NewzIntel.com

Category: Health

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker Introduces Pesticide Injury Accountability Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Pesticide Injury Accountability Act, legislation that would ensure that pesticide manufacturers can be held responsible for the harm caused by their toxic products. Specifically, this bill would amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act of 1972 (FIFRA) to create a federal right of action for anyone who is harmed by a toxic pesticide.

    Despite growing peer-reviewed scientific evidence linking widely used pesticides to a host of health harms including cancers, birth defects, endocrine disruption, Parkinson’s disease, and infertility, a coordinated effort is being led by pesticide manufacturers in state legislatures and in Congress seeking legal immunity – a liability shield – for these big corporations.

    If these largely foreign-owned companies are successful, this liability shield would leave farmers, farmworkers, and other injured individuals without meaningful recourse for the harms caused by these toxic substances. 

    Chemical companies are seeking liability shields because they know the harm their products have already caused. Syngenta, a subsidiary of the Chinese state-owned company ChemChina, reached a $187.5 million settlement in 2021 for paraquat-related Parkinson’s disease claims. Monsanto, now owned by Germany’s Bayer, has paid billions of dollars to settle lawsuits linking Roundup (glyphosate) to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

    “Rather than providing a liability shield so that foreign corporations are allowed to poison the American people, Congress should instead pass the Pesticide Injury Accountability Act to ensure that these chemical companies can be held accountable in federal court for the harm caused by their toxic products,” said Senator Booker.

    “CHD opposes any liability shield for any industry that has a direct impact on the health of the American people,” said Mary Holland, CEO of Children’s Health Defense. “Granting blanket immunity to corporations who have a fiscal responsibility to their shareholders, and not a responsibility to consumer safety, is one of the most dangerous propositions imaginable. CHD sincerely thanks Senator Booker for his leadership in sponsoring this critical piece of legislation to protect the American people over corporations.”

    “No one can dispute that crop pesticides are poisons. They are designed to kill weeds, but they also kill non-target plants and there is sound evidence linking them to human health problems,” said Jim Goodman, president of the National Family Farm Coalition. “To date, Bayer alone has paid out over $11 billion in legal settlements for medical problems caused by their herbicide Roundup. To avoid paying for damages caused by their poisons, agri-chemical companies routinely lobby for federal and state laws that shield them from any liability for the damages they are responsible for. People sickened by their poisons go bankrupt paying for their medical care and sometimes ultimately die. The Pesticide Injury Accountability Act of 2025 will hold agri-chemical companies accountable for the irreparable harms they cause.”

    “Moms Across America strongly supports the Pesticide Injury Accountability Act, which reaffirms our 7th Amendment right to sue for harm or damage,” said Zen Honeycutt, Founding Executive Director, Moms Across America. “It is unconscionable that corporations are pushing our elected officials to manipulate laws so that they can avoid accountability for safety and protect their profits over the health and safety of Americans. We must protect the American people from harm – especially from products that are proven to cause infertility, cancer, liver disease and many other negative health effects.”

    “People exposed to and suffering from the health effects of toxic chemicals should not be denied their right to seek justice,” said Geoff Horsfield, Policy Director, Environmental Working Group. “We applaud Senator Booker for his efforts to protect the rights of farmers, rural communities, workers, children and families.”

    “Granting legal immunity to pesticide manufacturers would leave farmers and their families with no way to seek justice after suffering health or crop damage from these chemicals,” said Kelly Ryerson, Co-Founder, American Regeneration. “Farmers have a right to hold companies accountable and protect their livelihoods from devastating illness.” 

    Last month, Senator Booker led a group of 20 of his colleagues in calling on Senate leadership to oppose any efforts to limit existing state and local authority to regulate pesticides in the upcoming Farm Bill or any other legislation.  

    To see a full list of endorsing organizations, click here.

    To read the full text of the bill, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Russia Ukraine War – “Brutal Milestone”: 2000 Attacks on Ukraine’s Hospitals, Clinicians, and Health Infrastructure Since Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion – Physicians for Human Rights

    Source: Physicians for Human Rights (PHR)

    July 17, 2025 – Ukraine has endured 2000 attacks on the country’s health care system, according to documentation and monitoring by human rights and humanitarian organizations. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 Ukraine has experienced:

    • 2000 total attacks on health care
    • 1059 attacks damaged or destroyed hospitals
    • 285 health workers killed
    • 245 health workers injured
    • 105 attacks affecting children’s hospitals
    • 81 attacks affecting maternal health facilities
    • 178 attacks on hospital utilities.

    “This brutal milestone and pattern of attacks clearly illustrates the Russian Federation’s aim to eliminate Ukrainians’ access to life-saving medical care and create conditions that jeopardize basic treatment and survival,” said Uliana Poltavets, PHR’s Ukraine emergency response coordinator. “As Ukrainian civilians across the country – including health workers and patients – come under sustained attack, the global community must prioritize and advance accountability for these crimes.”

    Russia’s escalating assault on Ukraine in recent months has included mounting attacks on the country’s civilian population and infrastructure, including hospitals and health workers.  

    The attacks on health care have picked up pace in 2025 with the intensification of drone attacks on Ukrainian cities. On Monday, Russian forces reportedly attacked a hospital in Sumy region, with 10 people injured. Last week, a Russian drone and missile assault reportedly damaged a maternity hospital in Kharkiv and destroyed a primary care clinic in Kyiv.  

    The new data is from a coalition of global and Ukrainian organizations, including eyeWitness to Atrocities, Insecurity Insight, the Media Initiative for Human Rights, Physicians for Human Rights, Truth Hounds, and the Ukrainian Healthcare Center. The 2000 attacks are depicted on an interactive map (attacksonhealthukraine.org).  

    The organizations have been monitoring and documenting attacks on Ukraine’s health care system since the onset of the full-scale invasion, including through a series of publications. The dataset uses the definitions of attacks on health care as defined by the World Health Organization and used by the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition.  The interactive map is updated with attacks on health care as of April 2025.

    “The global community should safeguard the Ukrainian health workers who risk it all to save lives,” said Poltavets. “Russia’s continued assault on civilian infrastructure underscores the life-saving impact of humanitarian and health aid. At this critical moment, global leadership, particularly sustained support for accountability efforts, is more needed than ever.”

    Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is a New York-based advocacy organization that uses science and medicine to prevent mass atrocities and severe human rights violations. Click here for the full document: Attacks on Healthcare in Ukraine. (ref. https://www.attacksonhealthukraine.org )

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Russia Ukraine War – “Brutal Milestone”: 2000 Attacks on Ukraine’s Hospitals, Clinicians, and Health Infrastructure Since Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion – Physicians for Human Rights

    Source: Physicians for Human Rights (PHR)

    July 17, 2025 – Ukraine has endured 2000 attacks on the country’s health care system, according to documentation and monitoring by human rights and humanitarian organizations. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 Ukraine has experienced:

    • 2000 total attacks on health care
    • 1059 attacks damaged or destroyed hospitals
    • 285 health workers killed
    • 245 health workers injured
    • 105 attacks affecting children’s hospitals
    • 81 attacks affecting maternal health facilities
    • 178 attacks on hospital utilities.

    “This brutal milestone and pattern of attacks clearly illustrates the Russian Federation’s aim to eliminate Ukrainians’ access to life-saving medical care and create conditions that jeopardize basic treatment and survival,” said Uliana Poltavets, PHR’s Ukraine emergency response coordinator. “As Ukrainian civilians across the country – including health workers and patients – come under sustained attack, the global community must prioritize and advance accountability for these crimes.”

    Russia’s escalating assault on Ukraine in recent months has included mounting attacks on the country’s civilian population and infrastructure, including hospitals and health workers.  

    The attacks on health care have picked up pace in 2025 with the intensification of drone attacks on Ukrainian cities. On Monday, Russian forces reportedly attacked a hospital in Sumy region, with 10 people injured. Last week, a Russian drone and missile assault reportedly damaged a maternity hospital in Kharkiv and destroyed a primary care clinic in Kyiv.  

    The new data is from a coalition of global and Ukrainian organizations, including eyeWitness to Atrocities, Insecurity Insight, the Media Initiative for Human Rights, Physicians for Human Rights, Truth Hounds, and the Ukrainian Healthcare Center. The 2000 attacks are depicted on an interactive map (attacksonhealthukraine.org).  

    The organizations have been monitoring and documenting attacks on Ukraine’s health care system since the onset of the full-scale invasion, including through a series of publications. The dataset uses the definitions of attacks on health care as defined by the World Health Organization and used by the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition.  The interactive map is updated with attacks on health care as of April 2025.

    “The global community should safeguard the Ukrainian health workers who risk it all to save lives,” said Poltavets. “Russia’s continued assault on civilian infrastructure underscores the life-saving impact of humanitarian and health aid. At this critical moment, global leadership, particularly sustained support for accountability efforts, is more needed than ever.”

    Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is a New York-based advocacy organization that uses science and medicine to prevent mass atrocities and severe human rights violations. Click here for the full document: Attacks on Healthcare in Ukraine. (ref. https://www.attacksonhealthukraine.org )

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Law and Research – Study slams Family Court’s reliance on ‘junk’ research – UoA

    Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

    The Family Court is basing decisions on ‘junk’ evidence and putting children’s futures at risk, according to a new journal article.

    You might imagine the expert evidence heard in the Family Court, such as what’s provided by court psychologists, would stand up to scrutiny… not so, according to a scathing new journal article.

    The study suggests judges, lawyers and psychologists in New Zealand’s Family Court are routinely accepting ‘junk’ evidence to support critical decisions about children’s lives.

    University of Auckland law scholar Associate Professor Carrie Leonetti reviewed 29 Family Court judgements under the New Zealand Care of Children Act in which court professionals claimed to be citing academic research to support their decisions. Her investigation finds they frequently cited material that was not academic research, instead relying on online content, unpublished handouts, and presentations from conferences or legal training sessions.

    “Clinical psychologists, often working without specialised forensic training, are presenting evidence that would not withstand academic scrutiny,” she says.

    “I’m shocked at how judges never go … ‘but but but’… and ask some questions. We need to define what’s real, what isn’t, what’s reliable, and what’s not.”

    New Zealand’s Evidence Act 2006 and the High Court Rules require expert witnesses to base their recommendations on evidence that’s within their area of expertise and generally accepted within a scientific field and specify the literature they rely on. Yet Leonetti’s paper details breaches of these requirements – including experts opining outside their area of expertise, misrepresenting research, and failing to qualify sweeping claims.

    Examples include statements like “almost all disclosures of sexual abuse by children whose parents have separated are false” or “studies show that all children are better off in shared care” – broad claims Leonetti says are based on misrepresented or misunderstood literature.

    “The Court’s reliance on a small, fringe collection of writings from conferences, trainings, and legal journals rather than peer-reviewed science publications is dangerous and unjust.”

    Associate Professor Carrie LeonettiAuckland Law School

    Leonetti’s paper, published in the Indiana Health Law Review, says some professionals referenced controversial or discredited theories while omitting landmark studies like research into Adverse Childhood Experiences, which shows the long-term traumatic impact of exposure to family violence in childhood.

    She says Family Court judges, lawyers, and psychologists frequently misrepresent or misuse academic literature, dismissing evidence they disagree with and cherry-picking non-peer-reviewed material to support pre-existing views.

    The paper also identifies what Leonetti dubs “Family Court favourites” – a small number of obscure authors and articles cited disproportionately by court professionals, regardless of their academic significance.

    “The Court’s reliance on a small, fringe collection of writings from conferences, trainings, and legal journals rather than peer-reviewed science publications is dangerous and unjust.”

    She also highlights the high cost of accessing peer-reviewed scientific publications and the rise of “predatory” academic journals.

    “Since the 2000s, thousands of online journals with little to no peer review have emerged, making it difficult for non-experts to identify scientifically valid research.”

    This erosion of the meaning of academic publication, says Leonetti, has made it harder for non-experts, such as judges, lawyers, and court psychologists, to “separate the wheat from the chaff when deciding which literature warrants consideration and which is the functional equivalent of self-publication.

    “These courts are essentially making life-changing decisions about children’s futures based on what amounts to professional folklore rather than scientific evidence.”

    The study recomm

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Update 14: Alberta wildfire update (July 17, 3:30 p.m.)

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Harshbarger Joins President Trump at White House for Signing of HALT Fentanyl Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Diana Harshbarger (R-TN)

    Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) joined President Donald J. Trump at the White House to celebrate the signing of the bipartisan Halt All Lethal Trafficking (HALT) of Fentanyl Act, landmark legislation aimed at cracking down on the trafficking and abuse of deadly illegal fentanyl that continues to devastate communities across the nation.

    “Counterfeit Fentanyl is one of the deadliest drug threats our country has ever faced, and East Tennessee families have seen the devastation firsthand,” said Rep. Harshbarger. “The HALT Fentanyl Act is a commonsense, life-saving bill that will help law enforcement keep these poisons out of our communities and hold criminals accountable. I was proud to stand with President Trump and my colleagues at the White House today to mark this important victory in our fight to protect American lives.”

    BACKGROUND:

    Harshbarger was an original co-sponsor of the House version of this legislation. As a pharmacist and member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Rep. Harshbarger has been a vocal advocate for combating the opioid and illegal fentanyl crisis and played a critical role in advancing the bill through Congress. Additionally, Harshbarger is the Vice Chair of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee and is a part of the Republican Doctors Caucus.

    The bill permanently classifies illicit fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act, giving law enforcement the tools they need to stop traffickers and ensuring this incredibly dangerous substance remains off our streets.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World News in Brief: violence spurs displacement in Syria, Israeli forces cross the Blue Line in Lebanon, mall fire kills dozens in Iraq

    Source: United Nations 4

    As of Thursday, nearly 2,000 families have been displaced from violence-affected areas in Sweida governate and are currently sheltering in a dozen collective sites. Many are unable to return home due to damage, looting or destruction of their homes.

    The health systems in Sweida and neighbouring Dar’a governorate remain under critical strain, operating without power and facing severe supply shortages. Reports also suggest that at least two doctors were killed in the recent clashes, and some armed groups have occupied health facilities, putting patients and staff at risk.

    Mobilisation amid constrained access

    The UN and its partners are mobilising humanitarian assistance as security allows and working with authorities to facilitate access.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has dispatched 35 trauma and emergency surgery kits for 1,750 interventions, but many remain undelivered because of constrained access.  

    “We urge all parties to protect people caught up in the violence, including by allowing them to move freely to seek safety and medical assistance,” said Associate Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Stephanie Tremblay at Thursday’s daily press briefing in New York.

    She also stressed that security forces must respect applicable international law, norms and standards throughout their operations.

    Lebanon: UN peacekeepers observe unauthorised Israeli activities  

    Ms. Tremblay also reported that peacekeepers at the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) continue to observe Israeli military activities in its area of operations.

    On 16 July, Israeli soldiers crossed north of the Blue Line to conduct military exercises.  

    UNIFIL peacekeepers have also heard several explosions, including one on 17 July near the Mission Headquarters in Naqoura.  

    The “blue helmets” have additionally discovered unauthorized weapons and ammunition caches at one site, rocket launchers, rocket-propelled grenades, mortar rounds and ammunition boxes.  

    Commitment to Lebanon

    In response to recent observations the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander, Major General Diodato Abagnara, met with the Lebanese Army’s South Litani Sector Commander Brigadier General Nicolas Tabet in Tyre on 17 July.  

    “Ms. Hennis-Plasschaert and General Abagnara underlined our commitment to supporting the implementation of Security Council resolution 1701, including strengthening State authority and helping restore stability in southern Lebanon,” Ms. Tremblay said.

    As part of UNIFIL’s support, peacekeepers trained with Lebanese Armed Forces personnel in Tyre on 16 July, enhancing the operational competency of the Lebanese Army personnel.

    Fire in Iraqi shopping mall

    The United Nations has expressed condolences to the families of the victims of a tragic fire in the eastern Iraqi city of Kut on Wednesday.

    According to news reports, the fire tore through the shopping centre – which opened only a week ago – leaving at least 61 people dead.  

    “We express our strong solidarity with the people of Wasit Governorate in this profound loss,” Ms. Tremblay said.  

    She also emphasised that the UN and its partners are ready to provide humanitarian assistance to help mitigate the tragedy’s impact.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN sounds alarm over Syria as sectarian clashes, Israeli strikes flare

    Source: United Nations 4

    The Druze-majority Sweida governorate, long relatively insulated from earlier phases of Syria’s 14‑year conflict, has now become a flashpoint.

    Briefing an emergency meeting of the Security Council, UN Assistant Secretary‑General Khaled Khiari painted a grim picture: hundreds of casualties among soldiers and civilians –including women, children and the elderly – alongside reports of mass displacement, attacks on infrastructure, and hospitals “at or near capacity” amid power and water cuts.

    “There were further alarming reports of civilians, religious figures and detainees being subjected to extrajudicial executions and humiliating and degrading treatment,” he said.

    Violent reprisals and looting have devastated communities, with graphic footage circulating widely on social media amplifying fear and anger.

    He urged all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.

    Timeline of escalation

    12 July: Series of mutual kidnappings in Sweida escalate into armed clashes between Bedouin tribes and Druze armed groups.

    14 July: Syrian security forces deploy to “halt clashes” and “restore order”. At least 10 personnel reportedly killed by Druze armed groups, others abducted. Reports surface of the abuses against civilians as forces enter Sweida.

    Clashes intensify, leaving hundreds dead or wounded among security forces and Druze fighters, casualties also reported among Druze and Bedouin civilians, including women, children and the elderly. Sectarian rhetoric surges on social media.

    15-16 July: Hundreds of Druze from the occupied Syrian Golan and Syria gather on both sides of the ceasefire line, in the presence of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), expressing solidarity with the Druze community in Sweida.

    Israeli airstrikes compound crisis

    Against this backdrop, Israel, “pledging to protect” the Druze community launched “escalatory” strikes on Syrian territory, Mr. Khiari said.

    Between 12 and 16 July, air raids targeted Damascus authorities’ forces and official buildings, military installations and the vicinity of the Presidential Palace.

    “In addition to violating Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Israel’s actions undermine efforts to build a new Syria at peace with itself and the region, and further destabilise Syria at a sensitive time,” Mr. Khiari said.

    He urged both Israel and Syria to uphold the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement and “refrain from any action that would further undermine it and the stability on the Golan.”

    UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

    A wide view of the UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Syria.

    Humanitarian fallout

    According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) there are severe disruption to supply routes, with insecurity and road closures blocking aid deliveries. The UN World Health Organization (WHO) dispatched trauma care supplies to Daraa, but Sweida remains inaccessible.

    Mr. Khiari stressed the need for humanitarian access and called on Damascus to ensure any investigations into alleged abuses are “transparent and in line with international standards.”

    Call for genuine reconciliation

    Reaffirming the Security Council’s March call for an inclusive, Syrian-owned political process under resolution 2254, Mr. Khiari warned: “Security and stability in Sweida, and indeed in post-Assad Syria can only be achieved through genuine reconciliation and with the participation of all components of Syria’s diverse society.”

    He urged all Syrian stakeholders to commit to dialogue and emphasised the UN’s support for an inclusive and credible political transition that ensures accountability, fosters national healing and lays the foundation for Syria’s long-term recovery and prosperity.

    “Only then, can Syria truly emerge from the legacy of conflict and embrace a peaceful future,” he concluded.

    ASG Khiari briefs the Security Council.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: iAnthus Continues Expansion in Florida with GrowHealthy Dispensary of Palm Harbor

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK and TORONTO, July 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iAnthus Capital Holdings, Inc. (“iAnthus” or the “Company”) (CSE: IAN, OTCQB: ITHUF), which owns, operates and partners with regulated cannabis operations across the United States, has announced the opening of its 22nd GrowHealthy dispensary in Florida, now serving patients in Palm Harbor. The new dispensary opened last week with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a three-day celebration that included exclusive promotions, live events, and access to new, premium Sunshine State products.

    “The Palm Harbor community has been asking for a GrowHealthy location for some time, and we are thrilled to finally open our doors,” said Kelly Heinichen, Vice President of Retail Operations at iAnthus. “From day one, our focus has been clear – offer safe, consistent access to the highest quality medical cannabis in Florida. Everything about this space – from the layout to the lighting to the local vibes – was built with the patient in mind.”

    GrowHealthy’s commitment to high-quality genetics and whole-plant wellness sets it apart in a crowded market. As a company built by cultivators and caregivers, GrowHealthy continues to lead with flower-first values, local relationships, and a deep respect for the plant. Patients of the dispensary have access to a variety of products, including flower, vapes, concentrates and other medicinal offerings.

    “From the moment you walk in, you feel it – the energy, the intention, the hospitality,” said Kassandra Jones, District Manager at GrowHealthy. “Whether you’re new to medical cannabis or a seasoned patient, our Palm Harbor team is here to listen, guide, and make sure every patient leaves feeling more confident in their wellness journey.”

    The grand opening is part of iAnthus’ broader strategy to expand access to high-quality cannabis across Florida while delivering a modern, approachable retail experience that redefines what a dispensary can be.  

    Located at 2431 Tampa Road, Palm Harbor, Florida (across from the Ferrari dealership), the dispensary will be open Monday-Saturday 9am-8:30pm and Sunday 9am-8pm.

    About iAnthus

    iAnthus is a vertically integrated cannabis company on a mission to build premium brands through a network of cultivation, production, and retail operations across the United States. Backed by a leadership team with deep expertise in cultivation, operations, and capital markets, the company strategically leverages acquisition-driven growth and access to capital to create long-term competitive advantage. iAnthus’ brand portfolio includes: MPX, Anthologie, Black Label, Cheetah, Frūtful, Last Resort, Moodz and Sunshine State. For more information, visit www.iAnthus.com.     

    Forward Looking Statements
    Statements in this news release contain forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made on the basis of the current beliefs, expectations and assumptions of management, are not guarantees of performance and are subject to significant risks and uncertainty. These forward-looking statements should, therefore, be considered in light of various important factors, including those set forth in Company’s reports that it files from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and the Canadian securities regulators which you should review including, but not limited to, the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. When used in this news release, words such as “will,” could,” plan,” estimate,” expect,” intend,” may,” potential,” believe, “should” and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements relating to the Company’s financial performance, business development and results of operations.

    These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as predictions of future events, and the Company cannot assure you that the events or circumstances discussed or reflected in these statements will be achieved or will occur. If such forward-looking statements prove to be inaccurate, the inaccuracy may be material. You should not regard these statements as a representation or warranty by the Company or any other person that it will achieve its objectives and plans in any specified timeframe, or at all. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this news release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

    Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the SEC has reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AG Brown joins lawsuit challenging Trump administration rule that would make it harder for Washingtonians to obtain health coverage under the ACA

    Source: Washington State News

    By the Trump administration’s own estimates, the rule will cause up to 1.8 million people to lose their health insurance

    SEATTLE – Attorney General Nick Brown today joined a multistate coalition in filing a lawsuit challenging an unlawful final rule promulgated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that would create significant barriers to obtaining health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

    Congress passed the Affordable Care Act in 2010 to increase the number of Americans with health insurance and decrease the cost of health care. The following year, Washington established the Washington Health Benefit Exchange, building a stable, competitive individual market for health and dental insurance and enabling people to access subsidies to make coverage more affordable, leading to a drop in the state’s uninsured rate from 14.2 percent in 2011 to 4.8 percent in 2023.

    But now the Trump administration is turning back the clock with this final rule, rushed through with an unlawfully short 23-day notice and comment period, that will make it more difficult for people to enroll and keep their health insurance. The administration concedes that up to 1.8 million people across the country will likely lose their health insurance.

    In Washington, the final rule would lead to:

    • Tens of thousands fewer people enrolling in health insurance through the Washington Health Benefit Exchange,
    • The loss of as much as $10 million in annual revenue to the Washington Health Benefit Exchange due to decreased enrollment, and
    • $100 million in uninsured and largely uncompensated hospital care costs, that would then be borne by state taxpayers, providers, carriers, and employers.

    The final rule also excludes coverage of gender-affirming care as an Essential Health Benefit under the ACA. Insurers in Washington will continue to cover gender-affirming care as required by state law. But the rule change means the state will have to defray the expense of these medically necessary insurance benefits, costing state taxpayers about one million dollars annually. 

    “The Trump administration seems determined to undo the progress we’ve made in the past 15 years to help people get medical treatment when they need it,” Brown said. “People in Washington deserve the health care coverage they’re entitled to under the law, and I will continue fighting to protect that access.”

    “Everyone deserves affordable health care,” Washington Governor Bob Ferguson said. “Washington will stand with our partners across the country against the Trump administration’s efforts to strip away people’s health care. Reversing this unlawful rule will help thousands of Washingtonians hold on to their health coverage.”

    “The federal rule from this administration puts up barriers to accessing care that people have counted on for years, makes health insurance more expensive for consumers, and shifts financial burdens to states,” said Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer. “Washington state has a stable insurance market today and strong provisions in place to protect against fraud and abuse in our marketplace. The federal government should help us make health insurance more accessible and less costly for people, not more complicated and expensive to obtain.”

    “In the past decade, Washington state’s uninsured rate has dropped significantly, in large part due to the availability of marketplace health insurance plans offered through Washington Health Benefit Exchange. This rule will sharply curtail that progress and reverse years of significant gains,” said Ingrid Ulrey, CEO of the Washington Health Benefit Exchange. “We estimate that this rule, combined with other federal changes, will result in enrollment loss of one-third or more of our current customer base of 280,000 Washington residents.”

    Brown and attorneys general from 19 other states, along with the governor of Pennsylvania, are suing because the rule creates harmful changes to insurance marketplaces and health coverage subsidies. The rule shortens the period people can sign up for health insurance, raises premiums for people who do purchase individual insurance, and drives up costs for the plaintiff states, including covering the expense of medical care for people who lose insurance due to the final rule. 

    The attorneys general argue that the rule is arbitrary and capricious and violates the Administrative Procedure Act. The coalition is asking the court to prevent the challenged portions of the final rule from taking effect in the plaintiff states before the August 25 effective date.

    Joining Brown in this lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin, as well as Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, on behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

    A copy of the complaint is available here.

    -30-

    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

    Media Contact:

    Email: press@atg.wa.gov

    Phone: (360) 753-2727

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta: Trump Administration’s Unprecedented Move to Allow ICE to Access Medicaid Database is Violation of Privacy, Illegal, and Horrifying

    Source: US State of California

    Thursday, July 17, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    California is suing the Trump Administration to stop the illegal sharing of Medicaid data and to prevent private data from being used for immigration enforcement 

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today responded to new reports that the Trump Administration has illegally provided Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with access to the personal, sensitive data of Medicaid recipients. This data sharing agreement, alarmingly, comes more than a week after Attorney General Bonta led a multistate coalition in filing a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ decision to provide unfettered access to individual personal health data to ICE earlier this month. A hearing on their motion for a preliminary injunction is scheduled for August 7, 2025. 

    “I’m deeply disturbed by the Trump Administration’s reckless and unprecedented weaponization of the private, sensitive data of Medicaid recipients,” said Attorney General Bonta. “It is devastating to think that individuals may not seek essential medical care because they are afraid that if they do so, they may be targeted by this Administration. We sued President Trump and his lackeys after we received initial reports of this illegal data sharing earlier this month. Despite this, the Trump Administration appears to have entered into a new illegal data sharing agreement with ICE. We are moving quickly to secure a court order blocking the sharing of this data for immigration enforcement. The President’s efforts to pull personal, private, and unrelated health data to create a mass deportation machine cannot be allowed to continue.” 

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Trupanion Announces Second Quarter 2025 Earnings Release and Conference Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SEATTLE, July 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Trupanion, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRUP), a leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs, announced today it will report financial results for its 2025 second quarter after the market closes on Thursday, August 7, 2025. The company will host a conference call that day beginning shortly after 1:30 p.m. PT / 4:30 p.m. ET.

    A live webcast discussing results, guidance and management observations will be available on Trupanion’s Investor Relations site under Investor Events at http://investors.trupanion.com and will be archived online for 3 months upon completion of the conference call. A slide presentation will also be available on the site.

    Participants can access the conference call by dialing 1-844-676-1342 (United States) or 1-412-634-6683 (International). A telephonic replay of the call will also be available after the completion of the call, by dialing 1-844-512-2921 (United States) or 1-412-317-6671 (International) and entering the replay pin number: 10200168.

    About Trupanion

    Trupanion is a leader in medical insurance for cats and dogs throughout the United States, Canada, and certain countries in Continental Europe with over 1,000,000 pets currently enrolled. For over two decades, Trupanion has given pet owners peace of mind so they can focus on their pet’s recovery, not financial stress. Trupanion is committed to providing pet parents with the highest value in pet medical insurance with unlimited payouts for the life of their pets. With its patented process, Trupanion is the only North American provider with the technology to pay veterinarians directly in seconds at the time of checkout. Trupanion is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol “TRUP”. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Seattle, WA. Trupanion policies are issued, in the United States, by its wholly owned insurance entity American Pet Insurance Company and, in Canada, by Accelerant Insurance Company of Canada or GPIC Insurance Company. Policies are sold and administered in Canada by Canada Pet Health Insurance Services, Inc. dba Trupanion 309-1277 Lynn Valley Road, North Vancouver, BC V7J 0A2 and in the United States by Trupanion Managers USA, Inc. (CA license No. 0G22803, NPN 9588590). Canada Pet Health Insurance Services, Inc. is a registered damage insurance agency and claims adjuster in Quebec #603927. For more information, please visit trupanion.com.

    Contacts 

    Laura Bainbridge, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications
    Gil Melchior, Director, Investor Relations
    Investor.Relations@trupanion.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor Steps Up to the Plate for Breast Cancer Survivor Shahra Lambert at 16th Annual Congressional Softball Game

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Reprepsentative Kathy Castor (FL14)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) played in the friendly rivalry softball game between the women of Congress and women of the D.C. press corps at the 16th Annual Congressional Women’s Softball Game (CWSG). Since 2009, the CWSG has supported the Young Survival Coalition by raising awareness of breast cancer in young women and honoring current fighters and survivors of cancer.

    This year, Rep. Castor stepped up to the plate for her District Advisor Shahra Lambert, a breast cancer survivor and dedicated advocate for residents across the Tampa Bay area. As District Advisor, Lambert uses her expertise and deep understanding of the region to meaningfully engage with constituents and stakeholders across the community. Lambert’s impressive career includes fifteen years in leadership roles for former U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, during which time she worked on several initiatives to promote equity and community engagement. After Nelson was confirmed to lead NASA, Lambert joined the Administrator’s team as Senior Advisor. Her extensive experience with federal agencies, grassroots advocacy and strategic planning has been instrumental in advancing the district’s priorities and fostering stronger connections within the community.

    Photos of the game are available here.

    “I’m humbled and honored that Congresswoman Castor is not only playing in my honor but playing for all those survivors and their loved ones’ cancer journey,” said Lambert. “It takes a village, and I’m glad to be a part of and root for Team Castor and the Congressional Women’s Softball.”

    “The Congressional Women’s Softball Game brings people together for a friendly rivalry game that helps bring people of all sides together to support initiatives raising awareness of breast cancer and underscoring the importance of young women knowing their risks and getting their screenings,” said Rep. Castor. “I was honored to play for my District Advisor, Shahra Lambert, whose exceptional experience and dedication to serving Florida families and small businesses are vital to my ability to connect with constituents and address their needs effectively. Shahra has been an asset in fighting to secure emergency federal support for my neighbors recovering from last year’s devastating hurricanes.”

    An estimated 316,950 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2025, and an estimated 43,700 women will die from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society. Rep. Castor has been a leader in Congress in advancing legislation to fight cancer through increased preventative care, expanded access to cancer screenings, coverage for timely cancer treatment and investments in cancer research.

    “While I am thrilled to receive the Rep. Joanne Emerson Most Valuable Player Award this year as the Member Team’s pitcher, all of the women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and have fought through the diagnosis are the true winners in my book,” said Rep. Castor.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Sues to Block Federal Rule Slashing Access to Affordable Health Care Coverage

    Source: US State of New York

    EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James and 20 other states today filed a lawsuit challenging a new federal regulation that threatens to strip health care coverage from millions of Americans, drive up health care costs, and unlawfully remove gender-affirming care from the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) essential health benefits. Attorney General James and the coalition argue that the new rule from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) violates federal law, ignores expert warnings, and places unjustified burdens on states and their residents. Attorney General James and the coalition are asking the court to block the rule, which they argue would devastate state health systems and endanger public health.

    “This new rule is an illegal and dangerous attack on health care access,” said Attorney General James. “It strips working families of their health care coverage, imposes unnecessary red tape, and deliberately targets low-income and transgender Americans. In New York, we have expanded coverage, improved affordability, and protected New Yorkers’ health. The federal government should take every opportunity to learn from that success, not actively work to reverse it.”

    Congress enacted the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010 to increase access to health insurance and lower costs for individuals and families. It created state-level health insurance marketplaces where people can compare and purchase affordable plans, and it required that all plans cover a core set of “essential health benefits.” States are also allowed to require coverage of additional benefits beyond the federal minimum. Over the past five years, ACA annual enrollment has doubled, with more than 24 million Americans signing up for coverage this year alone, many of whom receive subsidies to make their insurance even more affordable.

    In June, HHS and CMS finalized a rule that makes sweeping changes to ACA eligibility and enrollment. Set to take effect in August, the rule will – by the administration’s own estimates – immediately strip coverage from up to two million people. It shortens open enrollment windows, eliminates year-round enrollment for low-income individuals, adds extensive paperwork and verification requirements, and makes it harder to access health care tax credits. It also limits automatic reenrollment and imposes illegal monthly charges on consumers who qualify for zero-dollar premium plans. Attorney General James and the coalition argue that these changes directly undermine the ACA’s core mission of expanding access to affordable health care.

    The rule also unlawfully prohibits states from including gender-affirming care in the ACA’s list of essential health benefits. Under the new policy, insurers would be prohibited from covering gender-affirming services as essential benefits when those services are related to gender dysphoria. The same treatments remain covered, however, when provided for other purposes, such as treating endocrine disorders or delaying early puberty. The attorneys general argue this discriminatory policy has no legitimate justification and will cause serious harm, especially to transgender youth and young adults. Research overwhelmingly shows that access to gender-affirming care reduces depression, anxiety, and suicidality in transgender youth. In New York, the policy conflicts directly with state law, which prohibits discrimination in health care based on gender identity and other protected characteristics.

    To implement this rule, HHS is overriding states’ authority to operate their own ACA marketplaces, requiring all exchanges, including successful state-run systems like New York’s, to implement these harmful changes. In New York, more than 220,000 people get their health insurance through the ACA marketplace. Since the marketplace was established, New York’s uninsured rate has dropped from 11 percent to 4.8 percent. If the new rule goes into effect, however, an estimated 12,000 New Yorkers will suddenly lose their health insurance, and premiums will rise across the state. The state will have to spend over $10 million on staff time alone to update its systems in line with the new rule, and the state marketplace warns that some proposals, such as the increased income verification requirements, will be impossible to implement in time for the new plan year.

    Attorney General James and the coalition argue that HHS’s new rule violates both the Administrative Procedure Act and the ACA. They are asking the court to block key parts of the rule from taking effect and ultimately vacate them in full to prevent the significant financial and public health consequences it would impose, especially on states that have invested in running their own exchanges.

    Joining Attorney General James in filing this lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin, as well as the governor of Pennsylvania.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Files Amicus Brief Opposing Trump Administration’s Efforts to Roll Back Legal Representation for Unaccompanied Children

    Source: US State of California

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today led a coalition of 20 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto, et al. vs. United States Department of Health and Human Services, et al., in support of a challenge to the Trump Administration’s abrupt termination of funding for legal services for unaccompanied immigrant children. In their brief, the attorneys general urge the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to affirm the preliminary injunction issued by the district court, arguing that the Trump Administration’s termination of federal funding for legal representation undermines the efforts of Amici States’ in ensuring the safety of unaccompanied children.

    “As the People’s Attorney I am committed to protecting the safety, wellbeing, and rights of all children – including immigrant children – and ensuring that they have access to legal representation,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The Trump Administration’s attempt to roll back the rights of unaccompanied children not only undermines their safety but also increases the risk of legal complications, educational challenges, and other lasting harms.”

    Attorney General Bonta and the multistate coalition have a strong interest in protecting the rights of unaccompanied immigrant children, as many of these children will eventually be released to sponsors in their states. In fiscal year 2024, approximately 10,800 unaccompanied children were released to sponsors in California — 11 percent of all unaccompanied children released to sponsors that year and the second-highest number of released children after Texas. These children become important members of their communities, students in their schools, and eventually, parents of their own families. Forcing these children to spend prolonged time in federal custody will make it more difficult for them to thrive in their communities upon release. A robust body of research shows that prolonged time in immigration custody is particularly harmful for children’s physical and mental health and disrupts their development.

    In the amicus brief, the coalition urges the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to affirm the preliminary injunction issued by the district court, arguing that:

    • Federal law recognizes the importance of providing legal representation to unaccompanied children in immigration proceedings.
    • The termination of federal funding for legal representation for unaccompanied children will significantly increase the gaps in funding for legal services and legal service providers resulting in funding and staffing shortfalls.
    • Unaccompanied children will experience various long-lasting harms without access to the multidisciplinary support and advocacy that legal representation provides.

    In filing the amicus brief, Attorney General Bonta leads the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

    A copy of the brief can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: AI is now part of our world. Uni graduates should know how to use it responsibly

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Fitzgerald, Associate Professor and Deputy Associate Dean (Academic), Faculty of Business, Economics and Law, The University of Queensland

    MTStock Studio/ Getty Images

    Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming an everyday part of lives. Many of us use it without even realising, whether it be writing emails, finding a new TV show or managing smart devices in our homes.

    It is also increasingly used in many professional contexts – from helping with recruitment to supporting health diagnoses and monitoring students’ progress in school.

    But apart from a handful of computing-focused and other STEM programs, most Australian university students do not receive formal tuition in how to use AI critically, ethically or responsibly.

    Here’s why this is a problem and what we can do instead.

    AI use in unis so far

    A growing number of Australian universities now allow students to use AI in certain assessments, provided the use is appropriately acknowledged.

    But this does not teach students how these tools work or what responsible use involves.

    Using AI is not as simple as typing questions into a chat function. There are widely recognised ethical issues around its use including bias and misinformation. Understanding these is essential for students to use AI responsibly in their working lives.

    So all students should graduate with a basic understanding of AI, its limitations, the role of human judgement and what responsible use looks like in their particular field.

    We need students to be aware of bias in AI systems. This includes how their own biases could shape how they use the AI (the questions they ask and how they interpret its output), alongside an understanding of the broader ethical implications of AI use.

    For example, does the data and the AI tool protect people’s privacy? Has the AI made a mistake? And if so, whose responsibility is that?

    What about AI ethics?

    The technical side of AI is covered in many STEM degrees. These degrees, along with philosophy and psychology disciplines, may also examine ethical questions around AI. But these issues are not a part of mainstream university education.

    This is a concern. When future lawyers use predictive AI to draft contracts, or business graduates use AI for hiring or marketing, they will need skills in ethical reasoning.

    Ethical issues in these scenarios could include unfair bias, like AI recommending candidates based on gender or race. It could include issues relating to a lack of transparency, such as not knowing how an AI system made a legal decision. Students need to be able to spot and question these risks before they cause harm.

    In healthcare, AI tools are already supporting diagnosis, patient triage and treatment decisions.

    As AI becomes increasingly embedded in professional life, the cost of uncritical use also scales up, from biased outcomes to real-world harm.

    For example, if a teacher relies on AI carelessly to draft a lesson plan, students might learn a version of history that is biased or just plain wrong. A lawyer who over-relies on AI could submit a flawed court document, putting their client’s case at risk.

    How can we do this?

    There are international examples we can follow. The University of Texas at Austin and University of Edinburgh both offer programs in ethics and AI. However, both of these are currently targeted at graduate students. The University of Texas program is focused on teaching STEM students about AI ethics, whereas the University of Edinburgh’s program has a broader, interdiscplinary focus.

    Implementing AI ethics in Australian universities will require thoughtful curriculum reform. That means building interdisciplinary teaching teams that combine expertise from technology, law, ethics and the social sciences. It also means thinking seriously about how we engage students with this content through core modules, graduate capabilities or even mandatory training.

    It will also require investment in academic staff development and new teaching resources that make these concepts accessible and relevant to different disciplines.

    Government support is essential. Targeted grants, clear national policy direction, and nationally shared teaching resources could accelerate the shift. Policymakers could consider positioning universities as “ethical AI hubs”. This aligns with the government-commissioned 2024 Australian University Accord report, which called for building capacity to meet the demands of the digital era.

    Today’s students are tomorrow’s decision-makers. If they don’t understand the risks of AI and its potential for error, bias or threats to privacy, we will all bear the consequences. Universities have a public responsibility to ensure graduates know how to use AI responsibly and understand why their choices matter.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. AI is now part of our world. Uni graduates should know how to use it responsibly – https://theconversation.com/ai-is-now-part-of-our-world-uni-graduates-should-know-how-to-use-it-responsibly-261273

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: New Barbie with type 1 diabetes could help kids with the condition feel seen – and help others learn

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lynne Chepulis, Associate Professor, Health Sciences, University of Waikato

    Mattel Inc/AP, The Conversation, CC BY

    Barbie has done many things since she first appeared in 1959. She’s been an astronaut, a doctor, a president and even a palaeontologist. Now, in 2025, Barbie is something else: a woman with type 1 diabetes.

    Mattel’s latest Barbie was recently launched by Lila Moss, a British model who lives with type 1 diabetes. The doll comes with a visible insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor, devices many people with diabetes rely on.

    To some people, this might seem like just another version of the doll. But to kids living with type 1 diabetes – especially young girls – it’s a big deal. This new Barbie is not just a toy. It’s about being seen.

    What is type 1 diabetes?

    Type 1 diabetes is a condition where the body stops making insulin, the hormone that helps control blood sugar levels.

    It’s not caused by lifestyle or diet. It’s an autoimmune condition (a disorder where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells) and often starts in childhood.

    People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day, often through multiple injections or an insulin pump. They also need to check their blood sugar regularly, using finger pricks or a continuous glucose monitor worn on the skin (usually the upper arm).

    Although type 1 diabetes can be effectively managed, there is no cure.

    Millions of people across the world live with this condition, and numbers are on the rise. In Australia, type 1 diabetes affects more than 13,000 children and teens, while in New Zealand, around 2,500 children under 18 have type 1 diabetes. Globally, 1.8 million young people are affected.

    Children with type 1 diabetes may wear a continuous glucose monitor.
    Pavel Danilyuk/Pexels

    Managing type 1 diabetes isn’t easy for children

    Young people with type 1 diabetes must think about their condition every day – at school, during sports, at sleepovers and even while playing. They may have to stop what they’re doing and check their blood sugar levels. It can feel isolating and frustrating.

    Stigma is a big issue for children and young people with type 1 diabetes. Some young people feel embarrassed using their insulin pumps or checking their blood sugar in public. One study found pre-teens with diabetes sometimes felt they received unwanted attention when using devices such as insulin pumps and glucose monitors.

    Stigma can make young people less likely to take care of their diabetes, which can create problems for their health.

    Seeing a Barbie with an insulin pump and glucose monitor could make a significant difference.

    Children form their sense of identity early, and toys play a surprisingly powerful role in that process. While children with type 1 diabetes can often feel different from their peers, toys can help normalise their experience and reduce the sense of isolation that can come with managing a chronic condition.

    Research shows toys and media such as books and TV shows reflecting children’s experiences can boost self-esteem, reduce stigma and improve emotional wellbeing.

    For girls especially, Barbie is more than a doll. She represents what is often perceived to be admired or desirable and this can influence how girls perceive their own bodies. A Barbie with a glucose monitor and insulin pump sends a clear message: this is part of real life. You’re not alone.

    That kind of visibility is empowering. It tells children their condition doesn’t define them or limit their potential. It also helps challenge outdated stereotypes about illness and disability.

    Some may worry a doll with a medical condition might make playtime too serious or scary. But in reality, play is how kids learn about the world. Toys that reflect real life – including health issues – can help children process emotions, ask questions, reduce fear and feel more in control.



    Read more:
    Whatever happened to Barbie’s feet? Podiatrists studied 2,750 dolls to find out

    A broader shift towards inclusivity and representation

    Mattel’s new Barbie shows diabetes and the devices needed to manage the condition in a positive, everyday way, and that matters. It can start conversations and help kids without diabetes learn what those devices are and why someone wears them. It builds understanding early.

    Mattel has added to its range of Barbies in recent years to showcase the beauty that everyone has. There are now Barbies with a wide range of skin tones, hair textures, body types and disabilities – including dolls with hearing aids, vitiligo (loss of skin pigmentation) and wheelchairs. The diabetes Barbie is part of this broader shift toward inclusivity and should be applauded.

    Every child should be able to find toys that reflect who they are, and the people they love.

    This Barbie won’t make diabetes go away. But she might help a child feel more seen, more confident, more like their peers. She might help a classmate understand that a glucose monitor isn’t scary – it’s just something some people need. She might make a school nurse’s job easier when explaining to teachers or students how to support a student with diabetes.

    Living with type 1 diabetes as a child is tough. Anything that helps kids feel a little more included, and a little less different, is worth celebrating. A doll might seem small. But to the right child, at the right moment, it could mean everything.

    Lynne Chepulis receives funding from the Health Research Council of New Zealand

    Anna Serlachius receives funding from the Health Research Council and Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF).

    – ref. New Barbie with type 1 diabetes could help kids with the condition feel seen – and help others learn – https://theconversation.com/new-barbie-with-type-1-diabetes-could-help-kids-with-the-condition-feel-seen-and-help-others-learn-261263

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy in National Review: Hospitals can’t keep hiding their prices from patients

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) penned this op-ed in National Review arguing that hospitals are failing to comply with federal regulations requiring them to display their prices for medical care clearly. Kennedy explains how his bill, the Hospital Transparency Compliance Enforcement Act, would help the Trump administration enforce price transparency rules and save patients money.

    Key excerpts of the op-ed are below: 

    “It can be scary to go to the hospital when you are sick or injured, but it can be even more terrifying to get the bill.

    “Many Americans have no way of knowing how much a hospital will charge them for a routine medical procedure until weeks later when the bill arrives in the mail. This doesn’t happen anywhere else. If I wanted to know the exact price of every mayonnaise at the grocery store, I could pull up the website and tell you in two minutes. 

    “This lack of transparency not only allows hospitals to charge breathtakingly high prices without fear of competition from other facilities, but it also allows them to charge different patients different rates for the same procedure.”

    . . .

    “Congress can help the Trump administration hold these hospitals accountable by doubling the fines of those who refuse to comply. My Hospital Transparency Compliance Enforcement Act would increase penalties for noncompliance to as much as $11,000 per day for large hospitals.

    “American consumers, employers, and insurers could have saved an estimated $80 billion if President Trump’s original price transparency order had been enforced under President Biden. Families cannot afford for Congress to sit by while hospitals continue to ignore our rules to the detriment of patients. 

    “If Louisianians can find the price of a side of mashed potatoes at any of the 600 Cracker Barrel locations around the country, they ought to be able to find the price of a blood test at the nearest hospital, too. Hospitals cannot keep denying patients the information they need to make the best decisions for their families.”

    Read Kennedy’s op-ed here.  

    Text of the Hospital Transparency Compliance Enforcement Act is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey, Padilla, Chu Join Union Workers to Announce Legislation to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Washington (July 16, 2025) – Today, on the heels of another harsh heat wave across California, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) joined Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Representative Judy Chu (D-Calif.-28), and union workers from the United Farm Workers (UFW), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and United Steelworkers to announce their bipartisan, bicameral legislation to implement federal enforceable workplace heat stress protections.

    Co-leads of the legislation include Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Representatives Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-Va.-03), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Alma Adams (D-N.C.-12).

    To address the increasing risks from extreme temperatures, the lawmakers introduced the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, legislation to protect the safety and health of indoor and outdoor workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace. The legislation would protect workers against occupational exposure to excessive heat by requiring the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to establish an enforceable federal standard to protect workers in high-heat environments with commonsense measures like paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, limitations on time exposed to heat, and emergency response for workers with heat-related illness. The bill also directs employers to provide training for their employees on the risk factors that can lead to heat illness and guidance on the proper procedures for responding to symptoms.

    The bill is named in honor of Asunción Valdivia, who died in 2004 after picking grapes for 10 hours straight in 105-degree temperatures. Mr. Valdivia fell unconscious, but instead of calling an ambulance, his employer told Mr. Valdivia’s son to drive his father home. On his way home, he died of heat stroke at the age of 53.

    “Even as heat waves become more frequent, longer-lasting, and more severe, red state politicians are rolling back heat protections and child labor protections across the country. It’s not rocket science—you cannot be pro-worker if you are anti-heat protection,” said Senator Markey. “Our legislation would provide workers with basic, effective protections: access to water, access to shade, time limits on high heat exposure, and procedures for emergency medical response. Every worker deserves to know when they clock in that they will return home safe at the end of their shift.  The thermometer is rising and the clock is ticking. Republicans want to sacrifice working Americans. Let’s save our workers instead.”

    “Asunción Valdivia’s death was completely preventable, yet his story is sadly not unique. As the planet continues to grow hotter, there is still no federally enforceable heat safety standard for workers. That’s not just dangerous for the farm workers and construction workers who work all day outside in the sun — it’s also dangerous for the factory and restaurant workers in boiling warehouses and kitchens,” said Senator Padilla. “Every family deserves to know that even on the hottest day, their loved one will come back home. A national heat safety standard would provide that peace of mind and finally give workers the safety they deserve.”

    “From farmhands to construction workers, America’s essential workforce is doing important work while under extreme heat conditions,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Temperatures continue to reach record highs in Nevada and across the United States. We must act now to protect our communities’ vital workers.” 

    “As we continue to experience record-breaking summer heat waves, we’re also seeing a distressing increase in cases of workers collapsing and even losing their lives due to excessive heat. I will never forget people like Asunción Valdivia or Esteban Chavez Jr., who passed away in Pasadena, California in 2022 after a day of delivering packages in 90-degree heat in a truck without air conditioning. Unfortunately, their tragic deaths were entirely preventable,” said Representative Chu. “Whether on a farm, driving a truck, or working in a warehouse, workers like Asunción and Esteban keep our country running while enduring some of the most difficult conditions—often without access to water or rest. To protect our workforce and save lives, we must pass this bill into law and establish comprehensive and enforceable federal standards addressing heat stress on the job.”

    “This summer, Americans across the country are grappling with some of the hottest temperatures on record. Yet workers in this country still have no legal protection against excessive heat—one of the oldest, most serious, and most common workplace hazards. Heat illness affects workers in our nation’s fields, warehouses, and factories, and climate change is making the problem more severe every year,” said Ranking Member Scott, House Committee on Education and Workforce. “This legislation will require OSHA to issue a heat standard on a much faster track than the normal OSHA regulatory process. I was proud to advance this important bill in 2022, and I urge Chairman Walberg and Committee Republicans to do so again this Congress. Workers deserve nothing less, particularly as heat-related illnesses and deaths rise.”

    “As we face record temperatures, it has never been more important that we protect our workers facing extreme heat in the workplace,” said Representative Adams. “Last year, a North Carolina postal worker Wendy Johnson lost her life to heat illness after spending hours in the back of a postal truck on a 95-degree day with no air conditioning. Her death was entirely preventable, and Wendy should still be with us today. I’m proud to introduce this bill so we can honor her memory and ensure every worker has the protections from extreme heat that Wendy deserved.” 

    According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 2024 was the warmest year on record for the United States. The past decade, including 2024, was the hottest on record, marking a decade of extreme heat that will only get worse. Heat-related illnesses can cause heat cramps, organ damage, heat exhaustion, stroke, and even death. Between 1992 and 2017, heat stress injuries killed 815 U.S. workers and seriously injured more than 70,000. The Washington Center for Equitable Growth estimates hot temperatures caused at least 360,000 workplace injuries in California from 2001 to 2018, or about 20,000 injuries a year. The failure to implement simple heat safety measures costs U.S. employers nearly $100 billion every year in lost productivity.

    From 2011-2020, heat exposure killed at least 400 workers and caused nearly 34,000 injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work; both are likely vast underestimates. Farm workers and construction workers suffer the highest incidence of heat illness. And no matter what the weather is outside, workers in factories, commercial kitchens, and other workplaces, including ones where workers must wear personal protective equipment (PPE), can face dangerously high heat conditions all year round.

    The Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act has the support of a broad coalition of over 250 groups, including: Rural Coalition, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, AFL-CIO, UNITE HERE!, Communication Workers of America, Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, Sierra Club, United Farm Workers, Farmworker Justice, Public Citizen, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, Union of Concerned Scientists, United Steelworkers, National Resources Defense Council, American Lung Association, and Health Partnerships.

    “Every worker safety rule in America is written in blood,” said UFW President Teresa Romero. “The UFW has been fighting for heat safety protections for decades. Over 20 years later, Asuncion Valdivia’s death still hurts. There are so many other farm workers — many whose names we do not know — who have also been killed by extreme heat on the job in the years since. Enough is enough. Every farm worker deserves access to water, shade, and paid rest breaks — it’s past time for Congress get this done.”

    “Too many workers – including AFSCME members – have lost their lives on the job as a result of blistering heat waves and record-breaking temperatures,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “As the number of heat-related illnesses and fatalities continue to rise, it is well past time we adopt nationwide safeguards to better protect the workers who maintain our infrastructure, keep our streets clean, harvest our food, and keep our economy moving. We at AFSCME thank Senator Padilla and Representative Chu for introducing the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act, which will ensure essential workers who brave the heat can do their jobs safely and effectively, and most importantly, make it home alive.”

    “For the Steelworkers Union, we represent workers in manufacturing settings and in a host of other areas where not only is it hot outside, but the areas that they work around are as hot as up to 3,000 degrees and they must wear protective equipment. The Asunción Valdivia Heat, Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is important because it will provide a basic standard for not just outdoor, but indoor workplaces as well to ensure that there is proper rest breaks and the ability to stay cool. The Steelworkers are absolutely supportive of this bill and are going to work with Republicans and Democrats to ensure that heat illness is the last thing a worker should worry about,” said Roy Houseman, Legislative Director of United Steelworkers. 

    “Everyone deserves safe working conditions, but powerful corporations have not done enough to protect their workers from hot working environments, exacerbated by the climate crisis,” said Liz Shuler, President of the AFL-CIO. “Extreme heat is increasingly causing indoor and outdoor workers to collapse or even die on the job, and our union family has already lost too many members to preventable, work-related heat illness. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) must issue a strong heat rule, not a weak one, to ensure workers have specific protections they need and to be able to raise unsafe working conditions without fear of retaliation.”

    “It’s long past time for meaningful legislation to protect Teamsters and other workers from the effects of prolonged heat exposure and dangerous heat levels while at work,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “Paid breaks in cool spaces, access to water, and limitations on time exposed to heat are simple common sense steps that should be mandated immediately. Waiting to implement these measures is unacceptable and will result in the further loss of lives.”

    “Workers in America are facing unprecedented dangers from climate-driven heat and extreme weather, and things are only getting worse. It is far past time for a strong national standard to protect workers from illness and death caused by exposure to extreme heat. The provisions mandated in this bill, including temperature triggers, acclimatization, water, shade and paid rest breaks, would save countless lives. They represent a common sense and common decency approach that employers could quickly adopt. American workers deserve no less, and they urgently need it. Today, OSHA is in the final stage of issuing a final rule on this issue. It is imperative that the rule maintain the integrity and high standards called for in the Asuncíon Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act. We applaud Senators Padilla, Markey, and Cortez Masto and Representatives Chu, Adams, and Scott, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have joined them in this long effort. It’s time to bring a high quality, protective standard to the finish line for American workers,” said Ernesto Archila, Climate and Financial Regulation Policy Director, Public Citizen.

    “Every summer high temperature records get broken in states across the country, and while public health officials urge residents to stay inside and stay safe millions of workers have to report for work. From fields to warehouses, airports to schools, construction sites to manufacturing plants, and many more industries, too many workers are at risk of not getting home safely at the end of the day due to exposure to heat on the job. We know how to prevent these dangers. In fact, both outdoor and indoor workers in states like Oregon, California, and Maryland have strong, enforceable protections in place already. And in Washington, Colorado, and Minnesota at least some categories of workers are being kept safe from heat. But millions labor in other states where there are no protections; worker safety is left to the federal government in these states, and absent strong rules workers are left to protect themselves and hope for the best. We must extend workplace protections from heat to all workers. The National Employment Law Project thanks Senator Padilla and Representative Chu, as well as the dozens of Senators and Congresspersons who have cosponsored the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act of 2025,” said Anastasia Christman, Senior Policy Analyst, National Employment Law Project.

    The bill is cosponsored by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    A one-pager on the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness, Injury, and Fatality Prevention Act is available here.

    A section-by-section of the bill is available here.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Markey, Reps. Matsui, Barragán, Schneider, Carbajal Introduce Legislation to Create Coordinated Federal Response to Climate and Health Crisis

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Bill Text (PDF)

    Washington (July 17, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee and the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Representatives Doris Matsui (CA-07), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Nanette Barragán (CA-44), and Brad Schneider (IL-10) today reintroduced the Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act, legislation that would improve America’s public health response to climate change by establishing an Office of Climate Change and Health Equity (OCCHE) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). OCCHE was originally established by President Biden’s Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. In January 2025, President Trump eliminated OCCHE and terminated its staff. Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) are cosponsors of this legislation.

    The reestablished OCCHE would support climate health research, health impact monitoring, and climate resilience initiatives within the health sector. In addition to codifying OCCHE, the bill would also direct the Secretary of HHS to develop a National Strategic Action Plan to assist health professionals in preparing for and responding to the public health effects of climate change. 

    “Climate change is making people and the planet sicker, and we need a national treatment plan to address the worst effects,” said Senator Markey. “While the Trump administration tries to fire everyone with any ability to fight the health impacts of the climate crisis, and while Republicans pass bills that kick millions of people off their health care, we are demanding a different future—one with a resilient health system that protects us all. My Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act will put us on track for a healthier, and brighter, future.”

    “Climate change is already endangering the health of Americans nationwide,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “President Trump and his Republican allies want to bury their heads in the sand, but we’ve seen the life-threatening effects of climate change in the Sacramento region, as flooding and wildfires are becoming more frequent and more intense. These impacts will only worsen as climate change accelerates. The Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act will ensure our healthcare system is prepared to face this new reality.”

    “The climate crisis is a persistent threat to our way of life – it is not just an environmental threat but is a public health emergency,” said Congressman Schneider. “The Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act will help ensure we are better prepared and supplied to protect the health and well-being of our communities and our planet. I’m proud to co-lead this bill with Reps. Matsui, Barragán and Carbajal and I’m hopeful that the coordination and investment it promotes will strengthen our ability to confront the health impacts of climate change head on.”

    “Climate change is already impacting the environment around us, and those changes bring real risks to our public health,” said Congressman Carbajal. “Our country must have a clear strategy for meeting these mounting threats to our air, water, and food supplies. This legislation marks a key step forward to defending both our environment and our well-being.”

    “Climate change is a very real problem that affects millions of Americans, from the growing health challenges they face to the care they receive,” said Congresswoman Barragán. “Yet, the Trump administration has undermined our federal agencies’ ability to protect our communities from climate change, especially as many of our underserved communities often fall through the cracks. That is why I am proud to co-lead this bill with Representative Matsui, which prioritizes public health and protects the environment by making sure that our agencies have the proper tools and resources they need to help combat climate change.”

    “The Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act of 2025 would implement an evidence-based approach to protecting Americans from the health threats of hazards like extreme heat, wildfire smoke, and storms. Data shows these climate-related events are increasing in severity and frequency,” said Jenny Keroack, Director of Program Strategy & Management in Health Care Without Harm’s U.S. Climate Program. “As a civil servant who worked at the now-defunct HHS Office of Climate Change and Health Equity, I was proud to help health care organizations support their patients and staff in the face of climate threats. We must redouble these efforts and use all of our public health tools to safeguard our communities from natural disasters and extreme weather.”

    “The climate crisis is also a health crisis and requires a robust whole-of-government approach to combat it,” said Ranjani Prabhakar, Legislative Director, Healthy Communities at Earthjustice Action. “From extreme heat to intense natural disasters, climate change is causing and exacerbating negative health outcomes in communities across the country. We thank Senator Markey and Rep. Matsui for recognizing the critical link between climate and public health and obligating the government to act.” 

    Specifically, the Climate Change Health Protection and Promotion Act would:

    • Formally establish an Office of Climate Change and Health Equity within the Department of Health and Human Services.
    • Provide technical support to state and local health departments to develop preparedness plans and conduct community outreach.
    • Enhance modeling of environmental and disease data and expand research into the relationship between climate change and health.
    • Prioritize communities who have been disproportionately harmed by the climate crisis.
    • Improve monitoring of infectious diseases and environmental health indicators.
    • Develop a National Strategic Action Plan for climate and health.
    • Require health impact assessments to determine how current and proposed laws, policies, and programs would protect against the health impacts of climate change.

    This legislation is endorsed by Health Care Without Harm, American College of Physicians, Center for Organizing, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, Public Citizen, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Earthjustice, Climate Justice Alliance, and the International Transformational Resilience Coalition.

    Senator Markey has introduced several pieces of legislation to address the intersecting climate and health crises, including the Green New Deal for Health Act, which he introduced with Representative Ro Khanna (CA-17) in 2023.

    In July 2025, along with Representative Barragán, Senator Markey introduced a resolution recognizing climate change as a growing threat to public health and calling for a coordinated federal strategy to protect communities from worsening climate-fueled harms. 

    Last Congress, Senator Markey introduced the Protecting Moms and Babies against Climate Change Act with Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-04), the Preventing HEAT Illness and Deaths Act with Representative Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), and the Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act with Representatives Paul Tonko (NY-20) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Province moves to protect supply of two more diabetes drugs

    The Province is limiting sales of the drugs tirzepatide and dulaglutide, commonly known by the brand names Mounjaro and Trulicity, to preserve the supply for people with diabetes who really need it.

    In April 2023, the provincial government added a “limits on sale” regulation to the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act to prevent sales of semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus) to non-Canadian residents, to limit the impact of a supply shortage.

    “Tirzepatide, dulaglutide and semaglutide are prescription drugs approved for the management of Type 2 diabetes, but their off-label use for weight loss is driving shortages of the drugs in several countries, including the United States,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “Our government is continuing to take action to ensure that people living with diabetes have reliable access to these essential medications.”

    Drugs in the regulation, which now include tirzepatide and dulaglutide, can be purchased from B.C. pharmacies, online or in-person, by B.C. residents, Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

    B.C. pharmacists will not be able to sell tirzepatide, dulaglutide and semaglutides to people who are not a citizen or permanent resident of Canada and who are not at the pharmacy in person. However, they will still be able to sell the drugs, in person at the pharmacy, to non-Canadians who have a valid prescription signed by a Canadian doctor or nurse practitioner.

    The College of Pharmacists of B.C. is responsible for ensuring that college registrants comply with the regulation.

    Learn More:

    Learn about B.C. PharmaCare: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/health-drug-coverage/pharmacare-for-bc-residents

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Read More (Steube and Bynum Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Investigate Health Risks of Microplastics)

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Greg Steube (FL-17)

    July 17, 2025 | Press ReleasesWASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representatives Greg Steube (R-Fla.) and Janelle Bynum (D-Ore.) today introduced bipartisan legislation requiring the FDA to begin studying the health impacts of microplastic exposure in food and water. This bill addresses growing concerns regarding the link between microplastics and serious health conditions affecting coastal communities in the United States.
    “For years, the federal government buried its head in the sand while microplastics infected our water and food supply,” said Rep. Steube. “Charlotte, Lee, and Sarasota Counties have all been flagged as high-risk areas for microplastic exposure, with alarming rates of chronic illness and disease. Yet the FDA still tells Americans not to worry. This is unacceptable. Americans deserve to know what they’re being exposed to, how it’s affecting their health, and what Washington plans to do about it.”
    “We can’t take a wait-and-see approach here – it’s time to be proactive. We’ve got to get a handle on how microplastics are getting in our food, beverages, and everyday items, and figure out how they’re affecting our health.” said Rep. Bynum. “I’m all about the data. That’s why I’m teaming up with Senator Merkley, Senator Scott, and Representative Steube to get the information we need to keep our constituents – and all Americans – safe and healthy.”
    This legislation has been introduced in the Senate by Senators Rick Scott (R-Fla) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore): 
    “I’m deeply concerned about how microplastics may be impacting the health of Americans – particularly vulnerable groups like our youth. As chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, I’m also especially focused on the long-term harm microplastics pose to aging Americans,” said Senator Rick Scott. “Microplastics have been found throughout the human body, including in the blood, liver, placenta, and even brain tissue, and have been linked to serious health conditions such as cancer, endocrine disruption, and chronic illness. The Microplastics Safety Act is a critical step toward understanding the full scope of these risks. As exposure continues to grow through food, water, air, and everyday products, this legislation will help ensure we’re guided by sound science to protect public health and our next generation.”“Most of us have been taught the three Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Too often, the reality for plastics is really the three Bs—buried, burned, and borne out to sea—as dangerous chemicals are seeping into our soil, air, and water,” said Senator Merkley. “Microplastics threaten human health and our environment, and our bipartisan effort will ensure the federal government better understands the dangers they pose, ensuring a healthier planet and future for all Americans.”Background:The bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the FDA Commissioner, to study the effects of microplastic exposure on cancer, chronic illness, the endocrine system, reproductive health, and children’s health. It also requires a report to Congress within one year detailing the findings and policy recommendations.The federal government has never conducted a formal study on how microplastics in food and water affect human health. There is no government data, no health risk assessment, and no plan in place. This bill fills that gap.
    A recent American Heart Association study found significantly higher rates of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease in counties with very high marine microplastic levels. That list includes all three counties in Florida’s 17th District: Charlotte, Lee, and Sarasota. The MAHA report, issued by HHS Secretary Kennedy, also identified microplastics as an emerging concern, yet no federal agency has ever conducted a formal study on the issue. The FDA still claims there is no evidence that microplastics in food and water pose a threat to human health.
    Rep. Steube previously co-sponsored the bipartisan MICRO Plastics Act to monitor plastic pollution in waterways and has long championed clean water and coastal health in Congress.Read the full bill text here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Foreign Minister Lin meets with Paraguayan Foreign Minister Ramírez, cohosts reception celebrating 68th anniversary of diplomatic relations

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    July 13, 2025No. 239
    After arriving in Paraguay in the evening of July 10, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung visited the Paraguayan Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the morning of the following day to meet with Minister of Foreign Affairs Rubén Ramírez Lezcano. The two reviewed progress made on key components of the Diplomatic Allies Prosperity Project, which is being implemented by the government of Taiwan under the policy framework of integrated diplomacy. Based on mutual trust and mutual benefit, Taiwan and Paraguay are jointly promoting exchanges in economics, trade, investment, infrastructure, smart medicine, technology, education, and smart transportation. Cooperation has brought prosperity to both countries and benefited the Taiwanese and Paraguayan people.
     
    Speaking at a joint press conference with Minister Ramírez after the meeting, Minister Lin said that Taiwan and Paraguay shared the core values of democracy, freedom, human rights, and the rule of law. He affirmed that the bilateral diplomatic relationship was rock-solid. Looking ahead, Minister Lin pledged that both countries would continue to work together to deepen interactions and collaboration in various fields and jointly enhance the well-being of their people. Minister Lin noted that this demonstrated Taiwan’s policy of values-based diplomacy was steadily developing into value-added diplomacy, showing the world that Taiwan-Paraguay ties were a model of successful cooperation.
     
    In the evening, Minister Lin and Minister Ramírez cohosted a reception celebrating the 68th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of China (Taiwan) and the Republic of Paraguay. The event was attended by over 250 guests, including Paraguayan Supreme Court President César Diesel, Chamber of Deputies Speaker Raúl Latorre Martínez, other deputies and senators, members of the diplomatic corps, and representatives of the overseas Taiwanese community. In his remarks, Minister Lin commended the fruitful outcomes of the long-term and close partnership between Taiwan and Paraguay. He said that recent benchmark initiatives such as the Taiwan-Paraguay Smart Technology Park, the Taiwan-Paraguay Polytechnic University, the Health Information Management Efficiency Enhancement Project, and an electric bus pilot program were steadily yielding results. Noting that Taiwan was a vital link in global supply chains, Minister Lin said that Taiwan was willing to use its advantages in ICT to further deepen cooperation with Paraguay on comprehensive technological development. Minister Lin added that Taiwan was ready to assist its fraternal ally Paraguay in achieving its national blueprint for development and transformation, jointly realizing the vision of sustainability and prosperity.
     
    In his address, Minister Ramírez thanked Taiwan for its long-term assistance in promoting the development of agriculture, livestock, public health, medicine, education, innovation, and infrastructure in Paraguay. He said that cooperation had targeted the sectors of society that were most in need, benefiting farming communities and young students. Praising the Taiwan-Paraguay Polytechnic University as a landmark bilateral cooperation project, Minister Ramírez said that more than 170 engineers had already been trained. He noted that the two countries were working together to construct campus buildings, representing their shared commitment to investing in knowledge and talent. Minister Ramírez added that Taiwan and Paraguay were jointly creating a future for the next generation by incorporating smart industries and global supply chain integration into their cooperation projects. 
     
    Paraguay is an important diplomatic ally of Taiwan. A mutual agreement on visa-free entry for ordinary passport holders between the two countries that will come into effect on July 25 is expected to further advance exchanges among the people of Taiwan and Paraguay and make investment by Taiwanese companies in Paraguay more convenient. The two nations will continue to deepen cooperation in all spheres and jointly inject new momentum into their democratic partnership.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Indigenous youth meet trailblazers ahead of Nelson Mandela Day

    Source: United Nations 2

    Accompanied by their parents and mentors from the midwestern state of Wisconsin, the group wore handmade ribbon skirts and vests featuring seven coloured bands, each symbolizing a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of personal significance, such as good health and gender equality.

    Also visiting the UN in New York for the first time that day was Brenda Reynolds, a social worker from Canada and a member of the Fishing Lake First Nation. She was joined by her husband, Robert Buckle, and 12-year-old granddaughter Lillian, and wore one of her own ribbon skirts for the occasion.

    Ms. Reynolds will be awarded the 2025 United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize on 18 July. The Prize, presented every five years, recognizes two individuals whose life work exemplifies service to humanity. Ms. Reynolds will receive the award alongside Kennedy Odede, a social entrepreneur from Kenya.

    UN News/Paulina Greer

    Mirian Masaquiza Jerez, a UN Social Affairs Officer, and Brenda Reynolds, a recipient of the 2025 United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize ), brief Indigenous youth visiting UN Headquarters in New York.

    Agents of change

    After a UN tour (unanimously enjoyed) and a quick stop for lunch and souvenirs at the UN Bookshop (where one plushie hummingbird was traded for a green turtle named “Coral”), the group settled into a briefing room.

    Onstage, Ms. Reynolds was joined by Mirian Masaquiza Jerez, a Kichwa woman from Ecuador and a Social Affairs Officer at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), easily recognized in the UN corridors for always wearing traditional regalia from her Indigenous community of Salasaka,

    “Wherever you go to public spaces, wear who you are,” she said.  “The UN is the place to raise your voice. Be free to be who you are.”

    Encouraging them to speak their languages and honour their cultures, Ms. Masaquiza urged the young students to see themselves as agents of change.

    “You didn’t come by invitation. You came because you belong,” she said. “You are the future. You are the present. As Indigenous, we have the space. Use it.”

    A painful past

    Ms. Reynolds shared her personal story with the group, reflecting on her early career as a counsellor at Gordon’s Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan, the last federally funded residential school to close in Canada.

    She described seeing children as young as five separated from their families for a year at a time and issued shirts with numbers instead of their names written inside: “The only other time I had seen people identified that way was when Jewish people had numbers tattooed on them.”

    During her first year at Gordon’s in 1988, a young girl confided that she had been abused. By the next morning, 17 would come forward, launching what would become the province’s first major residential school abuse case.

    Ms. Reynolds, then labeled a “troublemaker,” went on to help shape the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement and advise the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Her work has impacted hundreds of thousands of Indigenous People across Canada.

    The room echoed with laughter, knowing nods and tears, and phrases from Ojibwe and other languages represented by the Indigenous Peoples in the room, including Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk, Ojibwe, Menomonee, Oneida, Navajo, Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Afro-Indigenous communities.

    UN News/Paulina Greer

    Brenda Reynolds, a recipient of the 2025 United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize, poses with a statute of the late South African President at UN Headquarters in New York.

    Coming full circle

    The youth came from the Daughters of Tradition and the Sons of Tradition, part of a long-running healing initiative by Milwaukee’s Healing Intergenerational Roots (HIR) Wellness Institute, which supports Indigenous communities with no-cost, comprehensive mental healthcare and other services.

    The founder, Lea S. Denny, wants Indigenous youth to see themselves in positions of power. This particular group has been together for eight years, with some heading off to college in the fall.

    One father, attending with his three daughters, reflected on raising Indigenous youth in the digital age. “We want them to access the world out there,” he said, “but also protect the inside world we want to hold dear.” He said he also offered the advice that “if you don’t see yourself on the screen, sometimes you have to be the first.”

    The day finished with hugs and exchanges of handmade leis as a symbol of the breath of life and sharing a good life source.

    They will reunite on 18 July to see Ms. Reynolds accept the Mandela Prize in the General Assembly Hall.

    Before then, a planned detour to visit Times Square.

    Meanwhile, Ms. Reynolds and her family discussed their plans for a Broadway show. On the way out, she paused to hug a life-sized bronze statue of Nelson Mandela, a gift from the South African Government to the UN.

    “I started my work with children,” she said. “And today, I spoke to children. This feels full circle for me.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Sierra Leone moves closer to Universal Health Coverage with high-level engagement on draft Sierra Leone Agency for Universal Health Coverage (SLAUHC) Bill

    Source: APO


    .

    Sierra Leone has taken a critical step toward advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) with the convening of a high-level policy dialogue on the draft Sierra Leone Agency for Universal Health Coverage (SLAUHC) Bill. Organized on 6 May 2025 by the Ministry of Health with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), the one-day engagement brought together over 60 senior leaders in Freetown, including ministers, directors, and technical heads from across the health sector.

    The proposed SLAUHC Bill outlines the establishment of a dedicated agency that will integrate and manage two major national health financing mechanisms, the Free Healthcare Initiative (FHCI) and the Sierra Leone Social Health Insurance Scheme (SLeSHI). The unified governance structure aims to address current fragmentation, improve the efficiency of health financing, and accelerate the country’s progress toward achieving UHC.

    “This Bill is a transformative step in Sierra Leone’s journey toward sustainable health financing,” said Dr. Ibrahim F. Kamara, speaking on behalf of the WHO Country Representative. “It will strengthen institutional capacity, enhance accountability, and ensure equitable access to health services, particularly for the most vulnerable populations.”

    The engagement served three key objectives: a comprehensive review of the draft legislation, consensus-building among stakeholders, and alignment with the Ministry of Health’s UHC Roadmap and SLeSHI implementation framework. The outcome is a consolidated and informed policy position ahead of the bill’s submission to the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC). 

    Chief Medical Officer Dr Sartie Kenneh emphasized the importance of a comprehensive and inclusive approach to UHC: “the name and scope of the bill must reflect the broader dimensions required to achieve UHC. While health financing is a critical pillar, it is only one part of the equation. No healthcare service is truly free, while it may be free at the point of delivery, someone ultimately bears the cost. Therefore, we must collectively design a sustainable health financing model that ensures long-term viability. It is also prudent to allow the Free Healthcare Initiative and the Social Health Insurance Scheme to operate in tandem, to optimize coverage and ensure the full spectrum of healthcare costs is addressed.”

    The proposed SLAUHC Agency responds to longstanding structural challenges in the health financing landscape. Currently, out-of-pocket payments account for 56% of total health expenditure, well above the sub-Saharan Africa average of 30%. Less than 1% of Sierra Leone’s population is covered by any social health protection scheme, exposing many to catastrophic health spending and pushing households further into poverty. Moreover, with 75% of health financing reliant on donor contributions, ensuring coherence with national priorities remains a pressing issue.

    The draft bill is grounded in the Ministry’s Health Financing Strategy 2021–2025, which calls for the creation of a Universal Health Coverage Fund, integration with SLeSHI, and the development of operational and regulatory systems to support long-term health sector sustainability.

    WHO has reaffirmed its full technical support to the Ministry in the finalization and operationalization of the SLAUHC Bill. This includes support for institutional design, capacity strengthening, cost-containment mechanisms, and the establishment of care quality and priority-setting frameworks.

    Once enacted, the SLAUHC Agency will serve as a central institution for resource mobilization, regulation of financial flows, and oversight of major health benefit programs. It is expected to play a pivotal role in improving efficiency, transparency, and equity in health service delivery.

    This high-level dialogue marks a significant milestone in Sierra Leone’s health sector reform agenda. It paves the way for the establishment of a National Health Insurance Scheme and reinforces the country’s commitment to achieving health for all, leaving no one behind.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Bias and conflicts of interest on medical committees – E-002573/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002573/2025/rev.1
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Gerald Hauser (PfE)

    US Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. recently sacked all members of the US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) The committee’s remit is to decide whether given vaccines are necessary, how they should be used and to make the appropriate recommendations. The committee should no longer be a mere ‘rubber stamp’ body serving for the commercial interests of the pharmaceutical industry, since it now must be made up exclusively of individuals with no conflicts of interest. Kennedy has stated that it is high time that the focus returned to scientific facts and people’s health, rather than the profits of the pharmaceutical lobby and its billionaire investors. A few days ago, the committee was restaffed with independent and critical leading scientists such as mRNA pioneer Dr Robert Malone. This leading US virologist, immunologist and molecular biologist is the co-author of pioneering studies that led to the development of mRNA vaccines and a renowned expert on the risk-benefit profile of vaccinations.

    • 1.What specific conflicts of interest exist among Members and employees of the Commission and its agencies, e.g. the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP)?
    • 2.Have these conflicts of interest been publicly declared, and the details made available to the public, as has been standard practice for decades in medical publications and at specialist conferences?
    • 3.How does the Commission ensure the full independence of Members and employees of the Commission and its agencies?

    Submitted: 25.6.2025

    Last updated: 17 July 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Press release – Danish Presidency debriefs EP committees on priorities

    Source: European Parliament

    Denmark holds the Presidency of the Council until the end of 2025. This text will be updated regularly as the hearings take place.

    Agriculture and Rural Development Committee

    On 15 July, Jacob Jensen, Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, said that the Presidency will focus on easing the administrative burden for farmers while continuing to promote the green transition and animal welfare. Concluding the current negotiations on the common agricultural policy (CAP) simplification package and starting discussions on the post-2027 CAP will also be priorities.

    Several MEPs called for fair conditions between farmers inside and outside the EU in connection with the Mercosur Agreement and animal welfare. They asked how the presidency will help guarantee the EU’s protein and fertiliser self-sufficiency and support organic farmers. Others raised the issue of ensuring that the green transition does not compromise the agriculture sector’s sustainability.

    Regional Development Committee

    On 15 July, Danish Minister for European Affairs Marie Bjerre argued that cohesion policy should continue to play a crucial role in the EU budget, as the Presidency works on proposals for the next multiannual financial framework (MFF). She said that funding should also support competitiveness and be flexible in the face of unexpected events. Ms Bjerre highlighted the need to strengthen rule of law conditionality in the allocation of EU funds.

    MEPs agreed on the need to modernise cohesion policy and make it more flexible, but asked for the Presidency’s support in defending the policy’s core purpose – reducing inequalities between regions – and the role of regions and local authorities.

    Legal Affairs Committee

    On 15 July, Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard stressed the need to boost EU competitiveness but also to protect common values while advancing the green and digital transition. He committed to make progress on draft bills on the protection of adults and insolvency, while promoting rules on parenthood.

    Morten Bødskov, Minister of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, will strive to simplify existing rules for the benefit of EU businesses in the upcoming negotiations on sustainability reporting and due diligence obligations. Mr Bødskov also intends to advance the patent package and the “28th regime” initiative (a single set of EU rules to support innovation).

    MEPs inquired about plans to strengthen the rule of law, fight illegal migration and improve licensing, considering the planned withdrawal of the proposal on standard essential patents. They also asked for work to move ahead on the special tribunal for the crime of aggression, for measures to ensure that simplification does not lead to deregulation, and for efforts to balance rights and copyright in the context of new technologies.

    Foreign Affairs Committee

    On 15 July, European Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre said that the Presidency wants to advance EU accession negotiations with all candidate countries. She also added that the EU must act more independently to ensure its security. The dialogue with Türkiye will continue, but its accession negotiations will remain on hold.

    MEPs called for more support for some candidate countries on their EU path. They also enquired on possible new strategic partners for the EU, given recent developments in relations with the US, and called for the deepening of relations with Latin America. They also asked what steps the Presidency intends to take to help the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

    Environment, Climate Change and Food Safety Committee

    On 15 July, Jacob Jensen, Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, highlighted the need to simplify EU legislation for farmers and food producers, and to promote innovation through tools such as new genomic techniques, on which the Presidency aims to strike a deal with Parliament. He stressed the importance of making the EU’s agri-food sector more competitive while maintaining high standards of sustainability and food safety. Other priorities include an EU strategy for plant-based proteins, animal welfare, and action to tackle antimicrobial resistance.

    MEPs raised questions about the future of the CAP, demanding greater fairness, increased support for smaller farms, and clear targets for pesticide reduction. MEPs also enquired about trade agreements, such as with Mercosur, and a possible ban on PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).

    Lars Aagaard, Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, stressed the importance of reaching an agreement on the EU 2040 climate target, to offer clear guidance for climate action, investment, and industrial competitiveness. He underlined the need for an agreement before the COP30 in Brazil on 10–21 November 2025, to show EU leadership and unity.

    Some MEPs raised concerns about energy affordability and the social impact of the new emissions trading system, while others stressed excessive flexibility would undermine the 2040 target.

    Civil liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee

    On 15 July, Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard said the Presidency would prioritise work on the fight against serious cross-border and organised crime, action to improve victims’ rights, and police cooperation to counter migrant smuggling. The Presidency will also advance work on the directive and regulation to combat child sexual abuse.

    Torsten Schack Pedersen, Minister for Resilience and Preparedness, called for implementation of the “Preparedness Union” strategy to strengthen EU security, resilience and preparedness. The Presidency will advance work on the reformed EU civil protection mechanism, the stockpiling strategy and measures to protect critical infrastructure.

    MEPs asked the Presidency about progress on the directives on combating corruption and victims’ rights. According to the Justice Minister, work on both will continue promptly as a priority. MEPs and the Ministers also discussed law enforcement access to data, and measures against terrorism and online radicalisation.

    Kaare Dybvad, Minister for Immigration and Integration, emphasised the need to implement the Asylum and Migration Pact in full. The Presidency will work on proposals on safe third countries, safe countries of origin and a common approach to returns. He also mentioned the possibility of developing external partnerships and possible return hubs in third countries, stressing the need to uphold international law and human rights. Other priorities are action to combat migrant smuggling and the EU talent pool.

    On Migration and Asylum Pact implementation, MEPs asked about the solidarity platform, protection of human dignity, and cooperation with third countries. The minister replied that priority should be given to people in need of refugee status. Economic migrants must use legal channels, and those with no right to stay need to be returned to their home countries.

    Marie Bjerre, Minister for European Affairs, said the Presidency aimed to strengthen the link between respect for EU values and access to EU funds, enhance the Council’s rule of law dialogues, and support tools such as the Commission’s rule of law report. It will also work to reinforce the conditionality mechanism in the next long-term budget, by increasing funding for it and ensuring more automatic application.

    Some MEPs raised concerns about the situation in Hungary, and called for a stronger conditionality mechanism and better protection of media freedom and civil society. Others called for clarity on the definition of rule of law, and raised the issues of spyware use against journalists and the situation in Gaza.

    Employment and Social Affairs Committee

    On 15 July, Employment Minister Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen stressed that the Presidency would focus on investing in skills, fair labour mobility, strengthening social dialogue, and occupational health. She aims to advance the revision of the Carcinogens and Mutagens Directive (CMRD) and the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund for Displaced Workers. Minister for Social Affairs and Housing Sophie Hæstorp Andersen highlighted the need to improve independent living for persons with disabilities and to improve access to sustainable and affordable housing.

    MEPs highlighted the lack of legislative proposals in social areas and voiced concern about the future of the European Social Fund+. They stressed the need to strengthen the European Labour Authority, and addressed the working conditions of non-EU nationals, the lack of skilled workers, and the migration of qualified workers. Others asked for action on employment rights for persons with disabilities, the coordination of social security systems, and the European Child Guarantee.

    Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee

    On 15 July, Caroline Stage Olsen, Digital Affairs Minister, emphasised the need for action to boost investment and cut red tape. Special attention will be given to protecting minors online through firm Digital Services Act enforcement, new age verification rules and action to tackle addictive design. She supported postponing elements of the AI Act to give business, especially smaller companies, more time to comply.

    Morten Bødskov, Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs, stressed the Presidency’s intention to tackle customs challenges, unfair competition, slow growth and job loss. The minister also expressed strong support for the green transition and the need to advance work on simplification packages and regulatory burden reduction targets.

    MEPs asked about the Presidency’s plans to work on e-commerce, the posting of workers, attracting talent and the “28th regime” (a single set of EU rules to support innovation). They also enquired about digital policy loopholes and the Digital Fairness Act, and the need to advance negotiations on the late payments regulation and the European defence industrial strategy.

    Development Committee

    On 15 July, Foreign Affairs Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen called for a stronger Team Europe approach, given the widening gap between humanitarian needs and the resources available. Presidency priorities include the Global Gateway, the Samoa Agreement, the EU-African Union (AU) Summit, human rights and the sustainable development goals. The Presidency will champion external action in negotiations on the next long-term EU budget.

    MEPs stressed the importance of development aid and the need to make sure foreign investment upholds human rights, while also voicing concern over irregular migration. They called for a broader EU presence at the next EU-AU Summit, and asked about the Presidency’s plan for the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.

    Public Health Committee

    On 16 July, Sophie Løhde, Danish Minister for Interior and Health, highlighted the need to strengthen EU preparedness through efficient medical countermeasures, ensure better access to medicines, and address antimicrobial resistance. She shared the Presidency’s commitment to finalising the Council’s position on the critical medicines act, hoping an agreement with Parliament could be reached on the pharmaceutical package by the end of the year.

    MEPs quizzed the minister on medicine affordability, rare diseases, and healthcare workforce shortages. Some called for a greater focus on women’s health, action against PFAS contamination, and improved EU coordination of health and military crisis preparedness.

    Constitutional Affairs Committee

    On 16 July, European Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre said the Presidency priorities were to advance a merit-based EU accession process and uphold the rule of law. She also highlighted the need to reinforce democratic resilience, for instance through the Commission’s Democracy Shield and improved transparency of foreign interests. The Presidency is also committed to strengthening interinstitutional cooperation and pursuing institutional reforms within the existing treaty framework.

    MEPs raised questions on the link between internal EU reforms and future accessions, the use of qualified majority voting to overcome institutional deadlocks, the right of inquiry, and electoral reform. Bjerre replied that the lack of consensus among member states on possible treaty changes made that a less feasible path.

    Security and Defence Committee

    On 16 July, Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said that one of the priorities was to continue to support Ukraine politically, militarily and financially, and work on integrating the Ukrainian defence industry into the EU one. This includes paving the way for Ukrainian companies to set up facilities in the rest of Europe. He also mentioned the need for Europe to be able to defend itself by 2030 by increasing its defence readiness and production, and freeing up defence financing.

    MEPs questioned the minister on a range of topics, including the use of frozen Russian state assets to support Ukraine’s reconstruction, a dedicated European defence fund, removing hurdles to support the Ukrainian defence industry, and the pros and cons of non-EU country access to EU defence funds.

    Fisheries Committee

    On 16 July, Jacob Jensen, Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, said the Presidency would prioritise the green transition, simplification, including for the Ocean Pact, and better regulation of fisheries. They will also focus on fishing opportunities in the Mediterranean and Baltic Sea for 2026 to allow fishers to plan early.

    MEPs highlighted fleet renewal, the Baltic Sea’s herring situation and the MFF’s role in achieving sustainability, simplification, and climate goals. They expressed concern over the 24-metre fleet renewal restriction and called for specific funding mechanisms for the Ocean Pact. Finally, they welcomed the focus on 2026 fishing quotas and sustainability objectives.

    Transport and Tourism Committee

    Boosting competitiveness, easing the administrative burden, ensuring a green transition in transport and tourism, but also military mobility, are the main drivers of Danish presidency, said Thomas Danielsen, Minister of Transport on 16 July. He hoped to start talks with MEPs on passenger rights and rules on counting CO2 emissions, as well as to finish negotiations on railway capacity infrastructure. Morten Bødskov, Minister of Business, Industry and Financial Services, added the Presidency perspective on shipping transport and upcoming EU ports and maritime industry strategies.

    The majority of transport committee MEPs welcomed the Presidency priorities, the ambition to reach a Council position on weights and dimensions rules, while some questioned the focus on the green transition. On passenger rights, MEPs were frustrated with the Council decision to force into a tight deadline to reach a deal on future rules, and asked the minister not to forget the multimodal part of the package.

    Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee

    On 16 July, Minister for Environment and Gender Equality, Magnus Heunicke, outlined priorities including combating gender-based violence, promoting equal opportunities by involving men and boys, and strengthening LGBTQI equality amid rising hate and harassment. He announced that a Council meeting on 17 October would focus on equality and non-discrimination.

    MEPs raised concerns about the absence of an EU-wide consent-based definition of rape, the lack of progress on the revision of the Victims’ Rights Directive, the under-representation of women in government, and the stalled horizontal anti-discrimination directive. In response, Heunicke confirmed that there would be a discussion on a consent-based rape definition, and that finalising the Victims’ Rights Directive negotiations was a priority.

    International Trade Committee

    On 16 July, Minister for Foreign Affairs Lars Løkke Rasmussen named agreements on the revised general scheme of preferences (GSP) and the foreign investment screening review as being among his priorities. The phasing-out of Russian gas imports and ratification of the trade agreement with Mercosur are also high on the agenda. The Presidency will also work to negotiate a new trade relationship with the US, while being prepared for other scenarios.

    MEPs welcomed the priorities, particularly on concluding the Mercosur Agreement, phasing out Russian gas imports and concluding the revision of the GSP. Some MEPs also questioned the Presidency on how EU-Israel trade relations should evolve given the humanitarian situation in the Middle East.

    Culture and Education Committee

    On 16 July, Mattias Tesfaye, Minister for Education and Youth, said that Presidency wanted to make vocational education and training more attractive, ensure learning mobility, and focus on how the digitalisation affects learning outcomes. The Presidency will also prioritise negotiations on the next generation of Erasmus+ and on the European education area.

    Many MEPs expressed their concerns about the future of the Erasmus+ programme and enquired about the protection of children online, recognition of competences, and the safety of young students in the workplace.

    Jakob Engel-Schmidt, Minister for Culture, Media and Sports Policy, highlighted the need to prohibit the use of images, voice and other personal features in deepfakes or lifelike imitations. The EU Copyright Regulation should be updated to address the challenges posed by artificial intelligence to the cultural and creative sectors, either by guaranteeing fair remuneration for rights holders or by achieving the best possible conditions for licensing agreements. In sport, the Presidency promises to do more to uphold democratic values and integrity in the awarding of international sports events.

    MEPs asked for measures to help EU countries implement the European Media Freedom Act and highlighted the revision of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive. MEPs also raised issues such as protecting heritage against natural disasters and gender equality programmes in sport.

    Industry, Research and Energy Committee

    On 16 July, Caroline Stage Olsson, Minister for Digital Affairs, outlined two priorities: enhancing digital competitiveness and protecting minors online. She advocated for reducing the administrative burden on business and for strategic investment for a more sovereign Europe. She also highlighted work on enforcing the Digital Services Act (DSA), stricter regulations for age verification and data protection, and the establishment of a competitiveness fund.

    Some MEPs stressed the need to reduce dependency on non-European tech companies and to balance regulation with simplification, to foster innovation while protecting consumers. Questions were asked about the impact of the DSA on free speech and privacy, and about investment in less connected regions.

    Troels Lund Poulsen, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, outlined four priorities: enhancing Europe’s defence capabilities, supporting Ukraine, fostering cooperation with NATO and strengthening the EU’s defence against hybrid threats. He also stressed the importance of the European defence industry programme (EDIP) to this end.

    Torsten Schack Pedersen, Minister for Resilience and Preparedness, focused on cybersecurity and highlighted three priorities: strengthening EU cyber resilience, framing a robust EU response to cyber crises, and simplifying the EU cyber legislation framework.

    MEPs enquired about the creation of a unified European defence market, the standardisation of defence products, and the need for joint procurement to enhance defence capabilities. Questions also focused on Baltic Sea security and measures to counter potential sabotage. Concerns were voiced about Europe’s dependency on non-European defence suppliers.

    Lars Aagaard, Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities, emphasised the importance of a secure, clean and affordable energy supply, as well as of a stronger energy sector, focusing on renewable and clean energy produced locally. He called for an approach that would balance environmental protection with economic competitiveness and for Europe to phase out its dependency on Russian energy.

    Morten Bødskov, Minister for Industry, Business and Financial Affairs focused on competitiveness and highlighted the need for increased investment in green technologies and new critical technologies such as life sciences, artificial intelligence, biotech, and quantum. Mr Bødskov also stressed the need to simplify regulations to foster innovation and growth.

    MEPs stressed the need for a more efficient regulatory environment to foster innovation and competitiveness. They expressed concerns about high energy prices and highlighted the importance of investing in clean energy technologies and infrastructure to achieve energy security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Several MEPs questioned the balance between environmental protection and economic competitiveness, and called for a more pragmatic approach to regulation that would not stifle innovation and growth.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wasserman Schultz, Miller-Meeks, Castor, Fitzpatrick, Dingell, and Harshbarger Introduce EARLY Act to Reauthorize Breast Cancer Awareness Funding

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23)

    “Like so many women in the United States, I heard those devastating words no one wants to hear: ‘you have breast cancer.’ My personal experience battling this terrible disease led to the creation of the EARLY Act, which was designed to help educate women and their health care providers about the specific threats and warning signs of breast cancer in younger women that lead to early detection, diagnosis, and survival,” said Wasserman Schultz, who was diagnosed with breast cancer and the BRCA2 gene mutation at age 41 and after 15 months of surgery, has been cancer free for 17 years. “Reauthorizing the EARLY Act means that we will continue the vital work of educating young and higher risk women about their breast health and do everything we can to save more lives.”

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) Debbie Dingell (MI-06), and Diana Harshbarger (TN-01) introduced legislation to reauthorize and continue funding for the Breast Cancer Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act (EARLY) Act.

    In the United States, the most common cancer diagnosed among women is breast cancer, where the average risk for developing it sometime in her life is about 1 in 8. More than 316,000 new diagnoses and 42,000 deaths expected from breast cancer in 2025. And with incidences rising in younger women each year, the earlier its caught, the better the chance to survive and overcome this devastating health challenge.  

    Key to early detection and treatment starts with education and awareness. This especially is true for younger women, and those at higher risk of death, like ethnic and racial populations who too often face an aggressive form of breast cancer and are not able to catch it till later.  

    “Like so many women in the United States, I heard those devastating words no one wants to hear: ‘you have breast cancer.’ My personal experience battling this terrible disease led to the creation of the EARLY Act, which was designed to help educate women and their health care providers about the specific threats and warning signs of breast cancer in younger women that lead to early detection, diagnosis, and survival,” said Wasserman Schultz, who was diagnosed with breast cancer and the BRCA2 gene mutation at age 41 and after 15 months of surgery, has been cancer free for 17 years. “Reauthorizing the EARLY Act means that we will continue the vital work of educating young and higher risk women about their breast health and do everything we can to save more lives.” 

    “As a physician, I’ve seen firsthand how devastating a breast cancer diagnosis can be, and I’ve also seen how early detection can save a life,” said Dr. Miller-Meeks. “Too many young women, especially those at higher risk, are being left in the dark. The EARLY Act changes that. It empowers women with the knowledge they need to detect cancer sooner, fight harder, and live longer. I’m proud to help lead this bipartisan effort to protect women, strengthen families, and save lives.”

    “Far too many young women face breast cancer without the knowledge or support they need to fight back,” said Castor. “For 15 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has used the EARLY Act to ensure these young women aren’t alone by supporting outreach and resources that meet them where they are. I’m proud to support this bipartisan reauthorization to ensure the continuation of these critical initiatives that empower women to understand their risks, advocate for their health and get the tools they need to fight the disease.”

    “In my work with hospitals and health leaders across PA-1, one fact remains clear: early detection is the most effective tool we have to reduce cancer mortality. As Co-Chair of the House Cancer Caucus, I’ve worked to expand access to screening, education, and risk-based interventions. The EARLY Act is targeted, data-driven policy—built to close detection gaps, reach high-risk populations sooner, and reduce the number of women diagnosed too late. That’s how we save lives—and that’s the standard every public health initiative should meet,” said Fitzpatrick.

    “There’s no question that early diagnosis saves lives, and the earlier breast cancer is diagnosed, the better for patient outcomes. With rates of breast cancer rising, especially among younger women, it’s critical we redouble our efforts to raise awareness about early screening and detection – and it’s critical these efforts focus on high-risk populations,” said Dingell. “I’m proud to co-lead this reauthorization and remain committed to ensuring we secure federal funding for continued cancer research and education.”

    “I’ve seen firsthand the power of early education and prevention in the fight against breast cancer. Too many women, especially those in high-risk and underserved communities, are still being diagnosed too late. The EARLY Act has proven effective in closing that gap by giving young women the tools and information they need to understand their risk, recognize early warning signs, and take action,” said Harshbarger. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in reauthorizing this life-saving program that can save women’s lives.”

    The EARLY Act became law in 2010. Its success centers around authorizing three programs administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), designed to empower young and high-risk women to better focus their attention on this deadly disease. 

    This includes the Bring Your Brave campaign, which amplifies stories of real women to raise awareness of breast cancer in young women between the ages 18-44, and encourages them to understand their risk and the signs and symptoms. It also funds the Young Breast Cancer Survivors Program, which provides grants to several non-profit organizations aimed at delivering supportive services and resources to increase patients’ survival and improve their quality of life. And it offers continuing medical education (CME) courses for health care providers about breast cancer. 

    After fifteen years of successful implementation, it is now time to again reauthorize the EARLY Act to ensure that it continues to reach even more young and higher risk women across the United States. Reauthorizing the EARLY Act is vital to continuing to save women’s lives.

    Click here to read the full bill.

    The EARLY Act is endorsed by:

    • American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
    • AdvaMed
    • Axogen
    • BRCAStrong
    • Breast Cancer Early Detection Coalition
    • Breast Cancer Ruckus
    • Brem Foundation to Defeat Breast Cancer
    • Cancer Support Community
    • DenseBreast-info, Inc 
    • FORCE
    • GE HealthCare
    • Gilda’s Club South Florida
    • Hologic
    • Living Beyond Breast Cancer
    • Prevent Cancer Foundation
    • Sharsheret
    • Susan G. Komen
    • Tigerlily Foundation
    • Women’s Health Advocates 

    • Young Survival Coalition

    “Reauthorizing the EARLY Act is critical to protecting the lives of young and high-risk women nationwide,” said Lisa A. Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). “”This legislation ensures that individuals and their health care providers have access to essential programs that offer the tools, education, and support needed to better understand breast health and detect cancer risks early—when it matters most. ACS CAN is grateful to Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Kathy Castor (D-FL), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) along with Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) for their bipartisan leadership on this life-saving effort. Without swift action, we risk losing a vital resource in the fight against breast cancer.”

    “The Prevent Cancer Foundation proudly supports the reauthorization of the EARLY Act, which has been vital in helping young women — especially those at increased risk for breast cancer — and their health care providers understand the importance of breast health. We applaud Reps. Wasserman Schultz, Castor, Dingell, Miller-Meeks, Harshbarger and Fitzpatrick for championing this critical effort to advance awareness and early detection of breast cancer for better health outcomes.” Jody Hoyos, CEO Prevent Cancer Foundation

    “The evidence is clear – early detection of breast cancer saves lives. Over 95 percent of women who receive an early diagnosis can see high rates of survival with treatment. That number drops to 30 percent when breast cancer is caught at later stages. Yet, younger women – aged 25 to 40 – are diagnosed with more aggressive cancers at significantly higher percentages than women at average risk.  Brem Foundation applauds reintroduction of the EARLY Act, which educates young women, helps identify who is at higher risk for early breast cancers, and helps to drive self advocacy in breast health. Simply put, this bill will save lives.” Dr. Rachel Brem, Chief Medical Officer Brem Foundation & Professor and Vice-Chair, GW Cancer Center

    “This legislation plays a critical role in educating patients and healthcare professionals about breast cancer risks, early detection, and prevention—particularly among younger women and underserved populations,” said Emily Hansen, senior director of Resensation by Axogen. “Continued investment in awareness, education, and innovation is essential to ensuring more informed, empowered care decisions that will lead to better outcomes.”

    “The Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young (EARLY) Act is a critical step forward in empowering young and high-risk women with the knowledge they need to take control of their breast health. Early education saves lives by ensuring women and their healthcare providers are informed about risks, prevention, and proactive care options. At BRCAStrong, we believe knowledge is power and this legislation embodies that belief by helping to close gaps in awareness and ultimately reduce breast cancer’s impact on our community,” said Tracy Milgram, Founder of BRCAStrong.

    “Tigerlily Foundation proudly stands with Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Senator Klobuchar in supporting the reintroduction of the EARLY Act, a critical lifeline for young and high-risk women and their providers. When we first championed this legislation in 2009, we knew it would save lives—and it has. The EARLY Act’s education campaigns, provider training, and grant programs have empowered women with knowledge and tools to advocate for their breast health, while equipping clinicians to better serve them. But our work isn’t done. With disparities persisting—especially for young, Black and other underserved women—we must ensure this vital legislation continues to bridge gaps in awareness, access, and care. Together, we can rewrite the narrative for the next generation, because every woman deserves the chance to live a full life,” said Maimah Karmo, Founder & CEO, Tigerlily Foundation.

    “When I promised my sister Suzy I would do everything in my power to end the devastation of breast cancer, we knew early detection would be the key. The EARLY Act has given thousands of young women a fighting chance through education, awareness, and action. I am proud to support its reauthorization, and the Promise Fund stands firmly behind this life-saving legislation,” said Nancy G. Brinker, Co-Founder, Promise Fund and Founder, Susan G. Komen

    ####

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen, Marshall Renew Bipartisan Push to Crack Down on Illegal Drug Activity on Social Media

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) today reintroduced the bipartisan Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act to require social media companies to work with federal agencies to combat the sale and distribution of illicit drugs on their platforms. The Senators’ bipartisan bill would ensure that social media companies turn over basic information relating to illicit online fentanyl activity to federal agencies – empowering state and local law enforcement to use this data to combat fake fentanyl-laced pills and prosecute those who prey on America’s youth. 
    “In recent years, we’ve seen the startling role that social media has played in fueling the substance use disorder crisis impacting New Hampshire by making it easier for young people to get their hands on these dangerous drugs. It’s past time that Congress step in to put a stop to it,” said Senator Shaheen. “Our bipartisan bill would hold social media companies accountable to their obligation to keep our kids safe by requiring that they report illicit drug activity on their platforms and work with law enforcement to stop it. Families and communities across this country have dealt with enough heartbreak – as the substance use epidemic evolves, so must our response.” 
    The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act is named after two young men who both tragically lost their lives to fentanyl poisoning after purchasing a pill from social media. It is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Todd Young (R-IN). 
    In recent years, organized drug cartels have dominated fentanyl trafficking in the country, and they have set up large, sophisticated distribution networks online via social media. In investigating fentanyl-related poisoning and deaths in teenagers and young adults, law enforcement agencies have found an alarming rate of these deadly pills acquired through platforms like TikTok and Snapchat. Unfortunately, federal agencies do not have the data to intervene and prevent these illegal activities. The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act would require social media companies and other communication service providers to take on a more active role in working with federal agencies to combat the illegal sale and distribution of drugs on their platforms. This critical data will also empower state and local law enforcement to combat fentanyl, methamphetamine and fake fentanyl-laced pills and prosecute those who prey on America’s youth. Fentanyl remains the most dangerous drug threat facing Americans, and fatal poisonings are the fastest growing among adolescents, teenagers and young adults. After a decrease of deaths involving opioids from an estimated 83,140 in 2023 to 54,743 in 2024, drug-related deaths are rising across the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 
    Shaheen has spearheaded crucial legislation and funding to fight the substance use disorder epidemic, including through her leadership on the pivotal U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, which funds the U.S. Department of Justice. Shaheen recently introduced her bipartisan Keeping Drugs Out of Schools Act to help prevent youth opioid use and overdoses by establishing a new grant program that allows current or former Drug-Free Communities (DFC) coalitions to partner with schools to provide resources educating students about the dangers of synthetic opioids. Shaheen has also helped enact the FENTANYL Results Act to increase global cooperation in the fight against synthetic drug trafficking and the HALT Fentanyl Act to permanently schedules all fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act to ensure law enforcement can keep them off the streets and hold drug traffickers accountable. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 07/17/2025 Blackburn Statement on Senate Passing $9 Billion Rescissions Package to Cut Wasteful Government Spending

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released the following statement after the Senate passed the Rescissions Act of 2025 to cut $9 billion of wasteful government spending. With America’s national debt now sitting at $37 trillion after four years of reckless, far-left spending under the Biden administration, the rescissions package is an important step to restoring fiscal sanity.

    “The American people gave us a mandate to stop reckless spending and get our national debt under control,” said Senator Blackburn. “For years, American taxpayers have been bankrolling biased public media, foreign spending that undermines our values, and other outrageous things like electric buses in Rwanda and climate programs in Mexico. The rescissions package that Senate Republicans just passed eliminates billions in wasteful spending, and it is an important step toward restoring fiscal sanity and economic security.”

    THE RESCISSIONS ACT OF 2025

    Below are highlights of the billions in wasteful government spending the rescissions package will cut: 

    • Reckless spending on biased public media:

    o    Eliminates nearly $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the organization that funnels taxpayer dollars into a politically biased media system, including NPR and PBS, that has pushed left-wing ideology on the taxpayers’ dime for years. Click here for a list of examples of left-wing bias at NPR and PBS.

    • Foreign spending on programs that undermines American values and interests:
      • $3.9 million for strengthening integrity, equality, and democracy for LGBTQI+ population of the Western Balkans;
      • $2.5 million to teach children how to make environmentally friendly “reproductive health” decision;
      • $2.4 million to make aid more considerate of “sexual orientation and gender identity;”
      • $2.1 million for “climate resilience” in Asia, Latin America, and Africa;
      • $750,000 to “Yemen Community Resilience;” and
      • $500,000 for a gender equality and empowerment hub.
    • Funding to international organizations that work against American interests:
      • $135 million for the corrupt World Health Organization, which covered for Communist China throughout the COVID pandemic;
      • $33 million for the UN Population Fund, whose funding has gone towards providing tampons for transgender individuals in Bangladesh, a campaign to promote LGBTQ ideology in Rio de Janeiro, and “third-gender” community centers in Southeast Asia; 
      • $8 million for the UN Human Rights Council, which supports dictators and repressive regimes while demonizing our ally, Israel.
    • Funding for outrageous projects at the expense of American taxpayers:
      • $21 million for wind farms in Ukraine;
      • $18 million to improve gender diversity in the Mexican street lighting industry;
      • $6 million for “Net Zero Cities” in Mexico;
      • $4.4 million for the “Melanesian Youth Climate Corps;”
      • $4 million for “sedentary migrants” in Colombia;
      • $3 million for an Iraqi version of Sesame Street; 
      • $3 million for sexual reproductive health in Venezuela;
      • $2.4 million to make aid more considerate of “sexual orientation and gender identity;”
      • $1 million for voter ID in Haiti;
      • $500,000 for electric buses in Rwanda; and
      • $500,000 for Peruvian biodiversity.

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