HEALTH AND SCIENCE HIGHLIGHTS

East County News Service

March 15, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- Our Health and Science Highlights provide cutting-edge news that could impact your health and our future.

HEALTH

• House Republicans would let employers demand genetic test results (Yahoo News)
• Why a House bill wants workers' genetic information (CS Monitor)
• Deadly fungus infection that doctors have been fearing new reported in U.S. (Washington Post)
• On the heels of Zika comes its deadlier relative, yellow fever, experts warn (ArsTechnica)
• Un-Sweetened: How a Maryland County Cut Soda Sales Without a Soda Tax (NPR)

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Volkswagen Pleads Guilty in U.S. Emissions-Cheating Scandal (Bloomberg)
• Big data unites the study of stars with cancer research (BBC)
• Can giant Tesla batteries solve South Australia's energy woes? (CS Monitor)

For excerpts and links to full stories, click “read more” and scroll down.

HEALTH

House Republicans would let employers demand genetic test results (Yahoo News)

A little-noticed bill moving through Congress would allow companies to require employees to undergo genetic testing or risk paying a penalty of thousands of dollars, and would let employers see that genetic and other health information.

Why a House bill wants workers' genetic information (CS Monitor)

The legislation, if enacted, would allow employers to offer thousands of dollars in savings to workers who submit to a genetic test. But a broad group of privacy advocates warn that this could create a 'Gattaca'-like precedent.

Deadly fungus infection that doctors have been fearing new reported in U.s. (Washington Post)

early three dozen people in the United States have been diagnosed with a deadly and highly drug-resistant fungal infection since federal health officials first warned U.S. clinicians last June to be on the lookout for the emerging pathogen that has been spreading around the world.

On the heels of Zika comes its deadlier relative, yellow fever, experts warn (ArsTechnica)

Outbreaks in Brazil are raging close to urban areas that could spark another big issue.

Un-Sweetened: How a Maryland County Cut Soda Sales Without a Soda Tax (NPR)

Over three years, a campaign urged Howard County, Md., residents to pare back on sugary drinks — through ads, social media, health counseling and changes to what vending machines sold. And it worked.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Volkswagen Pleads Guilty in U.S. Emissions-Cheating Scandal (Bloomberg)

Judge sets sentencing for April 21, saying more time needed. VW had agreed to pay $4.3 billion for criminal, civil claims.

Big data unites the study of stars with cancer research (BBC)

What do the study of cancer cells and that of the stars have in common?

Can giant Tesla batteries solve South Australia's energy woes? (CS Monitor)

Desperate for a more stable energy supply, the state seems willing to give Elon Musk’s technology a try. He’ll have 100 days to deliver.