Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoes bill to make free condoms available for high school students, citing cost

California Gov. Gavin Newsom rejected a bill on Sunday that would have made free condoms available all public high school students, arguing it was too expensive for a state with a budget deficit of more than $30 billion.

Newsom signs bill advancing universal health care, vetoes insulin price cap

On Saturday Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the approval of Senate Bill 770, introduced by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco). The legislation advances tangible steps toward securing universal health coverage in California. It would direct the California Health and Human Services Agency (HHS) to work with the federal government to outline the requirements of a federal waiver application.   

Dialysis caregivers in San Jose, Brentwood and Gilroy to strike

More than 500 dialysis caregivers will strike Monday and Tuesday over what they call unfair labor practices at nearly two dozen Satellite Healthcare and Fresenius Kidney Care clinics across California, including ones in Gilroy, San Jose, and Brentwood.

UCSF nurses' union says increased workplace violence linked to hiring freeze

Registered nurses at the University of California, San Francisco say they have seen an increase in workplace violence since the medical center imposed a hiring freeze four months ago.   

Union workers authorize strike if deal not reached with Kaiser Permanente

After months of picketing and labor negotiations, the SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) announced Thursday that they have authorized a strike to take place at the end of the month if they do not reach a deal with Kaiser Permanente. 

Clearblue launches first at-home menopause test: 'Personal knowledge'

The Clearblue Menopause Stage Indicator allows women to identify their likely stage of menopause: premenopause, early perimenopause, late perimenopause or postmenopause.

These are the 3 vaccines doctors hope will block fall 'tripledemic'

COVID-19 hospitalizations have been steadily increasing since late summer, and RSV already is on the rise in parts of the Southeast.

43,000 Santa Clara Valley Healthcare patients possibly entitled to refunds

Santa Clara Valley Healthcare is notifying 43,000 former patients that they may be eligible for refunds or billing corrections because the medical facility did not fulfill its charity care obligations.

San Jose doctor arrested for alleged illegal opioid prescription scheme

A South Bay doctor was arrested Friday and charged with several felonies related to an alleged illegal opioid prescription scheme, according to the California Attorney General's Office.   

Wagovy, Ozempic patients could face higher risk of complications under anesthesia

Drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic can slow digestion so much that it puts patients at increased risk for pulmonary aspiration when they're under anesthesia.

COVID-19 hospitalizations in the US resurge, marked by different patterns

Here we go again: COVID-19 hospital admissions have inched upward in the United States since early July in a small-scale echo of the three previous summers.

UCSF wants to buy St. Mary's, St. Francis hospitals; longtime doctors fear fallout

UCSF Health is in talks to acquire St. Mary’s Medical Center and St. Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco from Dignity Health, a Catholic hospital chain. But some doctors are concerned the community hospitals will lose their identity and culture.

UCSF report: Emergency departments in state failing to meet patient demand

According to a new study by the University of California, San Francisco, emergency departments in California have been struggling to keep up with patient demand during the last decade.