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Today's Globe: swine flu pandemic, tobacco bill, public health plan

E-mail | Print | Comments () Posted by Elizabeth Cooney June 12, 2009 06:26 AM

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The World Health Organization raised its alert on swine flu to the highest level yesterday, in its first designation of a global pandemic in 41 years.

Two more Boston public schools will be temporarily shuttered because of swine flu fears, bringing the total closed during recent weeks to 15, school officials said yesterday (fourth item).

The Senate struck a historic blow against smoking in the United States yesterday, voting overwhelmingly to give regulators new power to limit nicotine in the cigarettes that kill nearly a half-million Americans a year, to drastically curtail ads that glorify tobacco, and to ban flavored products aimed at spreading the habit to young people.

"Obama and Kennedy should stick by their guns in forcing insurers to compete with a low-overhead public plan," a Globe editorial says.

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About white coat notes

White Coat Notes covers the latest from the health care industry, hospitals, doctors offices, labs, insurers, and the corridors of government. Chelsea Conaboy previously covered health care for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Write her at cconaboy@boston.com. Follow her on Twitter: @cconaboy.

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