Latest California Healthline Stories
Health Reform in 2015: A Year in Review
From the King v. Burwell decision to the ultimate “doc fix,” there were some major developments in health care reform this year.
How Should Drug Take-Back Work?
We asked stakeholders, experts, consumer advocates and legislators how California state and local governments should create and pay for systems to properly dispose of old and unwanted prescription drugs.
Amid Growing Rx Costs, No Consensus on Addressing Access
As rising prescription drug prices increasingly make headlines, stakeholders struggle to find the “right idea” to address them, as well as ensure medication access for consumers.
New Salvo in Old Battle Against Drug Ads
The American Medical Association this week called for a ban on direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription drugs, a position the California Medical Association endorsed nearly 20 years ago.
Local Drug Take-Back Programs Could Be Pre-Empted by State Regulations
New statewide rules for proper disposal of old or discarded prescription drugs could conflict with a local ordinance already on the books in one California county and under consideration in other cites and counties..
Pharmacists Can Substitute Biosimilars
Biological medications are expensive, and new types of medications called biosimilars may cost significantly less. A new law allows pharmacists to substitute biosimilars, just as they now change some brand-name drugs to generics.
Can Drug Companies Survive Their Martin Shkreli Moment?
The pharmaceutical industry has been under scrutiny for the past month, after one executive’s decision to hike the price of a drug by more than 5,000% overnight attracted the attention of presidential candidates.
State Takes Steps To Curb Overmedication of Foster Children — Is It Enough?
Former foster child Shanequa Arrington, state Sen. Jim Beall, public health nurse Susan Bullard, Bill Grimm and Anna Johnson of the National Center for Youth Law, Cathy Senderling-McDonald of the California Welfare Directors Association and Mike Wofford of the state Department of Health Care Services spoke with California Healthline about the possible over-prescribing of psychotropic and antipsychotic medication for foster children in California.
Bill Addressing Expensive Specialty Drugs on Governor’s Desk
With the high cost of specialty drugs garnering national headlines and gaining a foothold in the presidential race, California legislators sent a bill to Gov. Brown that would put a cap on Californians’ prescription drug spending.
National Drug Take-Back Day Saturday
California’s participation in the 10th annual national drug take-back day this weekend is part of a statewide effort to control the misuse of prescription medications.