CBS News: Growing Number Of Female Minority Doctors In California Leave Jobs Due To Burnout, Study Shows
A recent study by the nonprofit Physicians for a Healthy California reveals a growing number of minority female doctors are feeling burned out and leaving their field of work. Lupe Alonzo-Diaz, the president and CEO of Physicians For a Healthy California, said that nearly half—47%—of all women physicians of color said they felt burnout and were concerned about their wellbeing. That's a significant increase from the same study conducted in 2018. (Gonzalez, 6/3)

KVPR: How Health Conditions In Madera County Changed In The Year Since Its Hospital Closed
More than a year and a half since Madera Community Hospital closed, nearly everyone who depended on it has a reason why they want to see it back open. That includes those gathered at the twice-weekly Madera Flea Market on the north edge of Madera, the largest city in the county where the hospital also used to be located. (Klein, 6/3)

Voice of San Diego: Escondido Dem Club Dumps Palomar Health Board Members Amid Fear Of 'Privatization'
The Escondido Democratic Club has stopped supporting four Democratic elected members of the Palomar Health Board of Directors because of a new management agreement the board members supported in February. The club’s leadership says the new contract with a private nonprofit management company will greatly reduce public access and transparency. Palomar Health officials say the move will allow the hospital system to better partner, and compete, with private medical providers. (Layne, 6/4)

Becker's Hospital Review: HHS To Invest $15M In Rural Maternal Health
HHS will invest $15 million over four years to address maternal health needs and disparities in rural areas of the U.S. The agency's Health Resources and Services Administration said nearly $8 million will be through the Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies Program to improve maternal health in rural communities, according to a June 3 HHS news release. (Gooch, 6/3)

The (Santa Rosa) Press Democrat: North Bay Infectious Disease Experts Voice Optimism And Caution Over New COVID-19 Strains 
Most of the COVID-19 cases Dr. Gary Green is treating these days on an outpatient level are related to crowded events and travel — the kinds of things Americans do in greater numbers as summer arrives. For the highly infectious SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, that can translate to spreading infections. (Espinoza, 6/3)

Reuters: US FDA Advisers To Consider If New COVID Shots Should Target JN.1 Variant 
Advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will vote whether to recommend that COVID-19 vaccines for 2024-25 should target the JN.1 variant, the most dominant this year, documents filed on Monday showed. ... The FDA's staff in separate documents said vaccine makers developing the new booster shots may need to consider targeting one of the JN.1 subvariants such as KP.2, as further evolution of the virus could take it away from the older strain. The documents were posted ahead of the advisers' meeting on Wednesday. The meeting was postponed from May 16. (6/3)

Forbes: Analyzing The Emergence Of Covid Variant KP.2 And Its Potential Impact
One new variant, KP.2, could lead the surge during the upcoming summer. This recently identified variant is mainly spreading in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, with rising levels in Singapore, New Zealand, and Australia. As of now, there have been 1,816 reported cases of KP.2 in the GISAID SARS-CoV-2 database, indicating that potentially thousands, if not tens of thousands, of individuals, have already been infected with this variant, as sequencing efforts have been significantly limited in recent years. (Haseltine, 5/31)

The Washington Post: Fauci Dismisses ‘Preposterous’ Allegations That He Led Covid Coverup
Anthony S. Fauci defended himself Monday against claims that he orchestrated a coverup of the coronavirus pandemic’s origins, with the former government official rejecting some allegations as “simply preposterous.” The prominent infectious-disease expert, who served as a senior leader at the National Institutes of Health for four decades before leaving government at the end of 2022, said Republicans have distorted emails between himself and other scientists as they discussed whether a laboratory leak of the coronavirus was possible. (Diamond, 6/3)

The Wall Street Journal: Anthony Fauci Defends Federal Covid Response
Grilled about comments he made in January about a protocol that people maintain a distance of 6 feet from one another, Fauci said that the policy had been developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, not his agency. He said that when he said in January that he wasn’t aware of studies supporting the 6-foot rule, he meant that he wasn’t aware of formal clinical trials. (McKay, 6/3)

Axios: Fauci: "Performances" Like Greene's At COVID Hearing Drive Up Death Threats
The former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical adviser to President Biden appeared emotional as he told a Republican-led House panel that the repeated threats he and his family have faced since the pandemic began were "very troublesome." During his testimony, Greene repeatedly berated Fauci and refused to address him with the honorific "doctor," instead referring to him as "Mr. Fauci." "You're not doctor," she said. "You're Mr. Fauci in my few minutes." (Rubin, 6/4)

The Hill: 5 Takeaways From Fauci’s Heated House Hearing
The longtime government scientist made no effort to hide his dismay when grilled on various conspiracy theories or unfounded claims about his actions regarding COVID-19. And the hearing was marked by some chaotic moments, involving both the House members and  Fauci critics in the audience. Here are some takeaways from the hearing. (Choi, 6/3)

Los Angeles Times: Amid Bird Flu, Lawmakers In Some States Want To Legalize Raw Milk
For more than 160 years, pasteurization has been heralded as one of the most effective and efficient forms of ensuring public food safety. But as health officials scramble to ascertain and contain the spread of bird flu in the nation’s dairy cattle, a growing number of state governments are turning their back on this gold standard of public health. In the last four weeks, Iowa, Louisiana and Delaware have either passed legislation or are in the process of moving bills that would legalize the commercial sale of raw milk for human consumption within their borders. The commercial sale of raw milk in California is legal, although not all stores choose to sell it. (Rust, 6/4)

Scientific American: Why Bird Flu Is Infecting People’s Eyes
In the recent H5N1 outbreak in cows and infections in humans, viruses that got into workers’ eyes may have bound to receptors in the conjunctiva, the clear membrane that covers the inside of the eyelid and the white of the eye and protects the eye. Influenza viruses bind to what are called sialic acid receptors. The accepted wisdom suggests that avian flu viruses preferentially bind to one type of sialic acid receptor predominant in birds, whereas human seasonal flu viruses bind to another type of sialic acid receptor predominant in the human respiratory tract, says Patrik Ellström, an infection medicine researcher at Sweden’s Uppsala University. But recent research suggests the picture is more complicated; both receptor types have now been found in the respiratory tracts of humans and birds. (Lewis, 6/3)

CIDRAP: H5 Influenza Wastewater Dashboard Launches 
WastewaterSCAN, a national wastewater monitoring system based at Stanford University in partnership with Emory University, today launched an H5 avian influenza wastewater dashboard today, which shows detections at about a dozen locations, mostly in Texas and Michigan. (Schnirring, 6/3)

Stat: Tracking The FDA Advisory Panel On MDMA Therapy For PTSD
Good morning, and welcome to STAT’s live blog of the Food and Drug Administration’s scientific advisory committee meeting to review safety and efficacy data for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. The discussion will start at 8:30 a.m. ET and run until about 5:30 p.m. (Goldhill and Keshavill, 6/4)

High Times: Claims Of Misconduct Mar MDMA Research For PTSD
The report notes that it is not easy to conduct research into psychedelics because it is difficult to obscure which participants are receiving a placebo and which are receiving the active drug because of the unmistakable effects of psychoactive drugs. As a result, most of the study subjects correctly guessed which group they were in, according to a review of the research released by the FDA on Friday. Without proper blinding, the findings can be skewed by participants or researchers, many of whom see strong promise in the therapeutic potential of the compounds. (Herrington, 6/4)

Bloomberg: Magic Mushrooms Get Export License From Canada In Psychedelic Race To Market
Canada has licensed a startup to export psychedelics to Australia for patient use, the latest milestone in a contest to supply the potential growth of medical psychedelic drugs. Canada’s health department awarded a drug establishment license to Optimi Health Corp., a spokeswoman for the company said, allowing it to ship pills containing the magic-mushroom extract psilocybin and MDMA — controlled and otherwise-illegal substances — to a provider in Australia. (Seal, 6/3)

USA Today: San Francisco Managed Alcohol Program Offers Addicts Limited Drinks
The toll of homelessness and decades of substance abuse is evident in Bruce and Lisa, two clients of San Francisco’s controversial Managed Alcohol Program, from her missing teeth and gravelly voice to his bloodshot eyes. He once dropped a bottle of gin and then sucked the spilled liquid off the floor with a straw, desperate for the alcohol’s effects. She recently ventured off the residential program’s building in search of additional booze and promptly wound up in a hospital with a broken arm she still can’t explain. One fact they’re both clear on: Without the innovative city venture, they would be dead by now. (Ortiz, Thornton and Trethan, 6/4)

The Washington Post: In Hunter Biden’s Trial, Jury Selection Highlights U.S. Drug Epidemic
Jury selection for the trial of President Biden’s son Hunter on Monday turned into an impromptu but painful indictment of the nation’s drug epidemic, with person after person telling the court of their loved ones’ battles with addiction. ... Many offered their own versions of a written statement from President Biden, who was in Wilmington on Monday but did not come to the courthouse. He said he found his son’s recovery from addiction inspiring and knew that many families of addicts could relate to Hunter Biden’s journey. (Stein, Barrett and Viser, 6/3)

The Sacramento Bee: Budget Fate Of $1 Billion In Homelessness Funds Is Uncertain
As California lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom wrangle over what to cut and what to keep to address the state’s estimated $45 billion budget deficit, funding for another round of $1 billion to combat homelessness is in the crosshairs. Newsom’s revised budget proposed trimming $260 million in extra money from the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program, or HHAP, which provides flexible grant dollars to cities, counties and for care across the state. A current fifth round of funding in the 2023-24 budget is still doling out $1 billion. (Jolly, 6/3)

Oaklandside: Oakland Closed 537 Homeless Camps In 3 Years. 1,500 Remain
Over three years ago, the Oakland City Council passed a controversial homelessness policy that spells out where unsheltered people can and can’t sleep outdoors in Oakland, and when and how the city cleans or shuts down encampments. Since then, the city has closed 537 homeless camps and cleaned hundreds more, according to a new report. But over the same period, Oakland’s homeless population continued to grow. City staff say that the policy has made positive change, but many more resources—including more shelters—are necessary to address the estimated 1,486 camps that remain. (Orenstein, 6/3)

KQED: Should California Double Down On Building Tiny Homes For People Experiencing Homelessness?
When 48-year-old Carlos Ruben Jacobo was living on the streets, he preferred to sleep in the park than take a bed at one of San José’s group shelters. “There were just too many horror stories for me to go there — staff robbing you, people robbing you,” he said. “Bad people there.” So, when a caseworker offered him a spot at one of the city’s newest tiny home villages, he was skeptical. (Rancaño, 6/4)

The Desert Sun: New Conference Dedicated To Women Living With HIV Set For June 8 In Palm Springs
A new conference dedicated to women living with HIV will make its debut June 8 in Palm Springs, providing a space for women to share their experiences, learn more about their diagnoses and connect to resources. (Sasic, 6/3)

The Mercury News: Santa Clara County To Launch Program For Caregivers Looking To Go Back To Work
Santa Clara County is on the path to launch a program later this year to aid caregivers looking to return to the workforce. But the genesis for the idea has been simmering in Board President Susan Ellenberg’s mind now for decades. The Caregiver Returnship Program, which county supervisors approved in 2022, aims to tackle an issue that was exacerbated by the pandemic as individuals left the workforce to care for children or other family members. But for those looking to return to work, gaps on a resume pose difficulties in finding employment again. (Hase, 6/3)

Los Angeles Times: Ralphs Owner Kroger Said Its Bread Had 30 Calories A Slice. Now, California Prosecutors Are Suing
Could that slice of Kroger brand carb-conscious bread really contain only 30 calories? The answer, according to a new lawsuit filed by a pair of California prosecutors, is no. In the civil suit against the supermarket chain, which owns around 300 Ralphs and Food 4 Less stores in the state, the district attorneys from Santa Barbara and Ventura counties accused the company of false advertising and violating state laws about fair competition. (Gerber, 6/3)

Times of San Diego: Supervisor Lawson-Remer Kicks Off Wear Orange Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence
San Diego County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer joined San Diegans for Gun Violence Prevention Monday to kick off Wear Orange and Gun Violence Awareness Weekend and discuss recent efforts in preventing local gun violence. The Wear Orange campaign takes place June 7-9 to “educate people about the dangers of gun violence and honor the lives lost to gun violence in San Diego County and across the nation,” a statement from Lawson-Remer’s office read. (Ireland, 6/3)

Los Angeles Times: Can Money Conquer Death? How Wealthy People Are Trying To Live Forever
Peter Diamandis, a week away from turning 63, bounds out of a Starbucks on a recent morning with a cup of decaf, his daily medley of 70 supplement capsules in his pocket and, tucked under his left arm, a box of freshly deposited poop. The serial entrepreneur is in the standard uniform of serial entrepreneurs: jeans, sneakers, fitted black T-shirt, Apple Watch, Oura Ring and puffer vest, the back of which says, “Life is short … until you extend it.” (Chang, 6/4)