Posts Tagged: disease

Opinion

An effort to curb ‘puppy mills’

A pair of dogs in a cage, awaiting freedom.(Photo: Kitsananan, via Shutterstock)

OPINION: Bringing a new puppy or kitten home should be a wonderful and rewarding experience, but consumers who purchase their new family member from a pet shop may not be getting the dog or cat they’ve been promised. Despite enticing claims that they only source from humane, small-scale breeders, pet stores across the country supply unsuspecting consumers with animals from puppy and kitten “mills.”

Opinion

The fight against chronic disease

A man's body seen from behind with dermatitis on the neck. (Photo: Naeblys, via Shutterstock)

OPINION: For the millions of Californians living with chronic health conditions like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, asthma and arthritis, securing adequate and affordable health care coverage can be a challenging feat.

Opinion

Vaccines crucial for health protection

A vaccination in progress. (Photo: Komsan Loonprom)

OPINION: Before graduation, teens need to know what vaccine preventable diseases exist and the vaccines that protect them. Teens need to know their personal vaccination status and if they are up to date on recommended vaccines.

News

Stem cell: Hunting a cure for diabetes

A liquid nitrogen bank containing a suspension of stem cells. (Photo: Elena Pavlovich)

An eminent Harvard stem cell researcher who is searching for a cure for an affliction that plagues 29 million Americans stood on a San Francisco stage this week and spoke of “things we don’t understand.” The scientist is Doug Melton, who is on a deeply personal quest for a cure for diabetes. Both of his children have the disease. And the state of California is helping out on his search with $5 million.

Opinion

Disclosure, transparency for not-for-profit hospitals

In 2015, California’s push to expand health care coverage continues at a rapid pace. Consider this statistic: 12 million of our residents are enrolled in Medi-Cal – nearly one in three Californians. This greater demand is creating new challenges for California’s hospitals, both inside and outside of their walls.

Opinion

Critical priority: Dental care for low-income children

A youngster on his visit to the dentist. (Photo: Wavebreakmedia, via Shutterstock)

It is not often that dental professionals, health care providers, advocates, and legislators from both sides of the aisle all agree on an issue, but that is precisely what happened at a hearing this week on the state’s dental program for low-income children. Testimony and discussion honed in on the sobering results of a December 2014 state audit, which found that millions of children enrolled in Medi-Cal (California’s Medicaid program) were not getting the dental care they need.

Opinion

Big tobacco flexes muscle on e-cigarette bill

OPINION: To our disappointment, SB 648 which started out as a tough crackdown on electronic cigarette manufacturers to ensure the health and safety of our children may end up giving tobacco companies the green light to once again begin marketing to California’s children.

Opinion

For clean soil, follow the feds

A California farm in the Central Valley. (Photo: Richard Croft)

OPINION: While everyone understands how critical water is to the state’s future, we must not overlook another key ingredient that is right under our feet: clean soil. Without clean soil, farmers like me cannot grow healthy and abundant crops; without these crops, Californians lose easy access to locally-produced, low-cost fruits and vegetables.

Opinion

Key drug information not on Covered California site

OPINION: Occasionally, a patient can find the information on the individual insurer website, but the formularies are displayed differently with each plan, making it difficult to compare plans to each other. In addition, there is no way to compare out-of-pocket costs.

News

A dilemma: Wealthier means healthier

California Health Report: California is a land of health extremes, and to see what that means, you need only travel a few miles from the state Capitol. Placer and Yuba counties border each other about a half hour’s drive north of downtown Sacramento. Both places are largely rural. But the similarities end there.

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