Public Health

Latest California Healthline Stories

Safety Violations Compound Pain Of Painkiller Shortages

California and federal officials have cracked down on a major compounding pharmacy they say posed a threat to public safety, but their actions are worsening shortages of medications that doctors rely on to keep their patients out of pain.

Medical Marijuana’s ‘Catch-22’: Federal Limits On Research Hinder Patients’ Relief

Suffering Americans seek medical marijuana as an alternative to opioids and other powerful pharmaceuticals. Though legal in 29 states, some doctors say the lack of strong data makes it hard to recommend. One researcher at the University of California-San Diego plans to use federally grown and controlled marijuana to study the effect of cannabidiol, a compound found in pot, on the neuropathic pain of HIV patients.

Applying Silicon Valley Smarts To Age-Old Diseases

Customized iPhones are just one example of devices that can be used to combat health threats in developing countries. They are helping scientists in California and Cameroon attack the parasite that causes river blindness, an African scourge.

Former California State Contractor Sued Over Breach Of HIV Patient Privacy

A lawsuit claims that a private company hired by the state public health department to manage enrollment in an AIDS drug assistance program for low-income patients inadvertently allowed unauthorized access to their medical status.