By Alexander J Schorr

Image: Harmful health effects of PFAS, via European Enviornmental Agency

November 30, 2025— The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently approved new pesticide products containing “forever chemicals” (PFAS) for use on major food crops, sparking significant controversy. The approvals, announced this month, have been met with criticism from scientists and environmental advocates due the potential long-term health and environmental risks that they can pose.

Additionally, the Trump administration has withdrawn a proposed rule that would have required testing of cosmetics and talc products for asbestos, effectively deregulating asbestos in cosmetics.

By Paul Levikow

November 20, 2025 (San Diego) – The San Diego County Board of Supervisors Tuesday voted unanimously to extend mental health and substance use services contracts.

The County Health and Human Services Agency’s Behavioral Health Services (BHS) department provides services to vulnerable populations, including individuals who are experiencing homelessness, people involved in the justice system, and children and youth with complex behavioral health conditions. The services are provided through County-operated programs and contracts with public and private agencies.

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

November 17, 2025 (San Diego) -- November is the time to spotlight early detection, community support, and lifesaving education. Local leaders and national organizations are rallying to raise awareness and reduce stigma about Lung Cancer. 

East County News Service

November 14, 2025 (Oceanside) -- The first inpatient psychiatric health facility funded in part by San Diego County opened Nov. 13 in Oceanside.

San Diego County Board of Supervisors leader Jim Desmond says, “When I came into office, I said we needed to stop leaving people on the streets and start getting them into treatment. Today, that work is becoming reality.”

He calls the new facility,  “a place where people in crisis will finally get help, not handcuffs.”

November 14, 2025 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Head of RFK Jr.’s vaccine panel: School mandates ‘not necessary’ (The Hill)
•  Bird flu surges among poultry amid a scaled back federal response  (NPR)
• FDA restricts use of kids' fluoride supplements citing emerging health risks (AP)
• Hemp-derived THC drinks, edibles could soon disappear because of shutdown bill  (The Hill)
• Worsening listeria outbreak tied to pasta products kills 6, hospitalizes 25 (NPR)
• Why some health clinics are turning to AI to screen for tuberculosis (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• Google Has Chosen a Side in Trump's Mass Deportation Effort (404 Media)
• Musk could leave Tesla if $1 trillion pay plan is rejected, chair warns  (Reuters)
• US will share sensitive nuclear submarine technology with South Korea, Trump says  (AP)
• US government allowed and even helped US firms sell tech used for surveillance in China, AP finds
• What are the satellites saying? It's no secret if they're not encrypted. (KPBS)
• A confidential manifesto lays out Isaacman's sweeping new vision for NASA (Politico)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

By Venture Griswold, Institute for Public Strategies

Photo:  "Kitchen Table Conversation" by Peter Alfred Hess is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

November 4, 2025 (San Diego) -- If the world feels heavy to you lately, you are not alone. We are in a time of great political unrest, with attacks on marginalized groups, climate disasters, and misinformation spreading quickly. It is natural for these issues to spill into personal conversations with family, friends, or coworkers, but it can also be nerve-racking, since these topics can be so sensitive. So how can you navigate these complex topics without damaging relationships or causing harm? We suggest approaching these conversations from a trauma-informed perspective.

Growing Conversations, Saving Lives

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

October 24, 2025 (San Diego) - Each November, a global movement takes root, one mustache at a time. Movember isn’t just about facial hair; it’s about facing the facts. Men’s health is in crisis, and silence is no longer an option.

Source:  Sharp HealthCare

October 23, 2025 (La Mesa) - Sharp HealthCare is expanding the trusted Sharp Mary Birch brand across San Diego County—starting with the rebranding of Sharp Grossmont Hospital for Women & Newborns, now renamed Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns Grossmont.

San Diego County sees progress in overdose prevention, but challenges remain

By Seraphina Eberhardt

Photo:  District Attorney Summer Stephan, standing with other county officials, speaks at a press conference recognizing International Overdose Awareness Day.  Photo courtesy of Marla Kincade, Substance Abuse and Overdose Taskforce

October 19, 2025 (San Diego) -- San Diego County is seeing progress in the efforts to reduce substance use and overdose, according to the 2025 Annual Report Card released by the Substance Use and Overdose Prevention Taskforce (SUOPT). The report shows that overdose deaths dropped for the second year in a row, falling from 1,203 deaths in 2023 to 945 in 2024, a decrease of 21%.

While this trend is positive, experts stress that overdose deaths are still double what they were in 2015. Serious gaps also remain among different communities, racial and ethnic groups, and people experiencing homelessness.

Locations are in Spring Valley and San Diego

By Anita Lightfoot, County of San Diego Communications Office

October 14, 2025 (San Diego) - Cooler temperatures have arrived in San Diego, and influenza is already threatening to make this another rough flu season.

East County News Service

October 7, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – Over 2,854 cases of Lipton Green Tea Citrus made by PepsiCo have been recalled because they actually contain mislabeled bottles of Lipton Green Tea Mixed Berry. The berry flavor is supposed to contain zero sugar, but these  drink bottles labeled “Diet” in the mixed berry flavor contain 25 grams of sugar, which can be dangerous to diabetic people.

East County News Service

Sept. 27, 2025 (San Diego County) -- Health insurance can feel confusing and daunting, and typically is expensive.

But Covered California, the state’s Affordable Care Act Marketplace, offers a less stressful way to shop for and compare plans, and works with all the major health insurance companies to negotiate the lowest possible prices for coverage, helping reduce costs and increase options for consumers throughout California.

Covered California is the state’s health insurance marketplace, where Californians can find affordable, high-quality insurance from top insurance companies, and is the only place where individuals who qualify can get financial assistance on a sliding scale to reduce premium costs.