(2019-08-01). How Slick Consulting Firms Get Us on Drugs. counterpunch.org 
Ninety-one people a day die from opioids and 1000 visit ERs in the US according to the CDC. How did opioid makers get such a deathly grip on the US population? Recently, the New York Times reported that the global consulting firm McKinsey & Company had a big hand in these morbid figures. McKinsey advised More
(2019-08-01). Democrats' Divisions Test Biden's Front-Runner Strength. truthdig.com DETROIT—The ideological divisions gripping the Democratic Party intensified on Wednesday as presidential candidates waged an acrimonious battle over health care, immigration and race that tested the strength of early front-runner Joe Biden's candidacy. | The former vice president was repeatedly forced to defend his decades-old political record against pointed attacks from his younger, diverse rivals, who charged that Biden's eight-year relationship with President Barack Obama was not reason enough to earn the Democratic nomination. | The attacks on Biden in the second presidential debate were most vivid com…
(2019-08-01). Israeli Forces Kill Palestinian Man at Gaza Border. telesurenglish.net A Palestinian man was killed on Thursday morning while attempting to carry out an operation to break the siege on the Gaza region, the Palestinian Health Ministry reported. | RELATED: | Palestine Energy Initiative: Use Biomass to be Self-Sufficient | According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, the operation was carried out by Hani Abu Salah, a Palestinian man in his twenties from the Gaza region. | The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced shortly after the attack that thre…
(2019-08-01). Thanks Miranda Devine, but we will win abortion reform. greenleft.org.au 
Thank you Miranda Devine for your wild overreaction to the bill before NSW parliament to treat abortion as a health issue ("Vote Libs, get Greens", Daily Telegraph, July 31), as it will no doubt lose you and News.com support. | It must also surely rank as top fake news of the week. Far from being "one of the most dangerous radical abortion bills on the planet", the bill is modelled on existing Queensland and Victorian law. | Moreover, your view that Coalition MPs' support for basic health care for women is somehow a Labor-Green plot is equally bizarre. This bill is not about late-term abortions, as you suggest. I…
(2019-08-01). NNU Statement on Gilroy Garlic Festival Shooting: 'Gun Violence is a Significant Public Health Issue'. indybay.org July 29, 2019 – National Nurses United today joined with millions of others in calling for meaningful action in response to yesterday's shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival in Gilroy, California, as well as similar shootings across the United States this year alone.
(2019-08-01). With 'Flailing' Debate on Half-Measures, Say Progressives, Biden and Harris Accidentally Made Case for Medicare for All. commondreams.org "A good demonstration of why Medicare for all makes for great messaging. All these complicated-ass half-measures are impossible to explain." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2019-08-01). Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren Loom Large in Night 2 of Dem Debates as Healthcare Again Dominates the Conversation. commondreams.org "The winners of this health care debate are Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2019-07-31). "We Don't Want Another Obama": Immigration Activist Urges Democrats to Be Bold. truthout.org | | Democratic candidates sparred on immigration policy, from decriminalizing border crossing to providing healthcare to undocumented immigrants. We hear excerpts of Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, as well as Montana Governor Steve Bullock. Plus we speak to Erika Andiola, chief advocacy officer for RAICES, the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services. | TRANSCRIPT: | JUAN GONZÁLEZ: We're also joined by Erika Andiola of RAICES. Erika, I wanted to…
(2019-07-31). Last Night's Debate Produced a Clear Winner: Medicare for All. thenation.com Last Night's Debate Produced a Clear Winner: Medicare for All…
(2019-07-31). Sanders & Warren Fight "Republican Talking Point" That Medicare for All Is About Reducing Coverage. democracynow.org 
Ten Democratic presidential candidates took to the stage in Detroit, Michigan, on Tuesday night for the first of a two-night debate hosted by CNN. The debate began with an extended discussion on healthcare, where progressive candidates Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren defended their platforms of Medicare for all against more moderate candidates who argued this stance is political suicide. We speak with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, former Michigan gubernatorial candidate.
(2019-07-31). CNN Tried to Derail Sanders and Warren Last Night. It Failed. truthout.org | | Tuesday night's Democratic debate was a CNN-engineered center-right ambush of Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren that was so ham-fisted in its conception and execution, it could have been drawn up by Donald Trump himself. | "Is Bernie Sanders Too Extreme?" was an actual discussion topic. Zero-polling candidates like Rep. John Delaney and Sen. Amy Klobuchar were encouraged to take swipes at Medicare for All, student debt forgiveness, and other big-box ideas put forth by the two progressive fro…
(2019-07-31). Sanders Calls Out CNN for Airing Pharma Commercials During 2020 Debate. truthout.org | | It was " like clockwork." | In the middle of a heated back-and-forth on Medicare for All at the beginning of Tuesday night's Democratic presidential debate in Detroit, Sen. Bernie Sanders called out CNN for airing anti-single payer ads from the pharmaceutical and insurance industries during commercial breaks. | "By the way, the healthcare industry will be advertising tonight on this program," Sanders said after accusi…
(2019-07-31). Sanders, Warren Clash With Cautious Rivals Over 'Big Ideas'. truthdig.com DETROIT—The signature domestic proposal by the leading progressive candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination came under withering attack from moderates Tuesday in a debate that laid bare the struggle between a call for revolutionary policies and a desperate desire to defeat President Donald Trump. | Standing side by side at center stage, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren slapped back against their more cautious rivals who ridiculed "Medicare for All" and warned that "wish-list economics" would jeopardize Democrats' chances for taking the White House in 2020. | "I don't understand why anybody g…
(2019-07-31). "We Don't Want Another President Obama": Activist Urges Democrats to Reframe Immigration Debate. democracynow.org 
Democratic candidates also sparred on immigration policy, from decriminalizing border crossing to providing healthcare to undocumented immigrants. We hear excerpts of Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, as well as Montana Governor Steve Bullock. Plus we speak to Erika Andiola, chief advocacy officer for RAICES, the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services.
(2019-07-31). Sanders and Warren Defend Medicare for All From Moderates and Media. truthdig.com The two progressives team up to raise alarm at corporate advertising in America's media as well as combat attacks from fellow Democrats.
(2019-07-31). FROM THE FIELD: Turning waste into a business in the slums of Yaoundé, Cameroon. un.org The increasing volume and complexity of waste associated with modern economies is posing a serious risk to ecosystems and human health. Every year, an estimated 11.2 billion tons of solid waste are collected worldwide, according to the UN Environment Programme.
(2019-07-31). A Low-Income Clinic Voted to Unionize. That Was Just the Start of the Battle. truthout.org | | When Whittier Street Health Center unveiled its glass-sheathed, six-story, environmentally-advanced, state-of-the-art, new facility in 2012, it was seen by its Boston community as a commitment to the neighborhood and the people it serves. With brightly painted walls and expansive views across the city, it sits at the heart of Roxbury, extending an invitation of convenience and care to a population that is mostly Black or Latinx and among the poorest and least healthy in the city. | Of W…
(2019-07-31). Opioid epidemic may have cost states at least $130 billion in treatment and related expenses — and that's just the tip of the iceberg. nationofchange.org The devastating health effects of the opioid epidemic have been well documented, with over 700,000 overdose deaths and millions more affected. And Americans are learning more every day about the role drug companies and distributors played in flooding towns and cities across the country with pain pills. We know comparatively less, however, about the financial costs of the crisis. Several …
(2019-07-31). Rapidly increasing Lyme disease cases 'may be three times official estimate'. thecanary.co Cases of Lyme disease have "increased rapidly" in the UK and may be three times more common than the current annual estimate, a study of GP records suggests. | Lyme disease was found in every UK region, with Scotland having the highest number of cases, followed by the south-west and south of England. | Researchers from the UK and Germany looked at a primary care database holding anonymised records of 8.4 million people registered with GP practices between 2001 and 2012 — about 8% of the general population. | Some 4,083 cases of Lyme disease were detected among 4,025 patients, 56 of whom appeared to have bee…
(2019-07-31). Sanders scolds CNN for using Republican talking points and showing healthcare ads during #Demdebate. rt.com 
Bernie Sanders scolded CNN's Jake Tapper for using "Republican talking points" on healthcare and highlighted a potential conflict of interest in light of the network showing healthcare ads during the Democratic debate.
(2019-07-31). The fascist attack in Gilroy and the US epidemic of mass shootings. wsws.org Two processes are intersecting in the explosion of violence in America: the long-term impact of social decay and militarism, and the deliberate incitement of fascistic sentiments by President Trump.
(2019-07-31). 2nd Democratic Debate, Pt 1: Battle Over Medicare for All and Fixing Immigration (2/3). therealnews.com 
The debate allowed candidates to show how support for Medicare for All and humanity at the U.S. border are key issues in 2020. With guests Kimberly Moffit and Jeet Heer, hosted by Marc Steiner…
(2019-07-31). Florida mosquitoes are carrying a deadly BRAIN-INFECTING virus. rt.com 
A rare brain-infecting virus has been detected in Orange County, Florida, and residents have been advised to avoid mosquitoes, which carry the deadly disease.
(2019-07-31). Bernie Sanders sets the bar for radical healthcare reform with strong performance in latest TV debate. thecanary.co 
10 of the candidates running in the Democratic Party primary race went on stage on 31 July for the latest televised debate. Facing off against several establishment figures who argued for traditional centrist proposals, Bernie Sanders made waves with h…
(2019-07-31). Pramila Jayapal Frustrated by Democrats Using Medicare for All Label to Push Plans 'That Are Not Medicare for All'. commondreams.org "Any policy that uses the M4ALL name must embody these principles, not undermine them." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2019-07-31). 'I Wrote the Damn Bill': Bernie Sanders Shuts Down Tim Ryan on Debate Stage. commondreams.org Sanders was discussing his Medicare for All legislation when Ryan interrupted | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files… …
(2019-07-30). Four Immigrants Have Died at Stewart ICE Jail in Georgia. Advocates Want It Shut Down. democracynow.org 
A 44-year-old immigrant from Mexico died last week at Stewart Detention Center, one of the largest immigration jails in the United States and one that has been plagued by allegations of neglect and abuse for years. Pedro Arriago-Santoya was the fourth person to die at Stewart in just two years and the seventh person to die while in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement since October. An immigration judge had ordered Arriago-Santoya be deported in June. Instead, he was transferred to Stewart on July 10 as his removal proceedings continued. Two weeks later he was pronounced dead at a Georgia hospital.
(2019-07-30). UNICEF must triple budget to combat Ebola outbreak in DR Congo; complex crisis impacting unprecedented number of children. un.org With an unprecedented number of children affected by the Ebola virus outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Tuesday said it would need to triple its budget to tackle the complex crisis, which included intensifying the overall public health response and launching measles vaccinations.
(2019-07-30). Venezuela: Six Chavista Militants Killed in Fresh Rural Violence. venezuelanalysis.com Landowner violence continues to plague the Venezuelan countryside.
(2019-07-28). 'We are the vaccine against unilateralism': Non-Aligned Movement gathers in Venezuela to resist dictatorship of dollar. thegrayzone.com The Grayzone reports from the 2019 Non-Aligned Movement, where delegates from over 120 nations offered a crucial endorsement of Venezuelan…
(2019-07-28). New bill looks set to overturn NSW's archaic abortion law. greenleft.org.au 
A decades-long feminist campaign to remove abortion from the anti-woman NSW Crimes Act is likely to take one more step towards victory with debate on a pro-choice private members' bill to begin in state parliament on August 6. | Independent MP for Sydney Alex Greenwich introduced the Reproductive Health Reform Bill 2019 on August 1. His bill has the support of the Coalition's health minister Brad Hazzard. | This is a strong indicator that the NSW Coalition has the numbers to pass the bill, even though it will give its MPs a conscience vote (as will Labor). | The bill is being co-sponsored by MPs from th…
(2019-07-27). Poisoned for Profit: We Are Not the Agrochemical Industry's Guinea Pigs. dissidentvoice.org Environmentalist Dr Rosemary Mason has just written to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Chemicals Regulation Division (HSE) in the UK claiming that the glyphosate-based weed killer Roundup has poisoned her nature reserve in South Wales and is also poisoning people across the UK (she …
(2019-07-26). DR Congo: efforts to control Ebola epidemic continue, UN food relief agency doubles assistance to affected people. un.org With Ebola accelerating in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the UN World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Friday that it plans to scale up and double food assistance to people affected by the disease.
(2019-07-26). Eliminating hepatitis calls for 'bold political leadership, with investments to match,' UN health chief says. un.org Calling for "bold political leadership" ahead of World Hepatitis Day, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday urged countries to take advantage of recent reductions in the costs of diagnosing and treating viral hepatitis and scale up investments in disease elimination.
(2019-07-26). UN sees progress in fight against tobacco, warns more action needed to help people quit deadly product. un.org Progress is being made in the battle against the global tobacco epidemic, but more action is needed to help people quit the deadly products, according to a new report from the UN World Health Organization (WHO).
(2019-07-25). Hahnemann University Hospital closure planned: Profit vs. people's lives. liberationnews.org 
At the end of June, American Academic Health System corporation announced that they are closing Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia, which they have owned since January 2018.
(2019-07-25). This County Criminalized Students for Bad Grades — Until Now. aclu.org Today, we filed a landmark settlement that will end the relationship between the probation department and school districts in Riverside. | Since 2001, the Riverside County, California probation department has been needlessly funneling young people struggling with grades, behavior, trauma, and mental health into the criminal justice system. | This direct line to the criminal system is the product of a partnership between local school districts and the county probation department called the Youth Accountability Team (YAT). Instead of counselors or other school and community-based supports stepping in to support and…
(2019-07-23). Multinational Pharmaceuticals and Medicine: Under Fire Worldwide. uwidata.com 
The massive multinational corporations that produce the world's supply of drugs, vaccines and genetically modified organisms have been coming under increasing heavy scrutiny in recent years. These companies are in a position, thanks to their incredible resources, to influence doctors, and even nations to buy their products. They have used their wealth to push favorable …
(2019-07-12). Weekend Read: Jim Crow's fingerprints are on Florida's new voting law. splcenter.org Voting is not a privilege but a right that is essential for a healthy, well-functioning democracy.
(2019-06-19). House Casts Historic Vote to Repeal Authorization for Endless War. peaceaction.org Washington, D.C. — June 19, 2019 — In response to the House of Representatives passing H.R. 2740 (Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Legislative Branch, Defense, State, Foreign Operations, and Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2020), which includes language to repeal the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) eight months after …