TELUS Health MyPet offers virtual care visits with qualified veterinarians

Studies show approximately 75 per cent of pet health concerns can be treated virtually without a clinic visit, according to a 2021 Ontario Veterinary Medical Association survey

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, TELUS Health launched TELUS Health MyPet, a new virtual veterinary care service app, bringing dog and cat owners in British Columbia peace of mind knowing a provincially-licensed vet is available virtually. TELUS Health MyPet vets provide care for anything from nutritional management and parasite control to behavioural challenges, and can prescribe certain medications.

Developed on the heels of the fastest growing, highest customer rated virtual care service TELUS Health MyCare, TELUS Health MyPet is designed with the support of veterinarians to reduce the number of non-urgent visits to emergency clinics, and to ensure pet owners who live in remote areas, or whose pets don’t travel well in vehicles, still have access to care.

“We believe that patient-centric, high-quality virtual care should be available to all members of our family, including our beloved dogs and cats,” said Juggy Sihota, Vice-president, Consumer Health, TELUS Health. “The launch of TELUS Health MyPet is a significant milestone in our journey to leverage our world-leading technology to not only empower Canadians to take an active role in their own health and that of their loved ones, but also to support veterinarians with the ever growing demand for pet care.”

According to a 2021 Ontario Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA) survey of pet owners, nearly 75 per cent of telemedicine appointments can be treated solely through virtual care, without a trip to the clinic. While it doesn't replace in-person physical exams, vaccinations or tests, TELUS Health MyPet can support pet owners in British Columbia with preventative healthcare and non-urgent medical interventions. The app is free to download for iOS and Android smartphones. Each consultation with a veterinarian costs $95, and for a limited time, consultations are 20 per cent off at $76. TELUS Health MyPet will expand to other provinces in the coming months.

“A service like TELUS Health MyPet is a fantastic tool for pet parents to avoid long wait times at some vet clinics, and to avoid some of the extra expenses and stresses associated with in-person care for non-emergency situations. TELUS Health MyPet consultation notes can be accessed within the app and medical records can be shared with regular family veterinarians to ensure seamless continuity of care,” said Dr. Ko Arman, Lead Veterinarian, TELUS Health MyPet.

As part of this launch, Trupanion, the leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs in Canada, is offering TELUS Health MyPet subscribers waived enrollment fees when they subscribe to a Trupanion policy which offers pet parents the broadest medical insurance coverage with unlimited payouts for the life of their four-legged family members.

About Trupanion
Trupanion is the leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs in Canada with over 740,000 pets enrolled throughout Canada, the United States and Australia. The company was founded in Canada in 2000, and for over two decades Trupanion has given pet parents peace of mind so they can focus on their pet's recovery, not financial stress. Trupanion is committed to providing pet parents with the highest value in pet medical insurance with unlimited payouts for the life of their pets. Trupanion is the only provider with the technology to pay veterinarians directly in seconds at the time of checkout. Headquartered in Seattle, WA., Trupanion is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol "TRUP". Trupanion policies are issued in Canada by Omega General Insurance Company and distributed by its wholly-owned subsidiary Canada Pet Health Insurance Services, Inc., and, in the United States, by its wholly-owned insurance entity American Pet Insurance Company. Trupanion Australia is a partnership between Trupanion and Hollard Insurance Company. For more information, please visit trupanion.com/canada.

About TELUS HealthTELUS Health is a leader in digital health technology, providing virtual care, home health monitoring, electronic medical and health records, benefits and pharmacy management, and personal emergency response services. By leveraging the power of technology to deliver connected solutions and services, TELUS Health is improving access to care and revolutionizing the flow of information while facilitating collaboration, efficiency, and productivity for physicians, pharmacists, health authorities, allied healthcare professionals, insurers, employers, and citizens, to progress its vision of transforming healthcare and empowering people to live healthier lives.

Through TELUS Health Care Centres, teams of renowned and passionate healthcare professionals deliver best-in-class patient-centric care to thousands of Canadian employers, professionals, and families in more than 15 medical clinics located across the country.

For more information please visit: www.telushealth.com.

BioSyent Announces Adoption of Dividend Policy

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Aug. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BioSyent Inc. (“BioSyent”, “the Company”, TSX Venture: RX) is pleased to announce that its Board of Directors (the “Board”) today adopted a Dividend Policy in order to establish terms of reference for the Board in its decision-making around the declaration of any dividends to be issued to shareholders of the Company.

“The adoption of a Dividend Policy by the Board is an important step in our evolution as a Company and a formal recognition of the confidence we have in our business with Q2 2022 marking BioSyent’s 12^thconsecutive year of profitability” commented Mr. René Goehrum, Chairman of the Board of Directors of BioSyent. “Over those 12 years, we have grown our sales by more than 25 times, invested in and launched new products and continued to generate positive cash flows. As a result, our balance sheet today has never been stronger, even as we have deployed more than $13.5 million since December 2018 under our share buyback program, cancelling more than two million common shares to the benefit of all remaining shareholders. We remain focused on our primary strategic objective of revenue growth, and we will continue to invest in expanding our product portfolio while returning capital to shareholders. We anticipate initiating an inaugural dividend by the end of 2022.”

About BioSyent Inc.

Listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the trading symbol “RX”, BioSyent is a profitable growth-oriented specialty pharmaceutical company focused on in-licensing or acquiring innovative pharmaceutical and other healthcare products that have been successfully developed, are safe and effective, and have a proven track record of improving the lives of patients. BioSyent supports the healthcare professionals that treat these patients by marketing its products through its community, specialty and international business units.

As of the date of this press release, the Company has 12,213,111 common shares outstanding.

For a direct market quote for the TSX Venture Exchange and other Company financial information please visit www.tmxmoney.com.

For further information please contact:
Mr. René C. Goehrum
President and CEO
BioSyent Inc.
E-Mail: investors@biosyent.com
Phone: 905-206-0013
Web: www.biosyent.com

This press release may contain information or statements that are forward-looking. The contents herein represent our judgment, as at the release date, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or outcomes to be materially different from the forward-looking information or statements. Potential risks may include, but are not limited to, those associated with clinical trials, product development, future revenue, operations, profitability and obtaining regulatory approvals.

Canadian fitness survey tells tales of struggles, boredom, results and plateaus

86 per cent of Canadians regularly participate in walking – overshadowing all other fitness and sports routines

Survey shows walking is the exercise of choice for Canadians. Photo Credit: Power WearHouse™

TORONTO, Aug. 24, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadians overwhelmingly favour walking as their preferred form of exercise, beating out all other types by a large margin. This is according to a new survey by Power WearHouse, a Canadian designer of weighted fitness wearables.

The Exercise Habits of Canadians, an Angus Reid study of 1508 people, puts a lens on how (and how often) people engage in physical activity, where people are stuck, or where they seek to add something new to their routines. Overall, nine-in-10 Canadians are active, including 56 per cent that conduct their routines three-days per week or more.

When asked what forms of exercise they regularly participate in, a whopping 86 per cent of Canadians favour walking as their preferred form of exercise; followed by weight or fitness training, hiking, cycling, yoga, running and dancing.

Table: The favourite forms of exercise for Canadians

“We conducted this survey to get a benchmark on Canadian fitness and wellness behaviours, likes and dislikes,” said Shelagh Stoneham, founder of Power WearHouse. “Not only can we see that Canadians are motivated to exercise, but the results highlight their frustrations and where there is room for improvement.”

The study shows there are several challenges for Canadians. A stunning 43 per cent of Canadians still feel gross using shared equipment. Additionally, more-than-half (53%) struggle fitting their walking and/or fitness routines into their schedule, 41 per cent are bored with their current routine and 46 per cent are sick and tired of trying to lose their “COVID pounds.”

Table: Struggles, boredom, results and plateaus

“What this survey shows, is that despite great intentions and good follow through, people are not getting the results they seek,“ said Stoneham. “While many Canadians are active, their bodies are plateauing (often mentally and physically) and adjusting to the law of diminishing returns. People don't always know how to change, or don’t want to change, their training style once they have an exercise habit in place.” 

Adding weighted wearables (vests, belts, ankle weights) to a regular exercise or training routine carry several benefits including increased cardio benefit, extra muscle toning and conditioning and extra calorie and fat burn. These small additions can make a huge difference, combatting against the exercise plateau, boredom, and other workout struggles.

About the Exercise Habits of Canadians survey by Power WearHouse
From August 10 to August 12, 2022, an online survey was conducted among a representative sample of 1,508 Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. For comparison purposes, the sample plan would carry a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding. 

About Power WearHouse
Power Wearhouse is a health and wellness brand that specializes in weighted wearables that are both fashionable and functional. Founded in 2021 by Shelagh Stoneham, the best-in-class line of wearables is engineered to maximize the benefit from any exercise routine and is designed for maximum comfort. Using innovative cooling technology, the Power Weighted Fitness Vest and Power Weighted Fitness Belt can keep users cool for an hour by freezing the zinc-coated cast iron weights prior to their workout. Power WearHouse products are available for purchase at health and fitness retailers across North America and online at www.powerwearhouse.com.

AtomVie Global Radiopharma Inc. Announces its Spinout and Series A Financing with Avego

HAMILTON ON, Aug. 24, 2022 /CNW/ - AtomVie Global Radiopharma Inc. ("AtomVie") today announced the successful closing of its Series A financing with Avego Management, LLC ("Avego"), a healthcare investment firm. AtomVie is a global leading CDMO (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization) for the development, manufacturing, and global distribution of radiopharmaceuticals and has received a financing commitment of at least $40 million.

AtomVie is a spinout from the CPDC (Centre for Probe Development and Commercialization), and within CPDC, the CMO business unit, now AtomVie, served as the GMP manufacturer and supplier of finished-dose therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals for the past seven years. AtomVie will be expanding its current clinical GMP manufacturing capacity of radiopharmaceutical products to include commercial stage production through the construction of a new purpose-built state of the art facility designed to accommodate multiple isotopes. Moreover, AtomVie complements its manufacturing and logistics expertise with a high-standard quality management system and global regulatory support.

"We worked relentlessly over the past few years in preparation of this moment," said Bruno Paquin, CEO of AtomVie. "All the employees at AtomVie are extremely grateful to Avego for their support and their confidence. We are excited to launch AtomVie, continuing the culture of excellence that the CPDC has created and working with Avego for the long-term success of AtomVie." 

"Avego is thrilled to partner with AtomVie to support the continued growth of one of the leading radiopharmaceutical CDMOs," said Thomas Vandervort, Managing Partner of Avego. "The AtomVie team and their collective radiopharmaceutical expertise are second to none, and our partnership will advance the development of radiopharmaceuticals and improve patient outcomes."

AtomVie has strengthened its operational management with the recent appointment of Dodi Adar, Chief Operating Officer and the promotion of Rezwan Ashique, VP Operations. Ms. Adar brings 17 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry with expertise in fostering growth and streamlining operational processes. Mr. Ashique was an instrumental part of CPDC's success for over eight years with more than 20 years of extensive expertise in radiochemistry, development, and GMP manufacturing of ready-to-use radiopharmaceuticals.

With its world-class employees and its in-depth experience in the radiopharmaceutical industry, AtomVie empowers the development of next-generation radiotherapeutics worldwide.   

About AtomVie Global Radiopharma Inc. ("AtomVie"):

AtomVie, incorporated in late 2021, is a global leading CDMO for the GMP manufacturing and distribution of clinical and commercial radiopharmaceuticals and figures as the most recent spinout from the CPDC. Founded in 2008, the CPDC is a CECR (Centre of Excellence for Commercialization and Research) located at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The CPDC was created with the long-time support from the NCE (Networks of Centres of Excellence), McMaster University and the OICR (Ontario Institute for Cancer Research). The expertise developed at the CPDC and its position as a global leading CDMO is the stepping stone for AtomVie spinout. For more information about AtomVie, visit www.atomvie.comor contact:  info@atomvie.com. To learn more about CPDC, visit www.imagingprobes.ca or contact: info@imagingprobes.ca. 

About Avego Management, LLC ("Avego"):

Avego, founded in 2015 by former healthcare entrepreneurs, is a multi-strategy healthcare-focused investment firm with offices in Georgia and New York. Through its three strategies, which include private equity, venture capital, and a hedge fund, Avego invests in private and public companies developing and commercializing innovative products and services for patients, practitioners, and other stakeholders across the healthcare continuum. To learn more about Avego, visit www.avego.com or contact: contact@avego.com.

SOURCE AtomVie Global Radiopharma Inc.

Families enduring most explosive inflation in 40 years search for affordable health care

Health Care Sharing Ministries provide community and support, said Katy Talento of the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries

WASHINGTON D.C. — Almost 100 million Americans suffering from the current explosive inflationare skipping visits to the doctor and health care treatments because they can’t afford the medical bills. According to a new Gallup poll, “Rising healthcare costs have compelled nearly four in 10 Americans in the past six months to delay or skip healthcare treatments, trim regular household expenses or borrow money.” The poll also shows that Americans don’t want their health care threatened by the whim of politicians. The poll demonstrates significant distrust in Congress to lower the cost of health care in the coming year. The majority of Americans of all political persuasions (Democrats: 53%, Independents: 67%, and Republicans: 56%) report having no confidence that there will be help from Capitol Hill. 

“Given the bipartisan commitment to inflation-inducing spending sprees, it’s understandable that Americans are no longer looking for help from Washington, D.C.,” said Katy Talento, executive director of the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries (The Alliance, ahcsm.org). “Families don’t have to feel trapped when it comes to cost inflation in health care! They can take greater control of their health care costs with a Health Care Sharing Ministry. Since Health Care Sharing Ministries provide significant assistance to members in identifying the lowest-cost sites of care and some ministries encourage members to seek the deeply discounted cash prices for services, a Health Care Sharing Ministry could be the very best option for those who feel like inflation is threatening their family budgets and limiting their health care options.”  

Health Care Sharing Ministries do more than reduce a family’s medical costs — they serve Christians throughout the United States and many foreign countries by enabling them to share health care costs. Ministry members support each other as the early Christians in the Book of Acts joined together to meet each other’s needs. These faith-based ministries provide financial, emotional, and spiritual support to members. 

As for the recent assertion that the economy saw ‘zero’ inflation, the Gallup poll found a correlation between cutting costs for basic life needs and reducing spending on medical care and medicine. For instance, out of families who skipped meals, 71% also cut back on health care. When it comes to reducing the family spending on utilities, which could become its own medical problem itself this winter, 59% also cut back on care and medicine.  

“Health Care Sharing Ministries are more important now than ever in this time of raging, budget-busting inflation. These ministries have worked hard for decades to educate and raise awareness about their unique solution for high health care costs,” said Talento. “As the health care landscape changes rapidly with continued pressure on family budgets, we urge everyone to consider a Health Care Sharing Ministry.”

Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries is a 501(c)(6) trade organization representing the common interests of Health Care Sharing Ministry organizations which are facilitating the sharing of health care needs (financial, emotional, and spiritual) by individuals and families, and their participants. The Alliance engages with federal and state regulators, members of the media, and the Christian community to provide accurate and timely information on medical cost sharing. 

To learn more about the Alliance of Health Care Sharing Ministries, visit www.ahcsm.org or follow the ministry on Facebook or Twitter.  

New Report Reimagines a Better Built-Environment for Long-Term Care

Ontario Association of Architects and Jacobs Canada Support Much-Needed Research from UofT

TORONTO, Aug. 24, 2022 /CNW/ - The University of Toronto (UofT) Centre for Design + Health Innovation has released a new, comprehensive study, "Reimagining Long-Term Care Architecture in Post-Pandemic Ontario—and Beyond." The report, supported by the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA) and consulting firm Jacobs Canada, explores how the built environment can better support long-term care (LTC) communities.

The COVID-19 pandemic had disproportionate impacts within Ontario's LTC sector, exposing many structural vulnerabilities within these congregate facilities. Unless steps are taken to update standards and modernize design guidelines to better align to current and emerging clinical approaches, such vulnerabilities will remain largely unresolved—even in newly built LTC homes.

The study's author, Dr. Stephen Verderber of UofT's John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, emphasizes the urgency for re-examining Ontario's approach to refurbishing existing homes and building new ones.

"We applaud the Government's commitment to adding desperately needed capacity into the LTC sector, however, success cannot be measured solely by the number of additional beds being provided," he says.

The scale of financial commitment announced by the provincial government has the potential to bring about the paradigm shift in the quality of care for which residents and their families have long advocated. However, this rush to build new facilities will be a missed opportunity if the government neglects to first update standards and design guidelines to support enhanced infection control. Best practices must align with modern clinical approaches to dealing with LTC residents, particularly those living with physical or cognitive impairments.

In the case of residents with cognitive impairments, traditional approaches have used the built environment as a means of keeping residents' movements carefully controlled. However, the effort to solve one critical problem (resident safety) has unintentionally created new issues—increased isolation and reduced mobility.

"The built environment must be considered as important a parameter of care as any other medical intervention," says Dr. Diana Anderson, an Architect and Geriatrician with Jacobs Canada. "I hope the Government of Ontario takes this opportunity to move beyond bricks-and-mortar solutions to considering data-driven design ideas, such as those identified in the UofT study, to inform health-based solutions."

The report identifies a number of exemplary case studies that model design excellence in long-term care residences. It also suggests 50 design considerations for use by design professionals, healthcare providers, governments, and other decision-makers working in this sector.

"This research could not have come at a better time," says Susan Speigel, president of the OAA, which regulates the province's architecture profession to protect the public interest. "We've known for a long time there were issues of concern within Ontario's LTC sector, but this is one of the first times we've been able to take such a comprehensive look at the situation and begin identifying practical, evidence-based solutions and next steps that the architecture profession can bring into its practices."

The devastating impact of COVID-19 on Ontario's LTC sector is heartbreaking, but also a call to action.

"The vulnerabilities within Ontario's LTC homes that led to the rapid spread of COVID-19 developed over several decades; no single government or political party has sole-ownership of this failure," says Dr. Verderber. "However, the current government does have the financial tools, and the support of LTC residents, caregivers, their families, and Ontarians, to finally take decisive action to begin fixing this urgent problem."

The full report can be read at the University of Toronto Daniels website.

SOURCE Ontario Association of Architects

Feeling Philosophical? Deep Dive Into Human Consciousness Reveals Profound Conclusions

Washington, D.C., August 17, 2022 — “Your feelings, your thoughts, your perceptions, your mind, can be accounted for by your brain's processes,” philosophical writer Robert Hamady states in his thought-provoking new book, You Are Some Piece of Work. “Consciousness is a biological process like digestion.”
 

In part one, Hamady breaks down six compelling neurological findings that indicate it is the brain, not the will, that produces actions. He follows this in part two with the six principal features, and the wonder, of consciousness.

“Nothing is more astonishing than a mental event,” Hamady writes. Readers can learn why in You Are Some Piece of Work, then marvel at their average day.

At 66 pages, You Are Some Piece of Work is a concise read on the supremacy of the brain vis-à-vis the mind.

“Awareness of your body grounds you in the present,” Hamady adds. “When you're in the present, you’re not in time. There is no past to be stressed about, no future to fear.”

Readers of You Are Some Piece of Work may never “think” about their brains the same way again.

About the Author

Robert Hamady is a philosophical writer whose focus is self-realization. He is a lawyer and strategic planner with a degree in philosophy. His other works include In Search of the Elusive “I”, The Other Virtual You and Groceryman.

For more information, please visit  https://www.roberthamady.com/.

You Are Some Piece of Work

Publisher: Planigale Press

ISBN-10: ‎1737427508 

ISBN-13: 978-1737427506 

Available from Amazon.com and BN.com

Spectral Announces FDA Approval to Add Up to 10 Additional Tigris Clinical Trial Sites

TORONTO, Aug. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spectral Medical Inc. (“Spectral” or the “Company”) (TSX: EDT), a late stage theranostic company advancing therapeutic options for sepsis and septic shock, as well as commercializing a new proprietary platform targeting the renal replacement therapy market through its wholly-owned subsidiary Dialco Medical Inc. (“Dialco”), today announced that following a review of Spectral’s supplemental information to its Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) application, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the addition of up to ten new clinical trial sites to the Company’s pivotal Tigris trial. This approval would bring the total potential trial sites to 25 U.S. institutions. The FDA determined that the Company provided sufficient data to support expansion of its human clinical study and that there are no subject protection concerns that preclude expansion of the investigation.

Chris Seto, Chief Executive Officer of Spectral, commented, “We are pleased to receive FDA approval to increase our Tigris clinical trial sites, which should support more rapid enrollment. We believe this approval is further validation of our progress and builds upon PMX’s recent Breakthrough Device designation by the FDA, as well as our ongoing trial results, which continue to exceed expectations.”

Dr. John Kellum, Chief Medical Officer of Spectral, stated, “Although the pandemic has made sepsis trials more challenging, we look forward to adding additional sites, which we expect will provide significantly more opportunities for enrollment. Our goal is to add at least four additional clinical trial sites by the end of October 2022. We believe having these additional sites active before flu season would be beneficial, given the prevalence of endotoxemic septic shock in these patients. In fact, Australia, often seen as a precursor to the U.S., is experiencing one of its worst flu seasons this year.”

About Spectral

Spectral is a Phase 3 company seeking U.S. FDA approval for its unique product for the treatment of patients with septic shock, Toraymyxin™ (“PMX”). PMX is a therapeutic hemoperfusion device that removes endotoxin, which can cause sepsis, from the bloodstream and is guided by the Company’s Endotoxin Activity Assay (EAA™), the only FDA cleared diagnostic for the risk of developing sepsis.

PMX is approved for therapeutic use in Japan and Europe, and has been used safely and effectively on more than 340,000 patients to date. In March 2009, Spectral obtained the exclusive development and commercial rights in the U.S. for PMX, and in November 2010, signed an exclusive distribution agreement for this product in Canada. In July 2022, the U.S. FDA granted Breakthrough Device Designation for PMX for the treatment of endotoxemic septic shock. Approximately 330,000 patients are diagnosed with septic shock in North America each year.

Spectral, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Dialco Medical Inc., is also commercializing a new set of proprietary platforms addressing renal replacement therapy (RRT) across the dialysis spectrum. SAMI is targeting the acute RRT market, while DIMI is targeting the chronic RRT market. Dialco is currently pursuing regulatory approval for U.S. in-home use of DIMI, which is based on the same RRT platform as SAMI, but will be intended for home hemodialysis use. DIMI recently received its FDA 510k clearance for use in hospital and clinical settings, and obtained its Health Canada license for use within Canadian hospitals, clinics and in home.

Spectral is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol EDT. For more information please visit www.spectraldx.com.

Forward-looking statement

Information in this news release that is not current or historical factual information may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of securities laws. Implicit in this information, particularly in respect of the future outlook of Spectral and anticipated events or results, are assumptions based on beliefs of Spectral's senior management as well as information currently available to it. While these assumptions wereconsidered reasonable by Spectral at the time of preparation, they may prove to be incorrect. Readers are cautioned that actual results are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including the availability offunds and resources to pursue R&D projects, the successful and timely completion of clinical studies, the ability of Spectral to take advantage of business opportunities in the biomedical industry, the granting of necessary approvals by regulatory authorities as well as general economic, market and business conditions, and could differ materially from what is currently expected.

The TSX has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this statement.

The ‘Miracle’ of the Imperial Valley: Early Treatment Protocol Saved Thousands

“How many more people would be alive today had the medical establishment followed the example of Dr. Tyson and Dr. Fareed instead of heeding arrogant bureaucrats who recommended no treatment for COVID-19 until it was often too late?” — Senator Ron Johnson, Wisconsin

Santa Ana, CA, August 18, 2022 — As the seemingly never-ending stream of COVID variants make headlines, Drs. George Fareed and Brian Tyson of the Imperial Valley in California continue to advocate for early treatment protocols.

“Our mission is to help people understand the critical importance of early COVID-19 treatment because there may be harsh surges,” the doctors say on their website (http://www.overcomingcoviddarkness.com/). “We also hope that vaccination programs recognize that COVID-19 variants will continue to arise in those who have been vaccinated as long vaccines fail to completely block the infection.”

Drs. Fareed and Tyson saw hundreds of COVID patients every day in their open-air test-and-treat center. At a time when hospitals and other medical facilities were turning away patients who weren’t “sick enough,” Drs. Fareed and Tyson turned away no one, saved thousands of lives — and were threatened with suspension of their medical licenses.

“Our results are nothing short of a miracle,” the doctors write in the introduction to their new book, Overcoming the COVID Darkness. “Despite the amazing success we achieved with more than 7,000 patients, all of the major medical organizations — from the WHO, to the NIH, to the CDC — did not welcome our information.”

In Overcoming the COVID Darkness, the doctors share their candid, deeply compelling story, and attempt to provide readers with clarity about COVID and alleviate fears. 

“People need to know — and be reassured — that we will survive this pandemic, just like pandemics of the past. There is treatment available. This treatment works when used early, and it is highly effective,” the doctors say. 

Overcoming the COVID Darkness is their story, complete with testimonials from patients and other doctors, research studies, news clippings, and most of all, the reasons why this successful treatment (which includes pharmaceutical and nutraceutical ingredients) was held back from the public.  

In a recent interview, Dr. Tyson posits, “Had we done test-and-treat centers all across the United States, we could have saved 80 percent of the population that died from COVID-19.” 

About the Authors

Dr. George Fareed graduated from Harvard Medical School with Honors and completed a medical internship at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital. He has worked at NIAID, at Harvard Medical School and at UCLA School of Medicine.

He was a founder and director of scientific planning of a biotech company, Ingene (International Genetic Engineering, Inc.). Since 1991, Dr. Fareed has worked clinically in primary medical care in the Imperial Valley of California. He has been on the frontline for early COVID-19 treatment, and has practiced the whole spectrum of COVID-19 care, treating outpatients as well as inpatients as a hospitalist. He testified on November 19, 2020, in the Senate Hearing on early COVID-19 treatment.

Dr. Brian Tyson is a board-certified family practitioner who worked as an emergency physician at Arrowhead Regional Medical center for 13 years and as a hospitalist physician for 14 years before opening his own urgent care in 2018.

Dr. Tyson was the Program Medical Director for Cogent Healthcare and Beaver Medical Group. His experience with COVID-19 has been exceptional, with over 30,000 patients evaluated, and zero deaths with early treatment.

His urgent care serves a high-risk population that includes two nursing homes, and his success was due to his aggressive early management. Due to his proven methodology, Dr. Tyson is considered a frontline COVID-19 treatment expert and has been featured on multiple media sites.

For more information, please visit www.overcomingcoviddarkness.com.

Overcoming the COVID Darkness: How Two Doctors Successfully Treated 7000 Patients

ISBN-13: 979-8985558302 (paperback)

Available from Amazon.com, Audible and iTunes

Awakn Life Sciences Signs Second Licensing Partnership Agreement and Expands Commercial Operations Into Canada

Licensing Partnership with Wellbeings® marks entry into Canadian addiction treatment and relapse prevention market

TORONTO, CANADA, August 18, 2022 – Awakn Life Sciences Corp. (NEO: AWKN) (OTCQB: AWKNF) (FSE: 954) (‘Awakn’), a revenue-generating biotechnology company researching, developing, and commercializing therapeutics to treat addiction with a near-term focus on Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), announces today it has signed its first licensing partnership agreement in Canada with Wellbeings® Pain Management and Dependency Clinic (Wellbeings). The agreement will enable Ontario based Wellbeings®, who are focused on multi-disciplinary, evidence based, best-practice, patient centred care, to treat their patients with Awakn’s proprietary ketamine-assisted therapy for the treatment of AUD as a co-morbidity for pain.

This is the second Licensing Partnership agreement that Awakn has signed in North America and follows on from the announcement earlier this week of an agreement with Revitalist Lifestyle and Wellness Ltd., who are one of the largest publicly listed U.S. based ketamine wellness-clinic chains. These agreements mean that Awakn is generating revenue from its proprietary treatments across multiple territories, including the United Kingdom, United States, Norway, and Canada.

Under the terms of the license agreement with Wellbeings®, Awakn will provide access to its proprietary therapeutics for AUD and training to Wellbeings®practitioners, and in return, Wellbeings® will pay Awakn an annual subscription and a revenue share per treatment.

Awakn’s proprietary treatment was developed and validated in a Phase II a/b trial. The results of the trial were published in January 2022 in the American Journal of Psychiatry. The trial delivered 86% abstinence over the six-months post treatment versus 2% pre-trial. The current standard of care has an approximate 25% abstinence rate over the same timeframe.

The most recent comprehensive cost study estimated the total cost of alcohol-related harm to Canadians to be $14.6 billion. It was also estimated by the Canadian government that over 19% of the population were classified as heavy drinkers before the pandemic started. Awakn aims to help people who are suffering with alcohol addiction by providing clinic operators with access to an efficient and effective treatment option under license.

Anthony Tennyson, Awakn CEO commented, “We are delighted to sign another Licensing Partnership agreement in quick succession.  Expanding our revenue generation into Canada is another significant milestone for Awakn.  Wellbeings share our vision and goal of making new more effective treatment options available to so many people who are suffering and will make another excellent partner as we start to disrupt the incumbent addiction treatment industry in North America.”

Peggi Shepherd DeGroote, Wellbeings® CEO and president commented, “As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence of Alcohol Use Disorder has increased significantly and is now affecting about 8 million people in Canada alone.  People from all walks of life are suffering from this addiction.  The opportunity to offer medical care that is so desperately needed for people to live their “best possible life” is exciting.  Addiction care offerings have long produced less than adequate results for patients.  Awakn’s proprietary ketamine-assisted therapy will be a much-needed addition to Wellbeings present offerings to produce outstanding outcomes.  People need effective and long-lasting treatments and hope that something better is available so that they can overcome their addictions with medical help available.  Awakn has a proven effective treatment that will revolutionize and democratize AUD care and outcomes.  Wellbeings is thankful and excited to be the first Canadian partner of offer this care.”

About Awakn Life Sciences Corp.

Awakn Life Sciences Corp. is a revenue-generating biotechnology company researching, developing, and commercialising therapeutics to treat substance and behavioral addictions.  Awakn has a near-term focus on Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD), a condition affecting 400m people globally for which the current standard of care is inadequate. Our goal is to provide effective therapeutics to addiction sufferers in desperate need and our strategy is focused on commercializing our R&D pipeline across multiple channels. 

www.AwaknLifeSciences.com  |  Twitter  |  LinkedIn  |  Facebook | www.AwaknClinics.com

About Wellbeings® Pain Management and Dependency Clinic

Wellbeings® is a specialty, community-based medical clinic designed to meet the needs of people for pain, substance use disorder (SUD) for things such as opioids (OUD) and alcohol (AUD) as well as the co­morbidity of mental health wellness (PTSD and anxiety). In the past decade, Wellbeings® has helped more than 2,000 families in our community. Wellbeings is focused on multi­disciplinary, evidence based, best-practice, patient-centered care.  Its funding comes from OHIP, third-party coverage through insurance providers and philanthropic benefactors. Our team of physicians are committed to developing a treatment plan and a set of measurable goals to produce positive and long-lasting results to improve quality of life.