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Category: Health

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Krishnamoorthi And Colleagues Demand Answers on Trump Administration’s Massive Cuts To National Institutes of Health Research

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

    WASHINGTON – Last week, Congressman joined a majority of his colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus in a letter to Acting Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that expresses alarm at the illegal decision by President Trump to reduce the reimbursement rate for indirect research costs to 15 percent across the board.

    “The dramatically lower indirect cost rate cap will have far-reaching consequences for institutions and researchers nationwide, reducing their capacity to conduct cutting-edge research,” said the lawmakers. “Slashing this funding means cutting financial support for the construction and maintenance of laboratories and high-tech facilities; energy and utility expenses; and the essential safety, security, and other support services researchers need to perform their work. Indirect costs make research possible. Without fair reimbursement for indirect costs, research institutions may be forced to close laboratories, lay off staff, stop clinical trials, and pause research programs. This will force Americans to go without lifesaving and life-extending treatments.”

    Read the full letter HERE

    BACKGROUND

    On February 7, 2025, the Trump administration announced a new policy that would slash the NIH reimbursement rate for indirect research costs to 15 percent. This illegal move would have far-reaching consequences for institutions and researchers nationwide, cutting off financial support for the construction and maintenance of laboratories and high-tech facilities; energy and utility expenses; and the essential safety, security, and other support services researchers need to perform their work. Simply put, indirect costs make research possible. 

    Without fair reimbursement for indirect costs, research institutions may be forced to close laboratories, lay off staff, stop clinical trials, pause research programs, and redirect resources from critical areas like financial aid. This will force Americans to go without lifesaving and life-extending treatments.

    On February 10, 2025, a federal judge in Boston issued a nationwide temporary restraining order on the effort in response to a federal lawsuit filed by hospitals and medicals schools affected by the substantial loss in potential research funds.

    Funding for NIH research enjoys support from both sides of the aisle. On May 1, 2024, a bipartisan group of nearly 200 lawmakers called for $51.3 billion in fiscal year 2025 funding for NIH. 

    READ THE FULL TEXT OF THE LETTER

     

    Dear Acting Director Memoli:

    The United States is a global leader in biomedical research and innovation due to National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding. That is why we are alarmed by NIH’s illegal decision to slash the reimbursement rate for indirect research costs to 15 percent across the board.[1]  
    Because of the NIH, grantee institutions, and a vibrant life sciences sector, the United States has made significant strides in medicine, improving and saving lives with each breakthrough. From 1991 to 2022, the cancer mortality rate in the United States decreased by 34 percent.[2] Annual HIV infections fell by two-thirds from the height of the HIV epidemic, and 65 percent of individuals diagnosed with HIV in 2022 achieved viral suppression.[3] The life expectancy of someone born with cystic fibrosis today is multiple decades longer than it was 30 years ago.[4]  Each of these achievements was driven by research conducted at or funded by NIH.
    The dramatically lower indirect cost rate cap will have far-reaching consequences for institutions and researchers nationwide, reducing their capacity to conduct cutting-edge research. Slashing this funding means cutting financial support for the construction and maintenance of laboratories and high-tech facilities; energy and utility expenses; and the essential safety, security, and other support services researchers need to perform their work. Indirect costs make research possible. Without fair reimbursement for indirect costs, research institutions may be forced to close laboratories, lay off staff, stop clinical trials, and pause research programs. This will force Americans to go without lifesaving and life-extending treatments. 
    The supplemental guidance for this misguided and detrimental announcement states that the “United States should have the best medical research in the world.[5]” Cutting vital funding for indirect costs accomplishes the exact opposite. Instead of supporting efforts to cure disease, this policy will severely compromise the United States’ ability to conduct lifesaving research. 
    A recent Washington Post article described how a researcher who studies how cells communicate faced a setback when the lab’s “cold room” broke down. This cold room is essential for conducting experiments critical to advancing our understanding of colon cancer and developing potential cures. The expenses associated with maintaining cold rooms represent the kind of funding that would be slashed under NIH’s policy, compromising the infrastructure that allows researchers to carry out their vital work.
    Research universities generate significant economic activity in communities throughout the country. In 2024, the NIH supported work at over 2,500 institutions in all 50 states, as well as in U.S. Territories and Commonwealths.[6] In Fiscal Year 2023, each dollar of NIH funding generated $2.46 in economic activity.[7] The economic pain caused by slashing NIH research funding will not be contained to university campuses. It will reverberate into communities throughout the country, hurting hardworking families already struggling to keep up with rising costs. 
    The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 was passed by Congress on a bipartisan basis and contains a provision to prevent NIH from unilaterally making changes to how the agency pays for indirect costs. We are encouraged that a federal judge has issued a temporary order halting this controversial decision. However, the uncertainty and disruption caused by these irrational decisions highlight the need for the NIH to immediately rescind this guidance on indirect costs and refrain from taking unilateral action on payment for indirect costs in the future. With this in mind, we request answers to the following questions:

    1. What measures has the NIH taken to thoroughly assess the impact of capping indirect cost payments? 

    2. Were alternative solutions considered that would allow for budgetary savings without compromising research institutions’ ability to conduct research?

    3. How does the NIH plan to address concerns from research institutions about potential layoffs and halted studies caused by the new indirect cost rate?

    4. How will significantly reducing funds available to maintain critical laboratory infrastructure impact the overall quality and progress of biomedical research and innovation in the United States?

    Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.  We ask that you provide responses to these questions no later than February 28, 2025. 

     

    The letter was also signed by Representatives Gabe Amo (RI-01), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Alma Adams (NC-12), Becca Balint (VT-AL), Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Wesley Bell (MO-01), Ami Bera (CA-06), Donald Beyer (VA-08), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Brendan Boyle (PA-02), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Shontel Brown (OH-11), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), André Carson (IN-07), Troy Carter (LA-05), Ed Case (HI-01), Sean Casten (IL-06), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Herbert Conaway (NJ-03), Lou Correa (CA-46), Angie Craig (MN-02), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Jason Crow (CO-06), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Christopher Deluzio (PA-17), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Shomari Figures (AL-02), Bill Foster (IL-11), Valerie Foushee (NC-04), Laura Friedman (CA-30), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Vicente Gonzalez (TX-23), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Al Green (TX-09), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Pablo Hernández (PR), James A. Himes (CT-04), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Glenn Ivey (MD-04) Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson Jr. (GA-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09),William R. Keating (MA-09), Robin L. Kelly (IL-02), Ro Khanna (CA-17), , Greg Landsman (OH-01), John Larson (CT-01), George Latimer (NY-16), Summer Lee (PA-12), Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Stephen F. Lynch (MA-08), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Lucy McBath (GA-06), Sarah McBride (DL-AL), Jennifer L. McClellan (VA-04), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08), Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), James McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Gregory Meeks (NY-05), Robert Menendez (NJ-08), Grace Meng (NY-06), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Dave Min (CA-47), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Frank Mrvan (IN-01), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Johnny Olszewski (MD-02), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Chris Pappas (NH-01), Brittany Pettersen (CA-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Nellie Pou (NJ-09), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Josh Riley (NY-19), Luz M. Rivas (CA-29), Deborah Ross (NC-02), Raul Ruiz (CA-25), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Janice D. Schakowsky (IL-IL-09), Bradley Schneider (IL-10), Hillary J. Scholten (MI-03), Kim Schrier (WA-08), David Scott (GA-13), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Terri A, Sewell (AL-07), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Eric Sorensen (IL-17), Darren Soto (FL-09), Melanie A. Stansbury (NM-01), Greg Stanton (AZ-04), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Emilia Sykes (OH-13), Mark Takano (CA-39), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Dina Titus (NV-01), Jill N. Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Sylvester Turner (TX-18), Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Gabe Vasquez (NM-02), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Nydia Velázquez (NY-07), Eugene Vindman (VA-07), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DelBene Highlights Damage of Federal Research Cuts to Patients, Medical Research at Fred Hutch

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)

    Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) visited Fred Hutch Cancer Center to highlight the damage the Trump administration’s proposed cuts to medical research funding would have to Washington’s health care ecosystem and the harm it would have on patients.

    Immediately after taking office, President Trump froze federal grants pending an unspecified review process. These were funds approved by Congress in a bipartisan way and cannot be withheld solely by the White House. A federal court temporarily blocked the freeze, but many organizations receiving federal grants have experienced payment delays or are unclear when the funding will arrive. 

    The administration is also trying to drastically cut medical research funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the world’s leading medical research organization, by limiting the amount of a research grant that can go to laboratory upkeep and other administrative costs. These proposed cuts would create major budget gaps in federally funded projects at research institutions. This could force independent research institutions like Fred Hutch, academic medical centers, and universities to cut potentially groundbreaking discoveries and clinical trials, depriving patients across the country of access to hope and lifesaving care. This proposed cut was temporarily halted by a federal judge, but uncertainty still harms research efforts.

    “Washington conducts world-class medical research that saves lives every day. President Trump is putting that all at risk with these illegal cuts. As a former researcher, I know the devastating impacts losing funding or even the threat of it being cut off can have on research institutions and their patients,” said DelBene. “The president must stop this senseless attack on science and let researchers get back to developing the cures and treatments of tomorrow.”

    “Cuts to federal biomedical research funds will stifle foundational science, cancer research, clinical trial access for patients, and future innovation and cures,” said Fred Hutch President and Director Thomas J. Lynch Jr., MD. “NIH support enables Fred Hutch to translate research from our labs into care at patient bedsides and ensures we can continue to provide world-class therapies to over 40,000 patients each year. Cuts to federally funded research will harm the scientists who find the discoveries that fuel Fred Hutch’s innovation, support the Puget Sound Region’s biotech industry, and ensure the continued discovery of life-saving cures.”

    The biggest recipients of NIH funding in Washington include Fred Hutch, the University of Washington, Virginia Mason, and Seattle Children’s Hospital. In Fiscal Year 2024, Washington researchers were awarded nearly $1.3 billion in NIH grants and contracts that support 12,000 jobs in the state.

    Last week, DelBene urged the NIH to rescind these cuts and asked the administration to provide answers on how this decision was made, and what future threats might come to the United States’ long-standing dominance in science.

    Fred Hutch Cancer Center is an independent, nonprofit, unified adult cancer care and research center. Translating discoveries into cures, Fred Hutch’s groundbreaking research has saved hundreds of thousands of lives worldwide over our 50-year history. Innovative cancer research, clinical trial access, and future cures can only be achieved by continuing strong and stable federal investments in biomedical research. Federal investments in the NIH are critical to the future health of generations of Americans and will ensure that institutions like Fred Hutch can continue to cover the total cost of research.

    Fred Hutch’s mission relies on federal funding to eliminate cancer and related diseases, with approximately 70 percent of Fred Hutch’s current research funding coming from federal competitive grant awards.  Fred Hutch stands to lose $120 million of topline revenue annually with the recently announced NIH guidance on indirect costs.

    NIH awards grants to more than 300,000 researchers at more than 2,500 institutions. Every dollar in NIH grants spurs $2.09 in economic activity, and every $100 million in investment leads to 78 patents and $598 million in further research, according to N.I.H.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Trahan, Carey, Neguse, Duckworth, Curtis, Moreno Reintroduce Youth Poisoning Protection Act to Ban Commercial Sale of Lethal Chemicals

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

    LOWELL, MA – Yesterday, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) partnered with Congressmen Mike Carey (R-OH-15) and Joe Neguse (D-CO-02) as well as Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Curtis (R-UT), and Bernie Moreno (R-OH) to reintroduce the Youth Poisoning Protection Act, bipartisan legislation that would ban the consumer sale of products containing high concentrations of sodium nitrite, a meat-curing chemical that can be lethal when ingested.

    “As a mom of two young girls, I’m committed to doing everything in my power to stop the devastating rise of youth suicide, one of the leading causes of death among teenagers in our country,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “The Youth Poisoning Protection Act takes direct, decisive action to stop the online sale of sodium nitrite, a lethal chemical that is being marketed to vulnerable individuals as a means to end their own lives. This is a commonsense, lifesaving measure, and Congress must act now to protect our young people and prevent further tragedies.”

    “Protecting our nation’s youth is crucial. The easy access of this harmful substance has resulted in senseless tragedies and has worsened the mental health crisis among America’s youth,” said Congressman Carey. “I am proud to work alongside Reps. Trahan and Neguse, and Sens. Duckworth, Curtis, and Moreno on this bipartisan, bicameral legislation to keep these deadly poisons out of the hands of our children.”

    A 2021 New York Times investigation into an online suicide forum found that sodium nitrite was being popularized and encouraged as an easily accessible method to die by suicide. The forum, which is disguised as a safe place to discuss suicidal ideation, hosts threads where anonymous users provide detailed instructions and real-time guidance on how to die by suicide using sodium nitrite. A 2021 toxicology publication based on data from the National Poison Data System (NPDS), one of the data sources used by the CDC, points to a rise in self-poisonings using sodium nitrite in the United States since 2017.

    There is no known recreational use for highly concentrated amounts of sodium nitrite, but at the time of the Times’ investigation, highly concentrated amounts of the poison were widely available on multiple e-commerce platforms, including with free two-day shipping on Amazon. Following outcry from lawmakers and victims’ families, Amazon and a number of other online marketplaces began removing sodium nitrite listings. In May 2023, a Canadian citizen was arrested and charged for shipping packages containing lethal amounts of sodium nitrite to over 40 countries, including 272 sales to individuals in the United Kingdom, of whom at least 88 people died.

    The Youth Poisoning Protection Act bans the sale of consumer products with a concentration of sodium nitrite greater than 10 percent.

    During her time in Congress, Trahan has consistently championed initiatives to address the mental health and youth suicide crisis. In 2022, she secured passage of the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act into law to support and strengthen youth suicide prevention efforts in schools across the country. This January, she reintroduced the Mentoring to Succeed Act, bicameral legislation that aims to provide a strong, sustainable support system through mentorship to ensure that children can successfully transition to high school, college, and the workforce. The same month, she was recognized as a congressional leader in the fight against the youth mental health crisis through her appointment as Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force, a bipartisan group of members of Congress focused on ending the addiction crisis.

    If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, feeling at risk of suicide, or experiencing a state of distress, it is crucial to find help immediately. There are many resources available, including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline which provides free, confidential support 24/7, and the Crisis Text Line which offers free crisis counseling 24/7. Dial 988 or text HOME to 741741 to connect with these services.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pallone Warns of Devastating Health Care Cuts in Republicans’ Scheme to Fund Billionaire Tax Breaks

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

    Energy & Commerce Committee’s Top Democrat Visits Central Jersey Medical Center, Highlights Risks to Medicaid Patients and Community Health Centers

    PERTH AMBOY, NJ – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), the Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, visited Central Jersey Medical Center today to sound the alarm on President Trump’s and House Republicans’ plan to slash Medicaid funding—jeopardizing the health care of 1.7 million New Jerseyans and Community Health Centers (CHCs), hospitals, and nursing homes across New Jersey in order to bankroll massive tax cuts for billionaires and big corporations.

    “I saw up close today how Central Jersey Medical Center provides essential care—whether it’s preventive services, dental care, or managing chronic conditions—and I know what’s at stake if these cuts go through,” Pallone said. “House Republicans want to gut Medicaid to hand billionaires and corporations another tax break, and the consequences will be devastating. This isn’t about ‘fiscal responsibility’—it’s about ripping health care away from seniors in nursing homes, children, and people with disabilities. Slashing Medicaid would shut down health centers like this one, gut hospitals, and overwhelm emergency rooms. It’s immoral, and I’ll fight it every step of the way. New Jerseyans deserve better—I won’t let them rip away your health care just so Elon Musk can buy another rocket.”

    Last week, the House Budget Committee approved a budget resolution including at least $880 billion in Medicaid cuts over the next ten years.  These cuts would gut health care coverage for millions while handing giveaways to the ultra-rich. They would also cripple facilities like Central Jersey Medical Center, which provides essential primary, dental, and preventive care to thousands of working-class and low-income people in Perth Amboy and surrounding communities.  

    House Republicans are hoping to bring the budget resolution up for a vote of the full House as early as next week.  

    What’s at Stake for New Jersey?

    New Jersey’s 24 Community Health Centers provide care at 136 locations statewide, ensuring that nearly two million residents—including Medicaid patients, the uninsured, and underserved communities—have access to doctors, nurses, and preventive care. Medicaid currently covers 1.7 million New Jerseyans, including children, pregnant women, seniors in long-term care, and individuals with disabilities.

    Republicans’ proposed Medicaid cuts would destabilize New Jersey’s health care system, pushing more patients into already-strained emergency rooms, increasing uncompensated care costs, and driving up insurance premiums for everyone. Republican proposals, such as so-called “per capita caps” would shift costs onto states – forcing New Jersey to slash services, limit eligibility, and cut provider payments.    

    The drastic cuts to CHC funding would threaten the viability of health centers like Central Jersey Medical Center, which could be forced to close or severely limit services.  

    Pallone’s visit to Central Jersey Medical Center was attended by doctors, patients, and local leaders, all of whom echoed Pallone’s concerns about the devastating impact of the new Republicans’ tax scheme.

    “The Arc of New Jersey is grateful for Congressman Pallone’s unwavering commitment to protecting the Medicaid program. And that is exactly what we need from all members of Congress. Medicaid is the lifeline program for thousands of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) living in New Jersey. Any cuts to funding or changes to benefits will absolutely mean a reduction in services, longer wait times for support and a diminished quality of life for those with IDD. We cannot allow a dismantling of Medicaid as it will have a devastating and crushing impact on the state’s most vulnerable,” Sharon Levine, Senior Director, The Arc of NJ 

    “Advocates for Children of New Jersey has been a longtime advocate for NJ FamilyCare, which now covers nearly 20% of all residents living in the Garden State. This includes more than 820,000 children, ages from birth to 18-years-old and covers about a third of all births annually. Children from poor and low-income families, youth aging out of foster care, and individuals with complex and long-term medical needs rely on this critical health insurance. Any cuts or changes to federal Medicaid funding will have a substantial impact on their health and well-being,” Mary Coogan, President and CEO, Advocates for Children of NJ 

    “CJMC delivers evidence-based, high-quality care to all New Jersey residents, regardless of their insurance status or their ability to pay. By providing high quality primary care and behavioral health services, CJMC will improve health outcomes and reduced healthcare costs,” Dr. Cynthia Vuittonet.

    “Too many New Jerseyans are already struggling to pay for groceries, housing, and medical bills,” said Maura Collinsgru, Director of Policy and Advocacy for New Jersey Citizen Action. “Gutting Medicaid funding will cut essential health services for millions, including pregnant women, people with disabilities, low-income families with children, and seniors in nursing homes. It’s inhumane to consider making these cuts so that billionaires and huge corporations can get another tax break. We urge all our Representatives to stand with Congressman Pallone against any efforts to defund Medicaid.”

    Pallone’s Role in Defending Health Care

    As Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees Medicaid and CHC funding, Pallone is a critical last line of defense against Republican attacks on health care access. He has led efforts to protect Medicaid funding, defend Americans’ health care coverage, and expand support for Community Health Centers.

    The House Energy and Commerce Committee is expected to soon take up elements of the Republican reconciliation plan, including deep Medicaid cuts. Pallone has vowed to lead the fight against these attacks.  He is committed to protecting the 70 million Americans on Medicaid and ensuring that Community Health Centers and hospitals are not sacrificed for tax breaks for Trump’s billionaire friends.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Lee, Amodei Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Health Care for NV Veterans’ Exposed to Radiation and Toxins

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03)

    WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) and Republican Congressman Mark Amodei (NV-04) introduced bipartisan legislation expanding access to health care for Nevada veterans who have suffered from exposure to radiation and toxic materials as a result of nuclear testing in Nevada. The Presumption for Radiation or Toxin Exposure Coverage for Troops (PROTECT) Act would establish a presumption that certain veterans were exposed to radiation and other toxins at the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). 

    In 2000, Congress passed the Energy Employee Occupational Illness Compensation Act (EEOICPA) which entitled nuclear weapons workers as well as some Department of Energy personnel to receive free medical treatment and fair financial compensation for specific illnesses they contracted as a result of nuclear weapons production and testing. However, it did not cover veterans not involved in DOE operations or that were otherwise omitted for national security reasons. This bipartisan legislation would expand similar VA benefits to veterans that were assigned to impacted areas of NTTR, offering them the potentially life-saving medical treatment and financial compensation they need and deserve. 

    “Our men and women in uniform make countless sacrifices to keep our nation safe, so it’s our duty to protect them from invisible enemies like toxic radiation exposure,” said Congresswoman Susie Lee. “I helped pass the bipartisan PACT Act to do just that, and I’m continuing that work to get these veterans the long overdue care they deserve. This legislation will help save lives and bring justice to thousands of veterans who proudly served our country.” 

    “Veterans, who made such selfless sacrifices for our nation, should not have to move mountains to prove they are suffering as a result of their service,” said Rep. Mark Amodei. “Yet, hundreds of veterans who were stationed at the NTTR during that time frame have been denied the benefits they rightfully earned because exposure to toxic chemicals is microscopic, often referred to as the invisible enemy. I will continue to amplify the indisputable access to care our veterans deserve throughout their post-service lives.” 

    The legislation is endorsed by The Invisible Enemy, a veterans-rights organization composed of veterans and downwinders fighting for the thousands of military personnel who suffered or died from exposure to toxic radiation and materials from decades of nuclear weapons testing at NTTR. You can read more about their work here. 

     

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pallone Slams Trump’s Layoffs to 9/11 First Responder Health Care Program Workers, Calls It a Betrayal of Heroes

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

    PISCATAWAY, NJ – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr., Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, is calling out the Trump Administration’s reckless decision to gut the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP), a move that puts the health of 9/11 first responders and survivors at risk. The Administration has already laid off up to 20% of program staff—jeopardizing the program’s ability to provide life-saving care, including at Rutgers’ Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI) in Piscataway, which has treated thousands of responders and survivors over the years.

    Pallone has already heard from constituents who are alarmed by the cuts, including Frank Granger from Piscataway, a 9/11 responder who developed terminal cancer due to his exposure at Ground Zero. In a message submitted through Pallone’s website, Granger wrote:

    “Hello sir. Thank God we are fighting back. I am a 9/11 responder who developed terminal cancer as a result of my time spent at Ground Zero and I’m concerned among other things that my 9/11 health care will be taken away. Please fight this tyrant, sir. Americans like myself are behind you 100%.”

    “These latest DOGE purges are an absolute disgrace,” said Pallone. “Thousands of responders and survivors depend on the care they receive through the World Trade Center Health Program, including many treated right here in New Jersey at Rutgers’ EOHSI clinic. Trump’s decision to allow his lackey Elon Musk to eliminate these critical jobs isn’t just cruel, it’s a betrayal of the heroes who risked everything to protect our country after 9/11. First responders shouldn’t have to beg for the care they earned. I fought to create this program, and I will fight like hell to protect it.”

    Pallone has been a longtime champion for 9/11 first responders. He helped negotiate the House passage of the bipartisan James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010, which established the WTCHP and the Nationwide Provider Network. The law also created the Rutgers clinic, which continues to provide critical medical care to responders across the region.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dingell, Miller-Meeks Reintroduce Bipartisan Bill to Increase Dental Insurance Access

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

    Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA) reintroduced the bipartisan Increasing Access to Dental Insurance Act to expand access to private dental coverage for millions of Americans.

    Currently, Americans are prohibited from purchasing dental coverage on the federal marketplace without also enrolling in a qualified health plan. This requirement has unnecessarily obstructed access to important dental coverage. This legislation would eliminate the prohibition, creating more competition in the marketplace and bringing access to affordable oral health services to more Americans.

    “The health of the mouth is the window into an individual’s overall health, and dental care is absolutely critical for maintaining good health for the whole body. Lack of dental care is linked to many systemic health issues including heart disease and diabetes, but too many people cannot afford to go to the dentist and have the checkups and treatment they need,” Dingell said. “The Increasing Access to Dental Insurance Act will expand access to critical dental coverage through the federal marketplace to deliver more affordable oral health services that meet more Americans’ needs that aren’t being met right now.”

    “Consistent, prophylactic dental care is crucial for robust oral health and hygiene,” said Dr. Miller-Meeks. “Our bipartisan bill is a commonsense measure to promote affordable dental insurance through the federal marketplace. As a physician, I will continue to push for policies that promote better health access and outcomes for Americans.”

    States using state-based marketplaces have improved dental coverage rates by offering consumers dental plans independently of medical plans on the marketplace. This is an important option for people who have medical coverage from an employer or other source, but don’t have dental coverage. However, Americans in states using the federal marketplace don’t have this option.

    Oral health affects more than just the mouth; individuals with dental coverage are significantly more likely to visit the dentist and receive care that prevents and treats common chronic medical conditions including diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease.

    Groups and stakeholders supporting the bill include the American Association of Kidney Patients, American Council of Life Insurers, American Society of Nephrology, CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, Delta Dental Plans Association, Dialysis Patient Citizens, Families USA, Guardian Life, National Association of Dental Plans, National Kidney Foundation, Nonprofit Kidney Care Alliance, Principal Financial Group, Sun Life, and United Concordia Companies, Inc.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Schrier Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Public Health Preparedness

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. –Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) introduced the bipartisan Diagnostics Testing Preparedness Plan Act, which would facilitate the innovation and development of diagnostics between the private and public sectors during Public Health Emergencies. Congresswoman Schrier was joined in introducing this legislation by Representatives Miller-Meeks (IA-01), Carson (IN-07), and Crenshaw (TX-02). 

    “Diagnostics are an essential part of public health preparedness and, as was exemplified in the COVID-19 Pandemic when we struggled to provide the testing required to slow the spread of disease while South Korea was doing thousands of drive-thru tests daily, diagnostic testing is especially crucial during a public health emergency,” said Congresswoman Schrier, M.D. “This commonsense, bipartisan bill will improve our clinical and diagnostic laboratory testing capacity, enhance public-private partnerships, and strengthen our overall public health preparedness against illnesses ranging from the seasonal flu to new, emerging threats.”

    The Diagnostics Testing Preparedness Plan Act would require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop a strategic plan that supports the rapid deployment of diagnostic tests during public health emergencies. Specifically, HHS would develop and periodically update a plan for rapid development, procurement, and distribution of diagnostic tests during public health emergencies, including laboratory and at-home tests. The plan must promote collaboration among government agencies and private sector stakeholders. 

    “From development to distribution, it is crucial to have a comprehensive plan for diagnostic and clinical lab testing capacities during a public health emergency,” said Dr. Miller-Meeks. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw how critical diagnostic tests were for the public health response. As a physician, I am proud to sponsor this bipartisan bill to ensure the U.S. has a robust response to future public health emergencies.”

    “Diagnostics play a role in every aspect of public health,” said Congressman Carson. “Whether it’s a bad flu season or the outbreak of a new infectious disease like the bird flu, our bill will ensure my district and cities across the country are better coordinated and better prepared to tackle the world’s most serious health problems. I’m honored to work with Roche Diagnostics in my home district and with my colleagues across the aisle on this important bill.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Dental plan for teens set

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Department of Health announced today that the Primary Dental Co-care Pilot Scheme for Adolescents (PDCC) will be implemented on March 20, providing government subsidies with co-payment arrangements to incentivise adolescents to seek check-ups at private dental clinics.

    The PDCC serves as an interface with the School Dental Care Service by providing partial subsidies for dental check-up services for adolescents to foster a long-term partnership with registered dentists in the private sector and to build a life-long habit of regular dental check-ups.

    People aged between 13 and 17, holding a valid Hong Kong Identity Card and have enrolled in the eHealth system are eligible to join the scheme. They can receive subsidised services once a year.

    While the Government will offer a $200 subsidy each time, participants have to pay a co-payment fee as determined by the dentists they select. The co-payment for the subsidised services each time recommended by the Government is $200.

    ​The subsidised services include a dental check-up, oral health risk assessment, dental scaling, personalised self-care advice on oral care, fluoride application as risk-based follow-up, and a check-up report.

    Around 200 registered dentists have applied for enrolment in the PDCC to provide services in more than 220 healthcare service locations, where more than half of the co-payment was set at $200 or below. The department is vetting the applications.

    Adolescents and their parents can refer to the approved registered dentists list that will be uploaded to the scheme webpage on March 6, and contact the relevant clinic to make an appointment for receiving the subsidised services on or after March 20.

    Other than the co-payment fee, the dentists list will show the fees for X-ray examinations, tooth fillings and tooth extractions as charged by the dentists under the pilot scheme.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Pledge on waiting times exceeded

    Source: Scottish Government

    “Our plan is delivering” – Health Secretary.

    The pledge to carry out 64,000 surgeries and procedures with additional funding by the end of March 2025 has been exceeded, new figures released to Parliament reveal.

    More than 75,500 NHS surgeries and procedures were delivered between April 2024 the end of January 2025, around 11,500 more than pledged.

    Funded through £30 million investment, the targeted activity has resulted in significant reductions in inpatient/daycase waiting lists across a number of health board areas and specialities. Between April 2024 and September 2024 there has been:

    • a 44% decrease in Imaging waits at NHS Fife
    • a 22% decrease in Urology waits at NHS Forth Valley.
    • a 19% decrease in Ear, Nose and Throat waits at NHS Highland
    • an almost 15% decrease in Ophthalmology waits at NHS Lanarkshire
    • an almost 10% decrease in General Surgery waits at NHS Lothian.

    The targeted funding has also helped reduce the total national waiting list size between April 2024 and September 2024 for imaging by 7.5% and for scopes by 7.3%.

    In April 2024 the Scottish Government funded NHS boards to deliver 64,000 procedures (40,000 diagnostic procedures, 12,000 surgeries and 12,000 new outpatient appointments) by March 2025. By January 2025, 56,500 diagnostic procedures, almost 9,200 surgeries, and over 9,800 outpatient appointments took place.

    The Scottish Government will continue to monitor the impact of the funding until the end of March 2025 with boards reporting they expect to see further progress.

    Latest published data also shows a rise in planned care activity between April 2024 and September 2024 compared to the same period in 2023 – with an 8.3% increase in inpatient/daycase procedures and a 2.5% increase for new outpatient appointments.

    Health Secretary Neil Gray said:

    “I am pleased to see health boards are now reporting the tangible impacts of our investment to clear the longest waits. Our plan is delivering and we are seeing progress across a number of speciality areas. I thank staff for their outstanding effort in carrying out this additional activity which is having a positive impact on people’s lives.

    “This is a good start, however, we know many people are still waiting too long. We are determined do more and our 2025-26 Budget, with cross-party support now agreed, will provide a record £21.7 billion for health – including £200 million to help clear waiting list backlogs, improve capacity and reduce delayed discharge.

    “This record funding will help us ensure no one waits more than 12 months for a new outpatient appointment or inpatient/daycase treatment by March 2026. We will also deliver over 150,000 extra appointments and procedures in the coming year which will ensure people receive the care they need as quickly as possible.”

    Background

    In April 2024, the Scottish Government announced £30 million, allocated for Q1 of this financial year, to tackle waiting times. The Scottish Government pledged to deliver around; 12,000 additional procedures, 40,000 extra diagnostic procedures and 12,000 new outpatient appointments.

    NHS Boards have provided regular management progress reports to Scottish Government on the activity delivered through the additional funding. These reports are the data source for the 75,500 figure.

    Stage of treatment waiting times – Inpatients, day cases and new outpatients quarter ending 30 September 2024

    Diagnostic waiting times – Waits for key diagnostic tests 26 November 2024

    Written question and answer: S6W-35115 | Scottish Parliament Website

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: eHealth enrolment for children opens

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Health Bureau has announced that from today citizens can open eHealth accounts for their children via the one-stop platform on the eHealth mobile application.

    Citizens who are registered with eHealth can use the eHealth app to register their children, provided they are under 16, and verify their identities through the “My Family” function. Creating an account involves providing a photo of each child’s Hong Kong Birth Certificate, and filling in the required information.

    Upon successful registration, children can start building a lifelong electronic health record and receive coherent healthcare services as they grow up. Through the “My Family” function, parents can also access and manage their children’s health records, including vaccination records, growth records, and details of allergies or adverse drug reactions.

    From today until May 31, children will earn health coins on their eHealth App account, for gift redemption, following successful registration by their parents.

    During this period, parents who register children under one year old will also receive a limited-edition Newborn Gift Box, which includes a multipurpose baby stroller bag, a mini soft tape measure, an eHealth picture book and other exquisite gifts.

    For gift box redemptions, eligible parents simply need to use the “My Family” function on the app and select a delivery address in accordance with the instructions. Click here for details.

    In September, the bureau launched its “e+ Life” health challenge platform on eHealth to encourage public participation in various health challenges, including  
    “e+ Go to the Park” and the now-concluded “10 000 Steps a Day Walking Challenge 2024”.

    From today until May 31, citizens can use health coins earned from “e+ Life” or registering their children on eHealth to redeem rewards. Visit the thematic website for more details, or call 3467 6300, from 9am to 9pm, from Mondays to Fridays.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: NSU teachers are prize winners of the regional Spartakiad

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    NSU
    News and Events
    News
    NSU teachers are prize winners of the regional Spartakiad

    02.20.2025

    Latest news

    02/19/2025

    NSU scientist talks about the current epidemic season

    In the last two weeks of January and the first two weeks of February, there was a slight increase in the incidence of respiratory viral infections; the H3N2 subtype of influenza A viruses that were dominant in the 2023/24 season were replaced by strains of the H1N1 subtype.

    02/19/2025

    Exhibition “Life as a Vocation” to Open at NSU

    It is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Honorary Professor of NSU, Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, founder of the scientific school of modern Siberian science studies and cultural studies, veteran of the Great Patriotic War Varlen Lvovich Soskin.

    02/18/2025

    Sergey Netesov: “You have to root for the positive”

    To overcome ARVI, medications and immune stimulation alone are not enough. The patient’s emotional state is no less important. A positive attitude will make the medications more effective.

    All news

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Job Opening: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    This is a permanent role based in Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, or Manila.

    Greenpeace activists and volunteers gather at a wind farm at Baru beach during Buru Baru festival to hold letters forming a banner reading: ‘#ActionForClimate.’ Part of a Global Day of Action in Bantul, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. © Ulet Ifansasti / Greenpeace

    About the Role

    The Executive Director will provide visionary leadership, ensuring alignment with Greenpeace’s core values. This includes overseeing operations in four countries, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, driving international collaboration, and maintaining accountability across governance, human resources, and financial management. The role requires a proactive approach to campaign contributions within Greenpeace’s global objectives.

    The job holder will have the following key responsibilities:

    Strategic Leadership

    • Develop and communicate a clear vision and strategic objectives aligned with Greenpeace’s mission.
    • Empower staff and volunteers to foster a shared sense of purpose and organisational culture.
    • Monitor external developments and implement responsive strategies as needed.

    Operation, Finance, and Fundraising

    • Oversee all organisational functions, ensuring strategies and policies align with core values.
    • Maintain financial discipline and ensure adherence to auditing practices.
    • Collaborate with the Fundraising Director to explore alternative funding streams and improve grassroots contributions from individual donors across the region.
    • Recruit, train, and develop staff with a focus on accountability and high performance.

    Change Management

    • Drive organisational transformation through strategic planning, operational efficiency, and transparent decision-making.
    • Align global objectives with mission-focused strategies to enhance morale, inclusivity, and overall effectiveness.
    • Determine and implement effective management structures and systems to achieve organisational objectives.
    • Foster cross-country collaboration to enhance efficiency and inclusivity.

    Communications and Network

    • Enhance internal communication and information flow across departments, countries and hierarchy levels.
    • Build and maintain productive relationships with NGOs, media, government, and relevant stakeholders.

    Governance and Relationship to The Board

    • Create and adapt annual, mid-term and long-term strategies in partnership with the Board and Greenpeace International.
    • Ensure compliance with legal, statutory, and regulatory responsibilities.
    • Identify and mitigate organisational risks while maintaining operational effectiveness.
    • Provide regular reports to the Board, ensuring informed decision-making.

    Campaign Advocacy and Representation

    • Create and adapt annual, mid-term and long-term strategies in partnership with the Board and Greenpeace International.
    • Ensure compliance with legal, statutory, and regulatory responsibilities.
    • Identify and mitigate organisational risks while maintaining operational effectiveness.
    • Provide regular reports to the Board, ensuring informed decision-making.

    Personnel, Health, and Safety

    • Lead and implement impactful campaigns on rainforest conservation, climate justice, ocean, plastic and coal reduction.
    • Drive grassroots mobilisation, engage key stakeholders, and amplify GPSEA’s successes through strategic advocacy efforts.
    • Represent GPSEA at international meetings and in public forums.
    • Act as a spokesperson for the organisation.

    Personnel, Health, and Safety

    • Ensure adherence to best practices in all operational areas, balancing ambition with available resources.

    Skills and Experience

    • Environment movement background.
    • Proven leadership in a complex organisation, with a focus on effective management and accountability.
    • Deep understanding of global environmental issues and sustainability principles.
    • Strong systems thinking, strategic planning, and horizon-scanning skills.
    • Ability to inspire and unite diverse stakeholders around a compelling vision.
    • Commitment to Non-Violent Direct Action (NVDA) and grassroots campaigning.
    • Financial literacy and a positive attitude toward digital innovation.
    • Fluency in English; additional language skills are an asset.

    Personal Attributes

    • Responsive and adaptive. 
    • Highly emotionally intelligent with strong interpersonal skills.
    • Courageous, empathetic, and humble leadership style.
    • Committed to social and environmental justice.
    • Activist spirit with a passion for Greenpeace’s mission.
    • Understanding of Southeast Asia’s cultural and operational dynamics.

    Greenpeace’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

    Greenpeace values diversity as essential to its mission and success. The organisation fosters an inclusive environment that respects varied cultural experiences and perspectives, promoting solutions rooted in social and environmental justice.

    Deadline for applications: March 20, 2025

    Jobs

    Do you have a passion for this planet and want to do more? Work with us!

    TAKE ACTION

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – With a little help from their friends: school challenges – UoA

    Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

    School friendships and social connections are vital to positive student experiences so need to be actively fostered, according to findings from the Our Voices project at the University of Auckland.

    Peer friendships and caring social connections with teachers and other school community members are central to students’ experiences of school, according to two recently published reports from the Our Voices project at Waipapa Taumata Rau University of Auckland.
     
    The reports analysed responses to a range of general wellbeing questions from 1,000 13-year-olds in theGrowing Up in New Zealand (GUiNZ) longitudinal study.
     
    One of the reports’ authors, Dr Emma Marks, a research fellow in Social and Community Health, says the latest research shows how important it is for schools and other groups to create a range of opportunities for social connection, both in and out of school.
     
    “Respondents felt that increasing school engagement should focus not only on learning and achievement, but also on offering students’ good experiences to make school more attractive; for example, teachers who care about a young person in their entirety, not just as a learner, and extracurricular activities that help them ‘find their people’,” she says.
     
    Young people mostly felt a sense of belonging with friends and whānau through talking, having fun together and positive emotional engagement. However, they believed strengthening those things takes time and opportunity, says Marks.
     
    “They need to be given a range of opportunities to develop meaningful social connections, particularly during school transitions, like moving from intermediate to high school, when they can get separated from friends.”
     
    She says a sense of belonging can be created in different contexts and groups, including between peers, family, sports teams and cultural groups, and on social media, although that comes with pitfalls.
     
    “The ease of communicating on social media provides opportunities for friendships and connections beyond the school environment but also comes with risks our respondents were well aware of; in particular cyberbullying.”
     
    However, she says it is clear social media is an important part of many young people’s social lives, and that they use it to feel connected to “friends, family, others, everyone, and the world.”
     
    Marks says bullying remains a significant concern, especially for anyone who is seen as ‘different’ or not ‘fitting in’, but friendships can create a ballast.

    “Having friends is important across all life stages, but particularly during adolescence, when young people are more likely to spend time with peers in and out of school than with their family.”
     
    The reports note that challenges for young people, both in school and out, vary in type and who’s most affected, depending on things like home environment, learning abilities, individual differences and peer pressure.
     
    “So having a better understanding of these particular challenges can help target support to those who need it most,” says Marks.
     
    Respondents viewed friends as being similar to themselves, with shared qualities and interests, and as worthy of being cherished and valued, the reports note.
     
    “However, the data clearly shows not all young people have friends, and some feel like they don’t belong anywhere,” says Marks.
     
    She says young people have good ideas about how to make school a more inclusive place, but recognise they need support from school staff and leadership to make this happen.
     
    “Some of their ideas included more effective antibullying programmes, more teacher intervention and clearer disciplinary action.”
     
    “Other suggestions included greater efforts to support students’ mental health, smaller classes, and removing ability groupings (that put students in the same year in different groups for subjects like Maths and English, depending on perceived ability).
     
    The Our Voices project aims to understand what young people in Aotearoa need to thrive to inform policies and services focused on supporting their wellbeing.
     
    A further two reports will focus on the influence of teachers and how young people seek help to solve problems.
     
    The project was funded by the Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment and involves a multidisciplinary team of national and international experts.

    Visit the Our Voices website for the full reports: https://ourvoices.auckland.ac.nz/
     
    ‘School Experiences: Overcoming Challenges’ by Dawson-Bruce, R., Rudd, G., Peterson, E. R., Marks, E., Walker, C., & Meissel, K. (2025).
    ‘Social Connections: In-person and online’ by Fan, J., Ogden S. E., Rudd, G., Marks E., Peterson, E. R., Walker, C. G. & Meissel, K. (2025).
     
    Tō Mātou Rerenga – Our Journey app and Growing Up in New Zealand
     
    Data was collected within Tō Mātou Rerenga – Our Journey, an app co-designed by University of Auckland researchers alongside young people from the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal study (GUiNZ).
     
    GUiNZ recruited over 6,000 New Zealand children born between 2009 and 2010, with the aim of creating an in-depth summary of what life is like for them and what factors affect their happiness, health and development.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: BD intent to separate business could allow competitors to rise in IVD test markets, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    BD intent to separate business could allow competitors to rise in IVD test markets, says GlobalData

    Posted in Medical Devices

    Becton Dickinson (BD) has recently announced its intent to separate its biosciences and diagnostic solutions business. The biosciences segment includes research instruments and reagents, and single-cell multiomics, while the diagnostic solutions segment consists of microbiology and infectious disease diagnostics. According to the company, the two segments earned over $3 billion in revenue in fiscal 2024. BD’s move could allow competitors to rise in in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) test markets, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    According to GlobalData’s US Healthcare Facility Invoicing Database, BD has market-leading products in the IVD space, holding just under 20% of the sexual health tests market, with strong products BD ProbeTec and BD MAX, which will be part of the split from BD. With Hologic holding the majority of market share for sexual health tests, it will be interesting to see if BD’s segments can be grown in this market.

    Amy Paterson, Medical Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “BD’s intent to split two segments off from their company provides other companies in the IVD space with a unique opportunity to strengthen their own product offerings. For example, in the sexual health tests market, an IVD competitor could acquire the BD segments to compete against Hologic. Alternatively, Hologic could use BD’s segments to strengthen its position in the market and ensure they face no competition.”

    In the respiratory disease tests market, no company is making up more than 50% of the market revenue. By acquiring and strengthening the point-of-care infectious disease tests, for example, a company in this space could potentially gain enough market share to dominate the respiratory disease tests space.

    Paterson continues: “IVD competitors who are at the top of their market could acquire these segments from BD to secure more of the market and keep competition down. As well, smaller players in the market could use these segments to grow their market share and compete with the larger players.”

    Paterson concludes: “Companies with IVD products in the sexual health test and respiratory disease test spaces should look at BD’s announcement as an opportunity to strengthen their presence and should consider how BD’s established products could help strengthen their sales and grow their market share.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Biosecurity New Zealand investigating and boosting trapping after new Auckland fruit fly find

    Source: Ministry for Primary Industries

    A biosecurity operation is under way and extra field teams are today in the suburb of Birkdale, on Auckland’s North Shore, after the discovery of a single male Oriental fruit fly in a surveillance trap in a suburban backyard, says Biosecurity New Zealand Commissioner North Mike Inglis. 

    “This is the same species of fruit fly that we responded to in Papatoetoe recently, but it is too early to say whether the two finds are linked. Our lab will do further DNA analysis of the fly over the coming days.”

    With this latest detection, Biosecurity New Zealand is moving quickly to look for any others and eradicate them. 

    “We will be ramping up trapping and inspection, with daily checks in a 200-metre zone from the original find and checks every three days in a second zone out to 1500m,” Mr Inglis says.

    “The capture of a single male does not mean we have an outbreak. However, while we do our checks for any other fruit flies, we need community help to prevent any possible spread.

    “As a precautionary measure, we’ll be putting legal restrictions in place on the movement of fruit and vegetables out of the area where the fruit fly was found.

    “Instructions about these controls and the exact area affected will be issued tomorrow (Friday) once we have completed an initial investigation.  In the meantime, we ask that people who live and work in the suburb not take any whole fresh fruit and vegetables out of your property.”

    Mr Inglis says biosecurity staff will be out tomorrow providing people with information.

    “You may notice increased activity in the neighbourhood as we go about inspections and trapping. Our field officers may ask to look at fruit trees on your property. They will always show you a form of official

    identification and will only enter your property with your permission.”

    In addition to the field work, Biosecurity New Zealand is working closely with international trading partners and Government Industry Agreement (GIA) partners in the horticultural industry to minimise the risk to New Zealand growers and exporters.

    “There have been 13 incursions of different fruit fly in Auckland and Northland since 1996 and all have been successfully eradicated thanks to the work of Biosecurity New Zealand, our horticulture partners, and local communities who have stepped up to help.

    “Back in 2019, we responded to the detection of fruit flies in three separate suburbs over a period of several months, so this is not unusual. We traced and tracked in all three suburbs and continued until we were confident we had eliminated the pest.”

    Mr Inglis says the latest find demonstrates the benefit and effectiveness of MPI’s lure-based fruit fly surveillance trapping network and the biosecurity system. 

    “Our trapping network involves nearly 8000 traps set nationwide, and these are checked regularly.  

    “By setting traps for these pest insects, we are able to find them early, know exactly where the problem is, and respond quickly and effectively.”

    The fruit fly poses no human health risk, but there would be an economic cost to the horticulture industry if it were allowed to establish here. 

    Mr Inglis says Biosecurity New Zealand has among the strictest controls in the world for the importation of fruit and checks at the border. The most likely way that fruit flies can arrive in New Zealand is on fresh fruit and vegetables.

    Biosecurity New Zealand will provide a further update to media tomorrow afternoon.

    To report suspected finds of fruit fly, call MPI’s Pest and Diseases Hotline on 0800 80 99 66.

    Background

    The Oriental fruit fly is native to Asia but has now spread to many warmer countries, especially as the climate warms. Adult flies lay eggs into fruit. The young stages (maggots) feed inside the fruit, causing it to rot and become unmarketable.

    The Oriental fruit fly maggots can feed on 300 different fruit and vegetables. The fly’s favourite hosts are apple, guava, mango, peach, and pear.

    How to identify the fly

    Adult flies:

    • are a little larger than a housefly (6mm to 8mm long)
    • have a dark “T” shaped marking on the abdomen (the part behind the waist)
    • usually have a bright yellow and orange abdomen (but can vary)
    • have clear wings.

    The female fly has a pointed “sting” to lay eggs inside fruit (but she can’t sting or bite people). The male fruit fly is a similar size but is reddish-brown.

    If you think you’ve found the fruit fly

    For media queries, call 029 894 0328 or email media@mpi.govt.nz

    For further information on the oriental fruit fly detection

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Having an x-ray to diagnose knee arthritis might make you more likely to consider potentially unnecessary surgery

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Belinda Lawford, Senior Research Fellow in Physiotherapy, The University of Melbourne

    pikselstock/Shutterstock

    Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of chronic pain and disability, affecting more than two million Australians.

    Routine x-rays aren’t recommended to diagnose the condition. Instead, GPs can make a diagnosis based on symptoms and medical history.

    Yet nearly half of new patients with knee osteoarthritis who visit a GP in Australia are referred for imaging. Osteoarthritis imaging costs the health system A$104.7 million each year.

    Our new study shows using x-rays to diagnose knee osteoarthritis can affect how a person thinks about their knee pain – and can prompt them to consider potentially unnecessary knee replacement surgery.

    What happens when you get osteoarthritis?

    Osteoarthritis arises from joint changes and the joint working extra hard to repair itself. It affects the entire joint, including the bones, cartilage, ligaments and muscles.

    It is most common in older adults, people with a high body weight and those with a history of knee injury.

    Many people with knee osteoarthritis experience persistent pain and have difficulties with everyday activities such as walking and climbing stairs.

    How is it treated?

    In 2021–22, more than 53,000 Australians had knee replacement surgery for osteoarthritis.

    Hospital services for osteoarthritis, primarily driven by joint replacement surgery, cost $3.7 billion in 2020–21.

    While joint replacement surgery is often viewed as inevitable for osteoarthritis, it should only be considered for those with severe symptoms who have already tried appropriate non-surgical treatments. Surgery carries the risk of serious adverse events, such as blood clot or infection, and not everyone makes a full recovery.

    Most people with knee osteoarthritis can manage it effectively with:

    • education and self-management
    • exercise and physical activity
    • weight management (if necessary)
    • medicines for pain relief (such as paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).

    Debunking a common misconception

    A common misconception is that osteoarthritis is caused by “wear and tear”.

    However, research shows the extent of structural changes seen in a joint on an x-ray does not reflect the level of pain or disability a person experiences, nor does it predict how symptoms will change.

    Some people with minimal joint changes have very bad symptoms, while others with more joint changes have only mild symptoms. This is why routine x-rays aren’t recommended for diagnosing knee osteoarthritis or guiding treatment decisions.

    Instead, guidelines recommend a “clinical diagnosis” based on a person’s age (being 45 years or over) and symptoms: experiencing joint pain with activity and, in the morning, having no joint-stiffness or stiffness that lasts less than 30 minutes.

    Despite this, many health professionals in Australia continue to use x-rays to diagnose knee osteoarthritis. And many people with osteoarthritis still expect or want them.

    What did our study investigate?

    Our study aimed to find out if using x-rays to diagnose knee osteoarthritis affects a person’s beliefs about osteoarthritis management, compared to a getting a clinical diagnosis without x-rays.

    We recruited 617 people from across Australia and randomly assigned them to watch one of three videos. Each video showed a hypothetical consultation with a general practitioner about knee pain.

    People with knee osteoarthritis can have difficulties getting down stairs.
    beeboys/Shutterstock

    One group received a clinical diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis based on age and symptoms, without being sent for an x-ray.

    The other two groups had x-rays to determine their diagnosis (the doctor showed one group their x-ray images and not the other).

    After watching their assigned video, participants completed a survey about their beliefs about osteoarthritis management.

    What did we find?

    People who received an x-ray-based diagnosis and were shown their x-ray images had a 36% higher perceived need for knee replacement surgery than those who received a clinical diagnosis (without x-ray).

    They also believed exercise and physical activity could be more harmful to their joint, were more worried about their condition worsening, and were more fearful of movement.

    Interestingly, people were slightly more satisfied with an x-ray-based diagnosis than a clinical diagnosis.

    This may reflect the common misconception that osteoarthritis is caused by “wear and tear” and an assumption that the “damage” inside the joint needs to be seen to guide treatment.

    What does this mean for people with osteoarthritis?

    Our findings show why it’s important to avoid unnecessary x-rays when diagnosing knee osteoarthritis.

    While changing clinical practice can be challenging, reducing unnecessary x-rays could help ease patient anxiety, prevent unnecessary concern about joint damage, and reduce demand for costly and potentially unnecessary joint replacement surgery.

    It could also help reduce exposure to medical radiation and lower health-care costs.

    Previous research in osteoarthritis, as well as back and shoulder pain, similarly shows that when health professionals focus on joint “wear and tear” it can make patients more anxious about their condition and concerned about damaging their joints.

    If you have knee osteoarthritis, know that routine x-rays aren’t needed for diagnosis or to determine the best treatment for you. Getting an x-ray can make you more concerned and more open to surgery. But there are a range of non-surgical options that could reduce pain, improve mobility and are less invasive.

    Belinda Lawford receives funding from Arthritis Australia, Medical Research Future Fund and Medibank. She is a Steering Committee Member of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International Rehabilitation Group, and also an Editorial Board member for Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy.

    Kim Bennell receives research funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Medical Research Futures Fund as well as Medibank Private. Some of the consumer resources recommended in this article have been developed by her research team. She consults for Wolters Kluwers UptoDate knee osteoarthritis clinical guidelines

    Rana Hinman receives funding from National Health and Medical Research Council, the Medical Research Future Fund and Medibank. Some of the consumer resources recommended in this article have been developed by her research team. She is also an Editorial Board member for Journal of Physiotherapy.

    Travis Samuel William Haber is a Steering Committee Member of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International Rehabilitation Group and of the Australian and New Zealand Musculoskeletal Clinical Trials Network Osteoarthritis Special Interest Group.

    – ref. Having an x-ray to diagnose knee arthritis might make you more likely to consider potentially unnecessary surgery – https://theconversation.com/having-an-x-ray-to-diagnose-knee-arthritis-might-make-you-more-likely-to-consider-potentially-unnecessary-surgery-249374

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Commencing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy

    Source: The White House

    class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

         Section 1.  Purpose.  It is the policy of my Administration to dramatically reduce the size of the Federal Government, while increasing its accountability to the American people.  This order commences a reduction in the elements of the Federal bureaucracy that the President has determined are unnecessary.  Reducing the size of the Federal Government will minimize Government waste and abuse, reduce inflation, and promote American freedom and innovation.

         Sec. 2.  Reducing the Scope of the Federal Bureaucracy.   (a)  The non-statutory components and functions of the following governmental entities shall be eliminated to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law, and such entities shall reduce the performance of their statutory functions and associated personnel to the minimum presence and function required by law:
    (i)    the Presidio Trust;
    (ii)   the Inter-American Foundation;
    (iii)  the United States African Development Foundation; and
    (iv)   the United States Institute of Peace.
    (b)  Within 14 days of the date of this order, the head of each unnecessary governmental entity listed in subsection (a) of this section shall submit a report to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB Director) confirming compliance with this order and stating whether the governmental entity, or any components or functions thereof, are statutorily required and to what extent.
    (c)  In reviewing budget requests submitted by the governmental entities listed in subsection (a) of this section, the OMB Director or the head of any executive department or agency charged with reviewing grant requests by such entities shall, to the extent consistent with applicable law and except insofar as necessary to effectuate an expected termination, reject funding requests for such governmental entities to the extent they are inconsistent with this order.
    (d)  The Presidential Memorandum of November 13, 1961 (Need for Greater Coordination of Regional and Field Activities of the Government), is hereby revoked.  The Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM Director) is directed to initiate the process to withdraw the regulations at title 5, part 960, Code of Federal Regulations, thereby eliminating the Federal Executive Boards.  
    (e)  The OPM Director is directed to initiate the process to withdraw the regulations at title 5, part 362, subpart D, Code of Federal Regulations, and to take any other steps necessary to promptly terminate the Presidential Management Fellows Program.  On the effective date of the final regulations promulgated by the OPM Director, Executive Order 13318 of November 21, 2003, is revoked and Executive Order 13562 of December 27, 2010, is amended by:
    (i)    striking from section 2 the words “along with the Presidential Management Fellows Program, as modified herein,”;
    (ii)   striking section 5;
    (iii)  striking from section 6(b) the words “or PMF Programs” and inserting in their place “program”;
    (iv)   striking from section 7(b)(iii) the words “the competitive service of Interns, Recent Graduates, or PMFs (or a Government-wide combined conversion cap applicable to all three categories together)” and inserting in their place “the competitive service of Interns or Recent Graduates (or a Government-wide combined conversion cap applicable to both categories together)”; and
    (v)    redesignating sections 6, 7, 8, and 9 as sections 5, 6, 7, and 8 respectively.  
    (f)  Within 14 days of the date of this order, the following heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall take the following actions with respect to the following Federal Advisory Committees within their respective agencies:
    (i) the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development shall terminate the Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid; 
    (ii)   the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection shall terminate the Academic Research Council and the Credit Union Advisory Council;
    (iii)  the Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation shall terminate the Community Bank Advisory Council;
    (iv)   the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall terminate the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Long COVID; and
    (v)    the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services shall terminate the Health Equity Advisory Committee.
    (g)  Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, and the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy shall identify and submit to the President additional unnecessary governmental entities and Federal Advisory Committees that should be terminated on grounds that they are unnecessary.  

         Sec. 3.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or
    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
     
     
     
    THE WHITE HOUSE,
        February 19, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Two in five scientists in our survey reported harassment and intimidation. Often, the perpetrators are inside the institution

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Hales, Director, Centre for Sustainable Enterprise, Griffith University

    Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock

    The goal of science is to uncover truths and create new knowledge. But this is not always welcome. Increasingly, scientific findings are being attacked or downplayed. And scientists themselves face intimidation or harassment.

    In our global study of more than 2,000 scientists across six areas of science, two-fifths (41%) of respondents had, as a result of their work, been harassed or intimidated at least once over a five-year period.

    Intimidation efforts included online abuse, physical threats, and threats to budgets or employment. Harassment, while personal, could be meted out by superiors, colleagues or outsiders. Some scientists felt their leaders had thrown them under the bus to protect the institution’s reputation.

    Who’s doing the intimidation? Strikingly, a majority of cases of intimidation and harassment actually came from inside the institution for most fields. That is, it was perpetrated by senior colleagues or managers. But for climate scientists, most intimidation efforts came from outside.

    Intimidation of scientists doesn’t happen in a vacuum. In recent years, there has been a rise in populist leaders who pour scorn on “elites” and evidence. Scientific issues are increasingly politicised. Disinformation is rampant. This atmosphere adds to the pressure faced by scientists, especially those working in politically sensitive areas such as climate science or COVID.

    Harassment and intimidation can silence or isolate scientists.
    Hayk_Shalunts/Shutterstock

    What did we find?

    We used an online database of scientists to find and contact experts publishing in six fields: climate science, medical health, humanities and social science, food and plant science, astronomy, and other STEM areas.

    More than 2,000 responded to our survey on whether they had experienced various types of intimidation or harassment. We asked respondents for more detail on the perpetrators, what triggered the incident, and what effect it had on them.

    Many respondents had a clear view as to what the intimidation or harassment was meant to do. The motivations of perpetrators varied greatly. But the most common reasons were to damage their reputation, to stop them from publishing certain types of research, or to “put me in my place”.

    Specific fields of science were more prone to harassment and intimidation – in particular climate science, and humanities and social science.

    Among those scientists who had been intimidated, climate scientists reported online abuse three times more often than astronomers. Climate science is politically charged, because climate change is clearly linked to pollution from some of the world’s largest industries – oil, gas and coal. Astronomy is not. Half of the climate scientist respondents experiencing intimidation saw the bad behaviour as a way to discourage them from undertaking specific research and speaking about it.

    Researchers from humanities and social sciences faced similar levels of online abuse to climate scientists.

    When it came to personal harassment, there was a clear gender dimension. Among those who reported experiencing harassment, female scientists were more than four times more likely to report “unwelcome or inappropriate behaviour of a sexual nature” than their male counterparts. Women were affected almost twice as much as men by non-sexual forms of personal harassment.

    Our findings follow earlier research finding similar rates of intimidation. For instance, a 2021 survey of 321 scientists working on COVID-19 found 15% had received death threats and 22% received threats of sexual violence.

    Intimidation and harassment are damaging

    The consequences of intimidation are profound and far-reaching. Many scientists told us the experience had caused lasting damage, whether to wellbeing, career prospects or research activities.

    More than 40% of those affected said their career prospects had worsened following incidents of harassment. Just over a third (34%) reported a decline in their desire to work in science. Scientists who experienced intimidation often cut back their collaboration with colleagues (35%), leaving them more isolated.

    Many of our respondents described flow-on effects such as decreased access to funding (35% of respondents) and less public communication from their institution about their work (23%).

    Scientists targeted with multiple types of harassment reported very damaging effects, from difficulty finding their next job to poor mental health.

    Intimidation slows progress

    Intimidation and harassment have a chilling effect on science. This, in turn, could hinder progress on crucial issues such as climate change, public health and technological advancements.

    The disproportionate impact on women and researchers in politically sensitive fields threatens to undermine diversity and inclusivity in science.

    Without targeted interventions, women in science may continue to suffer disproportionate levels of harassment and intimidation. This will have long-term implications for gender diversity in scientific leadership and the direction of research in various fields.

    In the United States, the Trump administration’s withdrawals from the Paris climate agreement and the World Health Organization are likely to further embolden anti-science movements. Many American scientific institutions are engaged in anticipatory obedience of the Trump administration’s demands that diversity and anti-discrimination programs be abolished, or climate change stop being mentioned. Many even go beyond what is explicitly sought.

    Female scientists are targeted in different ways.
    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    What can be done?

    Science and academia is often seen as a bastion of free inquiry and open discussion. One of our most surprising findings was how common intimidation was within scientific institutions.

    The key to beating intimidation is organisational support and clear strategies, not obedience. These include:

    • genuine commitment to institutional policies protecting scientists from both internal and external intimidation

    • formal, well-resourced support systems for researchers facing harassment or pressure (not the HR office)

    • programs to increase public understanding of the scientific process to build trust and resilience to misinformation

    • boosting international collaboration between scientists and policymakers to ensure resilience against country-specific efforts to undermine science

    • educating the public on the importance of scientific independence and of fostering respectful dialogue around contentious topics.

    As populist movements gain traction in many countries, scientists working on controversial issues will face heightened scrutiny – and potentially more intimidation.

    Climate science is likely to remain a particularly contested field. As the damage wrought by climate change becomes more and more apparent, it will get even more contentious.

    Over the last few centuries, science has produced breakthroughs in many areas. But the integrity of science is not guaranteed. Harassment and intimidation from both inside and outside institutions has a very real effect on scientists.

    The future of evidence-based decision-making and ability to tackle global challenges depends on fostering an environment where scientists can work free from fear and undue pressure.

    Robert Hale receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    David Peetz undertook research over many years with occasional financial support from governments from both sides of politics, employers and unions. He has been and is involved in several Australian Research Council-funded projects, including this one.

    Ian Lowe was president of the Australian Conservation Foundation from 2004 to 2014.

    Carolyn Troup and Georgina Murray 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. Two in five scientists in our survey reported harassment and intimidation. Often, the perpetrators are inside the institution – https://theconversation.com/two-in-five-scientists-in-our-survey-reported-harassment-and-intimidation-often-the-perpetrators-are-inside-the-institution-248013

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Louis Area Doctor Sentenced for Health Care Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Wednesday sentenced a doctor who ran two urgent care centers in the St. Louis area to 35 months in prison for defrauding Medicare and Missouri Medicaid and ordered him to repay $742,528.

    Dr. Sonny Saggar, 57, will also be on supervised release for three years after he leaves prison.

    Saggar pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in August to one count of conspiracy. He admitted that while operating St. Louis General Hospital (SLGH) locations in downtown St. Louis and near Creve Coeur, he and his office manager hired assistant physicians (APs) to see patients but billed Medicare and Missouri Medicaid as if Dr. Saggar had seen them, even when he was out of town. APs are medical school graduates who have not completed a residency program. To legally practice medicine in Missouri, they are required to be closely supervised by a licensed physician under written collaborative practice arrangements (CPAs) that restrict the AP’s ability to provide medical services and limit their practice areas to medically underserved rural or urban areas.

    Dr. Saggar admitted hiring “numerous” APs from July 2018 to July 2023 to work at the SLGH locations, which he and office manager Renita Barringer advertised as both urgent and primary care facilities and as a “residency prep” program and a “stepping stone” for the APs. Dr. Saggar admitted that APs were not properly trained or supervised and that he and Barringer advised them to consult each other on their medical questions. One physician can legally supervise no more than six APs, so Dr. Saggar offered stipends of up to $480 per month to various physicians to induce them to sign up to be collaborating physicians, and then submitted CPA forms to the Missouri Board of Registration for the Healing Arts to falsely make it appear as if the APs were being properly supervised. He admitted that the Creve Coeur location is not medical underserved and thus APs are not permitted to work there.

    Finally, Dr. Saggar admitted that in January of 2022, he hired a doctor who had been indicted in another case to be the sole collaborating physician at the Creve Coeur location but did not disclose to Medicaid that the co-conspirator was performing services there. That physician’s billing privileges with Medicaid had been suspended.

    The conduct of Dr. Saggar and Barringer caused a loss to Medicare and Missouri Medicaid of $742,528.

    “Today’s sentencing underscores our commitment to ensuring that providers are held accountable for submitting fraudulent claims for financial gain and for deliberately concealing critical information about healthcare professionals,” said Special Agent in Charge Linda T. Hanley of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).  “HHS-OIG, in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement agencies, will continue working together to safeguard the integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs.”

    “This crime went beyond bilking taxpayer funded healthcare programs. Dr. Sonny Saggar risked the well-being of patients with urgent medical needs. He knew his assistant physicians were not qualified to see patients without supervision,” said Special Agent in Charge Ashley Johnson of the FBI St. Louis Division. “To add further insult to injury, Dr. Saggar falsely claimed he was the one who saw the patients so he could bill Medicare and Medicaid.”

    “Doctors are expected to follow a certain code of conduct and obey the laws and regulations put in place to protect their clients,” DEA St. Louis Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis said. “Our investigation shows that Dr. Saggar broke with protocol and endangered lives with his negligence. As a result of his misconduct, he was arrested, surrendered his DEA Certificate of Registration, can no longer prescribe controlled substances and faces nearly three years in federal prison.”

    Barringer, 51, pleaded guilty in December to one count of conspiracy. She is scheduled to be sentenced on April 22.

    The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Missouri Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Sestric is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Five best articles in Russian for 19.02.2025

    MIL Analysis: Here are the top five Russian language articles published today. The analysis includes five key articles currently prioritized.

    The economy is productive. The Moscow Exchange is providing its new records of profitability and opportunities for investors and traders to expand.

    Education is evolving, with an increasing trend toward humanitarization. Peter the Great University in St. Petersburg strengthens the psychological health of students, staff and parents.

    At Novosibirsk University you can see the exhibition “Life as a Vocation” dedicated to the work of Varlen Lvovich Soskin on February 26 at 11:50.

    You can read one of the articles below.

    1. Financial news: Moscow Exchange launched a full-featured version of the Algopack analytical service.

    Moscow Exchange has expanded opportunities for investors and traders by launching a full-featured version of the analytical service “Algopack”. All users of the service now have access to a graphical interface for presenting data on all stocks and futures traded on the Moscow Exchange.

    2. Financial news: The Moscow Exchange Full Yield Index updated its historical maximum.

    The Moscow Exchange Total Return Index set a historical record, at the close of trading on February 17, 2025, its value was 8,199.68 points. This is the maximum index value since the start of calculation in January 2004. The previous maximum was recorded on October 20, 2021 at 8,125.76 points.

    3. Do you want to talk about it? Polytechnic’s psychologists help you cope with stress.

    Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    “All diseases come from nerves,” people say, and for good reason. Constant stress is not harmless at all, and sometimes we do not even realize what serious consequences can result from worrying about personal troubles or events in the world, anxiety and worry, fear of failure and hyper-responsibility, and other similar things. In order to preserve mental health and performance, it is better to seek help from a specialist in a timely manner.

    4. Dmitry Chernyshenko, Sergey Kravtsov, Valery Falkov and Grigory Gurov, Head of Rosmolodezh, commented on the results of the stratsession on the development of education.

    Dmitry Chernyshenko took part in the stratsession on education development.

    Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, Minister of Education Sergey Kravtsov, Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov, Head of Rosmolodezh Grigory Gurov and Head of Rosobrnadzor Anzor Muzayev took part in the strategic session chaired by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

    5. The exhibition “Life as a Vocation” will open at NSU.

    Novosibirsk State University -.

    On February 26 at 11:50 a.m., the NSU History Museum will open the exhibition “Life as a Vocation” dedicated to the activities of Varlen Lvovich Soskin. The exhibition is part of a series of events timed to the 100th anniversary of the birth of Varlen Lvovich Soskin, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Honorary Professor of NSU, Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, founder of the scientific school of modern Siberian science and cultural studies, veteran of the Great Patriotic War.

    Learn more about MIL’s content and data services by visiting milnz.co.nz.

    Regards MIL!

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Works with USDA to Fight HPAI, Protect Iowa Poultry Farmers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    WASHINGTON – Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and John Fetterman (D-Pa.), members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, are working closely with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide a roadmap and enhance the agency’s response to the ongoing outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). They led their colleagues in sending a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the USDA outlining solutions they can collaborate on as the administration responds to the outbreak.  
    “The United States is now entering the fourth year of an outbreak of HPAI that has devastated farms, required the depopulation of more than 136 million birds on commercial poultry operations, and infected a small but growing number of farm workers. A new urgency is required from the USDA to address the evolving situation,” the lawmakers wrote. “We stand ready to work with you as you provide leadership on this vitally important issue, the largest animal health outbreak that the department has ever dealt with.”
    “It’s crucial to highlight the impact of avian influenza (HPAI) on Iowa’s turkey farmers. The 260,800 turkeys lost in 2024 and the current outbreak in 2025 emphasize the ongoing threat this virus poses to the Iowa turkey industry. Senator Ernst’s leadership in bringing attention to this issue is vital. A stronger focus on H5Nx vaccinations could help reduce the risk and spread of HPAI, giving farmers more tools to prevent and manage outbreaks. This kind of action will be key to safeguarding the livelihoods of farmers and the broader agricultural economy in Iowa,” said Gretta Irwin, Executive Director, Iowa Turkey Federation.
    “Poultry and egg farmers across Iowa are working diligently to navigate the challenges posed by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), but they can’t face this growing problem alone. We applaud Senator Ernst for her continued leadership in ensuring producers have the tools they need to slow the spread of HPAI. She has been a steadfast partner in protecting the livelihoods of our farmers and safeguarding our food supply throughout this ongoing outbreak,” said Dr. Craig Rowles, North Central Poultry Association President and Bruce Dooyema, Iowa Egg Council President.
    In the letter, the senators proposed:
    A forward-looking strategy for vaccination in affected laying hens and turkeys;
    Outreach to partners overseas to protect and maintain international trade;
    The establishment of an HPAI Strategic Initiative to engage with industry experts and develop methods for prevention and response;
    Support for states using the USDA’s National Milk Testing Strategy;
    Ensuring auditors are both in place and qualified to carry out biosecurity assessments; and
    Revising indemnity rates for laying hens and pullets to accurately compensate impacted producers.
    Read the full letter here, which was supported by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), David McCormick (R-Pa.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and led by Congressman Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) in the House.
    Background:
    Ernst has long been a champion of foreign animal disease prevention and preparedness efforts including the bipartisan Animal Disease and Disaster Prevention, Surveillance, and Rapid Response Act and her Beagle Brigade Act, which was recently signed into law.
    Following the increase in HPAI outbreaks in both Iowa poultry flocks and dairy herds, she has also worked to hold federal agencies accountable to provide public and state agencies with coordinated, up-to-date, and accurate information on the spread of HPAI.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: CDC layoffs strike deeply at its ability to respond to the current flu, norovirus and measles outbreaks and other public health emergencies

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jordan Miller, Teaching Professor of Public Health, Arizona State University

    The CDC played an instrumental, if imperfect, role in the response to COVID-19. JHDT Stock Images LLC/iStock via Getty Images

    In just a few short weeks, the Trump administration has brought drastic changes to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and public health. Beginning with the removal of websites and key public health datasets in January 2025, the Trump administration has taken actions to dismantle established public health infrastructure as part of its second-term agenda.

    In addition, the administration has begun a widespread purge of the federal public health workforce. As of Feb. 19, around 5,200 employees at the CDC and the National Institutes of Health had been let go. About 10% of the CDC’s staff have been removed, with plans for additional firings.

    As a teaching professor and public health educator, I, like thousands of other health professionals, rely on CDC data and educational resources throughout my work. CDC websites are the first stop for health information for my students and for health care practitioners, and are vital to protecting the U.S. from infectious diseases, like avian flu and COVID-19, as well as noninfectious health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease.

    Here’s a quick look at what the CDC does to protect Americans’ health, and how it’s likely to be affected by the Trump administration’s actions:

    Gutting the CDC’s capacity

    Prior to the February cuts, the CDC employed over 10,000 full-time staff in roles spanning public health, epidemiology, medicine, communications, engineering and beyond to maintain this critical public health infrastructure.

    In addition to the centers’ wide variety of functions to protect and promote public health in the U.S., a vast amount of research in the U.S. relies on CDC data. The CDC obtains data from all 50 states, territories and the District of Columbia, which is collated into widely utilized databases such as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, National Health Interview Survey and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

    Several of these datasets and CDC websites were removed at the start of the second Trump term, and while they are currently back online due to a federal court order, it remains to be seen if these important sources of information will remain accessible and updated going forward.

    The CDC also publishes the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, which allows for ongoing and timely surveillance of key health conditions. The reports cover a wide range of topics, including wildfires, motor vehicle accidents, autism, asthma, opioids, mental health and many others. The CDC plays a central role in monitoring and reporting the spread of flu in winter months through its FluView, which informs clinical practice as well as public health interventions.

    Physicians are reporting that their ability to respond to the surges in respiratory viruses they are seeing has been hobbled by the missing data and by prohibitions on CDC staff communicating outside the agency.

    The CDC’s famed “disease detectives,” part of the Epidemic Intelligence Service, appear to have been spared following public outcry after more than half of its members were initially told they would be let go as part of the Feb. 14 mass layoffs.

    It remains to be seen if this group will remain intact long term. Concerns are growing that shakeups to the nation’s infectious disease surveillance teams will hamper the government’s ability to respond effectively at a time when avian flu and measles are growing concerns in the U.S.

    The CDC’s headquarters are in Atlanta.
    Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

    History of the CDC

    The CDC began as a small branch of the U.S. Public Health Service in 1946 as an outgrowth of successes fighting malaria in southern states during World War II and before. Its founder, Dr. Joseph W. Mountin, envisioned that it would come to serve all states, addressing all communicable diseases. Since that time, the CDC has evolved into the nation’s premier public health organization, leveraging both clinical and population health sciences to prevent and mitigate challenges to the nation’s health.

    In its first 40 years, the CDC helped eradicate smallpox and identify the causes of Legionnaires’ disease, toxic shock syndrome and HIV.

    As the country’s primary health challenges have shifted from communicable diseases to noncommunicable ones over recent decades, the organization has adapted, expanding its reach and priorities to meet changing public health needs. The CDC also has the ability to flex and scale up efforts rapidly when needed to respond to novel outbreaks, which is essential for containing infectious diseases and preventing escalation.

    CDC’s global reach

    Recognizing that health does not exist in a vacuum, the CDC also operates internationally to mitigate health challenges that could threaten health in the U.S. over time. The agency is active in addressing diseases that are endemic in certain areas, such as tuberculosis and HIV. It also responds to outbreaks from emerging threats, like Ebola and Marburg virus disease.

    The CDC played a crucial role in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, coordinating with the World Health Organization, domestic health agencies and others to plan and execute a robust response.

    In 2024, the CDC worked with the WHO to respond to a Marburg virus outbreak in Rwanda that lasted for several months. On average, about half of people infected with Marburg virus do not survive, so early detection and effective response are essential to prevent loss of life and contain outbreaks before they spread widely.

    On Jan. 20, 2025, the White House announced President Donald Trump’s plans to withdraw from the WHO. This move further weakens the country’s ability to manage and mitigate threats to Americans’ health and national security.

    Not only does the WHO do essential work to protect children around the world from needless death due to starvation, but it monitors and responds to infectious diseases. The U.S. has been the largest contributor to the WHO, with approximately 12%-15% of its operating costs coming from the U.S. That means that removal of U.S. support will also affect the WHO’s capacity to respond to international public health issues.

    As the COVID-19 pandemic made plain, a delayed response to infectious disease outbreaks can exponentially increase long-term costs and consequences. It remains to be seen what impact the established relationships between the CDC and the WHO will have on their ability to coordinate effectively during times of crisis.

    The CDC’s work around the world helps to stop outbreaks before they spread – and reach the U.S.

    Future health care workforce threatened

    The reach, flexibility, adaptability and robust foundation of relationships developed over the past eight decades enable the CDC to respond to threats quickly, wherever in the world they arise. This is important for protecting health, and it plays a vital role in global and national security as well.

    In addition to its direct actions to promote public health, the CDC provides workforce development and training to help create an enduring public health infrastructure in the U.S. and abroad. This is more important than ever, as systemic factors have placed pressure on health professionals. The domestic public health workforce has shrunk drastically, losing 40,000 workers since the start of the Great Recession in 2009 due to economic constraints and social pressures during the pandemic. The CDC’s workforce development efforts help counteract these trends.

    Public health workers were reporting high rates of burnout and stress even before the COVID-19 pandemic, which the pandemic worsened. Cuts to the federal workforce, as well as funding for public health programs, will no doubt add to these strains.

    Jordan Miller received funding from CDC in the past.

    – ref. CDC layoffs strike deeply at its ability to respond to the current flu, norovirus and measles outbreaks and other public health emergencies – https://theconversation.com/cdc-layoffs-strike-deeply-at-its-ability-to-respond-to-the-current-flu-norovirus-and-measles-outbreaks-and-other-public-health-emergencies-248486

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Questions Labor Secretary Nominee Lori Chavez-DeRemer During Confirmation Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) participated in the confirmation hearing today for President Donald Trump’s Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary nominee, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, in the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP). 
    Lori Chavez-DeRemer served as a congresswoman in the U.S. House of Representatives for Oregon’s 5th district from 2023 to 2025. Senator Marshall met with Mrs. Chavez-DeRemer ahead of her confirmation hearing and believes she will be an excellent champion for the American worker.
    Senator Marshall questioned former Congresswoman Chavez-DeRemer on expanding workforce development opportunities and how she will address the needs of both union and nonunion laborers and employers alike. 

    [embedded content]

    You may click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full remarks. 
    Highlights from Mrs. Chavez-DeRemer’s confirmation hearing include: 
    On supporting workforce development: 
    Senator Marshall: “Welcome, Congresswoman. Thank you for being here today. I’m so grateful for President Trump nominating you. I think when he did this, it was certainly a shout-out to the hard-working men and women across this country.”
    “I want to talk about workplace development for a second. Though unemployment is relatively low, supposedly, our participation rate isn’t as good. And I think there’s an opportunity there to get people back in the workforce, and if they don’t have the skills, the education to do that, then let’s help them out. I see there are so many great opportunities – our community colleges, our technical colleges, the unions, apprenticeships, all those pieces are out there. What can we do? What can you do to help support them and help them be successful?”
    Mrs. Chavez-DeRemer: “Thank you, Senator Marshall…it was great meeting with you because we had that conversation about workforce development and workforce investment in our communities, and how it can differ oftentimes, in, you know, a metro area versus a rural area and all of the above.”
    “I commit to you that I will work hard for the Department of Labor and the agencies within the Department of Labor to make sure that our young people are ready to go into the workforce. I also know we talked about the average age of a community college entrance is 27 years old. Sometimes people are looking to upskill or get another certificate so they can stay in their communities where they’re raising their families, and that’s their investment. So I look forward to making this wholeheartedly a pillar of the Department of Labor, is workforce investment and development.”
    On supporting both union and nonunion workers and employers alike:
    Senator Marshall: “I want to take a moment and talk about the franchise model again… In my mind, what the franchise model has done has helped many people achieve their American dream of owning their own business – and being successful too. And I think it’s been a great opportunity, especially for women, for minorities, and for veterans as well. And we have to work on this balance. I want the unions to be successful. I want the franchises to be successful as well. How do we achieve that balance? Any thoughts on where’s the win/win opportunity when it comes to that issue?”
    Mrs. Chavez-DeRemer: “Well, a lot of times the references to the gig economy, and I understand the franchise model as well. And I support the efforts of, you know, the franchise model, as it does allow the flexibility for business owners to determine, do they want to be in business for themselves? Do they want to work for somebody else?”
    “But I think the only change that can be talked about today that will work in all of these is everybody has to have that voice and understanding at the table… I want everybody at that table to have that voice and what is valuable to them and their membership, or them and their employees, or a business owner when they’re struggling.”
    “We can protect all American workers. There’s a continuum from the first day that we have our first job all the way through retirement – wherever a worker is, or a retiree is on that continuum, they should be respected for the hard work that they’ve put in. I can tell you, bringing everybody to the table is going to do just that, and reinforce the things that we care about.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Scott Charts Path to Combat the Fentanyl Crisis

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) reintroduced his Alan Shao II Fentanyl Public Health Emergency and Overdose Prevention Act. The legislation takes a three-fold approach to addressing the fentanyl crisis fueled by the expiration of Title 42 during the Biden administration. This legislation would allow the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to expedite the processing and removal of migrants illegally entering the country in response to the fentanyl-related public health emergency. 

    “The former president left a disaster on our southern border that infected communities and families across our nation. A couple of years ago, my friend Alan Shao lost his son to the crisis curated by the Biden administration’s open border policies. This legislation is named in honor of his son to remind us that one life lost is one too many and that we can’t continue to sit idly by allowing devastation to rip through our homes,” said Senator Scott. “I am grateful to lead efforts to put an end to this public health crisis and clean up our border. I look forward to working with the Trump administration to ensure more Americans can live in a safer nation.”

    “The fentanyl crisis is a national emergency. It was driven by the Biden administration’s open-border policies and will require decisive, sustained, and specific action to stem. This bill will protect American lives and secure our border. I’m proud to work with my colleagues on this critical issue,” said Senator Cruz.

    “Sheriffs across North Carolina have told me that every one of our counties is a border county after four years of the Biden administration. To reverse this dangerous situation, I am proud to join Senator Tim Scott’s bill to speed up the removal of illegal aliens who pose safety risks to communities across the nation,” said Senator Budd. “The Trump administration needs more tools to get the southern border under control, and this bill would be another major step in the effort to restore law and order in our country.”

    In addition to Senator Scott, the bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio). 

    Expedited processing and removal would apply to migrants who:

    • Are attempting to enter the US from Canada or Mexico illegally; 
    • Do not possess necessary travel documents for admittance into the US; and 
    • Are being held at a point of entry or a Border Patrol station facilitating immigration processing. 

    BACKGROUND

    The Alan T. Shao II Fentanyl Public Health Emergency and Overdose Prevention Act is named after the son of Dr. Alan Shao, the former Dean of the School of Business at the College of Charleston. Alan T. Shao II passed away at the age of 27 due to a fentanyl overdose. 

    Senator Scott’s legislation utilizes powers similar to those under Title 42, which allows the Department of Homeland Security to expedite the processing and removal of migrants illegally entering the country, and applies them in response to the fentanyl-related public health emergency.  

    According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the agency seized more than 367 million deadly doses (2 mg of fentanyl equates to a deadly dose) in 2024. More than 100,000 Americans died from drug overdoses during 2023, with the majority of such deaths caused by fentanyl. 

    In addition to the Alan T. Shao II Fentanyl Public Health Emergency and Overdose Prevention Act, Senator Scott introduced the Securing Our Border Act, which redirects $22.4 billion of unobligated funding passed by Democrats to hire 87,000 Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents and utilizes it to bolster security measures along our southern border.

    Furthermore, he introduced the Stifling Transnational Operations and Proliferators by Mitigating Activities that Drive Narcotics, Exploitation, and Smuggling Sanctions Act – or the STOP MADNESS Act, which would also ensure the president can sanction foreign governments that resist efforts to repatriate their citizens who unlawfully enter the United States.

    In April 2024, Senator Scott’s FEND Off Fentanyl Act, which directs the Department of Treasury to use U.S. economic national security tools to choke off the profits of the Chinese precursor manufacturers and the Mexican cartels that push fentanyl across the border, was signed into law. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Name release and appeal for information, Hastings homicide

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Please attribute to Detective Inspector Martin James, Eastern District Investigations Manager:

    Police can now confirm the name of the man who died in Hastings Sunday 23 February, and are appealing for information to assist in our ongoing investigation.

    A homicide investigation was launched after a man was pronounced deceased in Hawke’s Bay Hospital around 11pm, after he was brought into the hospital following an assault.

    Police can now confirm he was 33-year-old Keith Pati, of Flaxmere, Hastings. Our condolences go out to his family and loved ones at this time.

    Police are continuing to focus our enquiries on the area of Camberley. In particular, we are wanting to hear from the residents of Huia Street and Takahe Street

    Police are asking residents to report any items that may have been located in the area, including discarded clothing items.

    If you have found any property not belonging to yourself in the area, please contact Police.

    You can contact us via 105 either online or over the phone – please quote reference number 250217/0218.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre 
     

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: $10 million for new health worker accommodation to attract more paramedics to regional NSW

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 20 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Regional Health, Minister for Regional NSW

    Regional communities across NSW are set to benefit from new Key Health Worker Accommodation which will help attract more paramedics to the bush.

    The Minns Labor Government will invest $10 million in health worker housing for paramedics in regional NSW as part of the Key Health Worker Accommodation program.

    The $200.1 million Program supports more than 20 projects across rural, regional and remote NSW.

    The $200.1 million funding will secure approximately 120 dwellings across regional NSW, which includes the building of new accommodation, refurbishment of existing living quarters and the purchase of suitable properties such as residential units.

    It is estimated the four-year Program will support the recruitment and retention of more than 500 health workers and their families by providing a range of accommodation options.

    The Program is one of a number of investments the Minns Labor Government is making to strengthen the regional, rural and remote health workforce and builds on the success of the NSW Government’s $73.2 million investment in key health worker accommodation across five regional local health districts (Far West, Murrumbidgee, Southern NSW, Hunter New England and Western NSW).

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Regional Health, Ryan Park:

    “The Minns Labor Government is committed to investing in modern, sustainable accommodation options for key health workers who are the backbone of our regional, rural and remote communities.

    “Strengthening our regional ambulance workforce is a key priority for our government and this $10 million investment in accommodation will support attraction of paramedics to the regions.”

    Quote attributable to Minister for Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty MLC:

    “Providing modern, sustainable and secure staff accommodation in regional, rural and remote locations will help to attract and retain paramedics.

    “This $10 million boost to accommodation for our paramedic workforce follows the rollout of an additional 500 paramedics for regional and rural NSW and will support NSW Ambulance staff who take on these positions.”

    Quote attributable to Gerard Hayes, HSU NSW Secretary:

    “The housing crisis can become a healthcare crisis for rural and regional towns if we can’t provide safe and secure housing for essential workers, so we welcome more accommodation for our hard-working paramedics.

    “Paramedics are invaluable to regional and rural towns. They deserve to be supported to care for people in those areas. Removing the stress of finding safe, secure and affordable housing is a big part of recognising the value of these essential workers.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Work-related health newsletter – February 2025

    Source: Worksafe New Zealand

    Check out the latest guidance and resources, and a number of upcoming courses and conferences to help you ensure a healthy and safe work environment for you and your workers.

    In this edition:

    • Updated leptospirosis guidance​
    • New restricted entry intervals and guidance
    • Mentally healthy work infographics
    • Psychosocial survey of the retail sector
    • Workplace exposure standards 
    • Engineered stone and respirable crystalline silica consultation 
    • New ACC recovery at work resources    
    • New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety Awards 2025 
    • MATES in Construction NZ awarded funding 
    • New Zealand Journal of Health and Safety Practice 
    • Courses and resources
    • Upcoming conferences

    Read the full newsletter(external link)

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: President of Insurance Brokerage Firm and CEO of Marketing Company Charged in $161M Affordable Care Act Enrollment Fraud Scheme

    Source: US State of California

    An indictment was unsealed today charging Cory Lloyd, 46, of Stuart, Florida, and Steven Strong, 42, of Mansfield, Texas, in connection with their alleged participation in a scheme to submit fraudulent enrollments to fully subsidized Affordable Care Act insurance plans (ACA plans) in order to obtain millions of dollars in commission payments from insurance companies.

    ACA plans offer tax credits to eligible enrollees. These tax credits, or “subsidies,” could be paid by the federal government directly to insurance plans in the form of a payment toward the applicable monthly premium. According to court documents, Lloyd and Strong conspired to enroll consumers in ACA plans that were fully subsidized by the federal government by submitting false and fraudulent applications for individuals whose income did not meet the minimum requirements to be eligible for the subsidies. Lloyd allegedly received commission and other payments from an insurance company in exchange for enrolling consumers in the ACA plans. In turn, Lloyd allegedly paid commissions to Strong in exchange for consumer referrals.

    As alleged in the indictment, Lloyd and Strong targeted vulnerable, low-income individuals experiencing homelessness, unemployment, and mental health and substance abuse disorders, and, through “street marketers” working on their behalf, sometimes offered bribes to induce those individuals to enroll in subsidized ACA plans. Marketers working for Strong’s company allegedly coached consumers on how to respond to application questions to maximize the subsidy amount and provided addresses and social security numbers that did not match the consumers purportedly applying. As a result of being enrolled in subsidized ACA plans for which they did not qualify, some of these consumers experienced disruptions in their medical care.

    The indictment alleges that Lloyd and Strong used misleading sales scripts and other deceptive sales techniques to convince consumers to state that they would attempt to earn the minimum income necessary to qualify for a subsidized ACA plan, even when the consumer initially projected having no income. Lloyd and Strong also allegedly conspired to bypass the federal government’s attempts to verify income and other information. Lloyd and Strong allegedly engaged in the scheme to maximize the commission payments they received from insurers, resulting in their companies’ receiving millions of dollars in commissions.

    As alleged in the indictment, Lloyd and Strong’s scheme caused the federal government to pay at least $161,900,000 in subsidies.

    Cory Lloyd and Steven Strong are each charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and two counts of money laundering. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States, and 10 years in prison for each count of money laundering.

    Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Justin Fleck of the FBI Miami Field Office, Acting Special Agent in Charge Isaac Bledsoe of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office, and Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Miami Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI, HHS-OIG, and IRS-CI are investigating the case.

    Assistant Chief Jamie de Boer and Trial Attorney D. Keith Clouser of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.

    The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Feisty Feminist Murder Mystery He Had It Coming Announced

    Source: Australia Government Statements 4

    18 02 2025 – Media release

    Stars of He Had It Coming, Lydia West, Natasha Liu Bordizzo and Liv Hewson. 
    Stan and Screen Australia have announced the brand-new series He Had It Coming, produced by Jungle Entertainment with major production investment from Screen Australia.
    Starring Lydia West, Natasha Liu Bordizzo and Liv Hewson, the series is an odd couple comedy-drama of two women accidentally entangled in a murder mystery when their spontaneous feminist art activism is co-opted by a killer.
    From Executive Producer Gretel Vella (Totally Completely Fine, The Great), with Chloe Rickard (Population 11, No Activity), Shay Spencer (Wakefield), Bridget Callow-Wright (Population 11), Robert Taylor and Ellie Gibbons. He Had It Coming is a comedic whodunnit following mismatched friends who get caught up in gender politics on campus and murder.
    Created and written by Gretel Vella and Craig Anderson (Double The Fist), with writers Emme Hoy (Renegade Nell), Belinda King (Wellmania), Nicholas Cole (Bump) and Hannah Samuel (The Heights). Directed by Rachel House (Mountain) and Anne Renton (The Good Doctor, The Bold Type).
    He Had It Coming stars Lydia West (Big Mood, It’s a Sin) and Natasha Liu Bordizzo (Ahsoka: Star Wars, The Voyeurs) who are also Executive Producers, and Liv Hewson (Yellowjackets, Bombshell), with ensemble cast Duncan Fellows (Deadloch), Roxie Mohebbi (Critical Incident), Tom Dawson (Total Control), Alex Campion De Crespigny (Heartbreak High) and Miah Madden (The Sapphires).
    Lydia West plays Elise, an awkward English scholarship student (for the bagpipes, she has the shoulders for it) who forms an unlikely alliance with Barbara (Liu Bordizzo), a fashion influencer who posts about girl power all day but is always too busy to attend a protest. After a series of mishaps with men, both decide to take a stand. Barbara spearheads an activist art project in the dead of night and drunk as skunks, the girls deface a statue of the university’s male founder in the University’s Quadrangle.
    When the girls wake to discover that the university’s star athlete has been murdered and displayed at the foot of their political statement, they must urgently erase all ties to the crime. With Detective Shepherd (Hewson) following the breadcrumbs they have been trying to sweep up, Barbara and Elise need to find the real culprit amid rising gender tensions on campus and a growing body count.
    Screen Australia Director of Narrative Content Louise Gough said, “He Had It Coming is a fun, feminist romp that approaches gender equality in a contemporary, innovative and hilarious way. With a standout cast and powerhouse creative and producing teams, this is must-watch TV.”
    Stan Chief Content Officer Cailah Scobie said, “He Had It Coming is a clever and sharp exploration of gender politics led by an extraordinary cast in this vacuum-sealed murder mystery. We celebrate the ongoing collaboration with Gretel Vella who has developed yet another exciting script, attracting an incredible cast to film in Australia. We are also thrilled to continue our ongoing successful collaboration with Jungle Entertainment with support from FIFTH SEASON, Screen Australia and Screen NSW.”
    Ava Knight, Director of Acquisitions at FIFTH SEASON said, “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Jungle Entertainment and creator Gretel Vella on He Had It Coming. Gretel expertly uses humour to explore universal themes around gender politics in a way that feels incredibly fresh and timely. We’re excited to bring this brilliant and bold female-led crime caper to audiences around the world – where nothing is quite as it seems.”
    Jungle partner and Executive Producer Chloe Rickard said, “We have absolutely loved collaborating again with Stan, Screen Australia and Screen NSW and new partners FIFTH SEASON to bring another unique Australian voice and story to the world. Add Lydia West, Natasha Liu Bordizzo and Liv Hewson to the mix and you’ve got the sizzle for a completely original and fun campus caper.”
    Head of Screen NSW Kyas Hepworth said, “Jungle Entertainment continues to produce leading Australian content, and Screen NSW is pleased to support them to bring another first-class project to NSW. With a standout creative team led by NSW-based Gretel Vella and Craig Anderson, the series is a clever and hilarious whodunnit story. I look forward to audiences tuning in when it arrives on Stan.”
    The Stan Original series He Had It Coming is produced by Jungle Entertainment. Major production investment from Screen Australia in association with Stan. Financed with support from Screen NSW. International sales by FIFTH SEASON. Post, digital, and visual effects supported by Screen NSW. Developed with the assistance of Screen NSW and in association with The Development Partnership. Stan Executive Producers are Cailah Scobie and Alicia Brown.
    The Stan Original Series He Had It Coming has wrapped production and is coming soon, only on Stan.
    Stan Media Enquiries
    [email protected]
    Media enquiries
    Maddie Walsh | Publicist
    + 61 2 8113 5915  | [email protected]
    Jessica Parry | Senior Publicist (Mon, Tue, Thu)
    + 61 428 767 836  | [email protected]
    All other general/non-media enquiries
    Sydney + 61 2 8113 5800  |  Melbourne + 61 3 8682 1900 | [email protected]

    MIL OSI News –