StemCell Therapy

Oct 14, 2020 11:30 AM

Author: Moran Eye Center

An uninformed Halloween costume decision could haunt you for life. Were talking about disguising your eyes with freaky colored contact lenses without a prescription.

Before you go down that road, heres what you should know.

Did you know? Contact lenses of any type are medical devices that sit directly on the cornea (the clear dome of tissue over the iristhe part of the eye that gives you your eye color). Because of the risk of bacterial infections and other potential problems from poorly fitting or contaminated lenses, you should never buy any contact lenses without a valid prescription from a licensed eye care practitioner.

Its illegal to buy contact lenses without a prescription. Even if you dont need any vision correction, you still need a prescription for decorative lenses that will be a good fit.

Vendors who sell cosmetic or special-effect lenses as a type of accessory or jewelry without asking for a prescription are breaking the law and endangering your eyesight.

Cosmetic lenses need to fit correctly on your cornea; otherwise, they can be dangerous.

Any time you place something in your eye, you are risking infection, or injury, so as a general rule, I discourage the use of cosmetic lenses altogether. Even if a patient really wants them and is willing to get a proper fitting and accurate prescription, I am only OK with them being worn temporarily,saysDavid Meyer, OD, director of Contact Lens Services at the John A. Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah.

CheckFood and Drug Administration (FDA) websitewhere you can learn more and report the illegal selling of these lenses. They also warn against anime or circle lenses, saying, dont buy them and dont expect your doctor to prescribe them.

The FDA has not cleared these bigger-than-normal lenses that give the wearer a wide-eyed, doll-like look.

Poor contact lens fit can cause severe eye damage, including:

According to the FDA, you shouldneverbuy lenses from:

If your eyes start burning or itching while wearing your lenses, take them out immediately, says Meyer. See your eye doctor if you notice any pain, blurry vision, or discharge. Causing damage to your eyes for the sake of a costume is much scarier than any Halloween fright.

The John A. Moran Eye Center is a world-class institution offering some of the best patient care in the country. It is a nationally ranked care center in the Mountain West centered in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Originally posted here:
Halloween Contact Lenses: Beware! - University of Utah Health Care

The series "Imaginary Earths" speculates what the world might be like if one key aspect of life changed, be it related to the planet or with humanity itself. What might Earth be like if it had rings, or if everyone could photosynthesize like plants?

Albinism, from the Latin "albus," meaning "white," is a group of hereditary conditions with striking results a dearth and often complete absence of pigment in the eyes, skin and hair.

In the United States, about 1 in every 18,000 to 20,000 people have albinism, according to the National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (NOAH). Meanwhile, in parts of Africa such as areas within Zimbabwe, as many as 1 in 1,000 have albinism, according to the United Nations.

What might the world be like if everyone on Earth had albinism, from prehistoric times until now?

The most common form of albinism in the United States is oculocutaneous albinism, which interferes with the production of the dark pigment melanin in both the eyes and skin, according to NOAH. To date, there are seven known subtypes of this kind of albinism, which doctors have named OCA1 to OCA7, NOAH noted. Depending on the subtype, people may have white, blond or brown hair.

"I have OCA1, the most severe type of oculocutaneous albinism I have no pigment in my hair, skin and eyes," Kelsey Thompson, a rehabilitation counselor in the Chicago area, told Live Science. She previously served for 10 years on the board of directors of NOAH, including as its chair.

Related: The 7 biggest mysteries of the human body

A common myth is that people with albinism have red eyes. Although lighting conditions can make the blood vessels at the back of the eye visible, which can result in the eyes looking red or violet, most people with albinism have blue eyes, and some have hazel or brown eyes, NOAH noted. Thompson's eyes are light blue.

One key concern for people with albinism is the delicacy of fair skin. Melanin, a pigment found in hair and skin, protects skin against ultraviolet light, and people with albinism have to be wary of sunburns and skin cancer.

"When I was younger, I was a little cocky about sun exposure, and got severe sunburns," Thompson said. "Throughout my life, I've gotten in the habit of being more cautious and mindful about the sun, using sunscreen and seeking out shade as often as I can."

Related: 5 facts about skin cancer

It would be interesting to think about how perception of race might change if everyone had albinism.

So if everyone had albinism, what would happen? One scientist interviewed for this story thought this factor alone made it extremely unlikely that populations with albinism would survive over time.

"That's disappointing, but not surprising," Thompson said. "I think a lot of people who don't have the experience of living with albinism see it as they would any disability what a horrible fate to have, how it would be so awful to not do even daily tasks without struggle. But it's not a death sentence."

If everyone had albinism, people around the world might adopt long garments to protect their skin, like desert peoples in the Sahara, and hats, scarves or veils to protect their heads and faces. They might also rely on protective coatings on their skin to serve as sunscreens. The women of the Himba people in Namibia regularly wear an orange or red paste known as otjize that is made of butterfat and ochre, and often perfumed with the aromatic resin of the omuzumba shrub. Although Himba women use otjize for aesthetic reasons, I can imagine a population with albinism could conceivably create a similar paste to serve as sunscreen.

In addition, "I can imagine cultures probably evolving to do more daily activities outside the peak hours of sunlight more in the early morning and late afternoon," Thompson said.

Those with albinism might prefer to make their homes in shady environments and less sunny latitudes think Norway, not Arizona. "I still enjoy going out to the beach with my family," Thompson said. But "I do think there are parts of the world that would just be inhospitably sunny for people to even consider living there if everyone had albinism, like certain parts of the Middle East and American Southwest. Still, I do know people with albinism living in Southern California and loving it."

People with albinism have vision problems because structures within the eye rely on melanin as they develop in the womb. "My best visual acuity is 20/200, making me legally blind," Thompson said. "I have full color vision, but the details I can see are poor. It's not that things look blurry, but it's like the difference between a high-definition TV and a TV from the '80s. People with albinism can also have photophobia, or be more sensitive to glare from light."

Related: What if humans had visual acuity?

These vision problems might lead one to expect that preindustrial societies in a hypothetical past where everyone had albinism would have extraordinary difficulty surviving. "However, there's a lot of variation in vision in albinism, in what you can do," Thompson said. "I have to use certain accommodations for my vision every day, but I can function pretty independently. With albinism, an advantage we have is that we haven't lost anything with vision this is all we've ever known. To me, this is normal."

For instance, "I know people with albinism who are skilled hunters," Thompson said. "I've been involved with albinism organizations my whole life, and every time I think there's a task or job that there's no way a person with albinism can do it, sure enough, there's someone doing it."

So, if the entire human population had albinism, we might use canes, seeing-eye animals and perhaps even echolocation to help navigate the world. Still, there are people with albinism with enough functional vision to drive, Thompson noted.

"My younger brother has the same type of albinism as me, and when we sit in the optometrist's office, his vision tests pretty similarly," Thompson said. "But he adapted to it. He was even a hockey goalie. He didn't watch for the puck, but looked at the players to tell when the puck was coming toward him."

People with albinism with low vision may rely on magnifying glasses and handheld telescopes to help read, "or just hold newsprint closer to the face," Thompson said. "But a lot of the times, we use these aids to accommodate to the sighted world. If a world evolved only with people with albinism, I'd imagine all print would be large print."

Thompson does think preindustrial societies with albinism would likely rely more on agriculture than on hunting. Other possibilities include trapping and fishing with a pole or net, activities that don't require keen eyesight.

People with albinism often face stigmatization worldwide because of how they look. They are often villains in stories for instance, the evil monk Silas in "The Da Vinci Code," (Doubleday, 2003). Dozens of people with albinism have even been murdered for their body parts in Tanzania, according to The New York Times and other sources.

"Some people with albinism grow up in a very supportive environment and didn't face a lot of negativity, whereas others are pretty traumatized," Thompson said. "My experience was middle of the road not too terrible, but I did experience a lot of bullying as a kid. As an adult, it's more of a little annoyance. I get rude and invasive questions, and people wanting to touch my hair. It's really inappropriate behavior, and people normally wouldn't dream of crossing those boundaries with a total stranger, but when you have a visible difference like albinism, it comes with the territory."

Of course, in a world where everyone has albinism, there would almost certainly be no stigma attached to it. Instead, albinism might be viewed as a feature that sets humanity apart and above the rest of nature, along with language and tool use.

Related: The top 10 stigmatized health disorders

"It would be interesting to think about how perception of race might change if everyone had albinism," Thompson said. "A friend of mine from India has the same type of albinism I do, and she and I look more alike than my brother and I, even though we come from two very different ethnic backgrounds.". All in all, she suggests that if everyone had albinism, that might really change what judgments we make about each other in terms of appearance.

Albinism might influence societies other ways. "When I'm talking with a group of people who all have albinism, we do things a little differently than when functioning in the regular world," Thompson said. "When we see someone you know, I introduce myself almost like I'm on the telephone 'Hey, Matt, it's Kelsey' because we know the other person doesn't see so well. And maybe we stand a little bit closer to each other because of our poor eyesight."

Such greetings and adjustments to people's personal bubble of space might become standard features of society in a world where everyone had albinism, Thompson said.

In addition, "there's a lot of nonverbal communication that people with low vision have to be taught, like making eye contact," Thompson said. "I have nystagmus, so my eyes shake a little bit, and I have trouble seeing a person's eyes, so I was taught how to make eye contact, and think about things like not staring non-stop. Those are the kinds of things I've learned to assimilate to the sighted world."

So, if albinism was the default, the norm of making eye contact might not be a norm anymore.

"This is a really unusual mental experiment," Thompson said. "It's challenging thinking about albinism as a norm, and how that would change how that would think about the world and about myself."

Follow Charles Q. Choi on Twitter @cqchoi. Follow us on Twitter @LiveScience and on Facebook.

Original post:
What if all humans on Earth had albinism? - Live Science

According to a new study from the journal Lancet, blindness, sight loss, and severe vision impairment are predicted to double by 2050. Vision problems are estimated to affect almost 900 million people worldwide in the next few decades, which is up from approximately 338 million today.

To come to this conclusion, researchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) examined more than 500 studies showing trends in the prevalence of vision loss and blindness. After reviewing this data, Professor of Ophthalmology, Rupert Bourne, was able to make forecasts about vision loss over the next three decades.

This study found that currently, 43.3 million people are blind, 295.1 million people have major vision impairment, and 257.8 million are mildly visually impaired. While previous studies have shown that the prevalence of blindness among the over 50s has reduced by 28.5% globally over the past 30 years, population growth means these numbers will increase. An estimate by researchers states that with this population growth, the number of blind people may increase by 50.6%, and the number of people with major visual impairment is believed to almost double.

By using these models, the authors of this study predict a considerable rise in the number of people with severe visual impairment or sight loss in the next 30 years. They do, however, state that these numbers can be prevented if major steps are taken to address the problem.

Professor Bourne, co-ordinator of the Vision Loss Expert Group, spoke about the findings, It is encouraging that age-adjusted prevalence of blindness has reduced over the past three decades, yet due to population growth, progress is not keeping pace with needs. We face enormous challenges in avoiding vision impairment as the global population grows and ages. One of the issues we faced when compiling this data is that for many countries, including the UK, there is a lack of accurate information due to the fact the population has not been officially surveyed for eye disease and its consequences. High quality, current data on eye health and also hearing loss, is needed so the UK can plan future services in the most effective way, improve outcomes for those affected, and develop a more effective public health strategy in these crucial areas. Without this, the provision of services is a postcode lottery as we dont understand the unmet need.

With the rising numbers of vision impairment and blindness possible in the near future, it is imperative that people start taking the health of their eyes seriously. There are many reasons why vision could be affected as we age, including environmental factors, food choices, and even prolonged blue light exposure. By learning how to protect the eyes from future damage, it may make all the difference in keeping your eyesight healthy for a lifetime.

Continue reading here:
Blindness and Sight Loss Is Projected to Double by 2050 - Bel Marra Health

New Delhi:On World Sight Day, which is celebrated every year on the second Thursday of October month, a spectacles distribution programme for Government School children in Chittapur Taluk of Kalburagi district was organized by Samadhristi, Jaya Foundation, SightRyt and Essilor Vision Foundation.

Mr. Priyank Kharge, MLA, of Chittapur, inaugurated the program and opined that if we can provide required infrastructure to the Schools, only then will the future of the students be bright and this can automatically lead to a growth of the nation.

Mr. Kharge said that when K Ullas Kamath from Jaya Foundation showed interest to find a remedy for these students whose eyesight can be corrected simply by providing spectacles, he utilised the opportunity and got 26,000 students in his taluk tested; out of which 1426 children were suffering from eye sight problems and they have been distributed necessary prescribed spectacles.

He felt, it is not enough to rectify the problem of children eyesight problems, but also to change the thought process of parents. Children should be educated properly, and scientific approach should be developed among them, which will help for the future of this country. He requested parents not to demoralize the children with eyesight problems, instead find a permanent solution.

Mr. K Ullas Kamath of Jaya Foundation said that upto 30% of students suffer from eyesight problems and their parents never come across this information. He further said that the Foundation provides spectacles to those children at no cost to them.

The Director of Sightryt, Mr. Sidharth Pai and Mr. Shiva Kumar Janardhan, CEO of Sightryt Organisation expressed their thoughts to the same effect.

Milind Jadhav, Trustee, Essilor Vision Foundation, India, said, During this difficult times of pandemic, Good vision is key to helping children succeed in academics. A simple eye examination can identify eye-related issues, if found early enough, many of which can be treated with a pair of simple spectacles.

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On World Sight Day, around 1500 Government school children, identified with vision issues were given spectacles at no cost to them - India Education...

For individuals suffering from vision loss, low vision rehabilitation is the standard of care. Because of the spread of SARS-CoV-2, doctors of optometry must develop new techniques to provide low-vision rehabilitative services with safer protocols.

This is an unprecedented time in optometric and vision rehabilitation care for all providers and patients. I have been an optometrist practicing low vision rehabilitation for more than 15 years at The Chicago Lighthouse, where our comprehensive vision rehabilitation clinic serves more than 3500 patients each year.

While reviewing the guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and our optometric associations, I noticed that these recommendations do not accommodate people with visual disability. It is imperative that optometrists offering vision rehabilitation services consider additional accommodations for this large patient population during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and recovery. I share some recommendations here.

More from October 2020's issue: Protect patients eyes by encouraging a three-step ocular wellness regimen

Mental health effects

Age-related eye diseases are the leading cause of blindness and low vision in the United States.1 As such, most patients referred for vision rehabilitation fall into the population over age 65 years that the CDC currently advises to continue to stay home and avoid close contact with others whenever possible.2

ODs can continue to offer telehealth visits where possible but realize that some patients will need to be seen for both their vision health and mental health.

Depression is strongly associated with functional vision loss.3 Social isolation is linked with poor mental health, and results of a recent poll show that 47 percent of people sheltering in place reported negative mental health effects from worry or stress related to the novel coronavirus.4

Strategies people may use to cope and relax such as TV watching, reading, and exercise can be challenging or even impossible for persons with vision impairment who do not yet have optical or assistive technology. The combination of being sight isolated and socially isolated may compound negative mental health effects.

Vision rehabilitation may have an antidepressant effect.5 Ensure that patients whose care has been delayed during the pandemic are not experiencing additional emotional and psychological consequences. Ask your patient if she feels anxious or depressed. If this is the case, you may want to, in advance of your examination, make a referral to a mental health professional currently offering telehealth services.

Related: Smart contact lens update

Telehealth

If it is unsafe to bring a patient with low vision into the office, consider a telehealth visit, which is covered by Medicare and by many third-party insurers during this COVID-19 pandemic.6 A prescription for a magnification device to be mailed to the patient can be based off the last known best corrected visual acuity. Training in use of the device may be done virtually if the patient has access to computer technology or on the telephone. This telehealth strategy may restore some interim reading ability while a patient stays at home until it is safe to visit the office.

Accommodations during office visits

As many low vision providers return to seeing patients in the office, ODs should think about the specific needs of these patients and how to safely meet them.

Following are suggestions in addition to general COVID-19 guidance from the American Optometric Association.7

Related: In vivo bulbar conjunctival structures study results in

Prepare patients for in-office changes

and screen for mental health effects

Contact patients before their examination and educate them on what changes to expect because of COVID-19 restrictions. Preparing them will help prevent surprise and unneeded anxiety during the appointment.

Patient registration and payment

Reserve first-of-the-day appointments for elderly and other patients at high risk of COVID-19.

If practices recently began using an online portal for patients to preregister and/or pay bills and copays, ensure that patients can use this technology and consider barriers to successful use. Determine whether this portal is compatible with common screen magnification and screen readers. Can the patient see his insurance cards and credit cards?

Ask if patients are familiar with accessibility software or know where to obtain it. Many patients are referred to ODs for vision rehabilitation to learn about these resources and do not have them before the examination.

For patients who cannot access online portals themselves, consider completing the registration and history over the phone.

Make concessions for accepting payments in person for patients who prefer to do so or who cannot access online payment.

Related: Improve medication adherence with technology

Patient entrance

Current public health recommendations suggest allowing only the patient into the officeno family members except for guardians of minors. In vision rehabilitation, however, ODs most often encourage a person or coach to accompany the patient because for many elderly patients with age-related cognitive changes, a second set of ears or a note taker to capture information given is helpful.

Many patients are newly referred and do not yet have mobility skills that make them comfortable to ambulate without a sighted guide. Furthermore, some eyecare practices are calling patients in from their cars to avoid waiting room congregation where possible. Many patients do not drive, so waiting in a car may not be possible, and weather conditions may prevent them from waiting outside.

Allow patients who cannot wait in a car into the waiting room, with chairs spaced an appropriate distance apart.7

Consider allowing one appropriately screened family member to accompany the patient to the appointment.7

For those who do not have someone to accompany them, determine whether a staff member will act as a sighted guide. This can be done in 1 of 3 ways. The guide can speak directions while maintaining social distancing. For cane users, the guide and the patient can hold opposite ends of a white cane between them. For persons needing further support, the guide and the patient should both wear a mask and gloves so the patient can hold onto the guide.

Related: Distinguish between wellness and medical eye exams

The examination

White coats that need laundering are now discouraged, as is dry-clean-only business attire. The white coat with its high contrast might have signaled to poorly-sighted patients that the doctor was in the room. Wearing a mask, gloves, and scrubs and/or street clothes, with no handshake7 but just an introduction from 6 ft (2 m) away leaves the patient with vision impairment at a disadvantage.

Low vision providers usually get physically close to our patients so they can take advantage of relative distance magnification and perhaps see some of our features. Physical closeness, however, is discouraged in this climate. Wearable video magnification devices, including electronic glasses, for visually impaired individuals require training to use successfully, may be difficult to disinfect, and may be cost prohibitive to have in each examination lane. Other options may be better.

As ODs take the patients histories at a distance, tell them it is for their safety.

Consider giving patients a photocard of the doctor that they may view from a closer distance.

Perhaps use a closed-circuit TV camera pointed at the OD across the room with a screen beside the patient so the patient can see the doctors features and gestures magnified.

ODs should consider wearing a facial shield in addition to a mask to allow them to be closer to the patient when needed, especially during trial frame refraction and device evaluation.

Wear gloves and have patients wear gloves when evaluating low vision devices. Disinfect all instruments after each use.7

Work to convey a calm and pleasantness with the voice, offering the reassurance vision-imapired patients so desperately need.

Provide written educational resources for patient reference at the end of the visit.

Grateful, anxiety-relieving hugs from patients are not uncommon. Unfortunately, physical contact is no longer considered safe. Still, try to earn the hugs and then kindly decline them, reinforcing the importance of social distancing.

Follow-up

Consider a phone follow-up to review the examination findings with a coach or family member if that person was not present at the examination.

Send a written thorough rehabilitation plan with patient goals.

As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, consider a more frequent follow-up interval to ensure goals were not overlooked in haste during a shortened examination.

Refer a patient for home-based occupational therapy as needed. The American Occupational Therapy Association lists recommendations for safe provision of home-based care, which is still allowed.8 Home care will allow vision-impaired patients to follow stay-at-home guidelines while receiving additional occupational therapy training.

Related: More research coming on drug delivery via contact lenses

Summary

Patients needing visual rehabilitation are looking to optometrists for their health and safety in living with low vision. Deferring care and providing care must be balanced.

In the era of COVID-19, optometry visits have visibly changed to maintain safety recommendations. ODs need to ensure that these changes for patients with visual challenges accommodate their particular needs.

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Common eye disorders. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/ basics/ced/index.html. Accessed 9/18/20.

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How to Protect Yourself & Others. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/ coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/what-you-can-do.html. Accessed 9/18/20.

3. Zhang X, McKeever Bullard K, Cotch MF, Wilson MR, Rovner BW, McGwin Jr G, Owsley C, Barker L, Crews JE Saaddine JB. Association between depression and functional vision loss in persons 20 years of age or older in the United States, NHANES 2005-2008. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2013 May;131(5):573-581.

4. Panchal N, Kamal R, Orgera K, Cox C, Garfield R, Hamel L, Muana C, Chidambaram P. The implications of COVID-19 for mental health and substance use. Kaiser Family Foundation. Available at: https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/the-implications-of-covid-19-for-mental-health-and-substance-use/. Accessed 9/18/20.

5. Horowitz A, Reinhardt JP, Boerner K. The effect of rehabilitation on depression among visually disabled older adults. Aging Ment Health. 2005 Nov;9(6):563-570.

6. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Is my test, item, or service covered? Available at: https://www.medicare. gov/coverage/telehealth. Accessed 9/18/20.

7. American Optometric Association. COVID-19 latest updates. Available at: https://www.aoa.org/covid-19/covid-19-latest-updates?sso=y. Accessed 9/25/20.

8. American Occupational Therapy Association. Home health occupational therapydecision guide for COVID-19. Available at: https://www.aota.org/~/media/Corporate/Files/Practice/ Health/COVID-19-Home-Health-Decision-Guide.pdf. Accessed 9/18/20.

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Vision rehabilitation care for low vision patients in the COVID-19 era - Optometry Times

Marc Ferrara, CEO of Information Services, Jobson Medical Information, named recipient of the 2021 Prevent Blindness Person of Vision Award.

CHICAGO (PRWEB) October 14, 2020

Prevent Blindness, the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight, has chosen Marc Ferrara, CEO of Information Services, Jobson Medical Information, as the recipient of the 2021 Prevent Blindness Person of Vision Award. The award will be presented on Wed., May 26, 2021, at the Prevent Blindness Person of Vision Dinner at 583 Park Avenue, New York, N.Y., in conjunction with Vision Expo East. All proceeds from the event will go to support the sight-saving programs from Prevent Blindness.

The Prevent Blindness Person of Vision Award recognizes an individual or organization whose inspired outlook champions healthy vision and its importance for a healthy life.

Marc Ferrara has worked at Jobson Publishing for more than 30 years. In 1989, he was named editor-in-chief of 20/20 magazine and was later named publisher of the magazine. Later, he helped launch Sightstreet, one of the optical industry's initial ventures in web-related initiatives, and later managed VisionWeb, the industry's leading wholesale portal. Mr. Ferrara served as president of JHI's worldwide Optical Group since 2005, with wide-ranging responsibilities including 20/20, Frames Data, Vision Monday, Review of Optometry, Review of Ophthalmology, Jobson Research, Jobson Internet Solutions and Jobson's international business in Europe, Latin America and Asia.

At Prevent Blindness, Mr. Ferrara has served on various committees including as Chair of the 2017 Person of Vision Committee, honoring Marge Axelrad, senior vice president, editorial director at Vision Monday/Jobson Optical Group. He has also volunteered for numerous Prevent Blindness events, including the annual Swing Fore Sight golf outings.

Marc Ferrara has been a true leader and influencer in the optical and vision industry for decades, said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. We congratulate him on receiving the 2021 Person of Vision Award and look forward to seeing everyone back in New York in May!

Sponsorship opportunities are now available. The Prevent Blindness Person of Vision Committee is currently being formed.

For more information including Prevent Blindness Person of Vision Award committee membership, sponsorship opportunities, and reservations, please contact Sue Corbett at (312) 363-6014 or scorbett@preventblindness.org or visit https://preventblindness.org/events/person-of-vision-2021/.

About Prevent Blindness Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness is the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. Focused on promoting a continuum of vision care, Prevent Blindness touches the lives of millions of people each year through public and professional education, advocacy, certified vision screening and training, community and patient service programs and research. These services are made possible through the generous support of the American public. Together with a network of affiliates, Prevent Blindness is committed to eliminating preventable blindness in America. For more information, or to make a contribution to the sight-saving fund, call 1-800-331-2020. Or, visit us on the Web at preventblindness.org or facebook.com/preventblindness.

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Prevent Blindness Names Marc Ferrara of Jobson Medical Information, as 2021 Person of Vision Award Recipient - PR Web

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, precautions are being taken to safeguard Queen Elizabeth's health, as her age puts her at risk for severe illness should she contract COVID-19. But despite social distancing at Windsor Castle, the British monarch is continuing to work, and to take her duties seriously.

Yesterday, she joined her daughter-in-law, Sophie the Countess of Wessex, on a video call for a conversation to mark World Sight Day. Sophie is the Global Ambassador for the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness, a cause close to her heart as her daughter Lady Louise has overcome a condition of the eyes known as strabismus.

"Her squint was quite profound when she was tiny and it takes time to correct it," Sophie shared in an interview several years ago. "You've got to make sure one eye doesn't become more dominant than the other but she's fine nowher eyesight is perfect."

Per Buckingham Palace, the pair of royal women spoke with leaders in the eye health fields, "about the powerful impact that good quality eye care can have on peoples livesenabling children to benefit from education; working adults to keep their jobs; and older people to participate in their families and communities."

The group also "discussed the challenges the sector has faced during recent months as a result of the global pandemic," and "shared their hopes for the future and the opportunities and innovations that will continue to improve eye care and strengthen eye health in the next decade."

News of the video call comes shortly after Buckingham Palace confirmed that Sophie is self-isolating following contact with someone who subsequently tested positive for COVID-19.

Earlier today a spokesperson released the following statement:

She has not been in physical contact with her mother-in-law Queen Elizabeth since she was in contact with said person.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

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Queen Elizabeth and Sophie, the Coutess of Wessex Team Up for a Joint Video Call - TownandCountrymag.com

A lot of modern technologies are designed for the vast majority of people with more or less capable vision and motor skills. Smartphones, for example, presume everyone has agile and accurate fingers, not to mention good if not excellent eyesight. Even laptops with larger screens take for granted that not everyone sees the same way. To make its web-centric platform more inclusive, Google is pouring some attention on accessibility features for Chrome OS that specifically target those who arent able to see well.

A lot of attention has been given to colors in new design languages but the fact is that not everyone sees colors the same way. Some might not even be able to distinguish some colors because of contrast problems. To remedy that for one of the smallest parts of the desktop interface, Chrome OS now lets users change not only the size of the mouse cursor but even its color, making the icons easier to see and locate on the screen.

It isnt just icons that are hard to see, of course. Words are sometimes trickier to make out, even with something like text-to-speech or TTS technologies. Chrome OS is augmenting this accessibility feature by highlighting the selected text that will get spoken, making the words visually pop out. This additional aid can help those with low vision but can even help some with learning disabilities, whether they have good eyesight or not.

And for those that are barely able to see at all, Google has improved its ChromeVox Chrome OS screen reader to speak in the language that a web page is set to. It also boasts that Chrome is the first browser that creates PDFs with headings, links, and tables that can help screen readers better analyze the text and speak it out for users.

These features are rolling out in the latest Chrome OS version and if you feel lost in all of it, Google has also launched a new Accessibility Hub for Chromebooks as your guide. These may seem like small changes that wont exactly benefit the vast majority of users but, sooner or later, well all come to a point when well need all the help we can get even to just use a computer or a phone.

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Chrome OS 86 aims to make computing more accessible to visually impaired - SlashGear

The drive from Big Sandy to Great Falls is awfully familiar to our family. Jon drives those 70-some miles twice a week as he travels between our farm and the Senate. Often we drive together for farm parts, haircuts, you name it. The drive is second nature. But lately, it has taken on a new meaning.

Because in early spring of this year, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

I found the cancer as many women do, with a lump. But I had a bit of a head start: breast cancer runs in my family both my grandmothers had breast cancer, and my grandmother on my mothers side, my mother, my sister, myself, and my daughter all have the same breast cancer gene. The knowledge that its genetic has helped serve as preventative medicine for our family once I knew I was likely to get it, it empowered me to know what to look for and get screened regularly.

Cancer doesnt discriminate between gender or age, and breast cancer is no exception.

Men get it too, and it isnt shameful to talk about it, because men need to be aware of their own risk factors.

When it comes to breast cancer, monthly self-examinations are critical, because if caught early, it can save your life.

I knew from the beginning that my prognosis was good, and was lucky to feel full mostly of hope, not fear. This month, I completed my final round of chemotherapy, and I have been very lucky to have few side effects. My husband and kids have been a remarkable support system.

The love and support of my family gave me the strength to face the uncertainties of cancer head-on. And at the end of the day, I know that Im fortunate. Fortunate to have been blessed by the doctors, nurses, and health care workers at Benefis Sletten Cancer Institute in Great Falls that have given me top-notch care every step of the way. They were both professional, and personal, and made sure that every time I walked in those doors I never felt a sense of doom and gloom. And I feel more fortunate, still, that in a state where some folks have to travel for hundreds of miles to receive care, our 70-some mile drive was a pretty short hop.

And when youre counting your blessings, its hard not to consider those that arent as fortunate.

How many Montanans face the fear of cancer diagnosis without the security of affordable health care? How many folks skip cancer screenings or go without treatment because a trip to the doctor would mean the choice between paying a medical bill or putting food on the table?

Its only fitting that I received the last of my treatment during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I encourage everyone, women and men alike, to use this month as a reminder to take precautionary steps. Check yourself often. Get regular screenings. Early detection can save your life.

Now that my treatment is finished, the drive to Great Falls will be easier again. I still have work in front of me and the outlook is promising. But the many cancer patients with a tough road ahead will still be on my mind and in my prayers.

I am not fighting my battle alone, and no Montanan ever should.

Sharla Tester is a farmer living and working in Big Sandy. She is married to U.S. Senator Jon Tester.

Link:
Early detection of breast cancer saves lives | State | sidneyherald.com - Sidney Herald Leader

MELVILLE, N.Y., Oct. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ --The global pandemic has senior living communities seeking ways to rebuild public confidence in their ability to care for their residents. Vacancy rates have skyrocketed while new communities are opening across the country, giving seniors and their families more choices than ever. With anxiety surrounding senior living at an all-time high, there's an urgent need for innovative ways to reassure family members that their loved ones will be happy, safe, and secure in their community. WellQor, the nation's leader in senior behavioral health, today announced the launch of two new programs: Transitions and Peace of Mind which, when deployed in conjunction with their existing clinical services, provide a complete behavioral health solution for communities that wish to fully understand and meet the emotional needs of their residents.

"Community staff members are often overwhelmed by their day-to-day responsibilities and unable to focus on individual resident needs that aren't acute. By partnering with third party healthcare providers like WellQor, staff members can take advantage of deep expertise in identifying and addressing the myriad of health issues that seniors face" said David Schwam, CEO of WellQor. "These overlooked needs far too often result in move-outs that could have been prevented".

WellQor's new Transitions program was designed to ensure that new residents and their families are sufficiently prepared for the move to senior living. For approximately thirty days, WellQor's licensed professionals work closely with each incoming resident and family in order to help them overcome challenges which can result in an unsuccessful move. Sources of stress and anxiety are identified, the definition of a successful move is established, and realistic expectations for the transition process are set. In communities using the Transitions program, the findings from this process are discussed at length with the care team in order to facilitate an ongoing, comprehensive and collaborative approach to care.

WellQor's Peace of Mind program gives communities the ability to proactively monitor "how every resident is actually doing". After gathering information from a family member and completing a quarterly assessment of a resident's emotional and cognitive health, WellQor generates their proprietary "Wellness Report'' for each resident. This report uses an easy to understand scoring system and provides valuable insight and suggestions for the improvement of their emotional health. The Wellness Report is shared with staff and family members to be used as the basis for planning and collaboration in order to improve the residents' overall well being. WellQor's sophisticated reporting capabilities allow communities to understand, both at an individual and aggregate level, issues that may be impacting resident outcomes, duration of stay, and caregiver stress and turnover.

By deploying the Transitions and Peace of Mind Programs, communities now have the ability to proactively identify issues long before they become significant problems that require staff attention. When professional intervention is required, WellQor's clinical team of licensed Psychologists and Clinical Social Workers can immediately engage using either telehealth or in-person sessions in order to help move past the issue prior to it becoming a crisis. In this spirit, WellQor offers a one of a kind solution that makes emotional healthcare more accessible and proactive than ever before.

Increasingly, communities are leveraging preventative medicine as a way to define care and set themselves apart from those who simply react to issues as they are discovered. By helping to implement a collaborative and comprehensive approach to care, WellQor can help these communities reestablish trust and confidence with seniors and their families and rebuild their census.

SOURCE WellQor Management Services, Inc.

Read the original:
WellQor Launches Game Changing End-To-End Solution for the Proactive Management of Emotional Health in Senior Living Communities - Benzinga

The Life Sciences sector has not been as newsworthy, pressured and flush with investors in living memory. The arrival of COVID-19 in 2020 has suddenly and emphatically focused attention on Life Sciences. The perception of the sector, and the reality of how it operates, has shifted. But in truth, Pharma was already changing.

Trends unrelated to the pandemic began with the shift away from searching for big-earning blockbuster drugs treating broad indications. Cost-effective opportunities in this type of market are dwindling, in the face of ever-increasing R&D and approval costs. Meanwhile, the shift to precision medicine has accelerated. Digital technology and biotechnology continue to make deeper inroads and stronger interconnections in how treatments are researched, developed and consumed. And those are just some of the developments.

Back in the distant, pre-COVID world of 2019, the Pharma industry was being dogged by the competing pricing concerns of payers and producers, with increasing pressure against companies seen to be benefiting from a monopoly on human health. Calls for tighter regulation on prices were particularly prevalent in the US, becoming a major theme of political debates.

A change in perception

Then along came COVID. Much as a global conflict usually sees major advances in weaponry, this global pandemic has seen a rapid boost in life science technology, collaboration and funding, as pharma companies, research organisations, SMEs and universities collectively search for a vaccine. The perception of Big Pharma has shifted correspondingly, from profiteers to potential saviours. It is probably true to say that never has so much been known about the sector by so many, in such a short space of time.

The growth of interest in Life Sciences has included investors; funding in 2020 has been incredibly strong. Biotech companies comprised 80% of all US IPOs in the first quarter and the US Nasdaq Biotechnology Index neared a five-year high in late April.

The US is the leader for investment by a big margin, but China has also seen some large investment rounds. Investors apparently see the sector as economy-proof and this is underpinned by a stronger public perception.

Tech advances

What of the technology? It has changed the R&D landscape, significantly reducing costs. Closer ties between tech and biotech are driving speedier, more targeted drug development, replacing the previous time-consuming trial and error required to prove theories. Interaction simulations can be run at the click of a button and clinical trials can progress more rapidly and cost-effectively through technology-aided efficiencies.

As R&D expense reduces and the remaining available blockbuster indications diminish, addressing smaller markets and niche illnesses has become more commercially viable alongside the long-standing medical needs. AI is invaluable in finding links in the rapidly accumulating global data resources. It is also creating more platform plays and modular business plans designed for biotech companies to bolt onto. And it is assisting clinicians by enabling faster, accurate reviews, such as analysing scans for breast cancer.

Enabling better prevention

Technology is also improving the quality of preventative medicine. Apps are helping doctors carry out remote diagnosis and secure more real-time, comprehensive feedback. Taking advantage of the Internet of Things, devices such as smart toilets can collect and analyse samples, and provide early warning of kidney or gastro-intestinal diseases. Spotting problems before they develop has physical, emotional and financial benefits for individuals, and the use of virtual coaches can support this by guiding patients through a healthier, preventative lifestyle.

More effective therapies

At the leading edge of life sciences, tech is helping new therapies to be better understood and utilised. Cell therapy is identifying and developing stem cells suitable for specialised uses, such as dopamine producers that could combat Parkinsons disease. Better gene editing tools are delivering improvements in gene therapy, while next-generation genome sequencing is allowing the development of precision medicines to previously unattainable levels.

The race for a vaccine

Crucially, and taking us back to where we started, vaccines can be constructed differently a point more pertinent than ever as science attempts to race towards an effective COVID-19 cure.

And its side effects

Is there a downside to all this? Yes. COVID has understandably monopolised attention and pushed back most other drug trials. Around half of non-COVID trials have been delayed this year, with critical developments put on hold and many biotech firms effectively in hibernation.

Whilst the true impact of these delays remains uncertain, there have nevertheless been a number of positives for the life sciences sector in 2020.

Positives for life sciences

Public and investor perception of pharma and life sciences has improved, with a resultant increase in funding and greater interest in careers in the sector. More specialised, precision medicine is giving fresh hope to those facing currently untreatable illnesses. Advances in tech-enabled diagnosis, drug development, dosing and monitoring have accelerated progress, with the spotlight on vaccines, genetic testing and monitoring leading to greater prominence on prevention.

Many of us are getting accustomed to the new normal acknowledging that post-COVID life will never be quite the same as it was before. The pandemic has resulted in a new normal emerging for life sciences too: greater collaboration, potentially faster trials and approval, and more integration of technology leading to more targeted and effective prevention and treatment.

Memories are often short, so how long life science advances will stay in the limelight is open to conjecture. But at this point in our state of the nation review, the life sciences sector is looking encouragingly healthy.

Excerpt from:
Life Sciences - a year to remember - Lexology

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) People on disability assistance say they are getting sicker because of a Grand-Canyon-sized-gap in provincial medical coverage and all three main political parties have failed to offer them hope during the provincial election campaign.

NEWS 1130 has spoken with four people who have complex disabilities and say they pay out-of-pocket for both basic and life-altering treatments they cannot afford.

So youre in a situation where youre choosing between food and medicine or youre going into debt. Eventually you end up not being able to do or afford the things that support your health at all, says one person, who has been steadily growing more sick over 25 years of what she considers inhumanely low coverage.

Lawyer Andrew Robb with Disability Alliance BC says his clients experience deteriorating health and believes the government should be challenged to uphold human rights.

I think that people do have a right to healthcare and a right to be well and I think the way that the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction administers the Persons with Disability program, right now, is not consistent with those rights, he says.

He says B.C.s regulations list very specific services and fees that are covered and bureaucrats generally will not stray from that list, unlike in other provinces, where more discretion is allowed.

It has certainly been our experience that people very frequently need and require more assistance, more services, more treatments than are covered by the regulations, he says.

The ministry covers $23.50 for each extended health visit, to a maximum of 10 visits each year.

That means a person with disabilities (PWD) only receives $230.50 annually to spend between practitioners such as physiotherapists, registered massage therapists, naturopathic doctors and acupuncturists.

Many people with complex health needs believe their situation has deteriorated because of this dearth of coverage, as they have been forced to forgo preventative treatments.

One person NEWS 1130 spoke with is moving forward with her request to seek assisted dying as she can no longer afford the care required to keep her pain within a tolerable window.

She says she does not believe the current NDP government, or any other party that could take power after this election, will change the law in time to save her life.

Dr. Rebecca Handford is the president of the BC Naturopathic Association. She says the previous provincial Liberal administration cut MSP funding to extended health, including naturopathy, which many people with complex disabilities report finding relief with.

It kind of speaks to a larger problem which is funding prevention versus emergency care Overall, as a society, we dont value prevention as a means of keeping people healthy, says Handford.

She says prevention is always cheaper than emergent care and cheaper than allowing people to descend into more painful, more complex situations because of an out-of-date approach to medicine.

The overall perspective that we need to change is to spend a little money now to prevent a larger expense later on, she argues, adding its difficult to prove the value of prevention.

When you prevent further problems, they dont happen, and how do you prove that they didnt happen? she says.

Handford says naturopathy and other extended health deserves more coverage because people with complex care needs require in-depth assessment and understanding of their conditions, as well as a holistic approach to healthcare.

If you went to see a regular medical doctor for nutrition advice, that would be outside of what is paid for by MSP, she points out, highlighting how essential diet is to overall health.

One person explained how naturopathic IV treatments have given her a quality of life she hasnt been able to achieve through any other means.

However, the total annual MSP coverage amounts to less than the cost of two visits, or one weeks worth of care.

Using the 10 visits per year on one treatment or modality means she cannot seek out other preventative and pain-relieving care, such as physiotherapy or massage.

As a result shes had to ask for charity from providers, who have been kind enough to take the hit to their income, for her benefit.

She wants to see more discretion for the government to support individuals needs when they require more than traditional Western medicine.

So that you dont end up in this fully emergent situation where youve got a patient falling off the edge of a cliff and you dont know what the hell to do because the more illnesses you have, the harder it is to manage deterioration, she says.

The DABCs Robb says his clients often stop their treatments out of necessity.

And they end up needing emergency medical care instead of receiving preventative care that might have kept them from this situation in the first place, he says.

Robb also wants to see the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction loosen up regulations about what medical treatments, devices and supports can be approved.

Were talking extremely rigid, he says of current regulations.

He blames the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Regulation, which bureaucrats and ministry staff must adhere to.

He says PWD and their advocates, who have been trying to make the case for any needs outside of the rigid legislation, have been shut down in every case hes witnessed.

Theres no room for flexibility or discretion about that, he says.

Anti-poverty advocates argue that disability tax credits, low assistance payments and a lack of medical support are the wrong way to approach this issue.

A recent pilot project showed giving people direct cash transfers helped them find a path to better lives and out of poverty.

Claire Willaims is the co-founder and CEO of Foundations for Social Change and has a complex disability herself.

The cost of living is incredibly high, she says, outlining rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Vancouver costs double the total maximum monthly payment a PWD currently receives.

I think its incredibly unrealistic to expect people to subsist on that kind of money, never mind thrive, she says, pointing out emergency payments for employees amounted to more than double many PWD payments.

I think there is a general mistrust around people going on disability. Any situation or circumstance that ultimately puts somebody in a place where they require some kind of cash support, for whatever reason, inherently generates a sense of mistrust, she says.

The recent New Leaf pilot project showed that mistrust and stigma is unnecessary, she argues, invoking the philosophy of Dutch historian and economic equality advocate, Rutger Bregman.

He says living in poverty is not a lack of character, its a lack of cash so I think we need to start looking at more meaningful risk taking in the space of social policy to support Canadians that need that extra help.

Read the rest here:
People with disabilities growing sicker in poverty with no election promises to give them hope - News 1130

Newswise Kansas City, Missouri & Cleveland, Ohio--The Cardiometabolic Center Alliance (CMCA), founded by Saint Lukes Mid America Heart Institute is pleased to announce the addition of University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center as Key Strategic Partner and Charter Member.

As a coalition that seeks to establish Cardiometabolic Centers of Excellence nationwide aimed at transforming the treatment of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and related cardiovascular (CV) and renal comorbidities, the CMCA considers University Hospitals (UH) a large integrated health system based in Cleveland, Ohio a key member of the Alliance.

The goal of the Cardiometabolic Center Alliance is building on our existing success in Kansas City by working collaboratively with our member organizations to replicate and refine our novel clinical care delivery model, with the overarching objective of lessening the adverse impact of diabetes and its most common and morbid complications cardiovascular and kidney disease - on patients lives, said Dr. Mikhail Kosiborod, Cardiometabolic Center Alliance Executive Director. The addition of UH as a Strategic Partner and Charter Member of the CMCA is an essential step in meeting our mission of improving the quality of care and outcomes of patients with cardiometabolic disease, so they can live longer, healthier, and more active lives, no matter where they live.

Founded in 1866, University Hospitals serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of 18 hospitals, more than 50 health centers and outpatient facilities, and 200 physician offices in 16 counties throughout northern Ohio.The systems flagship academic medical center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, located in Clevelands University Circle, is affiliated with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

We are excited to be a part of this national alliance that will pave the way for new treatments and approaches to manage patients with cardiometabolic disorders, said Sanjay Rajagopalan, MD, Chief of Cardiovascular Medicine at UH Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute. Cardiologists are uniquely positioned to assist with the seismic shift occurring in the landscape of care for diabetes and cardiovascular complications. However, these diseases require a large degree of collaboration with other specialties. In order to provide the highest quality of care for patients, its important that we take a multidisciplinary team approach and intervene early.

Through personalized medicine and research collaborations, such as UH and CMCA, enhancements can be made for detecting disease early, developing therapeutics for treatment, and refining technology-based approaches to improve patients lives.

At UH, we are focused on providing the best value for our patients, said Peter Pronovost, MD, PhD, Chief Clinical Transformation Officer at UH. This unique alliance will help us track treatment patterns and quality of care, and will help us transform care delivery for patients at risk for future complications.

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Alliance members will adopt and implement a novel care model designed and successfully implemented bySaint Lukes Michael & Marlys Haverty Cardiometabolic Center of Excellencein Kansas City, MO. Based on the initial data, under this model the rates of optimal guideline-directed medical therapy substantially increased over the national average, ensuring that patients with T2D receive care that is aimed at both optimizing diabetes management and providing comprehensive cardiovascular risk reduction with therapies proven to improve outcomes. These results are made possible by a unified team of clinicians from across the disease continuum, who focus on holistic, guideline-directed preventative care. Through their participation, Alliance members will also contribute to a national registry that will track treatment patterns and quality of care. As the Alliance enhances its capabilities, improves processes, and expands research opportunities on a national scale, the ultimate goal is improved patient outcomes.

About University Hospitals / Cleveland, OhioUniversity Hospitals also includes University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, ranked among the top childrens hospitals in the nation; University Hospitals MacDonald Women's Hospital, Ohio's only hospital for women; University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, a high-volume national referral center for complex cardiovascular procedures; and University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. UH is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research programs in the nation, including cancer, pediatrics, women's health, orthopedics, radiology, neuroscience, cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, digestive health, transplantation and urology. UH Cleveland Medical Center is perennially among the highest performers in national ranking surveys, including Americas Best Hospitals from U.S. News & World Report. UH is also home to Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals part of The Harrington Project for Discovery & Development. UH isone of the largest employers in Northeast Ohio with 28,000 physicians and employees. Advancing the Science of Health and the Art of Compassion is UHs vision for benefitting its patients into the future, and the organizations unwavering mission is To Heal. To Teach. To Discover.Follow UH on LinkedIn, Facebook @UniversityHospitalsand Twitter @UHhospitals. For more information, visitUHhospitals.org.

Continue reading here:
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Joins the Cardiometabolic Center Alliance as a Key Strategic Partner and Charter Member - Newswise

CDC listed obesity as one of the risk factors linked to severe illness from COVID-19, emphasizing the need for patients to take weight issues more seriously than ever. Obesity triples the rate of hospitalization from COVID-19, and obesity-related comorbidities worsen the outcome. Recent studies have illustrated a direct relationship between BMI and severity of the symptoms, including mortality from COVID-19 infection.

The prevalence of obesity among children and adults continues to rise. According to the CDC, 12 states in the US had an adult obesity prevalence rate of 35% or above in 2019, a dramatic but expected increase from 2018 (9 states) and 2017 (6 states). With the recent change in the lifestyle imposed on us due to this pandemic, this number will only continue to grow if we do not take adequate measures to curtail it.

How does this disease state caused by adipose tissue dysfunction lead to a spiraling cascade of metabolic, inflammatory, and mechanical derangement when exposed to a severe infection like COVID-19?

Let us explore some of the reasons:

Obesity and immune function: Clinical and epidemiological data have shown that obesity impairs the immune response. The incidence and severity of certain types of infectious diseases are higher among obese persons than lean individuals due to altered antibody response. The imbalance between energy intake and expenditure typically seen in obesity may also influence cell-mediated and humoral immune response. Research has shown a strong negative correlation between the T-cell population and its function with body weight.

Obesity and lung function: Obesity decreases total lung capacity, functional residual capacity, increases airway resistance, and makes mechanical ventilation more difficult. Acute respiratory distress syndrome due to COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation has been more prevalent in patients with a BMI greater than 30 and most significant in patients with a BMI greater than 35. ARDShas been the major complication and cause of death in COVID19. Obesity plays a crucial role in susceptibility to ARDS, respiratory failure, and outcome with mechanical ventilation due to baseline lung physiology changes with impaired ventilation and gas exchange. Obstructive sleep apnea that is often seen in obese patients increases the risk of hypoventilationassociated pneumonia, pulmonary hypertension, and sudden cardiac death.

Obesity and comorbidities: Obesity is closely associated with chronic illnesses like DM, HTN, etc. DM/hyperglycemia impairs the immune response, thereby making the patient more susceptible to pneumonia and nosocomial infections. Hypertension is an independent risk factor associated with severe COVID-19 infection, ARDS, and mortality as per a recent meta-analysis study.

Obesity is a chronic, complicated, multifactorial disease that has been causing a substantial medical and economic burden. As per the World Health Organization, in 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults aged 18 years and older were overweight. Of these, over 650 million adults were obese. Obesity has long been a global health issue, a slowly ravaging pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has put obesity in the spotlight, illustrating the need to focus on screening and treating it more aggressively than before. Until we have a vaccine for COVID-19, we are left with only preventive measures wearing masks to curtail the spread of the contagion and diet to trim the waistline.

Aparna Chandrasekaran, M.D., is medical director of the Jersey Medical Weight Loss Center, a member of the Center for Medical Weight Loss and a committee member and mentor in the Obesity Medicine Association.

References

1.Obesity and immune function relationships - Obesity Reviews. July 2008. A. MartA. MarcosJ. A. Martnez.

2. T lymphopaenia in relation to body mass index and TNF in human obesity: adequate weight reduction can be corrective. Clinical endocrinology, 54(3), 347-354.

3. High prevalence of obesity in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus2 (SARSCoV2) requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. Obesity. Obesity Reviews September 2020. Effect of obesity and body mass index on coronavirus disease 2019 severity: A systematic review and metaanalysis

4.Individuals with obesity and COVID19: A global perspective on epidemiology and biological relationships. Obesity reviews. August 2020.

5.Effect of obesity and body mass index on coronavirus disease 2019 severity: A systematic review and metaanalysis. Obesity Reviews September 2020.

6. Hypertension is associated with increased mortality and severity of disease in COVID-19 pneumonia: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression. Pubmed.gov

7. Should patients with obesity be more afraid of COVID19? Obesity review June 2020

8. WHO. https://www.who.int/health-topics/obesity

Read the original:
The COVID-19 pandemic emphasizes the need to manage patient obesity - Medical Economics

More than 13% of the global burden of disease is due to disorders such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and substance abuse. Almost three-quarters of this burden lies in low- and middle-income countries, because of extremely scarce health resources and investment. Many countries allocate less than 1% of the health budget to mental health. Poor or non-existent access to evidence-based care also leads to the need for long-term care and increased costs of care.

The economic burden is also significant. The global cost of lost productivity due to depression and anxiety disorders is an estimated US$1.15 trillion a year. Around 4.7 billion days of productivity are lost.

There is good evidence that these conditions are treatable. But the estimates of people in sub-Saharan Africa receiving treatment are jarring. Only 15% of South Africans with mental health conditions receive treatment. In Ghana and Ethiopia the estimates are less than 10%.

Weve spent decades researching mental health and health economics around the world. Our research has demonstrated that, for example, peer support for treating perinatal depression shows benefits that far outweigh any costs incurred in delivering the treatment. Weve also seen the Healthy Activity Programme Psychological Treatment in India provide better clinical outcomes at lower costs. In a recent study in Ghana weve shown that investments in population-level screening and subsequent treatment could yield benefits greater than the costs. The findings imply that every $1 invested over a 10 year period in depression, anxiety disorders and schizophrenia treatment would accrue about $7.4, $4.9 and $1.7 in returns respectively to society.

There are compelling arguments that neglecting mental health will make it extremely difficult to attain many other targets. These include Sustainable Development Goals related to poverty, HIV, malaria, gender empowerment and education.

For example, poverty rates are two times higher in people with mental health conditions compared to those without. People living with mental illness or substance use disorders are more likely to become infected with HIV. Poor mental health weakens immunity and adherence to treatments for malaria.

Clearly, there is a case for investing in mental health and more importantly, making interventions and services accessible to all. Having set out this case we also offer recommendations on how this might be achieved.

Political will and support from civil servants affect the proportion of GDP allocated to mental health. For Africa as a whole, government mental health expenditure per capita is $0.1.

Practical tips for mental health advocates to convince politicians have been offered in previous writings. These include placing arguments within the political context, working with the civil servants who advise politicians, and offering a multisectoral explanation of the wider picture of mental health.

Further, advocates must take advantage of crisis situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic to promote a long-term agenda for mental health, and lobby for major cross-government commissioned reviews. For example, the US Institute of Medicines report on neurological, psychiatric and developmental disorders led to increased prioritisation and research investment in mental health by major international donors.

Convening an African ministerial summit on mental health financing as a strategic follow-up to the Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit held in October 2018 would be a major boost.

We propose that governments invest in making training for and practice of mental health care attractive and relevant. This can be done by offering mentorship programmes, and use of digital and mobile technologies for delivering care. Short re-skilling programmes that focus on evaluation and management of common cases in the community and outpatient setup can be conducted annually for students and healthcare staff.

A national survey on mental health conditions is key for every country because under-recognition of the prevalence and impact of mental health needs is one reason they dont get enough attention. No African country is currently doing one. But Nigeria comes close. It has a survey conducted between 2001 and 2003 but only in Yoruba-speaking states which account for 22% of the population.

There are other areas for innovation. One could be a decentralised public health spending model that allocates resources according to performance, linking funding to specific mental health needs.

Governments could introduce financial incentives that favour community care. This means community-based rehabilitation initiatives would get more support. For example, in Rwanda, a national government incentive for subnational public and nonprofit faith-based health providers increased healthcare services by 20%.

There is also a need to rethink health and life insurance. These must reflect a move towards investing in preventative medicine and not the current curative policies.

Deliberate government leadership must promote local production of psychotropic medication as was done in the case of personal protective equipment in response to COVID-19 containment. Technology must also be used to deliver mental health services in times of public health emergencies.

Underpinning all our recommendations is sufficient and timely mental health financing. This requires a multi-sectoral strategy that shows the health and economic benefits of investing in mental health in Africa.

More:
Why Africa needs to invest in mental health - The Conversation CA

President Donald Trumps refusal to tell America the truth about the pandemic in a bid to save his political skin, on display at a potential super-spreader rally in Iowa on Wednesday night, is fostering a vacuum in national leadership and crucial public health mobilization as a winter of sickness and death looms.

Trump is touting his own recovery from Covid-19 with a cocktail of expensive experimental therapies available to almost no one else in the world as proof there is nothing to fear from a disease that has killed more than 216,000 Americans.

The President, 19 days before the election, is trying to pull the wool over voters eyes by arguing the pandemic is almost over, in the hope they wont hold him to account for his poor management of the crisis. On Wednesday, he used his own rebound and the symptom-free experience of his son Barron, who also tested positive to yet again downplay the virus.

Open your states! Trump said at a rally at which Air Force One formed a backdrop.

The cure cannot be worse than the problem itself, he said, and again wildly claimed that his own strength meant he probably didnt need the cutting-edge therapies he was given in the hospital at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

Maybe I would have been perfect anyway, Trump said.

The governments top infectious disease specialist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, who Trump has repeatedly attacked in recent days, said Wednesday that although he was glad the President had recovered, his case should not be seen as indicative of everyone who gets infected.

Thats sort of like saying somebody was speeding in a car at 95 miles an hour and didnt get in an accident, so I can go ahead and speed and not get in an accident, Fauci told CBS Evening News.

Fauci also criticized the concept of herd immunity, which relies on a majority of the population getting infected to build community resistance to the disease, after some White House officials appeared to partially embrace earlier this week. Trump is also advocating an approach where vulnerable people are shielded while allowing everyone else to get on with their lives nearly impossible to accomplish in practice.

What that will do is that there will be so many people in the community that you cant shelter, that you cant protect, who are going to get sick and get serious consequences, Fauci said Thursday on ABCs Good Morning America. He added that the idea that we have the power to protect the vulnerable is total nonsense.

In the real world, rather than Trumps fantasy version, the pandemic is getting worse quickly. Average daily infections are at more than 51,000. The disease that the President says should no longer dominate US life is killing more than 700 Americans a day. On Wednesday alone, newly registered infections reached nearly 60,000 with 985 new deaths. Coronavirus cases are rising in 35 states, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

The high baseline of cases that is the legacy of the failure to better suppress the virus is leaving epidemiologists in despair at the suffering that will inevitably follow as the weather cools and people move indoors.

The darkening picture would have surely dominated the second presidential debate on Thursday night. But the event was canceled amid a drama over the Presidents own diagnosis with the disease two weeks ago. Instead, Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden will hold dueling town halls on NBC and ABC.

Trumps tactic of minimizing the crisis is rooted in his quest to maximize turnout from his most loyal base voters, whom he and his conservative media allies constantly target with misinformation about the virus. His rallies and public acts send a visual message that life is back to normal, even as polls suggest that clear majorities of Americans disapprove of his handling of the crisis one of the dominant issues of the election.

Trump is not just risking the health of his supporters. People who get the virus at his rallies also can pass it on to others in wider society. But the Presidents word is still law among the voters who have disregarded reports that previous Trump rallies and events have spread the virus and are flocking to his events in a remarkable show of support for his reelection bid.

If Im gonna get sick and die, I guess its my turn, one rallygoer, Brenda Strothoff, told CNNs Jim Acosta in Des Moines on Wednesday night.

I feel like, yes, the Covid is kind of dangerous and it can be for some people, but for the most of us, were gonna go on with life, Strothoff said.

Another rallygoer, John Stanford, told Acosta that while he didnt want to give anybody the virus, he believed infection totals were inflated and that I figured the sooner we all get it, the sooner well be done with it.

The latest Trump rally in Des Moines, in front of a packed crowd that largely spurned masks and ignored social distancing, took place in a state where the virus is taking a deeper hold. Iowa has one of the highest testing positivity rates 18.8% in the union.

Still, the sentiments of Trumps supporters point to an important question: Has society got the balance right between fighting the pandemic and preserving as much of normal economic and social life as possible? Lockdowns and restrictions have inflicted a terrible impact on employment, family and cultural connections, and the countrys mental health and morale. A generation of schoolkids is at increasing risk of a learning deficit that could set them back years.

Trump has also taken to pointing out that European countries feted by the media for doing a better job than he has in containing the virus are now facing steep escalations in cases. Those nations, however, did experience a respite in the summer, are starting from a lower baseline of infections than the US autumn spike and saved significant numbers of lives with a more stringent approach.

And the fatalistic view of some Trump supporters also fails to acknowledge the tragedies suffered by more than 200,000 families who have lost loved ones many of whom did not have to die. It disregards the threat of hospitals being overwhelmed this winter, leading to agonizing choices for doctors and front-line workers, who are at extreme risk of taking on fatal virus loads themselves.

Reconciling these national, societal and moral dilemmas would in normal times land on the desk of the President: Its what hes elected to do. But Trumps obsession with his own political prospects is leaving such questions unaddressed. His absence is also exacerbating a leadership vacuum elsewhere; for instance, in the failure of his administration, House Democrats and suddenly thrifty Republican senators to agree on a new Covid-19 economic rescue plan.

An engaged President, reminding a weary nation of the need to commit to another round of restrictions on American life during a grim winter until vaccines become available, could save tens of thousands of lives.

If Trump wins reelection on November 3, it seems highly unlikely that he will feel a greater sense of accountability to make a more genuine effort to combat the virus. And if he loses, it seems unlikely he will be in the mood to commit to using his remaining weeks in power to tackle an issue that led to his loss.

Biden, who is leading Trump in national polls and in many swing states, may eventually be called upon to pick up the pieces, and he has anchored his campaign in criticism of the Presidents performance.

The rest of the world is wondering, what in the Lords name is happening? Biden said during a virtual fundraiser event on Wednesday.

What were living through today is not normal, the former vice president said, according to a pool report.

If the American people elect me, were going to have an enormous task in repairing the damage (Trumps) done. We have to be beating the virus, rebuilding the economy and figuring out how to restore American leadership around the world.

The Presidents negligence is not just having an immediate political impact. His constant undermining of social distancing measures and masks the only current ways of limiting the virus risks making a bad situation much worse.

Apparent hiccups with several trials being conducted by big pharmaceutical firms on vaccines and Covid-19 therapies are reemphasizing the importance of preventative measures. There was one optimistic sign on Wednesday, however, when the governments top infectious disease specialist, Fauci, predicted a safe and effective vaccine would be widely available by April.

But the Presidents dismissal of public health recommendations that are needed until then is causing despair among public health experts and front-line medics.

Its just a matter of time before we now see this terrible fall and winter surge. And this is going to be a horrible winter. We may see numbers that dwarf what we saw in March and April or during the summer, and I think we probably will, said Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of Baylor Medical Schools National School of Tropical Medicine.

And were also going to see a rise of mortality. This is going to be one of the most troubling times in our modern history in terms of the public being frightened, homeland security being affected, people worried about going outside, as the deaths mount, Hotez told CNNs Jake Tapper on Tuesday.

In a time of national peril, the White House is looked to to set priorities, to bring states together, to explain to Americans the extent of the challenge and to chart a route out of the emergency.

But Trumps coronavirus task force is invisible, as CNNs White House team reported Wednesday. Its leader, Vice President Mike Pence, is out campaigning and, like Trump and his family members, holding events that are almost certain to spread the virus. The groups most visible doctors, such as Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx, havent appeared in public with the President for weeks.

At a time when other global leaders, including Frances Emmanuel Macron, Canadas Justin Trudeau and Britains Boris Johnson, are leveling with their people about the difficult days to come and desperately working to get new spikes of infection under control with new restrictions and partial lockdowns while trying to save their economies, Trump falsely told Americans Wednesday that they were rounding that final turn.

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Trump's lack of honesty on Covid hangs over his reelection bid - ABC17News.com

In summary

Proposition 14 asks voters to spend nearly $8 billion to continue the stem cell research program at a time when the coronavirus pandemic has decimated the state budget.

For the second time in 16 years, California voters will decide the fate of the states multi-billion dollar stem cell research program that established the state as a worldwide leader.

How the times have changed.

In November, as the pandemic drags on, Proposition 14 asks voters to spend nearly $8 billion to continue the program during a period when the research environment has significantly evolved and coronavirus has battered the states budget.

The bond measure would approve $5.5 billion in bonds to keep the states stem cell research agency running and grants flowing to California universities and companies.

At least $1.5 billion would be earmarked for brain and central nervous system diseases like Alzheimers and Parkinsons. The overall cost of the bonds and their interest totals about $7.8 billion, according to the state legislative analyst. The state would pay about $260 million annually for 30 years, or about 1 percent of Californias annual budget.

Proposition 14 is essentially a repeat with a bigger price tag and a few tweaks of Proposition 71, which California voters approved in 2004 after then-President George W. Bush prohibited, on religious grounds, all federal funding of any stem cell research using human embryos.

The bond measure would approve $5.5 billion in bonds to keep the states stem cell research agency running and grants flowing to California universities and companies.

That groundbreaking measure authorized $3 billion in state bonds to create the states stem cell research agency, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, and fund grants for research into treatments for Alzheimers disease, cancer, spinal cord injuries and other diseases.

The institute has nearly used up its original funding, so Prop. 71s author, real estate investor and attorney Robert N. Klein II, led a new effort to get Prop. 14 on the November ballot.

This time, embryonic stem cell research is in a much different place, with federal funding no longer blocked and more funding from the biotech industry.

Voters will want to consider what Californias previous investment in stem cell research has accomplished. Its a nuanced track record.

While many scientific experts agree that Prop 71 was a bold social innovation that successfully bolstered emerging stem cell research, some critics argue that the institutes grantmaking was plagued by conflicts of interest and did not live up to the promises of miracle cures that Prop. 71s supporters made years ago. Although the agency is funded with state money, its overseen by its own board and not by the California governor or lawmakers.

The agency had done a very good job of setting priorities for stem cell research, including research using human embryos, and doling out $300 million annually to build up California as a regenerative medicine powerhouse, according to a 2013 evaluation by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine.

But the report also found that because the institutes board is made up of scientists from universities and biotech firms likely to apply for grants, board members had almost unavoidable conflicts of interest.

Because human stem cells can develop into many types of cells, including blood, brain, nerve and muscle cells, scientists have long looked to them for potential treatments for currently incurable diseases and injuries. Researchers use two types of stem cells: embryonic stem cells, derived from unused human embryos created through in vitro fertilization, and adult stem cells, which are harder to work with but in some cases can be coaxed in a lab into behaving more like embryonic stem cells.

From the start, stem cell research has been ethically charged and politically controversial because human embryos are destroyed in some types of studies. Federal restrictions on the research have waxed and waned, depending on which political party holds power. While former President Bush restricted federal money for embryonic stem cell research, former President Obama removed those restrictions.

The Trump administration has restricted government research involving fetal tissue but not embryonic stem cells. However, anti-abortion lawmakers have called on the President to once again end federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.

California-funded research has led to one stem cell treatment for a form of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency known as the bubble baby disease. Children with the rare disease dont make enough of a key enzyme needed for a normal immune system. Without treatment, they can die from the disease if not kept in a protective environment. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is now reviewing the treatment but has not yet approved it for widespread use.

Although many of the agencys early grants were for basic science, the institute also has supported 64 clinical trials of treatments for many types of cancer, sickle cell disease, spinal cord injuries, diabetes, kidney disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonlyknown as Lou Gehrigs disease.

A June 2020 analysis by University of Southern California health policy researchers estimated that taxpayers initial $3 billion investment in the research institute helped create more than 50,000 jobs and generated $10 billion for the states economy.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has endorsed Proposition 14, and other supporters include the Regents of the University of California, the California Democratic Party, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, patient advocacy groups like the March of Dimes, and some local politicians and chambers of commerce.

Supporters have raised more than $8.5 million, including about $2 million from billionaire Dagmar Dolby, to pass the measure, according to California Secretary of State campaign finance reports.

The passage of Proposition 71 helped save my life, Sandra Dillon, a blood cancer patient, wrote in a San Diego Union-Tribune commentary supporting Proposition 14. She wrote that she had benefited from a drug developed with Institute-funded research that has been designated by the FDA as a breakthrough therapy.

It is unimaginable to think that Californians would vote to discontinue this amazing effort I dont know where I would be or what condition I would be in if it wasnt for the investment Californians made nearly two decades ago.

I think the agencys done good work, but this was never planned to be funded forever with debt.

Lawrence Goldstein, a UC San Diego professor of cellular and molecular medicine and stem cell researcher, said the grants were instrumental in furthering his research on treatments for Alzheimers disease and that Prop. 14 will help create new jobs. The agency has funded a great deal of very important stem cell medical research thats already produced terrific results and has the prospect of saving many more lives in the decade to come, he said.

Opponents include one member of the institutes board and a nonprofit that advocates for privacy in genetic research. They contend that the proposition seeks too much money and does not sufficiently address the conflicts of interest that cropped up after Prop. 71 was passed. They also note that private funding, including venture capital, for stem cell research has grown in recent years. Opponents had raised only $250 by late September, from a single contribution by the California Pro Life Council.

The editorial boards of some of Californias biggest newspapers also have opposed the measure, including the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register, the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Jose Mercury News/East Bay Times. The Fresno Bee, Modesto Bee, and San Luis Obispo Tribune newspaper editorial boards support Prop 14.

Jeff Sheehy, the only institute board member not to support Proposition 14, told CalMatters that the research environment has changed since voters initially approved state funding for stem cell research in 2004 and that California should prioritize other needs like education, health care, and housing.

I think the agencys done good work, but this was never planned to be funded forever with debt, Sheehy said. At this point the state cant afford it; were looking at a huge deficit.

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Prop. 14: In the COVID age, can California still afford its stem cell research program? - CALmatters

Californians are voting on a number of propositions that deal with a wide variety of issues this election season. Heres a closer look at Proposition 14, which deals with stem cell research. This is a summary of information taken from the official California voters guide and the website Ballotpedia.

Prop 14: Authorizes Bonds Continuing Stem Cell Research. Initiative Statute.

This ballot initiative would issue $5.5 billion in general obligation bonds for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), which was created to fund stem cell research. In 2004, voters approved Proposition 71, which created CIRM, issued $3.00 billion in bonds to finance CIRM, and established a State constitutional right to conduct stem cell research.

As of October 2019, CIRM had $132 million in funds remaining. On July 1, 2019, CIRM suspended applications for new projects due to depleted funds.

This ballot initiative would require CIRM to spend no more than 7.5% of the bond funds on operation costs. The remaining bond funds would be spent on grants to entities that conduct research, trials, and programs related to stem cells, as well as start-up costs for facilities.

Dedicates $1.5 billion to research and therapy for Alzheimers, Parkinsons, stroke, epilepsy, and other brain and central nervous system diseases and conditions.

An Independent Citizens Oversight Committee (ICOC) is responsible for governing CIRM.

Arguments in Favor

Nearly half of all California families include a child or adult with medical conditions who could benefit from stem cell research, treatments, and cures.

Prop 14 provides continued funding to develop treatments, advance clinical trials, and achieve new scientific breakthroughs for Californias patients with Cancer, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Alzheimers, Parkinsons, HIV/AIDS, ALS, MS, Sickle Cell Disease, Lung Diseases, Kidney Disease, Bubble Baby Disease, Age-Related Blindness and Genetic Blindness, Epilepsy, Stroke, Schizophrenia, Autism, other Mental Health and Brain Conditions, and Infectious Diseases like COVID-19.

Californias original stem cell funding, which runs out this year, has already led to significant progress in the development of treatments and cures, including 92 FDA-approved clinical trials for chronic disease and injuries, over 2,900 medical discoveries, and demonstrated benefits for patients and research on chronic diseases including Cancer, Diabetes, Heart Conditions, Blindness, HIV/AIDS, ALS, Children with Immune Deficiencies, Paralysis, and Kidney Disease.

New revenues, economic activity and jobs are generated by this funding that will contribute to Californias economic recovery.

Chronic diseases, conditions and injuries are cutting lives short and costing Californians billions in healthcare costs. We must continue our investment, developing stem cell treatments to improve the health and reduce the suffering of millions of Californians.

Arguments Against

We cant afford to waste billions. In the middle of an economic crisis, with soaring unemployment and budget shortfalls in the tens of billions of dollars, we dont have money to burn.

And thats on top of the nearly $3 billion this troubled State agency has spent over the past 15 yearswith poor results. After an extensive analysis of spending by the State agency handing out billions in grants, the San Francisco Chronicle concluded that, The predicted financial windfall has not materialized. Only a few federally approved therapies have resulted.

Prop 14 funds a bureaucracy with serious problems. Some have questioned the integrity and independence of the State agency overseeing these funds.

Others can do this job better. The National Institute of Health provides $1.5 billion a year in grants to fund the same type of research. Private investors and companies, including many in California, have made great strides in using stem cells to cure diseasesusing private funds, not tax dollars.

Paying back Prop 14s costs of $7.8 billion could mean huge tax increases at a time when our economy is on its knees. Or laying off thousands of nurses and other heroes who do the real work of keeping California healthy.

Groups supporting Prop 14 include:

California Democratic Party

JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation)

University of California Board of Regents

Top donors to Yes on 14:

Robert N. Klein II ($3,625,000)

Dagmar Dolby ($2,059,000)

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation ($1,750,000)

Open Philanthropy Action Fund ($580,000)

Ann S. Tsukamoto ($500,000)

Groups opposed to Prop 14 include:

Editorial boards of The Orange County Register, The Bakersfield Californian, Mercury News & East Bay Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and Los Angeles Times

Top donors to No on 14:

None reported

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Stem Cell Research on the Ballot: A Closer Look at Prop 14 - Fullerton Observer

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 12, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SRNE, "Sorrento") announced today that it has entered into an exclusive license agreement with Personalized Stem Cells, Inc. (PSC) to acquire global rights to its adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for patients suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) associated with COVID-19, which have been cleared for a Phase 1 clinical trial by the FDA.

The study is a single arm, non-randomized Phase 1 study of the safety and preliminary efficacy of an adipose-derived allogeneic MSC product candidate. The outcome data will be compared to contemporaneous non-enrolled patients at the same clinical site(s) as the enrolled patients. The primary objective is to evaluate the safety of intravenous infusion of allogeneic adipose stem cells in patients with COVID-19 and in respiratory distress. The secondary objective is to evaluate a set of safety and efficacy outcome variables to give guidance regarding the risk/benefit ratio in patients with COVID-19 respiratory distress.

More information on the Phase 1 trial can be found at:

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04486001?term=coronastem&draw=2&rank=1

Sorrento will be assuming responsibility for executing the Phase 1 trial, which is targeted to enroll about 20 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in California. Pending the results of the Phase 1 trial, Sorrento expects to expand into Phase 2 trials in multiple relevant geographies as may be determined in consultation with applicable regulatory authorities.

Stem cells have been demonstrated to support resolution of symptoms in multiple disease settings and have the potential to reduce the long-term effects associated with pulmonary tissue damage for these patients. More information on the potential use and benefits of MSCs for patients with COVID-19 can be found in the recently published review at:

https://translational-medicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12967-020-02380-2

Stem cells represent a treatment modality with high potential to help in the fight against COVID-19 as a stand-alone therapy or in synergy with other product candidates in Sorrentos pipeline, including small molecules (abivertinib or salicyn-30) and neutralizing antibodies (STI-1499 or STI 2020).

Until a time where early treatments are more readily available, it is important to provide patients severely afflicted with COVID-19 multimodal solutions that can help increase survival, reduce the time spent in the hospital and reduce long-term sequelae. The long-term lingering effects of COVID-19 on the body can persist for months after patients leave the hospital, especially for patients that received ventilator support. Shortness of breath, difficulty doing simple tasks and pulmonary fibrosis are among the common complaints of long-term effects of the disease on COVID-19 patients leaving the ICU.

Dr. Robert Harman, CEO of PSC stated, We are delighted to be working with a company such as Sorrento, that has the vision and expertise to take our program through the next steps in the clinical development process. Sorrento saw the translational value of our decades of work in animal health and has acknowledged the extensive manufacturing and regulatory work we have done in bringing human cell lines to a Phase 1 FDA clearance. We are looking forward to collaborating on this initiative and beyond.

Dr. Henry Ji, Chairman and CEO of Sorrento stated, Stem cells were a missing piece in our comprehensive portfolio of potential solutions against COVID-19. We now cover multiple stages of the continuum of care from prevention to potential therapeutic solutions for the most advanced stages of the disease. With PSCs Phase 1 product candidate, we hope to move quickly through the next clinical trials, and, if successful, be able to provide a supportive therapy that may save the lives of the most advanced patients and may also ensure patients who have to undergo intensive care can benefit from a therapy with the potential to minimize the long-term effects of the disease due to the lung damage created by the virus early in the infection.

About Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.

Sorrento is a clinical stage, antibody-centric, biopharmaceutical company developing new therapies to treat cancers and COVID-19. Sorrentos multimodal, multipronged approach to fighting cancer is made possible by its extensive immuno-oncology platforms, including key assets such as fully human antibodies (G-MAB library), clinical stage immuno-cellular therapies (CAR-T, DAR-T), antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and clinical stage oncolytic virus (Seprehvir, Seprehvec). Sorrento is also developing potential antiviral therapies and vaccines against coronaviruses, including COVIDTRAP, ACE-MAB, COVI-MAB, COVI-GUARD, COVI-SHIELD, COVI-AMG and T-VIVA-19; and diagnostic test solutions, including COVI-TRACK, COVI-STIX and COVI-TRACE.

Sorrentos commitment to life-enhancing therapies for patients is also demonstrated by our effort to advance a first-in-class (TRPV1 agonist) non-opioid pain management small molecule, resiniferatoxin (RTX), and ZTlido (lidocaine topical system) 1.8% for the treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia. RTX has completed a phase IB trial for intractable pain associated with cancer and a phase 1B trial in osteoarthritis patients. ZTlido was approved by the FDA on February 28, 2018.

For more information visit http://www.sorrentotherapeutics.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release and any statements made for and during any presentation or meeting contain forward-looking statements related to Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc., under the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the safety and efficacy of an adipose-derived allogeneic MSC product in patients with COVID-19 and in respiratory distress; the clinical testing of an adipose-derived allogeneic MSC product; the expected enrollment of the Phase 1 trial; the potential commencement of any future clinical trials for an adipose-derived allogeneic MSC product; the ability of an adipose-derived allogeneic MSC product to work as a stand-alone therapy or in synergy with our other product candidates; the ability of an adipose-derived allogeneic MSC product to support healing and reduce the long-term effects associated with pulmonary tissue damage for COVID-19 patients; our ability to provide a supportive therapy for COVID-19 patents using an adipose-derived allogeneic MSC product; the ability of an adipose-derived allogeneic MSC product to potentially save lives of COVID-19 patients and to potentially minimize the long-term effects of COVID-19; our ability to cover all stages of the continuum of care for COVID-19; and our potential position in the antiviral industry. Risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in our forward-looking statements, include, but are not limited to: risks related to Sorrento's and its subsidiaries', affiliates and partners technologies and prospects and collaborations with partners, including, but not limited to risks related to seeking regulatory approval for any adipose-derived allogeneic MSC product; clinical development risks, including risks in the progress, timing, cost, and results of clinical trials and product development programs; risk of difficulties or delays in obtaining regulatory approvals; risks that clinical study results may not meet any or all endpoints of a clinical study and that any data generated from such studies may not support a regulatory submission or approval; risks that prior test, study and trial results may not be replicated in future studies and trials; risks of manufacturing and supplying drug product; risks related to leveraging the expertise of its employees, subsidiaries, affiliates and partners to assist Sorrento in the execution of its COVID-19 therapeutic product candidate strategies; risks related to the global impact of COVID-19; and other risks that are described in Sorrento's most recent periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Sorrento's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risk factors set forth in those filings. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement in this press release except as required by law.

Media and Investor Relations

Alexis Nahama, DVM (SVP Corporate Development)

Telephone: 1.858.203.4120

Email: mediarelations@sorrentotherapeutics.com

Sorrento and the Sorrento logo are registered trademarks of Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.G-MAB, COVI-GUARDTM, COVI-SHIELD, COVI-AMG, COVIDTRAP, T-VIVA-19, COVI-MAB, ACE-MAB, COVI-TRACK, COVI-STIX and COVI-TRACE are trademarks of Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc.

ZTlido is a trademark owned by Scilex Pharmaceuticals Inc.All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 2020 Sorrento Therapeutics, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Sorrento Adds Mesenchymal Stem Cell Program (MSC) That Has Been Cleared for a Phase 1 Trial by the FDA to the Pipeline of COVID-19 Focused Rescue...

IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --AIVITA Biomedical, Inc., a private biotechnology company developing personalized vaccines for the treatment of cancer and COVID-19, announced today the publication of the peer-reviewed manuscript, "Retina organoid transplants develop photoreceptors and improve visual function in RCS rats with RPE dysfunction,"in the journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science. The study, led by researchers at AIVITA Biomedical and the Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center of the University of California, Irvine, used 3D-retina organoids generated from human stem cells developed by AIVITA to provide insight into the potential use of transplanted retina organoids as a therapeutic option for blinding diseases.

In the study, transplanted retina organoid sheets were examined to determine if human stem cell-derived photoreceptors coulddevelop, survive and function in vivo without the support of healthy retina pigment epithelium (RPE). Visual function was examined through a variety of tests, including optokinetic testing (OKT), electroretinogram (ERG), and superior colliculus (SC) brain recording. These tests concluded that retina organoid transplantations demonstrated significant improvement in visual function compared to non-surgery and sham surgery controls, supporting the application of AIVITA's stem cell technologies in visual disease therapeutics.

"Leveraging our expertise in stem cell growth and differentiation, I'm excited to see the promise of our technology platform in potential therapeutics for vision loss," said Hans Keirstead, Ph.D., chief executive officer of AIVITA and a contributing author to the paper. "To our knowledge, this study is the first to show that it's possible for photoreceptors derived from stem cells to survive and function after transplantation when a host has a dysfunctional RPE."

This work is supported by funding from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and National Institutes of Health (NIH).

About AIVITA Biomedical AIVITA Biomedical is a privately held company engaged in the advancement of commercial and clinical-stage programs utilizing curative and regenerative medicines. Founded in 2016 by pioneers in the stem cell industry, AIVITA Biomedical utilizes its expertise in stem cell growth and directed, high-purity differentiation to enable safe, efficient and economical manufacturing systems which support its therapeutic pipeline and commercial line of skin care products. All proceeds from the sale of AIVITA's skin care products support the treatment of people with cancer.

SOURCE AIVITA Biomedical, Inc.

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AIVITA Biomedical's Stem Cell Therapeutic in Vision Loss Published in Investigative Ophthalmology & Vision Science - PRNewswire