By Suzanne Potter, California News Service

July 22, 2022 (San Diego) -- Starting now, people contemplating suicide or families experiencing a mental health crisis can call 988 instead of 911, and get the help they need.

By Miriam Raftery

July 21, 2022 (Washington D.C.) – After the Supreme Court ruled that states can ban or restrict abortion access, overturning Roe v. Wade, the Biden administration has taken several actions to protect abortion access in certain circumstances. Specifically:

• The administration cited a law on the books since 1986, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), which requires abortions be allowed in all states if a woman’s life or health is at stake; hospitals that refuse can lose Medicare and Medicaid funding.
• The Health and Human Services (HHS) Department warns that pharmacists must dispense medications used for miscarriages and early-term abortions, or face potential criminal penalties. Attorney General Merrick Garland similarly issued a statement that states cannot ban mifepristone, a drug approved by the FDA for early pregnancy termination among other uses.
• HHS launched a website to help people nationwide find reproductive care and understand their rights at https://reproductiverights.gov/
• President Joe Biden signed an executive order to protect patient privacy and access to emergency contraception and medication abortions.
• HHS has advised pharmacies not to discriminate based on types of contraception sold, if any birth control items are sold in their retail stores.
  

July 18, 2022 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• Biden administration says federal law preempts state abortion bans when emergency care is needed (CNN)
• Inside the Groundbreaking Tech Helping Paralyzed Patients Feel Again (Wall Street Journal)
• Drugmaker seeks approval for first nonprescription birth control pill in U.S. (Washington Post)
• Undercounted Covid-19 cases leave US with a blind spot as BA.5 variant becomes dominant  (CNN)
• Multipronged vaccine protects against COVID virus family members — even some still in hiding (Los Angeles Times)
• Conservative blocs unleash legal action to curb public health powers (NPR) 
• As many try to return to normal, disabled people face a different reality (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• Elon Musk Backs Out Of Twitter Deal (Patch)
• James Webb telescope takes super sharp view of early cosmos (BBC)
• ‘Everything’ in app popular with US troops is ‘seen in China,’ new report says (Task and Purpose)
• After 40 years of extinction, rhinos return to Mozambique (Reuters)
• As weather disasters increase, deaths from them have actually fallen (NPR)
• After many years, New England cod seems to be rebounding from overfishing (NPR)

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

By Elijah McKee

Photo: CC via Bing

July 15, 2022 (El Cajon) — It is no secret that 9-1-1 medical calls are sometimes not placed for life-threatening emergencies — yet for lack of any other system, those moments are often forced to be treated with urgent responses, such as ambulance rides to emergency rooms. 

By County News Center, County of San Diego Communications Office

July 14, 2022 (San Diego) - The continued increase in local coronavirus cases has prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to move San Diego County to its high-risk level for COVID-19.

By David R. Shorey, East County Program Manager, Institute for Public Strategies

July 11, 2022 (San Diego) -- Communities that are low income or consist of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color generally see less investment in services and access to health care. They are more consistently targets of drug and alcohol marketing and overconcentration of alcohol retailers. This creates a spiral environment where drugs and alcohol become a coping mechanism to numb physical, mental and emotional pain in lieu of proper care.

By Ana B. Ibarra, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

July 10, 2022 (Sacramento) - As consumers, advocates and others prioritize their fight to lower prescription drug costs, insulin is usually first in line.  

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Mike Pence, cc by NC via Bing

June 28, 2022 (Washington D.C.) – Former Vice President Mike Pence, a potential future presidential candidate, praised the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision allowing states to outlaw abortion, tweeting, “Life Won.”  Now Pence wants to go farther.  In an interview with conservative news outlet Breitbart News, he pledged support for banning abortion nationwide.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Pro-choice demonstrators tonight at Waterfront Park in San Diego, by Josan Feathers

June 24, 2022 (Washington D.C.) – Ending a half century of women’s rights to end a pregnancy, the U.S. Supreme Court today issued a ruling overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. 

That means abortion becomes illegal in 26 states immediately due to trigger laws or older statutes on the books, many banning abortion even to save a mother’s life or prevent a rape or incest victim from being forced to give birth. More states are poised to consider banning or restricting abortion, while Republican leaders have pledged to seek a nationwide abortion ban if they regain control of Congress in November.

Today’s decision has sparked protests nationwide, including thousands protesting outside the Supreme Court and justices’ homes this evening, as well as a large crowd gathered in San Diego outside the County adminstration building at Waterfront Park.

By Jocelyn Wiener, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

June 22, 2022 (Sacramento) - A group of advocates that has long fought to reform the state’s troubled nursing home licensing system is now attempting to kill legislation it sponsored, calling the amended bill “a step backwards.”

By Katie Cadiao, County of San Diego Communications Office

June 17, 2022 (San Diego) -- The County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency has identified three probable cases of hMPXV, also known as human monkeypox, in our region.

By Suzanne Potter, Public News Service

Photo:  New research shows the early death rate for Hispanic American seniors climbed 48% from 2019 to 2020, compared to a national average of 17%. (Logoboom/Adobe Stock)

June 15, 2022 (San Diego) - Older Americans are dying from drug overdose or suicide at much higher rates now compared to a decade ago, according to the latest America's Health Rankings Senior Report from UnitedHealthcare.

June 9, 2022 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• A Cancer Trial’s Unexpected Result: Remission in Every Patient (New York Times)
• Moderna says new trial results show that a revised vaccine works better against Omicron (New York Times)
• Doctors who worked before Roe v. Wade speak out: ‘Many women died’ (Yahoo News)
• What would a Novavax COVID-19 vaccine mean in U.S.? (Wired)
• Biden pledges executive orders on abortion. His options are limited. (Politico)

SCIENCE AND TECH

• The EU will soon require all cellphones to have the same type of charging port (NPR)
• NASA joins the hunt for UFOs (Washington Post)
• In reversal, Twitter plans to comply with Musk’s demands for data  (Washington Post)

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

East County News Service

Photo: CC via Bing

May 30, 2022 (San Diego) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers, retailers and restaurants not to eat, sell or serve any FreshKampo or HEB brand organic strawberries purchased between March 5 and April 25.

If you ate these berries in the past two weeks and have not been vaccinated against Hepatitis A, you should immediately consult your doctor to get vaccinated, which can prevent infection within 14 days of exposure. 

May 24, 2022 (San Diego's East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

SCIENCE AND TECH 

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