From a Few Workers Comp Doctors, Many Painkillers

Here's the latest in health and health journalism news from Reporting on Health. Our hearts also go out to the people of Japan after today's catastrophic earthquake – here's how to help the victims.

Disaster Relief: The tsunami that followed today's earthquake in Japan will likely contaminate water and food supplies, leading to long term health concerns for the people in its wake.

Workers Comp: A mere 3 percent of doctors who treat California workers compensation patients are responsible for writing more than half the prescriptions for the most powerful pain meds, Victoria Colliver reports for the San Francisco Chronicle.

H1N1/Swine Flu: Remember the 2009 worldwide swine flu pandemic? A panel has found that the World Health Organization's handling of the worldwide pandemic was sorely lacking, pointing to the organization's conflicts of interest with the vaccine industry, poor communications and needless bureaucracy, Donald G. McNeil Jr. reports for the New York Times.

Environmental Health: Scary is the word for the Center for Public Integrity's report on chemical releases, explosions and equipment failures at oil refineries that have injured and killed workers and nearby residents.

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