Powerful True Story Inspires Others to Seek Adventure, Turn Each Day into a Gift
Fort Wayne, IN, February 23, 2021 — Brittany Moser’s short life was not defined by how she died, but rather, by how she lived each day to the fullest and the profound impact she had on those around her. Brittany died from a rare condition, Addison’s disease, in 2017 at the age of 32. She had been a happy-go-lucky flight attendant, soaring high above reality, when her diagnosis suddenly brought her down to earth.
Rather than buckle under the weight of fear, she chose to be fearless and embarked upon the adventure of a lifetime with her best friend — her father. Free and Fearless: The Amazing Impact of One Precious Lifeis Brittany’s unforgettable story as told by her father, Philip Moser.
“This book is not about the grief of losing a child, but about making the most out of what we are given and living our lives positively and not out of fear,” Moser writes. “Brittany inspired me, an ordinary farm boy, to explore life, to climb mountains and to write a book.”
Free and Fearless is an honest, poignant account of Brittany’s legacy and the ripple effect that her outlook on life had on everyone who knew her. Philip hopes that by hearing her story, readers will be inspired by Brittany’s contagious spirit and unwavering desire for new adventures and experiences — even in the shadow of an incurable illness.
Among Brittany’s valuable life lessons that Philip shares with readers are:
1. How precious life is and how we can affect the people around us; 2. How an open mind and a positive attitude can inspire us to do things we never thought possible; 3. How to move out of our comfort zones and into a challenging existence that can turn each day into an exciting gift to be explored; 4. How to not let fear control us, and to use our abilities to seek unique, positive and inspiring adventures; 5. To embrace change as a natural part of life; 6. And finally, that we won’t be remembered by our things or our savings accounts, but by how we made other people feel.
“I want to share the same inspiration that I received for 32 years,” Philip added. “In the end, love truly does conquer all, and Brittany wanted us to know that.”
Author Philip Moser grew up on a farm in Angola, Indiana. After high school, he began working in different aspects of the grocery business, a career that continues to this day. He and his wife, Marilyn Wells, raised two incredible daughters, Camille and Brittany.
Health Canada approves DUPIXENT® (dupilumab injection) as the first biologic for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in children aged 6 to 11 years
DUPIXENT® is the only biologic medicine approved to treat atopic dermatitis for this patient population.
Fifth indication for DUPIXENT® in Canada following approvals for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adults and adolescents, severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis, and severe asthma in adults and adolescents.
For those living with atopic dermatitis, itch has the highest impact on a patient's quality of life.1
Results from a survey conducted among Canadian children with atopic dermatitis found that 70 per cent experienced loss of sleep and 30 per cent experienced anxiety due to their condition.2
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Feb. 23, 2021 /CNW/ - Sanofi Canada announced today that Health Canada has approved DUPIXENT® (dupilumab injection) for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in children aged six to 11 years whose disease is not adequately controlled with topical prescription therapies or when those therapies are not advisable.3
"As the first biologic treatment for atopic dermatitis approved for this age group, DUPIXENT® is a promising new option for treating children living with this chronic disease," says Dr. Melinda Gooderham, Dermatologist and Medical Director at the SKiN Centre for Dermatology. "Because it targets type 2 inflammation, the underlying cause of the disease, it may help young patients gain more control over their symptoms during childhood, a pivotal time in their development."
DUPIXENT® is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits the signaling of the interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-13 (IL-13) proteins and is not an immunosuppressant. Data from DUPIXENT® clinical trials have shown that IL-4 and IL-13 are key drivers of the type 2 inflammation that plays a major role in AD, asthma, and severe chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP).4
AD, the most common form of eczema, is an inflammatory disease classified by dry, itchy skin. In its moderate-to-severe form, it is characterized by rashes that can cover much of the body, and can include intense, persistent itching, skin lesions and skin dryness, cracking, redness or darkness, crusting and oozing.5 Inadequately controlled AD can have a physical, emotional and psychosocial impact, causing sleep disturbance, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and feelings of isolation.6
For children living with AD, studies showed that the impact extends beyond its physical symptoms. A survey conducted by the Eczema Society of Canada among Canadian children from infancy up to the age of 18 (and their caregivers) living with AD found that 70 per cent experienced loss of sleep due to their condition, 20 per cent missed school days and 30 per cent experienced anxiety.7 These factors can have a negative psychological impact on children, particularly in regard to their concentration and performance at school along with their willingness to socialize.8
"Atopic dermatitis is a chronic disease that has an indelible impact on all patients, both physically and psychologically, and can be devasting to children during a vulnerable time in their life," says Marissa Poole, Country Lead, Sanofi Canada and General Manager, Sanofi Genzyme Canada. "With this new indication, DUPIXENT® now has the potential to help the many Canadians who experience this disease including children, adolescents and adults."
About DUPIXENT®
Since its initial approval in 2017, DUPIXENT® remains the only biologic medicine approved by Health Canada for the treatment of patients six years and older with moderate-to-severe AD whose disease is not adequately controlled with topical prescription therapies or when those therapies are not advisable.9 DUPIXENT® is also approved in Canada for the treatment of adult patients with severe CRSwNP and for the treatment of severe asthma in patients 12 years and older.10
DUPIXENT® is jointly developed by Sanofi and Regeneron under a global collaboration agreement.
About Sanofi
Sanofi is dedicated to supporting people through their health challenges. We are a global biopharmaceutical company focused on human health. We prevent illness with vaccines, provide innovative treatments to fight pain and ease suffering. We stand by the few who suffer from rare diseases and the millions with long-term chronic conditions.
With more than 100,000 people in 100 countries, Sanofi is transforming scientific innovation into healthcare solutions around the globe.
Sanofi entities in Canada employ approximately 2,000 people. In 2018, we invested more than $127 million in R&D in Canada, creating jobs, business and opportunity throughout the country.
9 DUPIXENT® Canada Product Monograph. February 22, 2021.
10 DUPIXENT® Canada Product Monograph. February 22, 2021.
SOURCE Sanofi Canada
KAATSU and PEAR Sports Partner to Develop a Dynamic App for Recovery, Rehabilitation and Performance Benefits
The pioneer and gold standard in Blood Flow Restriction technology offers instructional app to make KAATSU equipment and protocols more accessible and easy-to-use
Newport Beach, California – February 23, 2021 –PEAR Sports and KAATSU Global have partnered to develop KAATSUfit, built by PEAR. This new app provides short videos that explain KAATSU and demonstrate effective multi-function movements and exercises for users of all ages and abilities. As the global leader in the emerging Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) market, KAATSU significantly reduces the time required for injury rehabilitation, shortens post-exercise recovery time, improves athletic performance, and enables healthful longevity. PEAR Sports, the leader in smart digital coaching technology, is pleased to develop a world-class instructional experience for users of KAATSU equipment undergoing a physical therapy or training session in the clinic, at home, or on the go. KAATSUfit is available for download on both iOS and Android from their respective app stores.
KAATSU was originally invented in Japan in 1966 by Dr. Yoshiaki Sato. The company pioneered the BFR market and remains the world’s leading automated BFR system for exercise, rehabilitation and recovery. The patented pneumatic bands and algorithms modify blood circulation in the arms and legs which results in a cascade of positive physiological effects and hormonal release. The proprietary program is supported by decades of research at top academic institutions and hundreds of peer-reviewed published studies. Its efficacy has been proven in over 20 million KAATSU sessions across 49 countries.
Steven Munatones, Co-Founder & CEO, KAATSU Global, expressed his excitement, “PEAR has created a best-in-class coaching app to make KAATSU’s patented products more usable to anyone seeking improvements in their fitness and performance as well as reducing the time to recover from workouts or to rehab from injuries. Our app will make it easier to effectively use KAATSU products and to incorporate the unique benefits of the different KAATSU modes in your workout and recovery plans. We’ve worked with Olympic athletes, paraplegics, professional football teams, and the U.S. military -- all have benefited from the original BFR system -- and now anyone can easily get up and running with KAATSUfit.”
KAATSUfit, built by PEAR focuses on getting users of all ages and abilities to properly set up and safely and effectively use KAATSU equipment. It includes demonstrations and exercises featuring Cory Keirn, Doctor of Physical Therapy and a former trainer with Major League Baseball, and Tina Newman, an inspirational KAATSU Ambassador and aesthetician, who used the program to reduce the pain of arthritis, tighten loose skin, and become exceptionally fit at 56 years of age. The demonstrations incorporate a variety of fitness equipment, like TRX® straps. The modalities range from easy to difficult, including movements for those with limited mobility and strength, to exercises used by Olympic, professional and tactical athletes.
Waynne Dartnall, President, PEAR Sports, added, “We are thrilled to continue work with the KAATSU team to develop future innovative digital solutions, including AI guided programming that will direct users to the personalized content they specifically need. We’re also looking to jointly develop new content and add even more use cases, especially for chronic care conditions like weight loss and diabetes.”
“I’m a real proponent of the KAATSU training, especially for the elderly and those recuperating from an injury,” said Dr. Joseph Mercola, an osteopathic physician and best-selling author. “After careful review, it is clear to me that the KAATSU equipment is the best BFR equipment on the market. The bands are just tight enough to allow arterial blood flow but not venous flow. This gives you the same benefit as heavy lifting without the dangers associated with heavy weights. With KAATSU, you can build muscle faster, safer and easier. It is also a wonderful tool for post-surgical rehabilitation, allowing you to regain physical function in a fraction of the time that one would normally anticipate.”
About PEAR Sports
PEAR Sports is perfecting the personalized delivery of digital health, wellness and fitness programs. Our platform and solutions deliver on-demand customized coaching that creates great experiences for customers and enterprises. To learn more about how PEAR’s digital coaching and wellness solutions can increase user engagement for your business, please visit www.pearsports.com.
About KAATSU Global
KAATSU Global pioneered the Blood Flow Restriction market and continues to be the world’s leading BFR company that offers a series of BFR equipment for hospitals and clinics as well as for the home and office. Its protocols are used by athletes of every age and ability, and its equipment is used by individuals from every walk of life, anywhere and anytime, for recovery, rehabilitation and performance. www.kaatsu.com
Let God Transform Your Brokenness into Something Beautiful
Seattle, WA, February 23, 2021 — The next time you experience failure, feel insecure or sense that you’re in over your head, embrace that moment — because it can be the turning point you need to learn and grow in wonderful new directions.
“We’re going to fail. The truth is, that’s exactly where God wants us to be so that He can grow us,” writes Christine Soule in her inspirational story, Broken and Beautiful. “The key is discovering who you are in Christ — your true identify. And that’s especially significant if you, like me, have a past of brokenness.”
Soule’s life was a jumbled pile of broken pieces. Her father was married seven times; her mother four times. Between her parents’ divorce when she was 5 years old and the day she allowed the power and presence of God into her heart, she watched her sister have an affair with her adoptive father; met 15 siblings she never knew at her biological father’s funeral; turned to drugs and alcohol; got pregnant at 17; had twins less than two years later; and became a victim of human trafficking. She had to break the cycle for the sake of her children. With nowhere else to turn, she dropped to her knees and prayed. And that’s when everything changed.
Broken and Beautiful is Soule’s remarkable story of how God took the pieces of her broken, astonishingly dysfunctional life and transformed it all into a breathtaking mosaic of joy and purpose.
“The places where you feel hopeless are exactly what He wants to redeem and fill with beauty, dignity and strength. He has a plan for your pain. A wonderful intention for your failures. A purpose for your hardest, darkest stories,” Soule writes.
Told with honesty and surprising touches of humor, Soule shares her journey from drug-addicted stripper to exuberant Jesus lover with a passion for helping others embrace God’s love. Broken and Beautiful is a raw, authentic story of hope, from a place of experience.
Author Christine Soule lives with the love of her life, Mitch Soule, in Seattle. They have five kids and three wonderful grandchildren. She is the founder and CEO of Providence Heights (www.providenceheights.org), a nonprofit created to house women and children in need and to provide counseling, education and jobs.
Let God Transform Your Brokenness into Something Beautiful
Seattle, WA, February 23, 2021 — The next time you experience failure, feel insecure or sense that you’re in over your head, embrace that moment — because it can be the turning point you need to learn and grow in wonderful new directions.
“We’re going to fail. The truth is, that’s exactly where God wants us to be so that He can grow us,” writes Christine Soule in her inspirational story, Broken and Beautiful. “The key is discovering who you are in Christ — your true identify. And that’s especially significant if you, like me, have a past of brokenness.”
Soule’s life was a jumbled pile of broken pieces. Her father was married seven times; her mother four times. Between her parents’ divorce when she was 5 years old and the day she allowed the power and presence of God into her heart, she watched her sister have an affair with her adoptive father; met 15 siblings she never knew at her biological father’s funeral; turned to drugs and alcohol; got pregnant at 17; had twins less than two years later; and became a victim of human trafficking. She had to break the cycle for the sake of her children. With nowhere else to turn, she dropped to her knees and prayed. And that’s when everything changed.
Broken and Beautiful is Soule’s remarkable story of how God took the pieces of her broken, astonishingly dysfunctional life and transformed it all into a breathtaking mosaic of joy and purpose.
“The places where you feel hopeless are exactly what He wants to redeem and fill with beauty, dignity and strength. He has a plan for your pain. A wonderful intention for your failures. A purpose for your hardest, darkest stories,” Soule writes.
Told with honesty and surprising touches of humor, Soule shares her journey from drug-addicted stripper to exuberant Jesus lover with a passion for helping others embrace God’s love. Broken and Beautiful is a raw, authentic story of hope, from a place of experience.
Author Christine Soule lives with the love of her life, Mitch Soule, in Seattle. They have five kids and three wonderful grandchildren. She is the founder and CEO of Providence Heights (www.providenceheights.org), a nonprofit created to house women and children in need and to provide counseling, education and jobs.
Dismantle Social Constructs and Discover the Life You Were Meant to Live
Las Vegas, NV, February 22, 2021 — What better way to tackle existential angst than with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia? Or perhaps a more constructive way might be to take an introspective deep-dive into the ideologies you hold as true and ask yourself, “Is this the life I chose, or the one chosen for me?”
Christina Dylag’s Tiny Little Boxes: How to Cope with Existential Dread by Way of Ice Cream and Other Means takes readers on a soul-searching journey peppered with humor, philosophical musings and plenty of ice-cream-flavored metaphors to help them uncover any preconditioned social constructs and learn to distinguish between personal fact and fiction.
“A life constructed for us by society can be satisfying for a while, but at a certain point, the tension between who we want to be and who we are becomes unbearable,” Christina writes. “We want to follow our dreams and find fulfillment. We settle instead for a destiny carved for someone else. When we search for answers in religion or romance, we are still left with a nagging sense of emptiness.”
Christina’s book delivers a vastly different approach to the world of self-help. It’s unique, funny and fresh, with a free-flowing narrative that mirrors the fluidity of a stream of consciousness. Much of the book centers on the topic of straying from the norm and carving out a new and highly individualized path.
The result is a mind-broadening nudge that gives readers permission to live, to explore, and to break the barriers of their own little boxes. This book was written to expose and unravel the ideologies that we as humans unconsciously hold as truth, Christina explains. Tiny Little Boxes delves into our predetermined belief systems and how we might reassess or re-approach our conditioned world. Beyond our inherited notions of success, the self and existence lies a more expansive sense of freedom.
Christina Dylag is a writer and co-owner of Velveteen Rabbit, an award-winning craft cocktail bar in Las Vegas which has been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bon Appetit, Saveur, Vice, Maxim, Playboy, and others. Christina is 70 percent water, roughly 30 percent sushi and a shy whisper of human form. She lives in Las Vegas and will likely be survived by her giant pet rabbit, Steve.
For more insights from the author, please visit www.Nihilisticecream.com, or follow the author on Instagram (@nihilisticecream) or on Facebook (@nihilisticecream).
Tiny Little Boxes: How to Cope with Existential Dread by Way of Ice Cream and Other Means
New Survey Reveals How the Pandemic Has Affected Our Weight
In a new study conducted by personal trainer and nutritionist Rachel Attard, we find how the pandemic has really affected women’s fitness.
Throughout the many rounds of pandemic lockdowns, we have been engulfed in the virtual world. Among the online meetings, virtual classes, and binge watching of different shows, how have we really been doing regarding exercise and nutrition? Rachel Attard conducted a survey of 2, 398 women from the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom to address that very question.
Weight Change
Overall, 36 percent of respondents gained weight, with the majority being from the U.K. and Australia. Conversely, 26.1 percent of the overall respondents managed to lose weight during lockdown (mostly from the U.K.), due to having more time to focus on exercise and proper nutrition. Additionally, of the women from the U.S., 30.8 percent claimed their weight stayed about the same, 27.9 percent gained up to 10 pounds, and 18.4 percent lost up to 10 pounds.
Nutrition
When it comes to nutrition, 25.3 percent of the women from the U.S. along with 28 percent of the women from Australia claimed that their diet had been less healthy due to snacking more frequently. However, 28.4 percent of the respondents from the U.K. reported that their eating habits were much healthier, as they had more time to cook their own meals while working from home.
Exercise
The survey also revealed that the main hardships of exercising at home were lack of motivation (25.3 percent), adjusting to maintaining an at-home routine (22.3 percent), and low energy/negative thinking along with loneliness (12.1 percent). Surprisingly, 49.7 percent of respondents said that they would not return to the gym, as they enjoy the online classes and programs from home. Also, 21.4 percent said they would not return, but because they fear places with too many people. Through these difficult times we have experienced during this pandemic, we will now see where the future of fitness will take us.
Rachel Attard
Rachel Attard is a fully qualified group fitness and personal trainer. She has a Cert III and IV in Fitness, a Bachelor of Science and a Sports Nutrition Certificate.
Her real passion is helping women discover how to live happier and healthier lives by making the right fitness and nutrition choices. Above all, she’s a real fitness enthusiast and loves to share her secrets to looking good and feeling great with any women out there who are struggling to get in shape.
BECOMING A DOCTORS’ DOCTORNew Memoir by Michael F. Myers, MD, Lays Bare theMental Health Challenges of Physicians, Highlighting the Importance of Psychological Treatment for the Medical Community
Michael F. Myers, MD has devoted his life to the mental health of fellow physicians, having cared for hundreds of physician-patients and authored multiple books. In his new memoir, BECOMING A DOCTORS’ DOCTOR, Dr. Myers offers an insider’s look at the struggles doctors face as they shoulder the social and emotional costs of serving the community, and highlights the importance of mental health treatment for medical professionals. At the same time, he offers insight and hope to anyone coping with depression in themselves or in their loved ones.
Research estimates that roughly one quarter to a third of medical students develop symptoms of depression, including suicidal thinking. Moreover, practicing physicians have higher rates of depression than the general population. “Given the stigma in medicine associated with psychiatric illness and how hard it is to trust others, including psychiatrists, with what’s happening to you, many ailing medical students and most physicians are careful or strategic about whom they consult,” explains Dr. Myers. At the same time, when one is depressed, it can be difficult to reach out for professional help. “You feel vulnerable, frightened and unworthy, and you’re often sensitive to rejection or what you might misperceive as rejection,” he writes.
Dr. Myers’ interest in helping fellow doctors began when his roommate died by suicide during their first year of medical school. That was the start of his thirty-five-year career counseling both individual physicians and doctor-couples, and developing a deep understanding of the challenges these professionals face.
In BECOMING A DOCTORS’ DOCTOR, the author details his journey with authenticity and transparency, discussing his personal experiences and sharing vignettes of treating doctors for depression, bipolar disorder, alcoholism and more, as well as helping them to manage loss – of patients, relationships, and family members. In addition, he devotes a chapter to the AIDS crisis – when doctors faced enormous losses of patients along with the risk of infection themselves, not unlike the current Covid-19 crisis. Dr. Myers also addresses the painfully difficult subject of suicide, offering a unique understanding of those who see it as a reasonable avenue out of their pain.
Throughout, the book sheds light on the institution of medicine itself – and how it has evolved when it comes to expectations regarding doctors’ mental health, as well as in regard to such issues as gender and sexual identity. “As a doctors’ doctor I have spent decades listening to chilling and heartbreaking accounts of how shunned or judged my patients have felt by their peers and the institutional rules of the profession of medicine. Those of us who treat physicians have a moral responsibility to do everything in our power to fight these destructive forces by educating, advocating and working for policy change,” writes Dr. Myers.
Engaging and compulsively readable, BECOMING A DOCTORS’ DOCTOR shines a light on a subject that is little discussed. “Physicians are no different than other people. They too are subject to life’s challenges and curveballs,” attests Dr. Myers. By understanding what doctors are facing, we can better understand ourselves – and offer the support medical professionals need to be the best caregivers they can be.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
DR. MICHAEL F. MYERS, author of BECOMING A DOCTOR’S DOCTOR, is Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and recent past Vice-Chair of Education and Director of Training in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at SUNY-Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, NY. He is the author or co-author of eight other books, including Why Physicians Die By Suicide, The Handbook of Physician Health and Doctors’ Marriages. His publications also include more than 150 articles covering such topics as marital therapy, men and reproductive technology, divorce, sexual assault of women and men, AIDS, the stigma of psychiatric illness, gender issues in training and medical practice, the treatment of medical students and physicians, boundary crossing in the doctor-patient relationship, and ethics in medical education and suicide. He has received multiple awards for excellence in teaching, and has served on the editorial boards of several medical journals. Along with his continuing clinical research, teaching and outreach in the field of suicide, Dr. Myers is a recent past President of the New York City Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Dr. Myers lectures widely throughout North America and beyond on these subjects.
New COVID-19 Research from Robert Graham Center Aims to Improve Population Health During and After Pandemic
WASHINGTON, DC — In February 2021, the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine published a special supplemental edition featuring new COVID-19 research, including five articles from the Robert Graham Center for Policy Studies in Family Medicine and Primary Care.
This latest research from the Robert Graham Center aims to improve individual and population health. both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, by enhancing the delivery of primary care. The following articles are available now:
Policy Brief: COVID-19 Timeline: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Changes and Primary Care Support Were Not Enough to Prevent Practice Losses
http://www.jabfm.org/content/34/Supplement/S7
Christian Gausvik, MD, and Yalda Jabbarpour, MD
Many scholars correctly predicted that the U.S. health care system was not prepared to effectively handle a pandemic such as COVID-19. Although the focus of the shortcomings of the U.S. health care system has been on lack of personal protective equipment and ICU capacity, the lack of support for primary care has been devastating. Surveys by the Larry A. Green Center and Primary Care Collaborative, as well as the American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network, have consistently shown that primary care practices continue to struggle financially because of the pandemic, with many laying off staff or closing their practices. Modeling analysts predict this could exacerbate primary care shortages nationwide.
Although the reasons for this financial impact are multifactorial and cannot be blamed on any single entity, researchers at the Robert Graham Center sought to understand how the timeline of policy changes by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services may have impacted primary care practices in the U.S., with a focus on reimbursement and telehealth changes.
Commentary: Site of Care for COVID-19 Like Illness
John M Westfall, MD, MPH; Anuradha Jetty, MPH; Stephen Petterson, PhD; and Yalda Jabbarpour, MD
While there are additional COVID-19 symptoms beyond upper and lower respiratory conditions, patients have historically received most of their respiratory care from primary care physicians, with family physicians caring for a majority of patients in rural and underserved areas.
Primary care physicians will likely continue to play an important frontline role in diagnosing COVID-19 infection, providing care and treatment, and offering crucial triage for patients with moderate to severe disease. Policies related to primary care payment, federal relief efforts, PPE access, testing and follow-up capacity, and telehealth technical support are essential so primary care can provide first contact and continuity for their patients and communities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic response and recovery.
Original Research: Capacity of Primary Care to Deliver Telehealth in the United States
Anuradha Jetty, MPH; Yalda Jabbarpour, MD; Matthew Westfall, BA; Douglas B Kamerow, MD, MPH; Stephen Petterson, PhD; John Westfall, MD, MPH
The COVID-19 pandemic has led many U.S. primary care practices to implement telehealth visits to keep patients at home and prevent the spread of infection in the health care setting. Given the change in care delivery, it is essential to understand what primary care services and visits could be done via telehealth. This study demonstrates that 46% (check me on that) of primary care visits could be done via telehealth modalities
However, many patients do not have access to the technology required to sustain video visits with their physician. Other reasons for demographic disparities in telehealth use include mistrust in the use of technology for obtaining care, poor health literacy, or lack of technical skills in seeking health care. This study found that patients aged 65 and older and those with chronic conditions are less likely to engage in telehealth.
These findings from the Robert Graham Center underscore the importance of patient education and training in the use of telehealth services, as well as equitable funding for telephone visits, to ensure that patients with the highest medical and social needs are not disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
Family Medicine and the Health Care System: Uniting Public Health and Primary Care for Healthy Communities in the COVID-19 Era and Beyond
John M. Westfall, MD, MPH; Winston Liaw, MD; Kim Griswold, MD, MPH, RN; Kurt Stange, MD, PhD, Larry A. Green, MD; Robert Phillips, MD, MSPH, Andrew Bazemore, MD, MPH; Carlos Roberto Jaén, MD, PhD, Lauren S. Hughes, MD, MPH, Jennifer DeVoe, MD; Heidi Gullett, MD; James C. Puffer, MD; Robin S. Gotler, MA
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed some of the greatest weaknesses in the U.S. health care system. Decades of neglect and dwindling support for public health, coupled with declining access to primary care medical services, have left many vulnerable communities without adequate COVID-19 response and recovery capacity.
A powerful proposal for a health care system that engaged primary care leadership within a broad, community public health framework was developed in the 1966 report, “Health is a Community Affair,” and updated in 2012. The report was the result of a 3-year study of healthy communities framed on the notion of “communities of solution,” defined as a group of community members who come together to address an important problem or seize an opportunity to improve health. In addition to community members, primary care clinicians, and public health professionals, communities of solution include an array of public and private partners and community-based organizations depending on the nature of the problem and the community.
The 1966 report’s visionary recommendations were only temporarily embraced and not widely implemented. However, after decades of independent effort, the COVID-19 pandemic offers an opportunity to reunite and align the shared goals of public health and primary care. Imagine how different things might look if we had widely implemented the recommendations from the 1966 report? The ideas and concepts laid out in Health is a Community Affair still offer a COVID-19 response and recovery approach. By bringing public health and primary care together in community now, a future that includes a shared vision and combined effort may emerge.
Brief Report: Not Telehealth: What Primary Care Visits Need In-Person Care?
Yalda Jabbarpour, MD; Anuradha Jetty, MPH; Matthew Westfall; John Westfall, MD MPH
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a rapid shift to telehealth, and many services that need in-person care have been delayed or avoided. The question now becomes, “What services can be performed via telehealth, and which cannot?”
Using the 2016 National Ambulatory Medical Survey, Robert Graham Center researchers estimated what proportion of visits were amenable to telehealth prior to COVID-19 as a guide. They divided services into those that needed in-person care and those that could be done via telehealth. Any visit that included at least one service where in-person care was needed was counted as an “in-person only” visit.
The researchers found that 66 percent of all primary care visits reported in NAMCS in 2016 required an in-person service. Ninety percent of all wellness visits and immunizations were done in primary care offices, as were a quarter of all pap smears. As practices reopen, patients will need to catch up on services such as these that were postponed. At the same time, the authors write, patients and clinicians now accustomed to telehealth may have reservations about returning to in-person only environment. This work serves to guide practices as they navigate how to deliver care in a post COVID-19 environment.
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The Robert Graham Center for Policy Studies in Family Medicine and Primary Care works to improve individual and population health by enhancing the delivery of primary care. The Center staff generates and analyzes evidence that brings a family medicine and primary care perspective to health policy deliberations at local, state, and national levels.
Founded in 1999, the Robert Graham Center is an independent research unit affiliated with the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). The information and opinions contained in research from the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or policy of the AAFP. Learn more about Robert Graham Center.
Jean-Guy Goulet of Pharmascience Elected Chair of Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association (CGPA)
Ray Shelley of Apotex Elected Vice-Chair
TORONTO, Feb. 22, 2021 /CNW/ - The Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association (CGPA) is pleased to announce the unanimous election of Mr. Jean-Guy Goulet, Chief Operating Officer of Pharmascience, as Chair of CGPA.
Mr. Ray Shelley, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations – Canada and Caribbean at Apotex Inc., has been unanimously elected as Vice-Chair of CGPA.
Mr. Goulet said that, given the lessons learned through maintaining Canada's prescription drug supply through the COVID-19 pandemic, strengthening the domestic industry and the global supply chain are the industry's most important and immediate priorities.
"Compared with many countries that rely solely on importing their prescription medicines, Canada is fortunate to have extensive domestic generic pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity and capabilities," said Mr. Goulet. "With generic medicines dispensed to fill 73 percent of all prescriptions in Canada the security of the nation's supply rests largely with the generic pharmaceutical industry."
The COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges and uncertainty for global supply chains in all industries, with border closures and export restrictions imposed by some countries, and significant reductions in global transportation capacity. Canada's generic pharmaceutical industry was not immune from these challenges.
Through the extraordinary efforts of Canada's generic pharmaceutical manufacturers, Canada has so far been able to avoid catastrophic shortages of medicines used in to treat COVID-19 patients and those dispensed in community pharmacies, upon which millions of Canadians rely.
As Canada remains highly dependant on international imports of generic pharmaceutical products, governments and industry need to apply the lessons being learned from the pandemic to ensure that the first priority is maintaining a stable and resilient supply of prescription medicines for Canadian patients.
"The pharmaceutical industry and supply chain are fully globalized. Regardless of where manufacturing occurs, ingredients and inputs are sourced internationally," said Mr. Shelley. "It is, however, possible to strengthen Canada's existing pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity, promote a well-functioning global supply chain, and adopt a coordinated approach to better equip Canada for future health emergencies."
Jean-Guy Goulet joined Pharmascience in 2017 as Chief Operating Officer, and has led the generic medicines commercialization activities both in Canada and abroad, as well as all activities related to production, quality, R&D and supply chain management. His career in the industry began in 1987 at Technilab Pharma, a company later acquired by ratiopharm. Mr. Goulet held various positions at ratiopharm including President of its North American Commercial Division. In 2011, he joined Watson PLC, which became Actavis in 2012. He headed Actavis for both Canada and Latin America, until they acquired Allergan in April 2015. Shortly after, Mr. Goulet became President of Actavis Canada.
Ray Shelley is the Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, Canada and Caribbean, at Apotex. Appointed in 2018, Mr. Shelley has accountability to develop and execute strategy for the Canadian and Caribbean region for the generic portfolio. Prior to this role, he served as Vice President, Sales for the Apotex generic business in Canada. A 25-year veteran of Apotex, Ray has held progressively senior positions in the company within Sales and Marketing since he joined the company in 1996.
About the Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association
The Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association (CGPA) represents Canada's generic pharmaceutical industry. The industry plays an important role in controlling health-care costs in Canada. Generic drugs are dispensed to fill more than 73 percent of all prescriptions but account for account for less than 20 percent of the $32-billion Canadians spend annually on prescription medicines.
SOURCE Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association
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