US Health Issues
California worker denied kidney transplant due to immigration status
By David Brown, February 3, 2012
Despite having a matching donor, an Oakland, California worker was denied a kidney transplant due to his status as an undocumented worker.
US Department of Agriculture to close 259 field offices
By Naomi Spencer, January 16, 2012
The federal Department of Agriculture, responsible for safety enforcement over much of the nation’s food producers, has announced closures of 259 field offices.
Profit drive leads to shortage of critical drugs, deaths in US
By Nicholas Russo, January 11, 2012
Since 2010, at least 15 deaths have been linked to the shortage of critical drugs in the US.
Research on deadly flu virus prompts US government censorship
By Nicholas Russo, January 6, 2012
In the name of preventing “terrorism,” members of the political and media establishment have called for new studies on the H5N1 virus to be censored.
Poor conditions in US for-profit nursing homes
By Ryan Rahilly, December 22, 2011
The top 10 for-profit nursing home chains in the US have substantially higher deficiencies than the best facilities, a new study finds.
The Democratic Party and the assault on Medicare
By Kate Randall, December 20, 2011
The framework of Obama’s health care overhaul—based on the claim that slashing hundreds of billions of dollars will result in improved medical services—serves as a model for the privatization of Medicare.
Obama administration blocks access to emergency contraception for young women
By Kate Randall, December 9, 2011
The Obama administration’s secretary of Health and Human Services has overruled a Food and Drug Administration recommendation that would have allowed emergency contraceptives to be sold over the counter with no age restrictions.
In wake of US deficit-reduction panel’s demise
Renewed calls for Medicare cuts
By Kate Randall, November 26, 2011
The recent failure of the congressional deficit-reduction “supercommittee” to reach an agreement has prompted calls from both Democrats and Republicans for major cuts to the Medicare health care program.
Listeria outbreak claims 15 lives in US
By Naomi Spencer, October 3, 2011
In the deadliest food poisoning outbreak in the US in over a decade, at least 15 people have died of listeriosis linked to Colorado-grown cantaloupes.
The California nurses strike and the right to health care
By Statement of the Socialist Equality Party, September 22, 2011
Thousands of Kaiser Permanente nurses and health care workers will engage in a limited strike against understaffing and threats to slash health and pension benefits.
Virginia imposes stricter regulations on abortion providers
By Nikolai Barrickman and Naomi Spencer, September 8, 2011
A new Virginia law requires women’s health clinics to comply with far stricter regulations, effectively limiting women's access to abortions and other necessary reproductive health care procedures.
Obama cancels smog regulation opposed by big business
By Joseph Kishore, September 3, 2011
The decision to abandon regulations on smog will mean thousands of more deaths and health problems.
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