Health and Medicine

By Pam Belluck - Published: 12:00 am

A federal judge on Friday ordered that the most common morning-after pill be made available over the counter for all ages, instead of requiring a prescription for girls 16 and younger. But his acidly worded decision raises a broader question about whether a Cabinet secretary can decide on a drug's availability for reasons other than its safety and effectiveness.

Flu season not so bad in Sacramento region

By Cynthia H. Craft - Updated: 8:52 am

While the nation crumpled under waves of flu viruses this year, the Sacramento region fared far better, with only a mild increase over last year's influenza rate, county officials said Thursday.

Q&A: McGeorge elder law fair can answer seniors' financial, health questions

By Anita Creamer - Updated: 8:57 am

At the McGeorge School of Law's first senior financial and health safety fair Saturday, experts as well as volunteers from the school's elder law clinic will address older adults' concerns about financial abuse.

Dementia care's cost exploding

By Pam Belluck - Published: Thursday, April 4 2013 - 12:00 am

The most rigorous study to date of how much it costs to care for Americans with dementia found that the financial burden is at least as high as that for either heart disease or cancer, and is probably higher. And both the costs and the number of people with dementia will more than double in 25 years, skyrocketing at a rate that rarely, if ever, occurs with a chronic disease.

Health calendar events

Published: Thursday, April 4 2013 - 12:00 am

TODAY - "Five Tools for Weight Loss Success," with certified weight and wellness coach Pamela Perkins. 6-7 p.m. 3412 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento. Free

Inside medicine : The danger of 'inattentional blindness'

Published: Thursday, April 4 2013 - 12:00 am

Jane's worsening migraine headaches over several months brought her to the doctor's office.