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April is National Donate Life Month; physicians encouraged to talk to patients about the importance or organ donation

n honor of Donate Life Month, the California Medical Association (CMA) and the CMA Foundation are encouraging physicians to talk to their patients about the importance of organ and tissue donation, particularly in underserved ethnic communities. More than 123,000 people are currently waiting for an organ transplant in the United States, with more than 22,000 living in California. Each day, an average of 150 people are added to the national organ transplant waiting list. Unfortunately, an average of 21 patients on the waiting list die each day. What you can do: Visit ...

CMA joins vaccine advocates to launch "I Heart Immunity" campaign in support of Senate Bill 277

The California Medical Association (CMA), American Academy of Pediatrics, California (AAPCA), California Immunization Coalition (CIC), Vaccinate California and Health Officers Association of California (HOAC) have joined forces to launch the “I Heart Immunity” campaign in an ongoing effort to promote the importance of vaccines and Senate Bill 277 (Pan/Allen). The bill would remove the personal belief exemption (PBE) option from the school and child care enrollment requirements. It would also require schools to publically provide information about their immunization rates. Removing the PBE will help protect the most vulnerable, including ...

Study finds physicians fail to tell patients of an Alzheimer's diagnosis

A report published by the Alzheimer’s Association last week found that physicians are more likely to tell patients of their diagnosis if they have cancer than if they have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The”2015 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures” report found that just 45 percent of Medicare patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s said they were informed of the diagnosis by their doctor. In contrast, more than 90 percent of Medicare patients with cancer said they were told. “These disturbingly low disclosure rates in Alzheimer’s disease are reminiscent of rates seen for cancer ...

Western Health Care Leadership Academy speakers include author of "Emperor of All Maladies," subject of Ken Burns documentary

The 2015 Western Health Care Leadership Academy, to be held May 29-31, will feature special guest speaker Siddhartha Mukherjee, M.D., Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Emperor of All Maladies. The book is the focus of a recent three-part Ken Burns documentary that aired on PBS March 30 through April 1, 2015, which critics called “powerful and poignant.” Dr. Mukherjee is an oncologist, cancer researcher and science writer who brought new insights into the causes and cures of cancer. In his book, Dr. Mukherjee gives readers a fascinating look ...

ACIP updates HPV vaccine recommendations

During its February 2015 meeting, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended the 9-valent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine (9vHPV; Gardasil 9, Merck) as one of three HPV vaccines that can be used for routine vaccination, according to a report published in the March 26 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved 9vHPV in December 2014. Based on a review of clinical trials, the committee determined the new vaccine was more cost-effective and had 97 percent efficacy compared with the current 4-valent HPV ...

CDPH mounts television ad campaign highlighting the dangers of vaping

Twenty-five years after launching the first anti-smoking advertisements in the state, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) launched a new series this week of television, digital and outdoor ads, all highlighting the dangers of e-cigarettes, a practice commonly known as “vaping.” With one of the lowest smoking rates in the nation, California has been a leader with its aggressive anti-smoking campaigns, but the aggressive marketing and escalating use of e-cigarettes threatens to erode this progress. CDPH recently released a report and a health advisory highlighting areas of concern regarding e-cigarettes, ...

California Immunization Coalition Summit coming in April

The 2015 California Immunization Summit will be held in April 26-27 in Riverside. This annual summit is an opportunity for physicians to learn about community-based programs that have increased vaccination rates, and how to adapt and apply key lessons from successful programs. The summit is presented by the California Immunization Coalition, a public-private partnership dedicated to achieving and maintaining full immunization protection for all Californians to promote health and prevent serious illness. This year's program, “Ready, Set, Vaccinate!” includes keynote speaker William L. Atkinson, M.D., MPH, Immunization Action Coalition Associate ...

New study concludes that vaccine refusal helped fuel Disneyland measles outbreak

A new study conducted by research teams from MIT and Boston Children’s Hospital has concluded that parental resistance to vaccinations played a role in the Disneyland measles outbreak that started in January. The analysis, published in JAMA Pediatrics, showed that the highly contagious disease has spread to seven states and two other countries, largely because parents did not vaccinate their children. The study’s authors used simple math to determine that the vaccination rate among people who were exposed to measles during the outbreak was no higher than 86 percent, and might ...

Brown appoints Napa public health officer to head CDPH

Gov. Jerry Brown has appointed Karen Smith, M.D., a Napa County public health officer and deputy director of Napa County Health and Human Services for more than 10 years, to be head of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). She will replace Ronald Chapman, M.D., who announced in December that he would resign as the department’s director. Dr. Smith earned her medical degree from Stanford University School of Medicine and master’s of public health degree from Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. She held positions at the ...

CMA Foundation releases adult vaccine schedule

To help physicians answer questions posed by the recent measles outbreak in California and to educate adult patients about their vaccination needs, the California Medical Association (CMA) Foundation has release an adult vaccine schedule that physicians can hand out during patient visits. Many adults may be skipping vaccinations for a variety of conditions, leaving them susceptible to disease. For example, the tetanus vaccine can prevent a deadly bacterial toxin. While adults should get a booster every 10 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported last week that ...