A labor conflict intensifies with a patient's death during a nursing strike, a new map tracks antibiotic resistance, and unsustainable cancer treatment costs, plus more from our Daily Briefing.
Here’s what we’re reading (and listening to) today:
Rural Health: KQED’s Health Dialogues program focuses on rural health issues including long distances to health care, lack of specialists and poverty.
Anthrax: Who knew you could contract anthrax by pounding on an animal-skin skin drum? Some folks at a New Hampshire drumming circle found out the hard way.
The deliberate release of viruses, bacteria or other germs to cause illness or death in people, animals or plants is considered bioterrorism. Experts fear that agents like anthrax, smallpox or the plague could potentially be manipulated to make them even more deadly, more resistant to current medicines, or more likely to spread into the environment.
How did Santa Clara County in California spend its Homeland Security and bioterrorism preparedness grants after 9/11?On public health? Or "toys for boys?"
Dr. Susan Fernyak is deputy health officer for San Francisco and director of the Department of Public Health's Communicable Disease Control and Prevention section. Her section is responsible for epidemiology, surveillance and disease control, immunization programs and bioterrorism preparedness and response. As director, she has managed San Francisco's smallpox vaccination program and the city and county's response to SARS.
Dr. Anthony Iton was named the senior vice president for health communities at The California Endowment in August 2009. Iton oversees the endowment's 10-year, Building Healthy Communities California Living 2.0 initiative. Prior to joining the endowment, Iton served as director of and health officer for the Alameda County Department of Public Health. He had a state-mandated responsibility to protect the county's health and had authority over all medical care and public health for the county. Previously, Iton was director of health and social services for the city of Stamford, Conn.
