NewzIntel.com

Category: Health

  • MIL-OSI China: China takes strong measures to ensure affordable medicines during 14th Five-Year Plan period

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    China takes strong measures to ensure affordable medicines during 14th Five-Year Plan period

    BEIJING, July 24 — During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), China’s medical insurance authority adopted multiple measures to ensure reasonable pricing of medicines, a senior Chinese official said Thursday.

    Shi Zihai, deputy head of the National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA), introduced the measures at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office.

    Since 2018, the country has carried out 10 rounds of centralized medicine procurement, covering 435 medicines, Shi said. He noted that the centralized procurement program has been an effective means to curb the overpricing of medicines, has significantly eased the people’s burden in receiving medication, and improved the quality and accessibility of medicines.

    The NHSA also actively handled cases of irregular drug pricing and urged pharmaceutical companies to rectify their practices. To date, the administration has issued notices to 566 companies, requiring price adjustments for 726 medicines across various specifications.

    In addition, the NHSA implemented measures to regulate medicine prices both online and at physical drugstores, Shi said.

    The official noted that some pharmaceutical companies abused their pricing autonomy and disrupted market order through practices such as offering kickbacks, monopolizing the market, and controlling sales.

    He said that while the NHSA resolutely supports high-quality medical innovation and respects the autonomy of companies in setting drug prices, it has also taken a stronger role in managing medicine pricing and maintaining market order.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • Microsoft says some SharePoint server hackers now using ransomware

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    A cyber-espionage campaign centered on vulnerable versions of Microsoft‘s server software now involves the deployment of ransomware, Microsoft said in a late Wednesday blog post.

    In the post, citing “expanded analysis and threat intelligence,” Microsoft said a group it dubs “Storm-2603” is using the vulnerability to seed the ransomware, which typically works by paralyzing victims’ networks until a digital currency payment is made.

    The disclosure marks a potential escalation in the campaign, which has already hit at least 400 victims, according to Netherlands-based cybersecurity firm Eye Security. Unlike typical state-backed hacker campaigns, which are aimed at stealing data, ransomware can cause widespread disruption depending on where it lands.

    The figure of 400 victims represents a sharp rise from the 100 organizations cataloged over the weekend. Eye Security says the figure is likely an undercount.

    “There are many more, because not all attack vectors have left artifacts that we could scan for,” said Vaisha Bernard, the chief hacker for Eye Security, which was among the first organizations to flag the breaches.

    The details of most of the victim organizations have not yet been fully disclosed, but on Wednesday a representative for the National Institutes of Health confirmed that one of the organization’s servers had been compromised.

    “Additional servers were isolated as a precaution,” he said. The news of the compromise was first reported by the Washington Post.

    Other outlets said the hacking campaign had breached an even broader range of U.S. agencies. NextGov, citing multiple people familiar with the matter, reported the Department of Homeland Security had been hit, along with more than five to 12 other agencies.

    Politico, which cited two U.S. officials, said multiple agencies were believed to have been breached.

    DHS’ cyberdefense arm, CISA, did not immediately return a message seeking comment on the reports. Microsoft did not immediately return a message seeking further details on the ransomware angle of the hacking or the reported government victims.

    The spy campaign began after Microsoft failed to fully patch a security hole in its SharePoint server software, kicking off a scramble to fix the vulnerability when it was discovered.

    Microsoft and its tech rival, Google-owner Alphabet, have both said Chinese hackers are among those taking advantage of the flaw. Beijing has denied the claim.

    -Reuters

  • MIL-OSI: Australian Life Sciences Venture Capital firm Brandon Capital announces Fund Six final close totalling over A$439m

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MELBOURNE, Australia, July 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brandon Capital, Australasia’s leading life sciences venture capital firm, today announced the final close of its sixth fund at A$439 million.

    Joining existing investors Hesta, Host Plus, CSL and QIC are the WA Government and Australia’s sovereign investor in manufacturing capability, the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (NRFC).

    This final close of Brandon BioCatalyst Fund Six (BB6) will see Brandon Capital continue to invest in emerging biomedical technologies with strong commercial potential, translating these exciting discoveries into high-growth firms that positively impact human health.

    To date, Brandon Capital has raised over A$1 billion across previous funds with notable Fund Six investments to date including AdvanCell (radiopharma), PolyActiva (glaucoma implant), Myricx Bio (ADC) and CatalYm (oncology).

    Dr Chris Nave, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Brandon Capital, “We’re excited to welcome the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation to our sixth fund, joining HESTA, Hostplus, CSL, QIC and the WA Government. Closing at $439 million, BB6 is our largest fund to date, and we remain committed to advancing breakthrough biomedical innovations through our unwavering scientific rigour and disciplined capital allocation, in pursuit of exceeding our investors’ expectations.”

    The firm has a track record of advancing its portfolio companies to commercialisation. Recent Brandon Capital portfolio company announcements include FDA approvals for a hypertension therapy from George Medicines and a left ventricular cardiac resynchronisation device developed by EBR Systems, with Q-Sera’s blood collection tubes that produce high-quality serum faster and more reliably, recently approved in Japan.

    Brandon Capital has an active portfolio of over 30 companies with 17 in clinical trials, four advancing or in-market, a promising preclinical pipeline and several actively contributing to Australia’s high-skilled manufacturing sector growth.

    Collectively supporting over 270 high-skilled Australian jobs are: surgical imaging innovator, OncoRes Medical, which has developed the first ‘real-time’ in cavity probe to improve cancer surgery outcomes; late-stage biotech PolyActiva, which is developing a long-term treatment for glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness; needle-free patch for vaccine delivery Vaxxas, and radiopharmaceutical company AdvanCell, which is developing novel therapies for the treatment of a range of cancers.

    NRFC CEO David Gall said, “Medical science has long development timelines, and it is important for the NRFC to make early and considered investments in the sector to attract the talent and capital that we will need to build our local commercialisation capabilities. If we want medical science jobs and industries to exist in Australia in ten years, we need to invest in them today.”

    Brandon Capital, headquartered in Australia with offices in the UK and US, has established a transcontinental presence that strengthens collaboration across regions. Australian portfolio companies gain access to UK/EU/US capital, expertise, and pharma networks, while international companies benefit from Australia’s world-class clinical trial and research capabilities.

    About Brandon Capital – www.brandoncapital.vc

    Brandon Capital is Australasia’s leading life sciences venture capital firm, with offices in Australia, New Zealand, the US and the UK. Its unique model includes proprietary deal flow through Brandon BioCatalyst, a collaboration of over 50 of ANZ’s leading medical research institutions, and its immersive corporate services structure enables portfolio companies to focus on research commercialisation. With more than 30 active companies in its portfolio, Brandon Capital has been sourcing and supporting the transition of world-leading science into world-leading businesses for nearly two decades.

    For further information please contact

    Media – Australia
    Kirrily Davis, E: kdavis@bcpvc.com M: +61 (0)401 220228

    Media – International
    Sue Charles, Charles Consultants E: sue.charles@charles-consultants.com M: +44 (0)7968 726585

    Chris Gardner, E: Chris@CGComms.onmicrosoft.com M: +44 (0)7956 031077

    About the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (NRFC)

    The NRFC invests to diversify and transform Australia’s industry and economy. It has $15 billion to invest using direct loans, equity investments and loan guarantees. The NRFC investment mandate covers seven priority areas including value-add in resources; transport; medical science; defence capability; renewables and low emission technologies; value-add in agriculture, forestry and fisheries; and enabling capabilities. 

    The NRFC’s role is to invest in Australian businesses and projects that design, refine and make in order to transform capability, grow jobs and a skilled workforce, and diversify our economy. NRFC is a corporate Commonwealth entity, established by the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation Act 2023 (NRFC Act) in September 2023.

    For more information, visit nrf.gov.au 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The Data Center Next Door: As Trump Eviscerates Guardrails, Senator Markey Hosts Roundtable Discussion on How AI Data Centers Can Harm Environment, Increase Costs to Households, and Threaten Public Health

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    View Storybook (PDF)

    Washington (July 23, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a co-chair of the Environmental Justice Caucus and a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, today hosted a virtual roundtable discussion titled “The Data Center Next Door: Hidden Costs and Harms of Artificial Intelligence and Cryptomining.” Senator Markey was joined by Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), frontline advocates, and allies to discuss the effects of rapid data center development on climate and communities, including impacts on local air quality, water, grid reliability, health, and utility bills. Speakers highlighted how communities and allied organizations across the country are working to curb harms from data center build-out and how policymakers can more proactively address unsustainable data center development.

    Today, Senator Markey also released a new storybook highlighting the personal experiences of individuals living near data center infrastructure.

    “I have heard from people across the country whose stories make clear: unregulated, uncontrolled data center development is sucking our communities dry. Our environment doesn’t have to be a sacrificial lamb on the altar of innovation. We can have green growth—but not if we have Trump’s AI Inaction Plan as our Big Tech Bible. Lawmakers at all levels of government can and must ensure the Trump administration’s no-holds-barred approach to data center construction does not come at the cost of our health and welfare,” said Senator Markey. “We are not truly moving forward if we harm and leave people behind in the process. We owe it to our neighbors, near and far, to address these impacts at the federal level before we see a race to the bottom—one that could even disadvantage states and towns that try to do things right.”

    “The heart of my district is seeing the environmental impacts of Artificial Intelligence (AI) first-hand, with the world’s biggest supercomputer beginning operations last year. It requires one million gallons of water each day to cool its components and uses the same amount of energy as all 250,000 households in Memphis combined. The continued development of AI will have a drastic effect on energy and water costs and consumption, and our environment as a whole,” said Congressman Cohen.

    “Bitcoin mining is the most energy and water-intensive technology ever created. As long as the bitcoin mining algorithm is operating at scale, it is impossible to make the transition to a resilient, equitable, affordable, and renewable grid,” said Jackie Sawicky, member of the National Coalition Against Cryptomining (NCAC).

    “Families across America are struggling to afford their soaring electric bills as a result of energy-guzzling AI data centers. We cannot afford to let AI fuel a new fossil fuel boom that raises our bills and destroys our environment,” said Ben Inskeep, Program Director at Citizens Action Coalition of Indiana.

    “West Virginia has long borne the brunt of powering our country via the extraction of our natural resources. This legacy and continued pollution from fossil fuel industries worsened health disparities, increased our utility bills, and poisoned our air and water. The rapid growth of artificial intelligence development and the numerous proposals of fossil fuel powered data centers in our region simply carries on that toxic tradition of resource extraction, corporate exploitation, and harmful pollution for West Virginians,” said Morgan King, Climate and Energy Program Manager at West Virginia Citizen Action Group.

    “What’s happening in Virginia is unsustainable and the desire to go even faster is irresponsible. The impacts are too great and the risks are too high, we must slow down and put better guardrails in place,” said Julie Bolthouse, AICP, Director of Land Use at Piedmont Environmental Council.

    “Over the last year, xAI installed and operated dozens of unpermitted methane gas turbines at its Memphis data center, essentially building a power plant without any public oversight or input from nearby communities. These turbines pump out smog-forming pollution and harmful chemicals like formaldehyde and are located near predominantly Black communities that are already overburdened with a long history of environmental injustice. Families in South Memphis deserve transparency and clean air,” said Amanda Garcia, senior attorney in the Tennessee office of the Southern Environmental Law Center.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Books – SNAKE TALK: How the world’s ancient serpent stories can guide us

    Source: Text Publishing Company

    Book Authors – Tyson Yunkaporta & Megan Kelleher.

    Shining an Indigenous light on contemporary society, Snake Talk invites us to see the world through the eye of the snake

    The Serpent in Aboriginal stories is both creator and destroyer, dwelling between physical and spiritual worlds, between story and history, weaving across earth and sky. The Great Dividing Range is the body of the Serpent, but he does not separate us—he brings us together.

    What if this ancient Lore can be found everywhere? What if the stories of the Basilisk, Wyvern, Naga, Quetzalcoatl and many other mythic Serpents also contain the knowledge we need in this moment of crisis?

    In Snake Talk, Tyson Yunkaporta and Megan Kelleher follow these stories around the world from Kathmandu to Aotearoa, from Mesoamerica to China to northern Europe. They ask how we can align our human gifts with the patterns of creation, seeking answers from makers who pay homage to the Serpent in images and objects.

    This exhilarating new book—like Sand Talk and Right Story, Wrong Story—shines an Indigenous light on contemporary society. Snake Talk invites us to see the world through the eye of the Serpent.

     ‘An extraordinary invitation into the world of the Dreaming…Unheralded.’ Melissa Lucashenko on Sand Talk

    ‘Bristles with revelation…Vigorous brilliance…both sensible and subversive.’ Age on Right Story, Wrong Story

    Tyson Yunkaporta:


    Tyson Yunkaporta is an Aboriginal scholar, founder of the Indigenous Knowledge Systems Lab at Deakin University in Melbourne, and author of Sand Talk. His work focuses on applying Indigenous methods of inquiry to resolve complex issues and explore global crises.

    Megan Kelleher:

    Megan Kelleher belongs to the Barada and Kapalbara peoples of Central Queensland and the branch of the Kelleher clan living in regional Victoria. She is currently undertaking her PhD at RMIT University in the School of Media and Communication and was honoured to be awarded one of RMIT’s Vice Chancellor’s Indigenous Pre‑Doctoral Fellowships in 2018.

    Megan is investigating whether the affordances of blockchain technology are culturally appropriate for Indigenous governance, and is undertaking this research as a core member of the Digital Ethnography Research Centre (DERC) and as a PhD Candidate within The ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society (ADM+S). When she is not training to be an academic, Megan is a devoted mother of her three beautiful children, Eden, Diver and Onyx.

    2 SEP 2025
    Non-fiction Paperback, 224pp
    AU $36.99 / NZ $45.00
    ISBN 9781922790941

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Books – SNAKE TALK: How the world’s ancient serpent stories can guide us

    Source: Text Publishing Company

    Book Authors – Tyson Yunkaporta & Megan Kelleher.

    Shining an Indigenous light on contemporary society, Snake Talk invites us to see the world through the eye of the snake

    The Serpent in Aboriginal stories is both creator and destroyer, dwelling between physical and spiritual worlds, between story and history, weaving across earth and sky. The Great Dividing Range is the body of the Serpent, but he does not separate us—he brings us together.

    What if this ancient Lore can be found everywhere? What if the stories of the Basilisk, Wyvern, Naga, Quetzalcoatl and many other mythic Serpents also contain the knowledge we need in this moment of crisis?

    In Snake Talk, Tyson Yunkaporta and Megan Kelleher follow these stories around the world from Kathmandu to Aotearoa, from Mesoamerica to China to northern Europe. They ask how we can align our human gifts with the patterns of creation, seeking answers from makers who pay homage to the Serpent in images and objects.

    This exhilarating new book—like Sand Talk and Right Story, Wrong Story—shines an Indigenous light on contemporary society. Snake Talk invites us to see the world through the eye of the Serpent.

     ‘An extraordinary invitation into the world of the Dreaming…Unheralded.’ Melissa Lucashenko on Sand Talk

    ‘Bristles with revelation…Vigorous brilliance…both sensible and subversive.’ Age on Right Story, Wrong Story

    Tyson Yunkaporta:


    Tyson Yunkaporta is an Aboriginal scholar, founder of the Indigenous Knowledge Systems Lab at Deakin University in Melbourne, and author of Sand Talk. His work focuses on applying Indigenous methods of inquiry to resolve complex issues and explore global crises.

    Megan Kelleher:

    Megan Kelleher belongs to the Barada and Kapalbara peoples of Central Queensland and the branch of the Kelleher clan living in regional Victoria. She is currently undertaking her PhD at RMIT University in the School of Media and Communication and was honoured to be awarded one of RMIT’s Vice Chancellor’s Indigenous Pre‑Doctoral Fellowships in 2018.

    Megan is investigating whether the affordances of blockchain technology are culturally appropriate for Indigenous governance, and is undertaking this research as a core member of the Digital Ethnography Research Centre (DERC) and as a PhD Candidate within The ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society (ADM+S). When she is not training to be an academic, Megan is a devoted mother of her three beautiful children, Eden, Diver and Onyx.

    2 SEP 2025
    Non-fiction Paperback, 224pp
    AU $36.99 / NZ $45.00
    ISBN 9781922790941

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI: Dassault Systèmes: Q2 well aligned with objectives; Reaffirming 2025 growth outlook Advancing AI for software-defined industries

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release

    VELIZY-VILLACOUBLAY, France — July 24, 2025

    Dassault Systèmes: Q2 well aligned with objectives; Reaffirming 2025 growth outlook

    Advancing AI for software-defined industries

    Dassault Systèmes (Euronext Paris: FR0014003TT8, DSY.PA) today reports its IFRS unaudited estimated financial results for the second quarter 2025 and first half ended June 30, 2025. The Group’s Board of Directors approved these estimated results on July 23, 2025. This press release also includes financial information on a non-IFRS basis and reconciliations with IFRS figures in the Appendix.

    Summary Highlights1  

    (unaudited, IFRS and non-IFRS unless otherwise noted,
    all growth rates in constant currencies)

    • 2Q25: Total revenue of €1.52 billion, up 6%, well aligned with objectives;
    • 2Q25: Software revenue up 6%, driven by subscription revenue up 10%;
    • 2Q25: 3DEXPERIENCE software revenue up 20% with good dynamics across industries;
    • 2Q25: Operating margin of 29.3% and diluted EPS non-IFRS up 4% to €0.30;
    • For the first six months, recurring revenue up 7% driven by subscription growth of 13%;
    • FY25: Reaffirming non-IFRS full-year objectives with total revenue growth of 6% to 8% and diluted EPS growth of 7% to 10%.

    Dassault Systèmes’ Chief Executive Officer Commentary

    Pascal Daloz, Dassault Systèmes’ Chief Executive Officer, commented:

    “The first half of the year reaffirmed the strength of our core Manufacturing sector, with resilient performance in Transportation & Mobility and strong growth in High-Tech. Aerospace & Defense also had an excellent start, with notable engagement at the Paris Air Show, underscoring our leadership in these strategic areas. In Life Sciences, our PLM solutions are playing more and more a critical role in driving the evolution toward smarter manufacturing and agile supply chains.

    As we look to the future, Dassault Systèmes is uniquely positioned to help clients navigate the increasingly complex and dynamic global landscape. Our focus on high-growth segments, particularly Space, Defense, Energy, and AI-driven cloud infrastructure, places us at the core of sovereignty and security challenges.

    With the introduction of 3D UNIV+RSES, presented at our Capital Markets Day, we are entering new high-value territories such as regulatory and compliance management. AI will be a key enabler in these areas, and early customer feedback has been exceptionally promising. With AI for software-defined industries, we are confident that our continued innovation will unlock new levels of value for our clients, reinforcing our role as a trusted partner in their transformation journeys.”

    Dassault Systèmes’ Chief Financial Officer Commentary

    (revenue and diluted EPS (“EPS”) growth rates in constant currencies,
    data on a non-IFRS basis)

    Rouven Bergmann, Dassault Systèmes’ Chief Financial Officer, commented:

    “In Q2, both total and software revenues grew by 6%, in line with our objectives. Year-to-date, we’ve seen a 5% increase in growth, with subscription rising 13%. Our performance across the Manufacturing sector has been resilient, particularly driven by the continued strength of SIMULIA, ENOVIA, and CATIA.

    On the operational front, we remain committed to strategic investments aimed at capturing long-term value, while protecting EPS. The acquisition of Ascon is a key step in accelerating the shift to software-defined manufacturing.

    Looking ahead, we maintain our outlook for full-year revenue growth between 6-8%, with EPS growth expected to range from 7-10%. Additionally, we’ve updated our currency assumptions for the second half of the year.”

    Financial Summary

    In millions of Euros,
    except per share data and percentages    		   IFRS   IFRS
      Q2 2025 Q2 2024 Change Change in constant currencies   YTD 2025 YTD 2024 Change Change in constant currencies
    Total Revenue   1,521.6 1,495.8 2% 5%   3,094.6 2,995.4 3% 4%
    Software Revenue   1,372.7 1,346.5 2% 6%   2,805.4 2,699.4 4% 5%
    Operating Margin   15.9% 18.4% (2.6)pts     17.6% 20.0% (2.4)pts  
    Diluted EPS   0.17 0.21 (19)%     0.37 0.42 (14)%  
    In millions of Euros,
    except per share data and percentages    		   Non-IFRS   Non-IFRS
      Q2 2025 Q2 2024 Change Change in constant currencies   YTD 2025 YTD 2024 Change Change in constant currencies
    Total Revenue   1,523.2 1,495.8 2% 6%   3,096.2 2,995.4 3% 5%
    Software Revenue   1,374.2 1,346.5 2% 6%   2,807.0 2,699.4 4% 5%
    Operating Margin   29.3% 29.9% (0.7)pts     30.1% 30.5% (0.4)pts  
    Diluted EPS   0.30 0.30 (1)% 4%   0.61 0.60 2% 5%

    Second Quarter 2025 Versus 2024 Financial Comparisons

    (unaudited, IFRS and non-IFRS unless otherwise noted,
    all revenue growth rates in constant currencies)

    • Total Revenue: Total revenue in the second quarter grew 5% in IFRS and 6% in non-IFRS, to €1.52 billion, and software revenue increased by 6% to €1.37 billion. Subscription & support revenue rose 6%; recurring revenue represented 80% of software revenue. Licenses and other software revenue rose 5% to €276 million. Services revenue increased 3% to €149 million, during the quarter.
    • Software Revenue by Geography: The Americas revenue increased by 2% to represent 37% of software revenue, with High-Tech and Industrial Equipment performing well. Europe grew by 10% to 39% of software revenue, reflecting an acceleration led by France and Southern Europe. In Asia, revenue rose 6% with strong double-digit growth in China. Asia represented 24% of software revenue at the end of the second quarter.
    • Software Revenue by Product Line:
      • Industrial Innovation software revenue rose 9% to €745 million. SIMULIA, CATIA and ENOVIA were the best contributors to growth. Industrial Innovation software represented 54% of software revenue, during the period.
      • Life Sciences software revenue was flat at €268 million, to account for 20% of software revenue.
      • Mainstream Innovation software revenue increased by 3% to €360 million in IFRS, and was up 4% to €361 million in non-IFRS, represented 26% of software revenue. SOLIDWORKS had a strong subscription growth, advancing its business model shift.
    • Software Revenue by Industry: Industrial Equipment, High Tech, Transportation & Mobility and Aerospace & Defense were the best contributors to growth this quarter. In Life Sciences, Dassault Systèmes’ PLM solutions are playing more and more a critical role in driving the evolution toward smarter manufacturing and agile supply chains. In fact, outside of the MEDIDATA product line, Life Sciences revenue grew mid-teens.
    • Key Strategic Drivers: 3DEXPERIENCE software revenue increased 20% and represented 41% of 3DEXPERIENCE Eligible software revenue. Cloud software revenue grew 6% in non-IFRS, representing 25% of software revenue during the period. 3DEXPERIENCE Cloud software revenue increased 15% in constant currencies.
    • Operating Income and Margin: IFRS operating income decreased 12%, to €242 million, as reported. Non-IFRS operating income decreased 0.4% at €446 million, as reported. The IFRS operating margin stood at 15.9% compared to 18.4% in the second quarter of 2024, mainly reflecting the effect of the employee shareholding plan “TOGETHER 2025” offered during the quarter. The non-IFRS operating margin totaled 29.3%, versus 29.9% in the same period of last year, with a negative currency impact of 50 basis points.
    • Earnings per Share: IFRS diluted EPS was €0.17, decreasing 19% as reported. Non-IFRS diluted EPS grew to €0.30, down 1% as reported, up 4% in constant currencies.

    First Half 2025 Versus 2024 Financial Comparisons

    (unaudited, IFRS and non-IFRS unless otherwise noted,
    all revenue growth rates in constant currencies)

    • Total Revenue: Total revenue grew 4% to €3.09 billion in IFRS, and was up 5% to €3.10 billion in non-IFRS. Software revenue increased 5% to €2.81 billion. Subscription and support revenue rose 7% to €2.33 billion; recurring revenue represented 83% of total software revenue. Licenses and other software revenue decreased 2% to €474 million. Services revenue was down 2% to €289 million.
    • Software Revenue by Geography: The Americas, Europe and Asia all grew 5%, representing respectively 40%, 37% and 23% of software revenue.
    • Software Revenue by Product Line:
      • Industrial Innovation software revenue rose 8% to €1.54 billion and represented 55% of software revenue. CATIA, SIMULIA and ENOVIA were among the strongest contributors to growth.
      • Life Sciences software revenue was flat to €561 million, representing 20% of software revenue.
      • Mainstream Innovation software revenue increased by 3% to €707 million in IFRS and to €708 million in non-IFRS. Mainstream Innovation represented 25% of software revenue.
    • Software Revenue by Industry: Aerospace & Defense, High Tech, Industrial Equipment and Transport & Mobility were among the strongest contributors to growth. In Life Sciences, Dassault Systèmes’ PLM solutions are playing more and more a critical role in driving the evolution toward smarter manufacturing and agile supply chains. In fact, outside of the MEDIDATA product line, Life Sciences revenue grew mid-teens.
    • Key Strategic Drivers: 3DEXPERIENCE software revenue increased by 19%, representing 40% of 3DEXPERIENCE Eligible software revenue. Cloud software revenue grew 7% in non-IFRS, and represented 25% of software revenue. 3DEXPERIENCE Cloud software revenue increased 26% in constant currencies.
    • Operating Income and Margin: IFRS operating income was down 9%, to €546 million, as reported. Non-IFRS operating income increased 2% to €932 million, as reported. IFRS operating margin totaled 17.6% compared to 20% for the same period in 2024, mainly reflecting the combined effect of the employee shareholding plan “TOGETHER 2025” and higher share-based compensation related social charges, notably in France, where the rate rose from 20% to 30% in the first half of 2025. Non-IFRS operating margin stood at 30.1% in the first half of 2025, compared to 30.5% in the same period last year, impacted by negative currency effect of 30 basis points.
    • Earnings per Share: IFRS diluted EPS was €0.37, a decrease of 14% as reported. Non-IFRS diluted EPS grew by 2% to €0.61, as reported, or 5% in constant currencies.
    • Cash Flow from Operations (IFRS): Cash flow from operations totaled €1.15 billion for the first six months of 2025, compared to €1.13 billion last year. Cash flow from operations was principally used for the acquisition of ContentServ for €202 million, repurchase of Treasury Shares for €225 million and dividend payments for €343 million.
    • Balance Sheet (IFRS): Dassault Systèmes’ net financial position totaled €1.51 billion as of June 30, 2025, an increase of €0.05 billion, compared to €1.46 billion for the year ended December 31, 2024. Cash and cash equivalents totaled €4.08 billion in the first half.

    Financial Objectives for 2025

    Dassault Systèmes’ third quarter and 2025 financial objectives presented below are given on a non-IFRS basis and reflect the principal 2025 currency exchange rate assumptions for the US dollar and Japanese yen as well as the potential impact from additional non-Euro currencies:

               
          Q3 2025 FY 2025  
      Total Revenue (billion) €1.485 – €1.535 €6.410 – €6.510  
      Growth 1 – 5% 3 – 5%  
      Growth ex FX 5 – 8% 6 – 8%  
               
      Software revenue growth * 5 – 9% 6 – 8%  
        Of which licenses and other software revenue growth * 7 – 14% 4 – 7%  
        Of which recurring revenue growth * 5 – 8% 7 – 8%  
      Services revenue growth *

    1 – 5%

    		 1 – 3%  
               
      Operating Margin 29.7% – 29.9% 32.2% – 32.4%  
               
      EPS Diluted €0.29 – €0.30 €1.32 – €1.35  
      Growth 0 – 4% 3 – 6%  
      Growth ex FX 5 – 9% 7 – 10%  
               
      US dollar $1.17 per Euro $1.13 per Euro  
      Japanese yen (before hedging) JPY 170.0 per Euro JPY 166.1 per Euro  
      * Growth in Constant Currencies      

    These objectives are prepared and communicated only on a non-IFRS basis and are subject to the cautionary statement set forth below.

    The 2025 non-IFRS financial objectives set forth above do not take into account the following accounting elements below and are estimated based upon the 2025 principal currency exchange rates above: contract liabilities write-downs estimated at approximately €4 million; share-based compensation expenses, including related social charges, estimated at approximately €324 million (these estimates do not include any new stock option or share grants issued after June 30, 2025); amortization of acquired intangibles and of tangibles reevaluation, estimated at approximately €336 million, largely impacted by the acquisition of MEDIDATA; and lease incentives of acquired companies at approximately €1 million.

    The above objectives also do not include any impact from other operating income and expenses, net principally comprised of acquisition, integration and restructuring expenses, and impairment of goodwill and acquired intangible assets; from one-time items included in financial revenue; from one-time tax effects; and from the income tax effects of these non-IFRS adjustments. Finally, these estimates do not include any new acquisitions or restructuring completed after June 30, 2025.

    Corporate Announcements

    Today’s Webcast and Conference Call Information

    Today, Thursday, July 24, 2025, Dassault Systèmes will host in Paris a webcasted presentation at 9:00 AM London Time / 10:00 AM Paris time, and will then host a conference call at 8:30 AM New York time / 1:30 PM London time / 2:30 PM Paris time. The webcasted presentation and conference calls will be available online by accessing investor.3ds.com.

    Additional investor information is available at investor.3ds.com or by calling Dassault Systèmes’ Investor Relations at +33.1.61.62.69.24.

    Investor Relations Events

    • Third Quarter 2025 Earnings Release: October 23, 2025
    • Fourth Quarter 2025 Earnings Release: February 11, 2026
    • First Quarter 2026 Earnings Release: April 23, 2026
    • Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Release: July 23, 2026

    Forward-looking Information

    Statements herein that are not historical facts but express expectations or objectives for the future, including but not limited to statements regarding the Group’s non-IFRS financial performance objectives are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on Dassault Systèmes management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results or performances may differ materially from those in such statements due to a range of factors.

    The Group’s actual results or performance may be materially negatively affected by numerous risks and uncertainties, as described in the “Risk Factors” section 1.9 of the 2024 Universal Registration Document (‘Document d’enregistrement universel’) filed with the AMF (French Financial Markets Authority) on March 18, 2025, available on the Group’s website www.3ds.com.

    In particular, please refer to the risk factor “Uncertain Global Environment” in section 1.9.1.1 of the 2024 Universal Registration Document set out below for ease of reference:

    “In light of the uncertainties regarding economic, business, social, health and geopolitical conditions at the global level, Dassault Systèmes’ revenue, net earnings and cash flows may grow more slowly, whether on an annual or quarterly basis, mainly due to the following factors:

    • the deployment of Dassault Systèmes’ solutions may represent a large portion of a customer’s investments in software technology. Decisions to make such an investment are impacted by the economic environment in which the customers operate. Uncertain global geopolitical, economic and health conditions and the lack of visibility or the lack of financial resources may cause some customers, e.g. within the automotive, aerospace, energy or natural resources industries, to reduce, postpone or cancel their investments, or to reduce or not renew ongoing paid maintenance for their installed base, which impact larger customers’ revenue with their respective sub-contractors;
    • the political, economic and monetary situation in certain geographic regions where Dassault Systèmes operates could become more volatile and negatively affect Dassault Systèmes’ business, and in particular its revenue, for example, due to stricter export compliance rules or the introduction of new customs barriers or controls on the exchange of goods and services;
    • continued pressure or volatility on raw materials and energy prices could also slow down Dassault Systèmes’ diversification efforts in new industries;
    • uncertainties regarding the extent and duration of costs inflation could adversely affect the financial position of Dassault Systèmes; and
    • the sales cycle of the Dassault Systèmes’ products – already relatively long due to the strategic nature of such investments for customers – could further lengthen.

    The occurrence of crises – health and political crises in particular – could have consequences both for the health and safety of Dassault Systèmes’ employees and for the Company. It could also adversely impact the financial situation or financing and supply capabilities of Dassault Systèmes’ existing and potential customers, commercial and technology partners, some of whom may be forced to temporarily close sites or to cease operations. A deteriorating economic environment could generate increased price pressure and affect the collection of receivables, which would negatively affect Dassault Systèmes’ revenue, financial performance and market position.

    Dassault Systèmes makes every effort to take into consideration this uncertain outlook. Dassault Systèmes’ business results, however, may not develop as anticipated. Furthermore, due to factors affecting sales of Dassault Systèmes’ products and services, there may be a substantial time lag between an improvement in global economic and business conditions and an upswing in the Company’s business results.”

    In preparing such forward-looking statements, the Group has in particular assumed an average US dollar to euro exchange rate of US$1.17 per €1.00 as well as an average Japanese yen to euro exchange rate of JPY170.0 to €1.00, before hedging for the third quarter 2025. The Group has assumed an average US dollar to euro exchange rate of US$1.13 per €1.00 as well as an average Japanese yen to euro exchange rate of JPY166.1 to €1.00, before hedging for the full year 2025. However, currency values fluctuate, and the Group’s results may be significantly affected by changes in exchange rates.

    Non-IFRS Financial Information

    Readers are cautioned that the supplemental non-IFRS financial information presented in this press release is subject to inherent limitations. It is not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles and should not be considered in isolation from or as a substitute for IFRS measurements. The supplemental non-IFRS financial information should be read only in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS. Furthermore, the Group’s supplemental non-IFRS financial information may not be comparable to similarly titled “non-IFRS” measures used by other companies. Specific limitations for individual non-IFRS measures are set forth in the Company’s 2024 Universal Registration Document filed with the AMF on March 18, 2025.

    In the tables accompanying this press release the Group sets forth its supplemental non-IFRS figures for revenue, operating income, operating margin, net income and diluted earnings per share, which exclude the effect of adjusting the carrying value of acquired companies’ deferred revenue, share-based compensation expense and related social charges, the amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangibles reevaluation, certain other operating income and expense, net, including impairment of goodwill and acquired intangibles, the effect of adjusting lease incentives of acquired companies, certain one-time items included in financial revenue and other, net, and the income tax effect of the non-IFRS adjustments and certain one-time tax effects. The tables also set forth the most comparable IFRS financial measure and reconciliations of this information with non-IFRS information.

    FOR MORE INFORMATION

    Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform, 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions: http://www.3ds.com

    ABOUT DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    Dassault Systèmes is a catalyst for human progress. Since 1981, the company has pioneered virtual worlds to improve real life for consumers, patients and citizens. With Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform, 370 000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, can collaborate, imagine and create sustainable innovations that drive meaningful impact.
    For more information, visit www.3ds.com.

    Dassault Systèmes Investor Relations Team                FTI Consulting

    Beatrix Martinez: +33 1 61 62 40 73                        Arnaud de Cheffontaines: +33 1 47 03 69 48

                                                            Jamie Ricketts : +44 20 3727 1600

    investors@3ds.com

    Dassault Systèmes Press Contacts

    Corporate / France        Arnaud MALHERBE        arnaud.malherbe@3ds.com        +33 (0)1 61 62 87 73

    © Dassault Systèmes. All rights reserved. 3DEXPERIENCE, the 3DS logo, the Compass icon, IFWE, 3DEXCITE, 3DVIA, BIOVIA, CATIA, CENTRIC PLM, DELMIA, ENOVIA, GEOVIA, MEDIDATA, NETVIBES, OUTSCALE, SIMULIA and SOLIDWORKS are commercial trademarks or registered trademarks of Dassault Systèmes, a European company (Societas Europaea) incorporated under French law, and registered with the Versailles trade and companies registry under number 322 306 440, or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are owned by their respective owners. Use of any Dassault Systèmes or its subsidiaries trademarks is subject to their express written approval.

    APPENDIX TABLE OF CONTENTS

    Due to rounding, numbers presented throughout this and other documents may not add up precisely to the totals provided and percentages may not precisely reflect the absolute figures.    

    Glossary of Definitions

    Non-IFRS Financial Information

    Acquisitions and Foreign Exchange Impact

    Condensed consolidated statements of income

    Condensed consolidated balance sheet

    Condensed consolidated cash flow statement

    IFRS – non-IFRS reconciliation

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES – Glossary of Definitions

    Information in Constant Currencies

    Dassault Systèmes has followed a long-standing policy of measuring its revenue performance and setting its revenue objectives exclusive of currency in order to measure in a transparent manner the underlying level of improvement in its total revenue and software revenue by activity, industry, geography and product lines. The Group believes it is helpful to evaluate its growth exclusive of currency impacts, particularly to help understand revenue trends in its business. Therefore, the Group provides percentage increases or decreases in its revenue and expenses (in both IFRS and non-IFRS) to eliminate the effect of changes in currency values, particularly the U.S. dollar and the Japanese yen, relative to the euro. When trend information is expressed “in constant currencies”, the results of the “prior” period have first been recalculated using the average exchange rates of the comparable period in the current year, and then compared with the results of the comparable period in the current year.

    While constant currency calculations are not considered to be an IFRS measure, the Group believes these measures are critical to understanding its global revenue results and to compare with many of its competitors who report their financial results in U.S. dollars. Therefore, Dassault Systèmes includes this calculation to compare IFRS and non-IFRS revenue figures for comparable periods. All information at constant currencies is expressed as a rounded percentage and therefore may not precisely reflect the absolute figures.

    Information on Growth excluding acquisitions (“organic growth”)

    In addition to financial indicators relating to the Group’s entire scope, Dassault Systèmes also provides growth information excluding acquisitions’ effects, and named organic growth. To do so, the Group’s data is restated to exclude acquisitions, from the date of the transaction, over a period of 12 months.

    Information on Industrial Sectors

    Dassault Systèmes provides broad end-to-end software solutions and services: its 3D UNIV+RSES (made of multiple virtual twin experiences) powered by the 3DEXPERIENCE platform combine modeling, simulation, data science, artificial intelligence and collaborative innovation to support companies in the three sectors it serves, namely Manufacturing Industries, Life Sciences & Healthcare, and Infrastructure & Cities.

    These three sectors comprise twelve industries:

    • Manufacturing Industries: Transportation & Mobility; Aerospace & Defense; Marine & Offshore; Industrial Equipment; High-Tech; Home & Lifestyle; Consumer Packaged Goods – Retail. In Manufacturing Industries, Dassault Systèmes helps customers virtualize their operations, improve data sharing and collaboration across their organization, reduce costs and time-to-market, and become more sustainable;
    • Life Sciences & Healthcare: Life Sciences & Healthcare. In this sector, the Group aims to address the entire cycle of the patient journey to lead the way toward precision medicine. To reach the broader healthcare ecosystem from research to commercial, the Group’s solutions connect all elements from molecule development to prevention to care, and combine new therapeutics, medical practices, and Medtech;
    • Infrastructure & Cities: Infrastructure, Energy & Materials; Architecture, Engineering & Construction; Business Services; Cities & Public Services. In Infrastructure & Cities, the Group supports the virtualization of the sector in making its industries more efficient and sustainable, and creating desirable living environments.

    Information on Product Lines

    The Group’s financial reporting on product lines includes the following information:

    • Industrial Innovation software revenue, which includes CATIA, ENOVIA, SIMULIA, DELMIA, GEOVIA, NETVIBES, and 3DEXCITE brands;
    • Life Sciences software revenue, which includes MEDIDATA and BIOVIA brands;
    • Mainstream Innovation software revenue, which includes its CENTRIC PLM and 3DVIA brands, as well as the SOLIDWORKS brand and its expanded offerings in design, simulation, PLM, and manufacturing.

    OUTSCALE has been a Dassault Systèmes brand since 2022, extending the portfolio of software applications. As the first sovereign and sustainable operator on the cloud, OUTSCALE enables governments and corporations from all sectors to achieve digital autonomy through a Cloud experience and with a world-class cyber governance.

    GEOs

    Eleven GEOs are responsible for driving the development of the Company’s business and implementing its customer‑centric engagement model. Teams leverage strong networks of local customers, users, partners, and influencers.

    These GEOs are structured into three groups:

    • the “Americas” group, made of two GEOs;
    • the “Europe” group, comprising Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and made of four GEOs;
    • the “Asia” group, comprising Asia and Oceania and made of five GEOs.

    3DEXPERIENCE Software Contribution

    To measure the relative share of 3DEXPERIENCE software in its revenues, Dassault Systèmes calculates the percentage contribution by comparing total 3DEXPERIENCE software revenue to software revenue for all product lines except SOLIDWORKS, MEDIDATA, CENTRIC PLM and other acquisitions (defined as “3DEXPERIENCE Eligible software revenue”).

    Cloud revenue

    Cloud revenue is generated from contracts that provide access to cloud-based solutions (SaaS), infrastructure as a service (IaaS), cloud solution development and cloud managed services. These offerings are delivered by Dassault Systèmes through its own cloud infrastructure or by third-party cloud providers. They are available through different deployment methods: Dedicated cloud, Sovereign cloud and International cloud. Cloud solutions are generally offered through subscription-based models or perpetual licenses with support and hosting services.

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    NON-IFRS FINANCIAL INFORMATION

    (unaudited; in millions of Euros, except per share data, percentages, headcount and exchange rates)

    Non-IFRS key figures exclude the effects of adjusting the carrying value of acquired companies’ contract liabilities (deferred revenue), share-based compensation expense, including related social charges, amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangible assets revaluation, lease incentives of acquired companies, other operating income and expense, net, including the acquisition, integration and restructuring expenses, and impairment of goodwill and acquired intangible assets, certain one-time items included in financial loss, net, certain one-time tax effects and the income tax effects of these non-IFRS adjustments.

    Comparable IFRS financial information and a reconciliation of the IFRS and non-IFRS measures are set forth in the separate tables within this Attachment.

    In millions of Euros, except per share data, percentages, headcount and exchange rates Non-IFRS reported
    Three months ended Six months ended
    June 30,

    2025

    		 June 30,

    2024

    		 Change Change in constant currencies June 30,

    2025

    		 June 30,

    2024

    		 Change Change in constant currencies
    Total Revenue € 1,523.2 € 1,495.8 2% 6% € 3,096.2 € 2,995.4 3% 5%
                     
    Revenue breakdown by activity                
    Software revenue 1,374.2 1,346.5 2% 6% 2,807.0 2,699.4 4% 5%
    Of which licenses and other software revenue 275.6 271.8 1% 5% 473.7 490.3 (3)% (2)%
    Of which subscription and support revenue 1,098.6 1,074.8 2% 6% 2,333.2 2,209.1 6% 7%
    Services revenue 148.9 149.2 (0)% 3% 289.2 296.1 (2)% (2)%
                     
    Software revenue breakdown by product line                
    Industrial Innovation 744.6 701.9 6% 9% 1,537.7 1,433.2 7% 8%
    Life Sciences 268.3 281.7 (5)% 0% 560.9 566.4 (1)% 0%
    Mainstream Innovation 361.3 363.0 (0)% 4% 708.3 699.7 1% 3%
                     
    Software Revenue breakdown by geography                
    Americas 505.0 525.5 (4)% 2% 1,116.2 1,079.1 3% 5%
    Europe 534.8 491.9 9% 10% 1,048.0 995.1 5% 5%
    Asia 334.4 329.1 2% 6% 642.8 625.2 3% 5%
                     
    Operating income € 446.1 € 447.8 (0)%   € 932.2 € 914.3 2%  
    Operating margin 29.3% 29.9%     30.1% 30.5%    
                     
    Net income attributable to shareholders € 391.0 € 397.1 (2)%   € 811.2 € 794.3 2%  
    Diluted earnings per share € 0.30 € 0.30 (1)% 4% € 0.61 € 0.60 2% 5%
                     
    Closing headcount 26,253 25,811 2%   26,253 25,811 2%  
                     
    Average Rate USD per Euro 1.13 1.08 5%   1.09 1.08 1%  
    Average Rate JPY per Euro 163.81 167.77 (2)%   162.12 164.46 (1)%  

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    ACQUISITIONS AND FOREIGN EXCHANGE IMPACT

    (unaudited; in millions of Euros)

    In millions of Euros Non-IFRS reported o/w growth at constant rate and scope o/w change of scope impact at current year rate o/w FX impact on previous year figures
    June 30,

    2025

    		 June 30,

    2024

    		 Change
    Revenue QTD 1,523.2 1,495.8 27.4 72.6 7.5 (52.7)
    Revenue YTD 3,096.2 2,995.4 100.7 125.9 7.7 (32.9)

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

    (unaudited; in millions of Euros, except per share data and percentages)

    In millions of Euros, except per share data and percentages IFRS reported
    Three months ended Six months ended
    June 30, June 30, June 30, June 30,
    2025 2024 2025 2024
    Licenses and other software revenue 275.6 271.8 473.7 490.3
    Subscription and Support revenue 1,097.1 1,074.8 2,331.7 2,209.1
    Software revenue 1,372.7 1,346.5 2,805.4 2,699.4
    Services revenue 148.9 149.2 289.2 296.1
    Total Revenue € 1,521.6 € 1,495.8 € 3,094.6 € 2,995.4
    Cost of software revenue (1) (120.1) (124.8) (249.3) (236.8)
    Cost of services revenue (144.6) (127.9) (275.7) (259.8)
    Research and development expenses (348.7) (326.1) (697.3) (637.5)
    Marketing and sales expenses (448.0) (423.8) (894.5) (844.1)
    General and administrative expenses (123.7) (111.6) (244.2) (216.7)
    Amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangible assets revaluation (85.4) (92.3) (173.8) (185.6)
    Other operating income and expense, net (9.3) (13.2) (13.7) (15.0)
    Total Operating Expenses (1,279.9) (1,219.8) (2,548.4) (2,395.4)
    Operating Income € 241.7 € 276.0 € 546.1 € 600.0
    Financial income (loss), net 29.9 33.3 60.2 63.4
    Income before income taxes € 271.5 € 309.2 € 606.3 € 663.5
    Income tax expense (53.0) (47.7) (128.4) (116.0)
    Net Income € 218.6 € 261.5 € 477.9 € 547.5
    Non-controlling interest 4.9 1.2 6.1 1.0
    Net Income attributable to equity holders of the parent € 223.5 € 262.7 € 484.0 € 548.4
    Basic earnings per share 0.17 0.20 0.37 0.42
    Diluted earnings per share € 0.17 € 0.21 € 0.37 € 0.42
    Basic weighted average shares outstanding (in millions) 1,315.9 1,313.2 1,314.9 1,313.7
    Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (in millions) 1,324.4 1,326.2 1,325.7 1,328.7

            (1) Excluding amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangible assets revaluation.

    IFRS reported

     

    		 Three months ended June 30, 2025 Six months ended June 30, 2025
    Change (2) Change in constant currencies Change (2) Change in constant currencies
    Total Revenue 2% 5% 3% 4%
    Revenue by activity        
    Software revenue 2% 6% 4% 5%
    Services revenue (0)% 3% (2)% (2)%
    Software Revenue by product line        
    Industrial Innovation 6% 9% 7% 8%
    Life Sciences (5)% 0% (1)% 0%
    Mainstream Innovation (1)% 3% 1% 3%
    Software Revenue by geography        
    Americas (4)% 2% 3% 5%
    Europe 8% 10% 5% 5%
    Asia 2% 6% 3% 5%

                    (2) Variation compared to the same period in the prior year.

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET

    (unaudited; in millions of Euros)

    In millions of Euros IFRS reported
    June 30, December 31,
    2025 2024
    ASSETS    
    Cash and cash equivalents 4,083.7 3,952.6
    Trade accounts receivable, net 1,575.9 2,120.9
    Contract assets 40.1 30.1
    Other current assets 406.2 464.0
    Total current assets 6,105.9 6,567.6
    Property and equipment, net 903.5 945.8
    Goodwill and Intangible assets, net 7,030.3 7,687.1
    Other non-current assets 375.7 345.5
    Total non-current assets 8,309.4 8,978.3
    Total Assets € 14,415.3 € 15,545.9
    LIABILITIES    
    Trade accounts payable 183.2 259.9
    Contract liabilities 1,559.3 1,663.4
    Borrowings, current 534.0 450.8
    Other current liabilities 1,063.0 1,147.4
    Total current liabilities 3,339.5 3,521.5
    Borrowings, non-current 2,043.9 2,042.8
    Other non-current liabilities 836.0 900.9
    Total non-current liabilities 2,879.9 2,943.7
    Non-controlling interests 11.5 14.1
    Parent shareholders’ equity 8,184.3 9,066.6
    Total Liabilities € 14,415.3 € 15,545.9

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES

    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOW STATEMENT

    (unaudited; in millions of Euros)

    In millions of Euros IFRS reported
    Three months ended Six months ended
    June 30, June 30, Change June 30, June 30, Change
    2025 2024 2025 2024
    Net income attributable to equity holders of the parent 223.5 262.7 (39.3) 484.0 548.4 (64.4)
    Non-controlling interest (4.9) (1.2) (3.7) (6.1) (1.0) (5.1)
    Net income 218.6 261.5 (42.9) 477.9 547.5 (69.5)
    Depreciation of property and equipment 48.5 45.1 3.4 98.9 92.7 6.2
    Amortization of intangible assets 86.2 94.2 (8.0) 175.9 189.4 (13.5)
    Adjustments for other non-cash items 20.5 36.6 (16.1) 36.6 74.3 (37.7)
    Changes in working capital (39.4) 21.9 (61.3) 358.0 226.3 131.7
    Net Cash From Operating Activities € 334.3 € 459.3 € ( 124.9) € 1,147.3 € 1,130.2 € 17.2
                 
    Additions to property, equipment and intangibles assets (39.3) (50.6) 11.3 (95.3) (107.8) 12.5
    Payment for acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired (9.2) (11.2) 2.0 (202.9) (15.7) (187.2)
    Other 3.2 0.8 2.3 (34.6) 23.1 (57.7)
    Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities € (45.3) € (61.0) € 15.6 € (332.8) € (100.4) € (232.4)
                 
    Proceeds from exercise of stock options 7.4 13.9 (6.5) 29.6 35.2 (5.7)
    Cash dividends paid (342.6) (302.7) (39.9) (342.6) (302.7) (39.9)
    Repurchase and sale of treasury stock (144.7) (176.6) 31.8 (224.8) (307.7) 82.9
    Capital increase 111.3 – 111.3 111.3 – 111.3
    Acquisition of non-controlling interests 0.0 (0.0) 0.0 (0.2) (2.6) 2.5
    Proceeds from borrowings 121.3 – 121.3 81.0 – 81.0
    Repayment of borrowings – (0.1) 0.1 (18.5) (0.2) (18.4)
    Repayment of lease liabilities (22.7) (18.3) (4.4) (45.4) (42.3) (3.0)
    Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities € (270.0) € (483.7) € 213.7 € (409.5) € (620.2) € 210.7
                 
    Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents (178.1) 21.0 (199.1) (273.9) 53.6 (327.5)
                 
    Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents € (159.1) € (64.4) € (94.7) € 131.2 € 463.2 € (332.1)
                 
    Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period € 4,242.9 € 4,095.9   € 3,952.6 € 3,568.3  
    Cash and cash equivalents at end of period € 4,083.7 € 4,031.5   € 4,083.7 € 4,031.5  

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES
    SUPPLEMENTAL NON-IFRS FINANCIAL INFORMATION
    IFRS – NON-IFRS RECONCILIATION
    (unaudited; in millions of Euros, except per share data and percentages)

    Readers are cautioned that the supplemental non-IFRS information presented in this press release is subject to inherent limitations. It is not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles and should not be considered as a substitute for IFRS measurements. Also, the Group’s supplemental non-IFRS financial information may not be comparable to similarly titled “non-IFRS” measures used by other companies. Further specific limitations for individual non-IFRS measures, and the reasons for presenting non-IFRS financial information, are set forth in the Group’s Document d’Enregistrement Universel for the year ended December 31, 2024 filed with the AMF on March 18, 2025. To compensate for these limitations, the supplemental non-IFRS financial information should be read not in isolation, but only in conjunction with the Group’s consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS.

    In millions of Euros, except per share data and percentages Three months ended June 30, Change
    2025 Adjustment(1) 2025 2024 Adjustment(1) 2024 IFRS Non-IFRS(2)
    IFRS Non-IFRS IFRS Non-IFRS
    Total Revenue € 1,521.6 € 1.6 € 1,523.2 € 1,495.8 – € 1,495.8 2% 2%
    Revenue breakdown by activity                
    Software revenue 1,372.7 1.6 1,374.2 1,346.5 – 1,346.5 2% 2%
    Licenses and other software revenue 275.6 – 275.6 271.8 – 271.8 1% 1%
    Subscription and Support revenue 1,097.1 1.6 1,098.6 1,074.8 – 1,074.8 2% 2%
    Recurring portion of Software revenue 80%   80% 80%   80%    
    Services revenue 148.9 – 148.9 149.2 – 149.2 (0)% (0)%
    Software Revenue breakdown by product line                
    Industrial Innovation 744.6 – 744.6 701.9 – 701.9 6% 6%
    Life Sciences 268.3 – 268.3 281.7 – 281.7 (5)% (5)%
    Mainstream Innovation 359.7 1.6 361.3 363.0 – 363.0 (1)% (0)%
    Software Revenue breakdown by geography                
    Americas 505.0 – 505.0 525.5 – 525.5 (4)% (4)%
    Europe 533.4 1.4 534.8 491.9 – 491.9 8% 9%
    Asia 334.3 0.1 334.4 329.1 – 329.1 2% 2%
    Total Operating Expenses € (1,279.9) € 202.9 € (1,077.1) € (1,219.8) € 171.9 € (1,047.9) 5% 3%
    Share-based compensation expense and related social charges (107.7) 107.7 – (65.8) 65.8 –    
    Amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangible assets revaluation (85.4) 85.4 – (92.3) 92.3 –    
    Lease incentives of acquired companies (0.4) 0.4 – (0.5) 0.5 –    
    Other operating income and expense, net (9.3) 9.3 – (13.2) 13.2 –    
    Operating Income € 241.7 € 204.4 € 446.1 € 276.0 € 171.9 € 447.8 (12)% (0)%
    Operating Margin 15.9%   29.3% 18.4%   29.9%    
    Financial income (loss), net 29.9 0.6 30.4 33.3 0.5 33.8 (10)% (10)%
    Income tax expense (53.0) (32.8) (85.7) (47.7) (36.4) (84.1) 11% 2%
    Non-controlling interest 4.9 (4.7) 0.3 1.2 (1.6) (0.4) 300% (167)%
    Net Income attributable to shareholders € 223.5 € 167.6 € 391.0 € 262.7 € 134.4 € 397.1 (15)% (2)%
    Diluted Earnings Per Share (3) € 0.17 € 0.13 € 0.30 € 0.21 € 0.09 € 0.30 (19)% (1)%

    (1) In the reconciliation schedule above, (i) all adjustments to IFRS revenue data reflect the exclusion of the effect of adjusting the carrying value of acquired companies’ contract liabilities (deferred revenue); (ii) adjustments to IFRS operating expense data reflect the exclusion of the amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangible assets revaluation, share-based compensation expense, including related social charges, lease incentives of acquired companies, as detailed below, and other operating income and expense, net including acquisition, integration and restructuring expenses, and impairment of goodwill and acquired intangible assets; (iii) adjustments to IFRS financial loss, net reflect the exclusion of certain one-time items included in financial loss, net, and; (iv) all adjustments to IFRS income data reflect the combined effect of these adjustments, plus with respect to net income and diluted earnings per share, certain one-time tax effects and the income tax effect of the non-IFRS adjustments.

    In millions of Euros, except percentages Three months ended June 30, Change
    2025

    IFRS

    		 Share-based compensation expense and related social charges Lease incentives of acquired companies 2025

    Non-IFRS

    		 2024

    IFRS

    		 Share-based compensation expense and related social charges Lease incentives of acquired companies 2024

    Non-IFRS

    		 IFRS Non-

    IFRS
    Cost of revenue (264.7) 13.9 0.1 (250.7) (252.8) 5.0 0.1 (247.6) 5% 1%
    Research and development expenses (348.7) 28.9 0.1 (319.7) (326.1) 20.4 0.2 (305.5) 7% 5%
    Marketing and sales expenses (448.0) 39.7 0.1 (408.2) (423.8) 23.2 0.1 (400.5) 6% 2%
    General and administrative expenses (123.7) 25.2 0.0 (98.5) (111.6) 17.2 0.0 (94.3) 11% 4%
    Total   € 107.7 € 0.4     € 65.8 € 0.5      

    (2) The non-IFRS percentage increase (decrease) compares non-IFRS measures for the two different periods. In the event there is non-IFRS adjustment to the relevant measure for only one of the periods under comparison, the non-IFRS increase (decrease) compares the non-IFRS measure to the relevant IFRS measure.
    (3) Based on a weighted average 1,324.4 million diluted shares for Q2 2025 and 1,326.2 million diluted shares for Q2 2024, and, for IFRS only, a diluted net income attributable to the sharehorlders of € 223.5 million for Q2 2025 (€ 276.7 million for Q2 2024). The Diluted net income attributable to equity holders of the Group corresponds to the Net Income attributable to equity holders of the Group adjusted by the impact of the share-based compensation plans to be settled either in cash or in shares at the option of the Group.

    DASSAULT SYSTÈMES
    SUPPLEMENTAL NON-IFRS FINANCIAL INFORMATION
    IFRS – NON-IFRS RECONCILIATION
    (unaudited; in millions of Euros, except per share data and percentages)

    Readers are cautioned that the supplemental non-IFRS information presented in this press release is subject to inherent limitations. It is not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles and should not be considered as a substitute for IFRS measurements. Also, the Group’s supplemental non-IFRS financial information may not be comparable to similarly titled “non-IFRS” measures used by other companies. Further specific limitations for individual non-IFRS measures, and the reasons for presenting non-IFRS financial information, are set forth in the Group’s Document d’Enregistrement Universel for the year ended December 31, 2024 filed with the AMF on March 18, 2025. To compensate for these limitations, the supplemental non-IFRS financial information should be read not in isolation, but only in conjunction with the Group’s consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS.

    In millions of Euros, except per share data and percentages Six months ended June 30, Change
    2025 Adjustment(1) 2025 2024 Adjustment(1) 2024 IFRS Non-IFRS(2)
    IFRS Non-IFRS IFRS Non-IFRS
    Total Revenue € 3,094.6 € 1.6 € 3,096.2 € 2,995.4 – € 2,995.4 3% 3%
    Revenue breakdown by activity                
    Software revenue 2,805.4 1.6 2,807.0 2,699.4 – 2,699.4 4% 4%
    Licenses and other software revenue 473.7 – 473.7 490.3 – 490.3 (3)% (3)%
    Subscription and Support revenue 2,331.7 1.6 2,333.2 2,209.1 – 2,209.1 6% 6%
    Recurring portion of Software revenue 83%   83% 82%   82%    
    Services revenue 289.2 – 289.2 296.1 – 296.1 (2)% (2)%
    Software Revenue breakdown by product line                
    Industrial Innovation 1,537.7 – 1,537.7 1,433.2 – 1,433.2 7% 7%
    Life Sciences 560.9 – 560.9 566.4 – 566.4 (1)% (1)%
    Mainstream Innovation 706.8 1.6 708.3 699.7 – 699.7 1% 1%
    Software Revenue breakdown by geography                
    Americas 1,116.1 0.1 1,116.2 1,079.1 – 1,079.1 3% 3%
    Europe 1,046.6 1.4 1,048.0 995.1 – 995.1 5% 5%
    Asia 642.7 0.1 642.8 625.2 – 625.2 3% 3%
    Total Operating Expenses € (2,548.4) € 384.4 € (2,164.0) € (2,395.4) € 314.3 € (2,081.1) 6% 4%
    Share-based compensation expense and related social charges (196.2) 196.2 – (112.6) 112.6 –    
    Amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangible assets revaluation (173.8) 173.8 – (185.6) 185.6 –    
    Lease incentives of acquired companies (0.8) 0.8 – (1.2) 1.2 –    
    Other operating income and expense, net (13.7) 13.7 – (15.0) 15.0 –    
    Operating Income € 546.1 € 386.0 € 932.2 € 600.0 € 314.3 € 914.3 (9)% 2%
    Operating Margin 17.6%   30.1% 20.0%   30.5%    
    Financial income (loss), net 60.2 1.1 61.3 63.4 1.5 64.9 (5)% (6)%
    Income tax expense (128.4) (54.4) (182.8) (116.0) (68.0) (184.0) 11% (1)%
    Non-controlling interest 6.1 (5.6) 0.5 1.0 (1.9) (0.9) N/A (152)%
    Net Income attributable to shareholders € 484.0 € 327.2 € 811.2 € 548.4 € 245.9 € 794.3 (12)% 2%
    Diluted Earnings Per Share (3) € 0.37 € 0.25 € 0.61 € 0.42 € 0.17 € 0.60 (14)% 2%

    (1) In the reconciliation schedule above, (i) all adjustments to IFRS revenue data reflect the exclusion of the effect of adjusting the carrying value of acquired companies’ contract liabilities (deferred revenue); (ii) adjustments to IFRS operating expense data reflect the exclusion of the amortization of acquired intangible assets and of tangible assets revaluation, share-based compensation expense, including related social charges, lease incentives of acquired companies, as detailed below, and other operating income and expense, net including acquisition, integration and restructuring expenses, and impairment of goodwill and acquired intangible assets; (iii) adjustments to IFRS financial loss, net reflect the exclusion of certain one-time items included in financial loss, net, and; (iv) all adjustments to IFRS income data reflect the combined effect of these adjustments, plus with respect to net income and diluted earnings per share, certain one-time tax effects and the income tax effect of the non-IFRS adjustments.

    In millions of Euros, except percentages Six months ended June 30, Change
    2025

    IFRS

    		 Share-based compensation expense and related social charges Lease incentives of acquired companies 2025

    Non-IFRS

    		 2024

    IFRS

    		 Share-based compensation expense and related social charges Lease incentives of acquired companies 2024

    Non-IFRS

    		 IFRS Non-

    IFRS
    Cost of revenue (525.0) 18.8 0.2 (505.9) (496.5) 8.0 0.3 (488.2) 6% 4%
    Research and development expenses (697.3) 61.4 0.3 (635.7) (637.5) 38.3 0.6 (598.7) 9% 6%
    Marketing and sales expenses (894.5) 64.2 0.2 (830.1) (844.1) 36.8 0.2 (807.1) 6% 3%
    General and administrative expenses (244.2) 51.8 0.1 (192.3) (216.7) 29.5 0.1 (187.1) 13% 3%
    Total   € 196.2 € 0.8     € 112.6 € 1.2      

    (2) The non-IFRS percentage increase (decrease) compares non-IFRS measures for the two different periods. In the event there is non-IFRS adjustment to the relevant measure for only one of the periods under comparison, the non-IFRS increase (decrease) compares the non-IFRS measure to the relevant IFRS measure.
    (3) Based on a weighted average 1,325.7 million diluted shares for YTD 2025 and 1,328.7 million diluted shares for YTD 2024, and, for IFRS only, a diluted net income attributable to the sharehorlders of € 484.0 million for YTD 2025 (€ 562.3 million for YTD 2024). The Diluted net income attributable to equity holders of the Group corresponds to the Net Income attributable to equity holders of the Group adjusted by the impact of the share-based compensation plans to be settled either in cash or in shares at the option of the Group.

    1 IFRS figures for 2Q25: Total revenue of €1.52 billion, up 5%, and subscription revenue up 9%; Operating margin of 15.9% and diluted EPS of €0.17; IFRS figures for YTD25: total revenue of €3.09 billion, subscription revenue up 12%; Operating margin of 17.6% and diluted EPS of €0.37.  

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Guidelines released for prescribing psilocybin

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Associate Health Minister David Seymour is welcoming steps to provide medical practitioners with more tools to treat people with depression, with Medsafe publishing guidelines for experts wanting to prescribe Psilocybin. 

    “This is huge for people with depression who’ve tried everything else and are still suffering. If a doctor believes psilocybin can help, they should have the opportunity to do what’s best for their patient,” says Mr Seymour. 

    “Recent changes have put New Zealand’s settings in line with Australia, where authorised prescribers have been using psilocybin in clinical settings for some time.

    “Psilocybin remains an unapproved medicine, but one highly experienced psychiatrist has already been granted authority to prescribe it to patients with treatment-resistant depression. 

    “This is excellent news for their patients, but there are other Kiwis in need in different parts of New Zealand who might have an appropriate practitioner nearby. 

    “Practitioners must meet a series of requirements to gain approval, including being registered with the Medical Council with a current practicing certificate, a good understanding and experience of the medicines and the psychotherapeutic processes involved in psychedelic-assisted therapy, and a detailed proposal of how they will administer the treatment that has been peer reviewed and will be considered by Medsafe. 

    “Soon more practitioners will have the ability to use this medicine, meaning more patients will benefit.” 

    Note to editors: Guidelines can be found here. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 24, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 24, 2025.

    World’s highest court issues groundbreaking ruling for climate action. Here’s what it means for Australia
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wesley Morgan, Research Associate, Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney JOHN THYS/AFP via Getty Images The world’s highest court says countries are legally obliged to prevent harms caused by climate change, in a ruling that repudiates Australia’s claims it is not legally responsible for emissions

    Politics with Michelle Grattan: Chris Bowen on why it’s ‘a little frustrating’ bidding for COP 31
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Energy and climate issues are front and centre for both sides of politics. The government is struggling with pushback from some regional communities against the rollout of transmission lines and wind farms. At the same time, it will soon have

    Cycling’s governing body is introducing new rules to slow down elite riders. Not everyone’s happy
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Popi Sotiriadou, Associate Professor of Sport Management – Director Business Innovation, Griffith University MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images Most sports look to support their athletes to become “faster, higher, stronger” – in reference to the Olympic Games’ original motto – so it is perhaps surprising that cycling’s

    Swirling nebula of two dying stars revealed in spectacular detail in new Webb telescope image
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin Pope, Associate Professor, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Macquarie University The day before my thesis examination, my friend and radio astronomer Joe Callingham showed me an image we’d been awaiting for five long years – an infrared photo of two dying stars we’d requested from

    UN’s highest court finds countries can be held legally responsible for emissions
    By Jamie Tahana in The Hague for RNZ Pacific The United Nations’ highest court has found that countries can be held legally responsible for their greenhouse gas emissions, in a ruling highly anticipated by Pacific countries long frustrated with the pace of global action to address climate change. In a landmark opinion delivered yesterday in

    Five arms, no heart and a global family: what DNA revealed about the weird deep-sea world of brittle stars
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim O’Hara, Senior Curator of Marine Invertebrates, Museums Victoria Research Institute A brittle star of the species _Gorgonocephalus eucnemis_. Lagunatic Photo / Getty Images You may have read that the deep sea is a very different environment from the land and shallow water. There is no light,

    Birds use hidden black and white feathers to make themselves more colourful
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Griffith, Professor of Avian Behavioural Ecology, Macquarie University The green-headed tanager (_Tangara seledon_) has a hidden layer of plumage that is white underneath the orange feathers and black underneath the blue and green feathers. Daniel Field Birds are perhaps the most colourful group of animals, bringing

    Is sleeping a lot actually bad for your health? A sleep scientist explains
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charlotte Gupta, Senior Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Appleton Institute, HealthWise Research Group, CQUniversity Australia Walstrom, Susanne/Getty We’re constantly being reminded by news articles and social media posts that we should be getting more sleep. You probably don’t need to hear it again – not sleeping enough is bad

    From grasslands to killing fields: why trees are bad news for one of Australia’s most stunning birds
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gabriel Crowley, Adjunct Associate Professor in Geography, University of Adelaide JJ Harrison/Wikimedia, CC BY Picture this. A small, rainbow-coloured chick emerges from its nest for the first time. It stretches its wings and prepares to take flight. But before the fledgling’s life in the wild has begun,

    As seas rise and fish decline, this Fijian village is finding new ways to adapt
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Celia McMichael, Professor in Geography, The University of Melbourne Celia McMichael, CC BY-NC-ND In the village of Nagigi, Fiji, the ocean isn’t just a resource – it’s part of the community’s identity. But in recent years, villagers have seen the sea behave differently. Tides are pushing inland.

    After 70 years, twisted gothic thriller The Night of the Hunter remains as disturbing and beguiling as ever
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben McCann, Associate Professor of French Studies, University of Adelaide United Artists/Getty Images In 1955, director Charles Laughton crafted one of the darkest, strangest fairytales ever to come out of Hollywood. The Night of the Hunter remains visually exquisite and profoundly unsettling. Shortly before Ben Harper is

    Almost a third of NZ households face energy hardship – reform has to go beyond cheaper off-peak power
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kimberley O’Sullivan, Senior Research Fellow, He Kainga Oranga – Housing and Health Research Programme, University of Otago Igor Suka/Getty Images The spotlight is again on New Zealand’s energy sector, with a group of industry bodies and independent retailers pushing for a market overhaul, saying the sector was

    Immigration courts hiding the names of ICE lawyers goes against centuries of precedent and legal ethics requiring transparency in courts
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cassandra Burke Robertson, Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Professional Ethics, Case Western Reserve University Some immigration courts have allowed ICE attorneys to conceal their names during proceedings. Jacob Wackerhausen/iStock via Getty Images Something unusual is happening in U.S. immigration courts. Government lawyers are

    How the UK’s immigration system splits families apart – by design
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nando Sigona, Professor of International Migration and Forced Displacement and Director of the Institute for Research into International Migration and Superdiversity, University of Birmingham arda savasciogullari/Shutterstock The letter that arrived for eleven-year-old Guilherme in June 2025 was addressed personally to him. The UK Home Office was informing

    4.48 Psychosis revival: the play’s window into a mind on the edge is as brutal as ever
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leah Sidi, Associate Professor of Health Humanities, UCL Under bright lights, the audience looks at a bare stage on two planes. Below, a small stage is white and empty, occupied only by a table and two chairs. Above, a huge, slanted mirror reflects a bird’s-eye view of

    Togo’s ‘Nana-Benz’: how cheap Chinese imports of African fabrics has hurt the famous women traders
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fidele B. Ebia, Postdoctoral fellow, Duke Africa Initiative, Duke University The manufacturing of African print textiles has shifted to China in the 21st century. While they are widely consumed in African countries – and symbolic of the continent – the rise of “made in China” has undermined

    2 ways cities can beat the heat: Which is best, urban trees or cool roofs?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Smith, Research Scientist in Earth & Environment, Boston University Trees like these in Boston can help keep neighborhoods cooler on hot days. Yassine Khalfalli/Unsplash, CC BY When summer turns up the heat, cities can start to feel like an oven, as buildings and pavement trap the

    Indonesian military set to complete Trans-Papua Highway under Prabowo’s rule
    By Julian Isaac The Indonesian Military (TNI) is committed to supporting the completion of the Trans-Papua Highway during President Prabowo Subianto’s term in office. While the military is not involved in construction, it plays a critical role in securing the project from threats posed by pro-independence Papuan resistance groups in “high-risk” regions. Spanning a total

    View from The Hill: Nationals’ mavericks ensure the Coalition is the issue in parliament’s first week
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra For almost as long anyone can remember, the Nationals have caused the Coalition grief on climate and energy policy. Still, for Barnaby Joyce to bring on a fresh load of trouble – with a private member’s bill to scrap Australia’s

    Childcare centres will have funding stripped if they’re not ‘up to scratch’. Is this enough?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin Harper, Lecturer, School of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney Maskot/Getty Images Childcare centres will lose their eligibility for fee subsidies if they don’t meet safety standards, according to a new bill introduced to parliament on Wednesday. As Education Minister Jason Clare told parliament: it

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for July 24, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on July 24, 2025.

    World’s highest court issues groundbreaking ruling for climate action. Here’s what it means for Australia
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wesley Morgan, Research Associate, Institute for Climate Risk and Response, UNSW Sydney JOHN THYS/AFP via Getty Images The world’s highest court says countries are legally obliged to prevent harms caused by climate change, in a ruling that repudiates Australia’s claims it is not legally responsible for emissions

    Politics with Michelle Grattan: Chris Bowen on why it’s ‘a little frustrating’ bidding for COP 31
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Energy and climate issues are front and centre for both sides of politics. The government is struggling with pushback from some regional communities against the rollout of transmission lines and wind farms. At the same time, it will soon have

    Cycling’s governing body is introducing new rules to slow down elite riders. Not everyone’s happy
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Popi Sotiriadou, Associate Professor of Sport Management – Director Business Innovation, Griffith University MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images Most sports look to support their athletes to become “faster, higher, stronger” – in reference to the Olympic Games’ original motto – so it is perhaps surprising that cycling’s

    Swirling nebula of two dying stars revealed in spectacular detail in new Webb telescope image
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benjamin Pope, Associate Professor, School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Macquarie University The day before my thesis examination, my friend and radio astronomer Joe Callingham showed me an image we’d been awaiting for five long years – an infrared photo of two dying stars we’d requested from

    UN’s highest court finds countries can be held legally responsible for emissions
    By Jamie Tahana in The Hague for RNZ Pacific The United Nations’ highest court has found that countries can be held legally responsible for their greenhouse gas emissions, in a ruling highly anticipated by Pacific countries long frustrated with the pace of global action to address climate change. In a landmark opinion delivered yesterday in

    Five arms, no heart and a global family: what DNA revealed about the weird deep-sea world of brittle stars
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tim O’Hara, Senior Curator of Marine Invertebrates, Museums Victoria Research Institute A brittle star of the species _Gorgonocephalus eucnemis_. Lagunatic Photo / Getty Images You may have read that the deep sea is a very different environment from the land and shallow water. There is no light,

    Birds use hidden black and white feathers to make themselves more colourful
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Simon Griffith, Professor of Avian Behavioural Ecology, Macquarie University The green-headed tanager (_Tangara seledon_) has a hidden layer of plumage that is white underneath the orange feathers and black underneath the blue and green feathers. Daniel Field Birds are perhaps the most colourful group of animals, bringing

    Is sleeping a lot actually bad for your health? A sleep scientist explains
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Charlotte Gupta, Senior Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Appleton Institute, HealthWise Research Group, CQUniversity Australia Walstrom, Susanne/Getty We’re constantly being reminded by news articles and social media posts that we should be getting more sleep. You probably don’t need to hear it again – not sleeping enough is bad

    From grasslands to killing fields: why trees are bad news for one of Australia’s most stunning birds
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gabriel Crowley, Adjunct Associate Professor in Geography, University of Adelaide JJ Harrison/Wikimedia, CC BY Picture this. A small, rainbow-coloured chick emerges from its nest for the first time. It stretches its wings and prepares to take flight. But before the fledgling’s life in the wild has begun,

    As seas rise and fish decline, this Fijian village is finding new ways to adapt
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Celia McMichael, Professor in Geography, The University of Melbourne Celia McMichael, CC BY-NC-ND In the village of Nagigi, Fiji, the ocean isn’t just a resource – it’s part of the community’s identity. But in recent years, villagers have seen the sea behave differently. Tides are pushing inland.

    After 70 years, twisted gothic thriller The Night of the Hunter remains as disturbing and beguiling as ever
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben McCann, Associate Professor of French Studies, University of Adelaide United Artists/Getty Images In 1955, director Charles Laughton crafted one of the darkest, strangest fairytales ever to come out of Hollywood. The Night of the Hunter remains visually exquisite and profoundly unsettling. Shortly before Ben Harper is

    Almost a third of NZ households face energy hardship – reform has to go beyond cheaper off-peak power
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kimberley O’Sullivan, Senior Research Fellow, He Kainga Oranga – Housing and Health Research Programme, University of Otago Igor Suka/Getty Images The spotlight is again on New Zealand’s energy sector, with a group of industry bodies and independent retailers pushing for a market overhaul, saying the sector was

    Immigration courts hiding the names of ICE lawyers goes against centuries of precedent and legal ethics requiring transparency in courts
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cassandra Burke Robertson, Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Professional Ethics, Case Western Reserve University Some immigration courts have allowed ICE attorneys to conceal their names during proceedings. Jacob Wackerhausen/iStock via Getty Images Something unusual is happening in U.S. immigration courts. Government lawyers are

    How the UK’s immigration system splits families apart – by design
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nando Sigona, Professor of International Migration and Forced Displacement and Director of the Institute for Research into International Migration and Superdiversity, University of Birmingham arda savasciogullari/Shutterstock The letter that arrived for eleven-year-old Guilherme in June 2025 was addressed personally to him. The UK Home Office was informing

    4.48 Psychosis revival: the play’s window into a mind on the edge is as brutal as ever
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leah Sidi, Associate Professor of Health Humanities, UCL Under bright lights, the audience looks at a bare stage on two planes. Below, a small stage is white and empty, occupied only by a table and two chairs. Above, a huge, slanted mirror reflects a bird’s-eye view of

    Togo’s ‘Nana-Benz’: how cheap Chinese imports of African fabrics has hurt the famous women traders
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fidele B. Ebia, Postdoctoral fellow, Duke Africa Initiative, Duke University The manufacturing of African print textiles has shifted to China in the 21st century. While they are widely consumed in African countries – and symbolic of the continent – the rise of “made in China” has undermined

    2 ways cities can beat the heat: Which is best, urban trees or cool roofs?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Smith, Research Scientist in Earth & Environment, Boston University Trees like these in Boston can help keep neighborhoods cooler on hot days. Yassine Khalfalli/Unsplash, CC BY When summer turns up the heat, cities can start to feel like an oven, as buildings and pavement trap the

    Indonesian military set to complete Trans-Papua Highway under Prabowo’s rule
    By Julian Isaac The Indonesian Military (TNI) is committed to supporting the completion of the Trans-Papua Highway during President Prabowo Subianto’s term in office. While the military is not involved in construction, it plays a critical role in securing the project from threats posed by pro-independence Papuan resistance groups in “high-risk” regions. Spanning a total

    View from The Hill: Nationals’ mavericks ensure the Coalition is the issue in parliament’s first week
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra For almost as long anyone can remember, the Nationals have caused the Coalition grief on climate and energy policy. Still, for Barnaby Joyce to bring on a fresh load of trouble – with a private member’s bill to scrap Australia’s

    Childcare centres will have funding stripped if they’re not ‘up to scratch’. Is this enough?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Erin Harper, Lecturer, School of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney Maskot/Getty Images Childcare centres will lose their eligibility for fee subsidies if they don’t meet safety standards, according to a new bill introduced to parliament on Wednesday. As Education Minister Jason Clare told parliament: it

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Exploring the societal impacts of medicines

    Source: PHARMAC

    “Right now, our decision-making framework—the Factors for Consideration—looks at how a medicine affects the person who needs it, their whānau, and the health system,” says Dr David Hughes, Pharmac’s Director of Advice and Assessment

    Like countries such as Australia, Canada, and the UK, our economic evaluations focus on the health system perspective. That means we look at how well a medicine works and what it will cost the health system in New Zealand.

    But there are other ways to look at the value of funding a medicine – for example, through a societal lens.

    “Medicines can have an impact on New Zealanders well beyond the hospital room. They can help people stay in work, reduce the need for unpaid care, and ease financial pressure on families,” says Dr Hughes.

    To begin exploring this idea, Pharmac partnered with researchers at Erasmus University in the Netherlands last year and is now working with the Institute for Medical Technology Assessment (iMTA) at Erasmus University – world leaders of the ‘societal perspective.’

    Their pilot study showed that using a societal perspective can change how New Zealand values medicines. Greater value was identified for treatments for chronic conditions affecting working-age people, for example, when broader impacts were considered.

    Pharmac is now commissioning two more assessments from iMTA. The Erasmus team will also train Pharmac staff to apply this approach in future assessments.

    Pharmac has also been talking with the Canadian Drug Agency (CDA) to share perspectives on measuring societal impacts. At the same time, the CDA has been piloting its own assessment of an expanded societal perspective.

    “We’re building our capability to see what it would look like if our assessments reflect the value of medicines not just to the health system, but to the whole of society,” says Dr Hughes.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Connecting with the medical devices industry

    Source: PHARMAC

    The Medical Technology Association of New Zealand (MTANZ) is the leading industry body representing medical technology manufacturers, importers and distributors of medical devices in New Zealand. HealthTech Week is New Zealand’s national conference for health technology industry and research.

    “It was fantastic to have such a strong presence at HealthTech week this year,” says Pharmac’s Director Medical Devices, Catherine Epps.

    Deputy Prime Minister and Associate Minister of Health – Pharmac, David Seymour, gave the opening address, followed shortly afterwards by Pharmac’s Board Chair Paula Bennett, who spoke about her work as Board chair of Pharmac and vision for the organisation

    Catherine Epps then provided an update on the progress of Pharmac’s medical devices programme.

    “It was great to be able to share the significant progress that we’ve made on the comprehensive list of medical devices,” she says.

    New Zealand’s first ever nationwide list of medical devices, effective from 1 July, will support better patient care and long-term investments in medical devices.

    This list represents medical devices that are used in hospitals or provided to people to use at home.

    “Having a comprehensive list of what is used will support the health system to make more strategic, long-term investments in medical devices,” Epps says.

    HealthTech week provided a great opportunity for Pharmac staff to meet with suppliers, hear their questions, and share more about our work.  

    “It’s essential that Pharmac’s medical devices programme is informed by those who work with medical devices every day – whether that’s clinicians, suppliers, consumers, advocates, or other industry partners,” says Epps.

     “We couldn’t have success in this programme without working together with many others,” she says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Schumer, Duckworth, Murray, DeLauro Reintroduce Bicameral Legislation to Increase Access to Fertility Treatment

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Patty Murray (D-WA), along with U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) reintroduced the bicameral Access to Fertility Treatment and Care Act, legislation that would require more health insurers to provide coverage for infertility treatment, as well as fertilitypreservation services for individuals who undergo medically necessary procedures that may cause infertility, such as chemotherapy.

    “Everyone’s path to parenthood is different, and the decision to pursue fertility treatments is deeply personal,” said Senator Booker. “Nobody should have to choose between financial stability and the opportunity to have a family. On top of that, people who find themselves at the daunting intersection of a cancer diagnosis and fertility challenges should have access to affordable fertility services. This legislation would require more insurance plans to cover fertility treatments so that Americans no longer face barriers to care when deciding to start a family.”

    “While Republicans have tried to brand themselves as the pro-family party, Senate Democrats are putting forward actual solutions to help the millions of Americans grappling with the financial and medical realities of safely growing their families,” said Leader Schumer. “Infertility can – and does – affect so many in our communities, and while Republicans continue their relentless attacks on reproductive rights, I will keep fighting to protect access to affordable health care and am proud to support this legislation which offers hope and opportunity to many with this deeply personal decision.”

    “Millions of Americans depend on IVF to build a family—and yet, this treatment is too often out of reach for so many because of exorbitant, out-of-pocket costs,” said Senator Duckworth. “If Donald Trump really wants to deliver on his campaign promise to ensure IVF is covered for those who rely on it, he’d call on Republicans to support our bill that would expand coverage for so many more Americans. Otherwise, all the pro-IVF talking points are just more empty promises from people who have proven time and again they have no interest in actually taking any meaningful action to protect IVF access.”

    “Infertility is a painful struggle for millions of people in America, and the steep cost of infertility treatment like IVF prevents many of them from growing their families—that’s just wrong. The Access to Fertility Treatment and Services Act would require more insurance plans, including TRICARE and the VA coverage our veterans and their families rely on, to cover infertility treatment without raising insurance costs or copays. We should be doing everything we can to support families and make it easier to have and raise children in America, and our legislation is one important step in that direction,” said Senator Murray.

    “When people don’t have insurance coverage for fertility care, they are forced to make impossible choices between paying for treatment or affording essentials,” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “The emotional and physical toll of trying to build a family is already heavy. We should not add a crushing financial burden on top of it. This bill ensures that all families have the insurance coverage they deserve. Americans should have the opportunity to grow their families without sacrificing their basic needs.”

    “Every day providers encounter patients who need medical treatments like IVF to build their families, but have to forego, delay, or stop treatment because they cannot afford it,” said Sean Tipton, ASRM Chief Advocacy & Policy Officer. “While ASRM has championed progress on state-level IVF mandates, we firmly believe that access to health care should not depend on your zip code. For this reason, we remain grateful to Sen. Booker and Rep. DeLauro for their tireless leadership on the Access to Infertility Treatment and Care Act. It is well past time for Congress to pass this critical legislation and achieve access to family building care for all Americans.”

    “Every day, millions of Americans face heartbreaking and unnecessary barriers to building their families, simply because they can’t afford the out-of-pocket medical costs. Access to fertility treatment should not depend on your income, your zip code, or your employer. The ‘Access to Fertility Treatment and Care Act’ is a critical step toward ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to pursue their dream of having a family. On behalf of RESOLVE and the family-building community, I thank Senator Cory Booker and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro for their steadfast leadership in championing equitable access to care,” said Danielle Melfi, President & CEO, RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association.

    Despite the prevalence of infertility – a reported one in six couples have challenges conceiving – coverage for treatment options is limited. In 2024, nearly half of large employers voluntarily offered fertility benefits and 97% of those offering benefits reported no significant increase in costs to their medical plans.

    Specifically, the Access to Fertility Treatment and Care Act would:

    1. Require most private health insurance plans, as well as plans offered by the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, Medicaid, TRICARE, ERISA, and the VA, to provide coverage for treatment of infertility without raising insurance or copayment costs.
    2. Ensure these plans cover fertility preservation services for individuals who undergo a medically necessary procedure that may cause infertility.

    The bill is endorsed by the following organizations: Alliance for Fertility Preservation, Endocrine Society, Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, National Women’s Political Caucus, American Society for Reductive Medicine, Resolve, MomsRising, In Our Own Voice: National Black, Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, National partnership for Women and Families, Invisible Project, Human Rights Campaign, Families USA, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund, Service Women’s Action Network, Guttmacher, ACOG, and AllPaths Family Building.

    The bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

    The full text of the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Schumer, Duckworth, Murray, DeLauro Reintroduce Bicameral Legislation to Increase Access to Fertility Treatment

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Patty Murray (D-WA), along with U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) reintroduced the bicameral Access to Fertility Treatment and Care Act, legislation that would require more health insurers to provide coverage for infertility treatment, as well as fertilitypreservation services for individuals who undergo medically necessary procedures that may cause infertility, such as chemotherapy.

    “Everyone’s path to parenthood is different, and the decision to pursue fertility treatments is deeply personal,” said Senator Booker. “Nobody should have to choose between financial stability and the opportunity to have a family. On top of that, people who find themselves at the daunting intersection of a cancer diagnosis and fertility challenges should have access to affordable fertility services. This legislation would require more insurance plans to cover fertility treatments so that Americans no longer face barriers to care when deciding to start a family.”

    “While Republicans have tried to brand themselves as the pro-family party, Senate Democrats are putting forward actual solutions to help the millions of Americans grappling with the financial and medical realities of safely growing their families,” said Leader Schumer. “Infertility can – and does – affect so many in our communities, and while Republicans continue their relentless attacks on reproductive rights, I will keep fighting to protect access to affordable health care and am proud to support this legislation which offers hope and opportunity to many with this deeply personal decision.”

    “Millions of Americans depend on IVF to build a family—and yet, this treatment is too often out of reach for so many because of exorbitant, out-of-pocket costs,” said Senator Duckworth. “If Donald Trump really wants to deliver on his campaign promise to ensure IVF is covered for those who rely on it, he’d call on Republicans to support our bill that would expand coverage for so many more Americans. Otherwise, all the pro-IVF talking points are just more empty promises from people who have proven time and again they have no interest in actually taking any meaningful action to protect IVF access.”

    “Infertility is a painful struggle for millions of people in America, and the steep cost of infertility treatment like IVF prevents many of them from growing their families—that’s just wrong. The Access to Fertility Treatment and Services Act would require more insurance plans, including TRICARE and the VA coverage our veterans and their families rely on, to cover infertility treatment without raising insurance costs or copays. We should be doing everything we can to support families and make it easier to have and raise children in America, and our legislation is one important step in that direction,” said Senator Murray.

    “When people don’t have insurance coverage for fertility care, they are forced to make impossible choices between paying for treatment or affording essentials,” said Congresswoman DeLauro. “The emotional and physical toll of trying to build a family is already heavy. We should not add a crushing financial burden on top of it. This bill ensures that all families have the insurance coverage they deserve. Americans should have the opportunity to grow their families without sacrificing their basic needs.”

    “Every day providers encounter patients who need medical treatments like IVF to build their families, but have to forego, delay, or stop treatment because they cannot afford it,” said Sean Tipton, ASRM Chief Advocacy & Policy Officer. “While ASRM has championed progress on state-level IVF mandates, we firmly believe that access to health care should not depend on your zip code. For this reason, we remain grateful to Sen. Booker and Rep. DeLauro for their tireless leadership on the Access to Infertility Treatment and Care Act. It is well past time for Congress to pass this critical legislation and achieve access to family building care for all Americans.”

    “Every day, millions of Americans face heartbreaking and unnecessary barriers to building their families, simply because they can’t afford the out-of-pocket medical costs. Access to fertility treatment should not depend on your income, your zip code, or your employer. The ‘Access to Fertility Treatment and Care Act’ is a critical step toward ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to pursue their dream of having a family. On behalf of RESOLVE and the family-building community, I thank Senator Cory Booker and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro for their steadfast leadership in championing equitable access to care,” said Danielle Melfi, President & CEO, RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association.

    Despite the prevalence of infertility – a reported one in six couples have challenges conceiving – coverage for treatment options is limited. In 2024, nearly half of large employers voluntarily offered fertility benefits and 97% of those offering benefits reported no significant increase in costs to their medical plans.

    Specifically, the Access to Fertility Treatment and Care Act would:

    1. Require most private health insurance plans, as well as plans offered by the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, Medicaid, TRICARE, ERISA, and the VA, to provide coverage for treatment of infertility without raising insurance or copayment costs.
    2. Ensure these plans cover fertility preservation services for individuals who undergo a medically necessary procedure that may cause infertility.

    The bill is endorsed by the following organizations: Alliance for Fertility Preservation, Endocrine Society, Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, National Women’s Political Caucus, American Society for Reductive Medicine, Resolve, MomsRising, In Our Own Voice: National Black, Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, National partnership for Women and Families, Invisible Project, Human Rights Campaign, Families USA, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund, Service Women’s Action Network, Guttmacher, ACOG, and AllPaths Family Building.

    The bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-DE) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

    The full text of the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: New investment to drive AI and biotech innovation

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government is investing $24 million in smart, practical science that will help New Zealanders live healthier lives and support the development of sustainable food industries.

    Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Dr Shane Reti today announced two major research programmes in partnership with Singapore, focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) tools for healthy ageing and biotechnology for future food production.

    “Science and innovation are critical to building a high-growth, high-value economy. That’s why we’re investing in research with a clear line of sight to commercial outcomes and real public benefit,” Dr Reti says.

    “This Government is focused on backing the technologies that will deliver real-world results for New Zealanders – not just in the lab, but in our hospitals, homes, and businesses.

    “Whether it’s supporting older Kiwis to live well for longer or developing smarter food production systems, these projects are about practical applications of advanced science to solve problems and grow our economy.”

    Funded through the Catalyst Fund, designed to facilitate international collaboration, the investment will support seven joint research projects over the next three years, deepening New Zealand’s research ties with Singapore and building capability in AI and biotechnology.

    The AI programme, delivered alongside AI Singapore, directly supports the Government’s Artificial Intelligence Strategy – a plan to use AI to safely and effectively boost productivity and deliver better public services.

    “Our AI Strategy is about encouraging the uptake of AI to improve productivity and realise its potential to deliver faster, smarter, and more personalised services, including in healthcare,” says Dr Reti.  

    “These projects will help develop tools that support clinicians and improve care for our ageing population. Our collaboration with Singapore, a country well advanced in their use and development of AI, will help grow Kiwi capability to explore future practical uses of AI.”

    The biotechnology programme will focus on turning scientific research into scalable food solutions, including alternative proteins and new food ingredients, in partnership with Singapore’s A*STAR.

    “These partnerships are about future-proofing our economy and our communities — tackling global challenges with New Zealand science at the forefront,” Dr Reti says.

    Notes to the Editor:

    The Leveraging AI for Health Ageing programme will partner with AI Singapore (AISG) and will fund three projects which apply AI to improve health outcomes for older adults, particularly in cognitive health and personalised care:

    • AI-Assisted interRAI Assessment – University of Otago will enhance aged care assessments by integrating AI to improve efficiency and personalisation.
    • AI-Driven Risk Score for Dementia – University of Auckland will build an AI tool to help clinicians identify individuals at high risk of progressing to dementia.
    • AI-Augmented Cognitive Health Monitoring – Victoria University of Wellington will develop a remote monitoring platform using speech analysis, cognitive games, and caregiver input.

    The Biotech in Future Food Research Programme will partner with Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and fund four groundbreaking projects:

    • Algae-Based Future Foods – Cawthron Institute will develop processing methods for two algae species suited to commercial development in both countries.
    • Hybrid Meat Production – University of Canterbury will design a novel, scalable approach to producing affordable hybrid meat.
    • Bio-Fermented Functional Foods – University of Auckland will create next-generation food ingredients from bacterial cellulose and mushroom mycelium.
    • Black Soldier Fly Bioproducts – Scion will explore the use of insect larvae to develop bioactive compounds and protein sources for human and animal nutrition.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Modernising heart failure treatment in Hawke’s Bay

    Source: New Zealand Government

    A new digital model of care is transforming how heart failure is managed in Hawke’s Bay, delivering faster treatment, fewer hospital visits, and better outcomes for patients, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.

    “This Government is focused on practical, patient-centred improvements to healthcare,” Mr Brown says.

    “Instead of long waits, repeated hospital visits, and lengthy travel for more remote patients, people are now receiving tailored, home-based care that’s faster, safer, and more effective.”

    The remote patient monitoring pathway supports people with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction – a condition where the heart does not pump blood as it should. A key part of treatment is titration – the process of slowly adjusting medication doses to the safest and most effective level, based on how a patient responds. 

    “Traditionally, this requires frequent in-person appointments and can take many months. This new approach means patients can be safely monitored and have their medications adjusted from home.”

    The service uses hospital-supplied smart kits, including a tablet, scales, blood pressure cuff, and pulse oximeter, so patients can check their vital signs daily and connect with clinicians via regular video consults. 

    “This is about delivering more care, closer to home. Instead of travelling in for every check-up or medication change, patients can be supported where they’re most comfortable, while more frequent monitoring is enabling health professionals to step in more quickly if anything changes.”

    Results show clear improvements:
     

    Hospital readmissions within 30 days have dropped to zero, from a previous rate of 25 per cent
    Appointment attendance has improved, with no missed appointments compared to a previous 15.3 per cent no-show rate
    Medication titration now takes 6 – 8 weeks, a substantial reduction from the previous 6 – 8 months
    Increased capacity for clinical teams, enabling more patients to receive timely care

    “Under the old pathway, it could take up to nine months for patients to reach the right combination of medications. The new pathway is accelerating access to care, reducing hospitalisations, and making it possible for more patients to be seen and receive the care they need.

    “This is a smart, patient-focused solution that’s delivering real results for patients with heart failure in Hawke’s Bay,” Mr Brown says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Cruz, Jackson Introduce Bill Honoring Mayor Jerry H. Hodge

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Congressman Ronny Jackson (TX-13) today introduced a bill to rename the U.S. Post Office in Amarillo, Texas, as the Mayor Jerry H. Hodge Post Office Building to honor the life and legacy of Mayor Jerry Hodge: 

    “From helping to establish several institutions of higher education in Amarillo to leading the effort to bring a minor league baseball team to the city, Mayor Jerry Hodge was a cornerstone of the Amarillo community,” said Sen. Cornyn. “I am proud to join Senator Cruz and Congressman Jackson in introducing legislation to rename Amarillo’s downtown post office after Mayor Hodge, which will ensure that future generations of Texans in the Panhandle can learn about his contributions and help preserve his life and legacy.”

    “Mayor Hodge was a pillar of the Amarillo community and a true servant leader to the Panhandle,” said Sen. Cruz. “He transformed a local pharmacy into a national enterprise, served his community as the youngest mayor of Amarillo’s history, and was instrumental in establishing the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine. I am proud to introduce legislation to name the Amarillo post office in honor of his legacy.”

    “Jerry Hodge’s impact on Amarillo extended far beyond his titles. He was the youngest mayor in the city’s history, a successful businessman, and a proud rancher,” said Rep. Jackson. “Jerry’s personality was larger than life, and he worked tirelessly each day to make life better for the people of the Texas Panhandle. I’m proud to have called him a friend and am honored to introduce this piece of legislation to recognize his enduring legacy.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Farming and Finance – Federated Farmers release rural banking report cards

    Source: Federated Farmers

    A Federated Farmers survey has revealed how the country’s biggest rural lenders are performing in the eyes of farmers – ranking the banks from best to worst.
    “A farmer’s relationship with their bank is one of the most important relationships within their business, and for many farmers interest payments will be their single-biggest expense,” says Federated Farmers banking spokesperson Mark Hooper.
    “Farmers, along with politicians and the general public, deserve full transparency of what each of the rural lenders is doing well – and just as importantly, what they’re not doing so well.
    “That’s why, for the first time, we’ve asked farmers to tell us how the banks are stacking up.
    “We’re now releasing these report cards because we want to create more visibility of rural banking issues and competition.”
    Federated Farmers’ May banking survey of 681 farmers found Rabobank and ANZ were the top-performing rural banks, sharing first-place on the podium.
    Rabobank received the highest scores for overall satisfaction, communication quality and overdraft rate.
    ANZ scored the best farmer ratings for mortgage rates, the level of undue pressure felt by farmers, and mental health scores.
    Westpac came in at the middle of the pack, scoring well with their mortgage rates and communication.
    BNZ and ASB were nearly tied in last place, showing they’ve got some work to do with farmers.
    Hooper says the banks’ CEOs should keep an eye out for a report card coming their way.
    “The purpose of these report cards isn’t to tear down the banks – it’s to really help them see what they need to focus on to deliver a better service to Kiwi farmers.
    “Over the coming weeks we’ll be providing each of the banks with a copy of their report card, and some constructive feedback on how they could improve.
    “We hope this is a helpful process and results in a benefit to both farmers and their lenders.”
    ANZ
    • Mortgage  Rate: A+
    • Overdraft  Rate: A
    • Undue  Pressure: A+
    • Comm.  Quality: B
    • Mental  Health: A+
    • Overall  Satisfaction: A
    • Final  Grade: A-
    Rabobank
    • Mortgage  Rate: B
    • Overdraft  Rate: A+
    • Undue  Pressure: A
    • Comm.  Quality: A+
    • Mental  Health: A
    • Overall  Satisfaction: A+
    • Final Grade: A-
    Westpac
    • Mortgage  Rate: A
    • Overdraft  Rate: C
    • Undue  Pressure: D
    • Comm.  Quality: A
    • Mental  Health: B
    • Overall  Satisfaction: B
    • Final  Grade: C+
    BNZ
    • Mortgage  Rate: D
    • Overdraft  Rate: D
    • Undue  Pressure: B
    • Comm.  Quality: D
    • Mental  Health: D
    • Overall  Satisfaction: C
    • Final  Grade: C-
    ASB
    • Mortgage  Rate: C
    • Overdraft  Rate: B
    • Undue  Pressure: C
    • Comm.  Quality: C
    • Mental  Health: C
    • Overall  Satisfaction: D
    • Final  Grade: D.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine, Vindman & Colleagues Introduce Bill to Restore Illegally Withheld Support for Students with Disabilities in Spotsylvania County

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, (D-VA) and U.S. Representative Eugene Vindman (D-VA-07), alongside Senate and House colleagues, introduced the bicameral Charting My Path to Future Success Act, legislation to restore the abruptly discontinued federal program designed to help students with disabilities succeed in adulthood. The funding disruption has impacted 13 school districts across 11 states, including Spotsylvania County Public Schools.

    The legislation directs the U.S. Department of Education to reissue the solicitation and award the contract for the “Charting My Path for Future Success Program,” a $45 million, ten-year initiative originally launched in 2019 during President Donald Trump’s first term, which works to help students with disabilities transition from high school to adulthood. The program was abruptly canceled in February 2025 after more than $25 million had already been spent and just as participating students began receiving services.

    “Ripping away critical funding and resources for students with disabilities is cruel and hurts America’s future,” said Kaine. “The Charting My Path for Future Success Program was established during Trump’s first term, but now Trump and DOGE have cancelled funding with no warning. Not only does this harm students with disabilities who are depending on this support, it also hurts the teachers and Spotsylvania schools whose jobs and school budgets depend on this funding. I’m proud to introduce the Charting My Path for Future Success Act to immediately reissue this funding and ensure all students are set up for success.”

    “Students across Virginia’s Seventh District and our country deserve a real chance to thrive after high school. And yet, the Trump Administration just recklessly cut the ‘Charting My Path for Future Success’ program from Spotsylvania County Public Schools and I cannot let that stand,” said Vindman. “That’s why I am proud to introduce this bill – we owe it to students and families to re-start this program and prohibit the Administration from canceling it without Congressional approval.”

    Designed to support students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) across a wide range of disabilities, the “Charting My Path for Future Success Program” provided one-on-one and small group sessions, mentoring, and year-round tutoring. Over 1,600 high school juniors, seniors, and their families were affected across the 11 states. In addition to Virginia, impacted districts include school systems in Georgia, Utah, Massachusetts, California, Alaska, and New York.

    The bill is endorsed by a coalition of disability advocacy organizations, including the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities Education Task Force, the National Center for Learning Disabilities, The Arc of the United States, the Autism Society of America, the National Disability Rights Network, and the Council of Administrators of Special Education.

    In addition to Kaine, U.S. Senators Edward Markey (D-MA) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced the legislation in the Senate. In addition to Vindman, U.S. Representatives Lucy McBath (D-GA-06), Juan Vargas (D-CA-52), Sara Jacobs (D-CA-53), and Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA-10) introduced the legislation in the House.

    The full text of the resolution is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Pressley Lead Colleagues in Renewing Push to Protect Access to Reproductive Care for Low-Income Americans, Servicemembers and Millions More

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    July 23, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D–IL) and U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07) led their fellow Senate and House Democratic colleagues in reintroducing legislation to protect Americans’ right to access reproductive health care, regardless of income, insurance or zip code. The Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Healthcare (EACH) Act would end the discriminatory Hyde Amendment and help lift unjust abortion coverage restrictions for those who depend on Medicaid and other government-sponsored plans—reaffirming the right to access reproductive health care after Donald Trump signed his Big, Beautiful Betrayal into law that will rip health care away from over 15 million Americans.

    “Ever since Trump’s far-right Supreme Court majority struck down Roe, Republicans have made it their mission to strip away a woman’s right to reproductive health care—a right they have no place to stand in the way of,” said Senator Duckworth. “As Republicans’ Big, Beautiful Betrayal kicks millions off their health care, we must act to help strengthen access to abortion coverage for low-income Americans, servicemembers and millions more—no matter their zip code. I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation alongside my colleagues so we can do just that.”

    “Abortion care is health care, and health care is a human right. With Trump and Republicans advancing a cruel, coordinated assault on our bodily autonomy—gutting Medicaid, defunding Planned Parenthood, and decimating access to care—we must use every tool available to protect and expand reproductive healthcare,” said Congresswoman Pressley. “The EACH Act would help us do just that. By repealing the racist and discriminatory Hyde Amendment, which has denied necessary care for vulnerable communities for nearly half a century, our bill would help ensure everyone in America can get the reproductive healthcare they need, regardless of income, insurance, or zip code. I’m grateful to Senator Duckworth and our colleagues for their partnership on this critical priority.”

    Along with Duckworth, the legislation is cosponsored in the Senate by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Chris Coons (D-DE), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Bernie Sanders (D-VT), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tina Smith (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Fetterman (D-PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM).

    Along with Pressley, the legislation is cosponsored in the House by more than 150 U.S. Representatives.

    Copy of the bill text is available on Senator Duckworth’s website.

    Throughout her time in the Senate, Duckworth has made protecting reproductive freedom a top priority in the face of Republicans’ anti-choice crusade. Two weeks ago, Duckworth successfully included her provision to expand access to in-vitro fertilization (IVF) for military families in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that passed through the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee.

    Duckworth has also long pushed to pass her Right to IVF Act—which Senate Republicans blocked not once, but twice last year. This legislation would both establish a right to IVF and other assisted reproductive technology (ART), expand access for hopeful parents, Veterans and federal employees, as well as lower the costs of IVF for middle-class families across the country. Last September’s vote marked the fourth time Senate Republicans blocked Duckworth-led legislation that would protect access to IVF nationwide.

    Duckworth was the first Senator to give birth while serving in office and had both of her children with the help of IVF. In 2018, she advocated for the Senate to change its rules so she could bring her infant onto the Senate floor.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bacon and Nadler Reintroduce Legislation to Protect Organ Donors

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Don Bacon (2nd District of Nebraska)

    Bacon and Nadler Reintroduce Legislation to Protect Organ Donors

    Washington – Today, Representatives Don Bacon (NE-02) and Jerrold Nadler (NY-12) reintroduced the Living Donor Protection Act bill package to protect the rights of living organ donors. The Living Donor Protection Act is introduced as a two-bill package in the House, H.R. 4583, the Living Donor Protection Act and H.R.4582, the Living Donor FMLA Protection Act. The bills, taken together, are identical to last session’s Living Donor Protection Act and S.1552 introduced in the Senate this session.

    “Our state is fortunate to have Nebraska Medicine, which has a robust living donor kidney exchange program, performing more kidney chains which involves anonymous donors donating to someone without a compatible living donor, than almost any hospital nationwide. However, some living donors are discriminated against when it comes to rates and provision of life insurance and disability insurance,” said Representative Bacon. “This legislation will help open the doors to more living donors so we can save more lives.”

    “Every year, thousands of Americans die while waiting on an organ transplant, yet potential organ donors still face barriers that punish them for trying to selflessly save a life. Insurance discrimination and the threat of job loss can make it economically impossible for potential donors to move forward with donation and these roadblocks are costing lives,” said Representative Nadler. “Congress must do everything in its power to remove deterrents to organ donation, which is why Congress must pass the Living Donor Protection Act bill package.”

    Organ donation saves thousands of lives every year, but burdensome roadblocks often stop individuals from becoming living donors. The Living Donor Protection Act bill package would protect living organ donors and promote organ donation in three easy, low-cost ways: 

    1. Prohibits life, disability, and long-term care insurance companies from denying or limiting coverage and from charging higher premiums based only on donor status;
    2. Amends the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 to specifically allow private and civil service employees to use FMLA leave to recover from donation surgery; and
    3. Directs HHS to update their materials on live organ donation to reflect these new protections and encourage more individuals to consider donating an organ.

    Currently, there are over 103,000 people on the national transplant waiting list, with almost 90,000 people on the kidney transplant list. The average wait time for a kidney transplant is about three to five years, and during that time, many patients become too sick to receive a transplant or die—13 people die each year waiting for an organ transplant. Receiving an organ from a living donor can shorten this wait time and ultimately allow the best chance for long-term success. Unfortunately, studies have found that up to one in four living donors report discrimination in the rates and provision of life insurance and disability insurance, and they can struggle to receive time off from work to complete their donation and recovery. Reducing barriers to living organ donation and educating potential donors on the protections provided to them under law will help to promote living organ donation and save the lives of those waiting for a transplant.

    The Living Donor Protection Act is endorsed by Alport Syndrome Foundation, American Association of Kidney Patients, American Council of Life Insurers, American Heart Association, American Kidney Fund, American Liver Foundation, American Nephrology Nurses Association, American Society of Nephrology, American Society of Pediatric Nephrology, American Society of Transplant Surgeons, American Society of Transplantation, Dialysis Patient Citizens, Global Liver Institute, IGA Nephropathy Foundation, International Society of Glomerular Disease, Kidney Transplant Collaborative, National Kidney Foundation, NephCure, the Nonprofit Kidney Care Alliance (NKCA), North American Transplant Coordinators Organization, Northwest Kidney Centers, the PKD Foundation, the Rogosin Institute, Sanofi, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), Transplant Recipients International Organization (TRIO), and Renal Physicians Association.

    “On behalf of all kidney patients, organ donors and American taxpayers, the American Association of Kidney Patients salutes U.S. Senators Tom Cotton and Kristen Gillibrand and U.S. Representatives Don Bacon and Jerrold Nadler for introducing the bipartisan Living Donor Protection Act so that living organ donors will no longer face the Hobbesian choice of saving an innocent human life at the risk of losing insurance coverages that provide economic security and peace of mind to their families and loved ones. The time is now for America to transcend high-cost, high-mortality dialysis care as the default solution for people living with kidney failure and to encourage greater living organ donation and greater transplant opportunities for all Americans in need of a life-saving organ,” said Edward V. Hickey, III, President, American Association of Kidney Patients.

    “Life insurers are committed to helping people access the financial protection they want and need for themselves and their families. The Living Donor Protection Act will help ensure that organ donors can continue to access life, disability income, or long-term care coverage, while upholding fair underwriting standards. Most importantly, it will safeguard those who selflessly give the gift of life through organ donation,” said David Chavern, President and CEO, American Council of Life Insurers.

    “The selfless individuals who give the gift of life by donating a kidney should not face discrimination by life, long-term care, or disability insurers. This legislation would be a significant step in efforts to encourage more living donors and reduce the kidney transplant waiting list by providing the protections that living donors should receive for their lifesaving actions,” said LaVarne Burton, President and CEO, American Kidney Fund. 

    “No child or adult should die waiting for a liver transplant. We must work together to increase living organ donation, and the Living Donor Protection Act provides a tangible path forward by removing key barriers for those willing to give the gift of life. We are so grateful to Representatives Bacon and Nadler for their extraordinary leadership and commitment to advancing living donor transplantation, which will help thousands of liver patients throughout the country,” said Lorraine Stiehl, CEO, American Liver Foundation and caregiver to a transplant patient. 

    “ASN commends the re-introduction of the Living Donor Protection Act and accompanying Living Donor FMLA Protection Act, critical legislation which will remove barriers that discourage living donors from providing the life-saving gift of a kidney transplant. Americans who are considering becoming living donors deserve more support than the current system provides for them, and ASN believes the Living Donor Protection Act and accompanying Living Donor FMLA Protection Act are critical to achieve this goal,” said Prabir Roy-Chaudhury, MD, PhD, FASN, President, American Society of Nephrology President.

    “On behalf of the American Society of Transplantation (AST), representing a majority of the nation’s transplant medical professionals, our Society strongly applauds and endorses the re-introduction of the Living Donor Protection Act (LDPA). AST is grateful for the ongoing and steadfast leadership of Representatives Bacon, Nadler and Senators Cotton and Gillibrand to protect transplant patients and strengthen living donation. The LDPA is a patient-focused bill seeking to remove policy barriers that might otherwise prevent an individual from providing a lifesaving donor organ. AST greatly appreciates this bipartisan, bicameral, and patient centric legislation. We look forward to working with you to advance the LDPA in this 119th Congress,” said Dr. Jon Kobashigawa, MD, President, American Society of Transplantation. 

    “On behalf of more than 2,000 transplant surgeons and professionals, the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) enthusiastically commends the champions of the Living Donor Protection Act (LDPA) for their unwavering commitment to saving lives. As a tireless advocate for this legislation since its inception—and a proud partner in shaping its recent progress—ASTS is thrilled to see the momentum continue following the bill’s strong bipartisan support in the 118th Congress. With a preliminary CBO score of zero, there is no better time for Congress to act. Passing the LDPA will provide vital, commonsense protections for living donors and remove unnecessary employment and insurance barriers to giving the ultimate gift: the gift of life,” said Ginny L. Bumgardner, MD, PhD, American Society of Transplant Surgeons.  

    “Global Liver Institute strongly supports the Living Donor Protection Act as an essential step to save lives by making the donation process affordable for living donors and protecting their employment. This bipartisan legislation was a collaborative effort, reflecting the policies determined most important to support living donors as determined by organ donors, liver and kidney patients, the insurance industry, transplant professionals, nephrologists, advocacy organizations and disease professionals. We look forward to its final passage in the 119th Congress,” said Larry Holden, President and CEO, Global Liver Institute.  

    “Living donors are heroes demonstrating compassion and generosity, and they are also rigorously screened individuals at the peak of health. Our family, friends and neighbors who choose to give the gift of a kidney enable thousands of Americans per year to resume a life where they can fully contribute to society, the economy, and their families rather than being limited by the life-support stopgap of dialysis. The ISGD enthusiastically endorses the Living Donor Protection Act,” said Laurel Damashek, Executive Director, International Society of Glomerular Disease and living donor kidney transplant recipient. 

    “We applaud Representatives Bacon and Nadler for their continued leadership on the Living Donor Protection Act. Taking this new approach of splitting the bill to ensure a smoother passage is an appropriate and needed step. These bills are a bipartisan approach to address the national organ shortage crisis, remove barriers to transplantation and recognize the courage and generosity of those who choose to save lives through donation. We urge Congress to pass this legislation quickly,” said Kevin Longino, CEO, National Kidney Foundation and a kidney transplant recipient.

    “As nonprofit dialysis providers, kidney transplant is an ideal outcome for many of our patients and legislation to protect and support living donors is critical to our patient-centered mission,” said Monica Massaro, Executive Director, Nonprofit Kidney Care Alliance.

    “Polycystic kidney disease currently has no cure, and for many of the 600,000 patients living in the US, organ transplantation becomes their best path forward when kidney function declines. Living donors don’t just extend lives—they reduce strain on our health care system and save taxpayer money by helping patients avoid dialysis. Yet needless barriers disincentivize many from stepping up to help. The Living Donor Protection Act is a commonsense, bipartisan solution that will ensure living donors are protected, not penalized, for their generosity,” said Susan Bushnell, President and CEO, Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Foundation.

    “As a pioneer in transplantation since performing New York State’s first living donor kidney transplant in 1963, The Rogosin Institute believes that kidney transplantation is the ideal treatment for patients with end-stage kidney disease. We are proud to wholeheartedly endorse all components of the Living Donor Protection Act.  Importantly, the Act will remove barriers to donation such as insurance uncertainty and financial insecurity. Rogosin extends our thanks to the bipartisan members of Congress supporting this critical legislation. We thank Congressmen Bacon and Nadler for championing the Living Donor Protection Act,” said The Rogosin Institute.

    “Living organ donors save people’s lives and should be able to give the gift of life without fear of insurance discrimination or financial retribution, especially as they recover from surgery. The Living Donor Protection Act rightfully protects these selfless individuals from this. Thank you, Sens. Cotton and Gillibrand and Reps. Bacon and Nadler for your bipartisan leadership and for standing up for living organ donors,” said Maureen McBride, Ph.D., CEO, United Network for Organ Sharing.

    The text of the bills can be found here and here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to two papers assessing off-the-shelf health tests sold in UK shops

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in The BMJ assesses direct-to-consumer self-tests sold in the UK.

    Prof Amitava Banerjee, Professor of Clinical Data Science and Honorary Consultant Cardiologist, Institute of Health Informatics, UCL, said:

    “Direct-to-consumer, self-tests are increasingly used by people with and without disease for screening and are widely available from high street vendors.  In these rigorous, real-world studies led by the University of Birmingham, we see two main findings.  First, across 30 self-tests in 19 conditions from infertility and menopause to raised cholesterol and anaemia, there is a not enough information for consumers to judge when and why to do the test, and how to interpret or how to act on the results.  Second, the evidence and the support from clinical guidelines to use these tests is often lacking, suggesting that regulatory oversight needs to be improved.

    “Sometimes people use self-tests because they “feel it is better to know” and they are trying to inform their health and healthcare decisions.  This research shows that these self-tests are often not providing relevant knowledge or information and they are not informing decisions in the right way.  Therefore, all stakeholders need to consider the quality of self-tests and information available to members of the public or health professionals before recommending their use, whether in the health and wellness space or in diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disease.”

    Rachel Richardson, Acting Head of Methods Support, Evidence Production and Methods Directorate, The Cochrane Collaboration, said:

    “This well-conducted research shines a welcome light on an area of healthcare which appears to be inadequately regulated.”

    Prof Kevin McConway, Emeritus Professor of Applied Statistics, The Open University, said:

    “I think the findings of these new studies on self-tests for health conditions, available (at a cost) in supermarkets, high street chemists and online, are scary and concerning.  I don’t doubt the findings of the researchers, that many of the available tests don’t make it clear who could make good use of them, how accurate the results might be, or what someone should do in the light of their results.

    “These are good studies in my view.  The researchers do list some limitations in the discussion sections of the papers, in particular that their samples of tests were obtained two years ago and were not specifically intended to be a sample of what was available across the country, but given what they do say about where they got the tests, I’d be surprised if they aren’t pretty much the same anywhere nowadays.  Also, the researchers didn’t check with representatives of the public whether the instructions were as unhelpful to understanding as they believe they were, but I don’t think this affects their conclusions.

    “I’m certainly not saying that tests like this should be banned, or even radically discouraged.  The authors of these research papers aren’t saying that either.  Experience during the heights of the Covid pandemic showed how useful home testing could be, particularly when access to other information about one’s health might not be easily available (as can still be the case at some GP practices, for instance).  And, generally as a default position, I don’t like telling people they can’t do something that they want to do – though only in the light of clear, transparent and easily available information on the pros and cons, and in the presence of adequate regulation.  These studies make it clear that users of many self-tests aren’t given easy access to relevant information, and that the regulation isn’t appropriate at present.

    “I’ll just mention one particular aspect, because it’s one that I have studied and written about myself.  This is about why the findings are important, not about the quality of the research.  No diagnostic or screening test for a health condition can be 100% accurate.  There will inevitably be false positives – people with a positive test result for the condition who actually don’t have the condition – and false negatives – people with a negative test result for a condition who actually do have the condition.  These are aspects of accuracy, though discussions of that word don’t always make it clear enough that there are two different ways in which a test result can be wrong.

    “You probably recall some of the interest and media discussion about these things in relation to Covid testing.  Not all of the discussion was logical or well argued, but it clearly and correctly drew attention to the fact that test results can be wrong sometimes.

    “Fewer than half of the self-tests examined by the researchers gave any information at all on the box about accuracy of the results.  Even when they did give information about accuracy on the box or in the instructions inside, the information was sometimes itself not accurate, or was based on the results of laboratory studies under careful conditions, not on findings on use of the tests by people who are not health professionals.

    “But even if all the tests had given information about accuracy, and all that information was reliable, there can still be problems. I’ll describe how.

    “Because there are two kinds of wrong results from tests – false positives and false negatives – we need to look at two aspects of the chance of making an error.  One common way of doing this, that was used in some of the self-test instructions, is as follows.  Findings from the development and use of the test can estimate the probability that someone, who is known to have the health condition in question, will have a true positive test result rather than a false negative result.  (In the jargon, that probability is called the test sensitivity – but trust me, knowing the jargon doesn’t help understanding.)  Another finding from test development and use is an estimate of the chance that a person, who is known not to have the condition on question, will have a true negative test result rather than a false positive result.  (That’s called the test specificity.)

    “The trouble is that these two probabilities are the probability of the person having a positive or a negative test result, in the position where we know whether they really have the health condition.  But you don’t do these tests if you know already whether you have the health condition.  So these probabilities are the wrong way round.  What people (and health professionals) want to know is, for example, if we know someone has a positive test result, what’s the chance that they really have the health condition that is being tested for.  Or, if we know someone has a negative test result, what’s the chance that they really don’t have the health condition?  (There are jargon names for those too – the positive predictive value and the negative predictive value, but again I don’t think those names help much, as there’s too much risk of confusion.)  And I’m sure that’s the kind of thing someone would want to know if they buy a self-test and see what result it gives for them.

    “However, the first lot of probabilities, the sensitivity and specificity, are different from the second lot, the predictive values.  If I tell you that the chance that a person, known already to have the health condition, will have positive test result is 98%, that doesn’t tell you what the chance is that a person, who has a positive test result, actually has the health condition.  That second probability is almost certainly not 98%, and in many circumstances it would be very much less than 98%.  To get from one set of probabilities to the other, you would need more information, such as how likely it is that the person has the condition if we don’t yet know the test result.

    “Just to rub in that these two probabilities aren’t the same, consider the following silly story.  You find a man in the street in London.  You happen to know he is the Pope.  What’s the chance that he is a Roman Catholic?  Obviously, 100%.  But now suppose the thing you know ,and the thing you want to know the chance of, are the other way round.  You know, somehow, that a different man in the London street is a Roman Catholic.  What’s the chance that he is the Pope?  Well, very much less than 100%.  It matters, a lot, which thing you already know and which thing you want the probability for.

    “So, in testing you get different probabilities if you know whether the person being tested has the health conditions, and want the probability that the test will be positive, from if you know what the person’s test result is, and want the probability that they have the health condition.  And only one of these probabilities – the second one – tells you what a test result is really saying about the chance of having the health condition.

    “There has been a lot of research in the past on how people, including health professionals and also non-professionals that might buy one of these self-tests, understand the findings, when they are given some information about the probabilities.  Several studies, for instance, found that many doctors and health professionals weren’t using the information on probabilities when the person’s health status is already known (the sensitivity and specificity) properly in trying to answer the question of how likely it is that someone, with a positive test result, actually has the health condition.  And if doctors might not be getting it right, how could a non-expert be expected to interpret their own test results properly?

    “The position on that maybe isn’t as grim as it sounds, though.  Other research has indicated that there are ways of getting the information across so that it’s useable by non-experts.  That has been done by several groups, including the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication in Cambridge (which has now closed, though its findings are still available), groups led by the psychologist Gerd Gigerenzer in Berlin, and many others.  Somehow, those communication findings need to be incorporated, as well as they can be, in the instructions for these tests.  But that will require more and better regulation.

    “Also, some doctors in primary health, including Jessica Watson and Margaret McCartney, who wrote the editorial accompanying these two new research papers in the BMJ, have worked on ways of helping people to understand test results – though you’d need to ask them how much of their findings could transfer easily to something that could be written clearly in test instructions rather than used in direct communication between health professionals and patients.”

    Paper 1: ‘Direct-to-consumer self-tests sold in the UK in 2023: cross sectional review of information on intended use, instructions for use, and post-test decision making’ by Clare Davenport et al. was published in the BMJ at 23:30 UK time on Wednesday 23 July 2025. 

    DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2025-085546

    Paper 2: ‘Direct-to-consumer self-tests sold in the UK in 2023: cross sectional review of regulation and evidence of performance’ by Bethany Hillier et al. was published in the BMJ at 23:30 UK time on Wednesday 23 July 2025. 

    DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2025-085547

    Declared interests

    Prof Amitava Banerjee: “AB declares no relevant conflicts of interest.”

    Prof Kevin McConway: “I have no conflicts of interest to declare.”

    Rachel Richardson: “I have no interests to declare.”

    This Roundup was accompanied by an SMC Briefing. 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to systematic review and meta-analysis of daily step count and risk of chronic diseases, cognitive decline and death

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A systematic review and meta analysis published in The Lancet Public Health looks at daily steps and health outcomes in adults.

    Prof Steven Harridge, Professor of Human & Applied Physiology at the Centre for Ageing Resilience in a Changing Environment (CARICE) at King’s College London, said:

    “This is a systematic review of a large number of studies looking at the relationship between increasing step count and multiple health outcomes – as opposed to just all-cause mortality.

    “The paper shows clear effects of increasing physical activity (through increasing step count) on reducing disease risk.  There has been debate about the amount of activity an individual should be doing with 10,000 steps as a generalised target, not well evidenced. This paper shows that 7,000 steps is sufficient for reducing the risk for most diseases covered, and 10 000 steps does not confer much additional benefit.  But further risk reduction might be possible for some diseases.

    “Simply put, the paper supports bodies of evidence that increasing levels of physical activity are associated with positive health outcomes.  Importantly, increasing to 10,000 streps seems to confer no negative effects!

    “Studies of this kind are helpful in the large number of studies and participants combined into the analysis but it lacks mechanistic insight as to how these benefits arise.  The likelihood is that increasing step count increases cardiorespiratory fitness, well known to be positively associated with better health and all-cause mortality outcomes.

    “There is also another interpretation of these data. Humans are designed to be physically active (our evolutionary heritage as hunter gatherers), so the question could be posed the other way.  Let’s say the default is to walk 10,000 or 7,000 steps, what are the negative health outcomes that might be expected of going below this level?  Clearly, they are not good.  Thus is all depends on the perspective of what should be considered “normal”.  

    “Whilst step count is a very basic measure of activity (e.g.it does not capture intensity), this study adds to the body of knowledge that shows physical activity is vitally important for health and anything that encourages people to be more active is a good thing for both physical and mental health.  This is in the context of most people not adhering to the guidelines for physical activity as set out by the Chief Medical Officer.”

      

    Dr Andrew Scott, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Exercise Physiology, University of Portsmouth, University of Portsmouth, said:

    “The press release gives an accurate account of the study. The article is written by an excellent author team, leading to a coherent article summarising the evidence of daily step count and various health outcomes.

    “There’s been little research on steps per day, with most research focussing on characterising the exercise in frequency per week, time per day and intensity per minute of exercise. This research does fit the usual narrative of a logarithmic dose-response to exercise of a range of health conditions. This is not surprising; a dose-response is evident in many relationships between interventions/activities and health outcomes, including medications. This dose (amount of intervention) to outcome (health benefit) determines the dose required of particular medications to improve a particular health condition. In this case this information can be used to indicate the number of steps per day should be performed to reduce the risk of developing a health condition by a particular percentage. In most cases the 10,000 steps per day will still be better than 7,000 steps, just by decreasing margins of health benefit return.

    “More important than the exact number of steps, it demonstrates that overall more is always better and people should not focus too much on the numbers, particularly on days where activity is limited. The steps per day is useful when people’s exercise is weight-bearing, however cycling, swimming and rowing are not well-represented by the steps per day model.

    “This is a meta-analysis so it is representative of a range of studies, but there is a range of ways to be active for health benefit, beyond just steps per day. The team also analysed the rate or cadence of stepping, where faster rates of stepping per 30 minutes were further associated with health benefits, but not everybody can step at this rate to benefit with. There are other ways of exercise that are beneficial for older people, including balance exercise and higher intensity resistance training that can provide benefits beyond walking or jogging.

    “The compelling finding is that whilst such walking does not mitigate cancer incidence there is a decrease in cancer mortality, illustrating that enhanced physical activity levels leading to enhanced physical and psychological fitness enhances the resilience of people to deal with cancer and its associated treatments.

    “These findings are important for providing a public health message, where targeted exercise intervention, as opposed to discouraging inactivity is not as prevalent compared to medical intervention. So, while these findings have real world implications, the specific number should not receive too much reverence; it just means that 10,000 steps per day is not the only number to aim for, enhancing achievability.”

    Dr Daniel Bailey, Reader – Sedentary Behaviour and Health at Brunel University of London, said: 

    “The press release does accurately reflect the study, showing that walking 7000 steps per day is associated with significantly lower risk of a number of health outcomes like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, depression and falls. 

     “The researchers assessed the strength of evidence in their review of studies. The strength of evidence was moderate for most of the health outcomes, meaning that we can be confident the findings in this paper are true, but there is a possibility they may not be completely accurate. 

    “This study adds to existing evidence by showing that the more steps people do, the less their risk of developing different health conditions. The finding that doing 5000-7000 steps per day is an important addition to the literature which helps to debunk the myth that 10,000 steps per day should be the target for optimal health.  

     “This study suggested that 5000-7000 steps per day can significantly reduce the risk of many health outcomes, but that does not mean you cannot get benefits if you don’t meet this target. The study also found that health risks were reduced with each 1000 extra steps per day, up to a maximum of 12,000 steps per day. So just adding more steps from your starting point can have important benefits for health. 

     “An important limitation is that many of the findings from this review were based on a small number of studies, meaning that the results may not be accurate for some of the health outcomes measured. Also, the findings cannot be easily applied to people living with a chronic condition as the studies in this reviewer were in generally healthy people. 

    “The real-world implications are that people can get health benefits just from small increases in physical activity, such as doing an extra 1000 steps per day. To achieve the best reductions in risk, aiming for 5000-7000 per day can be recommended, which will be more achievable for many people than the unofficial target of 10,000 steps that has been around for many years.”  

    ‘Daily steps and health outcomes in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis’ by Ding Ding et al. was published in The Lancet Public Health at 23:30 UK time on Wednesday 23rd July.

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(25)00164-1

    Declared interests

    Prof Steven Harridge: I am Professor of Human and Applied Physiology at King’s College London, with a research interest in healthy human ageing and have no funding from manufacturers of physical activity monitors.

    Dr Andrew Scott: I do not have any conflicts of interest.

    Dr Daniel Bailey: No interests

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Removeable battery regulations revoked

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government is revoking 2023 regulations requiring all vaping devices to have removeable batteries to resolve a current court challenge brought by Mason Corporation Limited.

    “Cabinet was advised that taking this step was the best way to resolve the case,” Associate Health Minister Casey Costello says. 

    “This decision means the proceedings, which relate to regulations brought in by the Labour government, can be withdrawn.”

    The changes will be gazetted today and take effect from 1 September. From that date vaping devices will not be required to have a removeable battery.

    “It is not expected that the revocation will negatively impact our falling smoking or vaping rates,” Ms Costello says. 

    “This Government legislated to ban disposable vapes, which have been the most popular products among young people, and these are now off the market.” 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: HHS, FDA and USDA Address the Health Risks of Ultra-Processed Foods

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    For Immediate Release:
    July 23, 2025

    Under the leadership of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture are accelerating federal efforts to address the growing concerns around ultra-processed foods and the current epidemic of diet-related chronic disease that is plaguing America. The agencies are announcing a joint Request for Information (RFI) to gather information and data to help establish a federally recognized uniform definition for ultra-processed foods—a critical step in providing increased transparency to consumers about the foods they eat.
    “Ultra-processed foods are driving our chronic disease epidemic,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “We must act boldly to eliminate the root causes of chronic illness and improve the health of our food supply. Defining ultra-processed foods with a clear, uniform standard will empower us even more to Make America Healthy Again.”
    Currently, there is no single authoritative definition for ultra-processed foods for the U.S. food supply. Creating a uniform federal definition will serve as a key deliverable on the heels of the recently published Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment, which recognizes that the overconsumption of ultra-processed foods is one of the driving factors of the childhood chronic disease crisis.
    “President Trump has made it a priority to improve health outcomes for American families and communities. And this Request for Information is yet another step in seeking commonsense ways to foster improved and more informed consumer choice. A unified, widely understood definition for ultra processed foods is long overdue and I look forward to continued partnership with Secretary Kennedy to Make America Healthy Again. As this process unfolds, I will make certain the great men and women of the agriculture value chain are part of the conversation,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins.
    “I am delighted to lead this critical effort at the FDA,” said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H. “The threats posed to our health by foods often considered ultra-processed are clear and convincing, making it imperative that we work in lockstep with our federal partners to advance, for the first time ever, a uniform definition of ultra-processed foods.”
    It is estimated that approximately 70% of packaged products in the U.S. food supply are foods often considered ultra-processed, and that children get over 60% of their calories from such foods. Dozens of scientific studies have found links between the consumption of foods often considered ultra-processed with numerous adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity and neurological disorders. Helping to address overconsumption of ultra-processed foods is a key element to Make America Healthy Again.
    A uniform definition of ultra-processed foods will allow for consistency in research and policy to pave the way for addressing health concerns associated with the consumption of ultra-processed foods. The RFI will be publicly available in the federal register on July 24 and seeks information on what factors and criteria should be included in a definition of ultra-processed foods.
    Alongside developing a uniform definition, the FDA and National Institutes of Health are investing in high-quality research to help answer remaining questions about the health impacts of ultra-processed foods through its recently announced Nutrition Regulatory Science Program. The Department will also continue to pursue developing and implementing other key policies and programs that seek to, collectively, dramatically reduce chronic disease and help ensure a healthy future for our nation.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Market Competition for Prescription Drugs, Lower Prices for Consumers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined three Senate colleagues to reintroduce the Short on Competition Act to increase competition in the pharmaceutical industry and lower prices for consumers. The legislation is led by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) and sponsored by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). Grassley is the current chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the former chairman and a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee.

    The bipartisan legislation would allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services to grant expedited reviews and inspections, as well as temporary importation, when there is a prescription drug shortage or if there is likely to be a shortage. The secretary can also take these actions when there are fewer than five competitors in a market for prescription drugs that have been approved for at least 10 years.

    “Iowans are fed up with the high price of prescription drugs, and a driver of those costs is lack of competition. Time and again, we see that limited options in the marketplace lead to higher prices for patients. Our bill will bring more options to the market, giving consumers relief through alternatives to a single high-priced drug,” Grassley said.

    “If drug companies know new competitors can quickly enter the market, maybe they’ll think twice before raising prices in the first place. More competition in the marketplace will lead to more affordable prescription drugs for American consumers,” Klobuchar said. “This bipartisan legislation will help lower drug prices by prioritizing approvals and safely allowing temporary drug importation of products to address markets that lack competition.”

    “Big Pharma monopolies are keeping lifesaving drugs out of reach for too many Americans,” Lee said. “Cutting red tape for manufacturers will allow new competitors into the health care market – bringing drug prices down and quality up. The Short on Competition Act will give Americans more options for the medicine they need, protecting them from drug shortages and lowering their costs.”

    “American families should be able to afford life-saving medication. However, many medications, despite having been on the market for decades, are unaffordable. It is time that Big Pharma is held accountable for its abusive price gouging tactics,” Durbin said. “I am joining my colleagues in reintroducing the bipartisan Short on Competition Act to combat Big Pharma’s price gouging and lower prescription drug costs for Americans. Drug costs are a problem; this bill is a solution.”

    Background:

    Grassley has long championed efforts to reduce the cost of prescription drugs. Three pieces of legislation authored and coauthored by Grassley have been signed into law to combat anticompetitive practices and stop drug makers from reaping profits at the expense of taxpayers and consumers. Grassley has also led in-depth congressional investigations to expose those responsible for prescription drug price gouging.

    Other actions include:

    • May 2025: Grassley chaired a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing focused on the impacts of Pharmacy Benefit Managers’ (PBMs) increasing role in the drug supply chain and the needs of rural pharmacies.
    • April 2025: The Senate Judiciary Committee — which Grassley currently chairs — passed six Grassley-led bills to boost competition in the pharmaceutical industry and improve patients’ access to more affordable prescription drugs.
    • January 2025: Grassley welcomed the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) second interim staff report on PBMs and urged congressional and executive branch action.
    • July 2024: Grassley welcomed the FTC’s interim staff report on PBMs and urged congressional and executive branch action.
    • January 2024: Grassley sent a letter urging the FTC to complete its investigation into the health care industry’s most powerful prescription drug middlemen.
    • November 2023: The Finance Committee adopted a Grassley-led provision to strengthen oversight of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and hold PBMs accountable.
    • July 2023: The Finance Committee adopted several Grassley-led PBM accountability provisions. 
    • March 2023: The Senate Commerce Committee passed a Grassley-backed bill to hold PBMs accountable for unfair practices driving up costs for consumers.
    • February 2023: The Senate Judiciary Committee passed five Grassley-led bills to boost pharmaceutical industry competition and improve patients’ access to affordable prescription drugs.
    • October 2022: Grassley led a bipartisan letter urging the FTC to complete its investigation into PBMs to shine light on drug pricing practices.
    • January 2021: Grassley and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) released a two-year bipartisan investigation into insulin price gouging.
    • August 2018: Grassley requested the FTC assess pharmaceutical supply chain intermediaries.

    Learn more about Grassley’s persistent efforts to lower prescription drug costs HERE.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar, Lee, Durbin, Grassley Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Competition and Lower Prescription Drug Prices for Consumers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mike Lee (R-UT) reintroduced legislation to increase competition in the pharmaceutical industry and lower prices for consumers. They were joined by the Ranking Member and Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA).

    The bipartisan Short on Competition Act would allow the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to grant expedited reviews and inspections, and temporary importation when there is, or is likely to be, a prescription drug shortage or when there are fewer than five competitors in a market for prescription drugs that have been approved for at least 10 years.

    “If drug companies know new competitors can quickly enter the market, maybe they’ll think twice before raising prices in the first place. More competition in the marketplace will lead to more affordable prescription drugs for American consumers,” said Klobuchar. “This bipartisan legislation will help lower drug prices by prioritizing approvals and safely allowing temporary drug importation of products to address markets that lack competition.”

    “Big Pharma monopolies are keeping lifesaving drugs out of reach for too many Americans,” said Lee. “Cutting red tape for manufacturers will allow new competitors into the health care market – bringing drug prices down and quality up. The Short on Competition Act will give Americans more options for the medicine they need, protecting them from drug shortages and lowering their costs.”

    “American families should be able to afford life-saving medication. However, many medications, despite having been on the market for decades, are unaffordable. It is time that Big Pharma is held accountable for its abusive price gouging tactics,” said Durbin. “I am joining my colleagues in reintroducing the bipartisan Short on Competition Act to combat Big Pharma’s price gouging and lower prescription drug costs for Americans. Drug costs are a problem; this bill is a solution.”

    “Iowans are fed up with the high price of prescription drugs, and a driver of those costs is lack of competition. Time and again, we see that limited options in the marketplace lead to higher prices for patients. Our bill will bring more options to the market, giving consumers relief through alternatives to a single high-priced drug,” said Grassley.

    Klobuchar has long championed efforts to make prescription drugs more affordable.

    Provisions from Klobuchar’s bill to empower Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices and unleash the power of Medicare’s 53 million seniors to help lower drug prices for all Americans was signed into law in August 2022 as part of a larger health care savings package. In March, Klobuchar and Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) introduced the Lower Drug Costs for Families Act, legislation to lower prices by extending the drug inflation rebates enacted as part of the 2022 drug pricing law, and further protecting consumers from price-gouging by pharmaceutical companies.

    In April, two of Klobuchar and Senator Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) bipartisan bills to promote competition and reduce drug prices – the Preserving Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act and the Stop STALLING Act – passed the Senate Judiciary Committee. Together these bills would save taxpayers $1.9 billion over 10 years.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 07.23.2025 Sens. Cruz, Cornyn, Rep. Jackson Introduce Bill Honoring Mayor Jerry H. Hodge

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas-13) introduced a bill to rename the U.S. Post Office in Amarillo, Texas, as the Mayor Jerry H. Hodge Post Office Building to honor the life and legacy of Mayor Jerry Hodge.
    Sen. Cruz said, “Mayor Hodge was a pillar of the Amarillo community and a true servant leader to the Panhandle. He transformed a local pharmacy into a national enterprise, served his community as the youngest mayor of Amarillo’s history, and was instrumental in establishing the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine. I am proud to introduce legislation to name the Amarillo post office in honor of his legacy.”
    Sen. Cornyn said, “From helping to establish several institutions of higher education in Amarillo to leading the effort to bring a minor league baseball team to the city, Mayor Jerry Hodge was a cornerstone of the Amarillo community. I am proud to join Senator Cruz and Congressman Jackson in introducing legislation to rename Amarillo’s downtown post office after Mayor Hodge, which will ensure that future generations of Texans in the Panhandle can learn about his contributions and help preserve his life and legacy.”
    Companion legislation was introduced in the House by Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas-13).
    Rep. Jackson said, “Jerry Hodge’s impact on Amarillo extended far beyond his titles. He was the youngest mayor in the city’s history, a successful businessman, and a proud rancher. Jerry’s personality was larger than life, and he worked tirelessly each day to make life better for the people of the Texas Panhandle. I’m proud to have called him a friend and am honored to introduce this piece of legislation to recognize his enduring legacy.”
    Read the full text of the bill here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo, Blumenthal, Warren File Major Richard Star Act as Amendment to Must-Pass Defense Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) announced they are filing the Major Richard Star Act as an amendment to the annual must-pass defense bill, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

    Currently, only veterans with disability ratings above 50 percent and more than 20 years of service are eligible to receive the full amount of their U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) retirement and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability payments–leaving behind more than 50,000 combat-injured military retirees.  If adopted, the Senators’ Major Richard Star Act will fix this unjust policy for medical retirees with a combat-related disability—providing them their full VA disability and DOD retirement payments.

    “The Major Richard Star Act corrects a severe injustice for combat-wounded veterans,” said Senator Crapo.  “The support for this correction is clear.  Though the namesake of our legislation is no longer with us, we must pass this fix on behalf of the more than 50,000 veterans, including hundreds in Idaho, who stand to benefit.”

    “The Major Richard Star Act would correct one of the deepest injustices in our present veterans’ disability system.  As an amendment to the NDAA, it would enable tens of thousands of combat-injured veterans to collect the full benefits they’ve earned,” said Senator Blumenthal.  “Right now they’re denied fair, complete compensation because they are subject to a dollar-for-dollar offset of their VA disability and military retirement benefits.  It’s unacceptable–and I’m joining my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to right this wrong by seeking to attach our legislation to this year’s NDAA.  With more than 31 cosponsors, adopting our amendment is a commonsense next step to finally provide these military retirees who already sacrificed so much the benefits they need and earned.”

    “Our veterans put their lives on the line for this country, and it’s time our government gives them the full benefits they’ve earned,” said Senator Warren.  “Including this bill in the NDAA will ensure the federal government keeps its promise to our veterans.”

    This bipartisan legislation is named in honor of Major Richard A. Star, a decorated war veteran who was forced to medically retire due to his combat-related injuries.  Major Star sadly lost his battle with cancer on February 13, 2021.

    The Senators’ legislation has 76 bipartisan cosponsors, and is supported by the following military, veterans and survivor organizations: Air Force Sergeants Association (AFSA), Air & Space Forces Association (AFA), American GI Forum, The American Legion, American Logistics Association, American Military Society, American Veterans (AMVETS), America’s Warrior Partnership, American WWII Orphans Network, Armed Forces Retiree Association, Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA), Association of Military Surgeons of the United States (AMSUS), Association of the United States Army (AUSA), Association of the United States Navy (AUSN), Blinded Veterans Association (BVA), Blue Star Families, Burn Pits 360, Catholic War Veterans of the USA & Auxiliary, Chief Warrant Officers Association of the US Coast Guard (CWOA), Code of Support Foundation, Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service, Inc. (COA), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Services, Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States, Fleet Reserve Association (FRA), Gold Star Spouses of America, Grunt Style Foundation, Gold Star Wives of America (GSW), Healing Household, Heroes Athletic Association, Hire Heroes USA, HunterSeven Foundation, Japanese American Veterans Association, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America (JWV), K9s for Warriors, Marine Corps League (MCL), Marine Corps Reserve Association (MCRA), Military Chaplains Association of the United States of America (MCA), Military Family Advisory Network, Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), Military Order of the World Wars, Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH), Mission Roll Call, National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA), National Defense Committee, National Guard Association of the United States, National Military Family Association (NMFA), Naval Enlisted Reserve Association (NERA), Non Commissioned Officers Association (NCOA), Operation First Response, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), Project Sanctuary, The Ranger Leadership and Policy Center, Quality of Life Foundation, Reserve Organization of America (ROA), Sea Service Family Foundation, Stronghold Freedom Foundation, Student Veterans of America, TBI Warrior Foundation, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), The Retired Enlisted Association (TREA), The Independence Fund (TIF), United States Army Warrant Officers Association (USAWOA), United States Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Association (USCG CPOA), United Through Reading, VetsFirst/United Spinal Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Wounded Paw Project and Wounded Warrior Project (WWP).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: W.W. Industrial Group Recalls Pear Slices in Juice Due to Elevated Levels of Lead and Cadmium

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    Summary

    Company Announcement Date:
    July 23, 2025
    FDA Publish Date:
    July 23, 2025
    Product Type:
    Food & BeveragesContaminants
    Reason for Announcement:

    Recall Reason Description
    Potential Metal Contaminant – Lead and Cadmium

    Company Name:
    WW Industrial Group
    Brand Name:

    Brand Name(s)
    Parashore

    Product Description:

    Product Description
    Canned Sliced Pears

    Company Announcement
    W.W. Industrial Group, Inc., NY is recalling Parashore Pear Slices in juice, 15 oz, because they have the potential to be contaminated with elevated levels of lead and cadmium.
    Lead and cadmium are toxic substances present in our environment in small amounts and everyone is exposed to some of these heavy metals from daily actions such as inhaling dust, eating food, or drinking water. In general, the small exposure to lead within the U.S. population does not pose a significant public health concern.
    However, exposure to larger amounts of lead and cadmium can cause poisoning. While these heavy metals can affect nearly every bodily system, its effects depend upon the amount and duration of lead exposure and age. Symptoms can include abdominal pain, vomiting, lethargy, irritability, weakness, behavior or mood changes, delirium, seizures, and coma. However, infants, young children and the developing fetus can be affected by chronic exposure to amounts of heavy metals that may not result in obvious symptoms of lead poisoning. A child with heavy metal poisoning may not look or act sick. Heavy metal poisoning in children can cause: learning disabilities, developmental delays, and lower IQ scores.
    Product was distributed through Grocery Outlet stores in California and other Grocery Outlet stores across the US.
    The recalled product is packaged in a 15oz can and labeled as PARASHORE Pear Slices in Juice, 15oz (425 g), UPC#704817164237. The specific lot found positive for heavy metals was Lot 3700/01172 6122J, Prod: 02/19/2024, Best by 2/19/2027.
    No illnesses have been reported as of 07/22/2025.
    The heavy metal contamination was discovered via sampling by the Maryland Department of Health which is part of the FDA Laboratory Flexible Funding Model program.
    The company has recalled the products and is continuing an investigation to determine cause.
    Consumers who have purchased Parashore Pear Slices in Juice 15oz (425 g) should not consume the products and are urged to discard in the trash or return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact the company at 516-676-9188 Monday to Friday 10AM – 4PM EST.
    This recall is being made with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

    Company Contact Information

    Consumers:
    W.W. Industrial Group
    516-676-9188

    Product Photos

    Content current as of:
    07/23/2025

    Regulated Product(s)

    Topic(s)

    Follow FDA

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