Fred Thompson plans to run, officially - Los Angeles Times

Fred Thompson plans to run, officially - Los Angeles Times: "Former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee told supporters Thursday that he would formally enter the race for the Republican presidential nomination next week, with TV and Internet appearances designed to exploit the actor-politician's celebrity."

Nuñez proposes panel to redraw voting districts - Los Angeles Times

Nuñez proposes panel to redraw voting districts - Los Angeles Times: "One of California's most powerful politicians is proposing a radical new way of drawing the state's voting districts -- one that would strip lawmakers like him of the power to create 'safe' seats."

CA Assembly leader calls off vote on health care plan - SJMN

CA Assembly leader calls off vote on health care plan - SJMN: "The Democratic leader of the Assembly canceled a vote on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's sweeping health care plan Thursday, backing off from his threat to demonstrate how little support the governor's proposal has in the Legislature."

Device Firms Struggle To Find Qualified Quality Assurance Professionals - Medical Devices Today

Device Firms Struggle To Find Qualified Quality Assurance Professionals - Medical Devices Today: "Finding well-trained, highly skilled professionals to fill a variety of quality assurance (QA) positions is proving increasingly difficult for a large number of medical device manufacturers, leading some to encourage people interested in the quality profession to make more use of specialized education and certification programs."

Patent Rule Limits Applications, Impacting Device Makers' Filing Strategies - Medical Devices Today

Patent Rule Limits Applications, Impacting Device Makers' Filing Strategies - Medical Devices Today: "A highly anticipated final rule from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office puts new limits on the number of applications a company can file for any single invention, potentially requiring changes in device manufacturers' patent strategies. "

Medical Device Reports To FDA Rose 77% In 2006 - Medical Devices Today

Medical Device Reports To FDA Rose 77% In 2006 - Medical Devices Today: "The number of adverse events reported to FDA under the Medical Device Reporting (MDR) program rose last year to an all-time high, and agency staffers predict the trend will continue through 2007."

Eyes on California as Lawmakers Pursue a Health-Care Deal - washingtonpost.com

Eyes on California as Lawmakers Pursue a Health-Care Deal - washingtonpost.com: "California did not start the current wave of efforts to overhaul the American health-care system, but what happens in Sacramento over the next few weeks could have a big impact on whether the drive gains momentum or peters out."

Opinion - Fee on hospitals might be key to health care deal - sacbee.com

Opinion - Fee on hospitals might be key to health care deal - sacbee.com: "The California Hospital Association has been working behind the scenes with Schwarzenegger's staff to test different ways of applying the fee. According to the industry's analysis [on the current approach], 282 California hospitals would get more out of the exchange than they put in, while 88 would lose out on the deal."

Reps. Dingell and Stupak launch investigation into FDA's plan to outsource 322 jobs - SD Tribune

Reps. Dingell and Stupak launch investigation into FDA's plan to outsource 322 jobs - SD Tribune: "Michigan Reps. John Dingell and Bart Stupak sent a letter Friday to the FDA, requesting all documents connected with the agency's plan to consider contracting 322 jobs to private companies."

Romney to Pitch a State-by-State Health Insurance Plan - New York Times

Romney to Pitch a State-by-State Health Insurance Plan - New York Times: "Mitt Romney, an architect of Massachusetts’ universal health coverage plan, is unveiling his proposal for overhauling the nation’s health care system, calling for a state-by-state approach that he says will help millions of uninsured in this country gain access to affordable medical coverage."

AMA launches healthcare campaign - Los Angeles Times

AMA launches healthcare campaign - Los Angeles Times: "The American Medical Assn., seeking to influence the healthcare debate in the 2008 election, kicked off a three-year, multimillion-dollar ad campaign at a news conference Thursday to promote its plan to provide health coverage for the estimated 45 million people in America who lack insurance. The AMA, which represents about 250,000 physicians, proposes the use of tax credits or vouchers to help people buy health insurance. It also supports increasing federal funding for such government programs as the State Children's Health Insurance Program."

Congress' approval rating takes a sharp drop in state - sacbee.com

Congress' approval rating takes a sharp drop in state - sacbee.com: "Californians' view of Congress has dipped to its lowest level in a decade, with only a fifth of registered voters giving the Democratic-controlled House and Senate passing grades, according to a Field Poll released Thursday."

Brown mulls run for governor in 2010 - sacbee.com

Brown mulls run for governor in 2010 - sacbee.com: "Riding high on a global warming action plan he wants to take statewide, California Attorney General Jerry Brown said Wednesday he's thinking about running for governor when the job opens up again in 2010."

Schwarzenegger criticizes Democrats' health plan - Los Angeles Times

Schwarzenegger criticizes Democrats' health plan - Los Angeles Times: "Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger took a firm stand Wednesday against the Democratic healthcare proposal moving through the Legislature, saying for the first time that he would not support an expansion of medical insurance if it were financed solely by new requirements on employers."

Patent Ruling May Help Firms' Defense in Suits - WSJ.com

Patent Ruling May Help Firms' Defense in Suits - WSJ.com: "In a significant win for companies accused of patent infringement, a federal appeals court has essentially raised the bar for proving willful infringement, a finding that allows a judge to triple a damage award."

FDA Considers Outsourcing 300 Jobs - Forbes.com

FDA Considers Outsourcing 300 Jobs - Forbes.com: "The government's chief health regulatory agency is reviewing more than 300 positions in more than 20 cities to determine whether they could be performed cheaper and better by the private sector. A decision is expected next month, according to FDA documents."

Bloomberg quells presidential talk - Los Angeles Times

Bloomberg quells presidential talk - Los Angeles Times: "New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg told newsman Dan Rather in a broadcast interview that he cannot win the U.S. presidency and won't run."

California Democrats push popular vote measure - Los Angeles Times

California Democrats push popular vote measure - Los Angeles Times: "Democrats on Tuesday proposed putting on a 2008 ballot an initiative aimed at having California join the movement to elect presidents by popular vote. The initiative, if successful, also would head off a Republican effort to get some of California's electoral votes. GOP consultants have proposed a separate initiative to change California's winner-take-all system of awarding its 55 electoral votes. Under this measure, electoral votes would be awarded by how congressional districts vote, which could benefit the Republican nominee in this state with more registered Democrats."

FDA to Study Images' Impact in Drug Ads - New York Times

FDA to Study Images' Impact in Drug Ads - New York Times: "Federal regulators plan to study whether relaxing, upbeat images featured in TV drug ads distract consumers from warnings about the drugs' risks. The announcement, posted Tuesday to the Food and Drug Administration's Web site, comes a week after a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggested the agency's drug-ad enforcement has steadily declined."

Democratic legislator wins congressional seat - Los Angeles Times

Democratic legislator wins congressional seat - Los Angeles Times: "Assemblywoman Laura Richardson (D-Long Beach) defeated candidates from three parties in Tuesday's special election to capture the 37th Congressional District seat left vacant by the death last spring of Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald."

Health care system slammed - sacbee.com

Health care system slammed - sacbee.com: "In a dramatic shift in public attitudes, more than two-thirds of California voters now say they are unhappy with the health care system and increasing numbers favor a government-run system covering all state residents, a new Field Poll revealed Tuesday."

After 51-day stall, Senate OKs budget - Los Angeles Times

After 51-day stall, Senate OKs budget - Los Angeles Times: "The $145-billion budget they approved is nearly identical to the bipartisan plan passed by the Assembly on July 20 and endorsed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. It would increase spending on schools, reduce aid to the elderly and disabled, raise student fees at state universities and delay Los Angeles-area mass transit projects."

Medicare Says It Won’t Cover Hospital Errors - New York Times

Medicare Says It Won’t Cover Hospital Errors - New York Times: "In a significant policy change, Bush administration officials say that Medicare will no longer pay the extra costs of treating preventable errors, injuries and infections that occur in hospitals, a move they say could save lives and millions of dollars."

Edwards Gov't Affairs News Updates on Vacation This Week

The reader/editor (Barry) is on vacation this week, so we'll be taking a short break. Have a great week!

FDA's Retention Bonuses Rise to the Top - washingtonpost.com

FDA's Retention Bonuses Rise to the Top - washingtonpost.com: "Critics Say Money Goes to Managers, Not Scientists Coveted by Drug Firms"

Undeclared Thompson raises $3.4 million - Los Angeles Times

Undeclared Thompson raises $3.4 million - Los Angeles Times: "More than 70% of the former GOP senator's June haul comes from the South. Skeptics say it falls short of expectations."

House easily passes ethics overhaul - Los Angeles Times

House easily passes ethics overhaul - Los Angeles Times: "In the most sweeping overhaul of congressional ethics rules since the Watergate era, the House on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill aimed at curbing the influence of lobbyists and repairing Congress' corruption-sullied image."

House Passes Children’s Health Plan 225-204 - New York Times

House Passes Children’s Health Plan 225-204 - New York Times: "Over angry Republican objections, the House on Wednesday passed a sweeping expansion of the Children’s Health Insurance Program, financed with increases in tobacco taxes and cuts in subsidies to private Medicare insurance plans for older Americans."

CA State Senate fails to pass budget - Los Angeles Times

CA State Senate fails to pass budget - Los Angeles Times: "After hours of frenzied negotiations, the state Senate failed to approve a budget Wednesday, prolonging an impasse that threatens to strap the finances of schools, community colleges and healthcare programs that rely on checks from Sacramento."