Ontario and Quebec provide reimbursement for HIV therapies PIFELTRO® (doravirine) and DELSTRIGO® (doravirine/lamivudine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate)
Although treatment progress has been made, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is still one of the world's most serious public health challenges.i In 2018, approximately 37.9 million people were living with HIV worldwide.ii During that same year, an estimated 1.7 million people became newly infected globally.iii
For more than 30 years, Merck has been committed to scientific research and discovery in HIV that addresses unmet medical needs and helps people living with HIV have a long and healthy life.
KIRKLAND, QC, Nov. 18, 2019 /CNW/ - Merck Canada Inc., an affiliate of Merck & Co., Inc., known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that reimbursement will be provided to PIFELTRO® and DELSTRIGO®, a once-daily NNRTI regimen for the treatment of HIV-1 infection, effective October 31st for the Ontario Drug Benefit Program and November 14th for la Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec, RAMQ. Ontarians and Quebecers aged 18 years or older who are living with an HIV-1 infection will be eligible for reimbursement under the public program.
"While living well with HIV infection is now a reality for most people, HIV remains a major public health challenge and identifying individuals with infection and ensuring access to effective treatment and care is a priority," says Dr. Fiona Smaill, Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology, McMaster University. "These two new products, from the class of drugs known as NNRTIs, provide another simple, effective and well tolerated treatment choice for patients."
Merck's PIFELTRO® and DELSTRIGO® were approved for the treatment of HIV-1 by Health Canada in 2018. Both treatments provide additional options to adults infected with HIV-1 to help manage their disease.
"We're pleased to see both products now reimbursed for patients living with HIV in Ontario and Quebec," says Anna Van Acker, President, Merck Canada. "At Merck, we are committed to scientific research and discovery of new treatment options that address the unmet medical needs and bring hope and quality of life to patients living with the consequences of this devastating disease. This includes ensuring that effective therapies are accessible to many patients as quickly as possible."
About HIV-1 Infection
HIV is a virus which causes HIV infection, with acquired immunodeficiency virus (AIDS) being the most advanced stage of HIV infection.ivHIV attacks the body by targeting and dismantling the immune system's infection-fighting CD4 cells.v As the body loses CD4 cells, the immune system struggles to fight off infections and certain cancers.vi If left untreated, the immune system can be broken down further by HIV and result in AIDS.vii
HIV-1 is the most predominant type of HIV infection, accounting for approximately 95 per cent of all infections worldwide.viii
About PIFELTRO®
PIFELTRO® is a new non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) of HIV-1 to be administered in combination with other antiretroviral medicines. The approval of this therapy is based on data from two randomized, international, multicenter, double-blind, and active-controlled pivotal Phase 3 trials entitled DRIVE-FORWARD and DRIVE-AHEAD. PIFELTRO® is indicated, in combination with other antiretroviral medicinal products for the treatment of adults infected with HIV-1 without past or present evidence of viral resistance to doravirine. In DRIVE-FORWARD, once-daily PIFELTRO, demonstrated non-inferior efficacy to darunavir + ritonavir (DRV+r), each in combination with two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) at 48 weeks (84% in the PIFELTRO group achieved viral suppression of HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL vs. 80% in the DRV+r group). The most frequently reported adverse reactions considered possibly or probably related to PIFELTRO were nausea (6%) and headache (5%).ix
About DELSTRIGO®
DELSTRIGO® is a once-daily fixed-dose combination tablet of doravirine, lamivudine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, designed as a complete regimen for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in appropriate patients. The approval of this therapy is based on data from two randomized, multicenter, double-blind and active controlled pivotal Phase 3 trials entitled DRIVE-AHEAD and DRIVE-SHIFT. DELSTRIGO®is indicated as a complete regimen for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection in adults without past or present evidence of viral resistance to doravirine, lamivudine or tenofovir. In DRIVE-AHEAD, once-daily DELSTRIGO demonstrated non-inferior efficacy to the combination of efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir DF (EFV/FTC/TDF) at 48 weeks (84% in the DELSTRIGO group achieved viral suppression of HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL vs. 81% in the EFV/FTC/TDF group). The most frequently reported adverse reactions considered possibly or probably related to DELSTRIGO were dizziness (7%) and nausea (5%).x
About Merck
For over a century, Merck, a leading global biopharmaceutical company known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most challenging diseases. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships.
Today, Merck continues to be at the forefront of research to advance the prevention and treatment of diseases that threaten people and communities around the world - including cancer, cardio-metabolic diseases, emerging animal diseases, Alzheimer's disease and infectious diseases including HIV and Ebola.
In Canada, Merck markets a broad range of vaccines, pharmaceutical and animal health products and is one of the top R&D investors in Canada, with investments totaling $69 million in 2018 and more than $1 billion since 2000. Based in Kirkland, Québec, Merck employs approximately 765 people across the country. For more information about our operations in Canada, visit www.merck.ca and connect with us on YouTube and Twitter @MerckCanada.
Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA
This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the "company") includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.
Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company's ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company's patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.
The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company's 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC's Internet site (www.sec.gov).
Please see the product monograph for PIFELTRO® (doravirine) at:
https://www.merck.ca/static/pdf/PIFELTRO-PM_E.pdf
Please see the product monograph for DELSTRIGO® (doravirine/lamivudine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) at:
INTELLiSTEM Partners With MÉDIMABS To Create A Biotech Powerhouse Platform
TORONTO, Nov. 18, 2019 /CNW/ - INTELLiSTEM Technologies, a Canadian biotech company revolutionizing stem cell medicine, is pleased to announce the establishment of a partnership with MÉDIMABS Inc. The agreement will leverage MÉDIMABS' expertise for the creation of an end to end platform suitable for the rapid generation of monoclonal antibodies using Intellistem's proprietary platform IntelliPeptidomeTM. The platform uses IntelliCellsTM to uncover MHC II neoantigens and epitopes for optimal monoclonal antibody discovery and development.
"We are very excited to offer this novel platform to the biopharmaceutical field. Standard platforms struggle to find the best immunogenic epitope. IntelliPeptidomeTM allows for a fast and efficient way to identify epitopes suitable for specific monoclonal antibody development," said Dr. Riam Shammaa, MD. Founder and CEO of INTELLiSTEM.
"Having the right epitope from the start is a game-changer for antibody development. This way, using our proprietary platform, we can focus our effort to generate antibodies with a high potential for a range of diagnostic and therapeutic applications. It is like having epitope mapping data of an antibody even before it exists. It allows us to streamline the generation process and minimize the risk of producing non-functional antibodies." said Dr. Pierre-André Scott, Ph.D. Senior Study Director of MÉDIMABS.
About INTELLiSTEM: INTELLiSTEM is a privately-owned biotechnology company that created the next generation of cell therapy products using stem cells. Its proprietary genetically engineered cell platforms include Super Sentinel Cells™ (SSCs) for cancer therapeutics and IntelliCellsTM for drug discovery and target identification. INTELLiSTEM is currently moving into human trials.
About INTELLiPEPTIDOMETM: The IntelliPeptidomeTM platform allows for systematic analysis of peptides selected by IntelliCellsTM for triggering efficient and specific immune responses. Besides enabling the discovery of novel epitopes for monoclonal antibody development, IntelliPeptidomeTM can be used for screening large ScFv libraries to allow the engineering novel CAR T-cell recognizing previously unheralded targets expressed on the surface of solid tumours.
The overall set of peptides presented at the cell surface is referred to as the immunopeptidome. The development of new technologies to decipher these sets of peptides is of paramount importance to guide the design of novel anti-cancer immunotherapies
About MÉDIMABS: MÉDIMABS Inc. (https://medimabs.com/) is a privately-owned life science company. Founded in 2006 in Montreal, Quebec by a group of McGill University researchers to develop high-quality antibodies. MÉDIMABS has a worldwide distribution network for antibodies and has clients, who contract their specialized antibodies development and other services, from North and South America, Europe and Asia. MÉDIMABS' clients include public and private companies, as well as several well-regarded bioscience focused institutions and universities.
SOURCE INTELLiSTEM Technologies
Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association Releases an Updated National Framework for Advance Care Planning in Canada
OTTAWA, Nov. 18, 2019 /CNW/ - Advance Care Planning (ACP) in Canada initiative, led by the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) has released an updated National Framework for ACP. This new Framework includes an updated plan for implementation of ACP in Canada.
The 2019 Pan-Canadian Framework builds on the legacy of the 2012 National Framework and its influence on new developments and accomplishments. The new framework is restructured to focus more on broadening partnerships, and promoting further collaboration among different jurisdictions (local, provincial/territorial, national) and systems (health, law, social services, life planning). Its development was funded by Health Canada as part of a $1.9 million project over three years to help people living in Canada prepare for their future health care needs.
"Advance Care Planning is a normal part of the life journey" says Laurel L. Gillespie, Director of Advance Care Planning in Canada, Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Asociation "making an Advance Care Plan is about thinking how our health and personal care can fit with our personal values, preferences and our unique situation. The care Canadians receive should reflect their wishes and if they can't speak for themselves, their Substitute Decision Maker can speak on their behalf."
The first version of the National Advance Care Planning Framework was created in 2012, and it had an extremely positive impact. Policy makers and health care organizations and providers in all provinces and territories used the framework to raise awareness of the importance of ACP and make it an integral part of good quality care.
Speak Up instigated a national consultation process to update the National Framework. The consultation process began with a Strategic Planning meeting to invite feedback and revision. Next, four teleconference sessions were held to review the four main action pillars of the 2012 framework: Engagement, Infrastructure, Education, and Quality Improvement. In addition, three more sessions were conducted to discuss national, provincial/territorial, and regional perspectives.
The updated Framework reframes the four main actions pillars as interconnected activities that have the potential to normalize, support, and promote ACP in Canada. These ACP activities, in turn, can be integrated with other life planning that people do, such as financial planning and estate planning, to create a kind of safety net for people throughout their lives.
The national 'Speak Up' Advance Care Planning (ACP) in Canada initiative is led by the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) with a financial contribution from Health Canada. The initiative aims to help people living in Canada prepare for their future and personal health care. The project involves a series of public awareness campaigns, supports community-based ACP programs, and promotes ACP resources and guides.
SOURCE Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association
5 Ways to Keep Up your Exercising Habits at Home in the Winter
When winter arrives, it can make it difficult to visit a gym or a park to exercise. However, there are easy ways to enjoy physical activity throughout the winter while you remain at home. Consider these five exercise options that you can use at home during the wintertime.
Create a Home Gym
Create a gym at home that makes it easier to exercise on an inclement day. Use an extra room in your home for storing the elliptical machine, stationary bicycle or treadmill. You can also have smaller pieces of equipment, such as barbells and resistance bands. Arrange the equipment in a way that makes it simple to use the devices each day without needing to move the things around.
Have Exercise DVDs Available
If you have an assortment of exercise DVDs available, then you can play one in a DVD player while watching it on a television. This can motivate you to exercise on the coldest day of winter by working out with your favorite celebrity while listening to your favorite music.
Cycling for Exercise
You can cycle during the winter when you remember to wear the proper garments. By choosing custom cycling kits, you can remain warm with shirts, pants, jackets and accessories as the temperature drops. It is essential to select clothing that fits properly so that the cold air won’t enter the sleeves, neck or cuffs of the garments. These thin formfitting garments are easy to wear under other clothing for additional warmth. If the road is too icy or it is snowing, you can set up a training station for your bike or invest in a stationary treadmill.
Indoor Swimming Pool
If you live in a larger home or have a larger backyard, then you can install an indoor swimming pool. Hire a contractor who can design and build an indoor swimming pool that is covered with a building and that has heated water. During the winter, you can exercise in the warm water of the swimming pool to remain physically fit.
Yoga Routines
Yoga is an excellent wintertime exercise that doesn’t require a lot of space or equipment. This type of physical activity is perfect when you wake up in the morning to energize your body, or alternatively, you can perform a gentle yoga routine at night to help you relax and sleep.
Remember to Warm Up and Cool Down
It is essential to warm up and cool down when you exercise during the winter so that you won’t develop muscle cramps or joint pain. Experts suggest that you should do these activities for at least 15 minutes for the most benefits.
4 Key Muscle Exercises to Make You a Better Skier
If you love hitting the slopes in the winter months, you likely want to enhance your performance. The better skier you become, the more fun you have. Here are four muscle exercises that can enhance your performance on the slopes this winter season.
Squats
The squat is a very simple form of exercise that pretty much anyone can do anywhere. If you don’t regularly have a training program, then start with some air squats. Be sure that your feet are a shoulder’s width apart and that you actually sit back when squatting. Work on doing sets of 20 reps. When you reach five sets of 20 reps with a maximum of 60 seconds rest between, it’s time to add in some weights.
Wall Squat Holds
If you really want to not only fit in those telemarkdownski clothes but you want to last all afternoon on the slopes, then you should be doing the wall squat hold. Start by standing against a wall. Push your back and buttocks into the wall as you slide down into a comfortable squat position. Hold that squat position for as long as you possibly can. Do at least four reps of this exercise with minimal rest periods in between. The longer you can hold the squat position, the more endurance you will build.
Lunges
Lunges are ideal for not only building your leg and core strength but for enhancing your balance. Start in a standing position. Step one foot forward and bend down with it until your knee reaches a 90-degree bend. Ensure your back stays straight and your back leg is just up from touching the floor. You’ll want to work on doing about five sets of these for 20 reps each.
Planks
When it comes to building core strength, the plank is an extremely useful exercise. It comes with many fun variations that you can enjoy. However, the traditional plank done for lengthy periods of time can be a great addition to your workout routine. Ensure that when you’re in the plank position you’re core is in a solid position and your glutes are actively contracted.
If you’re looking for ways to build up your strength and endurance for this winter, then you need to look no further than the exercises above. These are great specifically for skiers who are looking to enhance their performance. Remember that by sticking with the same exercise, you can enhance their difficulty level by increasing sets, reps, and weights.
HOW TO AVOID HOLIDAY HEARTBURN AS EXPLAINED BY AN INTERNIST AND GASTROENTEROLOGIST
Even if you’re not a “foodie” most people look forward to indulging in the culinary delights of holiday time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. This means that even people who are typically disciplined eat too much in one evening, eat rapidly, imbibe amounts of alcohol they are unaccustomed to, and consume foods that may not be part of their regular diet because “tis the season.” While nobody likes a medical grinch, there are ways to have gastronomic fun without paying the price with holiday heartburn. Dr. Niket Sonpal is an internist and gastroenterologist at Touro College of Medicine. He shares his tips for having your holiday cake and eating it too.
Heartburn happens when stomach acid flows backward into the esophagus. It can also go by two names: GER (gastroesophageal reflux) or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). GER is also known as acid indigestion, happening only once in a while. GERD is chronic heartburn that can lead to esophageal cancer if left untreated.
Here are some tips for avoiding holiday heartburn
Eat light turkey, not dark
High-fat food can spell trouble if you're prone to heartburn, so do yourself a favor and skip the skin when it comes to turkey time. Your best bet is to eat turkey breast and avoid oilier dark meat. The same goes for gravy. If it's not fat free, it may be smarter to skip this dish.
Choose baked, not mashed
If you have chronic heartburn, you don't have to give up your favorite foods. You just have to choose wisely to save yourself some pain later on. For example, mashed potatoes can trigger heartburn, but baked potatoes may not. When it comes to dairy products, the less fat the better. Limit butter and avoid sour cream.
Choose multigrain rolls or bread
When choosing grain-based food for the holiday, you can't go wrong with multigrain bread or rolls. Corn bread and white bread are good choices too,if you want to avoid heartburn.
One side dish that should be strictly for the kids, however, is macaroni and cheese. This is one of those dishes known to trigger acid reflux, according to the National Heartburn Alliance.
Selecting a salad
Salads are good news for those with chronic heartburn or GERD—if you have the right salad dressing and ingredients, that is. High-fat foods are a known trigger for acid reflux, so the National Heartburn Alliance recommends avoiding creamy salad dressings, as well as oil and vinegar. Your best bet is a low-fat salad dressing, and avoid tomatoes, raw onions, and other acid-aggravating ingredients. (Want fruit in your salad? Choose apples, not oranges, if you want to avoid heartburn.)
Avoid foods that cause heartburn.
People who suffer from heartburn often know the trigger foods that cause symptoms. Common foods include chocolates, caffeine and greasy foods. These foods relax the lower esophagus sphincter muscle, when this muscle is relaxed, the food will go back up and cause heartburn. Other foods that can trigger heartburn include acidic foods such as citrus fruits or carbonated beverages. This means avoid Champagne!
Skip Mint Desserts
Candy canes and chocolate mint desserts are best left for others. These dangerous holiday delectables are notorious for helping acid reflux on its way.
Eat more ginger
Ginger is one ingredient that can help ease heartburn, if you don't get too much of it. (More than 2 to 4 grams per day can actually cause heartburn.)
Ginger is a natural match for root vegetable dishes commonly served during the holidays. Heartburn-friendly vegetables include carrots, cabbage, peas, broccoli, and green beans
Linger Over Your Food
Take the time to eat slowly and enjoy your food. Rushing through your meal or chewing with your mouth open can increase your chances of indigestion or heartburn. Linger over your food and allow yourself to feel full by giving your food time to digest.
Limit Alcoholic Beverages
Have to have that holiday egg nog? Limit it to one glass. This festive beverage can do double the damage. Not only does it contain alcohol that irritates your stomach but it contains the added dose of diary that can cause bloating and gas.
Cut yourself off.
After-hours holiday parties can keep you snacking all night, but eating too close to bedtime can make acid reflux worse. Stop eating and drinking (water included) three hours before bedtime.
Ditch the post-meal nap:
Sleeping right after eating can increase GERD symptoms. Instead of falling asleep, try going for a walk.
Dr. Niket Sonpal
is a native of Long Island NY and a graduate of Medical University of Silesia – Hope Medical Institute in Poland. After completing his residency in Internal Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital, he was selected to be the 2013‐2014 Chief Resident at Lenox Hill Hospital–Northshore LIJ Health System. He is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine and Clinical instructor at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, Brooklyn. Dr. Sonpal has completed his Fellowship in gastroenterology at Lenox Hill Hospital and will continue his work in the field of medical student and resident test preparation.
Dr Sonpal has spoken and presented at over 25 national and regional conferences on his research and is a regular participant in national courses, as well as offering presentations to medical students, graduates, and residents on the match process. Recently Dr. Sonpal was chosen as one of top ten national residents for the Medelita–‐Dupont Honoring Excellent Resident Observations also known as the H.E.R.O. Campaign. He is the co‐author for the best-selling Master the Boards: USMLE Step 2 CK, Master the Boards Step 3, And Master the Boards: Internal Medicine. He is also the Chief Operating Officer for Medquest Test Prep, Director of Medical Education for Picmonic Test Prep, and a recognized expert on medical test prep.
Dr. Sonpal is also on the board of the NY‐ American College Of Physicians (NYACP), and AAPI–‐NYC–‐METRO as the MSRF liaison. He has recently become a board member for NYCMS (New York County Medical Society).
ACS improves in-vehicle energy consumption with the introduction of Low-Sleep-State (LSS) power levels – exceeding CENELEC automotive quiescent current standards.
TORONTO, November 15, 2019
Alcohol Countermeasure Systems (ACS), a global leader in the development and manufacturing of alcohol interlocks and breath alcohol testers to prevent impaired driving, announces improvements to their alcohol interlock technology, including the introduction of Low-Sleep-State (LSS) power levels – exceeding CENELEC automotive quiescent standards.
For commercial vehicle operators, telematics and other on-board electronic monitoring functions are making increasingly higher demands on vehicle battery power. As a result, the management of current consumption during vehicle operation is moving into greater focus for automotive engineers. Reducing the electrical energy consumption through temporary deactivation, or low quiescent current, is increasingly a requirement of ever-evolving automotive standards. The CENELEC requirement for automotive quiescent current is 5 milliamps.
Accelerating the transition to energy-efficient solutions will continue to be critical for automotive suppliers. Current methodologies for ECU current consumption, without consideration of load currents, could enable the entire ECU or some functionality within an ECU to be temporarily deactivated. Additionally, in a fully electric vehicle, energy efficiency directly influences mileage; a very real and visible factor to an operator.
“With limited battery supply coupled with the increased introduction of vehicles with pure electrical drive trains, extending battery life requires mastery of low quiescent current”, states Felix J.E. Comeau, President & CEO of Alcohol Countermeasure Systems. “With the introduction of our Low-Sleep-State power levels, ALCOLOCK alcohol interlocks are able to operate at less than one milliamp, which means significant energy savings are realized compared to the status quo today.”
According to Mr. Comeau, “ACS looks forward to continuing to work closely with our suppliers in the area of automotive quiescent current standards and to further improvements in energy consumption levels of our ALCOLOCK alcohol interlock products.”
About ACS
Alcohol Countermeasure Systems is an international group of companies with over 40 years of experience developing innovative technology to prevent impaired driving. A technology leader and manufacturer of alcohol interlocks and breath alcohol testers, ACS provides products and services to law enforcement, automotive, industrial, public and personal safety markets. We improve global road safety through innovative design, manufacturing and customer support services.
November 19th is National Bereavement Day in Canada
OTTAWA, Nov. 15, 2019 /CNW/ - November 19, 2019, is the annual National Bereavement Day in Canada. On this day, the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) invites all Canadians to think about those who have passed away from our lives and help advocate for support at local, provincial and national levels for grieving Canadians.
"Grief impacts all aspects of our lives," and CHPCA is encouraging Canadians to cope with their grief by supporting each other through living and grieving. Our grief is a unique reflection of our relationships and is influenced by our past experiences, current circumstances, and the availability of support. Sharon Baxter, Executive Director of CHPCA says, "We live and grieve together, as loved ones, as families, as friends and as a community. Coping with our grief is not the same as forgetting. We can move on with our life and keep the memory of someone we lost as an important part of us. In fact, as we move through life, these memories can become more and more integral to defining the people we are".
As a society, we are so focused on prolonging life and curing illness that very little thought is given to what happens to us during our journey at the ends of one's life and to those we leave behind. CHPCA believes that it is essential for Canadians to understand that grief and bereavement support is for those who are grieving before, during, and after the course of a loved one's journey. CHPCA encourages Canadians to start early with advance care planning; that is, reflecting on and discussing their wishes with the people closest to them. Caregivers, families, and friends need more help to prepare to say goodbye and to live well while grieving the loss of their loved ones. Improving the process also means allowing caregivers and family members who have lost a loved one the time to grieve, to remember, and to heal.
"When someone dies we naturally grieve. For many of us grief impacts all aspects of our lives; physically, socially, emotionally, cognitively, and spiritually." says Sharon Baxter, Executive Director of CHPCA. ". Grief may impact our relationships and even cause us to lose interest in our usual social activities and hobbies. It may also affect our sense of meaning and purpose in life; and this reality has created the need to ensure information and resources on hospice palliative care and advance care planning are accessible to all Canadians; that resources are provided to those who need them in a timely fashion and in the setting of their choice, and that resources meet their care needs".
Grief and bereavement support is an essential element of all care at the ends of one's life. On this Bereavement Day, CHPCA provides Canadians with an abundance of helpful resources for those living with grief and bereavement. Find this year's resources at www.chpca.net/bereavementday and share them with your friends, family and loved ones who are experiencing grief.
About CHPCA The CHPCA is the national voice for Hospice Palliative Care in Canada. Advancing and advocating for quality end-of-life/hospice palliative care in Canada, its work includes public policy, public education and awareness. Established in 1991, its volunteer Board of Directors is composed of hospice palliative care workers and volunteers from Canadian provinces and territories as well as members-at-large.
SOURCE Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association
This is the launch of the Climate Signals’ monthly news highlights, where we take a look at recent extreme weather events and share how the events are related to climate change. We are sharing resources, digital content, backgrounders, science experts, and human impact stories that are often forgotten about once an event has seemingly passed. We are excited to bring you fresh and interesting content as it relates to weather and climate.
Without further ado, below are several important climate change stories we’ve seen this fall:
Fun fact: Do you know how climate change affects this important air current? Climate scientists Michael Mann and Noah Diffenbaugh talk about the drivers of the weird and extreme fall weather we've seen and how climate change and weird jet stream behavior are connected. Check out the video here.
WILDFIRES
Delayed rains out West mean the wildfire season is still active in California. In late October, the Kincade fire turned Sonoma County into a hellscape. The fire, fueled by intense winds, dry conditions and extreme heat, burned 77,758 acres before evacuees were allowed to return home at 65% containment.
There are three primary drivers connecting wind speeds to climate change in California: First, the slowing of the jet stream, related to a decrease in the temperature difference between the equator and the pole. This driver is primarily active during the winter season when the jet is the strongest, leading to a decrease in winds during the winter season.
Second, an increase in the temperature difference between ocean and land surfaces driven by the different heat capacities of these systems. This is strongest in the summer, which leads to significant increases in wind speeds throughout the summer and into early fall.
The third driver is hotter temps in the Central Valley and desert regions that make temperature vary within the state. This appears to be responsible for a pressure change in the south central valley, leading to a decrease in Santa Ana wind intensity and frequency.
Although the Kincade fire is now under control, increasingly unusual dry fall conditions persist and delayed rainfall is allowing for fire season to continue. Climate Signals teamed up with researchers at UC Santa Barbara to explain how you can tell if a fire is related to climate change. This is the first in a fact sheet series of climate connections and attribution studies. Head to the Climate Signals website to check it out.
You can also watch this cool explainer video on wildfires and climate change.
TROPICAL CYCLONES Hurricane season is winding down, and 2019 continued the recent trend in catastrophic, landfalling storms. This year, the Bahamas experienced the worst when the eye of Category 5 Hurricane Dorian came to a virtual standstill in the northwestern part of the country.
In the US and its territories, seven Category 4 and 5 tropical cyclones have made landfall since 2017: Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Maria, Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Michael, Typhoon Yutu, Typhoon Hagibis, and Typhoon Bualoi.
In the Pacific – On October 7, Category 5 Super Typhoon Hagibis passed through the US Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) over the uninhabited island of Anatahan. Hagibis proceeded to make landfall southwest of Tokyo as a Category 2 storm, wreaking havoc and creating apocalyptic scenes. The storm is the strongest tropical cyclone to make landfall in Japan on record. Consistent with climate signals in the western North Pacific, Hagibis rapidly intensified from a tropical storm to a Category 5 tropical cyclone in less than 24 hours. Just two weeks after Hagibis hit the CNMI, Typhoon Bualoi crossed the Islands as a Category 4 storm. The CNMI have endured a siege of tropical cyclones making landfall at Category 4 or stronger intensity during the past several years, including Typhoons Bualoi, Hagibis, Yutu, and Soudelor, the last of which occurred during the intense 2015 season linked directly to climate change.
Typhoon Yutu occurred just last year and devastated the islands as one of the strongest storms in 2018. The storm was also underwhelmingly covered as very few media outlets covered the superstorm. The Northern Mariana Islands are home to 55,000 Americans.
In the Atlantic – As we approach the end of Atlantic hurricane season, the tally for 2019 tropical systems has grown to 17 named storms, 6 hurricanes, 3 intense hurricanes, and an ACE index of 124.1 (as of November 14). ACE, or accumulated cyclone energy, is used to express the activity and destructive potential of individual tropical cyclones and entire tropical cyclone seasons.
According to Dr. Phil Klotzbach, the 1981 – 2010 averages for these quantities by October 30 were 11.1 named storms, 5.8 hurricanes, 2.5 intense hurricanes, and an ACE index of 97.7. Only six other seasons have had 17+ named storms by October 30: 1933, 1995, 2005, 2010, 2011 and 2012.
STORIES TO KEEP AN EYE ON
While covering extreme weather events are important, there are still people enduring, surviving, and recovering from what’s now the new normal for many.
Health remains one of the largest human impacts of wildfires. Wildfire smoke puts people with heart or lung diseases, such as heart failure, angina, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema or asthma at risk for further complications or worse. The Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments has a large network of regional health professionals who study and provide care for communities that experience health complications at larger rates due to the environment they live in.
California continues to use free labor from prisoners to fight wildfires. Roughly 30% of firefighters are currently incarcerated with little opportunity to become firefighters after release. The state is also now blaming firefighter shortages on ongoing prison reform efforts by local advocacy groups. Prison reform has been a hot topic amongst Hollywood. John Legend recently tweeted about employing formerly incarcerated people are firefighters and other celebs like Kim Kardashian, Meek Mill, and Jay Z have all invested in different aspects of prison reform. The Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program is leading efforts to help released inmates find work using their training and firefighting experience.
Haitian migrants left homeless from Hurricane Dorian continue to face deportation from the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas. Similar to other countries, legal work permits are expensive, leaving an already vulnerable population with little legal protection on the islands. Devastating extreme weather events are a major cause for climate migration in the Western hemisphere. The US has traditionally relaxed its immigration policy to provide refuge for victims of the climate crisis, but there has been a few hiccups with that process as well. At least 300 refugees are living in limbo in the US and that number is expected to grow. Columbia’s Sabin Center develops legal techniques to fight against climate change, including working on legal protections around climate migration.
Climate Signals is a science tool that identifies and illustrates what climate change looks like on the ground, in your region, state, or neighborhood and specifies the long-term climate trends and physical processes at work.
BC's Proposed Regulations Will Limit Choices for Adults Using Vaping as a Harm Reduction Tool to Quit Smoking
TORONTO, Nov. 14, 2019 /CNW/ - Rights4Vapers.com, the country's leading vaping consumer rights organization, is discouraged and dismayed by the B.C. government's proposed vaping regulations.
"As the voice of Canadian adult vapers, we have to ask why would B.C. choose to limit the choice of vaping products available to adults who want an alternative to cigarettes?" said Dr. Chris Lalonde, academic advisor to Rights4Vapers.com.
"We understand the goal of reducing youth vaping, but this is not the way to do it. Flavours, nicotine levels and price, are important factors in a smoker's decision to choose a vaping product. Surely the government understands that the real public health crisis is smoking, not vaping."
The BC Government should understand that there are already nicotine caps in place to protect vapers. Health Canada has assessed the issue of nicotine content and determined that 60 mg/ml is an appropriate level to protect consumers. Also, Health Canada has already conducted a consultation on nicotine content labelling.
"This is a prime example of governments not working together. We need one coherent and consistent approach, not a patchwork quilt of regulations," said Dr. Lalonde. "Adult smokers and vapers who use these products to stay off cigarettes will be hurt by these proposed regulations. Adult smokers who choose to vape should be encouraged and applauded, not marginalized."
Rather than penalizing adults who are making a healthier choice by vaping, governments should address the real cause of youth vaping: access. Young people are getting the product from friends and family, or black market dealers are selling them vapes. The regulations announced today would only fuel the already booming black market in e-cigarettes.
"Vapers will not stand idly by and watch government after government take away the best alternative to smoking they have," said Dr. Lalonde. "We would welcome a seat at the table to present the science and the facts about vaping. We hope governments will listen."
About Rights4Vapers.com Rights4Vapers.com is an organization of vaping advocates dedicated to the advancement of Canadian-based research on vaping. Dr. Chris Lalonde is an academic advisor.
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