- California Healthline Original Stories 2
- Gov. Brown Signs Law Raising Age For Buying Tobacco To 21
- Nobody's Doing Enough About Opioid Epidemic — Not Government, Not Doctors, Not Users, Poll Says
- Sacramento Watch 2
- Brown Signs Tobacco Package Raising Smoking Age To 21, Curbing E-Cigarette Use
- Supporters Of Recreational Marijuana Legalization Ballot Measure Kick Off Campaign
- Hospital Roundup 2
- Tainted Medical Scopes Linked To 3 California Deaths: Report
- Sonoma West Medical Center Officials Say Hospital Is On Track, But Critics Claim It's Financially Crippled
Latest From California Healthline:
California Healthline Original Stories
Gov. Brown Signs Law Raising Age For Buying Tobacco To 21
The higher legal age for tobacco use is widely expected to reduce addiction; it also applies to e-cigarettes. (Lisa Aliferis, KQED, )
Nobody's Doing Enough About Opioid Epidemic — Not Government, Not Doctors, Not Users, Poll Says
Overdoses are kill thousands in California, tens of thousands throughout the nation. (Lisa Gillespie and Barbara Feder Ostrov, )
More News From Across The State
Brown Signs Tobacco Package Raising Smoking Age To 21, Curbing E-Cigarette Use
The tobacco industry has threatened to fight the new laws at the ballot box in November.
The Wall Street Journal:
California Governor Signs Bill Raising Tobacco-Purchase Age To 21
California Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday signed into law a bill raising the legal purchase age for cigarettes and other tobacco products to 21 years from 18. The new law, which takes effect June 9, is a big boost to a movement that is turning into the next major challenge to the $100 billion tobacco industry. It capped a difficult day for the tobacco industry. (Mickle and Lazo, 5/4)
The Sacramento Bee:
Jerry Brown Raises California Smoking Age To 21, Tightens Vaping Rules
Brown signed five closely watched bills, which will also expand smoking restrictions in the workplace and on school properties. California now joins jurisdictions like Hawaii, New York City and San Francisco that have bumped the tobacco-buying age to 21 in an effort to block young people’s route to obtaining tobacco. (Koseff, 5/4)
Los Angeles Times:
California's Smoking Age Raised From 18 To 21 Under Bills Signed By Gov. Brown
Brown did not comment on the other bills that he signed, but state Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina) said approval of his bill raising the smoking age will save lives. “The governor’s signature on Tobacco 21 is a signal that California presents a united front against Big Tobacco," Hernandez said in a statement. "Together, we stand to disrupt the chain of adolescent addiction." The package of bills was touted as the “most expansive” effort to control tobacco use in the state in more than a decade. The bills were backed by a coalition of medical groups including the American Heart Assn, American Lung Assn., American Cancer Society and the California Medical Assn. (McGreevy, 5/4)
Bay Area News Group:
California Smoking Laws: E-Cigarette Regulation, Higher Age Limit Signed By Jerry Brown
But Brown vetoed the piece of legislation that reportedly scared tobacco companies the most -- Assembly Bill X2 10, authored by Assemblyman Richard Bloom, D-Santa Monica -- which would have allowed counties to enact local cigarette taxes. In his veto message, Brown wrote that endorsing new taxes on a "blanket basis" goes too far, especially as anti-tobacco activists inch closer to placing a $2-per-pack cigarette tax on the November ballot that the industry is expected to spend tens of millions of dollars to defeat. (Calefati, 5/4)
The San Francisco Chronicle:
Brown Signs Bill To Raise Legal Smoking Age In California To 21
Republicans criticized many of the bills, saying the legislation, like the one to raise the smoking age to 21, only reinforces the perception of California as a “nanny state.” Tobacco representatives and their lobbyists could not be reached for comment Wednesday. But when the Legislature passed the six tobacco-control bills in March, tobacco lobbyists threatened to overturn the measures through a referendum and potentially derail other ballot measures, such as a criminal justice reform initiative the governor is fighting for. (Guttierez, 5/4)
California Healthline/KQED:
Gov. Brown Signs Law Raising Age For Buying Tobacco to 21
A major Institute of Medicine report last year concluded that if all states raised the tobacco age to 21, there would be a 12 percent drop in the number of teen and young adult smokers. (Aliferis, 5/4)
The Associated Press:
Clock Starts For Voters To Reject New California Tobacco Age
California has become the second state in the nation to raise the legal age to buy tobacco from 18 to 21, starting the clock for opponents to ask voters for a reversal this November. Gov. Jerry Brown's signature on Wednesday means, beginning June 9, it will be a crime in California to sell or give tobacco to anyone except military personnel under age 21. He did not say why he signed the measure along with four others restricting tobacco use in various ways. (5/5)
Meanwhile, the FDA has passed sweeping regulations bringing e-cigarettes under federal authority. Read the coverage here.
Supporters Of Recreational Marijuana Legalization Ballot Measure Kick Off Campaign
The coalition driving the effort says it has collected 600,000 petition signatures, more than the 365,880 minimum required to put the initiative on the November ballot. Meanwhile, state regulators are considering controls on the medical pot industry.
Reuters:
Pot Legalization Supporters Launch California Ballot Campaign
Supporters of a drive to legalize recreational marijuana for adults in California said on Wednesday they had collected more than enough signatures to qualify the measure for the November ballot, formally launching their campaign to win over voters. (Gorman, 5/4)
The San Francisco Business Times:
Sean Parker's Pot Campaign Kicks Off In S.F. As Legalization Heads Onto Ballot
Napster co-founder and former Facebook president Sean Parker's push for a proposition to make marijuana legal for recreational use in California appears headed for the Nov. 8 ballot, after collecting 600,000 signatures, almost double what the state requires. (McDermid, 5/4)
The Los Angeles Daily News:
State Gearing Up To Rein In Medical Marijuana
California blazed a trail to legalize medical marijuana 20 years ago. But the Golden State is only now confronting the full complexity of regulating consumer safety and business practices in an industry that’s ballooned to an estimated $2.7 billion annually. (Staggs, 5/4)
Covered California & The Health Law
Health Law Not Affecting Doctors' Visits, Study Finds
Though access to medical care varied greatly by state, when researchers looked at them based on their response to the Affordable Care Act, they found little difference.
The Los Angeles Times:
How Often Do You Go To The Doctor? It Depends On Where You Live, Study Says
The odds that you’ve seen a doctor in the last year vary quite a bit depending on where you live — but so far, the way your state has implemented the Affordable Care Act doesn’t seem to have much to do with it, government data show. A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that 17.3% of American adults did not have a home base for their medical care in 2014, and 34% had not seen or talked to a doctor in the last year. (Kaplan, 5/5)
Tainted Medical Scopes Linked To 3 California Deaths: Report
A recently discovered regulatory report finds that contaminated devices are likely to be the source of an outbreak at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena.
Los Angeles Times:
Three Patients Died In Suspected Pasadena Outbreak Tied To Scopes
At least three patients died last year at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena in an outbreak suspected to have been caused by tainted medical scopes, according to a newly discovered regulatory report. Huntington hospital officials had confirmed in August that three patients were sickened the previous month but declined to say more about their condition. They later told Olympus Corp., the scope’s manufacturer, of the deaths, according to the company’s report to federal regulators. (Petersen, 5/5)
Dan Smith, chairman of the board of directors of the medical center, said the hospital’s “financial picture is improving” as revenue continues to grow and overnight hospital stays also increase, but others have cast doubt on the rosy projection.
The Press Democrat:
Sebastopol’s Sonoma West Medical Center: Financially Viable Or ‘Shell Game?’
Executives at Sonoma West Medical Center in Sebastopol say the hospital is on track toward greater financial stability, even as hospital critics warn of ongoing economic trouble. Ray Hino, the medical center’s CEO, said this week that operating losses at the hospital were brought down to $47,000 in March from $400,000 in February. Hino said that financial statements show the hospital has about $130,000 in cash on hand and that the operating losses for April are about the same as in March. (Espinoza, 5/4)
Pfizer Approaches Medivation About Possible Acquisition
The San Francisco-based biotech company recently rejected a $9.3-billion takeover offer from Sanofi SA.
The San Francisco Business Times:
Pfizer Eyes This San Francisco Biotech Involved In Tight Acquisition War
Cancer drug developer Medivation Inc. has been approached by Pfizer Inc. for a takeover bid, just a week after the San Francisco company's board rejected a $9.3 billion offer from French drug giant Sanofi SA for being too low, Reuters reports. (McDermid, 5/4)
Telehealth Startup Doctor On Demand Names New CEO
The San Francisco-based company replaces co-founder Adam Jackson with former PayPal executive Hill Ferguson.
The San Francisco Business Times:
San Francisco Video Telehealth Startup Names New CEO
Doctor on Demand, a San Francisco-based video telehealth startup that's raised nearly $87 million in venture funding, has replaced co-founder and CEO Adam Jackson. The new chief executive officer, as of May 11, will be former PayPal senior vice president Hill Ferguson, the company said in a statement. (Rauber, 5/4)
OxyContin's Fundamental Flaw Offers New Insight Into Addiction
An investigation by the Los Angeles Times finds that the 12-hour-relief promise of OxyContin, one of the most abused pharmaceuticals in U.S. history, doesn't hold true for some people. The problem, though, is that leads to withdrawal symptoms, and when the agony is relieved by the next dose, it creates a cycle of pain and euphoria that fosters addiction.
Los Angeles Times:
'You Want A Description Of Hell?' OxyContin's 12-Hour Problem
The drugmaker Purdue Pharma launched OxyContin two decades ago with a bold marketing claim: One dose relieves pain for 12 hours, more than twice as long as generic medications. Patients would no longer have to wake up in the middle of the night to take their pills, Purdue told doctors. One OxyContin tablet in the morning and one before bed would provide “smooth and sustained pain control all day and all night.” On the strength of that promise, OxyContin became America’s bestselling painkiller, and Purdue reaped $31 billion in revenue. But OxyContin’s stunning success masked a fundamental problem: The drug wears off hours early in many people, a Los Angeles Times investigation found.
(Ryan, Girion and Glover, 5/5)
In other news —
The Santa Cruz Sentinel:
Santa Cruz County Authorities Warn Of Lethal Counterfeit Xanax Containing Fentanyl
Counterfeit Xanax that contains fentanyl has killed at least 16 people in Northern California since October, and Santa Cruz County authorities on Tuesday warned residents about the dangers of illegally obtained prescription drugs. (Baxter, 5/4)
Prince Sought Help From Addiction Specialist The Day Before His Death
Though the cause of death for the celebrity has yet to be determined, a picture of a man in crisis is beginning to emerge from the investigation. Prince's representatives had reached out to a prominent California doctor who specializes in treating addiction, but the help came too late.
The New York Times:
Prince’s Addiction And An Intervention Too Late
Prince Rogers Nelson had an unflinching reputation among those close to him for leading an assiduously clean lifestyle. He ate vegan and preferred to avoid the presence of meat entirely. He was known to eschew alcohol and marijuana, and no one who went on tour with him could indulge either. But Prince appears to have shielded from even some of his closest friends that he had a problem with pain pills, one that grew so acute that his friends sought urgent medical help from Dr. Howard Kornfeld of California, who specializes in treating people addicted to pain medication. ... But he arrived too late. (Eligon, Kovaleski and Coscarelli, 5/5)
The Associated Press:
Attorney: Prince Arranged To Meet Addiction Doctor
In his final weeks, Prince hid signs of trouble from his fans, stonewalling reports of an overdose that required an emergency plane landing and making a brief public appearance to reassure them. But privately, the superstar was in crisis, seeking help from a prominent addiction expert that ultimately came too late. The day before he died, Prince’s representatives reached out to a prominent California doctor who specializes in treating addiction and set up an initial meeting between the two, the doctor’s Minneapolis attorney, William Mauzy, said Wednesday. He said the doctor, Howard Kornfeld, couldn’t leave right away so he sent his son, Andrew, who flew out that night. (Burbach, 5/4)
The San Francisco Chronicle:
Exclusive: Pain Doctor Prince Sought Help From Speaks Out
Dr. Howard Kornfeld, the Bay Area pain specialist whose help a representative for Prince sought before the legendary musician’s death, has long been an advocate of using a painkiller that’s less addictive than many of the opioids that have led to an epidemic of abuse. He spoke exclusively to The Chronicle on Wednesday. (Colliver, 5/4)
Oakland Braces For 'Huge Fight' As It Votes To Put Soda Tax On Ballot
The fee is projected to raise $6 million to $10 million for the city.
KQED:
Oakland City Council Puts Soda Tax On November Ballot
Oakland’s City Council voted unanimously to place a soda tax on the November ballot. If approved, Oakland would become the second city in the nation, after Berkeley, where a fee is charged on sugar-sweetened beverages. ... The Oakland measure is very similar to the one passed in Berkeley in 2014. It would levy a penny-per-ounce fee on most sugar-sweetened beverages (sodas, energy drinks, fruit-flavored beverages and more). The fee would be paid by distributors but is expected to be passed through to consumers. (Aliferis, 5/4)
In other news from across California —
The Huntington Beach Independent:
City Council Agrees To Explore Ways To Regulate Sober-Living Homes
The Huntington Beach City Council agreed Monday to explore regulatory options on the city's sober-living homes and addiction treatment centers, but declined to draft any specific laws on the matter for the time being. The vote marked the first time the council has brought up the topic, which has long plagued other cities throughout Orange County, namely neighboring Costa Mesa and Newport Beach. (Woolsey, 5/4)
The Orange County Register:
Four O.C. Health Clinics Receive Expansion Grants
Four Orange County nonprofit health clinics were awarded federal grants on Wednesday to pay for expansions that will allow them to see more patients. The department of Health and Human Services announced $36.8 million in Affordable Care Act funds to 40 California clinics, which will allow them to treat 159,240 more people. (Perkes, 5/4)
FDA Brings E-Cigarettes Under Federal Authority With Sweeping New Rules
Among other regulations, manufacturers will now have to submit their products for approval from the agency, a process many of the smaller shops can't afford.
The Wall Street Journal:
FDA to Regulate E-Cigarettes, Ban Sales to Minors
The U.S. government on Thursday said it was assuming regulatory authority over e-cigarettes and all other tobacco products with rules that will prohibit sales to anyone under 18 and require manufacturers to submit products for approval. The Food and Drug Administration rules have the potential to upend the $3.5 billion e-cig industry. Many of the small vape shops, device manufacturers and liquid nicotine producers won’t be able to afford the FDA’s approval process, which could cost anywhere from $2 million to $10 million per item, according to the regulatory consulting company SciLucent LLC. (Mickle, 5/5)
The Washington Post:
New, Sweeping Federal Rules Bar E-Cigarette Sales To Teens Younger Than 18
The new requirements, which go into effect in 90 days, mark the first time the Food and Drug Administration has regulated any of the items. The rules compel retailers to verify the age of purchasers by photo identification and bar sales of the products in vending machines that are accessible to minors. They also ban the distribution of free samples. In addition, the FDA is generally requiring manufacturers whose products went on sale after Feb. 15, 2007, to get approval from the agency to continue selling their products. (McGinley and Dennis, 5/5)
The New York Times:
F.D.A. Issues Tighter Rules For E-Cigarettes In A Landmark Move
“The process has started, and it has been incredibly difficult,” said Matthew Myers, president of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a health advocacy group. “This gives the F.D.A. the authority right away to prohibit some of the most outrageous marketing claims. It imposes nationwide rules that makes it illegal to sell to kids under 18 with real enforcement authority.” (Tavernise, 5/5)
Humana May Be Next Insurer To Exit Some Obamacare Exchanges
The insurance provider is weighing changes to its 2017 business that could include leaving some Affordable Care Act marketplaces and raising premiums. Humana reports that profits fell 46 percent, in part due to costs related to its merger with Aetna.
The Associated Press:
Change Is In The Works For Humana ACA Exchange Participation
Humana became the latest health insurer to serve notice that it might leave some Affordable Care Act exchanges next year, creating more uncertainty for customers ahead of this fall's enrollment window and presidential campaign, during which the law is sure to remain a hot debate topic. The insurer, which is being acquired by rival Aetna, said Wednesday that it expects to make a number of changes to its business for 2017, and that may include leaving some markets both on and off the exchanges or changing prices. Humana Inc. sold coverage in 15 states this year. (5/4)
The Wall Street Journal:
Health Insurers Struggle To Offset New Costs
Insurers have begun to propose big premium increases for coverage next year under the 2010 health law, as some struggle to make money in a market where their costs have soared. The companies also have detailed the challenges in their Affordable Care Act business in a round of earnings releases, the most recent of which came on Wednesday when Humana Inc. said it made a slim profit on individual plans in the first quarter, not including some administrative costs, but still expects a loss for the full year. The Louisville, Ky.-based insurer created a special reserve fund at the end of last year to account for some expected losses on its individual plans in 2016. (Radnofsky and Wilde Mathews, 5/4)
As Hep C Deaths Hit Record High, Experts Hopeful New Drugs Will Make 'Major Dent' In Mortality Rate
Scientists note that the numbers are from 2014, the first year that the new breakthrough drugs for hepatitis C patients became widely available.
The New York Times:
Hepatitis C Deaths In U.S. Rose In 2014, But New Drugs Hold Promise
Deaths from hepatitis C in the United States continued climbing in 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Wednesday, but experts hope the trend will reverse over the next few years as more people with the virus receive highly effective new treatments. The agency also found that more Americans died from complications of hepatitis C in 2013 than from 60 other infectious conditions combined, including H.I.V., tuberculosis and pneumococcal disease. But while there has been an explosion in new hepatitis C cases among young opioid addicts who inject heroin and other drugs with shared needles, the rising deaths are largely among baby boomers who contracted the virus decades ago and have deteriorated over time. (Goodnough, 5/4)