07/29/2010
The Contra Costa County board of supervisors voted not to make the county's First 5 commission a government department, thwarting a recommendation from a grand jury. The grand jury report concluded that First 5 members could be engaged in conflict-of-interest practices. The board will request a yearly report from the commission as a way to increase oversight. First 5 uses tobacco tax revenue to fund early childhood health and education programs. Contra Costa Times.
07/29/2010
The practice of allowing brand-name prescription drugmakers to pay makers of generic drugs to delay market entry of generic products should be stopped, a Washington Post editorial states. The editorial supports legislation before the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee that would ban such practice for competitive reasons, concluding that consumers could wind up saving billions of dollars. Washington Post.
07/29/2010
Controller John Chiang and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation are urging Bristol-Myers Squibb to lower the price of its HIV/AIDS drug Reyataz. California's AIDS Drug Assistance Program dispensed 69,709 prescriptions of Reyataz last fiscal year. Payers & Providers, Sacramento Bee.
07/29/2010
UCLA researchers found that one in five Californians said they could use assistance with an emotional or mental health issue. However, only about one in three of those who said they could use help actually visited a professional for treatment. Los Angeles Times' "Booster Shots" et al.
07/29/2010
The Ventura County Board of Supervisors has approved a plan to expand a diversion program that transfers county jail inmates with mental health issues to an outpatient treatment program. The board will fund the expansion of the Multi-Agency Referral and Recovery Team program using funds from California's 2004 Mental Health Services Act. Ventura County Star.
07/28/2010
A bill by Sen. Mark Leno would grant parole to 32 of the state's sickest inmates, with the goal of saving California up to $40 million annually. Some opponents of the measure say that it should be more inclusive because it would affect a small number of the 3,000 extraordinarily ill inmates, while others argue that certain inmates should not have the opportunity for parole. Leno's bill has passed the Senate, and the Assembly might take it up after the summer recess. KALW's "Crosscurrents."
07/28/2010
Meaghan Ellis -- director of nursing and community health for San Bernardino County -- will lead a task force to review past and current HIV/AIDS care provided at county clinics. Roughly 700 individuals receive treatment for HIV/AIDS at three county clinics. Riverside Press-Enterprise.
07/28/2010
Last year, cigarette sales in California dropped to their lowest level in the past decade. As a result, the state has seen a decline in revenue from tobacco taxes, which help fund early childhood health and education programs. Sacramento Bee et al.
07/27/2010
On Monday, the Federal Communications Commission and FDA announced a partnership to encourage the use of wireless medical technology. In a statement, FCC and FDA said that wireless health care devices will reduce costs and improve patient care and that the agencies will work to streamline regulatory procedures. The Hill's "Hillicon Valley."
07/26/2010
Assembly member Juan Arambula has resurrected a bill that would allow schools to require whooping cough immunizations for incoming seventh-graders. The measure might gain new support because of California's recent outbreak of the disease. Fresno Bee, Redding Record Searchlight.
07/26/2010
Two bills before California lawmakers would extend or change a current law that allows counties to decide whether to permit pharmacies to provide syringes to individuals without a prescription. AB 1701 -- pending before the Senate Appropriations Committee -- by Assembly member Wesley Chesbro would extend the current law, which expires at the end of the year, for eight more years. SB 1029 -- pending before the Assembly Appropriations Committee -- by Sen. Leland Yee would give pharmacists permanent discretion. The initiatives aim to curb the spread of HIV, hepatitis and other diseases. Oakland Tribune.
07/26/2010
In response to a questionnaire from First 5 San Luis Obispo County, former Assembly member and state Senate candidate John Laird said he supports legislation to ensure that "all children receive and have access to primary and preventive health services." He added that "untreated dental and other health concerns" are moral issues that impede school attendance and learning. Laird is scheduled to appear at a debate Monday night with other candidates for the vacant 15th Senate District seat. San Luis Obispo Tribune.
07/26/2010
Veterans who seek care at Veterans Affairs facilities will be permitted to use medical marijuana in states where it is legal. Health care officials say the decision will affect how physicians prescribe pain medications. New York Times, AP/San Francisco Chronicle.
07/23/2010
A Government Accountability Office report finds that genetic testing kits could provide contradictory and misleading results for consumers. Test makers say their products are sensitive to different genetic markers, which could contribute to different results. CQ HealthBeat et al.
07/22/2010
Health program managers across California are struggling to continue providing breast cancer screening services to low-income women through the state's Every Woman Counts program. Enrollment for Every Woman Counts will remain frozen until lawmakers pass a budget package and determine how much to set aside for the program. In the meantime, many clinics that provide the screening services are considering whether to shut down or tap into their reserve funds. HealthyCal.