(n)SPRAVATO® (esketamine)* Nasal Spray is Available for Canadian Patients
A New Antidepressant with a Novel Mechanism of Action to Treat Major Depressive Disorder in Adults
TORONTO, July 22, 2020 /CNW/ - The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson announced today that SPRAVATO® (esketamine), following a Notice of Compliance (NOC) from Health Canada, is now available for Canadian patients. SPRAVATO® nasal spray, the first glutamate receptor modulator approved for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), is indicated for use in combination with an oral antidepressant (that is either a SSRI or SNRI**) for the treatment of MDD in adults who have not responded adequately to at least two separate courses of treatment with different antidepressants, each of adequate dose and duration, in the current moderate to severe depressive episode.
MDD is a leading cause of disability worldwide1 and can have a profound impact on peoples' lives. In Canada, about 11 per cent of men and 16 per cent of women will experience major depression in the course of their lives.2 Although currently available antidepressants are effective for many patients, the symptoms of depression in up to one-third of patients do not adequately respond to treatment.3
"Depression is a common and debilitating condition that can have a substantial impact on the emotional and functional well-being of those living with the condition as well as their loved ones. The impact of depression is most significant for those who have gone through multiple treatments without relief," said Dr. Roumen Milev, Vice President, Medical and Academic Affairs, Providence Care Hospital and Director, Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario. "In clinical trials, we saw SPRAVATO® provide a sustained improvement in symptoms of major depressive disorder. This new therapy has the potential to change the treatment paradigm for patients and their physicians."
The global SPRAVATO® clinical development program included one Phase 2 (n=108) and five Phase 3 (n=1,601) clinical trials with more than 1,700 patients. Health Canada's approval was based on two pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials; a short-term induction study and a long-term maintenance study.4
In the induction study, those who took SPRAVATO® and an oral antidepressant experienced a statistically significant improvement in depression symptoms at four weeks compared to those who received a placebo and an oral antidepressant.
Patients who participated in the long-term maintenance study who were in stable remission and continued treatment with SPRAVATO®, were 51 per cent less likely to relapse versus those who maintained a regimen of a placebo and an oral antidepressant.
"Mood Disorders Society of Canada is pleased that a new treatment option is available for adults with major depressive disorder who have failed multiple previous treatments," said Dave Gallson, National Executive Director, MDSC. "With 227 unique combinations of symptoms for someone with depression, new options that work in novel ways are essential."
To support safe and responsible use, SPRAVATO® must be administered by the patient under the direct supervision of a healthcare professional and is only available to patients through physicians and pharmacists enrolled in a controlled distribution program called the JANSSEN JOURNEY™ Program.
About Major Depressive Disorder MDD is a complex mood disorder caused by various factors, including genetic predisposition, personality, stress and brain chemistry.5 It is characterized by symptoms of a persistently low mood, changes in appetite and sleep, fatigue, loss of motivation, or feelings of worthlessness.6 It can also be associated with a substantial loss in productivity, quality of life and increased mortality from suicide.7
MDD affects more than 264 million people of all ages, globally.8 Although currently available antidepressants are effective for many patients, about one-third of patients do not adequately respond to treatment.9
About the SPRAVATO® Clinical Trial Program SPRAVATO® nasal spray was evaluated for efficacy and safety in more than 1,700 adult patients (18 to 86 years) who met DSM–5 criteria for MDD and were non–responders to at least two oral antidepressants of adequate dosage and duration, in the current major depressive episode. The development program included five Phase 3 studies (three short-term and two long-term studies) and one Phase 2 dose-ranging study.10
In the Phase 3 program, the most commonly observed adverse reaction in patients treated with SPRAVATO® plus an oral antidepressant were dissociation (involving some degree of detachment from reality), dizziness, nausea, sedation, headache, vertigo, dysgeusia, hypoesthesia, increased blood pressure, anxiety and vomiting.11
About SPRAVATO® SPRAVATO® nasal spray in combination with an oral antidepressant (that is either a SSRI or SNRI**) is indicated for the treatment of MDD in adults who have not responded adequately to at least two separate courses of treatment with different antidepressants, each of adequate dose and duration, in the current moderate to severe depressive episode. SPRAVATO® works differently than currently available therapies for MDD. It works on the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, an ionotropic glutamate receptor in the brain, which is a different mechanism of action than existing antidepressants.
SPRAVATO® builds on Janssen's more than 50-plus-year history and commitment to research that makes a difference for people living with mental illnesses, including severe mood disorders.
SPRAVATO® is self-administered as a nasal spray, under the supervision of a healthcare professional and is absorbed through the lining of the nasal passages.12
About the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson At Janssen, we're creating a future where disease is a thing of the past. We're the Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, working tirelessly to make that future a reality for patients everywhere by fighting sickness with science, improving access with ingenuity, and healing hopelessness with heart. We focus on areas of medicine where we can make the biggest difference: Cardiovascular & Metabolism, Immunology, Infectious Diseases & Vaccines, Neuroscience, Oncology, and Pulmonary Hypertension.
***Dr. Milev was not compensated for any media work. He has been compensated as a consultant.
**** Dave Gallson was not compensated for any media work. Mood Disorders Society of Canada has received funds for patient engagement.
Cautions Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding SPRAVATO®. The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Janssen Inc., any of the other Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies and/or Johnson & Johnson. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: challenges and uncertainties inherent in product research and development, including the uncertainty of clinical success and of obtaining regulatory approvals; uncertainty of commercial success; manufacturing difficulties and delays; competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges to patents; product efficacy or safety concerns resulting in product recalls or regulatory action; changes in behavior and spending patterns of purchasers of health care products and services; changes to applicable laws and regulations, including global health care reforms; and trends toward health care cost containment. A further list and descriptions of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson & Johnson's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2019, including in the sections captioned "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Item 1A. Risk Factors," and in the company's most recently filed Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and the company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov, www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson & Johnson. None of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies nor Johnson & Johnson undertakes to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments.
3 US National Library of Medicine. Pharmacological approaches to the challenge of treatment-resistant depression. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4518696/.Accessed June 19, 2020
4 SPRAVATO® Product Monograph. Janssen Inc. Version date: May 19, 2020.
6 Lam RW, McIntosh D, Wang J, et al. Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) 2016 Clinical Guidelines for the Management of Adults with Major Depressive Disorder: Section 1. Disease Burden and Principles of Care. Can J Psychiatry. 2016;61(9):510-523
7 Bakish, D. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. New Standard of Depression Treatment: Remission and Full Recovery. J Clin Psychiatry. 2001;62 Suppl 26:5-9
9 US National Library of Medicine. Pharmacological approaches to the challenge of treatment-resistant depression. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4518696/.Accessed June 19, 2020
10 SPRAVATO™ Product Monograph. Janssen Inc. Version date: May 19, 2020.
11 SPRAVATO™ Product Monograph. Janssen Inc. Version date: May 19, 2020.
12 SPRAVATO™ Product Monograph. Janssen Inc. Version date: May 19, 2020.
Social Publisher Accused of Locking Accounts of Jewish users for Star-of-David Profile Pics Las Vegas, Nevada – Parler, the People-driven social platform, took the occasion of Twitter being accused of locking the accounts of multiple Jewish users who featured images of the Star of David in their profile pictures, to voice its support for users displaying the Star of David, as well as other religious symbols, as symbols of love. According to stories in the Jerusalem Post, Israel National News, and The Yeshiva World, Twitter said the accounts’ displays of “hateful imagery” had violated the publishers’ Terms of Service.
According to the Jerusalem Post, holders of the locked accounts received the following message from the social media publisher: “We have determined that this account violated the Twitter Rules. Specifically for: Violating our rules against posting hateful imagery. You may not use hateful images or symbols in your profile image or profile header. As a result, we have locked your account."
Users were reportedly told to delete the images in order for their accounts to be restored.
The images in question ranged from a white Star of David in a graffiti style, to a superimposition of the modern blue star on the flag of Israel spliced with the yellow star Jews were forced to wear by the Nazis, to a montage of yellow stars. “The Star of David has been for almost two centuries a symbol of Judaism and Jewish identity for a people who were stateless,” said Parler Strategic investor Jeffrey Wernick. “For me as a Jew, it symbolizes my love for Judaism, which does not conflict in any way with my love for my nation and my love for humanity. To designate it, if the allegations are true, as a hateful image, is not only an act of hate but also likely libelous and slanderous. The desire to remove a symbol of my Jewish identity as “hateful imagery” is, to me, no different than the desire to remove me as hateful just because I am Jewish. And this is true whether I display it physically or not.” The Star of David has no official biblical authority, but became an important symbol of Jewish people living in the diaspora, and was universally adopted as a symbol of the Jewish People hundreds of years ago. The Star took on even greater significance as a symbol of heroism and sacrifice following the Holocaust and the founding of Israel as a Jewish State.
Twitter has a checkered history concerning anti-semitism. In 2015, the publisher allowed #killalljews to trend on its site. The hashtag is still searchable on Twitter. More recently, the publisher allowed #JewishPrivilege to trend, and the hashtag attracted many anti-semitic tweets.
Parler was founded in 2018 and has over 2.7 million users. The platform is committed to free speech, does not mine or sell user data, and does not censor content based on politics or ideology. Parler continues to stand with the People and against Technocronyism.
Nexelis Acquires Integrated Bioanalytical CRO AIT Bioscience
LAVAL, QC and INDIANAPOLIS, July 22, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - Nexelis, a portfolio company of Ampersand Capital Partners and a leading provider of advanced assay development and laboratory testing services in the infectious, oncologic, and metabolic diseases fields, is pleased to announce its acquisition of AIT Bioscience.
Located in Indianapolis and founded 25 years ago, AIT Bioscience is an integrated bioanalytical laboratory with LC-MS and immunoassay testing capabilities which operates a paperless FDA-inspected facility supported by state-of-the-art electronic systems.
Commenting on the news, Benoit Bouche, Nexelis President and Chief Executive Officer said, "this is our fourth acquisition since 2018 and we are excited for AIT Bioscience to join the Nexelis growth story. AIT Bioscience has a scientifically strong team and operates within a geography that we see as an attractive location for future growth. AIT Bioscience's advanced testing capacity will help Nexelis further bolster its service offering in the bioanalytical segment and maintain competitive lead and turnaround times."
Tim McGrath, Nexelis' Chief Operating Officer who will oversee the Indianapolis operations, added, "I am happy and proud to have the responsibility to lead this new addition to Nexelis. This is an opportunity for me to work with experienced individuals, some of whom I have known for years. I am also excited to add large molecule mass spectrometry as a new service offering at Nexelis as this is a growing area where we now offer unique and specialized expertise."
The acquisition of AIT continues what has been a busy year at Nexelis. The company acquired Belgium-based immunogenicity and immune-oncology specialist ImmunXperts in March and has initiated a number of strategic partnerships to support the development of COVID-19 and other vaccines and biologics with global pharmaceutical companies and leading institutions such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and CEPI.
About Nexelis
With unrivaled expertise in immunology, and operating sites in North America (East and West Coast) and Europe, Nexelis is a leading provider of assay development and advanced laboratory testing services in the infectious diseases, metabolic diseases, and oncology fields. Our versatile team of scientists, working with our advanced technology platforms, were instrumental in the development, qualification, validation, and large-scale sample testing of assays that supported the FDA filing of almost 100 new molecular entities, including blockbuster vaccines, anti-viral drugs, and immunotherapy, gene and cell therapy products. For more information, please visit www.nexelis.com
About Ampersand Capital Partners
Founded in 1988, Ampersand is a middle-market private equity firm dedicated to growth-oriented investments in the healthcare sector. With offices in Boston and Amsterdam, Ampersand leverages its unique blend of private equity and operating experience to build value and drive superior long-term performance alongside its portfolio company management teams. Ampersand has helped build numerous market-leading companies across each of our core healthcare sectors, including Brammer Bio, Confluent Medical, Genewiz, Genoptix, Talecris Biotherapeutics, and Viracor-IBT Laboratories. For more information, please visit www.ampersandcapital.com
SOURCE Nexelis
Hannah’s War: The Story Of The Remarkable Woman Who Won The Race To Develop The Atomic Bomb
Los Angeles, CA, July 22, 2020 ̶ With Hannah’s War, her debut novel, award-winning screenwriter and film director Jan Elias berg wanted to give an unsung, brilliant female scientist her due. Eliasberg’s re-imagining of the race to build the atomic bomb brings cinematic scope, unforgettable imagery, pitch-perfect dialogue, and rich, complex characters to a compelling story full of action and unexpected plot twists.
Based on the life and genius of Jewish-Austrian physicist Lise Meitner,Hannah’s Waris Eliasberg’s nuanced answer to those and other important questions about scientific discovery, patriotism, morality, love, and loyalty. In giving voice to Dr. Meitner’s experiences, Eliasberg wanted to correct the historical record and to enable her own daughter and her peers to see that “history is filled with remarkable women of towering achievement and of deep humanism; we need only look beyond the authorized texts to see them. I wrote to shine a light on one of these women, and I hope Hannah’s War will be a beacon for all women.”
In 1945, Dr. Hannah Weiss, an Austrian-Jewish physicist, is removed from her essential work with the Critical Assemblies Team at the Los Alamos National Laboratories and is taken for interrogation. Major Jack Delaney, a rising star in the shadowy world of military intelligence, is convinced that someone in the Top-Secret Manhattan Project is a spy; the captivating, brilliant and mysterious female scientist soon becomes his primary suspect.
As World War II reaches its crescendo, the Allies and the Germans are racing to complete and test the atomic bomb — a weapon powerful enough to end WWII and, perhaps, all future wars. A weapon that, in the wrong hands, could destroy the world. As Jack questions Hannah about her involvement with the infamous Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin ten years earlier, and her apparently friendly relationships with high-ranking members of the Nazi party, he slowly becomes seduced by her intelligence and quiet confidence. Is Hannah a Nazi spy, or is she protecting a far more personal and dark secret of her own? When Jack finally uncovers the truth about her life in Berlin before the war, Hannah must compromise her political allegiance, and choose between two lovers, and two versions of history.
A vivid, page-turning and inspiring re-imagination of the final months of World War II, and the brilliant researchers behind the first atomic bomb, Hannah's War is an unforgettable love story about an exceptional woman, and the dangerous power of her greatest discovery.
In writing Hannah’s War, Jan Eliasberg wanted to remind the world that history is filled with remarkable women of towering achievement and of deep humanism; we need only look beyond the authorized texts to see them. By shining a light on one of these women, she hopes this story will be a beacon for all women to live not only with authenticity and pride, but also with the support and acknowledgement of the wider world.
Jan Eliasberg’s prolific career includes writing and directing dramatic pilots for CBS, NBC, and ABC. She was hand-picked by Michael Mann as the first woman to direct Miami Vice and Wiseguy; as well as countless episodes of TV series, including Thirteen Reasons Why,Bull, Nashville, Parenthood, The Magicians, Blue Bloods, NCIS: Los Angeles, Supernatural, and numerous others. Her debut feature film Past Midnight, starred Paul Giamatti, the late Natasha Richardson, and the late Rutger Hauer. Throughout her tenure as a celebrated screenwriter, Eliasberg has written films driven by strong female leads, including Fly Girls about the Women Air Service Pilots in World War II for Nicole Kidman and Cameron Diaz.
Eliasberg received her B.A. from Wesleyan University, Magna Cum Laude, and holds
MFAs from the Yale School of Drama in Directing and the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson in Fiction. A native New Yorker, Eliasberg currently lives in New York City.
Hannah’s War: A Novel
Back Bay Books
ISBN: 9780316537445
###
Bradford Professor appointed to UNESCO bodyProf Mahendra Patel will deliver ‘first of its kind’ webinar to global experts
22 July 2020 A Bradford professor has been appointed as Faculty and Teaching Member to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's (UNESCO's) Department of Education's International Programme of the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics.Visiting Honorary Professor Mahendra Patel, from the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Bradford, is also a national board member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and International Fellow of the Indian Pharmaceutical Association.He was appointed to the new role in April but began working with UN organisation’s international programme this month, as a panel of esteemed global leaders in the world of pharmacy in helping to deliver its 16th webinar and the first of its kind to involve pharmacy.In his role as Teaching Faculty Member, he will be leading on pharmacy bioethics in the International Programme of the Department of Education of the UNESCO Chair of Bioethics Australia Asia Pacific Division.Professor Patel, who lives in Wakefield, described the appointment as a “great privilege and honour” and said he wanted to use the position in the first instance to help highlight at an international level the ethical issues faced by the pharmacy profession in responding to Covid-19.He recently conducted a tour of mosques and other venues in Batley and Dewsbury in a bid to make people aware of the dangers of coronavirus.He said: “The appointment is not something I have shouted about but it’s a significant role in terms of the level of influence it brings and the ability to reach a global audience. Part of my national work at the moment is largely focused around educating people in relation to Covid-19, particularly those from BAME and underprivileged communities, where I think we need to be much more proactive in terms of effectively engaging with people from various religious and cultural backgrounds.“We need to provide culturally competent and targeted education to these communities, advising and supporting them on how and what they can do better to minimise the risks of catching coronavirus. This means more testing and closer working with the various communities to ensure they have the trust and confidence to engage with us as healthcare professionals about the health status of individuals. It’s about building a genuine and meaningful relationship with those higher risk groups and overcoming the cultural, language and behavioural barriers which exist - and there’s a way to do that.”Prof Patel said he was advocating the wider “mobilisation” of local pharmacists to help “build bridges between communities and government health advice”, with a view to improving people’s health in general and reducing health inequalities.Prof Patel’s appointment will last until 2023. Pictures show: Visiting Honorary Professor Mahendra Patel, from the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Bradford, who has been appointed to a UNESCO body. Credit: University of Bradford
Rexall to Offer PrescribeIT® National e-Prescribing Service
TORONTO, July 22, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - Rexall Pharmacy Group Ltd. (Rexall) and Canada Health Infoway (Infoway) are pleased to announce that PrescribeIT®, Infoway's national e-prescribing service, will soon become available in more than 250 Rexall pharmacies across Canada.
PrescribeIT® enables prescribers and pharmacists to electronically create, receive, renew and cancel prescriptions, while improving overall patient care through secure clinician messaging.
"Rexall is an important addition to the PrescribeIT® roster of partners and we are very pleased to have them on board," noted Jamie Bruce, Executive Vice President, Canada Health Infoway. "Together we can help improve patient care through more effective medication management."
"At Rexall, we strive to build partnerships aimed at providing our pharmacists with innovative solutions to help improve overall patient care," said Nicolas Caprio, President, Rexall. "PrescribeIT® is a great opportunity for us to continue strengthening our digital offering, allowing pharmacists and physicians to increase their communication and ultimately positively impact patient health."
In anticipation of the agreement, Rexall has already introduced the service in key locations in Ontario, Alberta and New Brunswick. Additional sites will start to offer PrescribeIT® starting in the next several weeks.
About Canada Health Infoway Infoway helps to improve the health of Canadians by working with partners to accelerate the development, adoption and effective use of digital health across Canada. Through our investments, we help deliver better quality and access to care and more efficient delivery of health services for patients and clinicians. Infoway is an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government. Visit www.infoway-inforoute.ca/en/.
About PrescribeIT® Canada Health Infoway is working with Health Canada, the provinces and territories, and industry stakeholders to develop, operate and maintain the national e-prescribing service known as PrescribeIT®. PrescribeIT® will serve all Canadians, pharmacies and prescribers and provide safer and more effective medication management by enabling prescribers to transmit a prescription electronically between a prescriber's electronic medical record (EMR) and the pharmacy management system (PMS) of a patient's pharmacy of choice. PrescribeIT® will protect Canadians' personal health information from being sold or used for commercial activities. Visit www.prescribeit.ca.
About Rexall Pharmacy Group Ltd. With a heritage dating back over a century, Rexall is a leading drugstore operator with a dynamic history of innovation and growth, dedicated to caring for Canadians' health…one person at a time. Operating over 400 pharmacies across Canada, Rexall's 8,500 employees provide exceptional patient care and customer service. Rexall is part of the Rexall Pharmacy Group Ltd. and a proud member of the global McKesson Corporation family. For more information, visit rexall.ca. Follow us on Twitter: @RexallDrugstore, on Instagram at @RexallDrugstoreOfficial and on Facebook at @RexallDrugstore.
Aritzia Wraps Up Gifting 100,000 Healthcare Heroes With Community™ Relief Clothing Packages
VANCOUVER, BC, July 22, 2020 /CNW/ - Aritzia Inc. ("Aritzia") announces the wrap up of the Aritzia's Community™ Care Program today with a total of 100,000 frontline healthcare heroes having been gifted Community™ Relief Packages through the popular initiative. The program, launched in early May, recognized and thanked frontline healthcare workers in every Canadian province and territory and select locations in the United States with custom-designed clothing packages (leggings and t-shirts) to support their fight against COVID-19.
Over the past three months, 100,000 licensed doctors, nurses, health care aides and respiratory therapists caring for COVID-19 patients in hospitals, assessment centres or long-term care homes have been gifted Community™ Relief Packages.
"When the pandemic began, our goal was to do something that our frontline healthcare heroes truly needed. As a fashion company, providing custom clothing to help prevent the spread of the virus, was something we knew we could help with" said Brian Hill, Aritzia founder and CEO. "The positive response has been overwhelming and we're grateful from the bottom of our Aritzia Hearts for our health care heroes' unwavering commitment and tireless efforts."
Loyal Aritzia customers also helped extend the gifting program by purchasing their own Community™ Sponsor custom clothing package on aritzia.com, where every customer package purchased funded the gifting of additional clothing packages to healthcare heroes.
While the online gifting of Community™ Relief Packages has now finished, Aritzia continues its efforts to support both frontline healthcare workers in the face of the virus. A limited number of exclusive Community™ Sponsor clothing packages remain available for purchase at aritizia.com, with each package generating more gifting packages to frontline healthcare workers.
In addition, Aritzia has designed custom reusable protective face masks for the general public as COVID-19 protective measures evolve and demand grows. Late last week Aritzia launched a branded Community™ Adjustable Face Mask, which has quickly become popular among clients. The mask, which retails for $10, is made with breathable cotton poplin or linen, comes in myriad colors and is adjustable to comfortably fit the face's natural contours.
ARITZIA GIVING
The Community™ Care Program is an extension of Aritzia's overall commitment to organizations that help women and girls succeed at work and in life. Aritzia does so through three pillars of impact: poverty alleviation, mentorship and job readiness. To-date, Aritzia has contributed more than $32 million in product donations, financial support and volunteer hours to non-profits and Aritzia Community™ partners that share its values. This has positively impacted more than 325,000 women. For additional details on Aritzia's giving program visit https://www.aritzia.com/en/aritzia/corporate-responsibility/sustainability-communities.html.
ARITZIA X GOOD360
Aritzia is proud to have built a multiple year partnership with Good360. Good360 has managed Aritzia's seasonal product donation program in the United States since 2018, including the recent gifting of frontline healthcare custom clothing packages. Learn more at https://www.good360.org.
ABOUT ARITZIA
Aritzia is an innovative design house and fashion boutique. We conceive, create, develop and retail fashion brands with a depth of design and quality that provides compelling value. Each of our exclusive brands has its own vision and distinct aesthetic point of view. As a group, they are united by an unwavering commitment to superior fabrics, meticulous construction and relevant, effortless design.
Founded in Vancouver in 1984, Aritzia now has more than 95 locations in select cities across North America, including Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago. We pride ourselves on creating immersive, human and highly personal shopping experiences, both in our boutiques and on aritzia.com — with a focus on delivering Everyday Luxury.
ASRM Task Force Announces Plans for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Reproductive Medicine
July 21, 2020 -Washington, DC- The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) is passionately committed to promoting diversity within our membership and leadership, and promoting access to quality reproductive care for all patients without regard to race or ethnicity. We know that, not only does racism interfere with the ability of individuals to access proper and equal medical care, it also represents a pervasive barrier to educational, economic, and social success.
As codified in our mission and values statement, ASRM values and prioritizes integrity and inclusivity. As part of our continued and unambiguous commitment to diversity and inclusivity, we have established a task force to address and produce tangible recommendations on how to best address health disparities and non-inclusivity in our field and organization.
To address these issues, ASRM has appointed the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force, which will be chaired by Board Member Dr. Michael A. Thomas. “I am honored to be the Chair of the ASRM Diversity, Equity and Inclusion task force,” Dr. Thomas stated. He continued, “This is an important committee that will make recommendations to the ASRM President, Board of Directors and CEO on how we can put initiatives in place to have a more diverse workforce in reproductive medicine; and how to decrease the barriers that prevent women of color from starting a family or continuing family building."
The Task Force is charged with:
Enhancing opportunities to increase and support diversity and equity, and the inclusion of underrepresented minority populations, in the profession and leadership of reproductive medicine; and
Reducing and eventually eliminating health disparities in access to and outcomes from reproductive care.
Members of ASRM’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Taskforce include:
Michael A. Thomas, MD (Chair) Professor and Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
Tia Jackson-Bey, MD, MPH Reproductive Endocrinologist, Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York Assistant Clinical Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Janetta Darno, SPHR Chief Diversity Officer, UC Health
Mikesha Middlebrook, RN, BSN Director of Nursing, Atlanta Center for Reproductive Medicine
Ruben Alvero, MD Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University
Camille T.C. Hammond, MD, MPH CEO and Co-Founder, The Cade Foundation
Kim Thorton, MD Reproductive Endocrinologist; Clinical Professor, Boston IVF and Harvard Medical School
Mark Leondires, MD Founder, Medical Director, and Partner in Reproductive Endocrinology Reproductive Associates of Connecticut (RMACT) and Gay Parents to Be (GPTB)
Yanett Anaya, MD Reproductive Endocrinologist, University of California, San Francisco
Morine Cebert, PhD, FNP-C National Clinicians Scholars Program Post-Doctoral Fellow, The University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine
Arthur Chang, PhD, HCLD/ELC/CC Professor and Director, ART Labs Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Health Science Center
LTC Torie Comeaux Plowden, MD, MPH, FACOG Medical Center Chief, Ob/Gyn Department Womack Army Medical Center
Jennifer M. Wood RN, BSN Clinical Education and Operations, Shady Grove Fertility
The Task Force will provide recommendations to the ASRM President, Board of Directors (BOD), and CEO regarding enhancing opportunities to increase and support diversity and equity, and inclusion of underrepresented minority populations, in the profession and leadership of reproductive medicine; and reducing, with the goal of eventually eliminating, health disparities in access and outcomes to reproductive care.
Timely recommendations to ensure ASRM remains on the cutting edge of nationwide diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives will be based on a thorough review of ASRM policies related to diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as ASRM policies on health disparities and inclusion in the care of our patients.
President, Dr. Catherine Racowsky, stated “ASRM values inclusion and diversity in all aspects of our operations.” She continued, “As part of the global community, we cannot divorce ourselves from the reality that many of our members and patients are facing today. Nor would we want to.”
To learn more about the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force, click here.
About ASRM
For almost a century, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) has been the global leader in multidisciplinary reproductive medicine research, ethical practice, and education. ASRM impacts reproductive care and science worldwide by creating funding opportunities for advancing reproduction research and discovery, by providing evidence-based education and public health information, and by advocating for reproductive health care professionals and the patients they serve. With members in more than 100 countries, the Society is headquartered in Washington, DC, with additional operations in Birmingham, AL. www.asrm.org
Leave Your Past Behind And Enjoy A Freedom You Never Imagined
Los Angeles, CA, July 21, 2020 — How do you let go of your past when it follows you wherever you go? Is it even possible to move beyond your darkest moment and live the life you were meant to live?
Linda A. Olson, an international bestselling author, reveals the answer in her newest release, Transform Your Story: Letting Go of the Past When it Won’t Let Go of You.
“The question isn’t whether you can enjoy freedom and inspiration every day, it’s claiming the gift available to you and using the tools to embrace it,” she explains.
Transform Your Story shares with compelling honesty a tragic accident in 1966 that forever defined Olson’s life. The valuable lessons she learned during her 45-year-long journey of self-forgiveness will empower readers with strategies to help them transform their own stories and enjoy freedom, peace and inspiration every day.
In Transform Your Story, readers will discover:
The number one tool to letting go of the past and embracing a new freedom
Simple secrets to going from stuck in your story to unstoppable
Tools to set you free when you feel like you’re going down
The power of breakthrough and how to get it
How to find answers when there are only questions
Transform Your Story is a must read for anyone who wants to enjoy complete freedom from their past so they can empower their future and do what they have been called to do. Tucked inside the book are tools valued at over fifteen hundred dollars to help you transform your story. One story, one transformation could impact millions. Why not yours?
Linda Olson is the go-to story expert who helps authors, speakers and entrepreneurs impact millions with their stories. She is a TEDx speaker, multiple bestselling author and founder of Wealth Through Stories.Her mission is “To Impact a Million People a Year Through Story.” Linda and her husband, Rick, reside in sunny California. They enjoy their two married daughters and their spouses and five adorable grandchildren, who are the best part of their story.
New Study from Ipsos Shows 82% of Consumers Concerned that Relaxed Health & Safety Protocols at Brick-and-Mortar Retail will Lead to COVID-19 Resurgence
Ipsos Mystery Shoppers gearing up to conduct thousands of in-store visits at retailers across the U.S. — from Trader Joe’s to Walmart and 7-Eleven to Taco Bell — to gauge which brands are successfully implementing health and safety measures and which ones are not.
New York, NY, July 17, 2020 — Today, Ipsos, the global research firm, revealed new data from their Consumer Health & Safety Index: a health and safety benchmarking study introduced in May that evaluates how retailers across five industries are operating amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ipsos first surveyed 2,000 Americans in May to understand which health and safety attributes are most important to consumers in the current COVID-19 retail environment. Now, with spikes of cases happening across the country, Ipsos recommissioned the survey during the first week of July, with new data revealing that consumers are even more concerned about their safety than they were in May.
“Wave 1 of the Consumer Health and Safety Index revealed that brands could be doing more to keep Americans safe. For example, 82% of stores audited across 45 national brands did not have hand sanitizing options available at or near checkout,” said Nick Mercurio, Executive Vice President and service line head of U.S. Channel Performance at Ipsos.
“Consistent and visible execution of health and safety protocols drives consumers to return to stores. The second wave of our Index will help brands measure where they stand against evolving consumer expectations, benchmark against competition, and take action to ensure the health and safety of their customers and employees.
Key Findings from the July Consumer Study:
More than ever customers are eager to see visible efforts from retailers to implement health and safety protocols. As the pandemic reaches the six-month mark in the U.S., there has been a slight dip in confidence from customers, weary of how things will continue. But, customers who feel businesses are adhering to responsible precautions are willing to return, and – as long as retailers are consistently implementing those safety measures – consumers will eventually find their way back to pre-pandemic normalcy:
Grocery remains the most trusted industry across those measured, with 25% of consumers saying they trust grocery retailers the most for its health and safety protocols.
29% of consumers would stop shopping a retailer altogether if they knew the brand was not implementing health and safety measures.
27% of consumers would pay up to 10% more for products at stores they feel are doing a superior job ensuring their customers’ health and safety.
94% of consumers say that “stores that are doing a good job in health and safety compliance will earn my business.”
Trust is highest among retailers that are making visible efforts in their stores to implement health and safety protocols, including clear reminders and signage, employees actively cleaning, and clear investments from the brand including company issued employee safety equipment.
While 25% of consumers say they trust the grocery industry the most, grocery also ranks highest in implementation with 32% of consumers ranking grocery as “best at implementing health and safety protocols.”
Pharmacy ranks second on trust, whereas wireless stores, quick service restaurants, and gas stations are ranked lowest by consumers on both trust and implementation.
Health and safety protocols remain the most important factor for returning to a store, increasing in importance from 42% in May to 48% in early July.
Similar to the first installment of the Consumer Health & Safety Index, Ipsos will be conducting mystery shops that measure brand compliance to health and safety attributes across major U.S. brands, including but not limited to:
As a leading market research and mystery shopping firm, Ipsos is launching the second wave of the Consumer Health & Safety Index: a health and safety benchmarking study that helps you:
Measure: Measure your brand’s performance against current consumer expectations via mystery shops.
Benchmark: Benchmark your brand against industry & cross-industry standards.
Take Action: Access your brand’s site-level compliance data so you can take action and improve.
The study is designed in two stages:
Stage 1: Ipsos has conducted a survey of 2,000 Americans between July 7th and 8th to understand which health and safety attributes are most important to consumers in the current retail environment.
Stage 2: Ipsos will now conduct mystery shops to measure brand compliance to these health and safety attributes across 25+ brands in 4 key industries to report on their performance. A random sample of 125 locations per brand will be audited during this study, while ensuring geographical representation and a margin of error of 5-7%. While the results presented in the study have a 90% confidence level, observations contrary to the findings reported in the study may be found at individual locations and should be used as an opportunity to further improve the customer experience at these locations.
For more information on this news release, please contact:
Ipsos is now the third largest market research company in the world, present in 90 markets and employing more than 18,000 people.
Our research professionals, analysts and scientists have built unique multi-specialist capabilities that provide powerful insights into the actions, opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients, customers or employees. Our 75 business solutions are based on primary data coming from our surveys, social media monitoring, and qualitative or observational techniques.
“Game Changers” – our tagline – summarizes our ambition to help our 5,000 clients to navigate more easily our deeply changing world.
Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos is listed on the Euronext Paris since July 1st, 1999. The company is part of the SBF 120 and the Mid-60 index and is eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service (SRD).
