Fitbod Reports Bodyweight-Only Home Workouts Ramping up Quickly, Especially Among Millennials
SAN FRANCISCO (April 2, 2020) – Fitbod (https://fitbod.me), the popular iOS app that uses advanced data analytics to generate personalized workouts, has analyzed its workout trends. The company reports that since the COVID-19 outbreak, Fitbod’s bodyweight-only workouts routines, designed for working out at home, have become increasingly popular. Since March 1 more than 73% of new Fitbod users are setting up bodyweight-only profiles. Bodyweight-only workouts can be very effective and use only the user’s body weight for resistance, and no special equipment is needed. Fitbod observed that during the past two months, an increasing number of users are choosing Fitbod’s bodyweight-only feature to continue working out at home. To assist people in staying fit during this period, Fitbod is offering free bodyweight-only workouts through April. After downloading the app from the Apple Store, or at https://fitbod.me/coronavirus, they can choose “bodyweight-only” when configuring their user profile, and there will be no charge for using the app. “Two key takeaways from our data are first, that bodyweight-only routines and use of small equipment are growing in popularity, especially among intermediate and advanced level users—in other words, those who are most likely to want to keep in shape during this shelter-in-place period,” said Allen Chen, Fitbod CEO. “Secondly, the age group that has increased its use of our bodyweight-only feature the most is the 25 to 34-year old group, followed by the 18 to 24-year old group. We need to encourage folks over the age of 34 to pay more attention to their fitness, and these bodyweight-only exercises can be very helpful. During this COVID-19 pandemic—and afterward, of course—keeping one’s strength up is important to overall health.” In the two-month period from January 19 to March 19, the percent of all Fitbod users choosing bodyweight-only workouts rose from 18% to 61%, more than a three-fold increase. Much of the increase has taken place in March, when concern about the coronavirus has substantially risen. As of March 19, more than 35,000 users have set up their profiles to request bodyweight-only workouts, compared to approximately 7,000 users on March 2. What types of fitness goals do bodyweight-only workouts appear to support? While bodyweight-only can be effective for anyone, the highest interest is among users who have muscle tone increase or bodybuilding as their primary fitness goals, rather than people doing powerlifting or Olympic Weightlifting. “This makes sense, since users who are powerlifting or training at the Olympic level typically have well-equipped home gyms and don’t have to change their routines,” said Chen. Overall, users who consider themselves at the advanced fitness level are increasing their use of bodyweight-only workouts more than are beginners, although younger beginners (up to age 24) seem to take to bodyweight-only training, also. Fitbod is offering free bodyweight-only workouts through April.The Fitbod team believes it’s important for everyone to stay motivated to work out, even if they can’t go to the gym. Chen explains, “Fitbod’s bodyweight-only routines are very effective, so we hope more and more people will do them on a regular basis. Based on fitness science, these workouts are challenging yet appropriate to each user’s fitness level.” Use of small workout equipment has increased, too. Fitbod also tracked the number of Fitbod users who are taking advantage of workout routines that incorporate the kinds of small gym equipment that is easy to use at home, such as pullup bars, handle bands, foam rollers and mini loop bands. The percentage of people using these types of equipment has increased by more than 75% since March 8, with mini loop bands showing the biggest increase. Subscriptions for full use of the app, using gym equipment, are priced at $9.99 per month or $59.99 for an annual subscription ($6/mo.). Fitbod is an Apple Store Editors’ Pick for best fitness app and can be downloaded for iPhone or iPad at the Apple Store. An Android version is now in beta testing. Fitbod integrates with other fitness apps including Apple Health, Activity, Fitbit and Strava. About FitbodFitbod, Inc. is the developer of the Fitbod app, a technology platform that designs deeply personalized workout plans, allowing users to get maximum benefit from their fitness program. Using machine learning, data analytics, user data and exercise science best practices, the app creates optimized and personalized workout routines. In short, Fitbod helps users reach fitness goals efficiently and safely. Headquartered in San Francisco, Fitbod, Inc. is co-founded by Jesse Venticinque and Allen Chen. For more information about Fitbod, please visit the website at https://fitbod.me. Follow Fitbod:On Facebook at https://facebook.com/fitbodappOn Twitter at https://twitter.com/fitbodappOn Instagram at https://instagram.com/fitbodapp # # # Editor’s note: graphs and charts of Fitbod’s user trend data are available upon request. Press here for a downloadable Word version of this release. Press here for high-resolution screen shots.
Bodyweight-only workoutsWhen the user's profile is set to "bodyweight only," Fitbod will generate a customized bodyweight-only workout routine that takes in account the user's age, fitness level and fitness goals.
Fitbod data also shows increase in workouts using small gym equipment since the COVID-19 outbreak Popular gear includes pullup bars, handle bands, foam rollers and mini loop bands. The percentage of people using these types of equipment has increased by more than 75% since March 8, with mini loop bands showing the biggest increase.
Evotec Expands its iPSC-Based Cell Therapy Platform EVOcells Through Licensing Agreement with panCELLa
EVOTEC LICENSES PANCELLA'S STATE-OF-THE-ART IPSC TECHNOLOGIES IACT STEALTH CELL™ AND FAILSAFE™ FOR USE IN CELL THERAPY
ACCESS TO PANCELLA'S TECHNOLOGY HAS THE POTENTIAL TO ENABLE SAFE AND OFF-THE-SHELF CELL THERAPY PRODUCTS AND LIFTS EVOTEC'S IPSC-BASED CELL THERAPY PLATFORM ("EVOCELLS") TO THE NEXT LEVEL
EVOTEC TAKES MINORITY SHAREHOLDING IN PANCELLA
HAMBURG, Germany and TORONTO, April 2, 2020 /CNW/ - Evotec SE (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, MDAX/TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809) and the innovative biotechnology company panCELLa Inc. announced today that the companies have entered into a licensing and investment agreement.
Under the terms of the agreement, Evotec will receive a non-exclusive licence to access panCELLa's proprietary iPS cell lines "iACT Stealth Cells™", which are genetically modified to prevent immune rejection of derived cell therapy products ("cloaking"). Furthermore, Evotec will also have access to a new-generation cloaking technology known as hypoimmunogenic cells. In addition, the "FailSafe™" mechanism effectively addresses a key challenge in iPSC-based cell therapy, potential tumour formation by residual undifferentiated cells.
Using the cell lines, Evotec will be able to develop iPSC-based, off-the-shelf cell therapies with long-lasting efficacy that can be safely administered to a broad population of patients without the use of medication to supress the patients' immune system. With a growing portfolio of iPSC-based cell therapy projects at Evotec, access to research as well as GMP-grade iPSC lines modified with one or both of the panCELLa technologies significantly accelerates Evotec's cell therapy discovery and development efforts. Modified iPSC lines will be available for the development of cell therapy approaches across a broad range of indications by Evotec and potential partners. Furthermore, Evotec has made an investment to take a minority stake in panCELLa and has nominated Dr Andreas Scheel to join panCELLa's supervisory board.
Dr Cord Dohrmann, Chief Scientific Officer of Evotec, commented: "Cell therapies hold enormous potential as truly regenerative or curative approaches for a broad range of different diseases with significant medical need. Integrating panCELLa's technology and cell lines into our ongoing proprietary research and development efforts strengthens Evotec's position in cell therapy. It is our goal to provide safe highly-effective cell therapy products to as many patients as possible. In addition to small molecules and biologics, cell therapy will become yet another major pillar of Evotec's multimodality discovery and development platform."
Mahendra Rao, MD, PhD, CEO at panCELLa, added: "We welcome the partnership with Evotec. Evotec's widely recognised expertise and existing portfolio of iPSC-related technology platforms will allow panCELLa to rapidly advance its own therapeutic interests in NK cell therapy, pancreatic islet production and iPSC-derived MSC platform, in addition to enabling panCELLa to make its platform technologies widely available. I believe that the investment by Evotec in our company is a strong validation of the leading role of panCELLa in the field of regenerative medicine and in the utility of its platform technologies. We welcome Dr Andreas Scheel to our Board."
No financial details of the agreement were disclosed.
About Evotec and iPSC Induced pluripotent stem cells (also known as iPS cells or iPSCs) are a type of pluripotent stem cell that can be generated directly from adult cells. The iPSC technology was pioneered by Shinya Yamanaka's lab in Kyoto, Japan, who showed in 2006 that the introduction of four specific genes encoding transcription factors could convert adult cells into pluripotent stem cells. He was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize along with Sir John Gurdon "for the discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent". Pluripotent stem cells hold great promise in the field of regenerative medicine. Because they can propagate indefinitely, as well as give rise to every other cell type in the body (such as neurons, heart, pancreatic and liver cells), they represent a single source of cells that could be used to replace those lost to damage or disease.
Evotec has built an industrialised iPSC infrastructure that represents one of the largest and most sophisticated iPSC platforms in the industry. Evotec's iPSC platform has been developed over the last years with the goal to industrialise iPSC-based drug screening in terms of throughput, reproducibility and robustness to reach the highest industrial standards, and to use iPSC-based cells in cell therapy approaches via the Company's proprietary EVOcells platform.
About cell therapy and panCELLa's FailSafe™ iPSC technology Cell therapy, one of the most promising regenerative medicine approaches, replaces a patient's missing or broken cells with functioning cells from a range of different sources, either from a donor, from the patient's own material, or from stem cells. The advent of induced pluripotent stem cells ("iPSC") has opened up stem cells as an almost unlimited source of consistent-quality material for such cell therapies. At the same time, differentiating cell therapies from a single validated source circumvents critical risks of contamination associated with administering both donor and patient cell material.
However, the patient's immune system will treat such iPSC-based transplant as "foreign" and use the body's immune system to counteract the therapy, thus undermining its long-term efficacy. While organ transplants require an often lifelong regimen of immunosuppressants, iPSC-derived cells used for cell therapies can be cloaked to make them undetectable by the patient's immune system, thus avoiding rejection and enabling effective long-term relief of the patient's symptoms.
To increase the safety of such iPSC-derived cell products, panCELLa's proprietary FailSafe™ technology is able to inactivate any iPSC-derived proliferating cell before and after transplantation through the use of a readily available anti-infective medication. FailSafe™ is the only quantifiable "safety switch" on the market which is expected to be critical for regulators, clinicians and patients to make informed decisions when evaluating treatment options.
About panCELLa Inc. Incorporated in August 2015, panCELLa (www.pancella.com) was founded by Dr Andras Nagy and Dr Armand Keating based on Dr Nagy's ground-breaking work in the area of stem cell research. Through panCELLa, Drs Keating and Nagy are seeking to create an effective cell therapy derived from stem cells, which are modified to provide a sufficient and very high level of safety before and after the cells are introduced to the patient. panCELLa serves those companies developing products from stem cells. panCELLa seeks to create universal "off the shelf" FailSafe™ Cells and to assist pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors to achieve such with their own cell lines. Targeted medical applications include deadly, debilitating, or aggressive diseases requiring immediate treatment where there is no time to cultivate a customized stem cell treatment from the patient (i.e. cancer, cardiac infarct, diabetes, stroke and spinal cord injury).
About Evotec SE Evotec is a drug discovery alliance and development partnership company focused on rapidly progressing innovative product approaches with leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academics, patient advocacy groups and venture capitalists. We operate worldwide and our more than 3,000 employees provide the highest quality stand-alone and integrated drug discovery and development solutions. We cover all activities from target-to-clinic to meet the industry's need for innovation and efficiency in drug discovery and development (EVT Execute). The Company has established a unique position by assembling top-class scientific experts and integrating state-of-the-art technologies as well as substantial experience and expertise in key therapeutic areas including neuronal diseases, diabetes and complications of diabetes, pain and inflammation, oncology, infectious diseases, respiratory diseases, fibrosis, rare diseases and women's health. On this basis, Evotec has built a broad and deep pipeline of approx. 100 co-owned product opportunities at clinical, pre-clinical and discovery stages (EVT Innovate). Evotec has established multiple long-term alliances with partners including Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CHDI, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Sanofi, Takeda, UCB and others. For additional information please go to www.evotec.comand follow us on Twitter@Evotec.
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS Information set forth in this press release contains forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained herein represent the judgement of Evotec as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
SOURCE panCELLa Inc.
Cruel Bear Bile Industry Thrives Despite Pandemic Risks Says World Animal Protection
TORONTO, April 2, 2020 /CNW/ - World Animal Protection is raising concerns over the recent news that the Chinese government is recommending the use of a bear bile product to treat severe symptoms caused by COVID-19.
In a new report from the global charity called Cruel Cures, this shocking development is described as both 'tragic and ironic,' given that the handling and consumption of wild animals is believed to be the source of the COVID-19 pandemic. World Animal Protection is urging the Chinese government to remove this drug from its recommended list and only include plant-based traditional medicines.
The report also reveals the abhorrent cruelty of bear farming and the unacceptable growth of the bear bile trade.
China has been farming bears since the 1980s to extract bile from their gall bladder, predominately for use in traditional medicine. It is used to treat a variety of ailments from liver disease to hangovers, but plant-based alternatives do exist.
The bile is extracted from live, suffering bears and is one of the most extreme forms of animal abuse in the world. The bears are largely bred in captivity and trapped in small, barren cages in factory farm style conditions for the duration of their long, miserable lives.
They suffer unthinkable traumas. Most commonly, their bile is drained from their gallbladder using a metal tube through a surgically created opening in the bear's abdomen. The intense, agonizing process that the bears are forced to endure causes them to cry out in agony.
The report also states approximately 24,000 bears are currently kept caged and farmed for their bile for traditional medicine products across Asia - including in China, Vietnam and Myanmar. This should raise major concern in the wake of the COVID-19 contagion, as 60% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, and of these 70% are thought to originate from wild animals. While COVID-19 is a pandemic like no other to date, collectively, zoonotic diseases cause over two million human deaths annually, as a result of people coming into close proximity with animals.
Melissa Matlow, Campaign Director for World Animal Protection Canada says:
"The COVID-19 pandemic is ringing the alarm bells that the consumption and trade of wild animals needs to end. Farming bears for their bile is cruel, endangers bears in the wild, carries serious public health risks and is completely unnecessary as plant-based traditional medicine alternatives are available. It's time to stop the intensive farming, consumption and trade of wildlife to end animal suffering and help to prevent another pandemic."
Matlow adds that bears are still hunted from the wild for their gallbladders and due to a depletion in Asiatic black bears, bears are being hunted in places such as Canada and Russia.
The report also found illegal bear bile products are still being sold in shops in Toronto and exported to countries in Asia. During the charity's investigation, six of the 25 stores visited were found to stock bear bile products or offered the opportunity to order a bear bile product.
Consumer research also shows that 1 in 14 Canadians have knowingly used traditional medicine containing animal parts. However, when informed of the cruelty involved, more than half surveyed were then against the use of animal parts in traditional medicine.
World Animal Protection is asking governments around the world, including the Canadian government, to support a global ban on the farming and trade of wildlife. Bear gallbladders and bear bile have been trafficked in Canada for decades and there is concern this latest recommendation by the Chinese government will increase the illegal trade here.
It is recommended Canada strengthen legislation and enforcement to ensure consistent protection for bears across the country and to ensure authorities have the support they need to crack down on the trade and sale of illegal bear bile products.
Recent developments in China and Vietnam have been encouraging, where both countries have banned the consumption of wild animals. Yet, the ban must be extended to include the use of wildlife in traditional medicine, preventing animals such as bears, tigers and pangolins from being abused. Not only will this drastically reduce the human health threat, it will prevent animal suffering too.
World Animal Protection will continue to promote better welfare for bears, while we move to end the bear bile industry for good.
About World Animal Protection
From our offices around the world, including Australia, Brazil, Kenya and Canada, we move the world to protect animals. Last year, we gave more than 3 billion animals better lives through our campaigns that focus on animals in the wild, animals in disasters, animals in communities and animals in farming. More information can be found at www.worldanimalprotection.ca
SOURCE World Animal Protection
Canadians are feeling unprecedented levels of anxiety, according to Mental Health Index
Pandemic has caused a dramatic 16-per-cent drop in Canadians' mental health, according to Morneau Shepell's Mental Health Index: a score of 63
TORONTO, April 2, 2020 /CNW/ - Morneau Shepell, the leading provider of total well-being, mental health and digital mental health services in Canada, announced today the results of its new Mental Health Index, which includes a measure of how the pandemic is impacting Canadian workers' mental health. The index will be released monthly.
The Mental Health Index found a statistically significant decrease in mental health, when compared to pre-COVID-19 benchmarks. The change represents a current score of 63 compared to the benchmark of 75. The size of the change is unprecedented in the three-year period when the benchmark data was being collected. An overall score of 63 is very concerning. Such a score is typically only seen in the subset of employees who have major life disruption and mental health risk. The largest negative change was seen in the measure of anxiety, followed by helplessness, optimism and isolation.
In addition to the overall assessment of mental health, the survey also specifically asked about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of respondents (81 per cent) reported that the COVID-19 pandemic is negatively impacting their mental health, ranging from some concern but an ability to cope (49 per cent) to feeling the crisis has a negative, very negative or significantly negative impact on their mental health (32 per cent).
"We can't ignore the reality that mental health concerns and anxieties will continue to worsen as COVID-19 escalates. Now is the time for business leaders and governments to take action, ramp up mental health efforts and help normalize the anxieties that individuals may be feeling," said Stephen Liptrap, president and chief executive officer. "We're proud to see our governments and many Canadian organizations stepping up to the plate to expand mental health offerings for those who need it, including individuals who have been laid off. We strongly encourage all Canadians to inquire about the services available to them through their current or former employer. Together, we can minimize long-term damage and ensure that we come out of this challenging time stronger than before."
The Mental Health Index also assessed the main COVID-19-related factors that are leading to these mental health concerns. The top concern having an impact on mental health relates to the financial impact of the pandemic (55 per cent), followed by the fear of getting ill or having a loved one pass away (42 per cent, respectively) and uncertainty around how the virus will impact family (33 per cent). Regardless of the concern, all have the potential to detrimentally impact mental health and well-being long after COVID-19 is contained.
"Perceptions of COVID-19 have changed drastically since the first case entered Canada in January, from initially viewing the virus as an unknown to now as a threat," said Paula Allen, senior vice president of research, analytics and innovation. "These findings confirm that COVID-19 is not just an infectious disease issue, we are looking at a mental health crisis. This survey is of working Canadians, which makes this pandemic as relevant for businesses as it is for public health."
Morneau Shepell will be publishing the national Mental Health Index on a monthly basis. It will assess change in mental health and the issues Canadians are most anxious about as the situation evolves, during and after the pandemic.
About the Mental Health Index The monthly survey by Morneau Shepell was conducted in English and French from March 27 to March 30, with 3,000 respondents in total. All respondents reside in Canada and were employed within the last six months. The data has been statistically weighted to ensure the regional and gender composition of the sample reflect this population. The margins of error for the survey are +/- 3.2 per cent, valid 19 times out of 20. Morneau Shepell will publish a full report in the coming weeks.
About Morneau Shepell Morneau Shepell is the leading provider of technology-enabled HR services that deliver an integrated approach to employee well-being through our cloud-based platform. Our focus is providing world-class solutions to our clients to support the mental, physical, social and financial well-being of their people. By improving lives, we improve business. Our approach spans services in employee and family assistance, health and wellness, recognition, pension and benefits administration, retirement consulting, actuarial and investment services. Morneau Shepell employs approximately 6,000 employees who work with some 24,000 client organizations that use our services in 162 countries. Morneau Shepell is a publicly traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: MSI). For more information, visit morneaushepell.com.
SOURCE Morneau Shepell Inc.
Financial losses from treating COVID-19 patients could devastate health care sector, experts say
HOUSTON – (April 2, 2020) –The federal government’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) includes hundreds of billions of dollars of funding for the health care sector, but with health care facilities facing unprecedent expenditures, that might not be enough, according to an economics expert at Rice University and a physician at Texas Children's Hospital.
The cost of caring for COVID-19 patients is predicted to exceed that of typical insurance reimbursement in part because of steps required to prevent the spread of the disease, according to a new blog post by Vivian Ho, the James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics at Rice, and Dr. Heidi Russell, a physician at Texas Children's Hospital and associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine.
The legislation adds $100 billion in funds to the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund to pay health care providers for expenses or lost revenues attributable to the coronavirus. The funds are only to be used to reimburse for expenses and lost revenues that have not been repaid from other sources. Eligible health care providers comprise for-profit, not-for-profit and public entities as well as Medicare- or Medicaid-enrolled suppliers and providers that deliver diagnoses, testing or care to individuals with possible or actual cases of COVID-19.
Before the outbreak, administrative costs totaled about 8% of all health care spending, the researchers said. "Currently, administrative needs like planning how patients will be tested and where coronavirus patients will be treated as well as allocating limited space and PPE (personal protective equipment) resources are taking up a larger percentage," they wrote.
Smaller community hospitals, particularly those in rural areas, will be equipped to manage only the mildest cases of COVID-19, the researchers said. Transferring sicker patients to larger centers prepared for the most intensely ill will cause additional strain on already overloaded facilities.
"Patients with underlying illnesses, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart disease, are always more complicated and costlier to care for," the researchers wrote. "These are the majority of patients being hospitalized with COVID-19."
Given that hospital and physician expenditures represented $1.9 trillion in spending in 2018, $100 billion may be "woefully inadequate" to compensate health care providers for unreimbursed expenses and lost revenue from the pandemic, the researchers said.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the U.S. health care system,” the researchers concluded. “Our communities, medical providers and health care facilities are responding in an unprecedented manner to prevent the system from collapsing.
“The extraordinarily high health care costs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic will force a new debate regarding how much health care providers should be reimbursed for their services, why U.S health care costs are so high, and what amount taxpayers are willing to accept in order to maintain national health security.”
Ho is also a professor in the Department of Economics at Rice and a professor in the Department of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. Her research examines the effects of economic incentives and regulations on the quality and costs of health care.
For more information, contact Avery Franklin, media relations specialist at Rice, at averyrf@rice.edu or 713-348-6327.
Founded in 1993, Rice University’s Baker Institute ranks as the No. 2 university-affiliated think tank in the world. As a premier nonpartisan think tank, the institute conducts research on domestic and foreign policy issues with the goal of bridging the gap between the theory and practice of public policy. The institute’s strong track record of achievement reflects the work of its endowed fellows, Rice University faculty scholars and staff, coupled with its outreach to the Rice student body through fellow-taught classes — including a public policy course — and student leadership and internship programs. Learn more about the institute at www.bakerinstitute.org or on the institute’s blog, http://blog.bakerinstitute.org.
Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,962 undergraduates and 3,027 graduate students, Rice’s undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for lots of race/class interaction and No. 4 for quality of life by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance.
Responding to Covid-19: How to Navigate a Public Health Emergency Legally and Ethically
Early-view essay in the Hastings Center Report, March-April 2020
Few novel or emerging infectious diseases have posed such vital ethical challenges so quickly and dramatically as the novel coronavirus. An early-view essay in the March-April 2020 Hastings Center Report offers guidance at a time when health care institutions and governments are desperately confronting these challenges. The authors are Prof. Lawrence O. Gostin, director of the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University, director of the WHO Center on Global Health Law, and a Hastings Center fellow; Eric A. Friedman, the Global Health Justice Scholar at the O’Neill Institute; and Sarah A. Wetter, a law fellow with the O’Neill Institute. Their essay addresses these vital questions as the United States responds to the Covid-19 pandemic: When the health system becomes stretched beyond capacity, how can we ethically allocate scarce health goods and services? How can we ensure that marginalized populations can access the care they need?What ethical duties do we owe to vulnerable people separated from their families and communities?How do we ethically and legally balance public health with civil liberties? The full text of the essay, “Responding to Covid-19: How to Navigate a Public Health Emergency Legally and Ethically,” is available for free. “How we respond to this pandemic, whether we act ethically and safeguard the most vulnerable among us, will be a test of our humanity,” Gostin said. “Everyone will suffer, and many will die, in the coming months, but those who are unemployed, uninsured, poor, or disabled will suffer most. As a society, we have an ethical duty to do all we can to meet the needs of the most disadvantaged among us.”To ethically allocate scarce goods and services, the authors point to a “World War II-style mobilization” and call on the president “to exercise his full authority under the Defense Production Act to mobilize industry to project urgently needed resources.”The authors discuss steps that should be taken to ensure that marginalized populations, like people with disabilities and people of color, receive a fair distribution of scarce resources. “In addition to identifying specific groups that need special care, ethical distribution requires a fair process in deciding,” they write. That process should include the public and must be transparent and grounded in scientific evidence. Fair distribution is not only a national issue but also a global one. “Globally, lower‐income countries will face much more scarcity than wealthier states and, if Covid‐19 takes hold, a higher burden of disease,” they write. “The United States is ethically obligated to assist—even if this means reducing American stockpiles—to maximally protect and equally value all human life.” The essay offers several recommendations for protecting vulnerable populations, including under- and uninsured persons and immigrants, and assuring that they have access to care. Among the recommendations is this: “Governments must assure that Covid‐19 testing and care, and vaccines and treatment once available, are free so that cost does not cause anyone to delay or avoid care.” The authors address the economic and social disruption that results from physical distancing, quarantine, and other measures to control the spread of infections. To balance public health and civil liberties, they write, “a basic rule is that governments should employ the least restrictive means necessary to protect public health.” That standard should “be based on rigorous scientific assessment of risk and effectiveness.” Further, “containment measures must not be a subterfuge for discrimination.” “At a time of vast inequities, we are all only as safe as the most vulnerable among us—both in the United States and globally,” the essay concludes. “We are in uncharted territory, where vital human connections and economic activity are disrupted in ways not seen in generations. If we want to safeguard the public’s health while being faithful to our most fundamental values, then we must ensure that our response is effective, ethical, and equitable.”
OMA Urges Governments to Distribute Personal Protective Equipment and Critical Care Supplies Now
TORONTO, April 2, 2020 /CNW/ - The Ontario Medical Association is urging immediate government action to distribute personal protective equipment and critical supplies to community-based physicians and other health-care workers in medical clinics, long-term care facilities, primary care practices and other community-based organizations.
Across Ontario, community-based physicians have been flagging, for several weeks, the need for protective equipment and supplies. A growing number are reporting that they have little or no PPE. As a result, they have had no choice but to dramatically reduce in-person visits or use homemade masks. Others who have no PPE have closed their clinics and are only doing virtual or telephone visits.
"Every day, we are hearing from community doctors that there is a critical shortage of personal protective equipment. Many clinics will soon have to close to ensure the safety of their staff and themselves. This puts providers and the patients in these communities at risk. It also increases the pressure on hospitals, which again increases the risks to patients. We need urgent action now," said OMA President Dr. Sohail Gandhi.
To date, 10 percent of all COVID-19 positive patients in Ontario are health care providers. It is vital that health care providers stay healthy to provide care to those who may contract the virus in the future, but also to ensure that we are able to continue to effectively care for patients who have other acute health care needs.
More than 1879 doctors recently responded to an OMA survey confirming an immediate need for PPE supplies in the community. About 72 percent of respondents reported that they had a fewer than 5-day supply of surgical/procedure masks. Over 87 percent reported that they had a fewer than 5-day supply of eye shields. A number of respondents answered that they had 0 days' supply of various items.
Evidence has demonstrated that asymptomatic transmission can occur. The risk to patients and health care workers is unknown. Coupled with this, community transmission is also happening. These two factors have made it difficult to screen out suspected COVID-19 cases. This poses a real dilemma for clinicians if they cannot maintain a safe distance, particularly if they need to physically examine a patient.
Patients with certain chronic and other conditions need in-person medical care as part of their health care management. Others, such as infants and young children, need immunizations and minor procedures. Without access to that in-person care in the community, the only alternative is to visit the Emergency Department, and this is counter-productive to efforts to increase hospital capacity for a potential COVID-19 surge. Patients who have delayed care for their conditions may get sicker and may be hospitalized. This will take up needed beds and places the patient at risk for infections, including COVID-19.
"We applaud the PPE drives that are growing across the province. These efforts reinforce the seriousness of this issue. While we are hopeful this will partially help the situation, the real solution is for government to immediately move PPE and Critical Supply to all front-line community health care workers across all levels of patient care." said Dr. Gandhi.
About the OMA
The Ontario Medical Association represents Ontario's 43,000 plus physicians, medical students and retired physicians, advocating for and supporting doctors while strengthening the leadership role of doctors in caring for patients. Our vision is to be the trusted voice in transforming Ontario's health-care system.
SOURCE Ontario Medical Association
CoBank Quarterly: Global Pandemic, Economic Hibernation Disorient Markets, Industries and Communities
Labor and supply chains among the biggest challenges facing essential rural industries
DENVER (April 2, 2020)—COVID-19 has brought the U.S. economy to a screeching halt, ushering in a recession in the process. For most businesses, the sudden stop to the economy is more jolting than the financial crisis of 2008 and has forced hard, immediate decisions about employees and finances. According to a new Quarterly report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange, COVID-19 has also underscored the critically important nature of agriculture and other industries essential to rural America.
“This quarter will largely define the next year in terms of the economy and how severe the damage caused by the coronavirus will be,” said Dan Kowalski, vice president, Knowledge Exchange, CoBank. “Nearly everyone will be impacted to varying degrees and the pace of the recovery will be uneven. But the economy had been on good footing and it’s entirely possible that we can get back to reasonable strength within a few quarters.”
The U.S. grain sector remains stuck in a rut, with pressure on commodity prices, weakening basis for corn and soybeans in some markets, and export volatility likely over the next two to three months. Since 2020 began, corn prices have declined by 12% and soybeans prices have dropped by 7%.
While crop farming fundamentals remain challenging, ag retailers enter the 2020 growing season on relatively stable footing. Retailers are optimistic for a full agronomy season given pent-up demand for fertilizer and crop protection products following last year’s complicated and wet fall application season.
The U.S. ethanol complex is navigating through an extremely difficult operating environment exacerbated by the recent collapse in crude oil and gasoline prices and a virtual overnight evaporation of demand. Several large players have restructured or exited the business, with more expected to do so over the next three months.
The U.S. chicken industry entered 2020 with optimism largely driven by expectations for renewed exports to China. That focus swiftly changed to the domestic market in early March when the spread of the coronavirus dramatically shifted the U.S. market to at-home eating, boosting chicken demand. Chicken production grew 7.7% in the first two months of 2020.
The U.S. cattle complex has seen a swift and sharp decline in the last month following the drop in global equities and oil prices. Since mid-January, April live cattle futures have fallen by approximately 25%. The beef complex profit pool is shifting in favor of packers at the cost of lower feeding margins. The loss of restaurant and foodservice customers due to COVID-19 will test beef prices this spring.
China’s demand for U.S. pork has set export records, but it hasn’t led to strong prices or profit margins. While international demand has been significantly higher than last year, so has U.S. pork supply. Hog producers are expected to realize negative margins through April, before margins turn to positive territory this summer. To realize strong margins, producers will need strong export growth to continue.
Milk prices have fallen precipitously in recent weeks due to COVID-19. The seasonal increase in milk supplies with the spring flush was met with economic weakness in China and other countries, impacting dairy exports. School closings have impacted fluid milk consumption. Home stockpiling has provided some price support, but not enough to offset the losses related to food service.
Despite strong exports, cotton prices have sunk to new lows on fears of slower global economic growth. U.S. cotton exporters are optimistic of faster export pace following India’s announcement of lockdown into the first half of April, which may impair India’s cotton export pace. Meanwhile, rough rice futures surged to new highs, driven by a surge in retail rice sales and tighter global stocks.
U.S. specialty crop growers are fearing an even tighter labor situation unfolding this spring as processing of new H-2A visa applications in Mexico is impaired by COVID-19 complications. Specialty crops growers have benefited from the surge in produce sales at grocery stores but saw reduced exports due to logistical issues related to COVID-19.
Broad segments of the power and energy sectors are likely to realize falling revenues in Q2 2020 and possibly beyond. Electric utilities will suffer from weakening electricity consumption by the commercial and industrial sectors. Rural water systems will also face challenges during the economic downturn.
The full Quarterly report is available on cobank.com. Each CoBank Quarterly provides updates and an outlook for the Global and U.S. Economic Environment; U.S. Agricultural Markets; Grains, Biofuels and Farm Supply; Animal Protein; Dairy; Other Crops; Specialty Crops and Rural Infrastructure Industries.
About CoBank
CoBank is a $145 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. The bank also provides wholesale loans and other financial services to affiliated Farm Credit associations serving more than 70,000 farmers, ranchers and other rural borrowers in 23 states around the country.
CoBank is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of banks and retail lending associations chartered to support the borrowing needs of U.S. agriculture, rural infrastructure and rural communities. Headquartered outside Denver, Colorado, CoBank serves customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and also maintains an international representative office in Singapore.
Servier partners with Innovative Medicines Canada Members to Donate 100,000 Masks to Help Protect Front-Line Healthcare Workers Battling COVID-19
LAVAL, QC, April 2, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - Servier Canada, along with other pharmaceutical companies, members of Innovative Medicines Canada (IMC), are continuing their efforts in the fight against COVID-19 by donating 100,000 N95 masks for front-line healthcare workers battling the virus. The donation is in response to the federal government's request for additional protective equipment.
"As a leading company in Health and Life Sciences, Servier's very first thoughts go to the front-line medical community. Healthcare workers are operating every day within clinics and hospitals to relieve patients suffering from COVID-19, often at the cost of their own safety. Through this donation, we want to help to protect them and to bring our own contribution to the fight against the virus", said Servier Canada's CEO Frederic Fasano.
"Our industry will continue to collaborate with all levels of government, with civil society groups and with each other in unprecedented ways in response to this crisis", said IMC President Pamela Fralick. "Our members are playing a leading role in Canada and around the world in the race to find effective treatments, better diagnostic tools, and to create vaccines to help identify, treat and ultimately, stop the spread of COVID-19", she added.
The donation is one of several initiatives supported by Servier to contribute to the fight against the pandemic on the ground. "In Canada, as well as in many other affected countries, Servier is providing personal protection equipment to hospitals and is making donations to foundations and NGOs. In France, the location of Servier's Global headquarters, many healthcare professionals employed by Servier have volunteered and have been made available to health authorities to join medical staff on the front-line against the virus. We at Servier consider this contribution as part of our mission and responsibility", said Frédéric Fasano. "Servier also puts its best efforts to ensure the continuity of its manufacturing and supply operations in order for its medicines to remain available to Canadian patients who rely on them", he added.
Servier Canada is the Canadian affiliate of Servier Group, an international pharmaceutical company governed by a non-profit foundation, with its headquarters in France (Suresnes). With a strong international presence in 149 countries and a turnover of 4.6 billion euros in 2019, Servier employs 22,000 people worldwide. Entirely independent, the Group reinvests 25% of its turnover (excluding generic drugs) in research and development and uses all its profits for development. Corporate growth is driven by Servier's constant search for innovation in five areas of excellence: cardiovascular, immune-inflammatory and neuropsychiatric diseases, cancer and diabetes, as well as by its activities in high-quality generic drugs. Servier also offers eHealth solutions beyond drug development. Servier has been present in Canada since 1978.
BEACON launches free digital program Stronger Minds to support continuously evolving mental well-being concerns of Canadians through COVID-19 crisis
Sponsored by Manulife and Green Shield Canada,Stronger Minds provides guidance from the extensive team of BEACON psychologists – updated daily in response to everchanging worries
TORONTO, April 2, 2020 /CNW/ - MindBeacon, provider of the leading digital mental and behavioural health therapy service BEACON™, announces the launch of Stronger Minds, created to support all Canadians through heightened stresses related to COVID-19. Available Monday, April 6, the new digital program provides participants with day-to-day guidance from the extensive MindBeacon team of clinical psychologists. Through the BEACON digital platform, Stronger Minds participants will access guidance in the form of short expert Q&A videos, quick reads and resilience-building activities – all focused on protecting our emotional well-being as the COVID-19 crisis progresses. Fresh and useful insights will be provided daily, in response to the evolving worries expressed by Canadians as they participate in the program. Stronger Minds will be offered indefinitely, in recognition this crisis has an uncertain timeline.
Stronger Minds by BEACON is a free program that will be available for all Canadians. This is made possible through support from Manulife and Green Shield Canada (GSC) as part of their commitment to communities through the pandemic crisis. Created to address the specific emotional worries stirred by the pandemic, Stronger Minds is distinct from the existing treatment service offered through BEACON's guided digital therapy (iCBT). Unlike therapy, Stronger Minds requires no assessment to participate. BEACON recognizes that all Canadians are looking for expert-led support without the need to engage in a course of therapy.
"We have seen firsthand that our customers are looking for ways to access mental well-being support and information as we continue to navigate the impacts of a pandemic," says Donna Carbell, Head, Group Benefits, Manulife. "The time to act is now. Our sponsorship of Stronger Minds enables Canadians to access mental health information from their home. Manulife is dedicated to helping people become healthier – financially, physically, mentally and socially."
"During the COVID-19 crisis, we've heard from Canadians right across the country - and mental health challenges have been a common theme," says Joe Blomeley, GSC's EVP, Individual, Public Sector and Mental Health. "It's in our DNA to step up in moments like this and bring high-quality mental health care options within easier reach. BEACON digital therapy has already improved the mental health of thousands of Canadians, and we are excited about the potential of the Stronger Minds program."
"Our MindBeacon team of clinical psychologists, with our collective expertise and experience, makes us well-suited to help people with the challenges that matter through this time – whether it's difficulties with social isolation, supporting struggling family members, worries about financial insecurity, and much more," says Dr. Peter Farvolden, clinical psychologist and Chief Science Officer for BEACON. "Canada is in this together and we're wholeheartedly ready to help Canadians cope through the stressful events of this time, so they can successfully face every day as it comes."
About MindBeacon Group The MindBeacon Group of companies is dedicated to helping Canadians improve their mental well-being to live their best lives. MindBeacon provides evidence-based therapy that is affordable and easy-to-access through BEACON™, the guided digital therapy service (iCBT) which has helped thousands of Canadians struggling with depression, anxiety, insomnia and posttraumatic stress injury (PTSI/PTSD). MindBeacon provides in-person and video therapy through CBT Associates, a leading psychology clinic network.
SOURCE MindBeacon
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