Roche Diabetes Care Canada Receives Health Canada Authorization for the Accu-Chek® Guide Link Blood Glucose Meter with Wireless Connectivity
Through an agreement between Roche Diabetes Care and Medtronic Canada, the Accu-Chek Guide Link is a state-of-the-art blood glucose meter designed to connect exclusively to the Medtronic MiniMedTM 770G insulin pump system.
The Accu-Chek Guide Link can provide seamless and highly accurate automated wireless results directly to the MiniMedTM 770G to help support the ongoing appropriate delivery of insulin to people living with Type 1 diabetes in persons two years of age and older.
LAVAL, QC, June 14, 2021 /CNW/ - Roche Diabetes Care Canada is pleased to announce that it has received a Health Canada authorization for the Accu-Chek Guide Link blood glucose meter, the latest innovation from Roche Diabetes Care to help Canadians living with type-1 diabetes manage their health and worry less about daily therapy routines.
This state-of-the-art blood glucose meter pairs exclusively with the Medtronic MiniMedTM 770G -- the only insulin pump system in Canada that offers adaptive basal insulin delivery every 5 minutes for patients as young as two years of age, with the added benefits of smartphone connectivity. A smartphone connected pump system allows patients and their caregivers to see glucose and insulin data remotely on a smartphone, as well as share it automatically with their healthcare professional to optimize their diabetes management. Accurate test results from the meter are sent wirelessly to the pump system for quick sensor calibration and to support insulin adjustments.
This represents a breakthrough for insulin pump users that will help Canadians living with diabetes achieve greater freedom and better health.
"At Roche Diabetes Care, our vision is to help people with diabetes think less about their daily diabetes routine so they can focus more on life. This is why we are thrilled to bring this new innovation to Canada to better support the diabetes community," said Jade Dagher, Head of Sub-Region Canada, Australia & New Zealand. "Roche Diabetes Care partnership with Medtronic is a significant advancement for insulin pump users, delivering on our promise to offer integrated patient-centered care solutions that help people living with diabetes."
The Accu-Chek Guide Link was authorized based on clinical trials demonstrating its quick and accurate blood glucose readings that actually exceed accuracy standards.1 This is especially important for people living with diabetes on insulin therapy, as reliable and accurate blood glucose measurements are crucial to make the correct therapy decisions and insulin dosage needs.2,3
Roche Diabetes Care is very excited that this new innovation will help Canadians living with diabetes to simplify their diabetes management. The Accu-Chek Guide Link system is now available and exclusively to people living with Type 1 diabetes, two years of age and older, using the Medtronic MiniMedTM 770G insulin pump system. People living with diabetes and caregivers should speak to their healthcare professional or diabetes care team to determine if this product is appropriate for them.
About Roche Diabetes Care
Roche Diabetes Care has been pioneering innovative diabetes technologies and services for more than 40 years. More than 5,500 employees in over 100 markets worldwide work every day to support people with diabetes and those at risk to achieve more time in their target ranges and experience true relief from the daily therapy routines.
Being a global leader in integrated Personalised Diabetes Management (iPDM), Roche Diabetes Care collaborates with thought leaders around the globe, including people with diabetes, caregivers, healthcare providers and payers. Roche Diabetes Care aims to transform and advance care provision and foster sustainable care structures. Under the brands RocheDiabetes, Accu-Chek and mySugr, comprising glucose monitoring, insulin delivery systems and digital solutions, Roche Diabetes Care unites with its partners to create patient-centred value. By building and collaborating in an open ecosystem, connecting devices and digital solutions as well as contextualising relevant data points, Roche Diabetes Care enables deeper insights and a better understanding of the disease, leading to personalised and effective therapy adjustments. For better outcomes and true relief.
Since 2017, mySugr, one of the most popular diabetes management apps, is part of Roche Diabetes Care.
Roche is a global pioneer in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics focused on advancing science to improve people's lives. The combined strengths of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics under one roof have made Roche the leader in personalised healthcare – a strategy that aims to fit the right treatment to each patient in the best way possible.
Roche is the world's largest biotech company, with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, ophthalmology and diseases of the central nervous system. Roche is also the world leader in in vitro diagnostics and tissue-based cancer diagnostics, and a frontrunner in diabetes management.
Founded in 1896, Roche continues to search for better ways to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases and make a sustainable contribution to society. The company also aims to improve patient access to medical innovations by working with all relevant stakeholders. More than thirty medicines developed by Roche are included in the World Health Organization Model Lists of Essential Medicines, among them life-saving antibiotics, antimalarials and cancer medicines. Moreover, for the eleventh consecutive year, Roche has been recognised as one of the most sustainable companies in the Pharmaceuticals Industry by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI).
The Roche Group, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, is active in over 100 countries and in 2019 employed about 98,000 people worldwide. In 2019, Roche invested CHF 11.7 billion in R&D and posted sales of CHF 61.5 billion. Genentech, in the United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche is the majority shareholder in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. For more information, please visit www.roche.com.
All trademarks used or mentioned in this release are protected by law.
References:
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1 Brazq RL, Klaff LJ, Sussman AM. New generation blood glucose monitoring system exceeds international accuracy standards. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2016 ;10(6) :1414-1415
2 Brazg R., et al. J Diabetes Sci Technol 2013;7:144-152
Phase III North American Clinical Trial for COVID-19 Treatment begins after FDA & Health Canada approval
An affordable decades-old drug has been reformulated and repurposed to treat COVID-19 patients.
MONTREAL, June 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After months of preparation, a global phase III clinical trial sponsored by the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC), in partnership with Canadian start-up Pulmonem, begins an innovative treatment to reduce and possibly prevent the development of severe pulmonary inflammation caused by the COVID-19 virus. The clinical trial will test the use of PULM-001 in patients in the early stages of COVID-19. The is one of very few phase III clinical trials for COVID therapies to obtain approval from both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada.
PULM-001 is a decades-old, safe and affordable oral antibacterial that also has well-recognized anti-inflammatory properties. It has been used to treat infectious diseases such as malaria, lupus, HIV and many other inflammatory infections. The repurposed drug will be administered to symptomatic adults recovering at home to lessen lung inflammation. This inflammation causes complications in the lungs that can lead to increased hospital and ICU stays, and even death.
This Canada-led phase III clinical trial could change the course of the global pandemic, especially for developing countries that have little access to vaccines. The study will be conducted entirely remotely beginning with patients in Ontario and Quebec followed by six centres in the United States. Thousands of symptomatic (COVID-19 positive) outpatients will be involved throughout the course of the trial.
The trial is led by Dr. Jean Bourbeau, a senior investigator and Director of the McConnell Centre of Innovative Medicine at the RI-MUHC. Dr. Bourbeau is a respirologist at the McGill University Health Centre as well as Professor and Associate Member of the Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health at McGill University.
“The vaccines are undoubtedly important, but are not the final answer to this problem. It will be a long time before the whole world is vaccinated, and until then, we need a treatment that is effective against this damaging disease. This medication is inexpensive and has a proven record of safety, and we are confident that it will prevent severe COVID-19 cases.” – Dr. Jean Bourbeau, Director, Centre for Innovative Medicine, RI- MUHC
The trial is a collaboration between the RI-MUHC, the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) Foundation and Pulmonem Inc., a Canadian biotech startup. Pulmonem has international manufacturing partnership agreements in place and is ready to produce the new medication for the treatment of COVID-19 quickly and in large quantities.
“I’ve been impressed to see that Canada’s clinical research expertise and infrastructure can be scaled quickly to meet the challenges of this pandemic. With the endorsement of federal health regulators in the US and Canada now in place, we can begin the trial.” says Dr. Houfar Sekhavat, President and CEO of Pulmonem Inc.
While people in Canada and other countries are being vaccinated in large numbers, affordable, safe and effective treatments for COVID-19 are still necessary. Despite continued vaccinations, cases of COVID-19 will not disappear worldwide, and many patients will still need treatment to prevent complications and hospitalizations, especially in areas of the world still coping with uncontrolled outbreaks and variants that risk coming to Canada.
The MUHC Foundation has already raised one million dollars needed to start the trial in Canada. Another $4 million is required to complete it in the United States and get cost-effective drugs to those in need.
“This collaboration between research, fundraising and private partnerships is a new and exciting way for philanthropy to play a role in changing the course of lives and medicine,” says Julie Quenneville, President and CEO of the McGill University Health Centre Foundation. “By investing early in concrete and viable treatments that can be repurposed to fight COVID-19, our supporters are truly at the forefront of transforming health care.”
About the McGill University Health Centre Foundation
The McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) Foundation raises funds to support excellence in patient care, research and teaching at the McGill University Health Centre, one of the top university hospitals in Canada. Our Dream Big Campaign to change the course of lives and medicine is raising millions of dollars to solve humanity’s deadliest puzzles: infectious diseases; end cancer as a life-threatening illness; fix broken hearts through innovative cardiac care; detect the silent killers—ovarian and endometrial cancers—early; create the best skilled health care teams in Canada; and much more. We are rallying our entire community to solve the world’s most complex health care challenges. www.muhcfoundation.com
About the RI-MUHC
The Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) is a world-renowned biomedical and healthcare research centre. The institute, which is affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine of McGill University, is the research arm of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) – an academic health centre located in Montreal, Canada, that has a mandate to focus on complex care within its community. The RI-MUHC supports over 450 researchers and around 1,200 research trainees devoted to a broad spectrum of fundamental, clinical and health outcomes research at the Glen and the Montreal General Hospital sites of the MUHC. Its research facilities offer a dynamic multidisciplinary environment that fosters collaboration and leverages discovery aimed at improving the health of individual patients across their lifespan. The RI-MUHC is supported in part by the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé (FRQS). www.rimuhc.ca
About Pulmonem Inc.
Pulmonem Inc. was founded to demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of a reformulated and patented version of PULM-001, a generic drug to arrest the development of inflammation caused by COVID-19 and help prevent hospitalization of those who become infected. Pulmonem has established manufacturing partnerships that will allow the company to quickly bring this treatment to market soon after successful completion of clinical trials. www.pulmonem.ca
Being involved in a car accident can leave you dealing with various injuries. Some of these may be significant and require a medical evaluation and professional treatment. Here are some things you can do to get back to normal as quickly as possible.
Schedule a Medical Exam
See your regular medical doctor for a thorough examination and evaluation. Get a complete diagnosis of your injuries as well as recommended follow-up. Follow the doctor's orders regarding rest, medication, nutrition, and returning to work or regular activities. Your doctor can provide a thorough assessment of your injuries and estimated recovery time. You may need to be seen more than once for the doctor to monitor your progress and adjust the treatment plan if needed.
Follow Up With Prescribed Tests and Treatments
If the medical team has made referrals to specialists or suggested specific tests or treatments, follow through for a complete checkup. It is better to find out now about any hidden injuries and to have even those that seem minor checked out by medical experts. Missing a test or failing to take treatments now could make the problem worse and require more stringent and costly treatments later. If you must miss an appointment, reschedule it as soon as possible.
Resume Moderate Activities as Recommended
The medical practitioners you have consulted can advise you on the best way to recover quickly from your accident injuries. They may prescribe temporary rest or physical therapy. They will likely be able to recommend specific exercises you can do at home to speed your recovery. A healthy diet may likewise be suggested. Don't overdo it even if you feel much better in a few days. Trying to do too much, too soon, can lead to relapse and undo all the positive effects to date. Follow the prescribed routine to heal completely.
Consult a Chiropractor as Needed
The doctor might mention the option of consulting a chiropractor for additional treatment of your car accident injuries. The chiropractor can maneuver your limbs and torso to reduce tension and increase flexibility while suggesting things you can do on your own to get back to normal movement. Look for an accident chiropractor who specializes in treating the kinds of injuries you may be dealing with following a vehicle collision.
A car accident often requires the help of experts and professionals to help you recover. Take advantage of the resources available that can expedite your recovery from your accident injuries.
Building a Culture of Accommodation and Inclusion Across British Columbia Workplaces
PORT ALBERNI, BC, June 10, 2021 /CNW/ - The BC government recently announced a Workforce Development Grant to NIDMAR which provides BC residents and workplaces with a range of supports designed to improve Return to Work (RTW) and Disability Management (DM) knowledge, programs and practices, and promote Disability Management professionalization, similar to major efforts currently underway across the UK, Belgium, Malaysia and other jurisdictions.
Building a Culture of Accommodation and Inclusion Across British Columbia Workplaces
People with disabilities are disproportionately affected by much higher poverty and unemployment rates than almost all other sectors in our society. As over 80% of mental and physical health impairments occur during someone's working life, effective accommodation efforts made by workplaces can play a pivotal role in workers maintaining, what are often good quality jobs, rather than entering the disability social security system (whether public or private) and all the associated obstacles of trying to successfully re-enter the workforce at a later stage.
Early intervention and a workplace commitment towards creative and collaborative solutions in the accommodation process are key in maintaining equitable and gainful attachment to the workforce, especially when national and international evidence clearly indicates rapidly declining long-term employment prospects for those with mental or physical health challenges who are on social security. Research indicates that one year on social security leads to a less than 1% chance of sustained future employment.
Workplace knowledge, skills and education in a range of RTW/DM program, policy and accommodation practices are critical first steps in maintaining equitable employment for the disabled worker, while fostering a workplace culture of inclusion where the hiring of persons with disabilities from outside the organization no longer has the level of disability stigma which we still see all too often across the country and around the world.
This grant recognizes that employers and workers jointly have a key role to play in achieving much improved socio-economic outcomes, which are reflected in successful efforts across Canada and comprehensive strategies in other jurisdictions. The various elements of this unique initiative include:
Support for DM/RTW Continuing Education
Scholarship Opportunities in the Bachelor of Disability Management
Support to Obtain Professional DM Designations
Support for Workplaces to have an Assessment of their DM program
Detailed information regarding these opportunities can be found at: www.nidmar.ca
SOURCE National Institute of Disability Management and Research
Nabati Foods Expands Distribution to Asia and Beyond
Nabati cheesecakes are now available in Hong Kong, the Virgin Islands and Hawaii
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nabati Foods Global Inc. (CSE: MEAL Reserved) (“Nabati Foods” or the “Company”), a plant-based food tech company offering whole, natural, plant-based foods for health-conscious consumers, is announcing that its products are now available in Hong Kong, the Virgin Islands, and Hawaii.
Nabati Foods dairy-free chocolate cheesecake will be available in Natures Village in Hong Kong, a health food and lifestyle chain that has seven locations in the metro Hong Kong area, which is home to 7.6 million people. Google trends indicate a more than 250% increase in searches for “vegan” in Hong Kong in the last five years. The total “flexible vegetarian population in Hong Kong is estimated at nearly 24%, according to a 2019 report from Statista.
“We are on a mission to lead the evolution of food, and that means expanding our geographic footprint beyond North America,” Nabati Foods CEO Ahmad Yehya said. “We’re thrilled to partner with such a strong, well established, healthy living brand like Natures Village to make our debut in the lucrative Asian market.”
Nabati Foods’ dairy free cheesecakes are also now available at Quality Food St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and at Down to Earth locations across Hawaii.
Nabati Foods products are made with whole, natural ingredients and are kosher, vegan, and do not contain refined sugar or GMOs.
“Nabati Foods remains committed to ensuring our production processes and supply chain is created with sustainability and environmental health and wellness in mind,” Yehya said. “We look forward to these new opportunities to share our vision of healthy mouthwatering meals that bring people together from the tropical waters of the Atlantic, to the sunshine in the Pacific, and to the kitchen tables in bustling Hong Kong.”
Nabati Foods products are now available in more than 700 stores in the U.S. in addition to the new locations in Hong Kong, Hawaii, and St. Croix.
About Nabati Foods Global Inc. Nabati Foods Global Inc. is the owner of Nabati Foods Inc. (“Nabati”), a family-founded food tech company offering whole, natural, plant-based, gluten, and soy-free foods for health-conscious consumers. Nabati was founded in 2014 and has four signature product lines including dairy-free cheesecakes, cheese alternatives, and plant-based meats. Nabati products are distributed in Canada and the U.S. through grocery, foodservice, and industrial channels. Learn more: https://invest.nabatifoods.com/
For further information, please contact the Nabati investor relations team: ir@nabatifoods.com
Disclosure and Caution
Completion of the financing is subject to a number of conditions, including ensuring the financing and listing application are compliant with CSE requirements. The transaction cannot close until the required conditions are satisfied and required approvals are obtained. There can be no assurance that the financing will be completed as proposed or at all. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative – there is no active market for Company’s securities at this time. No regulatory body has reviewed or approved the terms to this financing.
This news release contains forward-looking information, which involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectation. Important factors - including the ability to complete the financing, the ability to satisfy the conditions required and approvals needed to complete the transaction, availability of funds and the results of financing efforts, - that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are disclosed in the Company's documents filed from time to time on SEDAR (see www.sedar.com). Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
The securities referred to in this news release have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States unless pursuant to an exemption therefrom. This press release is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of the Company in any jurisdiction.
How to Prevent Aches and Pains When Starting a New Exercise Routine
No matter your level of fitness, a new workout can mean new aches and pains. To protect yourself, you will want to stretch cold muscles that have been pushed in new ways. Staying hydrated is also critical to avoid cramps, some joint massage can help, and resting is critical to building new tissue.
Warm Up, Cool Down, and Stretch
You will need to start your workout with a warm up. If you are trying to start a jogging routine, begin by walking to loosen up your joints and get your leg muscles moving. At the end of your jog, make time to walk again.
Before you shower, take care to stretch your spine, quads, hamstrings, and calves. Do some stretches on the mat as well to fully engage your upper body. Expect some soreness, and be ready to stretch your legs again if you have pain.
Hydrate
Make sure that you take in plenty of water before, during, and after your new exercise routine. Additionally, consider increasing your intake of fruits and juices that are high inantioxidants, including pineapple and cherries.
Massage
Sore knees are often a problem after a new workout. Consider using a 2000 mg CBD joint pain cream after a new routine. CBD is high in antioxidants, so consider applying it right after you shower to keep inflammation low and reduce the intensity of delayed onset muscle soreness. Avoid applying this cream right before a workout. If you are sore before a workout, you either need to do something lighter or focus on another area of your body. Go ahead and warm up those muscles and joints, but do not push.
Build in a Rest Day
There is a reason that leg day is followed by shoulder, back, or arm day. A hard workout creates tiny breaks or tears in existing muscle. Those tears hurt, and new growth takes time. Give the targeted area of the body time to heal to avoid tissue damage outside your muscles. For example, sore knees after a hard stair workout could be an indication of inflammation, or it could be an indication of cartilage damage. Until the muscular inflammation goes down, you cannot be sure you are not doing more serious damage.
Carefully monitor sore joints and muscles for swelling and bruising. Delayed onset muscle soreness can take time to show up and last for a few days. If you notice it lasting longer, you may need to contact your physician.
New study to monitor COVID-19 illness and vaccine safety, effectiveness in children and youth in Canada
MONTREAL, June 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Government of Canada, through its COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) and Vaccine Surveillance Reference Group (VSRG), is supporting a new pan-Canadian study that will monitor the effects of illness from COVID-19, as well as the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in children and youth. Approximately $1.8 million is being invested in this research project.
The vaccines being administered to guard against COVID-19 have gone through rigorous safety and efficacy evaluations in all eligible age groups. Continued surveillance for any vaccine is an important component of ensuring the safety and effectiveness of all vaccines for the general population. This research study is complemented by ongoing safety monitoring by the Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada, and multiple public health organizations.
“Our study will monitor most pediatric hospital visits in Canada and will aim to identify those that may be associated with a COVID-19 infection or vaccination,” says Dr. Karina Top, a principal investigator on the study and a lead investigator at the Canadian Center for Vaccinology at Dalhousie University and the IWK in Halifax. “We want to monitor the symptoms of any children or adolescents admitted to hospital due to COVID-19, including for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), as well as track the continued safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, as we move toward a return to normal life.”
The study will be conducted through Canada’s IMPACT (Immunization Monitoring Program ACTive) network, which has been continuously monitoring multiple pediatric vaccines for more than 30 years. Its efforts inform public health and medical experts of unusual post-vaccine events. The IMPACT network captures about 90 per cent of tertiary pediatric hospital admissions in Canada and is well positioned to evaluate the impact of vaccination programs on cases of COVID-19 in children and youth who are in hospital.
“As COVID-19 vaccines are made available to 12- to 17-year-olds, and potentially younger age groups in the future, our team will work to ensure continued vaccine effectiveness by studying whether vaccination is associated with fewer children and youth being admitted to hospital with COVID-19, and fewer severe cases of disease,” explains Dr. Shaun Morris, a principal investigator on the study and a pediatric infectious disease physician at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto. “This study, which began on June 1, will build upon the information gathered in our research team’s Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program COVID-19 Study (CPSP COVID-19 Study). That study collected data on this illness from the beginning of the pandemic until the end of May 2021, to provide a more complete understanding of how COVID-19 affects children and youth and how we can best protect them.”
“With the vaccine rollout in youth ages 12 to 17 already underway in Canada, this study is extremely relevant,” says Dr. Caroline Quach Thanh, VSRG Co-Chair and Medical Lead in Infection Prevention and Control at the CHU Sainte-Justine, where she works as a pediatric infectious disease consultant and a medical microbiologist. “This study will bring together information from hospitals across Canada, to more quickly identify patterns of experience that will help determine whether some of the things that they are seeing are related to vaccination. The faster our experts are able to react, the faster we will be able to find solutions.”
“Children and youth have made a lot of sacrifices to help reduce the spread of COVID-19,” says Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam. “These studies on the effects of illness from COVID-19, and COVID-19 vaccine safety and effectiveness will help us learn more about the best ways to protect younger Canadians and their families. Monitoring safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in this population will also contribute to optimal COVID-19 prevention and control, population wide.”
About the Canadian Immunization Monitoring Program ACTive (IMPACT)
The Canadian Immunization Monitoring Program ACTive (IMPACT) is funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) in collaboration with the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) to conduct hospital-based sentinel surveillance for vaccine-preventable diseases and select adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) leading to hospitalization at 12 pediatric tertiary care centres from Vancouver, BC to St John’s, NL which capture approximately 90 per cent of tertiary care pediatric beds in Canada and about 50 per cent of pediatric hospitalizations.
About the Vaccine Surveillance Reference Group
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 PHAC and is supported by the CITF Secretariat. It is co-chaired by the leaders of NACI and 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: https://www.covid19immunitytaskforce.ca/vaccine-surveillance-reference-group-vsrg/
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, 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: http://www.covid19immunitytaskforce.ca
Switch Health introduces AuraPass as the next step to safely reopen Canada's economy
TORONTO, June 11, 2021 /CNW/ - Switch Health today announced the introduction of AuraPass, its groundbreaking digital vaccine and COVID-19 test verification technology that paves the way as the next reliable solution in keeping Canadians safe, as the country begins reopening for business.
AuraPass is a privacy-first, three-step medical record and results-sharing solution, that will verify a patient's government-issued ID, vaccination status, or recent COVID-19 test result, to help facilitate Canada's reopening. AuraPass holds historical vaccination and COVID-19 result data for registered patients through its encrypted blockchain technology that allows the user to securely share required status with venues, airlines and workplaces as they choose. The technology's cutting-edge standards and framework are aligned with those due to be discussed at this week's G7 meetings, with Canadian privacy standards at the forefront, allowing for future integration and communication with partnered countries for the purposes of travel.
Indicative of its seamless and interoperable design, the technology is already compatible with over two dozen leading airlines around the world with more being added weekly.
"Canadians are ready and eager for life to get back to normal with the peace of mind that they are doing so safely and securely," said Dr. Gregory Taylor, Chief Medical Officer at Switch Health. "Once public health officials across all Canadian jurisdictions set the guidelines and recommendations, AuraPass will be ready, with partnering organizations, to welcome them back safely."
"AuraPass is a safe and sustainable solution to help industries that have been hardest hit during the pandemic to begin their journey back to recovery," said Dilian Stoyanov, Chief Executive Officer at Switch Health. "To reopen, and stay open, Canada requires a Canadian-owned solution that puts patient privacy first and bridges jurisdictional healthcare gaps."
AuraPass will empower Canadians to share vaccination and testing status with partners in order to get back to our favorite activities, whether it be attending a concert or hockey game, going to the movies, boarding a flight or dining out at a restaurant.
AuraPass will be accessible to everyone in Canada and powered by Switch Health's secure, proprietary patient portal ASMO, which has been a relied on by hundreds of thousands of Canadians for at-home COVID-19 testing and results-reporting throughout the pandemic. ASMO currently allows for the secure integration and sharing of health data between the patient, trusted laboratories, and public health authorities. AuraPass will also be compatible with Canadian and international protocols to facilitate travel.
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 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.
SOURCE Switch Health Inc.
New Brunswick’s rushed flavour ban fails to consider the consequences
Beamsville, ON, June 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Canadian Vaping Association (CVA) is deeply saddened by New Brunswick’s decision to ban flavoured vape products. The CVA warned the province that banning flavoured products would be ineffective for youth protection and would cause a spike in smoking rates and black-market products. Unfortunately, regulators largely refused to engage on the issue and rushed to pass the ill-conceived ban.
Not only has New Brunswick failed the adult smokers that rely on flavoured products to remain smoke-free, but it has also failed to consider the economic costs of the policy. Specialty vape shops are small family run businesses, and their survival is dependent on flavoured products. Unlike the products sold in convenience stores, specialty store products rely on flavours to convert smokers. The flavour ban will result in the closure of dozens of small businesses, broken lease agreements and approximately 200 lost jobs. The destruction of these small businesses comes at a time when local economies are especially fragile after months of COVID related shutdowns.
While well intentioned, the flavour ban will do little to protect youth as surveys find that most youth are acquiring vape products through social sourcing and foreign websites. There is also little evidence to suggest that flavour bans are effective for preventing youth use. Following Juul’s removal of flavours in the US, youth did not stop vaping but instead switched to tobacco, mint and menthol flavours. Additionally, there has yet to be any data to suggest Nova Scotia’s flavour ban had any impact on youth vaping rates.
“We are saddened that another province has refused to take the time to get vaping regulation right. This decision was made using flawed and, in some cases, completely inaccurate information about vaping. As a final warning to the province, a new study has found that San Francisco, an early adopter of flavour bans, has had a 30% increase in youth smoking rates. I will be sending an official letter to the Premier ensuring that when the results of San Francisco are replicated in New Brunswick, the Premier acknowledges responsibility as a supporter of this bill,” said Darryl Tempest, Executive Director of the CVA.
The CVA has shared the research and the science on vaping. This government has knowingly and willingly ignored the facts. The result of the ban will be a flood of black-market products, an increase in cigarette sales and smoking related deaths. These consequences must be acknowledged.
TORONTO, June 11, 2021 /CNW/ - Ontario's doctors will be joining many others in cautiously taking part in patio dining, larger outdoor gatherings and other activities permitted in the first stage of the province's reopening plan today.
But the Ontario Medical Association urges everyone to avoid closed spaces, participate only in what is permitted with the new guidelines and continue with existing public health measures to ensure the third wave of COVID-19 was the final wave.
The OMA encourages everyone to get vaccinated as soon as they can. It asks the government to continue to focus vaccination efforts on hotspots where the highly contagious Delta variant remains a threat.
"Like many Ontarians, we are excited to begin the process of recovery and reopening," said OMA President Dr. Adam Kassam. "We know that the outdoors and seeing loved ones is vital to our well-being. Being fully vaccinated is crucial to ending this pandemic, and we encourage all Ontarians to book their next vaccine appointment as they become eligible."
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
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