How well do COVID-19 vaccines work in people with cancer, immune deficiencies and other populations with health vulnerabilities?
MONTREAL, July 15, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Government of Canada, through its COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) and Vaccine Surveillance Reference Group (VSRG), is investing more than $8 million on four studies led by researchers at The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa.
The studies aim to answer important questions about COVID-19 vaccines, including how well they work in people with cancer and with inherited and medication-related immune deficiencies. One of the studies will also be looking at post-COVID-19 conditions.
Vaccine efficacy in cancer patients
More than 2 million Canadians are currently living with cancer and many have weakened immune systems, either due to the cancer itself, or due to treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy. This makes patients more susceptible to viruses like SARS-CoV-2. It is important for these patients to have protection through vaccination, but a weak immune system can mean a weaker response to vaccines. However, very little research has been done on COVID-19 vaccines in people with cancer.
Two studies will investigate vaccine efficacy in cancer patients. Prospective Cohort Study to Examine Immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Cancer Patients with Solid Malignancies, led by Dr. Glenwood Goss, will determine if people with many kinds of cancer (e.g. lung, breast, prostate, colon and other solid tumours) can mount an appropriate immune response to COVID-19 vaccines.
The second study, A prospective multi-site observational study of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination immunogenicity in patients with hematologic malignancies, led by Dr. Arianne Buchan, aims to determine how well COVID-19 vaccines work in people with blood cancer, specifically.
COVID-19 vaccine efficacy in people with inherited and medication-related immune deficiencies
People with inherited immune deficiencies have a greater risk of developing severe COVID-19 and may be less likely to respond to vaccines. People with multiple sclerosis, arthritis and other immune-mediated diseases may also be at risk because medications for these conditions often suppress the immune system. A study called COVID-19 Vaccine Immunogenicity and Safety in ImmunoDeficient patients, led by Dr. Juthaporn Cowan will provide crucial data to help protect people with immune deficiencies against COVID-19 and discover which component of the immune system is essential in the COVID-19 vaccine response, so that tailored vaccines can be developed in future.
“All four of these studies are highly important as we do not yet have enough scientific evidence about the immune response in people with health vulnerabilities such as cancer or weakened immune systems,” says Dr. Caroline Quach Thanh, VSRG Co-Chair. “Another area of study we’re increasingly looking into is the repercussions of COVID-19 on people who have long-lasting symptoms. Dr. Crawley and Dr. Langlois’ research will help illuminate the science around them.”
The Vaccine Surveillance Reference Group (VSRG) supports the monitoring of the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in Canada. It is a consortium of Canadian organizations - the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the Canadian Immunization Research Network (CIRN), the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), and the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) – working collaboratively to pool expertise on vaccine surveillance. The VSRG reports to PHAC and is supported by the CITF Secretariat. It is co-chaired by the leader CIRN and the former chair of NACI. Among its responsibilities, the VSRG, through the CITF Executive Committee, makes recommendations to PHAC on funding research teams that can address important aspects of the immune response, safety, and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines with public health relevance and with attention to all priority groups.
About the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force
The Government of Canada established the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force in late April 2020. The Task Force is overseen by a Leadership Group of volunteers that includes leading Canadian scientists and experts from universities and healthcare facilities across Canada who are focused on understanding the nature of immunity arising from the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. To that end, the CITF is supporting numerous studies to determine the extent of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Canada (in the general population as well as in specific communities and priority populations), understand the nature of immunity following infection, develop improved antibody testing methods, and help monitor the effectiveness and safety of vaccines as they are rolled out across Canada. The Task Force and its Secretariat work closely with a range of partners, including governments, public health agencies, institutions, health organizations, research teams, other task forces, and engages communities and stakeholders. Most recently, the Task Force has been asked to support vaccine surveillance, including monitoring vaccine effectiveness and safety, as part of its overall objective to generate data and ideas that inform interventions aimed at slowing—and ultimately stopping—the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Canada. For more information visit: www.covid19immunitytaskforce.ca
WaldenFarms®Announces Salad Dressings with Improved Ingredients and Natural Flavors Inside and New Look Outside - Bringing Unmatched Attributes to Consumers!
ZERO Calories, Zero Net Carbs, Zero Sugar, and Zero Fat!
Rochelle Park, NJ – July 2021 – Walden Farms® introduces a major re-brand across its product line, beginning with 22 salad dressing varieties, to be followed by the other segments, including coffee creamers, condiments, dips, spreads, sauces, and syrups. The improved recipe, now with natural flavors, will also be tastefully reflected by a new design highlighting key nutritional claims and engaging food photography. The Walden Farms’ dressings are proudly free from artificial flavors and dyes, made with real vegetables, fruit fibers, and ingredients. Offering a full line of specialty condiments and food enhancers with zero calories, zero net carbs, zero sugar, and zero fat, Walden Farms uniquely provides consumers with unmatched attributes vs. other brands in the marketplace. Additionally, all products are keto-friendly, gluten-free, kosher, and have no high fructose corn syrup, and most are vegan, dairy-free, and cholesterol-free.
Walden Farms’sproducts appeal to multiple consumers, including those who don’t want to waste their calories on high fat dressings and condiments, as well as those who follow a vegan, gluten-free, or keto diet. They also strongly resonate with people living a healthy, active lifestyle or looking to manage their weight or control their diabetes.
The brand refresh coincides with the debut of an engaging new website www.WaldenFarms.com, where people can find appetizing recipe ideas, nutritional facts, product details, store locator information, or easily buy direct online.
Consumers who watch calories and carbs use salad dressings 30 percent more than the average consumer, and nearly half of that audience seeks dressings that have zero calories, fat, sugar, or gluten*. These consumers know more than anyone that ‘Small Swaps Save Calories™’. “Walden Farms’s Dressings allow people to control calories, fat, carbohydrates, gluten or sugars, without giving up great taste,” says Deborah Sidney, Senior Brand Manager for Walden Farms. “Walden Farms’s dressings are incredibly versatile, such as for spreading on sandwiches, dipping with vegetables, and using as marinades for cooking!”
With creamy and vinaigrette varieties in 22 flavors, Walden Farms has a salad dressing for every palate, including Bacon Ranch, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Bleu Cheese, Caesar, Chipotle Ranch, French, Honey Dijon, Italian, Ranch, Raspberry Vinaigrette, Sesame Ginger, and Thousand Island. Walden Farms’s salad dressings are available in 12-ounce bottles for a SRP of $4.99 at natural and grocery retailers nationally and is also sold online directly at waldenfarms.com.
Walden Farms is Making Healthy Taste Delicious™. For a variety of recipes, including salads, sandwiches, smoothies, entrees, desserts, dips, and more, visit www.WaldenFarms.com
About Walden Farms
Since 1972, Walden Farms has been the leader and pioneer in bringing delicious-tasting zero calorie and zero fat salad dressings to heathy eaters. Walden Farms expanded its calorie-free platform into other categories, including syrups, coffee creamers, condiments, spreads, dips, and sauces. For nearly 50 years, Walden Farms has been offering a full line of specialty condiments and food enhancers with zero calories, zero net carbs, zero sugar, zero fat, and unmatched attributes versus other competitors in the marketplace. Today, the company continues to evolve to meet the needs of the growing consumer base who demand more transparency and clean products and still choose low calorie and low carb products.
*DIG Insights Market Research Study n=500, September 2020
Reducing wait times for tests, treatments and procedures is No. 1 health-care priority for Ontarians – Ontario Medical Association Survey
TORONTO, July 14, 2021 /CNW/ - Reducing wait times for diagnostic tests, treatments and procedures is the top health-care priority for Ontarians, according to interim results of an online survey conducted by the Ontario Medical Association.
Of the 4,200 Ontarians who have responded to the OMA's survey so far, almost 25 per cent identified wait times as their No. 1 priority, confirming what the OMA has been hearing from patients, physicians, health-care partners and others across the province.
"Wait times were an issue before the pandemic and the situation has unfortunately gotten worse," said OMA President Dr. Adam Kassam. "The impact of COVID-19 has led to almost 16 million health-care services having been delayed or deferred, which is more than one for every Ontario resident. It is, therefore, no surprise that this is the top health-care priority."
Patients had concerns about wait times even before the pandemic caused care to be delayed or deferred because of lockdown conditions or fears that going to hospitals would increase the risk of being exposed to COVID-19.
Doctors and other health-care workers have been working on the front lines of the pandemic since it began. In addition to treating COVID patients, and catching up on surgeries, diagnostic exams and other procedures that could not take place during the pandemic, family physicians and community specialists are starting to see conditions that were undetected during the pandemic and will require treatment now. Some patients are being diagnosed with cancers, heart conditions or diabetes they didn't know they had. Previously diagnosed chronic conditions have grown more serious.
Survey respondents were asked to identify one priority for improving health care in Ontario. While reducing wait times led the list, 19 per cent of survey respondents identified the need for more doctors as their priority, 17 per cent identified improvements to seniors' health, including home care and long-term care, and 14 per cent said it was improved access to mental health services.
The OMA will use the survey results along with input from doctors, health-care stakeholders and community leaders across Ontario to develop a plan for the future of health care in Ontario that will be released this fall.
"These survey results will help Ontario's doctors fix the cracks in the health-care system that the pandemic brought to light and to think through what the future of health care could and should look like," said OMA CEO Allan O'Dette. "Ontario's doctors are developing a plan that will include the bold ideas necessary to take us through the recovery phase and well into the future. It will take everyone – doctors, government, hospitals and allied health professionals – working together to fix the backlog and reduce wait times."
It's time to change Ontario's health care for the better as the post-pandemic recovery begins. Complete our survey at betterhealthcare.ca and help shape the future of health care.
About the OMA
The Ontario Medical Association represents Ontario's 43,000 plus physicians, medical students and retired physicians, advocating for and supporting doctors while strengthening the leadership role of doctors in caring for patients. Our vision is to be the trusted voice in transforming Ontario's health-care system.
SOURCE Ontario Medical Association
Switch Health and the Greater Toronto Airports Authority launch new departures COVID-19 testing service
Built on the findings from federally funded research, the new departures testing service is the latest protective layer in Toronto Pearson's award-winning Healthy Airport program.
TORONTO, July 14, 2021 /CNW/ - Switch Health and the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) today announced that they are bringing COVID-19 testing services to Toronto Pearson. The tests, conducted by Switch Health, are an important protective layer in Pearson's award-winning Healthy Airport program and are available to both departing passengers and members of the community who are not travelling but need access to testing services. Arrivals testing continues to be required and conducted by Switch Health in partnership with the government of Canada for international arriving passengers.
In collaboration with the GTAA Healthy Airport program, Switch Health will sell COVID-19 testing services to all consumers at a new on-airport clinic located in Value Park Garage (VPG), open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Consumers and passengers can book tests in advance via Switch Health's booking portal: switchhealth.ca/healthyairport
Switch Health's testing will be supported by some of the most technologically advanced tools available, including AI-enabled health monitoring solutions. This will be driven by Switch Health's secure, proprietary patient portal, ASMO, which has successfully been used in the administration of over one million COVID-19 tests in Canada.
Gold standard RT-PCR COVID-19 tests will be available either through expedited 3-6 hour or standard 12-24 hour turnaround times and rapid antigen tests will be available with results in under 30 minutes. Pre-departure tests are currently required for entry into the United States and United Kingdom, as well as most other countries around the world.
The service first became available on July 12, 2021. Tests will be available through Switch Health in a traditional clinic setting on Level 3 of the VPG, as well as by drive-through on Level 1 of the VPG.
The testing service builds upon a research study conducted at Toronto Pearson earlier this year that was supported in part by funding from the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP). This research explored the efficacy of testing in a high-throughput, commercial environment, proving that it could be successfully operationalized at Canada's largest airport.
"Canada must be extra vigilant to continue to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and its variants, and we are doing so with a permanent onsite testing facility at Toronto Pearson Airport to deliver rapid results," said Dilian Stoyanov, Chief Executive Officer at Switch Health. "Whether Canadians are travelling abroad, coming home, working at the airport, or are visitors, we want everyone to be confident that they are safe and protected with advanced in-house testing that will set the standard for international transport hubs."
"As we work towards global pandemic recovery, it is critically important that airports provide services that enable safe, responsible travel," said Dwayne MacIntosh, Director, Corporate Safety & Security Governance, GTAA. "We undertook a significant piece of research, funded by the Government of Canada, to show that this kind of testing could be successfully operationalized in a high-throughput airport."
The Healthy Airport program is globally recognized, with Toronto Pearson being the first Canadian airport accredited under the Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Health Accreditation program. The program protects passengers and airport workers by using innovative new technology, advanced cleaning measures, and best-in-class standards to create a multilayered defense that limits the spread of COVID-19.
Switch Health has been at the forefront of Canada's fight against COVID-19, providing at-home and mobile COVID-19 testing services at airports and ports of entry across Canada.
Both Switch Health and the GTAA plan to continually adapt to meet and exceed the demands of a rapidly evolving pandemic environment, exploring new innovations to meet the needs of our passengers, employees, and the community.
About Switch Health
Switch Health Holdings Inc. (Switch Health) is an industry leader that is transforming how healthcare is delivered in Canada through cutting-edge decentralized next-generation diagnostics and patient-focused digital solutions. Switch Health developed an end-to-end, innovative, and accessible testing solution in Canada's fight against COVID-19, with its at-home and mobile collection kit to test Canadians safely, rapidly, and reliably for COVID-19. Switch Health's services are driven by its secure, proprietary patient portal, ASMO. Switch Health offers its gold standard of rapid and PCR testing in over 200 languages from the comfort peoples' homes or workplaces, with the guidance of trusted healthcare professionals and the delivery of results through some of Canada's top laboratories.
About the Greater Toronto Airports Authority
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority is the operator of Toronto – Lester B. Pearson International Airport, Canada's largest airport and a vital connector of people, businesses, and goods. Toronto Pearson has been named "Best Large Airport in North America serving more than 40 million passengers" for four years in a row by Airports Council International (ACI), the global trade representative of the world's airports. In recognition of its Healthy Airport program, ACI also awarded Toronto Pearson the "Best hygiene measures in North America" award, and Toronto Pearson was the first Canadian airport to receive ACI's global health accreditation for its response to COVID-19.
Patricia’s Story: Surviving Stage IV Adolescent Cancer
Baltimore, MD, July 13, 2021 — “Pretty girls don’t get cancer,” the doctor assured M. Patricia Diaz over 30 years ago. At the age of just 16, Diaz was scared and uncomfortable. However, the doctor’s words were meant to reassure her — and at the time, they worked. Patricia had been bracing for bad news, and now she felt relieved.
Two months later, she was diagnosed with stage IV terminal cancer.
Pretty Girls Don’t Get Cancer is Diaz’s candid, compelling story of overcoming the medical odds and transforming herself — mind, body and spirit — as a way of nurturing her ongoing healing process. Diaz experienced a year of social isolation (due to her compromised immune system at the time) during what should have been the most carefree, enjoyable time in her young life. Her journey toward authentic recovery would require spiritual growth and the kind of introspection that typically comes with maturity and hindsight.
“Isolation, at first a burden, in time, turned into a precious gift,” Diaz reflects. “It gave me space and silence, and it shone the light into the corners of my soul that were comfortably dim. … I was alive — I was breathing, and that insight made all the difference for me to make the best of the time I had to spend with ‘me.’”
Pretty Girls Don't Get Cancer does not sugarcoat the agony of the tests and treatments that Diaz endured, but she keeps the narrative conversational and relatable, with Latin American nuances and sprinkles of adolescent humor. Part coming-of-age, part motivational memoir, her storyis a testament to the power of a strong community, personal resiliency and grains of faith in the face of a cancer diagnosis. Diaz shows readers how her illness affected her life, her family and the community, and how restoring her physical health was only the first step toward healing.
About the Author
M. Patricia Diaz is an author, health-supportive chef and human resources consultant. Her wellness journey began in 1989 when she was diagnosed with stage IV terminal cancer. During the most difficult time in her life, and with the help of friends, family and life mentors, she turned to yoga, plant-based diets and other alternative techniques to manage her crisis and then gently restore her health after cancer treatments.
The lessons Diaz learned, and years of yoga practice, led to an enthusiasm for well-being, a search for a depth of knowledge, and provided a compass for her life and career. She trained in a plant-based chef program at the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City and completed a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Program at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health.
She is passionate about teaching the foundations of yoga and the basics of plant-based diets. She loves to help others connect with their inner wellness coach, and she believes that a genuine practice starts with a strong foundation honoring the principles of “ahimsa'” — first do no harm.
For more information, please visit https://mpatriciadiaz.com, or follow the author on Facebook (MPatriciaDiaz); Twitter (@mpatriciadiaz01); or Instagram (prettygirlsdontgetcancer).
Pretty Girls Don’t Get Cancer
Publisher: BookBaby
ISBN-10: 1098312244
ISBN-13: 978-1098312244
Available from Amazon.com, BN.com, Apple Books and many other online retailers
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Transcendent Journey Gives Doctor Insights into Life’s Greatest Question Website details transformational visits with spiritual presence
Los Angeles, CA, July 13, 2021 — Why are we here? Minister and licensed psychotherapist Dr. Pieter Noomen consciously searched his mind for conclusive insight into this question during his evening walks. One evening, out of the blue, the word “Oneness” filled him. Day after day, a total of 12 words crystalized within him and around him. Those words became the basis for his 12 booklets, each of which explores the 12 components of life: Oneness, Love, Life, Fire, Space, Connectedness, Progression, Effect, Freedom, Joy, Differentness and Harmony.
Although the content of the 12 booklets comes from Dr. Noomen, he didn’t consider himself the author. “I 'heard' them within me when I specifically sat down to ‘hear’ them,” he explained on his website. “I listened while they formed in my head. I guess that the best way to describe this is to see it as a 'merger' on my spirit level of the voice/presence/spirit of Life itself and my ability to be consciously receptive for that — as much as a human being can be.”
Dr. Noomen’s connection with the higher presence would ultimately last for many years, resulting in an abundance of deeply profound insights freely shared on his website, www.wordsforall.org.
Visitors to Dr. Noomen’s website can read about the 12 components of life and ponder 147 thought-provoking questions and the illuminating answers that came to him during his extensive communications with the All Spirit. Avoiding the word God, Dr. Noomen relays his extraordinary journeys on the spiritual plane with an openness that invites readers to uncover and explore their own accessibility to spirituality without labels or constructs.
He grew to believe that, directly or indirectly, all life stems from one common source and that to connect with that source is the highest level of existence we can achieve on earth. And perhaps more importantly, he believed that being in direct contact with the ALL of existence is possible for every human being.
As to the answer to life’s most puzzling question, Dr. Noomen had this to say: “The consistent message in all Writings is that the purpose of being on earth is to make individual personal choices; choices that can either further direct contact with the real, full reality or can do the opposite and limit our experience of being alive …”
Dr. Noomen passed away in 2019, but his wealth of wisdom and insights freely shared on www.wordsforall.org will continue to inspire people throughout the world to broaden their spiritual paths.
"Self-help books, groups or gurus offer mental, social or physical well-being. These weekly words don't focus on this. They focus on our intentions, our choosing-ability. Which is why we are on earth in the first place. 'What' we choose is not the issue. We won't ever be judged anyway. But 'that' we choose is the issue; that is fulfilling our mission here. There are no exceptions to this."
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The WiseGuide App: Gain Confidence, Find Happiness and Achieve Success
Fort Myers, FL, July 13, 2021 — Effective Learning Systems, the company that pioneered the practice of Productive Meditation more than 45 years ago, recently announced the launch of their first mobile app, WiseGuide, putting the company’s entire library of powerful, time-tested self-improvement techniques at everyone’s fingertips.
WiseGuide goes beyond the benefits of traditional mindfulness and meditation teachings to deliver a vast library of targeted, impactful programs that can help users achieve specific, life-changing personal and professional goals, including boosting athletic performance, building healthier relationships, cultivating better concentration and managing addictions.
“Most people experience positive results immediately and remarkable life-transformation with regular, consistent use,” said Effective Learning Systems founder Bob Griswold.
Features of the WiseGuide App include:
- Over 120 prescriptive titles that address specific goals, including smoking cessation, weight control, stress management, better sleep and much more
- A children’s collection for self-image and self-esteem
- Effective studying and test taking for children from grade school through college
- Programs to listen to while driving, exercising, working or even sleeping
- Works on any iOS or Android mobile device
It is never too late to break bad habits, overcome fears, manage stress or improve virtually any other aspect of life, and it’s never been easier. The WiseGuide App can help people use the power of their own minds to take control and make lasting improvements. And all they have to do is listen.
The WiseGuide App was developed by Effective Learning Systems, whose founder Bob Griswold has been helping people harness the power of their own minds to make transformative changes for more than 45 years. His unique approach to meditation, guided imagery, positive affirmations, relaxation, self-hypnosis and more make his programs uniquely effective.
Canadian researchers to study best approaches to possible adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, July 13, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Government of Canada, through its COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) and Vaccine Surveillance Reference Group (VSRG), is investing approximately $800,000 for a study that aims to further improve Canada’s identification and response to adverse events people may experience following COVID-19 vaccination across 10 provinces. This study is an extension of an existing vaccine safety program that provides important public health information about adverse events following immunization (AEFI) for all vaccines authorized for use in adults and children.
“While the benefits of the COVID-19 vaccination continue to outweigh the risks, when a patient develops an unexpected or serious adverse event that requires medical attention, it is important we determine the possible role of the vaccine and the safety of giving future vaccine doses to this specific person or to people with similar adverse events,” explains Dr. Karina Top, Principal Investigator (PI) of the project and lead investigator of the Canadian Immunization Research Network’s (CIRN) Special Immunization Clinic (SIC) Network, which is conducting the study. Dr. Top is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Community Health and Epidemiology at Dalhousie University and an investigator at the Canadian Center for Vaccinology.
“We will share our results with public health authorities and healthcare providers to help them address possible safety concerns and inform COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for people who have had an adverse event,” explains Dr. Top.
The SIC Network was established in 2013, and now has 17 sites covering 10 provinces. The network also has international links to align with international standards, and to incorporate global evidence into the Canadian context. To be included in the study, patients who experience an adverse event following COVID-19 vaccination can be referred to the SIC Network by a healthcare provider for further assessment. This may include a detailed medical history, additional investigations such as allergy skin testing, and treatment such as supervised re-vaccination for any allergic reactions. The SIC Network may also coordinate referrals to other specialists to help confirm the diagnosis.
“The COVID-19 vaccines authorized by Health Canada have been incredibly safe, especially considering the millions of people worldwide who have received a vaccine and the small number of adverse events to date,” says VSRG Co-Chair Dr. Scott Halperin, who is also a co-investigator on the study and PI of CIRN. “That said, vaccine safety surveillance is extremely important. We must systematically document and follow up with patients who experience a medically significant or unexpected adverse event. This information is needed to ensure patients receive appropriate care and recommendations on future vaccinations. The findings also help public health officials make important decisions regarding vaccines, when necessary.”
“There has never been a more critical time to collect real-time evidence to inform practice, policy, and decision making,” says Dr. Alice Aiken, Vice President Research and Innovation at Dalhousie University. “We are very proud of Dr. Karina Top and the important work she is doing to ensure that the vaccines we are using are safe and effective, and to help stop the spread of COVID-19.”
The results of this research will be reported on a regular basis to federal and provincial/territorial public health authorities and advisory committees.
About the Canadian Immunization Research Network (CIRN)
The Canadian Immunization Research Network (CIRN) is a national network of key vaccine researchers who develop, and test methodologies related to the evaluation of vaccines as they pertain to safety, immunogenicity and effectiveness, and program implementation and evaluation. CIRN’s objective is to further strengthen Canada’s research capacity, evidence base and expertise in the field of immunization and vaccines for vaccine-preventable diseases. A ‘network of networks,’ CIRN plays a pivotal role in mentoring early-career researchers, recruiting new investigators, providing opportunities for trainees, and delivering meaningful engagement of stakeholders at all research stages.
CIRN is made up of the following 8 networks: the Canadian National Vaccine Safety Network (CANVAS); the Clinical Trials Network (CTN); the Serious Outcomes Surveillance Network (SOS); the Special Immunization Clinic Network (SIC); the Provincial Collaborative Network (PCN); the Social Sciences and Humanities Network (SSHN); the Modeling and Economics Research Network (ModERN); and the Reference Laboratory Network (RLN).
The SIC Network was established in 2013 to standardize and improve the care of patients with adverse events following immunization and determine the risks of an adverse event recurring with future vaccinations.
About Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is Atlantic Canada’s leading research-intensive university. Located in the heart of Halifax, Nova Scotia, with an Agricultural Campus in Truro/Bible Hill, Dalhousie is a truly national and international university, with more than half of the university’s 20,000-plus students coming from outside the province. Dal’s 6,000 faculty and staff foster a diverse, purpose-driven community, one that spans 13 faculties and conducts more than $194 million in research annually. Part of a cluster identified as one of the world’s top international centres in ocean research, the university proudly celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2018.
About the Vaccine Surveillance Reference Group (VSRG)
The Vaccine Surveillance Reference Group (VSRG) supports the monitoring of the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in Canada. It is a consortium of Canadian organizations - the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), the Canadian Research Immunization Network (CIRN), the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), and the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) – working collaboratively to pool expertise on vaccine surveillance. The VSRG reports to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and is supported by the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) Secretariat. It is co-chaired by the leaders of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) and the Canadian Immunization Research Network (CIRN). Among its responsibilities, the VSRG, through the CITF Executive Committee, makes recommendations to PHAC on funding research teams that can address important aspects of the immune response, safety, and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines with public health relevance and with attention to all priority groups. For more information visit: covid19immunitytaskforce.ca/vaccine-surveillance-reference-group-vsrg/
About the COVID Immunity Task Force (CITF)
The Government of Canada established the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force in late April 2020. The Task Force is overseen by a Leadership Group of volunteers that includes leading Canadian scientists and experts from universities and healthcare facilities across Canada who are focused on understanding the nature of immunity arising from the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. To that end, the CITF is supporting numerous studies to determine the extent of SARS-CoV-2 infection in Canada (in the general population as well as in specific communities and priority populations), understand the nature of immunity following infection, develop improved antibody testing methods, and help monitor the effectiveness and safety of vaccines as they are rolled out across Canada. The Task Force and its Secretariat work closely with a range of partners, including governments, public health agencies, institutions, health organizations, research teams, other task forces, and engages communities and stakeholders. Most recently, the Task Force has been asked to support vaccine surveillance, effectiveness and safety as part of its overall objective to generate data and ideas that inform interventions aimed at slowing—and ultimately stopping—the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Canada. For more information visit: www.covid19immunitytaskforce.ca
Drug could potentially prevent respiratory and cardiovascular damage in Covid-19 patients
A mutation in all SARS-CoV-2 variants results in significant damage to the lung tissue and blood vessels, RCSI research
DUBLIN, July 13, 2021 – Scientists have identified a drug that can prevent the virus that causes COVID-19 from binding to human cells, potentially preventing damage to the lung, clot formation and the development of sepsis.
The study, led by researchers from RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, is published in PLOS ONE.
The researchers identified that a mutation, present in all the variants of the virus to date, creates an additional binding site in the virus’ spike protein. This additional binding site increases viral impact in the body, including damage to the lung tissue that causes breathing problems in COVID-19 patients.
The significant damage to the lung tissue allows the virus to spread from the lungs to the bloodstream, where it can cause clots and vascular damage.
In pre-clinical testing, a drug called cilengitide successfully prevented the virus from causing the tissue damage associated with COVID-19 by stopping the virus from sticking to the cell types that line the lungs and blood vessels.
“More pre-clinical and clinical testing is needed before this treatment can be used on patients, but the results are very promising,” said Professor Steve Kerrigan, the study’s senior author and Deputy Head of the RCSI School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences.
“It is imperative that we continue to develop treatments for COVID-19 for the many people who will not have access to vaccines and for patients with breakthrough infections. Our research in the lab has shown that cilengitide has the potential to significantly reduce the deaths associated with COVID-19.”
RCSI spin-out company Inthelia Therapeutics has recently been formed to commercialise this and other findings relating to the treatment of sepsis from Professor Kerrigan’s research group.
Ms Danielle Nader, PhD candidate in Professor Kerrigan’s group, carried out the work. The research was funded by an Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation Fund, an EMBARK fund award from Enterprise Ireland and Knowledge Transfer Ireland as well as a philanthropic donation from the 3M Foundation and GlobalGiving.
ENDS
About RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences
RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences is a world-leading university for Good Health and Well-being. Ranked second in the world for its contribution to UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2021, it is exclusively focused on education and research to drive improvements in human health worldwide.
RCSI is an international not-for-profit university, headquartered in Dublin. It is among the top 250 universities worldwide in the World University Rankings (2021) and its research is ranked first in Ireland for citations. RCSI has been awarded Athena Swan Bronze accreditation for positive gender practice in higher education.
Visit the RCSI MyHealth Expert Directory to find the details of our experts across a range of healthcare issues and concerns. Recognising their responsibility to share their knowledge and discoveries to empower people with information that leads them to better health, these clinicians and researchers are willing to engage with the media in their area of expertise.
Plant Veda announces co-marketing initiative with one of the nation’s largest Chinese-Canadian online grocery delivery services, Luniu Mall
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 13, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Plant Veda Foods Ltd. (CSE:MILK) (XFRA:A3CS6B) (the “Company” or “Plant Veda”), an award-winning dairy-alternative company, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a co-marketing initiative with Luniumall.com, one of the largest Chinese-Canadian Online grocery delivery services in Canada with over 40,000 active users.
Under the co-marketing initiative, Plant Veda and Luniu Mall will develop a series of Mandarin-speaking marketing content targeting the Chinese-Canadian community.
Luniu Mall is a fresh food distribution platform located in Richmond, BC. The online e-commerce platform, available on iOS, Android and luniumall.com, provides users with global fresh fruits, vegetables, and quality food.
The Company has already had its products listed on Luniumall.com since early 2021, in which Plant Veda saw an immediate adoption from Luniu Mall’s customer base, making this collaboration the logical next step.
Plant Veda believes the introduction of their brand to the Mandarin-Canadian consumer market will pave the way for the Company’s planned international expansion.
“The entrance into the Chinese-Canadian community is an important one, not only because there is a significant number of Mandarin-speaking consumers in Canada, but also because most of them have relatives in China which is one of the largest dairy markets in the world,” says Plant Veda President Michael Yang.
Plant Veda’s aim is in having more dairy consumers adopt dairy-free products, and to provide a fluid transition and alternative option for current dairy consumers. This collaboration will allow a further reach for more consumers to explore different lifestyle changes and find what works best for them. Plant Veda is thrilled for this partnership, which will play a vital role in making healthier options available and accessible to new markets, and further the Company’s goal of providing healthy and impactful products to a wide range of consumers.
About Plant Veda
Plant Veda has a mission to accelerate humanity’s shift to a plant-based lifestyle. They remain clear in their goals, which is to improve the environment and humanity’s overall health due to plant-based lifestyles. They have succeeded in creating award-winning plant-based dairy alternatives that are better than the original in terms of health and flavour. Plant Veda continues to shake up the dairy-free market by creating unique, one-of-a-kind products that leave their customers forgetting about dairy to begin with.
