NewzIntel.com

Category: Health

  • MIL-OSI Video: MAHA Tour visit to Utah with Administrator Lee Zeldin

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    Secretary Kennedy and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin joined Utah elected officials for a press conference Monday to celebrate the passage of three MAHA bills:

    1. Utah becomes the first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water.

    2. A ban on the use of specific dyes and chemical additives in public school meals.

    3. A ban on purchasing soda using SNAP benefits.

    Thanks to leadership like this, we are one step closer to Making America Healthy Again.

    —

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) | http://www.hhs.gov

    http://www.Twitter.com/HHSGov | http://www.Facebook.com/HHS http://www.Instagram.com/HHSGov
    http://www.LinkedIn.com/company/us-department-of-health-and-human-services

    HHS Privacy Policy: http://www.hhs.gov/Privacy.html

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeUFmSdksDM

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Lack of transparency in how the COVID-19 pandemic was managed – E-000421/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission communicated transparently throughout the COVID-19 pandemic[1][2][3][4].

    Despite the unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic, the joint response of the EU and Member States successfully led the EU out of the emergency. The EU set up NextGenerationEU[5] as a groundbreaking temporary recovery instrument to support Europe’s economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and build a greener, more digital and more resilient future.

    Critical to the pandemic period was the achievement to make safe and effective vaccines available. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has estimated that the vaccines saved at least 1.4 million lives in WHO European region[6].

    The EU Digital COVID Certificate facilitated travel for millions of EU citizens and third-country nationals. The Commission adopted three reports on its implementation, including an assessment of the impact on free movement within the EU, fundamental rights and non-discrimination[7]. The setting up of green lanes for goods to continue cross borders allowed companies to continue business and supplies to reach consumers.

    Member States are responsible for the definition of their national health policy and the organisation of their health services and medical care. National governments therefore decided on specific measures based on each country’s epidemiological and social situation. The response measures taken by the EU and by the Member States to protect people from the virus had a major impact on preventing its spread.

    The measures taken to mitigate the impact could not prevent all costs in terms of human life and well-being. An impact on mental health was one of the consequences. Mental health fluctuated with the intensity of the pandemic and containment measures, with young people being particularly affected[8]. The comprehensive approach to mental health adopted in 2023[9] set out a variety of measures to address the issue.

    • [1] Drawing the early lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic (COM/2021/380).
    • [2] COVID-19 — Sustaining EU Preparedness and Response: Looking ahead (COM/2022/190).
    • [3] EU response to COVID-19: preparing for autumn and winter 2023 (COM/2022/452).
    • [4] See also the timeline here: https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/coronavirus-response/timeline-eu-action_en
    • [5] Council Regulation (EU) 2020/2094 of 14 December 2020 establishing a European Union Recovery Instrument to support the recovery in the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis.
    • [6] https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/16-01-2024-covid-19-vaccinations-have-saved-more-than-1.4-million-lives-in-the-who-european-region–a-new-study-finds
    • [7] COM(2021) 649, COM(2022) 123, COM(2022) 753.
    • [8] https://health.ec.europa.eu/document/download/3f9d55be-9e36-43d9-99ad-b96ac63a5b9b_en?filename=2022_healthatglance_rep_en_0.pdf
    • [9] COM(2023) 298 final.
    Last updated: 9 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: HKSAR search and rescue team returns from Myanmar to Hong Kong (with photos/video)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    HKSAR search and rescue team returns from Myanmar to Hong Kong (with photos/video)
    The Chief Executive, Mr John Lee; the Permanent Secretary for Security, Mr Patrick Li; the Under Secretary for Security, Mr Michael Cheuk; the Acting Director of Immigration, Mr Ching Wo-mok; and the Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority (HA), Dr Tony Ko, welcomed the team at Hong Kong International Airport.

    In his speech, Mr Lee said that the search and rescue team members overcame numerous difficulties and raced against time through their professional training, determined will and immense courage, fully demonstrating the professionalism in fearlessly braving challenges and caring for those in distress.Issued at HKT 0:50

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: RBI Issues April 2025 Policy Update

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 09 APR 2025 6:14PM by PIB Delhi

    RBI Cuts Repo Rate to 6%, Projects 6.5% GDP Growth for FY 2025-26

    Introduction

    The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), in its 54th meeting and the first of the financial year 2025–26, unanimously decided to reduce the policy repo rate by 25 basis points, bringing it down to 6 per cent with immediate effect. The repo rate is the rate at which the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) lends money to commercial banks, and a cut in this rate is aimed at boosting lending and investment. This decision comes at a time when global economic conditions are becoming increasingly uncertain. Trade tensions have resurfaced, leading to a decline in crude oil prices, weakening of the US dollar, softening bond yields, and corrections in equity markets. While central banks across the world are adjusting their policies to address domestic concerns, they are doing so cautiously.

    Within India, the outlook has shown signs of improvement. Inflation, particularly food inflation, has declined more than expected, offering some relief, though global and weather-related risks remain. Growth is recovering after a weak first half in the previous financial year, but it still falls short of the country’s potential. The Monetary Policy Report of April 2025, released alongside the MPC resolution, also outlines the GDP growth forecast and inflation projection for the coming months. This year also marks a milestone for the RBI as it completes 90 years since its establishment on 1st April 1935. Over the decades, it has evolved into a full-service central bank, balancing its roles of managing inflation, supporting growth, and ensuring financial stability.

    Key Policy Decisions

    • The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) unanimously decided to reduce the policy repo rate by 25 basis points, bringing it down to 6 per cent with immediate effect. The repo rate is the rate at which the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) lends money to commercial banks.
    • As a result, the Standing Deposit Facility (SDF) rate under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) has been adjusted to 5.75 per cent. The SDF allows banks to park excess funds with the RBI without any collateral.
    • The Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate have both been revised to 6.25 per cent. MSF stands for Marginal Standing Facility, a provision made by the RBI that enables scheduled commercial banks to obtain overnight liquidity if inter-bank funds completely dry up. It is an emergency facility that allows banks to borrow at a rate higher than the repo rate.
    • These rate adjustments are consistent with the RBI’s objective of achieving the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation target of 4 per cent, within a flexible band of ±2 per cent, while also supporting economic growth.

    Growth Assessment

    The Reserve Bank of India has projected real GDP growth at 6.5 per cent for 2025–26, maintaining the same rate as estimated for 2024–25, following a strong expansion of 9.2 per cent in the preceding year. The quarterly projections stand at 6.5 per cent in Q1, 6.7 per cent in Q2, 6.6 per cent in Q3, and 6.3 per cent in Q4. This marks a downward revision of 20 basis points from the February estimate, reflecting heightened global volatility. Agriculture remains on a positive footing, supported by healthy reservoir levels and robust crop production, which is expected to sustain rural demand. Manufacturing is showing early signs of revival amid improved business sentiment, and the services sector continues to demonstrate resilience.

    On the investment side, activity is gaining pace on the back of higher capacity utilisation, continued government focus on infrastructure, and strong balance sheets of banks and corporates. Easing financial conditions have also aided this recovery. While services exports are likely to remain steady, merchandise exports could face headwinds from global uncertainties and trade disruptions. Looking ahead, the RBI has projected real GDP growth at 6.7 per cent for 2026–27, suggesting continued recovery momentum.

    Inflation Outlook

    Headline inflation eased during January and February 2025, driven by a sharp decline in food prices. With uncertainties around the rabi crop largely resolved, and second advance estimates indicating record wheat output and higher pulse production than last year, food inflation is expected to soften further. This favourable trend is supported by robust kharif arrivals and a sharp fall in inflation expectations over the next three and twelve months, as reflected in recent surveys. The decline in crude oil prices has further strengthened the disinflationary outlook. Accordingly, Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation for 2025–26 is projected at 4.0 per cent, with quarterly estimates at 3.6 per cent in Q1, 3.9 per cent in Q2, 3.8 per cent in Q3, and 4.4 per cent in Q4.

    While the inflation outlook appears stable, global uncertainties and the possibility of weather-related supply shocks continue to pose upside risks to the inflation path. The Reserve Bank of India has assumed a normal monsoon in framing its projections, and it considers the risks to be evenly balanced at this stage.

    External Sector Snapshot

    • Robust Services and Remittances: Services exports remained strong in January–February 2025, led by software, business, and transportation services. Net services and remittance receipts are expected to remain in large surplus, cushioning the merchandise trade deficit.
    • Sustainable Current Account Deficit: The current account deficit (CAD) for both 2024–25 and 2025–26 is projected to stay well within sustainable levels, supported by resilient external inflows.
    • Mixed Investment Flows: While gross FDI remained strong due to stable macroeconomic fundamentals, net FDI moderated because of higher repatriations and outward investments. Net FPI inflows touched USD 1.7 billion in 2024–25, driven by debt inflows despite equity outflows.
    • Healthy Forex Reserves: As of April 4, 2025, India’s foreign exchange reserves stood at USD 676.3 billion, offering an import cover of nearly 11 months and reflecting the strength of the external sector.

    Liquidity and Financial Market Conditions

    • Liquidity Shortage and RBI Intervention: In January 2025, the banking system faced a shortage of funds, known as a liquidity deficit. To address this, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) provided up to ₹3.1 lakh crore on 23rd January through the Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) – a tool that allows banks to borrow money from the RBI for short periods to manage temporary mismatches in cash flow.
    • Improved Liquidity Position: The RBI later infused about ₹6.9 lakh crore into the system, and increased government spending in late March helped further. These actions improved the situation, and by 7th April 2025, the system had a liquidity surplus of ₹1.5 lakh crore – meaning there was more money available in banks for lending and investment.
    • Softening of Market Rates: With more liquidity available, the Weighted Average Call Rate (WACR) – the average interest rate at which banks lend to each other overnight – declined and hovered close to the repo rate, which is the interest rate at which the RBI lends money to commercial banks. This indicates stable short-term borrowing costs.
    • Lower Funding Costs in Debt Market: The difference between interest rates on Commercial Papers (CPs) and Certificates of Deposit (CDs) – short-term borrowing instruments used by companies and banks – and the 91-day Treasury Bill – a short-term government security – reduced. This narrowing of spreads means that borrowing became cheaper in financial markets. The RBI has stated it will continue to monitor these conditions and take action as needed to maintain sufficient liquidity.

    Conclusion

    The Monetary Policy Report of April 2025, released alongside the 54th meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee, reflects a balanced approach by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to support growth while maintaining price stability. The decision to cut the policy repo rate by 25 basis points to 6 per cent is underpinned by easing inflation, particularly in food prices, and a gradual recovery in economic activity. With GDP growth for 2025–26 projected at 6.5 per cent and inflation expected to remain within the 4 per cent target band, the report signals cautious optimism despite global uncertainties.

    On the external front, robust services exports and strong remittance inflows have helped cushion the merchandise trade deficit, keeping the current account deficit at sustainable levels. Meanwhile, improved system liquidity, lower short-term borrowing costs, and stable foreign exchange reserves underscore the resilience of India’s financial system. The RBI has affirmed its commitment to closely monitor evolving conditions and take timely, calibrated measures to preserve macroeconomic and financial stability.

    References:

    Click here to see PDF.

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    Santosh Kumar/ Sarla Meena/ Saurabh Kalia

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CHP of DH responds to media enquiries on influenza vaccine safety

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    CHP of DH responds to media enquiries on influenza vaccine safety 
    “Influenza vaccination has been scientifically proven to be one of the most safe and effective ways to prevent seasonal influenza and its complications, and can significantly reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death from seasonal influenza. Hong Kong has established a pharmacovigilance system to monitor adverse events following immunisation. In the past five years, over 8 million doses of influenza vaccine have been administered and there have been no deaths reported after influenza vaccination. All persons aged 6 months and above (except those with known contraindications), particularly persons who have a higher risk of getting infected with influenza and developing complications, such as the elderly and children, should receive seasonal influenza vaccine every year.
     
         “Severe cases related to seasonal influenza involving adults and cases of severe paediatric influenza-associated complication recorded in the recent flu season were significantly lower than in the influenza season before the COVID-19 pandemic. We believe that this is the result of the general public’s willingness to receive the seasonal influenza vaccine. Local data showed that the rate of severe influenza complications among children who did not receive seasonal influenza vaccination of the current season is about four times that of vaccinated children. Among the elderly, the rate of severe influenza (including death) among residents of the residential care homes aged 65 years or above who did not receive seasonal influenza vaccination of the current season is 2.3 times that of the vaccinated residents. The data highlighted the important protective role of seasonal influenza vaccination against severe infection and death.

         “Influenza vaccines currently used in Hong Kong, including inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV), recombinant influenza vaccine (RIV) and live-attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV), are safe and effective. Traditional IIV has been used for decades. The vaccine has proven to be safe and reliable through repeated testing and quality assessment. The safety of the newer LAIV and RIV is comparable to that of IIV. The World Health Organization has also indicated that vaccination is the most effective means to prevent serious illness arising from influenza. Side effects of influenza vaccines are usually mild and transient. The most common side effects include pain and redness at the injection site. Some recipients may experience fever, chills, muscle pain and tiredness. Severe adverse reactions to influenza vaccines are very rare.”
    Issued at HKT 19:54

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: World Homoeopathy Day

    Source: Government of India

    World Homoeopathy Day

    Homoeopathy in India: Tradition, Trust, and Tomorrow

    Posted On: 09 APR 2025 3:53PM by PIB Delhi

    “Holistic Healthcare remains a very big attraction. Best of the doctors are moving towards homoeopathy. There’s a mood for Holistic Healthcare. There’s a mood to go toward stress free life from a stressful life.”

    —        Prime Minister Narendra Modi

    Summary:

    • World Homoeopthay Day is observed on April 10 every year.
    • Homoeopathy is the world’s second-largest medical system.
    • In 2025, India is hosting its largest Homoeopathic symposium on the occasion of World Homoeopathy Day in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
    • India has 3.45 lakh registered homoeopathy doctors, 277 homoeopathy hospitals, 8,593 homoeopathy dispensaries, and 277 homoeopathy educational institutions.
    • The National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH) regulates education and practice, replacing the earlier 1973 Act with a modern 2020 Act.
    • The Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) runs 35+ research centres and OPDs, advancing evidence-based homoeopathy.
    • The Pharmacopoeia Commission (PCIM&H) ensures high-quality medicines through standard pharmacopoeias and testing labs.
    • The Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973 was replaced by the National Commission for Homoeopathy Act, 2020 to modernize and reform homoeopathic education, practice, and research through a transparent and scientifically-driven regulatory framework.

    Introduction

    Rooted in the principle of “like cures like,” Homoeopathy is a natural way of healing that says that a substance causing symptoms of a disease in a healthy individual would cure similar symptoms in a sick individual. With roots going back over two centuries, Homoeopathy is the world’s 2nd largest system of medicine, trusted by millions for its safe and holistic healing approach.

    Every year, on April 10, India joins the world in commemorating World Homoeopathy Day, marking the birth anniversary of Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, the father of homoeopathy. In India, this day holds a particular significance, as more than 100 million people in the country depend on this treatment.

    Since 2016, the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) has been celebrating World Homoeopathy Day with a series of impactful events that highlight the role of research in the global growth of homoeopathy. These annual gatherings bring together homoeopathic doctors, scientists, chemists, physicists, microbiologists, and pharmacologists, all united by a shared goal—to showcase the scientific strength and evidence-based potential of this gentle system of healing.

    This year, the celebration reaches new heights with India’s largest-ever Homoeopathy Symposium, hosted at the Mahatma Mandir Convention & Exhibition Center in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The event jointly organised by CCRH, National Commission for Homoeopathy [NCH] and National Institute of Homoeopathy [NIH] will feature insightful discussions, groundbreaking research presentations, and the biggest homoeopathy industry exhibition in the country. It will also offer a vibrant platform for innovation, collaboration, and global recognition of Indian homoeopathy.

    Glimpse of Homoeopathy in India

    Homoeopathy has quietly built one of the strongest healthcare support systems in India. Behind its soft approach lies a solid framework of doctors, hospitals, colleges, and research. Over 3.45 lakh registered homoeopathic doctors are working across the country to bring gentle, affordable healing to millions of people.

    India is also home to 277 homoeopathy hospitals that offer inpatient care. These hospitals help patients who don’t need emergency treatment but still need careful attention. Alongside, there are 8,593 homoeopathy dispensaries spread across towns and villages, delivering basic health services. For those who need longer monitoring and recovery, India offers 8,697 homoeopathy beds in AYUSH wellness hospitals.

    Education in homoeopathy is also thriving. There are 277 colleges across the country. These include 197 undergraduate institutes, 3 standalone postgraduate colleges, and 77 combined UG/PG colleges. All of these come under the National Commission for Homoeopathy, Ministry of Ayush. These institutions are powered by 7,092 dedicated teaching faculty members, shaping the next generation of BHMS (Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine & Surgery) doctors.

    On the pharmaceutical front, 384 industries are involved in producing homoeopathic medicines in India. This ensures the availability of high-quality, standardised remedies across the country. To support quality, 1,117 official pharmacopoeial monographs for homoeopathic drugs have been published—providing a reliable reference for safe and effective medicine preparation.

    With 35 dedicated research centres and OPDs under the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH), India is pushing the boundaries of what this ancient system can do in the modern world.

    And to keep everything running smoothly, 28 State Councils and Boards ensure that doctors are well-qualified and ethically registered, maintaining public trust across the healthcare system.

    Homoeopathy Legislation in India

    Homoeopathy in India has grown on the back of a strong legal and institutional framework that began with the Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973. This landmark legislation was designed to regulate homoeopathic education and professional practice across the country. Modelled on the Indian Medical Council Act of 1956, it played a foundational role in institutionalising homoeopathy and ensuring uniform standards across the nation.

    However, with time, the system began to face challenges. Gaps in governance, inconsistencies in education quality, and lack of transparency highlighted the need for comprehensive reforms. To address these issues and modernise the regulatory structure, the Ministry of Ayush established the National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH) through a notification dated 5th July 2021. This move repealed the 1973 Act and brought into force the National Commission for Homoeopathy Act, 2020.

    As a statutory body under the Ministry of Ayush, NCH is now responsible for regulating the system in a modern and transparent manner. In line with this vision, the Commission introduced the National Commission for Homoeopathy (Medical Research in Homoeopathy) Regulation, 2023, which lays down clear guidelines for conducting research in the field—ensuring it is scientifically sound, ethical, and evidence-based.

    Homoeopathy Infrastructure in India

     

    India’s homoeopathy sector is regulated by multiple expert bodies working in tandem:

    • National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH) – The National Commission for Homoeopathy (NCH) was established under the National Commission for Homoeopathy Act, 2020, which came into effect on 5th July 2021 through a gazette notification. With this, the Board of Governors and the Central Council of Homoeopathy, constituted under the Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973, were dissolved.
    • Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) – Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) is an apex research organization under Ministry of Ayush, which undertakes coordinates, develops, disseminates and promotes scientific research in Homoeopathy through its network of 27 Research Institutes/units and 07 Homoeopathic treatment centres and is carrying out intramural research including collaboration with institutes of excellence, promoting Homoeopathy and offering healthcare services through the OPDs/IPDs of the above institutes/units and treatment centres.
    • Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H) – It is a subordinate office under the Ministry of AYUSH, responsible for developing pharmacopoeias and formularies and serving as the Central Drug Testing cum Appellate Laboratory for Indian systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy. Initially established as PCIM on 18th August 2010 and registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, it was renamed PCIM&H on 20th March 2014 following the inclusion of Homoeopathy.

    Conclusion

    Homoeopathy in India has grown into a robust and trusted system of healthcare, backed by strong infrastructure, legal support, and scientific research. With a large network of practitioners, institutions, hospitals, and research centers, India plays a leading role in promoting and advancing homoeopathy globally. Celebrations like World Homoeopathy Day are a reminder of the country’s commitment to safe, evidence-based, and affordable healing. The coordinated efforts of the NCH, CCRH, and PCIM&H continue to modernize and strengthen homoeopathy, ensuring its relevance in the 21st century.

    References:

    Click here to see in PDF

    Santosh Kumar/ Sarla Meena/ Priya Nagar

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CHP announces case of severe paediatric influenza B infection complicated with encephalopathy

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health today (April 9) announced a case of severe paediatric influenza B infection complicated with encephalopathy and urged the public to maintain good personal and environmental hygiene at all times to prevent contracting influenza and other respiratory illnesses.
               
    The case involved a 17-year-old girl with good past health. She developed a cough and runny nose on March 27. She sought medical attention from a private doctor on April 3. She developed convulsions on April 7 and was brought to the Accident and Emergency Department of Tin Shui Wai Hospital. She was subsequently transferred to the paediatric intensive care unit of Tuen Mun Hospital the same day. Her nasopharyngeal swab specimen tested positive for the influenza B virus upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis was influenza B infection complicated with encephalopathy. She is still hospitalised and is in serious condition.

    The girl had no travel history during the incubation period. Her household contacts, so far, are asymptomatic. She received the seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) for the current season and there has been no recent influenza outbreak at her school.
     
    Influenza vaccination has been scientifically proven to be one of the most effective ways to prevent seasonal influenza and its complications, while significantly reducing the risk of hospitalisation and death from seasonal influenza. All persons aged 6 months and above (except those with known contraindications), particularly the elderly and children who have a higher risk of becoming infected with influenza and developing complications, should be vaccinated. Although the seasonal influenza activity in Hong Kong remained low after the end of the winter influenza season, those who have not received SIV this season should consider acting as soon as possible. The number of severe cases involving adults and cases of severe paediatric influenza-associated complications recorded in the influenza season earlier this year has significantly decreased compared with the 2018/19 influenza season. It is believed that this is the result of the general public’s willingness to receive the SIV.
     
    To protect their health and that of their family members, the public should continue to maintain good personal and environmental hygiene and take the following measures to prevent contracting seasonal influenza and other respiratory illnesses: 
     

    • Persons who are symptomatic (even if having mild symptoms) should wear surgical masks to prevent transmission of respiratory viruses; high-risk persons (e.g. persons with underlying medical conditions or persons who are immunocompromised) should also wear surgical masks when taking public transport or staying in crowded places. It is important to wear a mask properly, including performing hand hygiene before wearing and after removing a mask;
    • Avoid touching one’s eyes, mouth and nose;
    • Practise hand hygiene frequently, wash hands with liquid soap and water properly whenever possibly contaminated;
    • When hands are not visibly soiled, clean them with 70 to 80 per cent alcohol-based handrub;
    • Cover the mouth and nose with tissue paper when sneezing or coughing. Dispose of soiled tissue paper properly into a lidded rubbish bin, and wash hands thoroughly afterwards;
    • Maintain good indoor ventilation;
    • Avoid sharing personal items;
    • When having respiratory symptoms, wear a surgical mask, consider refraining from going to work or school, avoid going to crowded places and seek medical advice promptly; and
    • Maintain a balanced diet, perform physical activity regularly, take adequate rest, do not smoke and avoid overstress.

    ​For the latest information, members of the public can visit the CHP’s seasonal influenza and COVID-19 & Flu Express webpages.      

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: First 1000 Days of Life: A Key Theme in Poshan Pakhwada 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 09 APR 2025 4:19PM by PIB Delhi

    The Ministry of Women and Child Development is celebrating Poshan Pakhwada 2025, a two-week nationwide campaign aimed at promoting nutrition awareness, improving health outcomes, and empowering communities. This initiative is part of Mission Poshan 2.0, which focuses on reinforcing community engagement processes and fostering the empowerment of both individuals and communities as a whole.

    Focus on First 1000 Days of Life is one of the key theme of ongoing Poshan Pakhwada 2025, emphasized the importance of nutrition during the first 1000 days of life, from conception to two years of age. This critical period lays the foundation for lifelong health and development. Adequate nutrition during pregnancy and early childhood is linked to improved health outcomes, increased productivity, and higher earnings in adulthood. By prioritizing nutrition during this period, we can break the cycle of malnutrition across generations.

    The previous Poshan Pakhwada, celebrated from March 9-23, 2024, focused on key themes such as Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi (PBPB), Health of Pregnant Women, and Infant & Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices, among others. The ongoing Poshan Pakhwada 2025 with a focus on outcome-based activities planned around nutrition sensitization aims at improving the nutritional outcomes and well-being by strengthening implementation of nutrition related services while ensuring active community participation.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE welcomes rescue team home

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The search and rescue team deployed by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to the quake-stricken areas of Myanmar to assist in the search and rescue work, returned to Hong Kong last night after completing its mission.

    Chief Executive John Lee welcomed the team at Hong Kong International Airport.

    In his speech, Mr Lee said that the search and rescue team members overcame numerous difficulties and raced against time through their professional training, determined will and immense courage, fully demonstrating professionalism in fearlessly braving challenges and caring for those in distress.

    Upon completion of the operation in Mantalay, Myanmar, the China and the Hong Kong SAR search and rescue teams arrived in Beijing yesterday afternoon.

    Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki, Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung and Director of Fire Services Andy Yeung welcomed the teams at Beijing Capital International Airport then flew to Hong Kong together with the Hong Kong SAR search and rescue team last night.

    The Hong Kong SAR search and rescue team departed for Myanmar on March 29 to conduct search and rescue work in Mantalay – one of the worst-hit areas.

    The team conducted joint operations with the China search and rescue teams for days and successfully rescued one survivor. In addition, the Hong Kong SAR team found two bodies under the debris.

    The 51-strong Hong Kong SAR search and rescue team comprised firemen, ambulancemen and fire services workshops personnel, as well as officers from the Security Bureau, the Immigration Department and the Hospital Authority.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NC Medicaid Expansion Reaches 650,000 North Carolinians Enrolled Fewer Than 18 Months After Launch

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: NC Medicaid Expansion Reaches 650,000 North Carolinians Enrolled Fewer Than 18 Months After Launch

    NC Medicaid Expansion Reaches 650,000 North Carolinians Enrolled Fewer Than 18 Months After Launch
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Governor Josh Stein announced that as of today, 650,000 newly eligible North Carolinians have gained access to affordable health care through Medicaid expansion, including veterans and workers in child care, construction, hospitality, home health care and other industries essential to the state.

    “Medicaid expansion shows what is possible when our state’s leaders come together in a bipartisan effort to serve North Carolinians,” said Governor Josh Stein. “North Carolina’s Medicaid program is innovative and fiscally responsible. It delivers for taxpayers, helps keep people healthy, supports businesses and workforce and drives access to health care in rural communities. Medicaid strengthens North Carolina, and we need to protect it from damaging federal cuts.”

    Since Medicaid expansion launched on Dec. 1, 2023:

    • 6.1 million prescriptions were filled by new enrollees for heart health, diabetes, seizures and other illnesses.
    • $86 million in claims for dental services have been covered by Medicaid for the expansion population.
    • 233,000+ members of rural communities, more than one in three of all newly eligible people, who may not otherwise have access to health care, enrolled in Medicaid.
    • Overdoses in North Carolina have decreased, with visits to emergency departments down by 29% and suspected overdose deaths down by 27% from 2023 to 2024. There are more behavioral health providers serving people covered by Medicaid since expansion.

    “From a regular check-up, to specialized care for a chronic condition, to filling a prescription without worrying about high co-pays, getting health coverage is life-changing for people in every county,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. “NC Medicaid helps North Carolinians stay healthy, avoid missing work and enjoy time with their loved ones.”  

    Including those covered through Medicaid expansion, NC Medicaid provides affordable health coverage to more than 1 in 4 North Carolinians: more than 3 million children, older adults, people living with disabilities and other working adults. Despite widespread support for Medicaid, Congress is proposing massive cuts to the program that will hurt the state. Current proposals could take health care away from North Carolinians, worsen health outcomes, take billions from our state’s economy, disproportionately harm rural communities and drive-up costs for everyone, including employers.

    NCDHHS’ Medicaid Expansion webpage continues to provide information on eligibility, how to apply and where to get support. Additionally, the Medicaid Expansion Dashboard provides detailed information on the impact in all 100 counties. To learn more about expansion, why it’s important to protect Medicaid and how to get involved, visit medicaid.nc.gov. 

    Apr 9, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: More Than 500 Flu Deaths in North Carolina

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: More Than 500 Flu Deaths in North Carolina

    More Than 500 Flu Deaths in North Carolina
    hejones1

    The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today reported more than 500 flu-related deaths for the 2024-2025 respiratory virus season. This is the highest number of statewide flu deaths recorded since broad reporting began in 2009.

    This grim milestone serves as a reminder that seasonal influenza and other respiratory viruses can be serious and, in some cases, even fatal. Prevention and response to these and other illnesses and outbreaks is one of the critical roles that public health serves.

    “We are deeply saddened by the loss of life this respiratory virus season,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. “These numbers would be even higher without the dedication of the NCDHHS Division of Public Health and local health department teams who provide flu education, distribute vaccines, and support treatment and prevention efforts in all 100 counties. Their work saves lives every single day.”

    Public health workers monitor outbreaks and conduct disease surveillance year-round, ensure access and availability of vaccines, and provide guidance to partners across the state. NCDHHS staff coordinate with local health departments to ensure they have the information and tools they need to protect their communities when viral illnesses are circulating and provide direct support to long-term care facilities and other settings where the risk of severe illness is highest. Additionally, the public health team helps connect partners to up-to-date guidance and supports immunization planning efforts to ensure North Carolinians stay as safe and healthy as possible year-round.

    This news comes as we recognize National Public Health Week, a time to honor the thousands of public health professionals who passionately and tirelessly serve North Carolinians. From tracking infectious diseases and providing life-saving care, to ensuring clean drinking water and supporting maternal and child health, public health is the foundation of thriving communities.

    However, recent federal funding cuts have impacted the ability to protect the health and well-being of North Carolinians leaving the state vulnerable to public health threats. The abrupt and immediate termination of several federal grants in recent weeks have resulted in the loss of more than 80 jobs and at least $100 million for the department with more than $230 million in funding at risk. These dollars directly impact a number of areas including immunization efforts as well as infectious disease monitoring and response.

    Examples of some of the critical public health work that is halted or reduced because of these federal cuts include:

    • Completion of the State Laboratory of Public Health expansion that would better prepare North Carolina for outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics.
    • Loss of the corrections response team that provided consultation to prisons and jails regarding communicable diseases
    • Loss of staff who answer the 24/7 Epidemiologist On-Call line, staff who work on communicable disease reporting and staff working on measles education for the public and providers
    • Support for the NC DETECT early warning system for emerging medical trends
    • Electronic reporting of lab results to allow for more rapid response and prevention of spread
    • Community Health Worker outreach in areas hit hardest by Hurricane Helene
    • NC Quitline cessation services are now limited
    • Mobile immunization and vaccine outreach through Federally Qualified Health Centers
    • Partnerships with Tribal Communities that contribute to the health and safety of Tribal members

    Despite these challenges, trust in public health remains high. According to recent survey data, more than 80% of North Carolinians trust NCDHHS and their local health departments to support their well-being. In fact, eight in ten residents say the work of NCDHHS is very or extremely important to improving health in the state.

    “This trust is a clear signal that public health is more important than ever,” said Dr. Kelly Kimple, Interim State Health Director and NCDHHS Chief Medical Officer. “I’m incredibly proud of the dedication and impact of our public health teams across the state. Now is the time to match that trust with stable, long-term investment in our public health workforce and infrastructure so we can continue to protect our communities for years to come.”

    For more information on the critical work of public health, visit the NCDHHS Division of Public Health webpage.

    El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte informó hoy de más de 500 muertes relacionadas con la influenza (gripe) durante la temporada de virus respiratorios 2024 a 2025. Este es el mayor número de muertes por influenza en todo el estado registradas desde que comenzaron los informes generales en 2009.

    Este sombrío hecho sirve como un recordatorio de que la influenza estacional y otros virus respiratorios pueden ser graves y, en algunos casos, incluso mortales. La prevención y la respuesta a estas y otras enfermedades y brotes es una de las funciones críticas que la salud pública desempeña.

    “Estamos profundamente entristecidos por la pérdida de vidas en esta temporada de virus respiratorios”, dijo el secretario de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte, Dev Sangvai. “Estas cifras serían aún mayores sin la dedicación de la División de Salud Pública del NCDHHS y los equipos del departamento de salud local que brindan educación sobre la influenza, distribuyen vacunas y apoyan los esfuerzos de tratamiento y prevención en los 100 condados. Su trabajo salva vidas todos los días”.

    Los trabajadores de salud pública monitorean los brotes y realizan vigilancia de las enfermedades durante todo el año, aseguran el acceso y la disponibilidad de vacunas, y brindan orientación a los colaboradores en todo el estado. El personal de NCDHHS se coordina con los departamentos de salud locales para garantizar que tengan la información y las herramientas que necesitan para proteger a sus comunidades cuando circulan enfermedades virales y brindar apoyo directo a los centros de atención a largo plazo y otros entornos donde el riesgo de enfermedad grave es más alto. Además, el equipo de salud pública ayuda a conectar a los colaboradores con la orientación actualizada y apoya los esfuerzos de planificación de inmunización para garantizar que los habitantes de Carolina del Norte se mantengan lo más seguro y saludable posible durante todo el año.

    Esta noticia llega cuando reconocemos la Semana Nacional de la Salud Pública, un momento para honrar a los miles de profesionales de la salud pública que sirven apasionada e incansablemente a los habitantes de Carolina del Norte. Desde el seguimiento de las enfermedades infecciosas y la prestación de atención vital, hasta la garantía de agua potable y el apoyo a la salud materno infantil, la salud pública es la base de las comunidades prósperas.

    Sin embargo, los recientes recortes de fondos federales han afectado la capacidad de proteger la salud y el bienestar de los habitantes de Carolina del Norte, dejando al estado vulnerable a las amenazas a la  salud pública. La terminación abrupta e inmediata de varias subvenciones federales en las últimas semanas ha resultado en la pérdida de más de 80 empleos y al menos $100 millones para el departamento con más de $230 millones en fondos en riesgo. Estos dólares afectan directamente una serie de ámbitos, incluso los esfuerzos de inmunización, así como el monitoreo y la respuesta a las enfermedades infecciosas.

    Ejemplos de algunos de los trabajos críticos de salud pública que se ha detenido o reducido debido a estos recortes federales incluyen:

    • Finalización de la expansión del Laboratorio Estatal de Salud Pública que prepararía mejor a Carolina del Norte para brotes, epidemias y pandemias.
    • Pérdida del equipo de respuesta correccional que brindó consultas a prisiones y cárceles con respecto a enfermedades transmisibles
    • Pérdida de personal que responde a la línea de guardia de epidemiólogos las 24 horas del día, 7 días de la semana, personal que trabaja en informes de enfermedades transmisibles y personal que trabaja en la educación para el público y los proveedores sobre el sarampión
    • Ayuda para el sistema de alerta temprana de DETECCIÓN NC (NC DETECT) de las nacientes tendencias médicas
    • Informes electrónicos de los resultados de laboratorio para permitir una respuesta más rápida y la prevención de la propagación
    • Trabajadores de salud comunitaria que realizan actividades de extensión comunitaria en las zonas más afectadas por el huracán Helene
    • Los servicios para dejar de fumar de NC (NC Quitline) ahora son limitados
    • Inmunización móvil y alcance a la vacunación a través de centros de salud calificados federalmente
    • Asociaciones con comunidades tribales que contribuyen a la salud y seguridad de los miembros tribales

    A pesar de estos desafíos, la confianza en la salud pública sigue siendo alta. Según datos de encuestas recientes, más del 80% de los habitantes de Carolina del Norte confían en el NCDHHS y sus departamentos de salud locales en apoyar su bienestar. De hecho, ocho de cada diez residentes dicen que el trabajo de NCDHHS es muy o extremadamente importante para mejorar la salud en el estado.

    “Esta confianza es una señal clara de que la salud pública es más importante que nunca”, dijo la Dra. Kelly Kimple, Directora de Salud Estatal Interina y Directora Médica de NCDHHS. “Estoy increíblemente orgullosa de la dedicación y el impacto de nuestros equipos de salud pública en todo el estado. Ahora es el momento de combinar esa confianza con una inversión estable a largo plazo en nuestra fuerza laboral e infraestructura de salud pública para que podamos continuar protegiendo a nuestras comunidades en los próximos años”.

    Para obtener más información sobre el trabajo crítico de la salud pública, visite la página web de la División de Salud Pública de la NCDHHS.

    Apr 9, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scientists map unprecedented detail of connections and visual perception in the mouse brain

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 2

    Media Advisory
    Wednesday, April 9, 2025

    NIH-funded project helps unraveling the brain’s wiring, giving clues to how we see the world.

    What
    In a massive scientific effort funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), hundreds of researchers have helped to map the connections between hundreds of thousands of neurons in the mouse brain and then overlayed their firing patterns in response to visual stimuli. This breakthrough is a critical piece of foundational science to build toward understanding how our brains process visual information to reconstruct the images we see every day.
    Information processing in the human brain occurs via electrical firing of 86 billion neurons that make trillions of connections with each other. The secrets of how our brain enable us to think, feel, and act lie hidden in the complexity of its wiring diagram and the barrage of electrical signals that move across it in millisecond time frames. While the current findings focus on a tiny fraction of the brain, they reveal the complex connections between the cells and show how those connections are wired to produce functional responses. This information, which was previously beyond our reach, could help us understand how the brain functions normally and offer a guide to what goes wrong as the result of various disorders or injuries.  
    To carry out the study, researchers presented video clips to mice genetically engineered for their neurons to emit light when they fire. The neuron firing patterns in areas on the brain surface that are associated with vision were optically recorded across a cubic millimeter – about the size of a grain of sand. Within this deceptively small amount of tissue lies remarkable complexity: four kilometers of axons, the processes that nerve cells use to communicate with each other, intertwined to make more than 524 million connections called synapses across more than 200,000 cells.
    To map these connections teams worked 12-hour shifts for 12 straight days to carefully cut and image ultra-thin slices of the brain tissue using electron microscopes (EM). Reconstruction was the most challenging next step, as it required accurate stitching together almost 28,000 EM images to align the connections that cross the volume of brain tissue. This was followed by months of tracing the connections using deep learning algorithms followed by manual, and automated proofreading. Deep learning predictive models that explain visual information processing in the cortex were constructed and validated. In total, the sheer amount of data collected to create this tiny map comes out to 1.6 petabytes, roughly the equivalent of 22 years of continuous HD video.
    These results come at a time when maps of neurons and their connections are increasingly revealing the mysteries of the brain. In 2023, research funded by the National Institutes of Health Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® Initiative, or The NIH BRAIN Initiative®, produced the first complete cell atlas of the mouse brain, including the types and locations surveyed from more than 32 million cells. Last year, the NIH BRAIN Initiative “Flywire” project led to the complete mapping of the common fruit fly brain, demonstrating the unique value of mapping the whole brain in its entirety.
    Funding for this project was provided through the Machine Intelligence from Cortical Networks (MICrONS) Program of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity and the NIH BRAIN Initiative. The findings, published in a package of 10 papers published in the Nature family of journals, represent more than seven years of work performed by more than 150 scientists around the world.
    The mouse connectome data detailed in this press release can be visualized online using the MICrONS Explorer resource.
    Who
    John Ngai, Ph.D., director of The NIH BRAIN Initiative, is available for comment.
    Article
    The MICrONS Consortium et al. papers can be found here.  
    The NIH BRAIN Initiative, a multidisciplinary collaboration across 10 NIH Institutes and Centers, is uniquely positioned for cross-cutting discoveries in neuroscience to revolutionize our understanding of the human brain. By accelerating the development and application of innovative neurotechnologies, The BRAIN Initiative® is enabling researchers to understand the brain at unprecedented levels of detail in both health and disease, improving how we treat, prevent, and cure brain disorders. The BRAIN Initiative involves a multidisciplinary network of federal and non-federal partners whose missions and current research portfolios complement the goals of the NIH BRAIN Initiative. 
    About the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS): NINDS is the nation’s leading funder of research on the brain and nervous system. The mission of NINDS is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease.
    About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
    NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®
    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Unfair Trade Policies Destroyed Lives — And There’s Empirical Proof

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    When career politicians sold American workers out to foreign countries, not only were entire communities destroyed — Americans’ lives were also shattered by higher rates of alcohol abuse, drug overdose, and suicide.
    Studies have repeatedly shown the human impact of bad trade policies:
    A 2020 study in American Economic Review: Insights found that “areas more exposed to a plausibly exogenous change in international trade policy exhibit relative increases in fatal drug overdoses, specifically among whites,” concluding that there is “a relationship between a plausibly exogenous change in US trade policy and drug overdose fatalities among working-age whites, helping to explain the alarming rise in ‘deaths of despair’ among this group since 2000.”
    A 2019 study in SSM-Population Health found that from 1999 to 2015, “job loss due to international trade is positively associated with opioid overdose mortality at the county-level.”
    “In general, the loss of 1,000 trade-related jobs was associated with a 2.7 percent increase in opioid-related deaths.”
    “When fentanyl was present, the same number of job losses was associated with a 11.3 percent increase in such deaths.”

    A 2018 article in the Journal of International Economics found that “data from the U.S. Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program reveal that, across locations, one extra TAA trade-displaced worker is associated with the overall employment falling by about two workers amidst muted geographic mobility.”
    A 2020 article in SSM-Population Health noted “several recent studies have suggested a link between economic deterioration in labor markets and increased opioid deaths. Monnat (2018), found a cross-sectional association between manufacturing dependence and average drug-related mortality rates across U.S. counties. In a separate analysis, Monnat (2019) found that drug mortality rates for non-Hispanic whites are larger in counties designated as service sector-dependent in comparison to counties designated as non-specialized.”
    Monnat (2018): “Counties reliant on heavy manual labor industries, like mining and manufacturing, that have suffered substantial employment downturns and wage stagnation in recent decades, may have higher drug-related mortality rates.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, 35 Senators Introduce Bicameral Legislation To Guarantee Union Rights For Public Workers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    April 09, 2025

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined 35 of their Senate colleagues in reintroducing the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, bicameral legislation to guarantee the right of public sector employees to organize, act concertedly, and bargain collectively in states that currently do not afford these basic protections. This comes at a critical time, after President Trump’s recent executive order ended collective bargaining for over a million federal workers.
    “Trump has already stripped hundreds of thousands of federal workers of their collective bargaining rights, and even more public sector workers could be next. Unions built the middle class, and they’re still the best tool for workers to fight for better pay and fair treatment. This legislation would make sure our teachers, firefighters, and more than a million Americans who serve their communities have a seat at the negotiating table,” said Murphy.
    “The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act ensures that teachers, nurses, child welfare workers, firefighters, and so many others who serve our communities are afforded the same right to join a union as workers in the private sector,” said Blumenthal. “All workers deserve the free and unhindered opportunity to organize and collectively bargain for better pay, benefits, and working conditions.”
    The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would establish baseline federal protections to ensure all public service workers can join a union and negotiate workplace conditions—regardless of state law. Unlike private sector workers, there is currently no federal law protecting the freedom of public sector workers to join a union and collectively bargain for fair wages, benefits, and improved working conditions.
    Specifically, this bill would set a minimum nationwide standard of collective bargaining rights that states must provide, including allowing public service workers to join together and have a voice on the job to improve both working conditions and the communities in which they live and work. The legislation gives public service workers the freedom to:
    Join together in a union selected by a majority of employees; 
    Collectively bargain over wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment; 
    Access dispute resolution mechanisms; 
    Use voluntary payroll deduction for union dues; 
    Engage in concerted activities related to collective bargaining and mutual aid; 
    Have their union be free from requirements to hold rigged recertification elections; and 
    File suit in court to enforce their labor rights. 
    U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also cosponsored the legislation.
    The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is endorsed by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); the Communications Workers of America (CWA); American Federation of Teachers (AFT); AFL-CIO; Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU); Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE); International Brotherhood of Teamsters; International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM); International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE); International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE); International Union of Police Associations (IUPA); International Union of Painters & Allied Trades (IUPAT); Laborer’s International Union of North America (LiUNA); National Education Association (NEA); National Nurses United; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Transport Workers Union of America (TWU); UNITE HERE!; United Autoworkers; United Steelworkers (USW).
    Full text of the legislation is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Titus Pushes to Fully Fund Reproductive Health Care Services Through Title X

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Dina Titus (1st District of Nevada)

    Washington, DC – Today Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-NV), a member of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, introduced legislation with Representatives Sharice Davids (KS-03) and Judy Chu (CA-28) to increase access to family planning and reproductive health care services by funding the Title X Family Planning Program. The Expanding Access to Family Planning Act would bolster funding for Title X, the only federal program dedicated to providing family planning services for low-income individuals. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Patty Murray (D-WA) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

    As of 2020, nearly fifty percent of family planning users in Nevada were uninsured, with roughly the same percentage at or below the Federal Poverty Level. The program has been flat funded for the last eleven years, leading to substantial program cuts at the state level. From 2019 to 2022, Nevada’s five Title X grantees lost a quarter of their funding collectively. The program still lacks sufficient funding to meet the growing nationwide need for family planning care, especially as the Trump Administration freezes millions of dollars of Title X funding, worsening barriers for family planning users.

    “The Trump Administration is denying women across Nevada and the U.S. the freedom to make decisions about their own bodies and their families’ futures,” said Rep. Dina Titus (NV-01). “By fully funding family planning services, we can protect women’s rights to access lifesaving preventive care, birth control, and other reproductive health services at a time when these freedoms are under constant attack.”

    “In Kansas and across the country, people are being turned away from the only places they can afford to get basic, lifesaving reproductive care — all because the Trump Administration is playing politics with their health,” said Rep. Sharice Davids (KS-03). “This bill protects trusted providers and ensures access to cancer screenings, birth control, and STI testing, no matter your income, where you live, or how you vote.”

    “While the Trump-Musk administration freezes Title X funding around the country, threatening family planning and health screenings for hundreds of thousands of women, Democrats are fighting back with the bicameral introduction of the Expanding Access to Family Planning Act,” said Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28). “Trump and Congressional Republicans may not care about providing American women the freedom to plan their futures, but we do. And we are backing it up with this legislation to guarantee stable funding for Title X, improve health clinics’ infrastructure, and protect their access to comprehensive, affordable reproductive health care.”

    The Expanding Access to Family Planning Act would:

    • Provide $512 million in mandatory funding for Title X services annually for 10 years;
    • Deliver $50 million in mandatory funding for clinic construction, renovation, and related infrastructure enhancements annually for 10 years;
    • Reinstate regulations prohibiting discrimination of providers who deliver Title X services, and
    • Require that pregnancy counseling be nondirective and include information about prenatal care and delivery, infant care, foster care, adoption, and pregnancy termination, unless a patient is uninterested in receiving information about an option.

    This legislation has been endorsed by the Guttmacher Institute, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, National Women’s Law Center, National Council of Jewish Women, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Power to Decide, Reproductive Freedom for All, and Upstream USA.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Minister Burke announces €17 million for innovative Cancer and neonatal treatments

    Source: Government of Ireland – Department of Jobs Enterprise and Innovation

    9th April 2025

    Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke, and Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless, today announced funding of €17 million for two additional projects under Call 7 of the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF).

    The announcement took place in the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT), Co. Dublin.  NIBRT is a partner in the “Can-Vas” project which has been awarded €10.7m

    This first of its kind in-human study treats infants with a type of brain damage, as well as expanding the pipeline of cell and gene therapies for rare and seriously debilitating diseases. NIBRT are working with three other partners on this project – Deantusaiocht Slainte HiTech Teoranta, University College Cork, INFANT Research Centre and the lead partner, HAON Life Sciences.

    An additional project – LOTUS – has been awarded €6.4m which will develop a complete smart system to facilitate at-home anti-cancer treatment (SACT) with monitoring, enabling cancer patients to self-administer treatment in their own home.  Representatives of the consortium comprised of Luminate Medical – the lead partner, Gentian Health, University of Galway and Trinity College Dublin were also in attendance at today’s event.

    Announcing today’s projects, the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke said: 

    “I am delighted to announce awards of over €17 million to two exciting and hugely innovative projects under Call 7 of the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund. These two projects demonstrate the importance of the fund in leveraging emerging technologies for the well-being of our citizens. The technology in these projects will provide life-changing solutions for patients undergoing cancer treatment and for new and expectant parents where the safety and well-being of their unborn child is paramount. By funding these projects, the Government is maintaining its commitment to investing in cutting-edge technologies, with consequent benefits for the health care sector and other national research priority areas.

    Since the Fund launch in 2018, my Department has awarded over €393 million in funding to 107 collaborative DTIF projects. Importantly, the fund is giving enterprises and research institutions opportunities to engage and connect with some of the brightest minds in Ireland, to conceive ideas, build relationships and foster knowledge-sharing for the benefit of all.”

    James Lawless, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science added:

    “It is great to see projects with a strong potential to deliver impactful health care solutions becoming recipients of the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund.  We are now financing 404 project partners from our enterprise and research sectors which are bringing forward novel and innovative ideas that will not only benefit our health services but focus on tackling wider sectoral and economic challenges associated with demands emerging around developments with Artificial Intelligence, sustainability and digitalisation. What makes this Fund unique is its ability to foster collaborative research that builds strong relationships that will benefit our citizens, our economy and generating high quality jobs for our graduates.”

    The projects announced today bring the total number awarded to 107. This is no small feat. It underscores the critical role of disruptive technologies, on a national scale, and recognises the Government’s continued commitment to advancing and supporting the development of these transformative and lifechanging technologies.”

    Kevin Sherry, interim CEO, Enterprise Ireland said:

    “Enterprise Ireland is proud to support the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund, which continues to drive impactful collaborations between Ireland’s leading enterprises and research institutions. These newly funded projects exemplify the power of innovation in addressing critical healthcare challenges, from advancing cancer treatment solutions to pioneering life-saving therapies for newborns. By investing in cutting-edge technologies, we are strengthening Ireland’s position as a global leader in innovation, fostering high-value job creation, and delivering real-world benefits for patients and society. We look forward to seeing these transformative projects progress and make a lasting impact.”

    DTIF Call 7 remains open for project applications which can be submitted at any time up to the closing date of 30 April 2025.

    Note to Editors

    The Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) is a €500 million fund established under the National Development Plan (NDP) in 2018. The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment manages the DTIF with administrative support from Enterprise Ireland.

    The purpose of the Fund is to drive collaboration between Ireland’s world-class research base and industry as well as facilitating enterprises to compete directly for funding in support of the development and adoption of these technologies. The aim is to support investment in the development and deployment of disruptive technologies and applications on a commercial basis.

    DTIF Call 7 applications are assessed by panels of international experts against four criteria – quality of the disruptive technology, excellence of overall approach, economic impact and sustainability, and strength of the collaboration.

    Since the Fund was launched in 2018, a total of 107 projects have been awarded funding of over €393m. The 404 project partners involved are operating in every region across the country, with 60% of those partners located outside of Dublin.

    Prospective applicants can obtain detailed information on the Fund and on the application process through enterprise.gov.ie/DTIF. 

    Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) Call 7 Award Details 

    Project Description

    Consortium Members

    Research Priority Area

    Regional Location

    Total DTIF Award 

    Can-Vas Cell Therapy Platform: Unlocking life-changing treatments for neonatal brain injury

    1. HAON Life Sciences   

    2. Deantusaiocht Slainte HiTech Teoranta 

    3. NIBRT

    4. University College Cork (INFANT)

    Health & Wellbeing

    Dublin, Galway and Cork

    €10.7m

    A technology breakthrough to enable At Home cancer care in oncology patients

    1. Luminate Medical

    2. Gentian Health

    3. University of Galway

    4. Trinity College Dublin

    Health & Wellbeing

    Dublin, Clare and Galway

    €6.4m

    ENDS

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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Funding Suicide Prevention for Uniformed Personnel

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced the award of 18 grants to expand resiliency and suicide prevention efforts among military veterans and uniformed personnel, including law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical service personnel, correction officers and emergency dispatchers. Administered through the New York Office of Mental Health’s Suicide Prevention Center of New York, the CARES UP initiative will provide $60,000 over two years to four law enforcement agencies; three fire departments; three EMS services; three emergency communications organizations; two corrections agencies and three organizations serving veterans.

    “New York’s first responders and uniformed personnel routinely go above and beyond the call of duty, and often at great personal expense,” Governor Hochul said. “This funding will ensure these organizations and agencies are better equipped to cultivate resilience and mental wellness among their ranks to help properly address stress and trauma they encounter in the line of duty.”

    In addition, the Office of Mental Health (OMH) also provided awards of $40,000 over two years to 11 organizations previously funded through CARES UP to sustain their mental health and wellness initiatives. These sustainability awards were made possible after Governor Hochul successfully increased funding for the program in the FY25 Enacted Budget to $3 million annually.

    The CARES UP program provides organizations with $30,000 annually to increase suicide prevention efforts and wellness programming in their agencies. First responder agencies work closely with the Suicide Prevention Center to receive training from national subject matter experts on topics such as resiliency, mental health and wellness, suicide prevention and peer support and implement agency-specific actions to address their unique needs.

    The initiative also provides these grants to support veterans’ organizations via Onward Ops. Recipient organizations use the funding to promote social welfare of service members transitioning back to their communities after their tour of duty ends.

    New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “It is important to recognize the stress and cumulative trauma first responders and veterans experience as they do their jobs and the toll that this can take on their mental health. CARES UP works with their organizations to mitigate this stress, build resilience and support mental wellbeing. By building and expanding this program, Governor Hochul is demonstrating her commitment to the mental wellness of our veterans, first responders and their families.”

    Studies have shown the cumulative stress and trauma are common in uniformed personnel professions and have placed these individuals at greater risk of suicide. To better understand the mental health-related challenges facing individuals working in public safety fields, the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services partnered with SUNY New Paltz’s Institute for Disaster Mental Health to complete a first responder needs assessment survey of more than 6,000 individuals in law enforcement, emergency medical services, fire services, emergency communications and emergency management from every region.

    The assessment showed more than half of the participants experience high levels of stress, burnout, anxiety and depression related to their jobs, and that they may not seek help due to their fear of facing stigma. Thoughts of suicide were reported by 16 percent of respondents — a level four times higher than the general population of the state.

    Likewise, New York veterans die by suicide at a rate nearly two times higher than civilians — a rate that has remained relatively unchanged since 2012. Veterans under the age of 55 consistently experience the highest rates of suicide in New York.

    New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said, “Our first responders encounter unimaginable situations at work on a daily basis that most of us will never face, and then they go home and try to manage the normal activities of everyday life. It is vital that we work to ensure they have the resources they need to take care of themselves at work and at home. While the results of the First Responder Mental Health Needs Assessment may not be surprising, we now have specific details about the toll this work can take on people’s mental health and can work together on developing the kind of help that can make a positive difference in their lives.”

    New York State Department of Veterans’ Services Commissioner Viviana DeCohensaid, “Our courageous Service Members and Veterans are our best, brightest and bravest. Yet they often carry invisible burdens long after the uniform comes off. This critical support acknowledges those challenges and delivers real tools for healing and mental wellness. We are grateful to Governor Hochul for her steadfast leadership and unwavering commitment to the wellbeing of our Veterans and Service Members. This vital funding — and the essential services it enables — will ultimately save lives.”

    New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “Our law enforcement officers and first responders demonstrate remarkable strength and bravery every day, but we know that their professions are filled with stress and trauma, often helping people during their worst moments. It is vital that these professionals can access the help that they need, such as confidential services and support that address their unique experiences. At DCJS, we prioritize officer wellness in our basic training requirements for law enforcement, as well as our professional development offerings. I commend Governor Hochul’s steadfast leadership and commitment to our officers and first responders and am pleased to work with the Office of Mental Health, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, and other agencies on this important issue.”

    New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Acting Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “DEC’s Environmental Conservation Police Officers and Forest Rangers, put their lives on the line to protect New Yorkers and our critical natural resources. There’s no such thing as a routine call, they encounter unexpected and, at times, tragic circumstances in their work. We know that can take a toll on the mental well-being of our first responders that effects them at work and at home. Governor Hochul, DEC and our partners know that we need to take care of our first responders, as they care for us. We are committed to provided mental wellness tools and resources to meaningfully support our first responders and their families.”

    State Senator Samra G. Brouk said, “As Chair of the Senate Committee on Mental Health, I have observed how peer support can dramatically improve mental health outcomes for individuals in crisis. The CARES UP program utilizes the power of peer support and suicide prevention efforts to address the unique needs of our first responders and veterans. I applaud Governor Hochul for her continued investment in expanding mental health services for individuals who serve our communities.”

    Assemblymember Steve Stern said, “As the Chairman of the New York State Assembly Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, I applaud Governor Hochul’s announcement that our local heroes, who serve all of us, will have access to the services they need and deserve. Far too many of our soldiers, veterans, first responders and law enforcement professionals have struggled with mental health challenges and take their own lives. That is absolutely unacceptable, and these grants to improve resiliency, wellness, support and suicide prevention will be an important part of saving lives.”

    Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon said, “Our veterans and uniformed personnel face a growing mental health crisis, and we must meet this moment with support and sustained investment. These grants will help address the unique mental health needs of those who have served and sacrificed by expanding access to suicide prevention and wellness programs. Thank you to Governor Hochul for supporting the organizations on the front lines of this crisis as New York State strives to strengthen our mental health services.”

    This year’s CARES UP recipients include:

    Capital Region:

    • Albany County Corrections*
    • Albany City Police Department*
    • Albany County Sheriff’s Office
    • Clifton Park & Half Moon Emergency Corps*
    • Colonie EMS*
    • Veterans and Community Housing Coalition
    • Watervliet Fire Department*

    Central New York:

    • Eastern Paramedics Inc.
    • Onondaga County Department of Communication Services

    Mid-Hudson:

    • Clarkstown Police Department*
    • Village of Mamaroneck Police Department*
    • New Windsor Police Department
    • Pleasant Valley Fire District
    • Port Chester Police Department*
    • Orange County Emergency Services Emergency Communications
    • Orange County Emergency Services – Police Services Division
    • Orange County Emergency Services – Fire Services Division
    • City of Rye Fire Department

    Long Island:

    • Nassau County Sheriff’s Department
    • Sayville American Legion Post 651
    • Suffolk County Police Department
    • Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department*

    Mohawk Valley:

    • Utica Center for Development Inc.

    North Country:

    • St. Lawrence County Correctional Facility

    Southern Tier:

    • Village of Liberty Police Department
    • Sullivan County Division of Public Safety

    Western New York:

    • Allegany County Sheriff’s Department*
    • City of Olean Fire Department*
    • Town of West Seneca Police Department

    * Denotes organizations receiving sustainability funding.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Recommendations on Fish Consumption for Parts of the Pawcatuck River and Grills Preserve Pond Due to PFAS Contamination

    Source: US State of Rhode Island

    The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is recommending that the public limit consumption of native fish caught in certain areas of the Pawcatuck River downstream of Burdickville Road in Hopkinton and to avoid eating any fish from the Grills Preserve Pond in Bradford. Fish caught in these areas have had high levels of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).

    RIDOH is issuing the following fish consumption recommendations to protect public health:

    – Do not eat any fish caught from the Grills Preserve Pond.

    – Eat no more than 1 meal per month of native fish (i.e., perch, bass, and pickerel) caught from the Pawcatuck River downstream of Burdickville Road in Hopkinton.

    – Since PFAS tend to accumulate more in organs compared to muscle tissue, do not eat the organs of fish caught from the Pawcatuck River downstream of Burdickville Road in Hopkinton.

    – RIDOH does not currently have the data needed to make a health-based recommendation on the safety of consuming stocked trout in this section of the Pawcatuck River. Individuals concerned about PFAS should know that these species can accumulate PFAS. People can be exposed to PFAS from a variety of sources and can lower their intake from one or more sources by limiting or replacing them.

    Stocked trout were not collected in this study, so RIDOH does not have data to show how much PFAS they contain. Generally, research shows that fish take up PFAS quickly from the environment. Stocked trout are raised in a separate location and do not spend as much time in the river. Right now, there is not enough data about how fast PFAS levels increase in stocked trout. For stocked trout in the Pawcatuck River, RIDOH cannot determine if PFAS will reach levels of concern before they are fished. RIDOH is currently working with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) to get better data on whether PFAS reaches levels of concern in stocked trout. RIDEM has also changed the stocking schedule so that PFAS in stocked trout are less likely to reach levels of concern.

    “Fishing is a valued tradition in Rhode Island, and fish are a good source of protein and nutrients. However, fish in some areas can have high levels of pollutants that can harm our health,” said Director of Health Jerome Larkin, MD. “While we are still learning about the sources and effects of PFAS, it is important to take steps to lower our exposure to these chemicals. After careful consideration of the data and health risks, we are recommending that people eat only one meal per month of native fish (i.e., perch, bass, and pickerel) caught from the Pawcatuck River downstream Burdickville Road in Hopkinton.”

    RIDOH has posted signs at the Grills Preserve Pond advising people not to eat the fish. RIDOH is planning to post signs at popular fishing spots along the Pawcatuck River in the area of the advisory. The Department is also planning two public meetings to discuss the findings, hear community concerns and input, and provide guidance on reducing exposure risks. The community meetings will be scheduled in spring 2025. Sign up to be notified when the meetings are scheduled at health.ri.gov/fish.

    About PFAS PFAS are a class of chemicals that repel oil and water. They have been used since the 1940s to make products water-, grease-, and stain-resistant and in certain fire-fighting products. Some PFAS take centuries to break down in the environment. PFAS that don’t break down build up in and pollute the environment. PFAS can also build up in our bodies. People can be exposed to PFAS by eating food, drinking water, accidentally swallowing dust, or breathing air polluted with PFAS.

    Studies have shown certain PFAS can contribute to negative health effects, including: higher cholesterol levels; lower infant birth weights; weakened immune response; and increased risk of some cancer, including kidney cancer.

    More Details About the Advisory and Data RIDOH is making these recommendations based on the known health risks of PFAS and data on PFAS in fish that is available today. RIDOH, the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, researchers from Roger Williams University, and the Environmental Protection Agency recently worked together to test several fish species that are native to the Pawcatuck River and Grills Preserve Pond for PFAS. The fish tested included sunfish, largemouth bass, and chain pickerel.

    Fish caught from the Grills Preserve Pond had very high levels of PFAS that could increase the risk of health effects. Based on the level of PFAS, RIDOH advises the public not to eat fish from the Grills Preserve Pond.

    Fish were collected from the Pawcatuck River in the area of the former Bradford Dyeing Association facility also had high levels of PFAS. However, levels of PFAS were lower in fish from the Pawcatuck River than the Grills Preserve Pond. Therefore, RIDOH advises the public to eat only one native fish meal per month from the Pawcatuck River downstream of Burdickville Road in Hopkinton. Upstream of this point, RIDOH does not have data to make a recommendation on the amount of fish that is safe to eat.

    Currently, there is no data on how quickly stocked trout in the Pawcatuck River accumulate PFAS from the river. There is limited data from other states and scientific studies that shows stocked trout can accumulate PFAS quickly. However, studies on this topic have used conditions that are not reflective of conditions in the Pawcatuck River. RIDOH may change this guidance if data show that stocked trout in the Pawcatuck River do accumulate PFAS to levels that cause health concerns. Similarly, RIDOH does not have the data needed to make a health-based recommendation on the safety of eating wild game and bird species near Bradford Dyeing Association. People concerned about PFAS should know that these species (e.g., stocked trout and game birds) can accumulate PFAS. People can be exposed to PFAS from a variety of sources. You can lower your exposure to PFAS by limiting or replacing common sources of PFAS. PFAS is common in many products like grease-resistant food packaging, non-stick pots and pans, and stain-resistant carpeting.

    For more information about fish consumption guidance, visit health.ri.gov/fish or contact the RIDOH Health Information Line at 401-222-5960. The full health consultation report and addendum on stocked trout are available on the RIDOH website at health.ri.gov/ehrap. For more information on PFAS and health risks, visit health.ri.gov/pfas.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Vasquez Calls on VA Secretary to Protect Access to Abortion for American Heroes

    Source: US Representative Gabe Vasquez’s (NM-02)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) called on the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins to halt all efforts to roll back access to reproductive health services, including abortion care for veterans.

    “America’s veterans deserve our utmost respect, and it is unconscionable that they are facing barriers to reproductive healthcare,” Vasquez said. “Abortion is healthcare, period. I will not stand by as medical treatment is being stripped away from veterans who served our nation to protect these rights.”

    The letter to Secretary Collins opposes the VA’s attempt to rescind the March 2024 rule entitled “Reproductive Health Services,” which was initially put in place to ensure the VA fully upholds its obligation to promote veterans’ health and provide the comprehensive care they’ve earned. 

    This letter by Vasquez follows a long record of opposing restrictions to reproductive care for military members. As a Member of the House Armed Services Committee, he led the charge in getting restrictions on abortion removed from the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act.

    You can find the text of the letter to Secretary Collins here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King, Welch Introduce Legislation to Prevent Costly Falls

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Peter Welch (D-VT) are introducing legislation to help prevent dangerous and costly falls. The Home Accessibility Tax Credit Act would establish a refundable tax credit for eligible home modifications designed to improve accessibility — saving both Americans with the highest risk of falling, as well as taxpayers, from the high medical costs associated with falls.
    “I often say, ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ and the cheapest way to treat a broken hip is to prevent it from happening in the first place,” said Senator King. “The Home Accessibility Tax Credit Act is important legislation that would ease the financial burden of accessibility-focused home improvement projects — such as modifying doorways or installing grab bars. This is a commonsense step forward to help save Maine people from the physical danger and financial costs that can result from all-too-common falls.”
    “Accessible living spaces can make a big difference when it comes to preventing falls — but making structural changes to a home doesn’t come cheap. We need to do more to meet the needs of aging Vermonters, including helping folks pay for lifesaving home modifications that keep them safe,” said Senator Welch. “I’m proud to partner with Senator King on this legislation to ensure New Englanders can live safely in their homes.” 
    The tax credit would be equal to 35% of the cost of the qualified home modification, with a cap of $10,000 per taxable year and $30,000 in lifetime limit across all taxable years. The tax credit is targeted toward middle income families and will become phased out in generosity above $400,000 for joint filers and $200,000 for single filers or heads of households.
    Eligible home modifications would include zero-step entrances, ramps, widened doors and hallways, modified counters, bathroom accessibility improvements, and the installation, replacement, or modification of appliances to make them more accessible to individuals with a vision impairment. The list of approved modifications could be updated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Health and Human Services (HHS).
    Three groups would be eligible to receive the tax credit:
    Individuals 60 and older; 
    Individuals under retirement age but entitled to social security disability insurance (SSDI), supplemental security income (SSI) or veterans disability compensation; or
    Individuals at any age with a disability certification.
    As an extension of his longtime focus on prevention efforts, Senator King has been leading the charge in the “Stand Strong” space. He previously introduced a legislative package to encourage proactive home modifications and to increase access to preventative screenings for older Americans to keep them thriving while avoiding costly injuries. The package included the reintroduction of the Preventative Home Visits Act and the WELL Seniors Act to expand Medicare benefits to cover home modifications, ensure the accessibility of telehealth services and include comprehensive screenings during Medicare Annual Wellness Visits. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Fear and uncertainty are daily staples for Gaza’s most vulnerable

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    In Gaza, ongoing Israeli military operations and the aid blockade have continued to add to daily fears and hardships being faced by those about to give birth in the devastated enclave.

    That’s the message from the UN World Health Organization, WHO, which said on Wednesday that mothers are going into labour amid dire conditions, putting their health and their babies’ lives at risk.

    It is now five weeks since Israeli authorities stopped all commercial and humanitarian relief supplies from reaching Gaza.

    Medicines and other medical provisions “are rapidly running out”, with blood units and other supplies for maternal and child health at critically low levels, UN aid teams report.

    Unexploded weapons are also a major threat across Gaza and have added to the hardships caused by the total ban on relief entering the Strip, said Luke Irving, Chief of the Mine Action Programme in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).

    “People are scared” and focusing on day-to-day survival, “how they stay fed, how they stay watered – this is the reality in Gaza at the moment,” he told UN News.

    Guterres appeal

    At UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday, UN chief António Guterres issued a strong appeal for guaranteed aid access to the enclave.

    He also repeated his call for a renewed ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and for the release of all hostages still held inside Gaza.

    The Secretary-General highlighted how the truce between the warring parties had resulted in the release of hostages and the distribution of lifesaving aid.

    Today however, “as aid has dried up, the floodgates of horror have re-opened,” Mr. Guterres insisted.

    Soundcloud

    Malnutrition fears are real

    Latest updates from UN agencies and partners issued confirmed that no aid has entered Gaza since 2 March. “Malnutrition, disease and other preventable conditions are expected to surge, increasing the risk of preventable child deaths,” UNICEF warned.

    Mass displacement has also returned to the enclave, with a full two-thirds of the Gaza Strip now designated as “no-go” zones by the Israeli military or placed under displacement orders. At least 390,000 people have been forced to move in the past three weeks.

    Escalating Israeli bombardment of Gaza between 3 and 8 April has killed 287 Palestinians and injured 912, according to Gazan health authorities.

    Between 7 October 2023 and 8 April 2025, the same authorities say that at least 50,810 Palestinians have been killed and 115,688 Palestinians injured.

    The UN humanitarian affairs office (OCHA) meanwhile reported that rockets were fired from Gaza on 3 and 6 April towards Israel including one which struck the city of Ashkelon, injuring at least 12 Israelis.

    Aid workers under attack

    The number of aid workers killed since October 2023 has now risen to 412. In recent weeks, Israeli forces targeted and killed 14 staff on duty in Rafah from the Palestine Red Crescent Society, Palestinian Civil Defence and one from the UN Palestine refugee agency, UNRWA, prompting widespread condemnation from UN senior officials.

    “It is a very, very, very challenging time and evidence would show me that we’re not protected at the moment,” said Luke Irving, Chief of the Mine Action Programme in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).

    Speaking to UN News, he appealed for stronger protection measures for colleagues trying to work in an active combat zone “because the people need it, civilians need it.”

    Relief supplies run down

    Aid partners continue to warn that the nutrition situation is growing more dire by the day as stocks run low. Malnutrition screenings continue across Gaza but “supply shortages and movement restrictions – coupled with active hostilities and other challenges – are hampering their operations”.

    In March, for instance, only 50,000 children were screened for malnutrition, a decrease of more than a third, compared to February.

    Relief teams are also struggling to access remaining stocks of ready-to-use complementary food in North Gaza governorate, amid ongoing hostilities and displacement orders. “In March, the distribution of these supplies was half of February’s levels,” OCHA said.

    Fresh evacuation orders have pushed more families to Al Mawasi and areas west of Gaza City.

    “Shelters for displaced people are overstretched: hygiene and sanitation conditions are collapsing, with water lacking and reports of flea and insect infestations,” OCHA reported.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan Launches American Physician Recruitment Campaign

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on April 9, 2025

    Advertising Campaign Targets Medical Professionals from the United States 

    The Government of Saskatchewan is kicking off a digital recruitment campaign today in partnership with the Saskatchewan Healthcare Recruitment Agency (SHRA) encouraging physicians from the United States to consider practising in Saskatchewan. 

    “We want to showcase to Americans why Saskatchewan offers them a new direction by being an excellent choice for physicians who want to practice in a secure, stable and supportive environment,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “We are committed to ensuring that physicians in Saskatchewan are well-compensated for their hard work, enjoy career fulfillment and have a positive work-life balance with a lower cost of living.”

    The campaign highlights current career opportunities, upcoming physician-focused information webinars, and will promote the many benefits such as competitive compensation, lower cost of living, work/life balance and stability offered in Saskatchewan. Acknowledging the uncertain political climate in the United States, the advertisements note the stability and security doctors, and their families can experience here. 

    “Saskatchewan offers one of the quickest pathways to medical licensure for physicians who have American Board certification and have, or are eligible to obtain, a full license in the United States,” SHRA CEO Terri Strunk said. “We regularly showcase our opportunities in the United States, but this campaign is a bit different, designed to capture the attention of physicians who may be looking north for a new opportunity.”

    The digital campaign will be directed to physicians currently practising in several states. Emergency medicine physicians, anesthesiologists, and family physicians are part of the focus of these recruitment efforts. 

    Saskatchewan is currently developing a more in-depth physician recruitment campaign that features practising physicians based in Swift Current, Saskatoon, and North Battleford. The profiled physicians explain in their own words why Saskatchewan is a great choice to build your practice and your life exploring advantages such as team-based care; a strong, supportive physician network, opportunities for career growth, and many other benefits including their connection to helping Saskatchewan patients. 

    The “Saskatchewan is Calling” campaign will be launched in early spring and placed in provincial, national, and international markets, including the United States. 

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pressley, Sánchez, Connolly, Beyer Demand Trump Trade Official Resign from Holding Multiple Positions

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Amid Mass Firings, Ethics Violations, and Reckless Trade War, Pressley Sounds Alarm on US Trade Rep’s Triple Appointment to Lead Key Watchdog Agencies

    Clear Conflicts of Interest Threaten to Further Harm Federal Workers

    Text of Letter (PDF)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Congresswoman Linda Sánchez (CA-38), House Oversight Ranking Member Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11), and Congressman Don Beyer (VA-08) sent a letter to United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Jamieson Greer, who was recently appointed as Acting Special Counsel of the Office of Special Counsel (OSC), a key watchdog agency charged with protecting federal workers, and Acting Director of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), the agency responsible for Executive Branch ethics programs. Citing the conflicts of interest among these three appointments, Congresswoman Pressley and her colleagues questioned how Greer will be able to oversee Trump’s trade war while also holding multiple roles—and calls on him to resign from his roles as Acting Special Counsel and Acting Director.

    Congresswoman Pressley has led efforts in Congress to protect federal workers, and her letter comes as the Musk-Trump Administration continue their unjust and unlawful terminations of federal workers across the country and accumulation of numerous ethics complaints.

    “Since President Trump has launched a global trade war, it is critical that you remain focused on mitigating the economic turmoil that has already began. Taking on at least two other jobs is misguided and a disservice to the public who expect a competent and effective USTR, OSC, and OGE. We urge you to immediately relinquish your roles as Acting Special Counsel, Acting Director, and any other positions,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter to USTR Ambassador Jamieson Greer.

    In their letter, the lawmakers questioned the ability of Ambassador Greer to fulfill the massive responsibilities of each role, as well as the unethical conflicts of interest that the triple role present. The lawmakers emphasize that as USTR, Ambassador Greer should remain focused on mitigating the economic turmoil that has already begun. While in his OSC role, Greer would also be responsible for protecting more than 2.2 million federal workers in the civil service from discrimination, political coercion, and retaliation for exposing wrongdoing. In addition, in his OGE role, Greer would lead ethics programs in more than 140 agencies in the Executive Branch. However, since OSC’s and OGE’s jurisdictions include oversight of USTR, where cases of wrongful termination, ethics complaints, and whistleblower reprisals may arise, these responsibilities are impossible to carry out impartially.

    “Given these concerns, we do not have confidence in your ability to impartially or effectively fulfill the demanding responsibilities of each office,” the lawmakers continued. “We urge you to immediately resign as Acting Special Counsel and Acting Director. Anything less fails to meet the ethical and professional standards required to preserve the independence and effectiveness of both offices.”

    The lawmakers requested Ambassador Greer provide the following information by April 16, 2025:

    • In addition to your positions as USTR, Acting Special Counsel, and Acting Director, what other roles do you hold in the Trump Administration?
    • In the course of a normal day, how many hours are you spending working on USTR matters compared to OSC matters and OGE matters?
    • Have you recused yourself from any OSC or OGE investigations involving the Office of the United States Trade Representative? If not, why not? If so, who is responsible for handling those complaints?
    • Were ethics officials at any of the agencies consulted before you assumed multiple roles? If so, please provide a copy of any guidance or recommendations you received.
    • Has any information regarding OSC or OGE complaints related to DOGE been shared with DOGE staff?

    A copy of the letter is available here.

    In February, Rep. Pressley led 85 lawmakers in writing to the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) urging OSC to ensure all unfairly fired civil servants are immediately rehired and protected from greater abuse, and she has applauded numerous court rulings mandating their reinstatement.

    In March, Rep. Pressley led her colleagues in the Massachusetts congressional delegation in a letter to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sharply criticizing and demanding answers about the impact of the Musk-Trump Administration’s mass firings of federal workers in Massachusetts.

    Congresswoman Pressley has been a leading voice in Congress speaking out against Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s unprecedented assault on our democracy and federal agencies, and she has been a steadfast advocate for protecting the essential services that federal workers and agencies provide.

    • On March 28, 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement slamming Trump’s executive order to end collective bargaining rights for hundreds of thousands of federal employees.
    • On March 21, 2025, Rep. Pressley led Massachusetts lawmakers in a letter to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) sharply criticizing and demanding answers about the impact of the Musk-Trump Administration’s mass firings of federal workers in Massachusetts.
    • On March 11, 2025, Rep. Pressley spoke out against the U.S. Department of Education’s mass layoffs of over 1,300 workers, which effectively guts the agency.
    • On March 11, 2025, Rep. Pressley voted against Republicans’ shameful government budget bill, which would harm vulnerable families and provide a blank check for Elon Musk and Donald Trump to continue their unprecedented assault on our democracy. She later issued a statement condemning its final passage in the Senate.
    • On March 11, 2025, Rep. Pressley joined 13 of her colleagues on a letter to the Department of Homeland Security demanding answers and the immediate release of Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil, whose illegal abduction is an attack on his constitutional right to free speech and due process.
    • On March 4, 2025, Rep. Pressley walked out of the House chamber in protest during Donald Trump’s presidential joint address to Congress.
    • On March 4, 2025, Rep. Pressley welcomed Claire Bergstresser, an Everett constituent, dedicated public servant, AFGE union member, and former HUD worker who was unjustly terminated as part of Musk and Trump’s assault on federal agencies as her guest to the presidential joint address to Congress.
    • On February 28, 2025, Rep. Pressley led 85 lawmakers in a letter urging the Office of Special Counsel to immediate reinstate and expand protections for all unfairly fired federal workers.
    • On February 28, 2025, Rep. Pressley joined over 200 Democrats in filing an amicus brief defending the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau before a U.S. District Court.
    • On February 26, 2025, in a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley discussed what true government efficiency looks like and denounced Elon Musk and Donald Trump for utilizing DOGE to gut the essential services that keep people safe, fed, and housed.
    • On February 25, 2025, in a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley condemned Elon Musk’s abuse of government efficiency through the fraudulent Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
    • On February 25, 2025, Rep. Pressley delivered a floor speech in which she railed against Republicans’ cruel budget resolution that would slash Medicaid by nearly $1 trillion.
    • On February 20, 2025, Rep. Pressley and her Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs issued a statement condemning the Trump Administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti.
    • On February 13, 2025, in a House Financial Services Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley emphasized the critical role of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in safeguarding consumers and sharply criticized Donald Trump and Elon Musk for halting the critical work of the agency.
    • On February 10, 2025, Rep. Pressley rallied with Senator Elizabeth Warren, Ranking Member Maxine Waters, and advocates to protest Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s unlawful takeover of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
    • On February 11, 2025, in a House Financial Services Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley criticized the Trump-Musk administration for halting the critical work of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) with crypto scams on the rise.
    • On February 10, 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement slamming the Trump Administration’s harmful cuts to National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding to support hospitals, universities, and research institutions conducting lifesaving research.
    • On February 10, 2025, as Trump and Musk threaten to dismantle the essential work of the U.S. Department of Education, Rep.  Pressley delivered a powerful floor speech to affirm the role of public education in American democracy.
    • On February 6, 2025, in a House Oversight Committee hearing, Rep. Pressley delivered a powerful rebuke of Republicans’ efforts to gut diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and eliminate essential services for vulnerable communities.
    • On February 5, 2025, Rep. Pressley rallied outside the U.S. Department of Treasury to protest Elon Musk’s unlawful assault on federal agencies and our democracy.
    • On January 30, 2025, Rep. Pressley slammed Donald Trump for blaming the tragic plane crash at Reagan National Airport, which killed over 60 people, including some families from Massachusetts, on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
    • In January 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement slamming Trump’s illegal freeze on federal grants and loans and its harmful impact on vulnerable communities.
    • On January 23, 2025, Rep. Pressley delivered an impassioned floor speech condemning Republicans’ cruel anti-abortion bill that criminalizes providers and denies families care.
    • On January 23, 2025, Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues to reintroduce the Neighbors Not Enemies Act, a bill to repeal an outdated law that has been used to target innocent immigrants without due process rights.
    • On January 22, 2025, Rep. Pressley issued a statement condemning the Trump Administration’s harmful executive actions on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Locus Technologies Reaches PFAS Tracking Milestone with 3 Million Records

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., April 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Locus Technologies, the leader in sustainability and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) compliance software, announced that as of today, Locus clients have collectively contributed 3,000,000 validated Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) records to the company’s environmental database, making it the most extensive real-time, aggregated global analytical and geospatial PFAS information source. The records are secured in Locus’s sophisticated, multitenant SaaS database.

    Locus’s expansive PFAS dataset includes all 430 chemicals identified in the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) PFAS inventory, collected from 38,553 global sites, predominantly in the United States. By combining advanced geographic information system (GIS) tools and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven analytics, Locus provides unmatched capabilities for identifying contamination sources, tracking environmental accumulations in water, soil, and living organisms, and visualizing critical “hot spots” for strategic remediation.

    “This milestone underscores our commitment to advancing environmental safety through technology innovation,” said Neno Duplan, founder and CEO of Locus Technologies. “Our multitenant SaaS infrastructure uniquely positions Locus as the only platform capable of aggregating, analyzing, and reporting critical PFAS data in real-time. With three million records, we’ve reached an unprecedented capability for understanding and managing this global health threat.”

    Locus Technologies’ multitenant SaaS platform enables individual organizations to securely manage and report their PFAS sampling data and compliance requirements while gaining broader insights from aggregated data. The company’s unique software architecture empowers clients to stay ahead of stringent regulatory frameworks, including emerging EU directives and global ESG reporting demands, while ensuring the absolute privacy of their proprietary information.

    “Emerging research indicates the PFAS health crisis will be more significant than Asbestos, lead, and tobacco combined. Empowering organizations to effectively track and manage this data is imperative,” said Duplan. By leveraging the real-time analytical power of Locus, utilities, government agencies, and enterprises can proactively manage PFAS risks, streamline regulatory compliance, and safeguard public health and environmental ecosystems worldwide.

    To learn more about Locus Technologies, please visit locustec.com.

    About Locus Technologies
    Locus Technologies, the global environmental, social, governance (ESG), sustainability, and EHS compliance software leader, empowers companies of every size and industry to be credible with ESG reporting. From 1997, Locus pioneered enterprise software-as-a-service (SaaS) for EHS compliance, water management, and ESG credible reporting. Locus apps and software solutions improve business performance by strengthening risk management and EHS for organizations across industries and government agencies. Organizations ranging from medium-sized businesses to Fortune 500 enterprises, such as Sempra, Corteva, Chevron, DuPont, Chemours, San Jose Water Company, The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Port of Seattle, and Los Alamos National Laboratory, have selected Locus. Locus is headquartered in Mountain View, California. For further information regarding Locus and its commitment to excellence in SaaS solutions, please visit http://www.locustec.com or email info@locustec.com.

    Media Contact:
    Brenda Mahedy
    Locus Technologies
    media@locustechnologies.net

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Changing the Eurocentric narrative about the history of science – why multiculturalism matters

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Karen K. Christensen-Dalsgaard, Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, MacEwan University

    An illustration by the medieval Islamic scholar Abu Rayhan al-Biruni depicting the phases of the moon in relation to the Sun. (Wikimedia Commons)
    The medieval Islamic mathematician, astronomer and physicist Ibn al Haytham (965 – c. 1040) lived in Cairo, Egypt, during the Islamic golden Age and is considered the father of optics.
    (Wikimedia Commons), CC BY

    In the 11th century in Cairo, the foundations for modern science were laid through the detention of an innocent man.

    The mathematician Abu Ali al-Hasan Ibn al-Haytham had been tasked with regulating the flow of the Nile, but when he saw the river that had shaped 4,000 years of human civilization, the hubris of the task became all too obvious.

    To avoid the wrath of the Fatimid caliph in Egypt, Ibn al-Haytham supposedly feigned madness and was placed under house arrest, giving him time to focus on optics.

    In doing so, he developed a scientific method based on controlled, reproducible experiments and mathematics. This would not only change humanity’s understanding of optics and how our eyes actually see, but also later lay the foundations for empirical science in Europe.

    When I started teaching the history of biology, the importance of this pivotal period of scientific history was often diminished in western analysis of science history. Studying the contributions of non-western scholars has shown me what history can teach us about the value of multiculturalism.

    A video from The Smithsonian explaining Ibn al-Haytham’s experiments with light.



    Read more:
    Explainer: what Western civilisation owes to Islamic cultures

    A Eurocentric version of history

    The story typically told in the West is that science was invented in ancient Greece and then, following close to a millennium of intellectual darkness, developed in Western Europe over the past 500 years.

    Other cultures might have contributed a clever trick here or there, like inventing paper or creating our modern number system, but science as we know it was developed almost entirely by white men. As such it becomes a story of superiority, one that demands gratitude.

    The scars of this way of thinking are all over our geopolitical landscape. It shapes how many western leaders interact with other cultures, apparently entitling them to share their intellectual authority without needing to listen to others. It is a mindset that belittles other civilizations and led to centuries of colonial violence.

    This Eurocentric version of scientific history omits some of the most important events that shaped modern thinking. Science was not developed so much by individuals but by a highly complex global process that brought together ideas, lived experiences and approaches from all major civilizations.

    The Plimpton 322 clay tablet, with each row of the table relating to a Pythagorean triple, is believed to have been written in Babylonia around 1800 BCE, around 1,000 years before the Greek mathematician Pythagoras was born.
    (Wikimedia Commons)



    Read more:
    What was the first thing scientists discovered? A historian makes the case for Babylonian astronomy

    Ancient Greek scholarship, for instance, was indeed instrumental in developing science, but it was not inherently western. The Greek empire spanned much of the Mediterranean region and the Black Sea. Scholars travelled extensively, and the centres of scholarship drifted over time from Ionia in present-day Turkey, for example, to Athens to Alexandria in Egypt.

    Greek natural philosophy was influenced by the mathematical and astronomical achievements of the Babylonians and the medical traditions of the Egyptians. Later, Alexandrian scholars made great advances in human anatomy when they overcame the Greek aversion to dissections, likely because of Egyptian influences. Natural philosophy was born from the merger of these scholarly traditions.



    Read more:
    Why are algorithms called algorithms? A brief history of the Persian polymath you’ve likely never heard of

    Importance of testing ideas

    Similarly, Ibn al-Haytham was one of thousands of scholars who, during the golden age of Islam, were engaged in the immense task of translating, combining and developing the world’s knowledge into great encyclopedic texts. They admired Indian and Chinese scholarship and technology but revered the ancient Greeks.

    While the Greeks had an impressive greatness of mind, they had largely shunned the idea of experiments and believed that developing instruments was the job of slaves.

    Many Arab scholars, on the other hand, emphasized the importance of experimentally testing ideas and developed scientific and surgical instruments that allowed for significant advances.

    The opening page from Ibn Sina’s Canon of Medicine.
    (Yale University Medical Historical Library)

    Arguably, Arab scholars built the foundations for modern science by developing a method for controlled experimentation and applying it to Greek scholarship combined with knowledge and technologies from all accessible parts of the world.

    Later, Latin translations of the Arabic texts would allow science to grow in the West from the intellectual ashes of medieval Catholicism. Texts like Ibn Sina’s Qānūn fī al-ṭibb (Canon of medicine) would become standard textbooks throughout Europe for hundreds of years.

    Ibn Al-Haytham inspired scholars like Roger Bacon to work toward European implementation of the scientific method. This would ultimately lead to Europe’s scientific revolution.



    Read more:
    Avicenna: the Persian polymath who shaped modern science, medicine and philosophy

    Importance of intercultural exchange

    Great civilizations existed all over the world in the beginning of the 16th century, in Africa, the Middle East, the Americas and East Asia. Most had scholarship that was superior to the West’s in at least some respects. Arguably, the most valuable thing Europeans took from the rest of the world was knowledge.

    The first vaccine, for instance, was based on variolation techniques developed in China, India and the Islamic world. People were inoculated against smallpox by blowing powdered scabs up their noses or rubbing pus into shallow cuts.

    Europeans believed that diseases were caused by bad air (miasma) and so did not initially trust this technique. It only became widespread in Europe and North America after English aristocrat Lady Montagu saw its efficacy firsthand in Constantinople in the early 18th century and advocated that it be tested in England.

    A vaccine developed by English physician Edward Jenner 80 years later was simply the well-known variolation technique made much safer by inoculating with cowpox instead.

    The importance of intercultural exchanges should not be surprising. Scientific data and observations are ideally objective, but the questions we ask and the conclusions we draw will always be subjective, shaped by our prior knowledge, beliefs and past experiences. Different cultures can help each other see beyond their inherent biases and grow beyond the intellectual constraints of individual approaches.

    In her book, Braiding Sweetgrass, Potawatomi botanist and writer Robin Wall Kimmerer gives a beautiful example of this in the context of how Indigenous approaches can inform modern science.

    One of Canada’s greatest gifts is our diversity. Here, cultures from across the world come together, forming a multiplicity of minds that is well positioned to solve the problems of our world. However, this only has value if we can connect and learn from each other. When we advocate for a diversity of ideas in curricula, both nationally and abroad, we are promoting a future built on the knowledge of people and cultures from around the world.

    There is nothing more intimately personal than the thoughts in your head, and yet you did not conceive them. They are a continuation of knowledge and ideas that for thousands of years have travelled the globe, shaped by countless minds from all civilizations. In a time of seemingly growing division, that is a thought that ought to bring us all together.

    Karen K. Christensen-Dalsgaard does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Changing the Eurocentric narrative about the history of science – why multiculturalism matters – https://theconversation.com/changing-the-eurocentric-narrative-about-the-history-of-science-why-multiculturalism-matters-252884

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Deluzio, Norcross, Hirono Introduce Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act

    Source: US Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01), and Senator Mazie K. Hirono (HI) reintroduced the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, bicameral legislation to guarantee the right of public sector employees to organize, act concertedly, and bargain collectively in states that currently do not afford these basic protections. The lawmakers were joined by Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01) in introducing the legislation. 

    “No matter where they live, American workers in every sector should have the ability to form and join a union, or to collectively bargain to improve their workplace,” said Congressman Deluzio. “Public servants should have this right, just like other workers. Now is the time for solidarity: let’s come together and stand with hardworking Americans, defend the union way of life, and pass the bipartisan Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act.” 

    “I know the power of collective bargaining because I’ve lived it,” said Congressman Norcross, a union electrician, member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and co-chair of the Congressional Labor Caucus. “I spent decades at the negotiating table standing up for working families—fighting for fair pay, safer jobs, and better benefits like health care and retirement. This bill ensures public-sector workers across the country have the same rights to a voice on their job and a seat at the table.”  

    “Public sector workers teach our children, protect our safety, and keep our communities moving forward—they deserve the right to organize,” said Senator Hirono. “The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act will help ensure that millions of public sector workers across our country have the federal protections they deserve as they fight for fair wages, benefits, and improved working conditions. Private sector workers are already guaranteed the right to organize under federal law, it should be common sense that public sector workers are afforded those same rights. As President Trump works to gut our public sector workforce, this bill is crucial to protect workers’ freedom to organize and bargain collectively. I’m proud to lead this important legislation with Representative Norcross to help ensure that every public employee has their voice heard in the workplace.” 

    “Passing this legislation has never been more urgent — especially now, as federal workers face unprecedented attacks on their collective bargaining rights,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “We believe, as most Americans do, that every worker deserves a union — no matter who they work for. This bill is about something fundamental: respect. Respect for the public service workers who’ve devoted their careers to serving their communities. And respect means the freedom to negotiate.” 

    “When workers stand together in a union, their jobs and lives improve. But in half of the country, the people who keep our cities and towns running are banned from collectively bargaining for a good union contract. Every day, the attacks on the fundamental freedoms of workers who keep our streets and water clean, our public transportation moving, and our children learning are increasing from the highest level of government. We need federal law to protect their rights to form a union and negotiate fair contracts that allow them to continue to do the work that is so essential to our communities. We call on every member of Congress to stand with working people and support the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. 

    “For years now, the rights of workers like nurses, librarians, educators, and all our essential public servants who dedicate themselves to our communities have been chipped away at, despite their dedication and selfless service to their communities,” said Claude Cummings Jr., president of the Communications Workers of America. “That’s why the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is so vital. It protects public sector workers’ fundamental right to join together, bargain for fair pay, and stand up for decent working conditions. Congress needs to step up and pass this now and push back against efforts trying to undermine these essential rights.” 

    “As education, healthcare and public service workers, our members make a difference in the lives of others every day. But too many states don’t allow the people who do the work to have a voice,” said Randi Weingarten, President of AFT. “The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would change that, ensuring public servants, no matter where they reside, have a means to influence their own lives. Whether it’s higher wages, safer working conditions, or a secure retirement, the ability to organize a union and bargain collectively lifts working families, students, patients, and entire communities up. That’s why we enthusiastically support this legislation and are committed to moving it forward.”  

    The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would establish baseline federal protections to ensure all public service workers can join a union and negotiate workplace conditions—regardless of state law. The bill comes at a critical time, as recent federal actions have renewed attention on the collective bargaining rights of public employees, including those serving in national security-related agencies. 

    Specifically, the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act would set a minimum nationwide standard of collective bargaining rights that states must provide, including allowing public service workers to join together and have a voice on the job to improve both working conditions and the communities in which they live and work. The legislation gives public service workers the freedom to: 

    Read the full bill text here.  

    The bill is supported by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); the Communications Workers of America (CWA); American Federation of Teachers (AFT); AFL-CIO; Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU); Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE); International Brotherhood of Teamsters; International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM); International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE); International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE); International Union of Police Associations (IUPA); International Union of Painters & Allied Trades (IUPAT); Laborer’s International Union of North America (LiUNA); National Education Association (NEA); National Nurses United; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Transport Workers Union of America (TWU); UNITE HERE!; United Autoworkers; United Steelworkers (USW). 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cramer, Coons Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Veteran Access to Suicide Prevention Services

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – When Congress passed the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019, it authorized several new programs designed to improve veterans’ access to mental health care. Among the provisions, the bill established the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox SPGP) to reduce veteran suicide through a community-based approach. 

    While the SSG Fox SPGP authorized $174 million to be appropriated for Fiscal Year 2021 through Fiscal Year 2025, neither North Dakota nor Delaware, or entities serving these states, have received any funding. 

    To address this shortcoming, U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced the bipartisan Every State Counts for Veterans Mental Health Act to provide for priority consideration of SSG Fox SPGP applications to entities in states which have not previously received a grant.

    “Veterans across North Dakota and the nation bravely served our country and have been promised timely access to mental healthcare, no matter where they live,” said Cramer. “Our bipartisan bill provides a practical fix to ensure North Dakota veterans receive suicide prevention support if they need it.”

    “We have a duty to support those who have volunteered to serve in our armed forces, and no aid is more urgent than helping our veterans at risk of suicide,” said Coons. “Until now, Delaware has missed out on critical funds to address veterans’ mental health and suicide risk despite the amazing organizations in the First State ready to expand their reach. This bill rights that wrong so that more Delaware veterans who have risked their lives to keep us safe will receive the life-saving support they deserve when they come home.”

    The legislation is supported by several organizations, including the North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs (NDDVA), American Legion Department of North Dakota, Disabled American Veterans Department of North Dakota, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of North Dakota.

    “Thank you, Senator Cramer, for leading this legislation,” said Lonnie Wangen, Commissioner of NDDVA. “Highly rural states such as North Dakota face a unique challenge in serving our most vulnerable veterans. NDDVA considers suicide prevention the most important and difficult task we are facing. Two words that need to stop being used together are “veteran” and “suicide.” We need all the partners and resources available and appreciate any help we can get in this critical mission.”

     Click here for bill text.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Prostate cancer screening in the UK – what does the evidence say?

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Unlike other common cancers such as breast, bowel, and cervical cancers, there’s currently no nationwide screening programme for prostate cancer in the UK. While it might seem intuitive that we should introduce such a programme to identify and treat cases of the most common cancer in men, in reality it’s a lot more complex. The decision making behind the introduction of national screening programmes involves weighing up the test’s effectiveness against potential harms from false positive and negative results, as well as its cost/benefit analysis.

    Multiple trials have investigated prostate screening over the years, commonly using the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Test, which found issues around the rates of both false positives, potentially causing unnecessary anxiety, investigations, and treatments, and false negatives, leading to missed cancers. However, there is still a lot of research going on to improve prostate cancer screening by, for example, combining this PSA test with MRI scans to improve accuracy, or the possibility of having a targeted screening programmes for subpopulations with higher rates of prostate cancer.

    Journalists came along to this briefing to hear experts in the field discuss the current state of the scientific evidence on prostate cancer screening and answer questions such as:

    • Why don’t we currently have a prostate cancer screening programme in the UK? What’s the scientific evidence that has led to that decision?
    • What further evidence/improvements would we need to support a prostate screening programme in the UK?
    • What prostate cancer screening is currently provided in the UK and to whom?
    • What research is going on to improve the accuracy/efficacy of the prostate screening test?
    • What does the evidence say on the possibility of introducing a targeted prostate screening programme?
    • Beyond screening what other research is going to improve diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer?

    Speakers included:

    Prof Freddie Hamdy CBE, Nuffield Professor of Surgery and Professor of Urology at the University of Oxford, and Honorary Consultant Urological Surgeon at the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals

    Prof Derek Rosario, Consultant Urological Surgeon, Honorary Professor at the University of Sheffield, and Clinical Advisor (Prostate) to the UK National Screening Committee

    Prof Richard Martin, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology & Associate Pro Vice Chancellor (Research & Innovation), University of Bristol

    Prof Jenny Donovan OBE, Professor of Social Medicine, University of Bristol

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NCDHHS Livestream Fireside Chat and Tele-Town Hall: NC Crisis Services — Support When You Need It Most

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: NCDHHS Livestream Fireside Chat and Tele-Town Hall: NC Crisis Services — Support When You Need It Most

    NCDHHS Livestream Fireside Chat and Tele-Town Hall: NC Crisis Services — Support When You Need It Most
    hejones1

    The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live fireside chat and tele-town hall on Thursday, April 10, from 6 to 7 p.m. to discuss how people can support their mental well-being, find resources and get help for themselves or someone else experiencing a mental health crisis.

    Event participants include: 

    • Lisa DeCiantis, MA, LCMHC, Chief Clinical Officer for Mental Health Wellness, Treatment and Recovery, Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services, NCDHHS
    • Sandy Feutz, LCSW, Chief Operating Officer, RHA Health Services
    • Holly Provance Doggett, MS, Executive Director, NAMI North Carolina  

    Nearly 1 in 4 adults in North Carolina have reported symptoms of anxiety or depression. Support is available when you need it most. Mental health crisis services offer non-judgmental, confidential and compassionate care to connect North Carolinians with resources and support — available at little or no cost. People of all ages can get help with social or family situations, depression, anxiety, thoughts of suicide, substance use or if they just need someone to talk to. 

    The fireside chat will stream live from the NCDHHS Facebook and YouTube accounts, where viewers can submit questions. The event also includes a tele-town hall, which invites people by phone to listen in and submit questions. People can dial into the event by calling 855-756-7520 Ext. 120794#. Fireside chat and tele-town hall panelists will discuss: 

    • Where to find mental health information and resources  
    • What crisis services are and how to access them  
    • When to get help for yourself or a loved one 

    NCDHHS recently launched a Crisis Services page available in English and Spanish to describe and connect people to services. This page includes a searchable map to find community crisis centers and has a zip code search to find a mobile crisis team. If you or someone you love is feeling overwhelmed, NC crisis services are here to help: 

    • Call, text or chat with 988 for immediate support, 24/7
    • Talk to someone with lived experience through the Peer Warmline: 855-PEERS-NC
    • Have help come to you — trained mobile crisis teams will meet you in a safe place at low or no cost
    • Visit a community crisis center for fast, in-person help from licensed clinicians
    Apr 9, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Trahan, Blumenthal Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Strengthen Research & Treatment Development for Brain Cancers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) reintroduced the Bolstering Research and Innovation Now (BRAIN) Act, bipartisan legislation to strengthen research and treatment development for brain tumors and to improve the accessibility of brain tumor health care. U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), John Barrasso (R-WY) and Mike Rounds (R-SD), as well as Representatives Kim Schrier (D-WA-08), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-08) and John Joyce (R-PA-13) joined Trahan and Blumenthal in introducing the bicameral legislation.
    “Too many families across our communities have faced the devastating reality of a brain tumor diagnosis. With more than a million Americans currently battling malignant brain tumors, we must act with urgency and purpose,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “The bipartisan BRAIN Act will accelerate life-saving research, drive innovation in treatment, and expand support for survivors – offering hope to patients and their loved ones.”
    Today, more than one million people in the United States are living with a primary brain tumor. Another 94,000 more will likely be diagnosed in 2025, in addition to hundreds of thousands of Americans diagnosed with metastatic brain cancer. Despite major improvements made in the treatment of other cancers in recent years, incidence and survival rates for malignant brain tumors have remained stagnant for 45 years, with a five-year relative survival rate of only 35.7%.
    “Our son Will was a remarkable and driven young man—accomplishing so much, including earning two master’s degrees while undergoing treatment for a brain tumor,” said Arlene Gluck, a Concord, Massachusetts resident. “Sadly, there is still no cure for brain tumors. That’s why we’re thankful to Representative Lori Trahan for sponsoring the BRAIN Act, which supports innovative, collaborative research and enhanced survivorship care among its key initiatives. We remain hopeful that our advocacy will help bring meaningful change for those who face this devastating disease in the future.”
    “Our bipartisan, bicameral legislation promotes research and development for brain cancer treatment to help Americans suffering from this viscous form of cancer,” said Senator Blumenthal. “Stagnant incidence and survival rates that have persisted for decades make it all the more clear—we must redouble our efforts to defeat brain tumors once and for all.”
    “A brain tumor diagnosis is devastating news for too many American families, and the federal government needs to step up to help find a cure and better diagnostics and treatment. The BRAIN Act is about saving lives, changing lives, and improving health outcomes. It would help fast-track scientific discovery and breakthroughs by improving access to clinical trials for patients and advancing innovative new treatments. It would also make it easier for researchers to access biospecimens for new research on brain tumors and fund more clinical trials for the most aggressive, hard-to-treat brain tumors,” said Senator Reed. “This bipartisan bill would also establish new programs and research for brain tumor survivors to improve quality of life and ensure appropriate follow up care over the long term.”
    “After losing my wife, Bobbi, to glioblastoma, I know firsthand how tragic a brain tumor diagnosis can be for patients and their families. Raising awareness and supporting efforts to find a cure is a personal priority for me,” said Senator Barrasso. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan, bicameral legislation to advance treatments and support research to find a cure for these deadly diagnoses.”
    “For me, the fight against cancer is personal. When my late wife Jean was courageously battling cancer a few years ago, we were already seeing encouraging progress in the development of new treatments for many cancers,” said Senator Rounds. “I firmly believe we are years, not decades, away from seeing cures to many of the most deadly cancers. The BRAIN Act will allow us to continue capitalizing on the progress we have made so far by implementing programs and funding that will advance research and treatments for brain tumors. I am glad to be joining a bipartisan group of my colleagues on this legislation.”
    “As a pediatrician, I know brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer related deaths in children. That’s why we need the BRAIN Act signed into law – to invest in brain cancer research, provide new treatment options and hope for families, and ensure transparency in this public health investment.” said Congresswoman Schrier, M.D. 
    “The BRAIN Act marks a major leap forward in the fight against brain tumors and rare cancers,” said Congressman Fitzpatrick. “For too long, patients and families have faced these devastating diagnoses with limited options. This bipartisan bill drives innovation, strengthens collaboration, and ensures greater transparency and support for those affected. By investing in research and accelerating progress, the BRAIN Act brings us closer to breakthroughs—and ultimately, a cure.”
    “Thousands of Americans are diagnosed with fatal brain tumors every year, yet there are very few treatments available,” said Congressman John Joyce, M.D. “Like so many throughout the country, I have experienced firsthand the pain these brain tumors can cause for families and patients alike, and as a physician, I understand how critical medical innovations are to give patients hope and to save American lives. I am proud to join the BRAIN Act, which will encourage further advancements in the treatment of cancerous brain tumors, giving hope to so many patients.”
    In order to reduce mortality rates and make meaningful progress against brain tumors, better-funded and collaborative research is needed. The BRAIN Act takes a comprehensive, complementary approach to meet this need and further advance research for these aggressive, hard-to-treat cancers.
    Specifically, the BRAIN Act:

    Increases transparency of federally-funded biobank collections so that researchers are aware of others who possess samples that might be shared to enable important research.
    Sufficiently resources the National Cancer Institute’s Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network, so that it can realize its promise of vetting treatments and completing innovative early-phase clinical trials. 
    Enables team science to advance immunotherapy research (CAR-T) engineered to attack brain cancer cells.
    Directs the Centers for Disease Control to conduct a public education campaign around the importance of clinical trials and biomarker testing in cancer treatment.
    Augments and expands funding to develop innovative systems of care models for brain tumor survivors.
    Directs FDA to issue guidance to ensure brain tumor and other rare and recalcitrant cancer patient access to clinical trials evaluating treatments for other diseases.

    “This is a landmark bill for the brain tumor community,” said David Arons, President & Chief Executive Officer of the National Brain Tumor Society. “As far as we know, the BRAIN Act represents the first piece of legislation introduced in Congress specifically designed to target policy solutions at the many barriers impeding progress for brain and other rare and difficult-to-treat cancers. We thank Senators Blumenthal, Barrasso, Reed, and Rounds, as well as Representatives Trahan, Fitzpatrick, Schrier, and Joyce, for realizing the major unmet needs of this community and championing policies that support brain tumor patients, survivors, families, and the research poised for breakthroughs ahead.”
    “In my 12-year career as a practicing neuro-oncologist and clinical researcher, I’ve seen first-hand the devastating toll that brain tumors take on patients and families,” said Nicholas Blondin, MD, Associate Professor of Neurology at Yale School of Medicine. “I’ve also witnessed transformative changes in the way we treat other cancers, such as breast cancer, lung cancer and melanoma. Unfortunately, we have not experienced the same level of progress in the tools and treatment options for patients with malignant brain tumors. More concerted policies to adequately fund cutting-edge research, paired with initiatives to raise awareness about the advances that are currently happening in diagnostics and clinical trials, are essential. New models for addressing the challenges patients face in their brain tumor journey will greatly benefit efforts in the field of neuro-oncology to catch up to the progress we have seen in treating other cancers.”
    A section by section for the BRAIN Act is available HERE and a one-page summary of the bill is available HERE.
    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –