Life-saving tobacco tax measure holds narrow lead in Field poll A new Field poll shows that California voters narrowly favor Proposition 56, but also reflects the effect of Big Tobacco's mammoth spending and deceptive messaging. The Field poll found that Prop. 56 is ahead by 53 percent to 40 percent, with six weeks before Election Day. “This is not a surprise. Tobacco companies have spent $200 million over the last 10 years in campaign contributions to defeat tobacco taxes,” said Yes on 56 Campaign Manager Jim DeBoo. “They know the tax itself will help prevent passing this deadly, costly habit ... October 13, 2016 General Election, Political Advocacy, Prop. 56 (tobacco tax), Ballot Measures, Public Health 0 0 Comment Read More »
California health agencies looking for innovative health care ideas The California Health and Human Services Agency (CHHS) and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) have launched the second annual Let’s Get Healthy California Innovation Challenge. This contest encourages individuals and organizations across the state to share ideas and projects they are working on to find creative, innovative ways to improve health in California. Let’s Get Healthy California invites community, health, and human services advocates, health care and human services providers, community and faith-based organizations, non-profits, civic data enthusiasts and visionary practitioners to participate and share their solutions and ideas ... September 28, 2016 General Health Disparities, Public Health, Department of Public Health 0 0 Comment Read More »
CDPH urges providers to adopt new TB screening recommendations The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) urges providers to adopt new tuberculosis (TB) screening recommendations, recently announced by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, calling for adults 18 years of age or older who are at increased risk of TB to be screened for the disease. CDPH has developed a California Risk Assessment Screening Tool to help providers quickly identify people at risk for developing the disease, as well as a fact sheet that offers suggested courses of treatment. Those considered to be at increased risk of TB ... September 22, 2016 General Tuberculosis, Chest Diseases, Infectious Diseases, Public Health, TB 0 0 Comment Read More »
Prescription drug safety during Pain Awareness Month The California Medical Association (CMA) is raising awareness on the issue of pain and its proper management this September in recognition of National Pain Awareness Month. Chronic pain — i.e. pain that persists for a protracted period of time — impacts approximately 100 million adults in America and costs the country up to $635 billion annually in lost productivity and treatment, according to a 2011 Institute of Medicine report. CMA has developed and compiled resources to help further inform physicians and educate the public on the impacts of pain, as ... September 13, 2016 General Drub Prescribing, Opioids, Pain Medicine, Public Health 0 0 Comment Read More »
Surgeon General enlists nation's physicians to help end opioid abuse The U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, M.D., has asked the nation’s physicians to pledge their commitment to solving a health crisis facing America—opioid misuse, abuse and overdose. “We will educate ourselves to treat pain safely and effectively,” Dr. Murthy said in a letter to physicians. “We will screen our patients for opioid use disorder and provide or connect them with evidence based treatment…We can shape how the rest of the country sees addiction by talking about and treating it as a chronic illness, not a moral failing.” In the letter, Dr. ... September 12, 2016 General Drug Prescribing, Opioids, Prescription Drugs, Public Health, Drug Abuse 0 0 Comment Read More »
AAP urges states to take firmer stand on nonmedical vaccine exemptions The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) this week called nonmedical vaccine exemption laws a failure and urged state governments to follow California's lead by eliminating nonmedical exemptions and enacting policies to improve immunization rates. “It’s clear that states with more lenient exemptions policies have lower immunization rates, and it’s these states where we have seen disease outbreaks occur as the rates slip below the threshold needed to maintain community immunity,” said Geoffrey R. Simon, M.D., lead author of AAP's new policy statement, “Medical Versus Nonmedical Immunization Exemptions for Child Care ... September 12, 2016 General Pediatrics, Personal Belief Exemption, Public Health, Vaccination, American Academy of Pediatrics, Immunization 0 0 Comment Read More »
Nominate a local "immunization champion" for annual awards Now is your chance to reward someone whose work in immunization deserves recognition. The California Immunization Coalition (CIC) is accepting nominations for two annual awards, given each year at the annual CIC Summit. The Natalie J. Smith Award is presented to an individual, group or organization in California that has made an outstanding contribution in the immunization arena. The Ronald P. Bangasser Award is presented to a practicing clinician who exemplifies the leadership, professionalism, and commitment that Dr. Bangasser—a past president of the California Medical Association—brought to his work in ... August 25, 2016 Awards, General Physician Leadership, Public Health, Vaccination, Awards, Immunization 0 0 Comment Read More »
San Diego flu summit to discuss strategies for maximizing flu vaccine rate Mark your calendars for the 12th Kick the Flu Summit, on September 7, 2016, in San Diego. The summit, hosted by the San Diego Immunization Coalition, will convene medical, health and community service providers from both public and private sectors to share information, collaborate and strategize about how to promote and increase the rate of flu immunizations during the 2016-17 influenza season. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the San Diego Central Library. This year’s summit features keynote speaker Bill Atkinson, M.D., MPH, Associate ... August 25, 2016 General Immunization, Influenza, Public Health, Vaccination, Flu 0 0 Comment Read More »
Big Tobacco launches dishonest ad campaign about Prop. 56 Tom Torlakson, California’s state superintendent of public instruction, has demanded that broadcasters immediately stop airing false and deceptive ads from tobacco companies about the Proposition 56 tobacco tax initiative. Big Tobacco, which has put $36 million into the opposition campaign so far, continues to assert that Prop. 56 would take money away from education — a statement Torlakson called “preposterous” and “insulting to those of us committed to the education and well being of California’s children.” “It is absolutely untrue to claim that no money from the proposed tobacco tax would ... August 25, 2016 General Political Advocacy, Prop. 56 (tobacco tax), Smoking, Electronic Cigarettes, Public Health, Tobacco, Tobacco Tax 0 0 Comment Read More »
CMA endorses ballot initiative to reduce gun violence The California Medical Association (CMA) last week announced an endorsement for Proposition 63, California’s “Safety for All” initiative to reduce gun violence in California. More than 300 Americans are shot each day, and firearms kill over 32,000 Americans each year. In 2013, over 6,000 Californians were hospitalized or treated in emergency rooms for nonfatal gunshot wounds, including 1,275 children and teens. “Far too often, physicians become firsthand witnesses to the horrific aftermath of gun-related tragedies,” said CMA President Steve Larson, M.D., MPH. “We see it in our hospitals, clinics and on ... August 16, 2016 CMA, General Election, Public Health, Ballot Measures, Guns, Political Advocacy 0 0 Comment Read More »
