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‘Universal frustration’: In California, a crisis so dire Republicans and Democrats are working together
Los Angeles Times By Taryn Luna January 31, 2024 Gov. Gavin Newsom has an unusual ally in his Proposition 1 ballot measure to boost funding for mental health: an outspoken Donald Trump supporter and Kern County lawmaker who co-chaired the committee that led the failed 2021 recall effort against the governor. State Sen. Shannon Grove... read more
Column: How a legal loophole allows antiabortion prosecutors to obtain women’s secret health data
Los Angeles Times By Michael Hiltzik Jan. 12, 2024 The American legal system has a message for women concerned about their abortion rights: Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your pharmacist is your friend. Thanks to a gaping loophole in federal healthcare regulations, some of our leading drug store chains turn over customers’ most... read more
In Mexico,‘Adderall’pills can be dangerous or benign
Los Angeles Times Amid a U.S. shortage, fakes made of meth and more now come in convincing bottles. By Keri Blakinger, Connor Sheets and Brittny Mejia PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico — As a shortage of Adderall stretches into its second year, millions of patients are struggling to fill their prescriptions in U.S. pharmacies. But in Mexico,... read more
The New York Times By Dana G. Smith Feb. 10, 2023 While drugs like ketamine and psilocybin are largely considered safe, here’s what to know about who should be cautious. When Dr. Charles Nemeroff first met his patient, the 32-year-old woman had already been to see several psychiatrists. Initially, the woman, whose identity has been... read more
The Washington Post By Drew Harwell December 12, 2023 The revelation could shape the debate over Americans’ health privacy as states move to criminalize abortion and drugs related to reproductive health The nation’s largest pharmacy chains have handed over Americans’ prescription records to police and government investigators without a warrant, a congressional investigation found, raising... read more
Pilots hide mental health issues so they don’t ‘lose their wings’
The Washington Post By Andrea Sachs December 15, 2023 Grounded pilots face lengthy waits and expensive evaluations to get back in the cockpit His story speaks to a larger problem in the profession: Many pilots would rather ignore or hide their mental health problems than disclose their condition and risk their livelihood. As a result,... read more
The Washington Post By Donald Beaulieu December 15, 2023 Fifty years ago Friday, on Dec. 15, 1973, the board of trustees of the American Psychiatric Association voted to remove homosexuality from its diagnostic manual of mental illnesses. Newspaper stories the next day mostly treated it as a technical change rather than a seismic shift that... read more
The New York Times By Trip Gabriel Dec. 9, 2023 A psychiatrist and a prolific author, he criticized what he referred to as a “nonsystem” that left vulnerable people on the streets to fend for themselves. Dr. John A. Talbott, a psychiatrist who championed the care of vulnerable populations of the mentally ill, especially the... read more
Why Doctors and Pharmacists Are in Revolt
The New York Times By Noam Scheiber Dec. 3, 2023 Once accustomed to a status outside the usual management-labor hierarchy, many health professionals now feel as put upon as any clock-punching worker. Dr. John Wust does not come off as a labor agitator. A longtime obstetrician-gynecologist from Louisiana with a penchant for bow ties, Dr.... read more
Fall is the best time to prepare for winter seasonal depression
The Washington Post By Richard Sima October 5, 2023 A fall check-up can help you prepare for – and potentially prevent – winter seasonal affective disorder Fall is the best time for those who suffer from winter seasonal affective disorder (SAD) to check in and prepare. Susceptible people — an estimated 5 percent of Americans — already... read more