New App Designed to Support Mental Health and Well-Being Launches Kickstarter Campaign
Illumu helps people through their most challenging times through engaging interaction on their smartphones.
A life-changing new app called Illumu has launched a Kickstarter campaign. The app is designed to help people to maintain their emotional health through their most challenging times. Illumu uses the power of Machine Learning to customize a response to feelings of emotional distress for each user.
Emotional health is a primary concern in today’s increasingly complex world. People are finding themselves with feelings of loneliness and helplessness when they face hardship. Illumu is part of the solution, using the one object that nearly everyone has with them at all times – their smartphones.
Illumu creates a companion that people can take with them everywhere and anywhere. It offers practical suggestions and new ways of thinking to achieve, sustain, and enhance emotional health. The app has specialized features that categorically address feelings such as loneliness, confusion, and overwhelm. Three of the top features include the selfie feature, the customized content library, and the event finder.
The selfie feature understands the user’s emotional state. Illumu evaluates the effectiveness of its recommendations, which the app calls LifeChangers, by utilizing selfies. As the user takes selfies on consecutive days, the app’s algorithm understands if the suggested LifeChangers are effective or not, leading to more targeted LifeChangers.
Illumu’s AI-powered algorithm creates a customized content library for each individual that can be applied to their specific life challenge. This content library includes short films, music, games, poems, paintings, and more.
The app will also connect its users with local events, encouraging the user to socialize within a safe environment targeted for specific life challenges. These events could include activities like group painting or pet sports that will add joy to their day.
Illumu provides engaging interaction, scientifically proven recommendation, useful content, access to creative events, and a community of professionals and fellow users.
Reviews
“Got mad love and respect for this. Not everyone has a therapist they can see regularly or at all. Some people don’t have the support system they need or deserve. The App fills this gap in an affordable way.” – Cara Beth Hawkins
“While reading any self-help book, I often asked is the book really for me. I always imagined what if a book is written just for me. Illumu App does exactly that. It’s like my personal self-help book.” – Torii Rowe
“I can’t wait. This is going to be such a game changer for those that are primarily left behind or are wanting to develop a deeper relationship. This is so exciting!” – Justin Amanda Nelson
First Biologic Treatment for Deadly Type of Skin Cancer Gets Strong Positive Recommendation to be Covered by Provincial Health Care
Save Your Skin Foundation Applauds the pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review recommendation for Provincial Reimbursement of LibtayoTM, the first and only biologic for the treatment of Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma
TORONTO, Jan. 15, 2020 /CNW/ - Save Your Skin Foundation is pleased to announce that the pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review (pCODR) has provided a strong positive clinical recommendation for the reimbursement of LibtayoTM (cemiplimab), the first and only biologic for the treatment of advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). If this recommendation is adopted by provincial health care bodies, advanced cSCC patients will finally have free access to LibtayoTM under their provincial health care for this potentially deadly form of skin cancer.
Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma is the second most common form of skin cancer accounting for approximately one fifth of all skin cancer cases in Canada. Over 80,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in Canada every year. It is estimated that one in 20 people will develop squamous cell carcinoma in their lifetime.1
The five-year survival rate for metastatic cSCC is just 34.4%. When cSCC invades deeper layers of the skin or adjacent tissues, it is categorized as locally advanced. Once it spreads to other distant parts of the body, it is considered metastatic. Often times, as with all cancers of the skin, cSCC may involve surgical removal of lesions, which may lead to complications or even severe disfigurement, which has a high impact on patients.
"As skin cancer prevalence continues to grow in Canada2, patients and their loved ones need options for treatment of this potentially deadly disease," says Kathy Barnard, skin cancer survivor and founder of Save Your Skin Foundation. "Squamous cell carcinoma is not 'JUST' skin cancer – it is a wake-up call to all Canadians to be vigilant about the risks of skin cancer and the serious nature of its membership to the most common type of cancer."
"New advanced treatment options like LibtayoTM and diligent reviews by pCODR and INESSS are critical," says Dr. David Zloty, Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology and Skin Science, UBC. "This gives patients and their loved ones hope that this disease may be treated and beaten."
About Libtayo™ Libtayo™ is a prescription medicine used to treat people with a type of skin cancer called cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) that has spread or cannot be cured by surgery or radiation. Libtayo™ is being jointly developed by Regeneron and Sanofi under a global collaboration agreement. LibtayoTM is a fully-human monoclonal antibody targeting the immune checkpoint receptor PD-1 (programmed cell death protein-1) and is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic or locally advanced cSCC who are not candidates for curative surgery or curative radiation.
About Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma (cSCC) The leading cause of cSCC is frequent sun exposure. People with fair skin, light hair, and blue, green, or grey eyes are at the highest risk. Patients who have had tissue transplants (and are on anti-rejection drugs), specifically for the kidney, liver or heart, are at a high risk of developing cSCC.
The symptoms of cSCC include:
Warts that grow and crust or bleed occasionally.
Scaly red patches, with irregular borders, which sometimes crust or bleed.
Sores that are open and bleed and crust for weeks.
An elevated growth with a central dip that occasionally bleeds.
For more information about cSCC and other types of skin cancer, visit www.saveyourskin.ca
Stanford Inn and Resort Offers Personalized Family Workshops to Help Overcome Picky Eating
At this plant-based Mendocino resort children and parents cook together, learn nutrition as a team, and participate in family art and creativity workshops to build long-term healthy living habits MENDOCINO, CA _ The Stanford Inn and Resort, is offering families a chance to grab an apron and get cooking – down to the littlest family members – all in the name of healthy habits.“It’s always the right time to adopt healthy living habits,” said Sid Garza-Hillman, the Wellness ProgramsDirector and Certified Nutritionist. Garza-Hillman is also the author of Raising Healthy Parents: Small Steps, Less Stress, and a Thriving Family. “This vacation package is a unique opportunity for parents, with their children, to slow down, come together, play together, and learn together.” Joan Stanford, Registered Art Therapist and creative play facilitator who leads the creative portion of the program adds, “This is about creating and expanding a healthy lifestyle. Kids really respond to a mutual exploration with their parents. Sid, his wife, and three young kids are living this way and my husband and I raised our two kids, fostering a sense of adventure, curiosity and meeting challenges with creativity. It is a great way to be!” Raising and nurturing a healthy family is challenging. Garza-Hillman, who advocates a predominately whole food, plant-based diet, feels parents are often overwhelmed with what challenges might be involved as well children who are picky eaters and are resistant to new dishes. However, during this fun, exciting, and accessible vacation package, parents and children will receive common sense, science-based information, plus real-life, practical tools that will empower them to establish long-term healthy living habits, resulting in a vibrant and happy home. The skills and techniques they bring home will be manageable and sustainable. The Vibrant Families vacation package is available as an add-on to a three-night minimum stay any time of year! The classes/sessions are taught at the resort over the course of the three days with plenty of down-time to play and explore the breathtaking Mendocino coast, wander the resort’s vast property and educational farm, or head out on one of the resort’s redwood outrigger canoes with the entire family! The Vibrant Families vacation package includes:· Family Cooking Class· Family Art & Creativity Class· Healthy Living Class/Nutrition Class· Establishing Healthy Family Habits Class· Copy of Sid Garza-Hillman’s book - Raising Healthy Parents: Small Steps, Less Stress, and aThriving Family· Copy of The Art of Play: Ignite Your Imagination to Unlock Insight, Healing, and Joy by Joan Stanford· Three Dinners· An “Art Corner” during all classes for infants (and/or siblings who'd like a break) that is within view of parents with art supplies and games This add-on package costs $585/couple + tax (call for single parent pricing) and $150/child (age 4 – 17);Free /child (age 0 – 3). Taxes, gratuities and lodging are additional; a minimum 3-night stay is required.This package is subject to availability; please contact the Stanford Inn and Resort to verify your dates before making your reservation. About Stanford Inn and ResortNestled atop a meadow that overlooks Mendocino Bay, The Stanford Inn and Resort is a luxurious and sustainable destination providing recreation opportunities from nature tours to yoga, and canoeing and kayaking to massage. AAA Four Diamond rated, family owned and operated, the Resort is unique and a great base for exploring the Mendocino Coast while guests may never leave the property, which offers an indoor saltwater pool, full bar, magnificent gardens, award-winning restaurant, and extensive wellness experiences. In addition to being home to a one of a kind Wellness Center with Chinese medicine, nutrition and cooking classes, Massage in the Forest, creative play shops, and various exercise and meditation options, the Inn features a USDA Organic certified farm which provides produce for the Resort’s Ravens Restaurant. The award-winning restaurant serves organic plant-based cuisine that is conscientiously prepared with respect for the land. Family-friendly and pet-friendly, the Stanford Inn Resort offers an array of life-enhancing experiences. All rooms bask in the glow of warm pine, complete with wood-burning fireplaces and private baths. The Resort is also the site of a GROW BIOINTENSIVE® educational farm, attracting students from around the globe to learn how to sustainably grow a complete diet in the smallest amount of space possible. The Resort also hosts the Environmental Leadership Field School, an intensive hands-on and classroom experience that mobilizes future leaders from different fields to support and enhance the environment, biodiversity, and equitable relationships. Stanford Inn and Resort is located at 44850 Comptche Ukiah Road, POB 487, Mendocino, CA 95460; on Facebook at facebook.com/stanford.inn.mendocino.
Best Couple Health and Fitness Escapes for Valentine’s Day
With Valentine’s Day approaching, rediscover romance with the best Valentine’s Day wellness breaks to suit every couple. From adventure-loving, Globetrotting and sporty couples to those looking to rediscover their zen this Valentine’s Day, Health and Fitness Travel, the wellness holiday specialists has hand-picked the best health and fitness breaks to reconnect with your partner and enjoy the activities you love doing most. Whether it’s a weekend unwinding in the tranquillity of the Yorkshire hills or a week walking the wonders of China, these healthy holidays are guaranteed to rekindle the romance for every kind of couple.
Chilled Couples: Grantley Hall, UK
With this luxurious spa destination tucked away in the hills of Yorkshire, there’s no need to travel far for a relaxing wellness break this Valentine’s Day. With plenty of workout areas and treatments in the luxurious spa, you can rejuvenate and relax together, taking care of both the body and mind. At the end of your visit, you will not only leave with a renewed connection with your partner, but also leave with a clarity of mind and overall improvement in your well-being.
Health and Fitness Travel (0203 397 8891 healthandfitnesstravel.com) offers 3 nights at Grantley Hall for £1,800pp. Price includes full board and a wellness programme.
Adventure-driven Couples: China Active Tour
For the ultimate adventure this Valentine’s Day, escape to the fascinating country of China together on an active tour like no other. With activities like walking the Great Wall of China, taking a boat ride along the stunning Li River and cycling past the rice paddies of Yangshuo, there is an endless amount of ways to keep active together whilst taking in the breath-taking sights China has to offer. Step off the beaten track as you trek through tiny villages and experience a side of China you never knew existed.
Health and Fitness Travel (0203 397 8891 healthandfitnesstravel.com) offers 14-nights for the China Active Tour for £1,831pp. Price includes arrival transfer and full board.
With a restaurant, café and tea lounge serving a variety of dishes to cater to every need all day long, Kamalaya in Thailand is a healthy foodie couple’s dream. This Valentine’s Day treat your loved one to over 70 therapies in the Spa and a detox menu they will not be able to refuse, on this gentle and renewing wellness holiday. Explore the local Thai food together by getting involved in cooking classes and Oolong tea sharing, or soak up the culture with a Monk’s cave visit and temple tour.
Health and Fitness Travel (0203 397 8891 healthandfitnesstravel.com) offers 7 nights at Kamalya from £2,620pp. Price includes accommodation, full board, a wellness programme and return private transfers.
If you’re the kind of couple that loves a challenge, then why not mix up your normal workout routine this Valentine’s Day with an exclusive Fusion Fitness holiday at BodyHoliday in St Lucia. From the high intensity of kettle bell, beach bootcamp and circuit training to the deep relaxation of mind and restoration treatments, meditation and yoga, choose from a range of options to diversify your workout routine. After you’ve been pushed to the limit, reward yourselves by venturing into the calm Caribbean waters with activities like scuba-diving, sailing or water-skiing.
Health and Fitness Travel (0203 397 8891 healthandfitnesstravel.com) offers 7 nights at BodyHoliday from £2,440pp. Price is all-inclusive and includes a Fusion Fitness program, accommodation, and return private transfers.
Create unforgettable memories together this Valentine’s Day by venturing to the hot springs of La Fortuna and relaxing in a volcanic mud bath on this exclusive wellness tour in Costa Rica. After a long day exploring the wonders of Costa Rica, try something a little different and unwind with a Stand-Up Paddleboard yoga class. You will take part in a local project supporting up to 200 farmers at a coffee plantation, encouraging you to connect with the people of Costa Rica, leaving you both with a renewed sense of clarity.
Health and Fitness Travel (0203 397 8891 healthandfitnesstravel.com) offers 7 nights in Costa Rica from £1,775pp. Price includes breakfast, 2 lunches and 3 dinners, accommodation, a wellness tour and return private transfers.
Set in the rolling green hills of Sri Lanka, Santani Wellness Resort & Spa is the perfect place for couples to enlighten the mind and energise the body. Daily meditation sessions and guided walks will instil a sense of peace and reconnect you with yourself and each other. Truly relax with a daily spa treatment and rejuvenate the body together with group yoga or dip in the thermal salt pools. The minimalistic approach of this mindful holiday will leave you both with clarity of mind, and the ability to lead a balanced lifestyle.
Health and Fitness Travel (0203 397 8891 healthandfitnesstravel.com) offers 7 nights at Santani Wellness Resort & Spa from £1,825pp. Price includes full board, a de-stress program and return private transfers.
Teamwork makes the dream work on this fitness retreat. With a panoramic view of Chalong Bay, encourage each other to make healthy behavioural changes during coaching sessions such as functional training, boxing and yoga sessions, that will guide you both towards an active lifestyle. Training Paradise offers opportunities to partake in local activities, such as Thai boxing or Muay Thai, making this intimate healthy holiday the perfect place for couples to experience the Thai culture together and get fit at the same time.
Health and Fitness Travel (0203 397 8891 healthandfitnesstravel.com) offers 10 nights at Training Paradise from £1,625pp. Price includes full board, a fitness programme, and return private transfers.
Health and Fitness Travel is a global luxury wellness travel company that originated in the UK in 2010 and is committed to providing healthy holidays that enhance and change lives. Created by Paul Joseph as a result of his passion for health and fitness travel and offering bespoke holidays to improve people’s well-being to lead happier and healthier lives.
Health and Fitness Travel offers clients a tailor-made seamless service with the very best health and fitness holidays, handpicked by its expert team, together with exclusive and added value packages with the best deals. As leading specialists, Health and Fitness Travel has also created their own collection of trademark healthy holidays in various destinations which include Fusion Fitness™, Mindful Triathlon™, BodyBreaks™ and Discover Recover™, offering clients the best value and holiday experience. For more information visit: www.healthandfitnesstravel.com
Health Canada Approves Astellas' XOSPATA® (gilteritinib) for Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia with a FLT3 Mutation
XOSPATA is the first and only targeted treatment approved by Health Canada for patients with relapsed or refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia with a FLT3 mutation. The approval of XOSPATA marks Astellas' Canadian entry into the treatment of blood cancers.
MARKHAM, ON, Jan. 14, 2020 /CNW/ - Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc., announced that Health Canada has approved the oral once-daily therapy XOSPATA (gilteritinib) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed (disease that has returned) or refractory (resistant to treatment) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with a FLT3 mutation. Gilteritinib has the potential to improve treatment outcomes for AML patients with two forms of the most common mutation—FLT3 internal tandem duplication (ITD) and FLT3 tyrosine kinase domain (TKD) mutation.1,2
AML is a cancer of the bone marrow and the blood and progresses rapidly without treatment.3 There are limited options for patients once they have relapsed or are refractory.4
"AML is a life-threatening cancer with an overall five-year survival rate in Canada of only about 20 per cent," says Dr. Andre Schuh, Hematologist and Clinical Researcher at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto. "Retreatment of relapsed AML is particularly difficult, especially in the presence of a FLT3 mutation. The approval of XOSPATA is one of the few advances in the treatment of AML over the past 40 years and provides a new option for patients with a FLT3 mutation, potentially leading to both disease remission and significantly longer survival."
AML can be diagnosed at any time, but is uncommon before the age of 45, with the average age of diagnosis being 68.5 In 2016, the most recent year for which data is available, almost 1,090 Canadians were diagnosed with AML, while 1,184 died from AML in 2017. 6 FLT3 mutations are detected in approximately 30% of patients with AML.7 However, a patient's FLT3 mutation status can change over the course of AML treatment, even after relapse. Due to the poor outcomes associated with FLT3 mutated AML, a patient's mutation status should be determined to help inform the best treatment approach.8,9,10
"Our mission at Astellas is to put the patients and their families at the centre of everything we do," said Steve Sabus, General Manager, Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc. "The approval of XOSPATA offers improved treatment outcomes and new hope to patients with FLT3 mutated AML. We're extremely proud to bring this targeted treatment to Canadian patients."
About Gilteritinib's Approval Health Canada's approval of gilteritinib is based on results from the Phase 3 ADMIRAL trial, which investigated gilteritinib versus salvage chemotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory FLT3 mutated AML. Patients treated with gilteritinib had significantly longer overall survival (OS) than those who received salvage chemotherapy. Median OS for patients who received gilteritinib was 9.3 months, compared to 5.6 months for patients who received salvage chemotherapy (Hazard Ratio = 0.64 (95% CI 0.49, 0.83), P=0.0004). Rates of one-year survival were 37% for patients who received gilteritinib, compared to 17% for patients who received salvage chemotherapy. 1,2
About Gilteritinib Gilteritinib was discovered through a research collaboration with Kotobuki Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and Astellas has exclusive global rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize gilteritinib. Gilteritinib was approved in the U.S. and Japan in 2018, and Europe in 2019, for the treatment of adult patients who have relapsed or refractory FLT3 mutated AML. 11,12,13
About the ADMIRAL Trial The Phase 3 ADMIRAL trial was an open-label, multicenter, randomized study of gilteritinib versus salvage chemotherapy in adult patients with FLT3 mutation who are refractory to or have relapsed after first-line AML therapy. The co-primary endpoints of the trial were OS and CR/CRh rates; OS, the primary endpoint at the trial's final analysis, was the basis of the Health Canada's approval. The study enrolled 371 patients with relapsed or refractory AML and FLT3 mutation present in bone marrow or whole blood. Subjects were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive gilteritinib (120 mg) or salvage chemotherapy.1,2
About Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc. Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc., headquartered in Markham, ON, is a Canadian affiliate of Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma Inc. In Canada, Astellas has an intense commercial focus on three therapeutic areas – Oncology, Immunology and Urology. For more information about Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc., please visit astellas.com/ca.
Dr. Schuh was not compensated for any media work. He has been a paid consultant to Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc.
References
1 XOSPATA (gilteritinib) Product Monograph, Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc. December 23, 2019.
2 Perl, A et al. Gilteritinib or Chemotherapy for Relapsed or Refractory FLT3-Mutated AML. New England Journal of Medicine 2019; 381:1728-40.
7 NCBI. US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. Targeting FLT3 mutations in AML: review of current knowledge and evidence. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6365380/. Last accessed November 2019.
8 Nazha A, et al. Activating internal tandem duplication mutations of the fms-like tyrosine kinase-3 (FLT3-ITD) at complete response and relapse in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Haematologica 2012;97(8):1242-5.
9 Warren M, et al. Clinical impact of change of FLT3 mutation status in acute myeloid leukemia patients. Mod Pathol 2012;25(10):1405-12.
10 McCormick SR, et al. FLT3 mutations at diagnosis and relapse in acute myeloid leukemia: cytogenetic and pathologic correlations, including cuplike blast morphology. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2010;134(8):1143-51.
12 Japan Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA). New Drug approvals, April 2018 - March 2019. Available at: http://www.pmda.go.jp/files/000229380.pdf#page=5. Last accessed October 2019.
AbbVie's MAVIRET® now listed on the Newfoundland and Labrador formulary
MAVIRET® is an 8-week, pan-genotypic treatment for adults and adolescent patients 12 to 18 years of age with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection without cirrhosis and who are new to treatment.*1
MAVIRET is approved for use in patients across all stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD).
MAVIRET is now available and reimbursed across Canada.
MONTREAL, Jan. 14, 2020 /CNW/ - AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), a global, research and development-based biopharmaceutical company announced today that MAVIRET® (glecaprevir/pibrentasvir tablets) is now listed on the Newfoundland and Labrador Formulary. MAVIRET is a once-daily ribavirin-free treatment for adults and adolescent patients 12 to 18 years of age with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection across all major HCV genotypes (GT1-6).2 It is an 8-week, pan-genotypic treatment for patients without cirrhosis and who are new to treatment.*
"As a nurse practitioner, I see firsthand the devastating effects hepatitis C has in our communities and on those living with this disease. But we can change the narrative because we have all the right tools to eliminate this disease. We have the understanding, knowledge, resources and treatments like MAVIRET, to educate and treat everyone living with hepatitis C," says Kimberley A. Burt RN, BN, NP, Provincial Immunodeficiency Nurse Practitioner, Eastern Health, St. John's, Newfoundland.
MAVIRET is listed on the Newfoundland and Labrador Formulary for treatment-naive or treatment-experienced adult patients with chronic hepatitis C genotype 1,2,3,4,5 or 6 infection.3
"Our vision is to work together to create a province without hepatitis C. To achieve this goal, we have to continue to raise awareness, educate, support people living with and/or affected by hepatitis C, as well as advocate for change," explains Gerard Yetman, Executive Director, AIDS Committee of Newfoundland and Labrador. "We strongly believe that the newer treatments, such as MAVIRET, will have a positive impact and help us fulfill our mandate to eliminate hepatitis C from our province."
MAVIRET's efficacy and safety were evaluated in nine phase II-III clinical trials, in over 2300 patients with genotype 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 HCV infection and with compensated liver disease (with or without cirrhosis).
About Hepatitis C An estimated 250,000 people in Canada are living with chronic hepatitis C but as many as 44% are not aware that they have it.4 Left undiagnosed and untreated, chronic hepatitis C can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer or liver failure. Currently, hepatitis C is the leading indication for liver transplant in Canada.5 AbbVie supports a range of efforts to help elevate and prioritize HCV elimination because we know achieving the shared goal of elimination by 2030 will take more than medicine. It will take transparent and collaborative partnerships with all stakeholders – industry, healthcare providers, healthcare systems, patient groups and their support networks. Joint efforts and maximizing the time we have left will enable us to reach this goal.
About MAVIRET MAVIRET is approved in Canada for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) in adults and adolescent patients 12 to 18 years of age across all major genotypes (GT1-6).6 MAVIRET is a pan-genotypic, once-daily, ribavirin-free treatment that combines glecaprevir (100 mg), an NS3/4A protease inhibitor, and pibrentasvir (40 mg), an NS5A protein inhibitor. MAVIRET is taken once daily as three oral tablets.6
MAVIRET is an 8-week, pan-genotypic treatment that makes a virologic cure** possible in patients without cirrhosis who are new to treatment.*1 These patients represent the majority of people infected with HCV. MAVIRET is also approved in patients with specific treatment challenges, including those with compensated cirrhosis, who are carriers of one of the major genotypes, and those who previously had limited treatment options, such as patients with severe CKD, post-liver and post-renal transplant recipients*** and those patients with genotype 3 HCV infection.6 MAVIRET is approved for use in patients across all stages of CKD.6
Glecaprevir was discovered during the ongoing collaboration between AbbVie and Enanta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ENTA) to develop HCV protease inhibitors and therapeutic regimens that include protease inhibitors.
* Patients without cirrhosis and new to treatment with direct-acting antivirals (DDAs), (i.e., either treatment-naive or did not respond to previous interferon-based treatments (pegylated interferon [peg IFN] +/- ribavirin or sofosbuvir-ribavirin +/-peg IFN). ** Patients who achieve a sustained virologic response at 12 weeks post treatment (SVR12) are considered cured of hepatitis C.***MAVIRET is recommended for 12 weeks in liver or kidney transplant recipients who are HCV GT1-6 treatment-naive or HCV GT-1, -2, -4, -5 or -6 PRS (IFN or peg IFN, ribavirin and/or sofosbuvir)-treatment experienced. A 16-week treatment duration should be considered in transplant patients who are HCV GT-1 NS5A inhibitor experienced (but NS3/4A inhibitor-naive) or HCV GT-3 PRS- treatment experienced.
About AbbVie Care Canadians prescribed MAVIRET can be enrolled in AbbVie Care, AbbVie's signature care program. The program is designed to provide a wide range of customized services including reimbursement and financial support, pharmacy services, personalized education and ongoing disease management support throughout the treatment.
About AbbVie AbbVie is a global, research and development-based biopharmaceutical company committed to developing innovative advanced therapies for some of the world's most complex and critical conditions. The company's mission is to use its expertise, dedicated people and unique approach to innovation to markedly improve treatments across four primary therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, virology and neuroscience. In more than 75 countries, AbbVie employees are working every day to advance health solutions for people around the world. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.ca and www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvieCanada and @abbvie on Twitter or view careers on our Facebook or LinkedIn page.
1 Decisions Resources Group. Hepatitis C virus: disease landscape & forecast 2016. January 2017.
The words of the year as 2019 ends appear to be “OK Boomer” and “woke.” To this Boomer, it appears that the younger generation is blaming us for all the Evil in the world, from their perch of “woke” moral superiority. They consider us to be out of touch and over the hill.
According to Merriam-Webster, “woke” means “aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice).” It went from being a black activist watchword to internet slang.
It is apparent that there is a giant political divide in this country, partly but not entirely intergenerational. In my opinion, my generation bears a lot of blame, but probably not in the way that most Millennials think. Waiting for us to die and get out of the way is not going to solve the problem—particularly in medicine.
There is one indisputable advantage I have as a Boomer. I have had the experience of being young; my younger patients have not experienced growing old. I know exactly what that cross-stitched embroidery on my wall means: “Ve get so soon old und so late schmart.”
I was young and impressionable and passionately held some very ill-informed opinions. I did some stupid things—but did not do worse things because I had the benefit of learning something from older people’s experience.
I had the inestimable advantage, which so many young people today lack, of having a traditional extended family. My mother was at home, running my father’s contracting business. My grandparents lived next door. I played Scrabble with Grandma, and learned a little German from Grandpa. My father was home every night. I got some invaluable experience, not especially enjoyable at the time, by sweeping the floor and picking up bent nails at construction sites.
I got a nice head start because of my dad’s hard work. It put me through medical school debt-free. Most Millennials cannot have the same advantage. Their daddies could not have learned skills like carpentry at home, or built a house by themselves, starting with the surveying and ditch-digging with pick and shovel. “Protective” regulations would have prevented it. They cannot build up savings as I could, when one could earn real interest not cancelled out by inflation, and when much less of one’s paycheck was devoured by taxation.
Do Millennials have the same chance to get into medical school as I did? It depends. The admissions process in my day was generally meritocratic even if not entirely fair. Today, the main emphasis is “diversity.” Straight white males and Asians seem to face discrimination. A correct attitude is critical, while organic chemistry may not be required at all—never mind that the body is a chemical factory, built on carbon-based (i.e. organic) chemicals. The new doctors are different—not necessarily better.
Virtually all students will face a crushing load of debt, because of soaring tuition without any improvement in knowledge output. Unable to take the financial risk of declaring independence, and faced with new, ever-increasing re-certification requirements, young physicians will be enslaved to the opinions of their employers and specialty boards.
The Boomer generation is largely responsible. The Berkeley window-smashing “Free Speech” movement assured your ability to constantly fling obscene or profane words, while undermining cultural norms and traditional authorities. One institution after another—universities, the media, churches, professional organizations, charities, political parties, even businesses—surrendered to the radicals’ Marxist, holier-than-thou ideology.
Boomers also brought us the “entitlements” that are bankrupting government and mortgaging the labor of the younger generation. Most don’t care about robbing their grandchildren when this consequence is pointed out to them. State governments, professionals, insurers, and bureaucrats are also most concerned about getting their share of the loot.
The younger generation throughout its early years is trapped in age-segregated cocoons, surrounded by guilt-inducing, fear-inspiring indoctrination; immersed in virtual reality; isolated from natural family, their cultural history, opportunities to learn real-world skills, and dissenting opinions.
As C.S. Lewis pointed out, it is important to read old books because each generation makes different mistakes. It is critical for the generations to talk to each other—to break down the barriers of censorship and distrust, to seek universal truths, and to keep the flame of freedom alive. We need to be awake and in touch.
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Jane M. Orient, M.D. obtained her undergraduate degrees in chemistry and mathematics from the University of Arizona in Tucson, and her M.D. from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1974. She completed an internal medicine residency at Parkland Memorial Hospital and University of Arizona Affiliated Hospitals and then became an Instructor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and a staff physician at the Tucson Veterans Administration Hospital. She has been in solo private practice since 1981 and has served as Executive Director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) since 1989. She is currently president of Doctors for Disaster Preparedness. She is the author of YOUR Doctor Is Not In: Healthy Skepticism about National Healthcare, and the second through fifth editions of Sapira's Art and Science of Bedside Diagnosis published by Wolters Kluwer. She authored books for schoolchildren, Professor Klugimkopf’s Old-Fashioned English Grammar and Professor Klugimkopf’s Spelling Method,published by Robinson Books, and coauthored two novels published as Kindle books, Neomorts and Moonshine. More than 100 of her papers have been published in the scientific and popular literature on a variety of subjects including risk assessment, natural and technological hazards and nonhazards, and medical economics and ethics. She is the editor of AAPS News, the Doctors for Disaster Preparedness Newsletter, and Civil Defense Perspectives, and is the managing editor of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons.
First year of the Montreal Heart Institute's Diabetes Prevention Clinic supported by Sun Life Financial
Patients on the road to recovery from type 2 diabetes
MONTREAL, Jan. 13, 2020 /CNW/ - What if you were told you could reverse the course of type 2 diabetes through exercise and a healthy diet? That was the challenge this past year for patients at the Montreal Heart Institute's Diabetes Prevention Clinic supported by Sun Life Financial. The health team is thrilled with the progress achieved by its 180 participants during the clinic's first year.
72% reduced their waist circumference by an average of 5 cm
80% lost weight, with patients losing an average of 3.72 kg (8 lb)
67% reduced their circulating insulin levels by an average of 29.54 pmol/L
77% reduced their glycated hemoglobin (average blood sugar over 3 months) by 0.6 %
64% improved their fasting glucose levels, with a drop of 7.6%
60% reduced their triglycerides by 9.5%
60% increased their good cholesterol (HDL) by 5%
"These are impressive results after just one year! I congratulate the patients who undertook this challenge and I thank the clinic's health care professionals who've helped guide them on their road to recovery," said Jacques Goulet, President of Sun Life Canada. "With so many Canadians affected by diabetes, Sun Life is committed to fighting the disease and its potentially serious complications. This initiative aligns with our purpose, which is to help our Clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. "
"Lifestyle is better than medication for treating diabetes, and doesn't involve the side effects frequently associated with medication. The clinic delivers the best tools to patients, so they can minimize complications related to their disease," said Dr. Martin Juneau, Director of Prevention at the Montreal Heart Institute and Diabetes Prevention Clinic supervisor.
A multidisciplinary team of health practitioners meets periodically with participants and gives them the tools they need to make healthy lifestyle changes and improve their health. This multidisciplinary program is offered at the Montreal Heart Institute's EPIC Center, thanks to a donation of $450,000 from Sun Life.
A tailored program to meet growing demand The Diabetes Prevention Clinic's mission is to turn the tide on diabetes through early detection and healthy lifestyle strategies. This program meets a growing demand for preventive services for patients with diabetes and prediabetes, chronic conditions currently affecting 1 in 3 Canadians. Cardiovascular disease is the most common complication and leading cause of death in patients with type 2 diabetes1. Fortunately, many studies show that type 2 diabetics who make lifestyle changes, including a high-quality diet, regular moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, no tobacco use and moderate alcohol consumption, reduce their risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease.
Diabetes is the 5th-leading cause of premature death in the world. Hyperglycemia from the onset of diabetes has multiple adverse effects on cardiovascular risk factors, including atherosclerosis, hypertension and dyslipidemia. These issues, together with the damage hyperglycemia causes to small blood vessels, mean type 2 diabetes increases the incidence of coronary heart disease by 2 to 4 times2.
Sun Life in the community At Sun Life, we are committed to building sustainable, healthier communities for life and we're proud to hold the Caring Company designation from Imagine Canada. Community wellness is an important part of our sustainability commitment and we believe that by actively supporting the communities in which we live and work, we can help build a positive environment for our Clients, Employees, advisors and shareholders. Our philanthropic support focuses on two key areas: health, with an emphasis on diabetes awareness, prevention, care and research initiatives through our Team Up Against DiabetesTM platform; and arts and culture, through our award-winning Making the Arts More AccessibleTMprogram. Since 2012, Sun Life has committed $31 million globally to support diabetes awareness, prevention, care and research initiatives. In Quebec our sponsorship and donation initiatives also focus on home economics and financial education.
We also partner with sports properties in key markets to further our commitment to healthy and active living. Our Employees and advisors take great pride in volunteering over 29,000 hours each year and contribute to making life brighter for individuals and families across Canada.
About the Montreal Heart Institute Founded in 1954, the Montreal Heart Institute constantly aims for the highest standards of excellence in the cardiovascular field through its leadership in clinical and basic research, ultra-specialized care, professional training and prevention. It houses the largest cardiovascular research center in Canada, the largest cardiovascular prevention center in the country, and the largest cardiovascular genetics center in the country. The Institute is affiliated with the University of Montreal and has more than 2,000 employees, including 245 doctors and more than 85 researchers.
About the Montreal Heart Institute Foundation Founded in 1977, the Montreal Heart Institute Foundation raises and administers funds to support the Institute's priority and innovative projects and fight cardiovascular diseases, the world's number one cause of mortality. Its philanthropic events and the contributions of its donors have enabled this leading cardiovascular health care organization to become the largest cardiac research centre in the country. Since its creation, the Foundation has raised more than $283 million in donations. Its 27,514 donors helped make important discoveries and support specialists, professionals and researchers of the Institute to provide care at the cutting edge of technology to tens of thousands of patients in Quebec.
About the EPIC Center The MHI's EPIC Center is the largest centre for cardiovascular disease prevention in Canada, with more than 5500 registered members. The Center has a bit more than 80 employees and is part of the Prevention Branch of the Montreal Heart Institute. The centre is for healthy people who wish to keep it that way (primary prevention) as well as for patients who had a cardiac accident (readaptation and secondary prevention). The staff includes physicians, cardiologists, internists, emergency physicians, a physiologist, visiting professors, nurses, nutritionists, kinesiologists and rescuers.
Influenzas B Strain of Flu Virus Makes Early Arrival This
Flu Season
Influenza B Impacting Children More than Adults, Parents Need to Take Necessary Precautions Now to Protect Children
MEMPHIS, TENN. – As flu season enters 2020, the influenza B strain of the flu virus has arrived earlier than normal making this year’s season off to an “atypically” early start, says Dr. Richard Webby, a member of the Infectious Diseases Department at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the World Health Organization’s Vaccine Composition Team.
“Often we see the influenza B strain of the flu virus later in the season, sometimes following influenza A virus circulation – but this season, we see the influenza B strain arriving earlier than normal kicking off this year’s flu season ‘atypically’ early,”suggests Dr. Richard Webby, a member of the Infectious Diseases Department at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the World Health Organization’s Vaccine Composition Team. “Regardless of what strain of influenza you get, the best protection from the flu virus is the flu vaccine. It is still the most valuable and life-saving public health tool in preventing and spreading the flu.”
At this moment the Influenza Victoria B strain is the most dominant strain of the virus in the country and is impacting children more than adults. The Victoria B Influenza strain appeared in Victoria, Australia some three decades ago and circulates in humans along with another influenza b virus and two influenza A viruses-which is the reason most of our flu shots have four components.
“We don’t know exactly why the Influenza B strain impacts children more than adults, but if we compare how much viruses have changed the B strain tends to change a little more slowly. Therefore, it is possible that adults have the opportunity to build up more immunity over time to this particular strain and thus resulting in greater natural protection,” said Dr. Webby.
Webby continued, “Because of the nature of the Influenza B strain’s greater impact on children and its early arrival, parents need to be extra cautious and take the necessary steps now, such as the getting their child the flu shot and going to their doctor early in the course of illness, to protect them from this potentially lethal strain.”
Dr. Webby penned a recent guest piece in Newsweek alerting everyone to get the flu shot as it is the best protection from the flu virus.
“It’s certainly not too late to get the flu shot. It is composed of both influenza A antigens and influenzas B antigens, which will help fight the flu and keep you healthy. While we are seeing an early B season, last year we saw what was almost two consecutive flu seasons involving different viruses. If that happens again, now would be a good time to get vaccinated in preparation for the second virus,” concluded Webby.
"SOUND HEALING" NEW HEALTH TREND BRINGS ASMR TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Neuroscience Expert Shares Insight to this Unique Approach to Wellness By now you've probably heard of ASMR, (auto sensory meridian response) the massively growing trend that's all the rage on social media. In case you haven't, it's the sound-oriented videos of people doing various noise-making activities like whispering, nail tapping, food eating, and more. People around the world are bonding over the unexpected euphoric sensation they get from hearing certain noises. But can sound do more for us than just give us tingles? According to Neuroscience expert Dr. Patrick Porter, it certainly can and "sound healing" is a new wellness trend that brings ASMR to the next level. Sound Healing is an ancient practice that has been used to improve mental, physical, and emotional health. There are different types of sound healing including vibrational therapy, a method that uses vibrations from gongs and tuning forks to relax the mind and body. One of the most popular methods today is binaural beats, also known as brainwave entrainment or braintapping. This method uses auditory stimulation to synchronize and balance brainwaves so they align to the frequency of the beat. "Sound Healing isn't new, it's been used for centuries to help restore balance to the body. It can improve many facets of life, including emotional development, cognitive and functioning. It's also known to reduce stress and bolster the immune system..."..says Dr. Porter. Porter, who has devoted his career to researching the effects of sound and brainwave entrainment. Sound healers say the healing effects occur because the body relaxes and blood pressure is lowered, which improves circulation and respiratory rates. It stabilizes the limbic system which is involved in motivation, emotion, learning, and memory. The body is calmed, breathing becomes rhythmic, and the muscles relax. Though more research is needed, sound healing has been used to treat symptoms of a number of conditions, including anxiety, depression, insomnia, PTSD, dementia, autism and learning difficulties, behavioral and psychiatric disorders, and more. Given the fascination people have with ASMR, it's understandable why they are now turning to sound healing. Digital medicine in the form of sound healing is quickly becoming a go-to solution for enriching patient care. As more research results are published, sound therapy will become an essential part of healing protocols. With its ability to calm and relax, sound therapy helps the body stay stress-free so it can heal at an appropriate rate.Dr. Porter is sharing insight into the ASMR and Sound Healing trend. He has tips and actionable advice on how people can use sound to improve mental, physical, and emotional wellness in 2020.TALKING POINTS (FOR INTERVIEWS & ARTICLES):Sound Healing 101 - What It Is & How It WorksFascinating Science Behind ASMR 5 Ways Sound Can Improve Mental, Physical, & Emotional HealthTry-at-Home Wellness Tips Using Sound How to Biohack the Brain for a Happier Healthier YearABOUT DR. PATRICK PORTER:
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