Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
NBC Bay Area: Swalwell Resigns From Congress, Drops Out Of California Governor Race After Sexual Assault Allegations
A day after dropping out of the California governor's race, Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell announced Monday he is resigning from Congress. The decisions come after a former aide accused him of sexually assaulting her.
San Francisco Chronicle: New Accuser Alleges Eric Swalwell Drugged And Raped Her
A Southern California woman said Tuesday that Rep. Eric Swalwell drugged and raped her in 2018, joining several other women who have come forward in recent days with allegations of sexual misconduct by the East Bay Democrat. (Bauman and Bollag, 4/14)
CalMatters: Swalwell Exit Scrambles California Governor's Race
Because he dropped out after a statutory deadline to formally withdraw from an election, his name will still appear on the June 2 primary election ballot. That makes it possible he’ll still get some votes, but his rivals are already seeking to scoop up as many of his supporters as possible. (Kuang, 4/13)
AP: Voting For California Governor Begins In A Month. Here Are The Candidates In The Running
Democrats, who have run the state for years, are publicly agonizing over the possibility they may be shut out of the general election in November. (Nguyen, 4/13)
The Washington Post: How Eric Swalwell Rose To The Top Of Democratic Politics As Rumors Followed Him
The stunning fall has Hunt and others asking how someone who was dogged by persistent rumors of inappropriate behavior toward women similar to what she heard in 2020 could have risen so high and so fast in a party that says it supports women’s rights. (Goodwin, 4/15)
The New York Times: Gallego Dismissed Rumors Of A ‘Flirty’ Swalwell, Highlighting A Culture Of Silence
Senator Ruben Gallego, Democrat of Arizona, acknowledged on Tuesday that he had long heard rumors that Representative Eric Swalwell was “flirty” with women, but had allowed his longtime friendship with the California Democrat to cloud his judgment and never said or did anything about it. (Gold, 4/14)
The (Santa Rosa) Press Democrat: Gov. Gavin Newsom Calls Special Election To Fill Eric Swalwell’s Seat
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday afternoon that he’s calling a special election to finish the remaining months of former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s term after he resigned earlier in the day amid sexual assault allegations. (Hase, 4/14)
CalMatters: California Law Targeting Dialysis Clinics Ruled Unconstitutional
A federal appellate court struck down parts of a California law that capped the reimbursement dialysis clinics get for some patients. (Ibarra, 4/15)
The San Diego Union-Tribune: Patients Seek Answers As Technical Problems Persist At Palomar Medical Group
Patients say they have faced canceled appointments, difficulties with medical record access associated with a third-party medical records system that has come under scrutiny nationwide. (Sisson, 4/8)
The San Diego Union-Tribune: More ICE Detainees Are Being Taken To San Diego County Hospitals, Data Show
Local hospitals are treating significantly more U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees under the Trump administration, federal data show. (Sisson and Taketa, 4/13)
The San Diego Union-Tribune: Chula Vista Council To Vote On SDSU Nursing Program Lease At Millenia Library
After years of negotiations and a high-profile falling out over a separate film production program, Chula Vista is set to approve an agreement that would bring San Diego State University’s School of Nursing to the newly built Millenia Library — the city’s first formal partnership with a four-year university. (Armstrong, 4/13)
AP: Former UCLA Gynecologist Pleads Guilty To Sexual Abuse Charges
A former longtime University of California, Los Angeles gynecologist at the center of a sexual misconduct scandal that prompted the school to pay $700 million to settle hundreds of claims pleaded guilty Tuesday to sexual abuse charges and now faces 11 years in prison. The plea by James Heaps was unexpected -– earlier this year an appeals court threw out a conviction on the charges and his lawyer said it was only a matter of time before he was exonerated. Instead, the 69-year-old admitted his guilt to 13 felony counts, six of which involved sexually abusing an unconscious person. (Ding, 4/14)
Palo Alto Daily Post: Stanford Medical Professor Who Was Wrongfully Arrested Wins $58 Million Verdict
A Georgia jury has awarded $58 million to a retired Stanford medical school professor who accused a biotech firm of conspiring to have him wrongfully arrested to pressure him in a contract dispute. (4/13)
The (Santa Rosa) Press Democrat: Newsom Plan Seeks To End State Funding For Mobile Crisis Teams. Here's What That Would Mean For One Vulnerable North Bay County
The proposed shift would open a $130 million statewide funding gap many counties can't fill, threatening life-saving services for the most vulnerable residents. (Espinoza, 4/11)
Whittier Daily News: LA County Supervisors Digest New Budget, Brace For Future Federal Healthcare Cuts To Land
The county’s Department of Health Services stands to lose about $662.2 million in federal dollars next year. (Scauzillo, 4/14)
CalMatters: California Billionaire Tax Divides Liberal Democrats
The health care union behind the tax measure argues its plan is the only viable fix for federal funding cuts to Medi-Cal. But even some of the most liberal lawmakers and labor unions aren't convinced yet. (Miller, 4/9)
The San Diego Union-Tribune: San Diego Biotech Lays Off Half Its Workers After Failing Key Drug Trial
Gossamer Bio is picking up the pieces after failing to bring its only late-stage drug to market. The local biotech plans to lay off 65 San Diegans, almost half of its total workforce. (Harff, 4/13)
FiercePharma: Pfizer Closes Down 'Underutilized' Office Space In California
Pfizer is making more changes to its layout in California by stepping away from a South San Francisco office site that used to host the headquarters for its 2022-acquired Global Blood Therapeutics. The 164,150-square-foot office building on Oyster Point Blvd is closing its doors as the office space is “currently underutilized,” a Pfizer spokesperson told Fierce Pharma in an emailed statement. (Becker, 4/8)
San Francisco Examiner: SF Health Tech Companies Create Pathogen Detection System
The air-based system senses certain pathogens or allergens in the air and activates a purification and filtration response to prevent the spread of airborne diseases and is set to debut at a San Francisco school this fall as part of a multi-year study. (Gurevich, 4/13)
The San Diego Union-Tribune: Salk Scientist To Lead $41 Million Effort To Control Cells With Sound
Local researcher will work with wide range of institutions, including UCSD, Scripps Research, Duke University and MIT, to use ultrasound-based methods that could treat many diseases. (Sisson, 4/13)
CalMatters: Can Medical Malpractice Lawsuits Protect LGBTQ Youth From Conversion Therapy? This California Lawmaker Thinks So
Medical malpractice lawsuits may be one way to stop therapists from using conversion therapy on LGBTQ youth. (Hwang, 4/13)
San Francisco Examiner: State Abortion Fund Program Runs Out Of Money This Year
A program that covers the cost for low-income patients seeking reproductive health care in California will run out of money without an amendment in this year’s state budget. (Gurevich, 4/14)
Los Angeles Times: In L.A. County, Many Homeless People Enter Shelters, Only To End Up Back On The Streets
More than half the people who exit interim housing in Los Angeles County leave for the streets or unknown locations. (Khouri, 4/14)
San Francisco Chronicle: Mayor Lurie Says He's Trading S.F. Shelter Beds For Sites With More Services. Critics Aren't Convinced
The 280-bed shelter at 711 Post St. will close in March 2027, according to San Francisco’s homelessness department. It was protested when it opened in 2022. (Hodgman and Waxmann, 4/12)
San Francisco Chronicle: Measles Cases Jump In California, Led By Sacramento Outbreak
A Sacramento-area measles outbreak is fueling the state’s highest case count in years, just months into 2026. (Ho, 4/14)
San Francisco Examiner: San Francisco Sees Significant Drops In STI Cases Last Year
The number of syphilis cases dropped by 24%, chlamydia cases by 18%, and gonorrhea cases by 5% in 2025 compared with the previous year. (Gurevich, 4/14)
San Diego Union-Times: Unsafe Bacteria Levels Detected In Water At 3 Oceanside Sites
Elevated bacteria levels detected by routine testing have placed the waterfront areas around the Oceanside Municipal Pier, Buccaneer Beach, and the Buena Vista Lagoon outlet on San Diego County’s beach advisory list. (Diehl, 4/14)
Orange County Register: Park Inequality In Southern California Creates Health Risks, Especially During The Heat
Park-wise, the region has long been a land of haves and have nots. But a new study from researchers at UC Irvine and Chapman University shows that not all parks are created equal. (Mouchard, 4/12)
The (Santa Rosa) Press Democrat: Students Search For Next 'Lifeline' After Napa Valley College Cancels P.E. Class For Those With Disabilities
In February, the college decided to discontinue its adaptive physical education program, which provides a range of accessible fitness activities in a facility equipped with specially designed machines. (Mehta, 4/10)
Imperial Valley Press: New Program Plants Hope For Entrepreneurs With Disabilities In Imperial Valley
“I’m hopeful with this class that it will teach me new skills to get my business on the right path and back on track,” said participant Mary Hernandez, who owns The Wood Shed and was diagnosed with ALS a couple of years ago. (Bojorquez, 4/15)
The New York Times: ‘Ketamine Queen’ Sentenced To 15 Years In Matthew Perry’s Overdose Death
A Los Angeles woman who illegally sold the ketamine that killed the actor Matthew Perry was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison, by far the stiffest sentence yet handed to a person charged in the star’s death. The woman, Jasveen Sangha, pleaded guilty last year to five federal charges connected with Mr. Perry’s overdose: three counts of distribution of ketamine; one count of distribution of ketamine resulting in death or serious bodily injury; and one count of “maintaining a drug-involved premises.” (Morgan and Stevens, 4/8)
People: Britney Spears Voluntarily Checks Into Treatment Facility 5 Weeks After DUI Arrest
Britney Spears, 44, has entered a treatment facility following her DUI arrest last month. (Nelson, Avila and Phillipp, 4/12)
KQED: Suspect Was In Apparent Mental Health Crisis During Attack On Sam Altman’s House
The man accused of firebombing Sam Altman’s home was experiencing a mental health crisis when he attacked the OpenAI CEO’s residence and company headquarters last week, his attorneys said Tuesday. (DeBenedetti, 4/14)
The (Santa Rosa) Press Democrat: Napa's $24 Million Behavioral Health Treatment Center To Be Ready Late 2026
Construction on Napa County’s long-awaited behavioral health treatment center is set to finish in late 2026 at the county’s former reentry facility. (Booth, 4/14)
Los Angeles Times: San Pedro Neighbors Fight Plans To Build Addiction Recovery Center
The dispute underscores the potential for conflicts as non-profit groups seek to expand services to people in addiction recovery, the homeless and others. (McDonald, 4/13)
Orange County Register: Prosecutors Seek Reforms To California’s ‘Broken’ Mental Health Diversion Program
District attorneys throughout the state are pushing for legislative changes that would tighten up requirements under which a judge can grant diversion. (Saavedra, 4/12)
