San Francisco voted to ban e-cigarettes in the first legislation of its kind in the United States. Supervisors approved a measure banning the sale and distribution of e-cigarettes in an effort to curb the rise of youth vaping. The measure will now go for final approval to San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who said she will sign the legislation, and stores in the city will be required to remove e-cigarettes from their shelves after the change goes into effect in seven months.
Health Care
Illinois joins 10 other states in legalizing recreational marijuana
Gov. J.B. Pritzker made Illinois the 11th state to legalize recreational marijuana on Tuesday, signing a bill into law allowing small amounts of cannabis. Residents can purchase and possess up to 30 grams of the drug, and non-residents can have 15 grams, the Associated Press reports. Sales will be limited to people ages 21 and up at approved dispensaries, which could potentially be up and running by Jan. 1, 2020.
Doctor compares conditions for unaccompanied children at immigrant holding centers to ‘torture facilities’
The unaccompanied minors, as young as 2 1/2 months old, endured “extreme cold temperatures, lights on 24 hours a day, no adequate access to medical care, basic sanitation, water, or adequate food,” Lucio Sevier wrote, and the teens said they had no access to hand-washing, which she described as “tantamount to intentionally causing the spread of disease.” A flu outbreak at Ursula had sent five infants to the neonatal intensive care unit, and all the children Lucio Sevier saw showed signs of trauma.
Americans traveling to Canada to buy insulin
Americans are increasingly stressed and outraged by the rising costs of prescription drugs in the United States – a problem Republicans and Democrats alike have promised to fix. Insulin is a big part of the challenge. More than 30 million Americans have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. About 7.5 million, including 1.5 million with Type 1 diabetes, rely on insulin.
Trump says he’ll roll out new health care plan
President Trump said he’ll be rolling out a new health care plan in a couple of months, saying it will be a key focus in his 2020 reelection campaign. “We’re going to produce phenomenal health care, and we already have the concept of the plan,” Trump said in an interview that aired Sunday night. Health care was also a primary focus of Trump’s first presidential campaign, claiming that during his presidency he would repeal and replace ObamaCare.
Ebola outbreak prompts response from WHO
The latest Ebola outbreak has spread from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and has now infected at least two people in Uganda. While the World Health Organization (WHO) is declining to declare the outbreak as an international emergency, it is calling for more funds to go to responders on the ground to stop the spread.
Death rates from suicides, alcohol, and overdoses hit all-time high
The findings from the Commonwealth Fund were released Wednesday and showed that, although the death rates are up nationally, some states have been hit far worse than others. “When we look at what’s going on in Mid-Atlantic states—West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania—those are the states that have the highest rates of drug-overdose deaths in the country,” said David Radley from the group.
Ebola goes international
The Ebola outbreak, which was previously contained in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has now jumped the border and infected a 5 year old Ugandan boy. Authorities have isolated the boy and have begun treatment.
Measles outbreak spreads to Idaho and Virginia
Public health authorities on Monday reported 41 new cases of the highly contagious and sometimes deadly disease in the two states. The suspected outbreak in Northern Virginia doesn’t appear to be related to the nationwide epidemic that has surpassed 1,000 confirmed cases, while the cases in Idaho are the first instances of measles in the state since 2001.
California set to provide health care to some people living in US illegally
California is set to become the first state to provide government-funded health care to people who are living in the U.S. illegally. State lawmakers agreed to a budget deal Sunday afternoon that will open up its Medicaid program to undocumented low-income adults between the ages of 19 and 25.
Measles continues its comeback in the US
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is reporting that more than 1,000 cases of the measles have been reported in the U.S. in 2019. Though the viral infection is extremely contagious, its vaccine is extremely effective.
Pfizer didn’t report that their drug might be able to prevent Alzheimer’s
The company’s rheumatoid arthritis drug appeared to reduce the risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease by 64 percent. Pfizer is now being accused of intentionally not pursuing this avenue of research because it would kill a major revenue stream for the company.
Purdue Pharma faces lawsuits from nearly every US state
The states of California, Maine and Hawaii on Monday joined dozens of others in suing the pharmaceutical giant Purdue over the role the company’s prescription painkiller, OxyContin, has played in the deadly opioids crisis.
Man lights himself on fire near White House
Authorities put out the fire and administered first aid to the man who was subsequently transported to the hospital. No political motive for the self-immolation is clear.
Disease of disinfo spreads disease
Disinformation is a scourge in and of itself, but now it’s causing real disease. Outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, including measles, mumps, and whooping cough, have again become an issue in Western and developed countries, fueled by an anti-vaccine movement that is growing more cohesive, gaining more funding, and becoming more adept at spreading its message.
How anti-vax radicals found a home in the GOP
Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin as an example of a well-known Republican who believes that vaccine mandates are “un-American.” And in Texas there’s Jonathan Stickland – a far-right Christian fundamentalist who serves in the Texas State Assembly and has described vaccines as “sorcery.”
Federal judge blocks MS ‘heartbeat’ law
A federal judge blocked a Mississippi law on Friday that forbids abortion after the detection of a fetal heartbeat, as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. In issuing a preliminary injunction, Judge Carlton Reeves said the law “threatens immediate harm to women’s rights, especially considering most women do not seek abortions services until after six weeks.” The law was set to take effect in July.
Trump admin to roll back transgender protections
The Trump administration has formally proposed to revise Obama-era civil rights for transgender people in the nation’s health care system, eliminating “gender identity” as a factor in health care and leaning government policy toward recognizing only characteristics of sex at birth.
Rep. Nadler nearly faints during press conference
Rep. Jerry Nadler appeared to nearly pass out during a press conference with New York May Bill de Blasio. Nadler is said to be feeling better and has been seen by a doctor.
Missouri Senate passes bill to ban abortions at 8 weeks
Senators approved the legislation 24-10 early Thursday with just hours left before lawmakers’ Friday deadline to pass bills. It needs at least another vote of approval in the GOP-led House before it can go to Republican Gov. Mike Parson, who supports it. The bill seems to be a part of a broader national push to restrict access to abortion.
Birth rate in the US hits 32-year low
The U.S. birth rate continues to fall, reaching another record low in 2018, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC says that one possible explanation for the continued drop in births could be economic uncertainty, along with the fact that people may still feel uneasy about their economic situation.
Alabama lawmakers vote to effectively ban abortion
The Alabama Senate approved a measure on Tuesday that would outlaw almost all abortions in the state, setting up a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade, the case that recognized a woman’s constitutional right to end a pregnancy.

Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo ‘out of control’
The Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo is out of control, according to terrified experts who say it could become as serious as an outbreak that devastated west Africa between 2013 and 2016. More than 1,600 people have been infected in the DRC and more than 1,000 have died so far of the hemmorhagic fever.
Monsanto ordered to pay $2bn in largest verdict yet over cancer claims
A California jury has ordered Monsanto to pay more than $2bn to a couple that got cancer after using its weedkiller, marking the third and largest verdict against the company over Roundup. The victory for the Pilliods follows two consecutive trial wins for families taking on Monsanto over Roundup, the world’s most widely used weedkiller, which research has linked to NHL, a cancer that affects the immune system.
Everything’s deadlier in the South
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that the death rates from pretty much every major cause — heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, suicide, sepsis, guns, infant mortality — remain highest in the South. A lot of the poor health outcomes there reflect longstanding poverty, fewer health care resources, and longstanding barriers to care.
Allegations of widespread fraud raise questions about the safety of generic drugs made overseas
Reports the FDA and other inspectors filed show they found numerous generic drugmakers falsifying records, covering up manufacturing problems and attempting to hide poor test results. Because of what the FDI said they found, it “would question the safety and efficacy of those drugs.”
Texas Republican accuses top vaccine scientist of ‘sorcery’
Texas lawmaker Jonathan Stickland called vaccines “sorcery” Tuesday in a string of Twitter posts criticizing a vaccine expert. The US is currently struggling with a historic resurgence in measles cases, largely as a result of some parents rejecting immunizations because of erroneous information, often distributed through social media.
Prescription drug ads on TV will soon feature drug prices
In an attempt to pressure the drug industry to lower prices, the Trump administration has moved to require that prescription drug ads on TV will need to feature the price of the drug if the cost is greater than $35 for a month’s supply.
GA governor signs ‘heartbeat’ bill
The bill now signed into law bans abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected. The law will certainly be legally challenged by opponents.
Scientology cruise ship quarantined for measles (again)
A Church of Scientology cruise ship quarantined by the Caribbean nation of St. Lucia for measles is due to arrive on Saturday back at its home port on the island of Curacao, where it will face the same restrictions. Dr. Izzy Gerstenbluth, chief epidemiologist for the Curacao Biomedical and Health Research Institute, said passengers and crew who can prove they were already vaccinated or have had measles in the past would likely be free to go about their business.
Progress is slow after Mozambique cyclone
Torrential rains have finally ceased, giving recovery teams a chance to continue rescue efforts in Mozambique following Cyclone Kenneth. Cyclone Kenneth killed dozens, and hit Mozambique just weeks after Cyclone Idai hit the country killing hundreds.
Ebola outbreak has killed 1,000
As the Ebola virus spreads across the Congo, the World Health Organization estimates that the death toll has now surpassed 1,000. This outbreak is the second-deadliest ever, with the deadliest occurring in West Africa in 2014, when over 11,000 people died.
Ebola outbreak in the DRC hits record number of cases
The number of Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo is rising fast, reaching a high of 27 confirmed cases in one day, according to the country’s health ministry. The World Health Organization said on Friday it feared continued “intense transmission” of the virus in the country, where deaths from the epidemic are expected to officially exceed 1,000 within hours.
Opioid exec found guilty in bribery case
A jury in Boston has found one-time billionaire and drug company executive John Kapoor and his four co-defendants guilty of a racketeering conspiracy. The federal government accused Kapoor, the founder of Insys Therapeutics, of paying doctors to prescribe its potent opioid medication and then lying to insurance companies to ensure that the expensive Fentanyl-based painkiller would be covered.
Trump takes aim at Obamacare
Taking a hard line on health care, the Trump administration joined a coalition of Republican-led states Wednesday in asking a federal appeals court to entirely overturn former President Barack Obama’s signature health care law. More than 20 million Americans would be at risk of losing their health insurance if the ruling is allowed to stand.
Fact-checking Trump’s rally talking points
Donald Trump held a rally in Wisconsin on Saturday, where he had another golden opportunity to spread some of the lies and dangerous rhetoric that have become part of his standard performance. Immigration, health care, and Russia were among the key topics about which Trump chose to mislead his own supporters…again.
Record-breaking year for measles in US
The Centers for Disease Control is reporting that over 700 cases of measles have been reported in the U.S. in 2019. This year’s measles outbreak is the worst in the U.S. in 25 years.
Trump lies again, claims doctors ‘execute’ newborns
“The baby is born. The mother meets with the doctor. They take care of the baby. They wrap the baby beautifully. And then the doctor and the mother determine whether or not they will execute the baby,” Trump told a rally. The comments are the latest in a long string of incendiary statements from the president on abortion.
Anti-polio campaign stopped after attacks
Pakistani health officials have halted two anti-polio campaigns after a health worker and two policemen escorting the vaccination teams were killed in rural Pakistan. Suspicion of the vaccines and the anti-polio campaigns have left some residents concerned, pushing them to take violent action.
GOP senator working on something good
Senate Finance Committee Chair Chuck Grassley announced this week that he is aiming to introduce bipartisan legislation by mid-June to lower drug prices. Grassley is working with the top Democrat on his committee, Sen. Ron Wyden, to try to find a path forward on an issue that is a priority for Democrats. Yay, bipartisanship!