The 2017-2018 flu season has been deadly, surpassing 300 flu-related deaths last week. This week was the first in months where the number of newly-reported deaths was in the single digits. (Sisson, 3/21)
San Francisco Chronicle:
Smartwatch App Can Detect Common Heart Rhythm Abnormality, Study Finds
A smartwatch app that monitors heart activity can detect atrial fibrillation, a common heart abnormality that can lead to stroke, according to a study released Wednesday by UCSF researchers. The study, which will be published in JAMA Cardiology, enrolled 9,750 people — including some who had already been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation before participating in the study— between 2016 and 2017. (Ho, 3/21)
Disruptive Classroom Behaviors Can Be Tied To Students' Childhood Trauma
Los Angeles Unified School District wellness centers favor therapy over punishment for struggling students.
Capital Public Radio:
'Teaching Hope': How California Schools Can Improve Ways To Address Student Trauma
Dealing with students’ childhood trauma may improve classroom behavior and attendance rates — at least that’s the idea at the Los Angeles Unified School District’s wellness centers. They are located in or near schools, and are designed to serve kids impacted by issues such as deportation threats, domestic abuse, housing instability and other trauma. (Caiola, 3/21)
“The March of Dimes’ whole strategy is healthy pregnancies, healthy babies," said Tiffany Arbuckle, who gave birth to premature twins. "They work closely with people who have lost babies or have premature babies."
Ventura County Star:
March Of Dimes Walk In Thousand Oaks Spotlights Simi Preemies, Parents
This is one of the reasons Tiffany and Eric Arbuckle — as well as their twin boys — said yes to being the family ambassadors for the March of Dimes Ventura County March for Babies on Saturday at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks. ... Premature birth and its complications are the largest contributors to infant death in the U.S., and pregnancy-related death has more than doubled over the past 25 years, said Elizabeth A. Williams, regional director of marketing and communications for the March of Dimes. (Doyle, 3/21)
In other news from across the state —
KPCC:
Orange County Cities Threaten Lawsuits Over Planned Homeless Shelters
The three cities where Orange County officials want to place temporary homeless shelters are threatening to sue the county over the plan. Irvine officials voted Tuesday night to initiate litigation against the county, alleging its plan to open a tented homeless shelter for up to 200 people lacks local permits and violates state environmental law. (Replogle, 3/21)
Sacramento Bee:
Weed Is Legal. But This Map Shows Just How Much Of California Is A ‘Pot Desert'
Three months into the rollout of commercial marijuana, residents in about 40 percent of the state have to drive 60 miles or more to find a licensed dispensary to buy legal marijuana. These areas can be considered “pot deserts,” borrowing from a term often applied to healthy food and grocery stores. While that might sound like hyperbole for a product like cannabis, remember that many people use marijuana for medicine and dispensaries are supposed to replace medical marijuana collectives that previously served patients. (Branan and Levine, 3/22)
The Mercury News:
State Asked To Revoke Medical Licenses Of Santa Cruz Brain Surgeon Accused Of Child Rape
The California Attorney General’s Office drafted formal charges to revoke accused child rapist and child pornographer Dr. James Kohut’s medical credentials scheduled to expire March 31, according to state documents filed March 5. The Medical Board of California and the Attorney General’s Office conducted the second investigation in 12 years into allegations of Kohut’s misconduct while he worked as a brain surgeon. (Todd, 3/22)
Bipartisan Health Law Stabilization Measure Shut Out Of $1.3 Trillion Spending Bill
In the early days of negotiations, there was hope that the legislation would make it into the final budget bill, but anti-abortion language became a deal-breaker for both sides. Lawmakers who worked on the package expressed their disappointment "that an opportunity to lower health insurance rates by up to 40 percent for working Americans has turned into a debate about the mechanics of funding for abortion coverage." Outlets look at what else made it into the spending bill.
The Associated Press:
Leaders Finalize US Budget Bill; Voting Could Begin Thursday
Congressional leaders have finalized a sweeping $1.3 trillion budget bill that substantially boosts military and domestic spending but leaves behind young immigrant "Dreamers," deprives President Donald Trump some of his border wall money and takes only incremental steps to address gun violence. (3/22)
The Washington Post:
Here’s What Congress Is Stuffing Into Its $1.3 Trillion Spending Bill
Left out of the bill was a health-care measure sought by GOP Sens. Susan Collins (Maine) and Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) that would have allowed states to establish high-risk pools to help cover costly insurance claims while restoring certain payments to insurers under the Affordable Care Act. Trump, who ended the “cost-sharing reduction” payments in the fall, supported the Collins-Alexander language. But Democrats opposed it because they claimed it included language expanding the existing prohibition on federal funding for abortions. (DeBonis, O'Keefe and Werner, 3/21)
Modern Healthcare:
Stabilization Out, ACA Oversight In: A Look At Congress' Spending Omnibus
Of the $88 billion HHS appropriation announced Wednesday night, not a penny is going toward Obamacare. Instead, Congress is slapping oversight requirements on HHS regarding its administration of the health exchanges. Congressional leaders released the long-awaited $1.3 trillion, two-year spending omnibus after days of wrangling behind closed doors over contentious policies that included an embattled stabilization package for the individual market that would fund cost-sharing reduction payments and a $30 billion reinsurance pool. (Luthi, 3/21)
The Washington Post:
Congressional Negotiators Reach Deal On $1.3 Trillion Spending Bill Ahead Of Friday Government Shutdown Deadline
The release of the 2,000-plus-page bill Wednesday evening, after a two-day delay, touched off a legislative sprint as lawmakers try to pass it before Friday night, the deadline to avoid a government shutdown. And with a key senator unwilling to say whether he would agree to accelerate the deal’s consideration, it remained uncertain whether they would be able to meet the challenge. (DeBonis and Werner, 3/21)
The Wall Street Journal:
Congressional Leaders Finalize Spending Deal
“No bill of this size is perfect,” House Speaker Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) said in a statement Wednesday night. “But this legislation addresses important priorities and makes us stronger at home and abroad.” (Peterson and Meckler, 3/22)
The Hill:
Funding Bill Gives $3 Billion Boost For NIH Medical Research
The government funding bill unveiled Wednesday night boosts funding for medical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by $3 billion, an investment touted by both parties. The increase, which brings total funding for the fiscal year to $37 billion, is a reflection of the bipartisan support for the NIH. (Sullivan, 3/21)
The Hill:
Congress To Boost Opioid Treatment, Prevention Dollars
Congress is adding a several billion dollar boost to the omnibus in order to combat the opioid epidemic — an effort to bolster prevention, treatment and law enforcement initiatives to combat the crisis killing thousands of people each year. The $1.3 trillion spending package allocates around $4 billion to the opioid epidemic, much of which is new money appropriated this year. (Roubein, 3/21)
Stat:
The Donut Hole: Drug Makers Fail In Bid To Change Law On Medicare Costs
Congress has rebuffed drug companies’ appeals to reduce how much they have to pay for some seniors’ prescription costs — a rare defeat for the industry after a frenzied lobbying campaign. Drug makers had pressed Republicans to use a sprawling appropriations deal to roll back a policy that makes them responsible for 70 percent of the prescription costs for seniors who reach the so-called “donut hole” in 2019. The “donut hole” is a gap in Medicare drug coverage in which beneficiaries are on the hook for sky-high prescription costs, up to a certain dollar amount. (Mershon, 3/21)
Politico:
Modest Gun Measure Set To Hitch A Ride On Spending Package
Congressional leaders — at the urging of President Donald Trump — have reached a tentative deal to pass modest gun legislation as part of a broader spending package, three sources familiar with the talks told POLITICO on Wednesday. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) endorsed the inclusion of narrow, bipartisan legislation aimed at improving records and information-sharing in the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System — even though gun control advocates say the provision barely moves the needle on firearms restrictions. (Bade, Everett, Ferris and Caygle, 3/21)
Prominent AIDS Researcher Named As CDC Chief Despite Concerns Over Misconduct Investigation
Dr. Robert Redfield "has dedicated his entire life to promoting public health and providing compassionate care to his patients," HHS Secretary Alex Azar said. Critics had spoken out against Redfield over complaints that his work on a high-profile vaccine research more than 20 years ago was flawed -- though a probe found no evidence of misconduct -- and that he advocated for policies like mandatory patient testing for HIV and for segregating HIV-positive Army soldiers.
The New York Times:
AIDS Researcher Robert R. Redfield Named To Lead The C.D.C.
A leading AIDS researcher and proponent of medication-assisted therapy for addiction was appointed Wednesday to oversee the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Alex M. Azar II, secretary of the Health and Human Services Department, announced that the agency’s new director would be Dr. Robert R. Redfield, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore and co-founder of the Institute for Human Virology. (Kaplan, 3/21)
The Associated Press:
Leading AIDS Researcher Selected As CDC Director
"Dr. Redfield has dedicated his entire life to promoting public health and providing compassionate care to his patients," Azar said in a statement. Redfield's appointment doesn't need Senate approval, and he'll start at the CDC on Monday. Redfield, 66, is a medical school professor at the University of Maryland, where he co-founded the Institute of Human Virology. He has extensive experience treating HIV patients as well as heroin addicts and has been praised for his work in Maryland on the opioid crisis. (3/21)
The Washington Post:
Longtime AIDS Researcher Robert Redfield Picked To Lead CDC
Azar said Redfield’s scientific and clinical background is “peerless” and noted that during his two-decade tenure at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Redfield made “pioneering contributions to advance our understanding of HIV/AIDS.” He also praised his more recent work running a treatment network in Baltimore for HIV and hepatitis C patients, which Azar said prepares Redfield “to hit the ground running on one of HHS and CDC’s top priorities, combating the opioid epidemic.” (Sun, 3/21)
The Wall Street Journal:
Robert Redfield Named To Head Centers For Disease Control And Prevention
Dr. Redfield, a professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, weathered criticized in the 1990s for his stance on mandatory HIV testing for patients that some saw as adding to the stigma around AIDS. He was also criticized in the 1990s by consumer health organizations and some congressional Democrats for his work on an experimental AIDS vaccine, according to several news reports. Critics said his analysis and statement created false hope for patients. An investigation at the time by the U.S. Army determined there was no evidence to support scientific misconduct, but some Democrats have already said they oppose his nomination. (Armour, 3/21)
Politico:
Trump Administration Taps AIDS Researcher To Lead CDC
Redfield’s colleagues defended his record, saying he was motivated by a desire to help his patients. “He took a position not caring about the politics,” said Robert Gallo, who co-founded the Institute of Human Virology and has worked closely with Redfield for decades. “That was a time of a lot of panic and a lot of pressure politically in a lot of directions. Bob, in his position in the Army, was concerned about soldiers and I’m sure he acted in the best interest of his patients.” (Ehley, 3/21)
'Right To Try' Measure Loosening Experimental Drug Access Sails Through House On Second Attempt
The legislation gives terminal patients a chance to try experimental drugs, but critics say that it undermines patient safety standards without actually increasing access to lifesaving drugs and gives patients "false hope."
The New York Times:
House Passes Bill That Would Give Patients Access To Experimental Drugs
The House, spurred on by President Trump, passed a bill on Wednesday that would give patients with terminal illnesses a right to try unproven experimental treatments. The measure, which was approved by a vote of 267 to 149, appears to have a good chance of becoming law. The Senate approved a similar proposal last year. (Pear, 3/21)
In other national health care news —
Reuters:
Federal Prosecutors Told To Seek Death Penalty In Drug Cases
U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions instructed federal prosecutors on Wednesday to seek the death penalty in drug-related cases whenever it is "appropriate," saying the Justice Department must boost efforts to counter America's epidemic of opioid abuse. His mandate to prosecutors followed a plan announced by President Donald Trump earlier this week that called for executing opioid dealers and traffickers, and for stiffer sentencing laws for opioid trafficking. (Lynch, 3/21)
The Hill:
Watchdog: Bisexual And Lesbian Health Information Removed From HHS Website
Information about LGBT health was removed from a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) website last fall, according to new reports from a watchdog group. The HHS Office of Women’s Health (OWH) removed a webpage with extensive information about lesbian and bisexual health, and links that correspond to that webpage, according to reports the Sunlight Foundation released Wednesday. (Weixel, 3/21)
The Wall Street Journal:
IVF Testing Spurs A Debate Over ‘Mosaic’ Embryos
It was her last chance.MaryJo Dunn had been trying to get pregnant through in-vitro fertilization for 20 months. At age 45, she expected it to be challenging. But giving up wasn’t easy. She and her husband had lost their only child, a 17-month-old son, two years earlier to a rare type of cancer. The Dunns were running out of time and money. They had already spent more than $70,000 on fertility treatments and taken out a loan. But the doctor recommended against implanting Ms. Dunn’s two remaining embryos, she recalls, because of the results of genetic tests on them. (Reddy, 3/21)
The Washington Post:
Woman Dies After ‘Acupuncture’ Session That Used Live Bees Instead Of Needles
A woman in Spain died after undergoing a supposedly routine “bee acupuncture” treatment and then suffering an allergic reaction that put her in a coma. The alternative medicine procedure is more or less what its name conjures up: Instead of a needle, an acupuncture practitioner injects bee venom into the body at certain points. In some instances, live bees are used to sting and inject venom into the person directly. (Wang, 3/21)
NPR:
HIV Vaccine Needed To Stop AIDS
When Health and Human Services Secretary Margaret Heckler announced that scientists had discovered the virus that caused AIDS at a press conference in 1984, the disease was still mysterious and invariably fatal. Perhaps with a vaccine, AIDS could be ended like smallpox or contained like polio, two scourges that yielded to intense public health interventions. Heckler suggested that experimental vaccine trials were just two years away. (Fitzsimons, 3/21)