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Category: Health

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Update on NSW Government response to power outage in Far West NSW

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 19 October 2024

    Released by: Minister for Energy and Climate Change

    Power supplies have been restored to communities in the Far West region of NSW using a large-scale back-up generator, but households and businesses are being urged to reduce their usage this evening to minimise demand.

    The Far West region is relying on the generator while Transgrid constructs temporary towers to replace those damaged by a serious storm. This could take a number of weeks.

    The large-scale back-up generator is not adequate to meet consumer demand at all times of the day, in particular during the evening peak from 5:30pm to 10:30pm (Australian Central Daylight time).

    During this time, Essential Energy may need to rotate power between different areas for around two hours at a time. Essential Energy will prioritise Life Support Customers and priority loads such as Broken Hill Base Hospital.

    The community in the impacted area can help by taking simple steps to minimise power use between 5:30pm and 10:30pm (Australian Central Daylight Time):

    • Turn off any non-essential appliances.
    • Use lights only in occupied rooms.
    • If you are using air conditioning, consider raising the set point temperature to about 26 degrees and close all blinds, windows and doors.

    Outside these times, the community should continue to use electricity as they normally would.

    The impacted area incudes Broken Hill, Tibooburra, Wilcannia, Menindee, White Cliffs and several other surrounding communities.

    The NSW Government has activated an emergency response and is coordinating assistance across a number of emergency services and government agencies, and is working with Transgrid and Essential Energy.

    A NSW Rural Fire Service b-double truck which set off from Sydney loaded with supplies has now arrived in the Far West. The supplies include generators, fuel pods, cool rooms, lighting towers and Starlinks (satellite connections).

    The NSW Government encourages community members to follow the guidance of emergency service crews and asks travellers to the Far West of NSW avoid the area surrounding Broken Hill, Wilcannia, Menindee and White Cliffs unless absolutely necessary.

    For the latest updates from Essential Energy visit: https://www.essentialenergy.com.au/outages-and-faults/power-outages

    Customers, including Life Support customers, can contact Essential Energy on its outage line on
    13 20 80 for support.

    For more information on ways to reduce your energy during this peak demand event visit https://www.energy.nsw.gov.au/households/guides-and-helpful-advice-households/electricity-supply-disruptions

    Minister for Energy Penny Sharpe said:

    “It’s positive news that power supplies have been restored to Broken Hill and nearby communities via a large-scale back-up generator. However, there is still a lot of work to be done to replace the transmission towers and repair the electricity network.

    “I want to thank the Essential Energy and Transgrid workers who have worked tirelessly over the past two days to restore power.

    “I also want to thank Perilya Mine for supplying load to the large-scale backup generator, which in turn, has provided security and stability to the Broken Hill grid and helped restore power to communities across the Far West.”

    Member for Barwon Roy Butler said:

    “We are focused on restoring power to all homes and businesses in Broken Hill and towns across the region.

    “We welcome the arrival of supplies including generators to support those on the ground.

    “I encourage everyone in our community to please check in on your neighbours and relatives, especially those who are vulnerable, as we work through this situation.”

    MIL OSI News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: The other Common Squirrel Monkey of Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens passed away

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The other Common Squirrel Monkey of Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens passed away
    The other Common Squirrel Monkey of Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens passed away
    ******************************************************************************************

         ​The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (October 20) that the other Common Squirrel Monkey of the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens (HKZBG) that was put under isolated surveillance was found dead today. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) will conduct necropsy on the animal body, to ascertain if the cause of death was the same as the other cases earlier.     At present, one De Brazza’s Monkey that has been isolated since October 13 is still under isolated surveillance and given medication. A total of 11 animals of the HKZBG have passed away since October 13.     The LCSD will continue to close the Mammals Section of the HKZBG, to closely monitor the health conditions of the animals, and continue to provide protective gear and health monitoring for staff who take care of animals. At present, the health conditions of staff concerned are normal. The LCSD has all along been communicating with the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health and the AFCD to ensure that appropriate protective measures are taken.

     
    Ends/Sunday, October 20, 2024Issued at HKT 19:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: It would cost billions, but pay for itself over time. The economic case for air conditioning every Australian school

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Geoff Hanmer, Adjunct Professor of Architecture, University of Technology Sydney

    Later this week the government will receive the report of the year-long independent inquiry into its handling of the COVID pandemic.

    Among the issues it will have to contend with is air quality, in particular the air quality in high occupancy public buildings such as schools, aged-care facilities, shops, pubs and clubs.

    Many already have high quality air. High-fitration air conditioning (so-called mechanical ventilation) is standard in offices, hospitals and shopping centres.

    But not in schools. Almost all of our schools (98% in NSW) use windows.

    In Australia’s national construction code, this is called “natural ventilation” and it is allowed so long as the window, opening or door has a ventilating area of not less than 5% of the floor area, a requirement research suggests is insufficient.

    Windows, but no requirement to keep them open

    There’s no requirement to actually open the windows. School windows are often shut to keep in the heat in (or to keep out the heat in summer).

    The result can be very, very stuffy classrooms, far stuffier than we would tolerate in shopping centres. This matters for learning. Study after study has found that when air circulation gets low, people can’t concentrate well or learn well.

    And they get sick. Diseases such as flu, COVID and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) spread when viruses get recirculated instead of diluted with fresh air.

    The costs of the resulting sickness are borne by students, parents, teachers and education systems that need to find replacement staff to cover for teachers who are sick and parents who need to look after sick children at home.

    A pilot study prepared for the Australian Research Council Centre for Advanced Building Systems Against Airborne Infection (known as “Thrive”), suggests the entire cost of installing high-filtration air conditioning in every Australian school would be offset by the savings in reduced sickness.

    What classroom air is like

    The study carried out by the education architecture firm ARINA compared the ventilation of 60 so-called naturally ventilated schools in southern NSW and the Australian Capital Territory to that of a school in Sydney that happened to have been fitted with a Standards Australia-compliant air conditioning system to control aircraft noise.

    It used carbon dioxide levels to measure ventilation. Carbon dioxide is a good proxy for ventilation because its levels are determined by both the number of people breathing out concentrated carbon dioxide and the clean air available to dilute it.

    Under a normal load, defined as 26 students, one teacher and one assistant, measured levels of carbon dioxide in the air-conditioned school stayed below 750 parts per million (ppm) and were typically between 500 and 600 ppm.

    A reading of 700 ppm is particularly good. It means the people in the room breathe in less than 0.5% of air breathed out by others.

    But in “naturally ventilated” classrooms the reading often climbed to 2,500 ppm and sometimes more, within an hour of a class commencing.

    At 2,500 parts per million, people in the room are breathing in 5.5% of the air breathed out by others. This is also high enough to affect cognition, learning and behaviour, something that begins when carbon dioxide climbs above 1,200 ppm.

    Research suggests using ventilation to cut carbon dioxide to 700 ppm can cut the risk of airborne transmission of disease by a factor of two and up to five.

    The economic case for healthy air

    In 2023, Australia had 9,629 schools with 4,086,998 students.

    ARINA has previously estimated the cost of ensuring all of these schools are mechanically ventilated at A$2 billion per year over five years.

    Offsetting that cost would be less sickness. Documents released under freedom of information laws show Victoria spent $360.8 million on casual relief teachers between May 2023 and May 2024, 54% more than before COVID in 2019.

    The figures for other states are harder to get, but if Victoria (with 26% of Australia’s population) is spending $234 million more per year on casual relief teachers than before COVID, it is likely that Australia is spending $900 million per year more.

    Add in the teachers in non-government schools (37% of Australia’s total) and the potential saving from air conditioning schools exceeds $1 billion per year.

    Add in the other non-COVID viruses that would no longer be concentrated and circulated in classrooms and the potential savings grow higher still.

    Worth more than $1 billion per year

    And, in any event, the cost of replacement teachers is a woefully incomplete measure of the cost of illness in schools. Many ill teachers can’t be replaced because replacements aren’t available, making schools cancel lessons and combine classes, costing days, weeks and sometimes months of lost education.

    Also, the bacteria and viruses spread by recirculated air infect students as well as teachers, keeping students (and often their parents) at home as well.

    This suggests the costs per year of not air conditioning schools exceed $1 billion and may well approach or exceed $2 billion, which is the estimated cost per year over five years of air conditioning every Australian school.

    Natural ventilation was never a good idea for classrooms: it was cheap at the time, but not cheap at all when the costs are considered. Those costs happen to extend beyond disease to thermal comfort, energy use and the ability of students to concentrate.

    It’s time we gave students and teachers the kind of protections we demand for ourselves in our offices, our shopping centres and often our homes. It would soon pay for itself.

    Geoff Hanmer is a member of the executive of the Industry Training and Transformation Centre for Advanced Building Systems against Airborne Infection Transmission (known as Thrive) which receives funding from the Australian Research Council, QUT, the University of Melbourne and industry partners in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. He is a director of the health expert body OzSAGE and the managing director of ARINA, an architectural consultancy.

    – ref. It would cost billions, but pay for itself over time. The economic case for air conditioning every Australian school – https://theconversation.com/it-would-cost-billions-but-pay-for-itself-over-time-the-economic-case-for-air-conditioning-every-australian-school-241465

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Genome sequencing developed to trace COVID is now protecting babies in intensive care from infectious diseases

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rhys Thomas White, Scientist, Genomics and Bioinformatics, ESR

    Getty Images

    Anyone who has spent time inside a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) knows it’s intense.

    For the tiny babies cared for in these wards, any infection could prove fatal. Great care is taken to prevent the spread of pathogens, but outbreaks still occur.

    Traditionally, detecting outbreaks within a NICU has been reactive – only after multiple babies fall ill at the same time.

    Our research is advancing the use of whole-genome sequencing technologies to detect outbreaks early and stamp out bacteria before they threaten more babies.

    From reactive to proactive

    NICU outbreak surveillance usually involves monitoring rates of illness and identifying spikes and long-term trends that may point to a pathogen circulating on the ward.

    When a potential outbreak is identified, bacteria may be cultured and retrospectively sequenced to determine if they can be linked to a shared source or transmission on the ward.

    Wellington Regional Hospital has changed its approach to infection surveillance in the NICU. Rather than waiting for infants to fall ill, they are using the same sequencing technology we developed at the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) for genomic contact tracking during the COVID pandemic.

    Infants in the unit have diagnostic swab samples taken as part of routine practice. If any key bacteria are cultured from these samples, they are sequenced promptly to identify possible transmission events in near real time. This allows us to monitor the situation closely and respond quickly to emerging outbreaks.

    Genome sequencing allows NICU teams to monitor infectious bacteria before babies fall ill.
    Getty Images

    Because not all infants carrying a particular bacterial strain will experience a severe infection, this proactive approach can detect an outbreak before any babies fall ill.

    And because whole-genome sequencing decodes the entire genetic makeup of bacteria, it also provides the NICU team with information on how pathogens are related to each other. This allows them to differentiate one-off cases imported to the unit from any circulating within it.

    This level of detail allows for precise infection monitoring and fast, informed decisions on outbreak control.

    A case study

    This shift was recently tested when proactive genomic surveillance showed two infants in the NICU had eye infections caused by the same organism, an uncommon strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

    MRSA is notorious for its resistance to common antibiotics, making it particularly dangerous in hospitals.

    The onsite sequencing showed the two cases were likely linked. The priorities were to establish whether other infants were affected and limit the pathogen’s spread as quickly as possible. Screening of infants in the NICU found six more carrying the same strain of MRSA (though none with serious illness).

    This meant these infants could be isolated rapidly and the outbreak contained before any others developed a significant infection. ESR’s experience as genomic contact tracers helped establish how these infections spread in the unit.

    An outbreak response takes up resources and involves multiple steps, from the initial confirmation of the infection and its transmission route to communication with parents.

    This proactive approach to infection surveillance provides an early-warning system. It means the NICU team can be confident an outbreak is underway and act quickly to contain it.

    MRSA in New Zealand

    The power of genome sequencing extends beyond immediate outbreak control.

    By comparing the genomic data generated in the lab to that collected in national surveillance projects, our team was able to show the strain that caused the eye infections may have emerged in the early 1990s.

    This strain has slowly accumulated the genes required to evade first-choice antibiotics, underpinning the risk of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in Aotearoa New Zealand.

    We also highlighted the power of genomics to reveal connections when we found the MRSA strain causing illness in the NICU was related to bacteria collected from cattle. This discovery underscores the concept of “One Health” – the idea that human health, animal health and environmental health are inextricably linked.

    The data suggest bacteria from a cow milk tank and from babies in a hospital may have shared a common ancestor at some point.

    Future focus

    As we continue to unravel the complex world of microbes, tools like whole-genome sequencing offer hope in the ongoing battle against infectious diseases. The work at Wellington Regional Hospital’s NICU is just the beginning.

    From protecting our most vulnerable newborns to uncovering unlikely connections between farm animals and hospital patients, genomic technology is changing how we combat infectious diseases.

    As this technology continues to evolve, it promises to play an increasingly crucial role in safeguarding public health, one DNA sequence at a time.

    In the face of growing antibiotic resistance and emerging pathogens, this proactive, genomics-based approach to infection control may well be our best defence.

    We would like to acknowledge the contributions by Max Bloomfield and the teams at Awanui Labs, and Emma Voss and team at Livestock Improvement Corporation.

    Rhys White received a travel bursary from Oxford Nanopore Technologies and a travel grant from the UK Microbiology Society.

    David Winter and Suzanne Manning 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. Genome sequencing developed to trace COVID is now protecting babies in intensive care from infectious diseases – https://theconversation.com/genome-sequencing-developed-to-trace-covid-is-now-protecting-babies-in-intensive-care-from-infectious-diseases-240299

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: What are executive function delays? Research shows they’re similar in ADHD and autism

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Guastella, Professor and Clinical Psychologist, Michael Crouch Chair in Child and Youth Mental Health, University of Sydney

    ABO Photography/Shutterstock

    Neurodevelopmental conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism affect about one in ten children. These conditions impact learning, behaviour and development.

    Executive function delays are core to challenges people with neurodevelopmental conditions experience. This includes skills such as paying attention, switching attention, controlling impulses, planning, organising and problem-solving.

    These skills are important for learning and long-term development. They have been linked with future occupational, social, academic and mental health outcomes. Children with improved executive function skills and supports for these skills do better long term.

    Decades of studies have described how difficulties in attention and impulse control underpin ADHD. Meanwhile, difficulties with switching attention and flexibility of thinking have been proposed to underpin autism.

    As a result, different supports and interventions developed for different neurodevelopmental conditions target these skills. It sets up a system where a diagnosis is made first, then a set of supports is provided based on that diagnosis.

    But our recent study, published in Nature Human Behaviour, shows executive function problems are similar across all neurodevelopmental conditions. Understanding these common needs could lead to better access to supports before waiting for a specific diagnosis.

    Our study found more similarities than differences

    We looked at 180 studies, over 45 years, that compared executive function skills across two or more neurodevelopmental conditions.

    We brought the research together for all neurodevelopmental conditions that have been defined by diagnostic manuals, including ADHD, Tourette’s syndrome, communication disorders and intellectual disabilities.

    Surprisingly, we found most neurodevelopmental conditions showed very similar delays in their executive skills.

    Children with ADHD showed difficulties with attention and impulse control, for example, but so did children with autism, communication and specific learning conditions.

    There were very few differences between each neurodevelopmental condition and the type of executive function delay.

    This suggests executive function delay is best considered as a common difficulty for all children with neurodevelopmental conditions. All of these children could benefit from similar supports to improve executive skills.

    But supports have become siloed

    For decades, research has failed to integrate findings across conditions. This has led to siloed research and practices across the education, health and disability sectors.

    Our data showed a gradual shift in the type of conditions that have been studied since 1980. In the earlier days, as a percentage, there were a far greater proportion of studies conducted on tic disorders, such as Tourette’s syndrome. In the past ten years, autism has been of greater focus.

    This means research and practice is also siloed, based on the focus on funding and interest in the community. Some groups miss out from good science and practice when they become less visible in the political landscape.

    This has led to a skewed support system where only children with a specific diagnosis can be offered certain interventions. It also reduces access to supports if families can’t access diagnostic services, which can be particularly difficult in regional and rural communities.

    Due to these diagnosis-driven research practices, there are now assessment services, guidelines and treatments that are recommended for autism. These are usually independent from and not offered to children with ADHD, Tourette’s syndrome, communication disorders or intellectual disabilities despite a significant overlap in children’s needs.

    How does this affect access to support

    Families often find it hard to get the help they need. They often describe the assessment and support process as confusing, with long wait times and lots of barriers.

    We have previously shown caregivers often attend assessment and support services with a broad range of needs, but leave with many needs unaddressed.

    Recent national child mental health, autism and ADHD guidelines call for more integrated supports for children. But most services are not well set up to do this. It will take time to drive such system change if this is to be achieved.

    Why we need integrated research

    More integrated research will lead to more cohesive support systems across education, health and disability for all children in need.

    Studies show, for example, that many risk factors (genetic and environmental) are common to all neurodevelopmental conditions. These include a broad overlap of risk genes that are the same between conditions, and common environmental factors that influence development in the womb, such as the use of certain drugs, stress and a significant immune response.

    Other studies show how most children diagnosed with one neurodevelopmental condition will also be diagnosed with others.

    But gaps remain. While we know certain stimulant medications can work well for ADHD, for example, we have less information about how they might help children with other neurodevelopmental conditions who have attention difficulties.

    Unlike our knowledge about social supports for children with autism, we don’t have much research on how we can help children with ADHD with their social needs.

    We should take a wider view of children’s needs

    It’s important for families to be aware that if their child meets criteria for one neurodevelopmental condition, it is very likely that they will meet criteria for other neurodvelopmental conditions. They will likely have many needs relevant to other conditions.

    It is worth asking clinical services about broader needs beyond a diagnosis. This should include developmental, mental and physical health needs.

    It is also important to consider that many common interventions may have potential to support all children with neurodevelopmental conditions.

    This is an important issue for government. Reviews are under way for supporting the needs of people with autism, intellectual disability and ADHD.

    It’s time to establish more integrated systems, supports and strategies for all people with neurodevelopmental conditions for their home, school, play and work.

    Adam Guastella receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council and Australian Research Council for research into neurodevelopmental conditions. He is director of the Clinic for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Research and scientific chair of Neurodevelopment Australia, a scientific group seeking to improve the knowledge and supports for all people with neurodevelopmental conditions.

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

    – ref. What are executive function delays? Research shows they’re similar in ADHD and autism – https://theconversation.com/what-are-executive-function-delays-research-shows-theyre-similar-in-adhd-and-autism-238760

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wichita Local 774 Machinists Vote to Accept Latest Contract Offer from Textron Aviation

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    WICHITA, Kan., Oct. 20, 2024 — Today, local Textron IAM members voted to accept the latest contract offer, which covers nearly 5,000 members across three campuses in Wichita. They will return to work beginning Wednesday, Oct. 23.

    IAM Local 774 (District 70) members voted down the companies’ last, best, and final offer in September, citing concerns over wages and healthcare as some of the top issues they felt Textron Aviation did not address.

    Read: Together We are Unstoppable: IAM Leadership Gives Boost to Local 774 Textron Strike Lines

    “Our skilled members in Wichita know what it takes to make Textron Aviation products just like they know how to stick together for what’s right,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “The dedication it takes to stand up with your Brothers and Sisters to fight for what you deserve is admirable, and the entire IAM is beyond proud of Local 774.”

    Read: IAM Local 774 Members at Textron Aviation Vote to Reject Contract, Strike for Fairness

    The offer extended across the table in September was not enough for many workers at one of Wichita’s largest aircraft producers. Keeping Textron Aviation as a strong player in a competitive market, these essential workers toiled during the worst pandemic in recent history. With wages 7% below the national average for aerospace members at Local 774, they fought hard to bring their wages up and over flatline.

    Healthcare was another top concern for many families employed by Textron Aviation. With a deeply flawed healthcare system, many of the industry’s top savings measures include passing these costs onto hardworking families for Local 774.

    Read: IAM Local 774 Members Demand More for Families, Wichita Community as Textron Aviation Strike Enters Second Wee

    The new offer that Local 774 members voted on over the weekend includes a fifth year, as several members were adamant about not having a contract expire in an election year. There is also a 5% wage increase and an additional $3,000 directable bonus.

    Some of the other highlights include:

    • 31% overall increase in wages throughout the five-year agreement
    • $3,000 directable lump sum to use how the member sees fit
    • Longevity bonuses
    • New technical and license holder premium pays
    • Automatic Quarterly Increases raised to 30 cents per hour
    • COLA cap increased from $700 to $1,500
    • Define Benefit plan negotiated new rate increases
    • New Insurance premium increase caps at 3%
    • Insurance premium rates will remain at 2025 rates for the No Deductible plan for the life of the agreement
    • Improvements earned time off with improved accrual time

    “Our members know what matters to them and used their voices as the essential tool to gain more,” said IAM Southern Territory General Vice President Craig Martin. “Textron Aviation is a powerhouse in today’s market and needed to offer more. I am proud of our members in Wichita – they stood strong and won for their families and communities.”

    At a time when unions are flexing their power, there appear to be small glimpses of hope when it comes to business leadership—or at least an understanding that you have to treat your employees respectfully and listen. For those businesses that don’t, the members of the IAM have no problem giving a little push.

    “We know aircraft in Wichita,” said IAM District 70 Business Representative for Local 774 Clint Shockley. “We also know family, survival, and our members’ rooted values here. Local 774 members have shown that through collective action and won.”

    The new offer will be backdated to Sept. 23 and will remain in effect until September 2029.

    Share and Follow:

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Urgent: Last remaining hospitals in northern Gaza under siege as people are trapped story Oct 20, 2024

    Source: Doctors Without Borders –

    Tens of thousands of people remain trapped in Jabalia camp under daily bombing, including six of our staff unreachable due to electricity blackout. At least one of MSF’s colleagues died after sustaining injuries from shrapnel. 

    “When hospitals are attacked, their infrastructure destroyed, and the electricity cut off, the lives of patients and medical staff are under threat.”

    Hundreds of people in need of vital care must urgently be evacuated as their lives are in danger. Essential items, including food, are only entering in quantities that are largely insufficient for the population in the north of the Strip.

    “This is purely and simply a collective punishment imposed on Palestinians in Gaza, who must choose between being forcibly displaced from the North or killed,” said Halford. “We fear that this will not stop. Israel’s all-out war on Gaza seems to have no end in sight. Israel’s allies bear a heavy responsibility for this dire situation, caused by their unwavering support for the war. They must immediately do everything in their power to obtain a sustained ceasefire. Not tomorrow, not in a week. Now.”

    MIL OSI NGO –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠ Harris Administration Proposes Rule to Expand Coverage of Affordable Contraception Under the Affordable Care  Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Biden-Harris Administration Announces Proposal for Most Significant Expansion of Contraception Coverage Under the Affordable Care Act in More Than a Decade
    President Biden and Vice President Harris have protected and built on the Affordable Care Act. Nearly 50 million people over the past decade have had coverage through the Affordable Care Act’s Marketplaces, and the law has protected more than 100 million people with preexisting medical conditions. Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, Affordable Care Act coverage is more affordable than ever with millions of families saving an average of $800 per year on Marketplace coverage.
    The Affordable Care Act has also helped millions of women save billions of dollars on contraception—an essential component of reproductive health care that has only become more important since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. As part of President Biden and Vice President Harris’ steadfast commitment to reproductive rights, the Biden-Harris Administration has further strengthened contraception access and affordability under the Affordable Care Act, through Medicare and Medicaid, through the Title X Family Planning Program, through federally qualified health centers, and for federal employees, Service members, veterans, and college students.
    Today, the Biden-Harris Administration is proposing a rule that would significantly increase coverage of contraception without cost sharing for 52 million women of reproductive age with private health insurance. Building on the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that most private health plans must cover contraception without cost sharing, today’s proposed rule from the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and the Treasury would:
    Expand coverage of over-the-counter contraception without cost sharing. Under the proposed rule, for the first time, women would be able to obtain over-the-counter (OTC) contraception without a prescription at no additional cost. As a result, more women would be able to access and afford critical OTC medications such as emergency contraception and the first-ever daily oral contraceptive approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use without a prescription that is now widely available across the country.
    Make it easier to learn about coverage for OTC contraception. To help ensure that women understand this new benefit, most private health plans would be required to disclose that OTC contraception is covered without cost sharing and without a prescription—and take steps to help women learn more about their contraception coverage.
    Strengthen coverage of prescribed contraception without cost sharing. The proposed rule would make it easier for most women with private health insurance to obtain contraception without cost sharing that is prescribed by their health care provider. Health plans would be required to cover every FDA-approved contraceptive drug or drug-led combination product without cost sharing unless the plan also covers a therapeutic equivalent without cost sharing, eliminating barriers that some women continue to face in accessing contraception prescribed by their provider.
    This proposed rule, if finalized, would be the most significant expansion of contraception coverage under the Affordable Care Act since 2012, when contraception was first required to be covered. Also today, the Biden-Harris Administration is issuing new guidance to help ensure that patients can access other preventive services, such as cancer screenings, that must be covered without cost sharing under the Affordable Care Act.
    The Biden-Harris Administration is issuing this proposed rule at a time when reproductive rights are under attack, and Republican elected officials remain committed to repealing the Affordable Care Act. Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, dangerous and extreme abortion bans are putting women’s health and lives at risk and disrupting access to critical health care services, including contraception, as health care providers are forced to close in states across the country. At the same time, Republican elected officials in some states have made clear they want to ban or restrict birth control in addition to abortion, and Republicans in Congress have attacked contraception access nationwide by proposing to defund the Title X Family Planning Program. In contrast, President Biden and Vice President Harris believe that women in every state must have the freedom to make deeply personal health care decisions, including the right to decide if and when to start or grow their family.
    Today’s announcements build on actions that the Biden-Harris Administration has already taken to expand access to affordable contraception, including to implement the President’s Executive Order on Strengthening Access to Affordable, High-Quality Contraception and Family Planning Services from June 2023. The Administration has taken action to:
    Expand contraception coverage and affordability under the Affordable Care Act. The Departments of HHS, Labor, and the Treasury proposed a rule to provide a new pathway under the Affordable Care Act for women to access coverage of contraceptives when their private health coverage is exempt from covering this benefit due to a religious objection. These agencies also issued new guidance to support expanded coverage of a broader range of FDA-approved, cleared, or granted contraceptives at no additional cost under the Affordable Care Act, building on guidance issued after Roe v. Wade was overturned to clarify protections for contraceptive coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Further, HHS strengthened the standard for inclusion of family planning providers in Marketplace plan provider networks and provided nearly $9 million in grant funding to support state efforts to enhance and expand coverage of, and access to, reproductive and maternal health services, including contraception. And the Internal Revenue Service issued new guidance affirming that high-deductible health plans can cover OTC contraception as preventive care.
    Bolster family planning services through Title X clinics. HHS continues to rebuild and grow the Title X Family Planning Program, which has played a critical role in ensuring access to a broad range of high-quality family planning and preventive health services for more than 50 years. During the prior administration, more than 1,000 service sites left the Title X Family Planning Program, leading to a significant decline in people served. The Biden-Harris Administration reversed the policy changes that led to those departures, strengthening the Title X Family Planning Program and helping ensure that the Program remains a critical part of the nation’s health safety net. In 2023, HHS provided about $287 million to nearly 4,000 Title X clinics across the country to provide free or low-cost voluntary, client-centered family planning and related preventive services for 2.8 million women and families—an 80 percent increase since 2020.
    Support family planning coverage through the Medicaid and Medicare programs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued new guidance to state Medicaid programs and Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) to help ensure that enrollees can access family planning services. The new guidance outlined existing state obligations under federal law, highlighted strategies to enhance access to contraception, affirmed confidentiality requirements for those seeking family planning services, and shared recommendations on ways to measure quality in delivering family planning services. To help ensure that women with Medicare coverage have access to more covered types of contraception without unnecessary barriers, CMS updated its Medicare Part D formulary clinical review process for plan year 2024 and 2025 to include additional contraceptive types, such as long-acting contraceptives, and is increasing public awareness of contraceptive coverage options under Medicare Part B. The Secretary of HHS also issued a letter to state Medicaid and CHIP programs as well as private health insurers and Medicare plans about their existing obligations to cover contraception for those they serve.
    Increase contraception access through federal health centers. Federal health centers continue to be an important source of family planning services: in 2023, health centers provided nearly 3 million contraceptive services visits to patients, a 14 percent increase since 2020. To support health centers in providing high-quality family planning services, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) provided updated guidance on existing federal requirements for family planning and related services, which is a required primary health care service under federal law, as well as evidence-based recommendations and resources. HRSA also adopted new data measures for health centers that will help assess whether patients have been screened for contraception needs. Screening and data measures will help enhance the overall delivery of voluntary family planning and related services.
    Support contraception access for federal employees and their families. The Office of Personnel Management strengthened access to contraception for federal workers, retirees, and family members by issuing guidance to insurers participating in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program to clarify standards and support expanded coverage of a broader range of FDA-approved, cleared, or granted contraceptives at no additional cost. The Office of Personnel Management also required insurers that participate in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program to take additional steps to educate enrollees about their contraception benefits and launched a public education campaign to highlight contraception benefits available to federal employees and their families.
    Promote contraception access and affordability for Service members and their families and certain dependents of veterans. To improve access to contraception at military hospitals and clinics, the Department of Defense expanded walk-in contraceptive care services for active-duty Service members and other Military Health System beneficiaries and eliminated TRICARE copays for certain contraceptive services. And the Department of Veterans Affairs eliminated out-of-pocket costs for certain types of contraception through the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
    Support access to affordable contraception for college students. To help increase access to contraception for college students, President Biden directed the Secretary of Education to convene institutions of higher education to share best practices and ways to help students understand their options for accessing contraception. In 2023, Vice President Harris joined a Department of Education convening of representatives from 68 colleges and universities across 32 states to discuss promising strategies for protecting and expanding access to contraception for their students. This convening followed Vice President Harris’s multiple conversations about reproductive health access with students on college campuses across the country.
    Enhance contraception access through technical assistance and public-private partnership. In June 2023, HHS announced a new five-year public-private partnership to expand access to contraception with Upstream, a national nonprofit organization that provides health centers with free patient-centered, evidence-based training and technical assistance to eliminate provider-level barriers to offering the full range of contraceptive options. To date, HHS has connected Upstream to more than 130 health care clinics, resulting in partnerships that will help Upstream accelerate their national expansion to reach 5 million women of reproductive age every year.
    Promote research and data analysis on contraception access. To document the gaps and disparities in contraception access as well as the benefits of comprehensive coverage, HHS convened leading experts to discuss the state of research, data collection, and data analysis on contraception access and family planning services. These convenings helped identify research gaps, opportunities for collaboration, and ways to bolster research efforts for both Federal agencies and external partners.
    In addition to strengthening access to affordable contraception, the Biden-Harris Administration continues to implement President Biden’s threeExecutiveOrders and a Presidential Memorandum directing federal agencies to protect access to reproductive health care issued since the Court overturned Roe v. Wade. To date, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken action to protect access to abortion, including FDA-approved medication abortion; defend access to emergency medical care; support the ability to travel for reproductive health care; safeguard the privacy of patients and health care providers; and ensure access to accurate information and legal resources.
    The Vice President has led the White House’s efforts to partner with leaders on the frontlines of protecting access to abortion, highlighting the harm of abortion bans to women’s health at more than 100 events in more than 20 states since Roe v. Wade was overturned, and meeting with hundreds of  state legislators, health care providers, and advocates. On what would have been the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Vice President launched a nationwide Fight for Reproductive Freedoms tour to continue fighting back against extreme attacks throughout America.
    President Biden and Vice President Harris will continue to call on Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade in federal law to ensure that women in every state are able to make their own decisions about reproductive health care.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Interested Parties Memo: Biden-⁠ Harris Administration Expands Coverage of Contraception Under the Affordable Care Act as Republican Elected Officials Continue Attacks on Reproductive  Freedom

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Jennifer Klein, Director, White House Gender Policy Council
    Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’s leadership, the Administration is taking bold action to expand coverage of contraception for the 52 million women of reproductive age with private health insurance, marking the most significant expansion of contraception benefits under the Affordable Care Act in more than a decade. Today’s announcement builds on the Biden-Harris Administration’s strong record of defending access to reproductive health care and commitment to ensuring that women have the freedom to make deeply personal health care decisions, including if and when to start or grow their family.
    Meanwhile, Republican elected officials continue to threaten women’s health, lives, and freedom through extreme abortion bans, some with no exceptions for rape or incest. Women are being denied essential medical care while doctors and nurses are threatened with jail time. Abortion, contraception, and IVF are under attack, while Republicans in Congress refuse to protect nationwide access to this vital reproductive health care. This extreme agenda is out-of-touch with the American people—which is why voters have overwhelmingly chosen to protect reproductive freedom in every state where abortion has been on the ballot.President Biden and Vice President Harris stand with the vast majority of Americans in supporting a woman’s right to choose, and they will continue the fight against a national abortion ban and call on Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade in federal law once and for all.
    Women’s Health and Lives at RiskFrom day one, President Biden and Vice President Harris knew that state abortion bans would have devastating consequences for women’s health and lives. Since Roe was overturned, more than 1 in 3 women of reproductive age live in the more than 20 states with dangerous and extreme abortion bans in effect.
    Abortion bans are leaving women without emergency care. Courageous women and their families have shared harrowing stories about being denied urgently needed care because of state abortion bans. Women have died because they did not get the care they needed—or women only received care after developing sepsis or losing more than half of their blood. Some women are suing their states so other women with severe and dangerous pregnancy complications will not be similarly forced to the brink of death before they can receive an abortion.
    Abortion bans are worsening maternal mortality. States with abortion bans have higher rates of maternal mortality than states where abortion remains legal. For instance, after a dangerous Texas abortion ban went into effect in 2021, maternal mortality increased by 56% (compared to 11% nationwide). One year after Dobbs, two-thirds of OBGYNs reported that the Court’s decision worsened pregnancy-related mortality and their ability to manage pregnancy-related emergencies. And criminal and civil penalties under state abortion bans are causing doctors to flee abortion ban states, exacerbating the maternal health crisis and creating maternity care deserts that impact entire communities. 
    Abortion bans are making it even harder to access contraception and other essential care. Since Roe was overturned, abortion bans have caused dozens of reproductive health care clinics to shutter, jeopardizing access to abortion, contraception, and preventive care that women rely on. In states with abortion bans, there were over 4% fewer filled prescriptions for oral contraception in the first year after Roe was overturned. Some states had far greater declines: Texas, for instance, had a 28% decline in filled prescriptions for oral contraception.
    Abortion bans are forcing women to travel hundreds of miles for care. State abortion bans are forcing many women to travel to another state to obtain care that would have been available in their state if Roe were still the law of the land. Women in nearly a quarter of counties in America—especially in the South—have been forced to travel more than 200 miles to get the essential care they need.
    Abortion bans are jeopardizing our ability to train the next generation of medical providers. States with abortion bans continue to see a decrease in medical and residency student applications, especially among prospective OBGYNs. Nearly 60% of third- and fourth-year medical students said they were unlikely or very unlikely to apply to a single residency program in a state with abortion restrictions, while nearly 80% said that access to abortion care would influence where they would pursue their residency. And about 1 in 5 OBGYN residents said that the overturning of Roe changed where they had planned to practice medicine, and those who had planned to practice in a state with abortion bans were eight times more likely to change their intended practice location.
    Republican Officials’ Extreme Agenda
    Despite the devastating impact of state abortion bans, Republican officials continue to push for a nationwide abortion ban to restrict the rights of women in every state, deny access to emergency medical care, and eliminate access to safe and effective, FDA-approved medication abortion.
    Republicans in Congress have proposed four national abortion bans that would deny every woman in America the right to choose, regardless of where she lives. This includes a nationwide abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest that puts IVF treatment squarely at risk. House Republicans have also attacked contraception access nationwide by repeatedly proposing to defund the Title X Family Planning Program. And Senate Republicans continue to block federal legislation that would safeguard nationwide access to abortion, contraception, and IVF.
    Republican elected officials have enacted or enforced abortion bans in more than 20 states. Republican attorneys general have made clear they seek to access women’s medical records—even for out-of-state care—and have tried to discourage women from traveling out-of-state to receive lawful abortion care by threatening those who help them with criminal charges.
    Republican elected officials filed more than 350 bills restricting abortion during the 2024 legislative session. In Louisiana, Republican officials classified medications used in abortion and miscarriage management as controlled substances, making it even harder to access these critical medications during an emergency. In Florida, state officials are attempting to undermine support for a reproductive freedom ballot measure, including by threatening TV stations that run ads with criminal charges. And Republican state legislators are proposing legislation that would jeopardize access to IVF.
    Republican elected officials want to ban medication abortion nationwide, including in states where abortion remains lawful. They are also fighting to prevent women from receiving the emergency medical care they are entitled to under federal law— including abortion care when necessary to save a woman’s health or life.
    No attempt to “rebrand” can change the fact that Republican elected officials have spent decades undermining reproductive freedom. Republican elected officials will not stop pursuing extreme policies until there is a national abortion ban in place.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: First Lady Cathy Justice places 39th Friends With Paws therapy dog in Barbour County

    Source: US State of West Virginia

    CategoriesEnglish, MIL OSI, US State Governments, US State of West Virginia

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    BELINGTON, WV — First Lady Cathy Justice visited Belington Middle School today for an assembly to celebrate the arrival of the state’s newest therapy dog through the Friends With Paws program. The dog introduced at today’s event is a female Golden Retriever, named Gia.

    “We are so excited to welcome Gia to Belington Elementary and Middle School,” said First Lady Cathy Justice. “As the 39th therapy dog through the Friends With Paws program, she will bring so much love and comfort to our students, helping them feel safe, supported, and ready to learn. Gia will be a wonderful addition to the school family, and we look forward to seeing all the positive impacts she’ll bring to the lives of students and staff.”
    Several Barbour County school officials were in attendance to help celebrate Gia’s arrival.

    “We are incredibly grateful to First Lady Cathy Justice for gifting us with Gia, our new therapy dog,” said Eddie Vincent, Superintendent of Barbour County Schools. “Gia will be a wonderful addition to our school community, providing comfort, support, and a sense of joy to our students and staff. This generous gift underscores the importance of nurturing not only the minds but also the hearts of our students, and we are excited to see the positive impact Gia will have on everyone she meets.”

    The Friends With Paws program places certified therapy dogs in several schools across the state, providing companionship and comfort for students in need of a boost. As of today, a total of 39 Friends With Paws therapy dogs, including Gia, have been placed throughout the state.
    Therapy dogs are specially trained to provide comfort and support to people in various tense environments. They can help people feel at ease, improve their mood, relieve anxiety, and remove social barriers. Friends With Paws therapy dogs are highly trained and certified to show their ability to work in stressful environments, ignore distractions, and provide therapy to people with diverse backgrounds and circumstances.

    Barbour County Communities In Schools County Contact, Chris Derico, has worked for weeks with the Office of First Lady Justice, ensuring that the school students and staff are prepared for Gia’s arrival, “We are thrilled to welcome our new therapy dog to the Communities In Schools program at Belington Elementary and Middle Schools. This addition will provide invaluable emotional support to our students, creating a more nurturing and calming environment. The presence of Gia will help us build stronger connections with students, reduce stress, and promote positive mental health, making a lasting impact on their educational journey and overall well-being.”

    Following today’s assembly, students and staff had the chance to greet Gia.
    “We are thrilled to have Gia join the Belington Elementary family,” said Principal of Belington Elementary, Cindy Sigley. “Gia will not only brighten our hallways but also help foster an environment where kids will want to come. We can’t wait for Gia to stroll the halls of Belington Elementary School.”

    “We are excited to welcome our new therapy dog to Belington Middle School,” said Ben Shew, Principal of Belington Middle School. “This addition of Gia to our school will enhance both the mental health and academic success of our students.”

    The Friends With Paws program is a partnership between the Governor’s Office, West Virginia Communities In Schools (CIS) Nonprofit, and the West Virginia Department of Education. Therapy dogs are placed in schools within CIS counties where students are disproportionately affected by poverty, substance misuse, or other at-risk situations, and are in the greatest need of a support animal. The dogs serve as a healthy and friendly outlet for these students to address trauma and other social-emotional issues.
     
    More information about Friends With Paws can be found in Communities In Schools: Friends With Paws, a documentary produced by West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Click HERE to view the documentary.
     
    A 2019 study published by the National Institute of Health found that a dog’s presence in the classroom promotes a positive mood and provides significant anti-stress effects on the body.

    In addition, research shows that the simple act of petting animals releases an automatic relaxation response. Therapy animals’ lower anxiety and help people relax, provide comfort, reduce loneliness, and increase mental stimulation. They are also shown to lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health, reduce the number of medications some people need, help control breathing in those with anxiety, and diminish overall physical pain, among other profound benefits.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: StepBet Partners with Bestselling Author Alison Espach for First-Ever BookWalk

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    The event is designed to encourage participants to meet their personal wellness goals while connecting with other readers of the New York Times bestselling novel, The Wedding People.

    BOSTON, Oct. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — StepBet, a gamified fitness app that motivates users to achieve their wellness goals through personalized walking challenges, announced a partnership with New York Times bestselling author Alison Espach. Together, they are launching StepBet’s first BookWalk, a five-week walking book club, featuring Espach’s latest bestseller, The Wedding People, starting on October 28th.

    The BookWalk will allow participants to join a StepBet game specifically designed around The Wedding People, in which users will engage in a community-driven walking challenge and participate in book discussions within the StepBet app. This initiative brings together fitness enthusiasts and book lovers, motivating them to stay active while engaging with literature.

    As more individuals lean into the physical and mental health benefits of walking, they are turning to apps like StepBet to track movement and motivate them to walk on a daily basis. StepBet’s BookWalk offers people new ways to achieve their walking goals, have fun, and connect with like minded individuals with a shared appreciation for reading.

    “This partnership with New York Times bestselling author Alison Espach for StepBet’s first-ever BookWalk blends our users’ love of walking with the joy of reading,” said Karetha Strand, CEO of Appex Group Inc, StepBet’s parent company. “It’s an important part of our commitment to continue enhancing the StepBet community experience.”

    Alison Espach, the author of The Wedding People, added, “The idea of combining movement with reading feels like the perfect way to connect with my readers. The Wedding People is a story about connection, and I can’t wait to see how our readers come together while on this walk.”

    StepBet integrates with popular fitness trackers like Apple Health and Fitbit to allow users to easily participate. The Wedding People has also been featured on the Today Show’s “Read with Jenna” list.

    About StepBet
    StepBet is a gamified fitness app that helps players achieve their fitness goals. Through personalized goals and group competitions, StepBet fosters a motivating and social environment for users to achieve their wellness objectives. Easy integration with popular trackers like Apple Health and Fitbit facilitates participation, making StepBet ideal for individuals seeking a new approach to fitness.

    Media Contact:
    Kerri Walsh
    Appex Group Inc
    kerri@joinappex.com

    The MIL Network –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI China: China recovers 16B yuan in misused healthcare funds

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Chinese authorities recovered over 16 billion yuan ($2.25 billion) in misused medical insurance funds during the first nine months of this year, according to official data released on Tuesday.
    At a press conference in Beijing, the National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) announced that it had conducted surprise inspections at more than 500 designated medical institutions participating in the national insurance scheme.
    These inspections, aimed at uncovering insurance fraud and misuse, covered all provincial-level regions, the NHSA stated.
    The administration pledged additional measures to ensure the security of healthcare funds and prevent future misuse.
    These efforts include expanding the scope of surprise inspections, enhancing self-inspection and rectification, strengthening big data monitoring, establishing a long-term regulatory framework, and increasing public exposure of violations.

    MIL OSI China News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The IV Novosibirsk Scientific Readings in Memory of Academician Tatyana Ivanovna Zaslavskaya were held at NSU

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    The All-Russian Conference IV Novosibirsk Scientific Readings in Memory of Academician T.I. Zaslavskaya “Time of Change: Individual and Group Choice in Response to New Challenges” was held on October 17-19. The event was organized by Novosibirsk State University and the Institute of Economics and Industrial Engineering of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

    The readings were held in the form of a series of six thematic round tables, the program of which was formed on the basis of participants’ applications: “Socio-economic relations and inequalities in modern Russia”, “Subjects of territorial relations: interests, behavior, interaction”, “Urban spaces and communities: transformation , development, conflicts”, “Dynamics of the labor market and employment in the context of digitalization and economic transformation”, “Spatial mobility and connectivity: what flows make space unified?” and “Development and preservation of human capital: trends, practices, factors.” Scientists from universities and institutes in several regions of Siberia and the Urals, as well as leading universities in Moscow, took part in them. Researchers from the Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk State Technical University, Siberian State University of Telecommunications and Informatics (Novosibirsk), Institute of Economic Forecasting of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation, Higher School of Economics, Moscow State University presented their reports. . M.V. Lomonosov, Institute of Economics of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Ekaterinburg), Ural Federal University named after. the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin (Ekaterinburg), Institute of Mongolian Studies, Buddhology and Tibetology SB RAS (Ulan-Ude), Khakass State University named after. N.F. Katanova (Abakan). The majority of nonresident conference participants were researchers from Moscow universities. Representatives of several scientific organizations traditionally participate in the conference.

    At the opening of the conference, the dean Faculty of Economics, NSU, candidate of sociological sciences Tatyana Bogomolova spoke about the history of the Novosibirsk economic and sociological school. Associate Professor of the Department of General Sociology of the Faculty of Economics of NSU, Head of the Department of Social Problems of the Institute of Economics and Industrial Production of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences Olga Fadeeva spoke about rural (agrarian) research, which is the “calling card” of the Novosibirsk economic and sociological school.

    The conference was held in a mixed format, but most of the presentations were in person. About 60 participants presented their reports, including not only experienced researchers, but also students, postgraduates and interns of university laboratories. The organizers of the scientific readings deliberately did not single out their presentations in a separate section, recognizing the relevance of the research of young sociologists and economists. Thus, the reports were made by NSU master’s students – Daria Ivanova (“Public conflicts in the Novosibirsk Akademgorodok: participants’ ideas about justice and prospects for their rapprochement”) and Rinat Galiullin (“Modern urban segregation: conceptual foundations of analysis”).

    — Currently, research on urban problems is becoming one of the prominent areas, and at our conference a large block of speeches was devoted to the subjects of urban relations and urban conflicts. Reports were also presented on economic inequality, territorial relations, social aspects of the use of space and infrastructure, population migration, and the accumulation of human potential in a certain territory. Many messages were devoted to problems associated with digitalization, including relations in the labor market. It was discussed how moving many of the processes associated with registering unemployed status or finding a job into the digital space cuts off some job seekers and makes it easier for others to access them. Concluding our conference, we discussed how, due to digitalization, the data with which sociologists work is paradigmatically changing, and what new requirements arise for assessing their relevance, validity and other data quality criteria. On the one hand, we made sure that we were working on the current agenda and presented our research at the conference, on the other hand, we made new contacts, since researchers with whom we were not previously familiar responded to our invitation to take part in the Readings this year – said the head of the department of general sociology of the Faculty of Economics of NSU, leading researcher at the Institute of Economics and Organization of Industrial Production SB RAS Tatyana Cherkashina.

    The participants’ attention was drawn to the report on the study by young researchers from the Higher School of Economics Kirill Chertenkov, Olga Rodina and Mikhail Balaban “What determines the desire to move? Results of questionnaire surveys in 10 regions of Russia”. No less interesting was the report by another postgraduate student of the Higher School of Economics, Georgy Stalinov “Practices of self-organization of couriers, taxi drivers and truck drivers”.

    For the fourth time, representatives of the Center “Institute for Social Analysis and Forecasting” of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration took part in the scientific readings. This year, senior researcher Sofia Korzhuk spoke about the study “The Well-being of Foster Families: Obstacles and Ways to Achieve”, conducted jointly with leading researcher Alla Makarintseva. Alla Makarintseva herself gave a report “Factors of Intentions Regarding the Third Child: What Does the Analysis Show Using Machine Learning Methods”. She conducted the study of this problem jointly with senior researcher Alexandra Burdyak. Ekaterina Seredkina presented a report “Child Benefits as a Tool for Reducing Child Poverty in Russia: Microsimulation Analysis” about the study that she conducted together with Marina Kartseva and Polina Kuznetsova.

    A highlight of the IV Novosibirsk Scientific Readings was the presentation by Doctor of Economics, Professor, Head of the Department of Economic Sociology at the Higher School of Economics Vadim Radaev on the topics: “Crisis in Modern Education” and “Non-Standard Consumption: Characteristic Features, Causes and Consequences”.

    — The conference program was designed in such a way that the participants not only listened to the reports, but also discussed them with each other. And according to the feedback from those present, the organizers succeeded in this. Our Moscow colleagues who took part in the online readings showed interest in this format of communication and actively participated in the discussion of their colleagues’ presentations. This is very important for us, because the same processes look and manifest themselves differently from Moscow and Siberia. It seems to me that at the past conference we laid the foundations, if not for joint research, then certainly for fruitful scientific communication, — said Tatyana Cherkashina.

    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 –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Ambitious Mobile Strategy to be considered by councillors

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    This strategy, developed with feedback from the public, will be discussed when Climate Change and Sustainability Committee meets on 23 October 2024.

    The Mobility Strategy is one of three critical place-based strategies designed to shape the long-term development of Perth and Kinross, alongside the Local Housing Strategy and the Local Development Plan.

    Together, these strategies are instrumental in realising the Council’s vision of “a Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality.”

    The Mobility Strategy outlines Perth and Kinross Council’s vision for managing and developing the transport and active travel network over the next 15 years.

    It considers all modes of transport for the movement of people and goods across both rural and urban areas, addressing the impacts of emerging technologies, digital services, housing, inclusion, poverty, health, climate adaptation, economic growth, air quality, and place making.

    Aligned with the priorities set out in the Scottish Government’s National Transport Strategy 2 (February 2020), the Mobility Strategy adopts four key priorities: Reducing Inequalities, Taking Climate Action, Delivering Inclusive Economic Growth, and Improving Health and Wellbeing.

    These priorities are fundamental to the development and delivery of the strategy, ensuring it meets both national targets and local goals.

    Councillors will also be asked to approve the next priorities for the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) and Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) for the upcoming 12-18 months.

    The Perth and Kinross LAEP envisions the area as a leading example of affordable and equitable access to sustainable energy for all residents, businesses, and organisations.

    By 2045, the area aims to achieve an integrated, net-zero local energy system. Similarly, the Perth and Kinross LHEES aims to make homes and buildings more energy efficient and equipped with decarbonised heat sources, providing more affordable warmth and reduce climate impact, all contributing to achieving our goal of Net Zero by 2045.

    In line with these initiatives, committee members will be asked to approve the Council’s Public Body Climate Change Duty report. The report outlines the Council’s actions and progress in addressing climate change within its own operations, with a 31% reduction in its overall emissions. The decrease is primarily attributed to improvements in waste processing and the transition from waste to energy. Additionally, there were modest reductions in emissions from on-site energy production, business travel and employee commuting.

    Councillor Richard Watters, Convenor of Climate Change and Sustainability Committee said: “We are deeply grateful to the public for their active involvement and valuable feedback throughout the development of the Mobility Strategy. Their participation has been crucial in shaping a strategy that is robust, relevant, and adaptable to the diverse needs of our community.

    “We also want to recognise the outstanding work made through the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES), the Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) and the Council’s own initiatives in tackling climate change.  It is truly encouraging to see the Council’s substantial reduction in overall emissions, equivalent to 12.5 kilotonnes of C02, between 2022/23 and 2023/24.

    “Despite facing financial challenges, we are striving forward with new priorities for the next 12 to 18 months. Together, we are paving the way for a sustainable and prosperous future for Perth and Kinross.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Import of poultry meat and products from Åšroda Wielkopolska District of Wielkopolskie Region in Poland suspended

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Import of poultry meat and products from Środa Wielkopolska District of Wielkopolskie Region in Poland suspended
    Import of poultry meat and products from Środa Wielkopolska District of Wielkopolskie Region in Poland suspended
    ******************************************************************************************

         ​The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (October 22) that in view of a notification from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) about an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in the Środa Wielkopolska District of the Wielkopolskie Region in Poland, the CFS has instructed the trade to suspend the import of poultry meat and products (including poultry eggs) from the area with immediate effect to protect public health in Hong Kong.     A CFS spokesman said that according to the Census and Statistics Department, Hong Kong imported about 1 620 tonnes of frozen poultry meat from Poland in the first six months of this year.     “The CFS has contacted the Polish authority over the issue and will closely monitor information issued by the WOAH and the relevant authorities on the avian influenza outbreak. Appropriate action will be taken in response to the development of the situation,” the spokesman said.

     
    Ends/Tuesday, October 22, 2024Issued at HKT 16:37

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: NEW Swap 2 Stop with free vapes this Stoptober

    Source: City of York

    Swap 2 Stop is a new nationwide campaign, being offered by the York Health Trainers, which is aimed at encouraging smokers to make the switch from smoking to vaping to improve their health.

    Smokers are addicted to nicotine, not tobacco. It’s the tar and toxic chemicals produced in tobacco smoke that kill, so switching from smoking to vaping is a positive health move.

    York residents, who are smokers, aged 18 years and over can now get free personal, confidential support alongside free vapes or nicotine replacement products for 4 weeks, or up to 10 weeks if they join the main smoking behaviour change programme.

    By self-referring online or by calling the team, residents will be able to gain access to full smoking support with an appointment with a Health Trainer.

    Or alternatively, residents can access the Swap 2 Stop Vape offer, which is a free, 4 week vape starter kit that will be posted out to them.

    Cllr Lucy Steels-Walshaw, Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care, said:

    “Stopping smoking completely and for good is one of the best things you can do for your health and wellbeing.

    “It lowers your risk of getting cancer and other illnesses, saves you money and stops the harm caused to those around you from passive smoke.

    “Stopping smoking at any age can lengthen and improve your quality of life, even if you have a smoking-related illness. Stopping smoking is difficult, but by switching to vaping with the help of our Health Trainers, it can help you quit smoking forever.”

    Peter Roderick, Director of Public Health, at City of York Council, said:

    “Swap2Stop is about encouraging smokers to make the switch to vapes.

    “One of the reasons we’re supporting this national scheme is that smoking is the single biggest cause of cancer. It causes more than 16 different types of cancer. There’s also great savings to be made and if you smoke 20 a day, you could save around £2,500 a year.

    “As the director of public health, I’m very clear that this scheme is for over 18 year olds and that we need to protect young people from using vapes. This scheme is about helping people quit smoking and they’re not for teenagers or young people. Through schools, we’re offering lots of help and support to help teens quit vaping.”

    Kevin Spencer gave up smoking after 50 years by switching to vapes, with the support of health trainer Fiona Lambeth.

    At his first appointment, Fiona explained the effect smoking was having on his body, and he did a simple breath test that showed the amount of carbon monoxide in his blood. She then talked through the different nicotine therapy options on offer.

    Kevin said:

    She gave me the option of using them all, and I used the patch for a couple of days, but the vape is the one I’ve taken to, it’s really good. 

    “I received all the equipment on the Saturday morning, and by Saturday dinner time I’d stopped smoking! I’ve never looked back and never had a cigarette since.

    “Fiona was absolutely fantastic, she was understanding, she knew exactly what was needed, she kept in touch to ask how I was doing – it’s a brilliant service.”

    There’s also a whole host of support and advice for people thinking about quitting smoking for good, including step-by-step videos to help them on their quitting journey. Or for more help, call 01904 553377 today!

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Statutory Instrument laid in Parliament sets out first steps in delivering Medical Device Regulatory Reform and strengthening patient safety

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The new legislation will introduce clearer and risk-proportionate requirements that improve the safety of medical devices across Great Britain and provide certainty for manufacturers ahead of introducing the wider future regulatory regime.

    The Post-market Surveillance (PMS) Statutory instrument (SI) laid in Parliament yesterday evening is the first major update to the framework of medical device regulations in Great Britain, led by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

    In 2021, the MHRA consulted on the ‘Future Regulation of Medical Devices in the UK’ in response to recommendations set out in the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety (IMMDS) review, published in 2020.

    Responses to the consultation were strongly supportive of introducing clearer and more robust PMS requirements to improve patient and public safety and called for closer alignment with international approaches.

    Since January 2021 all medical devices have been required to be registered with the MHRA before they can be placed on the market in Great Britain a step-change in the Agency’s oversight of medical devices, allowing us to take more rapid action where safety concerns are identified.

    By introducing clear, risk-proportionate requirements, the new legislation laid yesterday evening will build on measures already introduced to improve patient safety, facilitating greater traceability of incidents and reporting trends.

    Laura Squire, MedTech Regulatory Reform Lead and Chief Officer at the MHRA, said:

    “Patient safety is our priority, and these new measures are expected to further reduce adverse incidents by ensuring manufacturers identify and address issues earlier and reduce the time for corrective actions to be taken. 

    “While the new legislation is focused on patient safety, it also benefits innovation and growth of the sector, with the collection of real-world data helping manufacturers to further improve existing products.

    “This legislation reflects the Government’s wider priority of improving patient safety and is the first part of the new regulatory framework coming in for medical devices.’’

    The explosion of innovation in health technology in recent years has the potential to bring transformative approaches to healthcare. These regulations will provide the necessary oversight to ensure that this progress is made as safely as possible.

    This regulation also ensures that we have a strong foundation for patient safety in place before we bring forward future measures such as international reliance which will allow patients to benefit more quickly from some types of medical devices that have already been approved for use in other countries. We are committed to delivering a framework of regulatory reform that encourages innovation and growth in life sciences and which, in turn, brings huge benefits to patients.

    Comprehensive guidance to support manufacturers with implementation and compliance will be published once the Parliamentary process has been concluded.

    The SI proposes a six-month implementation period once Parliamentary processes have been concluded. This regulation could, therefore, become law in Summer 2025.

    Ends

    Notes to Editors

    • The draft statutory instrument, explanatory memorandum and impact assessment are available online – The Medical Devices (Post-market Surveillance Requirements) (Amendment) (Great Britain) Regulations 2024
    • For a summary of the key changes to the regulation, see the Implementation of Future Regulations document here.
    • The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.
    • The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe.  All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks.

    For media enquiries, please contact the newscentre@mhra.gov.uk, or call on 020 3080 7651.

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    Updates to this page

    Published 22 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: News Release – October 20 to 26 is National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    News Release – October 20 to 26 is National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week

    Posted on Oct 21, 2024 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

    DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

    KA ʻOIHANA OLAKINO

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
    GOVERNOR

    KE KIA‘ĀINA

    KENNETH S. FINK, MD, MGA, MPH
    DIRECTOR

    KA LUNA HO‘OKELE

     

    OCTOBER 20-26 IS NATIONAL LEAD POISONING PREVENTION WEEK

    Learn how to keep yourself and your keiki safe from lead exposure

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    October 21, 2024                                                                                                    24-137

    HONOLULU — Lead is a toxic metal that is dangerous to health at all ages and there is no safe level of lead in the blood for children. Oct. 20 to 26 is National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week and this year’s theme is “Bright Futures Begin Lead-Free.” This observation provides an opportunity to learn how to protect your keiki and yourself from exposure to lead and its serious health effects.

    Lead is often present in the paint of older buildings constructed prior to 1978 and can be found in soil, house dust, old toys, jewelry, antiques, souvenirs, fishing tackle, keys, dishes, food, spices, tobacco products and water. Certain work or hobbies can expose you to lead and you can also bring it home on your clothes, shoes, hair and other items.

    Public water systems in Hawaiʻi do not historically have lead contamination; however, it is possible for lead to contaminate drinking water through fixtures and piping in older buildings. In a collaborative project funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Hawaiʻi Departments of Health (DOH), Education and Human Services tested drinking water taps for lead in schools and childcare centers and are continuing work to ensure lead is no longer present in taps that showed five parts per billion lead or higher.

    “Keiki are especially susceptible to the effects of lead exposure because they are still in the developmental stages, which can impact both mental and physical development,” said Dr. Ruben Frescas, chief of the DOH Children with Special Health Needs Branch. “They can be exposed to sources of lead in their everyday environment at home and anywhere they play or receive care. With young children who like to play on the ground and put their hands or other objects in their mouths, lead exposure can place these younger keiki at an even higher risk for swallowing lead.”

    In children, lead can cause learning and behavior problems that can result in long-term negative effects throughout adulthood like increased delinquency, lower educational attainment and lower income. In pregnant people, lead can damage a developing baby’s nervous system and has the potential to cause miscarriages and stillbirths. Children tend to show signs of severe lead toxicity at lower exposure levels than adults. However, most children with lead in their blood have no obvious symptoms.

    In adults, exposure to high levels of lead may cause serious health problems like anemia, kidney and brain damage, infertility in men and women, cancer, nerve and hearing damage, and heart disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke is two to five times higher among people with higher blood lead levels, which is comparable to the increased risk from smoking, high cholesterol and hypertension.

    The DOH Hawaiʻi Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (HI-CLPPP) receives funding from the CDC to help the community prevent children from being exposed to lead; to identify children already exposed to lead so the source can be removed; and to link families to recommended services like Early Intervention and in-home residential investigations.

    According to the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), children should have a risk assessment for lead exposure at well-child visits and children at increased risk should get a simple blood test for lead. Testing children at 1 and 2 years of age or later if never tested before is required and free with Med-QUEST, the Hawaiʻi Medicaid program. It is okay to test at other times if you or your child’s doctor are concerned about lead exposure.

    “Lead poisoning is completely preventable and the best way to protect children is to keep them away from lead in the environment and get screened,” Frescas said. “Taking a few simple steps today can make a big difference tomorrow and we are here to help our families take those steps.”

    To learn more about how to keep yourself and your keiki safe from lead exposure, visit lead.hawaii.gov.

    # # #

    Media Contact:

    Brandin Shim

    Information Specialist

    Family Health Services Division

    808-586-4120

    [email protected]

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the People’s Republic of China’s misinterpretation of the UN resolution 2758 and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan – B10-0140/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Miriam Lexmann, Sebastião Bugalho, Rasa Juknevičienė, Danuše Nerudová
    on behalf of the PPE Group

    B10‑0140/2024

    European Parliament resolution on the People’s Republic of China’s misinterpretation of the UN resolution 2758 and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan

    (2024/2891(RSP))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to its previous resolutions on the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Taiwan,

    – having regard to the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence, approved by the Council on 21 March 2022,

    – having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 16 September 2021 entitled ‘The EU strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific’ (JOIN(2021)0024),

    – having regard to the EU’s ‘One China’ policy,

    – having regard to the statement of 23 September 2024 by the Chair of the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting,

    – having regard to the joint declaration by the G7 Defence Ministers of 19 October 2024,

    – having regard to the urgency motion on Taiwan passed by the Australian Senate on 21 August 2024,

    – having regard to the motion on UN Resolution 2758 passed by the Dutch House of Representatives on 12 September 2024,

    – having regard to UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 (XXVI) of 25 October  1971,

    –  having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

    A. whereas UN Resolution 2758 was passed by the UN General Assembly on 25 October 1971 and shifted official recognition from the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the People’s Republic of China (PRC);

    B. whereas since then, most countries have shifted recognition from Taiwan to the PRC; whereas today, Taiwan, while not being a member of the UN, maintains diplomatic relations with 11 of the 193 UN member states, and with the Holy See;

    C. whereas following the adoption of UN Resolution 2758, Taiwan lost its right to participate in multilateral forums, such as the World Health Organization;

    D. whereas through their statement of 23 September 2024, the G7 members, among other things, underlined their support for ‘Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations as a member where statehood is not a prerequisite and as an observer or guest where it is’;

    E. whereas in recent years, the PRC has deliberately distorted UN Resolution 2758, persistently claiming that the PRC’s ‘One China’ principle allegedly has international endorsement through this resolution, which would entail that Taiwan is part of the PRC;

    F. whereas the EU continues to maintain its own ‘One China’ policy position, which is different from the PRC’s ‘One China’ principle; whereas the EU’s long-standing position has been to support the status quo and a peaceful resolution of differences across the Taiwan Strait, while encouraging dialogue and constructive engagement;

    G. whereas Taiwan has never been part of the PRC; whereas the Republic of China was established in 1912 and the PRC was established in 1949;

    H. whereas over the past decade, the PRC has persistently tried to increase its influence over international institutions, using this to sideline Taiwan and prevent Taiwanese passport holders, including journalists, non-governmental organisation workers and political activists, from accessing international institutions; whereas the PRC exercises transnational repression by misusing extradition treaties to target Taiwanese people abroad and therefore put them at risk of arbitrary persecution and human rights abuses;

    I. whereas the EU and Taiwan are like-minded partners that share common values, such as freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law;

    J. whereas Taiwan is a vibrant democracy, with a flourishing civil society; whereas Taiwan held peaceful and well-organised elections on 13 January 2024;

    K. whereas the PRC is a one-party state that is entirely controlled and ruled by the Chinese Communist Party; whereas the Chinese People’s Liberation Army is the military of the Chinese Communist Party and not an army of the PRC’s Government;

    L. whereas on 14 October 2024, the PRC launched a large-scale military drill, named Joint Sword-2024B, that simulated a blockade of Taiwan; whereas during this exercise, a record number of 153 PRC aircraft,18 warships and 17 PRC coastguard ships were detected around Taiwan;

    M. whereas on 23 May 2024, the PRC launched a military drill called Joint Sword-2024A, coming just days after the inauguration of Lai Ching-te as the new President of Taiwan;

    N. whereas over the past years, the PRC has held similar military drills around Taiwan; whereas these military drills have increased in intensity and have been moved closer and closer to Taiwan’s mainland; whereas during a previous drill in August 2022, the PRC also fired missiles into the exclusive economic zone of Japan;

    O. whereas on top of military pressure, the PRC has long been pursuing a sophisticated strategy of targeting Taiwan with foreign information manipulation and interference, including hybrid and cyber attacks with the goal of undermining Taiwan’s democratic society;

    P. whereas the PRC, under the leadership of Xi Jinping, has said that it will not renounce the use of force to seek unification with Taiwan; whereas the PRC is engaging in a historically unprecedented military build-up that is continuously shifting the power balance in the Indo-Pacific; whereas this is negatively affecting cross-Strait stability;

    Q. whereas the PRC is supporting Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, in particular through the exportation of dual-use goods to Russia, and the ongoing involvement of PRC-based companies in sanctions evasion and circumvention;

    R. whereas in a speech on 10 October 2024, Taiwan’s national day, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te stated that the PRC has ‘no right to represent Taiwan’ and reiterated that the two sides are ‘not subordinate’ to each other; whereas the PRC has justified its recent military exercise by claiming that President Lai Ching-te is pursuing a separatist strategy;

    S. whereas the PRC’s increasingly aggressive behaviour, in particular in its own neighbourhood, such as the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, poses a risk to regional and global security; whereas the PRC has for many years promoted an alternative narrative, challenging democratic values, open markets and the rules-based international order; whereas the PRC’s growing influence in international organisations has impeded positive progress and further excluded Taiwan from rightful and meaningful participation in international institutions;

    T. whereas through its 2021 strategy for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, the EU and its Member States increased their presence in the region, including a higher military presence and the continued passage of military ships through the Taiwan Strait;

    U. whereas the EU is Taiwan’s fourth largest trading partner after the PRC, the United States and Japan; whereas in 2022, Taiwan was the EU’s 12th biggest trading partner; whereas the EU is the largest source of foreign direct investment in Taiwan; whereas Taiwanese investments in the EU remain below their potential;

    V. whereas members of the Australian Senate and of the Dutch House of Representatives have recently adopted motions concerning the distortion of UN Resolution 2758 by the PRC, and called for support for Taiwan’s greater participation in multilateral organisations;

    1. Reiterates that Taiwan is a key EU partner and a like-minded democratic ally in the Indo-Pacific region; commends Taiwan and the Taiwanese people for their strong democracy and vibrant civil society, demonstrated once more by the peaceful and well-organised elections of 13 January 2024;

    2. Strongly condemns the PRC’s military exercises of 14 October 2024, its continued military provocations against Taiwan and its continued military build-up that is changing the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific, and reiterates its firm rejection of any unilateral change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait; reiterates its call for the EU and its Member States to ensure, through clear and consistent signalling, that any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, particularly by means of force or coercion, will not be accepted;

    3. Opposes the PRC’s constant distortion of UN Resolution 2758 and its efforts to block Taiwan’s participation in multilateral organisations; calls for the EU and its Member States to support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in relevant international organisations, such as the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change;

    4. Underlines that UN Resolution 2758 takes no position on Taiwan; strongly rejects and refutes the PRC’s attempts to distort history and international rules;

    5. Strongly underlines that the EU’s ‘One China’ policy corresponds to UN Resolution 2758, while the PRC’s ‘One China’ principle is not endorsed by it;

    6. Reiterates its strong condemnation of statements by Chinese President Xi Jinping that the PRC will never renounce the right to use force with respect to Taiwan; underlines that the PRC’s use of force or threats or other highly coercive measures to achieve unification contradicts international law; recalls that neither Taiwan nor the PRC is subordinate to the other; expresses grave concern over the PRC’s use of hostile disinformation to undermine trust in Taiwan’s democracy and governance; reiterates its previous calls for the EU and its Member States to cooperate with international partners in helping to sustain democracy in Taiwan, keeping it free from foreign interference and threats; underlines that only Taiwan’s democratically elected government can represent the Taiwanese people on the international stage;

    7. Condemns the PRC’s systematic grey-zone military actions, including cyber and disinformation campaigns against Taiwan, and urges the PRC to halt these activities immediately; calls, in this regard, for cooperation between the EU and Taiwan to be deepened further in order to enhance structural cooperation on countering disinformation and foreign interference;

    8. Reiterates its call on the Member States to increase the frequency of freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and to deepen security dialogues with Taiwan to deter Chinese aggression against the democratic island;

    9. Reiterates its call on the Member States to engage in meaningful and structural technical cooperation with Taiwan’s National Fire Agency and National Police Agency and with local administrations in the field of civil protection and disaster management;

    10. Reiterates its call on the Member States to engage in meaningful and structural technical cooperation with Taiwan in the field of whole-of-society defence;

    11. Recognises the importance of Taiwan in securing global supply chains, especially in the high-tech sector where Taiwan is the leading producer of semiconductors, and calls for the EU and its Member States to engage in closer cooperation with Taiwan;

    12. Calls on the Commission to launch, without delay, preparatory measures for negotiations on a bilateral investment agreement with Taiwan;

    13. Condemns all forms of pressure and threats of reprisals, including economic coercion, regarding the independent right of the EU and its Member States to develop relations with Taiwan, in line with their interests and shared values of democracy and human rights, without foreign interference;

    14. Welcomes visits by former and current Taiwanese politicians to Europe, including the recent visit of former President Tsai Ing-wen to the European Parliament on 17 October 2024; welcomes, furthermore, continued exchanges between its Members and Taiwan and encourages further visits by official European Parliament delegations to Taiwan; also encourages further exchanges between the EU and Taiwan at all levels, including political meetings and people-to-people encounters; encourages, in this light, increased economic, scientific and cultural interactions and exchanges, focusing, among other areas, on youth, academia, civil society, sports, culture and education, as well as city-to-city and region-to-region partnerships;

    15. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the governments of the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan.

     

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the urgent need to revise the Medical Devices Regulation – RC-B10-0123/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Peter Liese
    on behalf of the PPE Group
    Tiemo Wölken
    on behalf of the S&D Group
    Ondřej Knotek
    on behalf of the PfE Group
    Ruggero Razza
    on behalf of the ECR Group
    Andreas Glück
    on behalf of the Renew Group
    Ignazio Roberto Marino
    on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

    European Parliament resolution on the urgent need to revise the Medical Devices Regulation

    (2024/2849(RSP))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 168 thereof,

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2017/745 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2017 on medical devices, amending Directive 2001/83/EC, Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 and Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and repealing Council Directives 90/385/EEC and 93/42/EEC[1] (MDR),

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2017/746 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2017 on in vitro diagnostic medical devices and repealing Directive 98/79/EC and Commission Decision 2010/227/EU[2] (IVDR),

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2023/607 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2023 amending Regulations (EU) 2017/745 and (EU) 2017/746 as regards the transitional provisions for certain medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices[3],

    – having regard to Regulation (EU) 2020/561[4], Regulation (EU) 2022/112[5], Regulation (EU) 2023/607[6] and Regulation (EU) 2024/1860[7] extending the implementation periods of Regulation (EU) 2017/745 and Regulation (EU) 2017/746,

    – having regard to the Commission’s proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulations (EU) 2017/745 and (EU) 2017/746 as regards the transitional provisions for certain medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices (COM(2023)0010),

    – having regard to the European Medicines Agency’s 2023 Annual Report and its review on market access and safety concerns for medical devices,

    – having regard to Rule 136(2) and (4) of its Rules of Procedure,

    A. whereas medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices play a crucial role in high-quality healthcare, directly affecting the health, safety and well-being of millions of patients across the EU;

    B. whereas approximately 500 000 different medical devices are available on the EU market, covering a broad range of technologies, from contact lenses to pacemakers, and serving different purposes, including diagnosis, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and improving the quality of life of patients and the work of healthcare professionals and carers;

    C. whereas disparities in access to medical devices persist across Member States, affecting patient care and leading to health inequalities; whereas such disparities underscore the need for improved availability and affordability of crucial devices;

    D. whereas the MDR and IVDR were adopted to strengthen the regulatory framework for medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices, as a response to several high-profile scandals with unsafe medical equipment, with the purpose of ensuring higher standards of safety, transparency and clinical performance while also fostering innovation in the sector;

    E. whereas the MDR and IVDR introduced more robust requirements for clinical evaluations, post-market surveillance and vigilance reporting, promoting transparency in the approval and monitoring processes;

    F. whereas despite these aims, significant challenges have been encountered in implementing the MDR and the IVDR, not only leading to delays but also resulting in failures to achieve certification and approval of medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices, particularly impacting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as resulting in shortages of medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices, thus restricting patient access to innovative and life-saving therapeutic and diagnostic technologies;

    G. whereas many stakeholders, in particular small and medium-sized manufacturers, notified bodies and healthcare providers, have reported difficulties in navigating the complex regulatory procedures under the current MDR and IVDR framework, with potential risks posed to the continuous availability of life-saving medical devices and critical in vitro diagnostic tests in the EU;

    H. whereas the transitional periods for the implementation of the MDR and IVDR have been extended on numerous occasions to address issues including the capacity of notified bodies and to allow industry more time to adapt to new rules in order to prevent devices being withdrawn from the EU market;

    I. whereas due to a lack of harmonised procedures across notified bodies in the EU, among other things, manufacturers can in some instances face unpredictable timelines for certification and market access, which creates unpredictability, alongside inconsistency in decisions and a lack of transparency in relation to the work of the notified bodies;

    J. whereas there is a need for the regulatory frameworks to better accommodate innovative devices that address unmet medical needs and provide better prioritisation and fast-track pathways;

    K. whereas the Commission initiated non-legislative actions to support the transition to the MDR and IVDR, focusing in particular on the availability of medical devices on the market, the preparedness of notified bodies, the development of orphan and paediatric devices, SME support and the waiving of fees for scientific advice in critical areas where, despite these measures, financial and administrative challenges persist, particularly in the orphan and paediatric sectors;

    L. whereas the deadlines for implementing the MDR and IVDR have been extended multiple times to help the industry adapt to new regulations, to prevent market withdrawals and to ensure the continuous supply of devices; whereas these extensions were critical in maintaining public health protection during the COVID-19 pandemic;

    M. whereas since the adoption of the MDR and IVDR, the Commission has also introduced new provisions regarding the European Database on Medical Devices (EUDAMED) and a notification system for market interruptions or supply discontinuation;

    N. whereas it is important to ensure that patients and healthcare professionals have access to all relevant documents and decisions taken by the notified bodies;

    1. Calls on the Commission to propose, by the end of Q1 2025, delegated and implementing acts to the MDR and the IVDR to address the most pressing challenges and bottlenecks in the implementation of the legislative frameworks and to propose the systematic revision of all relevant articles of these regulations, accompanied by an impact assessment, to be conducted as soon as possible;

    2. Calls on the Commission to make full use of legislative and non-legislative tools to resolve issues of divergent interpretation and of practical application to streamline the regulatory process, improve transparency, and eliminate unnecessary administrative work for notified bodies and manufacturers, particularly SMEs, without compromising patient safety;

    3. Deplores the risk of shortages of medical devices and the lack of access to certain medical devices and in vitro diagnostics in parts of the EU; stresses that access to and quality of healthcare, including medical devices and in vitro diagnostics, should not depend on where in the EU a patient is located;

    4. Encourages the notified bodies to ensure that there are sufficient resources to meet the market demand in a timely manner; in this regard, calls on the Commission and the Member States to enhance support and cooperation to ensure that the notified bodies have the optimal capacities and capabilities to fully implement the regulatory framework;

    5. Advocates the creation of transparent and binding timelines, including clock stops for procedural steps in conformity assessment by notified bodies, thus creating predictability and certainty for manufacturers regarding the market access procedure and its duration within the EU;

    6. Calls for transparency in notified bodies’ fees and fee structures, to allow economic operators to compare notified bodies and make informed choices, ensuring that fees remain a fair compensation for the public service provided;

    7. Stresses the need to eliminate the unnecessary re-certification of products, and underlines that certain product updates or adjustments should not necessarily lead to an entire re-certification of the product; stresses the need to harmonise such provisions and ensure consistency across the EU; calls for cooperation between the competent authorities and advisory bodies responsible for other regulatory frameworks, and stresses the need for products to be classified correctly and consistently;

    8. Strongly calls on the Commission to consider fast-track and prioritisation pathways for the approval of innovative technologies in areas of unmet medical need and for devices linked to health emergencies;

    9. Highlights the need to establish a clear working definition of ‘orphan device’, as determined by the Medical Device Coordination Group in the MDR and IVDR, to facilitate the adoption of harmonised measures across the EU; additionally calls for a robust system to prevent misuse through artificial ‘orphanisation’;

    10.  Calls for the introduction of adapted rules for orphan and paediatric medical devices, without compromising patient safety, and emphasises the need for more efficient conformity assessment procedures tailored to medical devices and in vitro diagnostics serving relatively small markets, such as products for the treatment of children or rare diseases;

    11. Calls on the Commission to facilitate the collection of clinical data from existing national registries for small patient groups treated or diagnosed with orphan and paediatric devices, in compliance with the protection of personal data; recognises the challenges faced by various SMEs in adapting to the legal frameworks; invites the Member States and the Commission to develop specific measures to support SMEs, including the provision of model application documents and forms, regulatory guidance and other assistance to reduce the costs and complexity of the regulatory frameworks;

    12. Calls on the Commission to continuously monitor the availability of devices, particularly the last remaining devices of particular types, and to take appropriate action to keep them available in the EU market; in this regard, calls for an urgent full implementation of EUDAMED, which will enable information about medical devices and manufacturers to be processed to enhance transparency, provide better access to information for the public and healthcare professionals, and enhance coordination between Member States;

    13. Emphasises that any new rules or changes to existing rules must come with an appropriate transition period to allow all stakeholders sufficient time to adjust to the changes;

    14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Update on cluster of Candida auris cases in Kowloon Hospital

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Update on cluster of Candida auris cases in Kowloon Hospital
    Update on cluster of Candida auris cases in Kowloon Hospital
    ************************************************************

    The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:     ​Regarding an earlier announcement on Candida auris carrier cases, the spokesperson for Kowloon Hospital gave the following update today (October 22):     Following a contact tracing investigation, two more patients, males aged 88 and 95 in the respiratory medicine ward, were identified as carriers of Candida auris while not having signs of infection. The patients are now being treated in isolation and are in stable condition.     The hospital will continue the contact tracing investigation of close contacts of the patients in accordance with the prevailing guidelines. A series of enhanced infection control measures have already been adopted to prevent the spread of Candida auris, namely: 

    thorough cleaning and disinfection of the ward concerned;
    enhanced admission screening for patients and environmental screening procedures; and
    application of stringent contact precautions and enhanced hand hygiene of staff and patients.

         The hospital will continue the enhanced infection control measures and closely monitor the situation of the ward concerned. The cases have been reported to the Hospital Authority Head Office and the Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health for necessary follow-up.

     
    Ends/Tuesday, October 22, 2024Issued at HKT 18:45

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Breast cancer: why it’s difficult to treat and what new approaches are on the horizon

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Anna-Mart Engelbrecht, Professor in physiological sciences, Stellenbosch University

    Breast cancer is the number one cancer among women: more than 2 million cases were diagnosed worldwide in 2022. It is also particularly challenging to treat. Physiologist Anna-Mart Engelbrecht, who heads the Cancer Research Group at Stellenbosch University, explains why this is so and how precision medicine could help.

    How do tumours work?

    Normally, cell growth, cell division and cell death are tightly regulated processes. But mutations in a cell’s DNA can disrupt this regulation, leading to abnormal cell proliferation, forming tumours.

    Tumours can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Malignant tumours are dangerous because they invade surrounding tissues and can metastasize (spread) to other body parts, such as bones, liver or lungs.

    Cancer cells can evade the immune system, create their own blood supply (angiogenesis), and adapt to survive under different conditions, such as low oxygen or treatment pressure.

    Only 5%-10% of all cancers arise from germline (inherited) mutations, which are present in all cells of the body from birth, predisposing the individual to developing cancer.

    Most cancers are preventable through a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise.

    What are the different types of tumours?

    For breast cancer, the tumours can be classified into types:

    Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): Non-invasive cancer (meaning it has not invaded the underlying tissue beneath the epithelial cells, and abnormal cells are confined only to the milk ducts.

    Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC): The most common type, where cancer cells break through the duct walls (the cells lining the ducts become cancerous) and invade surrounding breast tissue.

    Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC): Begins in the milk-producing lobules and invades nearby tissue. (The lobules are the part of the breast which produce milk. They are anatomically different from the ducts, which transport the milk to the nipples.)

    Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC): The breast tissue lacks estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and HER2 protein receptors that control how cells grow and divide. Triple-negative breast cancer is often more aggressive and more challenging to treat.

    HER2-positive breast cancer: Overexpression of the HER2 protein, which promotes cancer cell growth.

    Hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: Cancer that grows in response to hormones like estrogen or progesterone.

    What makes breast cancer so difficult to treat?

    Breast cancer is particularly challenging to treat because there are so many subtypes with unique genetic and molecular characteristics.

    These variations mean that a treatment effective for one subtype might not work for another. The approach has to be tailored for each patient’s breast cancer.

    Another challenge is the tumour microenvironment. Cancer cells “hijack” the normal cells in this microenvironment to sustain cell growth.

    The tumour microenvironment shapes tumour behaviour. Certain cells in this environment can shield cancer cells from therapies, making treatment less effective.

    Drug resistance further complicates treatment. Over time, breast cancer cells can adapt and develop resistance to chemotherapy, hormonal treatments and targeted therapies.

    This adaptation can involve genetic mutations or the use of alternative signalling pathways that allow the cancer cells to continue growing despite treatment efforts.

    Metastasis, or the spread of cancer to other organs, is another major hurdle. Metastatic cells often behave differently from those in the primary tumour. This is true for all cancers.

    Lastly, breast cancer cells sometimes escape detection by the immune system. Usually, the immune system would recognise and attack abnormal cells. But some breast cancer cells can disguise themselves or suppress the immune response.

    This makes immunotherapy less effective. Unlike traditional therapies such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy enhances the immune system’s natural ability to fight cancer.

    Immunotherapy has shown success in treating cancers like melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, kidney cancer and certain lymphomas, particularly those with a high number of genetic mutations that make them more visible to the immune system.

    But immunotherapy is not universally effective. Response rates can vary greatly between patients, and side effects can be severe.

    Breast cancer tends to have fewer genetic changes for the immune system to recognise as foreign.

    How would precision medicine make a difference?

    Precision medicine takes into account the genes, environment, and lifestyle of each person and tailors treatments to a tumour’s genetic and molecular characteristics.

    It enables targeted therapies that improve efficacy and reduce unnecessary side effects.

    Ongoing monitoring through techniques like liquid biopsies (for example a blood test) allows treatment strategies to be adapted as the tumour evolves, and identifying genetic predispositions aids in early detection and prevention.

    Precision medicine has transformed cancer care, particularly in cancers like breast, lung, and melanoma, where targeted therapies guided by genetic profiling are now routine for patients who can afford it.

    Research and clinical trials continue to expand the reach of precision medicine, promising more effective, individualised treatments for a broader range of patients in the future.

    Anna-Mart Engelbrecht receives funding from the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), National Research Foundation (NRF) and CANSA. SAMRC and NRF currently, CANSA previously. I am director and shareholder of two Stellenbosch University start-up companies, BIOCODE and PHYENTI.

    – ref. Breast cancer: why it’s difficult to treat and what new approaches are on the horizon – https://theconversation.com/breast-cancer-why-its-difficult-to-treat-and-what-new-approaches-are-on-the-horizon-241690

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Breast cancer: why it’s difficult to treat and what new approaches are on the horizon

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Anna-Mart Engelbrecht, Professor in physiological sciences, Stellenbosch University

    Breast cancer is the number one cancer among women: more than 2 million cases were diagnosed worldwide in 2022. It is also particularly challenging to treat. Physiologist Anna-Mart Engelbrecht, who heads the Cancer Research Group at Stellenbosch University, explains why this is so and how precision medicine could help.

    How do tumours work?

    Normally, cell growth, cell division and cell death are tightly regulated processes. But mutations in a cell’s DNA can disrupt this regulation, leading to abnormal cell proliferation, forming tumours.

    Tumours can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). Malignant tumours are dangerous because they invade surrounding tissues and can metastasize (spread) to other body parts, such as bones, liver or lungs.

    Cancer cells can evade the immune system, create their own blood supply (angiogenesis), and adapt to survive under different conditions, such as low oxygen or treatment pressure.

    Only 5%-10% of all cancers arise from germline (inherited) mutations, which are present in all cells of the body from birth, predisposing the individual to developing cancer.

    Most cancers are preventable through a healthy lifestyle and regular exercise.

    What are the different types of tumours?

    For breast cancer, the tumours can be classified into types:

    Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): Non-invasive cancer (meaning it has not invaded the underlying tissue beneath the epithelial cells, and abnormal cells are confined only to the milk ducts.

    Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC): The most common type, where cancer cells break through the duct walls (the cells lining the ducts become cancerous) and invade surrounding breast tissue.

    Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC): Begins in the milk-producing lobules and invades nearby tissue. (The lobules are the part of the breast which produce milk. They are anatomically different from the ducts, which transport the milk to the nipples.)

    Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC): The breast tissue lacks estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and HER2 protein receptors that control how cells grow and divide. Triple-negative breast cancer is often more aggressive and more challenging to treat.

    HER2-positive breast cancer: Overexpression of the HER2 protein, which promotes cancer cell growth.

    Hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: Cancer that grows in response to hormones like estrogen or progesterone.

    What makes breast cancer so difficult to treat?

    Breast cancer is particularly challenging to treat because there are so many subtypes with unique genetic and molecular characteristics.

    These variations mean that a treatment effective for one subtype might not work for another. The approach has to be tailored for each patient’s breast cancer.

    Another challenge is the tumour microenvironment. Cancer cells “hijack” the normal cells in this microenvironment to sustain cell growth.

    The tumour microenvironment shapes tumour behaviour. Certain cells in this environment can shield cancer cells from therapies, making treatment less effective.

    Drug resistance further complicates treatment. Over time, breast cancer cells can adapt and develop resistance to chemotherapy, hormonal treatments and targeted therapies.

    This adaptation can involve genetic mutations or the use of alternative signalling pathways that allow the cancer cells to continue growing despite treatment efforts.

    Metastasis, or the spread of cancer to other organs, is another major hurdle. Metastatic cells often behave differently from those in the primary tumour. This is true for all cancers.

    Lastly, breast cancer cells sometimes escape detection by the immune system. Usually, the immune system would recognise and attack abnormal cells. But some breast cancer cells can disguise themselves or suppress the immune response.

    This makes immunotherapy less effective. Unlike traditional therapies such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy enhances the immune system’s natural ability to fight cancer.

    Immunotherapy has shown success in treating cancers like melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, kidney cancer and certain lymphomas, particularly those with a high number of genetic mutations that make them more visible to the immune system.

    But immunotherapy is not universally effective. Response rates can vary greatly between patients, and side effects can be severe.

    Breast cancer tends to have fewer genetic changes for the immune system to recognise as foreign.

    How would precision medicine make a difference?

    Precision medicine takes into account the genes, environment, and lifestyle of each person and tailors treatments to a tumour’s genetic and molecular characteristics.

    It enables targeted therapies that improve efficacy and reduce unnecessary side effects.

    Ongoing monitoring through techniques like liquid biopsies (for example a blood test) allows treatment strategies to be adapted as the tumour evolves, and identifying genetic predispositions aids in early detection and prevention.

    Precision medicine has transformed cancer care, particularly in cancers like breast, lung, and melanoma, where targeted therapies guided by genetic profiling are now routine for patients who can afford it.

    Research and clinical trials continue to expand the reach of precision medicine, promising more effective, individualised treatments for a broader range of patients in the future.

    – Breast cancer: why it’s difficult to treat and what new approaches are on the horizon
    – https://theconversation.com/breast-cancer-why-its-difficult-to-treat-and-what-new-approaches-are-on-the-horizon-241690

    MIL OSI Africa –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: All Together Inspired launches online learning hub to help ‘change the world’

    Source: City of Liverpool

    A band new online learning hub – All Together Inspired – has been launched to support Cheshire and Merseyside’s public, private and third sectors to learn more about the social determinants of health and reduce health inequalities.

    The social (or wider) determinants of health refer to the social, cultural, political, economic, commercial and environmental factors that shape the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age. Some key social determinants of health are education and employment opportunities, housing, social networks, where we live and the extent it facilitates exercise, a good diet and social connection.

    The website includes a wealth of information to help professionals learn more about these vital subject areas, as well as specific training, tools and resources to support their day-to-day work. All Together Inspired also highlights and promotes examples of work happening within the subregion of Cheshire and Merseyside and encourages those who feel inspired to share their story.

    All Together Inspired is part of All Together Fairer, Cheshire and Merseyside’s mission to reduce health inequalities and encourage the entire system to work as one to build a fairer, healthier subregion. This work is informed by a landmark report, produced by leading health inequalities expert Professor Sir Michael Marmot and his team at the UCL Institute of Health Equity, and published in 2022. The Programme is overseen by the Cheshire and Merseyside Population Health Partnership.

    Professor Ian Ashworth, Director of Population Health for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside and Chair of the Cheshire and Merseyside Population Health Partnership, said:

    “I am delighted to see All Together Inspired launch this online learning hub. The website will not only will serve as a one-stop shop for all things related to the social determinants of health, it will also inspire and galvanize our ‘Marmot army’ of dedicated and talented public sector workers, our fantastic voluntary sector, and provide businesses and the private sector with tools and resources that they can also use to make a real difference.

    “I am continually inspired when I hear about the work that happens as part of our All Together Fairer Programme and I look forward to seeing examples of this work appear on All Together Inspired.”

    Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Director of the UCL Institute of Health Equity, said:

    “The health problems that we see in a subregion like Cheshire and Merseyside are not simply related to the problems in the NHS, but they’re related to how we arrange our affairs in society – the social determinants of health. Social injustice is killing on a grand scale, and we wanted to launch a social movement to create greater health equity and narrower health inequalities. We would like you to become part of the All Together Inspired movement and use the resources in this website. We can and we will make a difference to improve and achieve greater health equity.”

    To access All Together Inspired, visit: https://alltogetherinspired.org.uk.

    To health spread the word about All Together Inspired with a dedicated toolkit of communications resources, visit: https://alltogetherinspired.org.uk/find-a-resource/.

    To find out more about the Champs Public Health Collaborative, visit: https://champspublichealth.com.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Family Matters programme reaches 300 family milestone as number of children in care drops

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Tuesday, 22nd October 2024

    The city council’s Family Matters programme has already made a big difference across the city – having reached the milestone of working with 300 families in just nine months.

    As of the end of September, the programme is providing opportunities for 322 families thanks to enhanced working with partners including the police, schools, the voluntary community and faith sector.

    The programme’s work is already having an impact on the numbers of children in care, with 1,110 children currently in care – down from 1,156 in March.

    Family Matters is a multi-agency programme that gives families in Stoke-on-Trent access to all the advice, tips and opportunities they need to thrive. It’s a key part of the city council’s commitment to support family life – working with the NHS, voluntary and community sector, businesses and others to make sure families are helped to give their children the best start in life.

    The city council has invested £1.5 million from the Public Health Grant into the programme and the NHS Integrated Care Board have invested £1 million, with wider partners providing support in kind. Ultimately, Family Matters will reduce the financial pressures from the care system and reduce the amount spent on children’s care placements.

    Councillor Sarah Hill, cabinet member for children’s services said: “It’s great news that the Family Matters programme is making such a difference to the lives of families in Stoke-on-Trent. I’d like to thank everyone involved in Family Matters for their hard work.

    “Supporting family life is one our key aims and we want to ensure there’s a city-wide response to this. Working with our partners and communities, Family Matters does this.

    “Early work with families leads to far fewer children in care and we’re already seeing that Family Matters can make a real difference. This makes the continued roll out of Family Matters really important.

    “Reducing the number of children in care is not an easy feat and so for the number to have started coming down since the launch of the programme – after rising month on month before this – is fantastic news.”

    The Family Matters website is coming soon and residents can find information on the Digital Family Hub at https://familyhub.stoke.gov.uk/

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Director of Health attends WHO Western Pacific Regional Committee meeting (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam, is leading a delegation from the Department of Health (DH) to attend the meeting of the 75th session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in Manila, the Philippines.
             
         The Regional Committee meeting (RCM) is set up to formulate policies, provide oversight for regional programmes and their progress; consider and endorse new initiatives and adopt resolutions and make decisions that guide the Regional Office’s work for the coming year. This year, the theme of the RCM is “Weaving Health for Families, Communities and Societies in the Western Pacific Region”. In recent years, the Western Pacific region has been facing a series of public health challenges, including ageing population, increased burden on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and communicable diseases, mental health, health security threats, climate change, digital health, and oral health. At the meeting this year, which is being held from October 21 to 25, member states and areas will exchange views, explore collaboration and pass resolutions on the above issues. Five visions of weaving health, namely transformative primary care for universal health coverage, climate-resilient health systems, resilient communities, societies and health systems for health security, healthier people throughout the life course, and technology and innovation for future health equity, have been endorsed by the RCM to address the above challenges.
             
         Speaking at the agenda item of the Address by and Report of the Regional Director, Dr Lam said, “Hong Kong, China noted the Report of the Regional Director, and will fully support the newly defined five visions of weaving health. While we are enjoying one of the best health indices in terms of life expectancies, maternal and infant mortality rates and so forth, we are facing similar challenges as other member states and areas such as ageing population, rise of NCDs, and health security threats. As announced in “The Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address”, Hong Kong, China is now embarking on substantial health reforms via two major themes of “Deepen Reform of the Healthcare System” and “International Health and Medical Innovation Hub”. The five visions of the WHO Western Pacific Region is in alignment with our health initiatives of the “The Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address”. Hong Kong, China will continue to work closely with the WHO in achieving health for all in the Region.” 
          
         The DH has been actively contributing to global public health by supporting the WHO in tackling various public health challenges. The DH is designated as the WHO Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Smoking Cessation and Treatment of Tobacco Dependence. Furthermore, the WHO has designated the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch of the Centre for Health Protection of the DH as a reference laboratory for various communicable diseases, including tuberculosis, measles/rubella, influenza A (H5), SARS and COVID-19, making significant contributions to fighting epidemics worldwide. The DH will keep on maintaining close contact with member states and areas of the WHO on various issues to safeguard the health of the people.         

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Month of Discovery: Undergraduate Researcher Krithika Santhanam

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Krithika Santhanam’s ’25 (CLAS) research activities started early on in her time at UConn.  

    During her freshman year, Santhanam reached out to Caroline Dealy, professor of orthodontics, about working in her lab.  

    Santhanam spent her first and sophomore years in Dealy’s lab, which researches treatments for osteoarthritis. 

    “Osteoarthritis is a condition where there’s a spontaneous degeneration of cartilage cells which impacts our joints,” Santhanam says.  

    There is currently no treatment for osteoarthrosis. That’s why Dealy’s lab is working on finding a way to get cartilage cells to spontaneously regenerate. Santhanam found that when certain BMP ligands, a type of molecule, were removed in mouse models, something caused cartilage cells in their knees to regenerate.  

    Santhanam had the opportunity to present her findings at the 16th International Conference on Limb Development, Regeneration, and Evolution and the New England Science Symposium at Harvard University.  

    “The amount of skills that I gained, the confidence that I gained through that opportunity as a freshman,” Santhanam says. “I was able to talk to professional scholars within the field, which was amazing.”  

    After identifying a new cell population within the cartilage of mice samples, Santhanam continued her work with Dealy through a SURF (Summer Undergraduate Research Find) Award. With the SURF Award, Santhanam dug deeper to determine what was causing the regeneration she had observed in the last step of her project.  

    “My project proposal was looking at what properties do these new cells have,” Santhanam says. “Because we have no idea what type of cartilage cells these are, what is allowing them to regenerate, what stage of chondrocyte maturation are they in?”  

    After a long process of trial and error, Santhanam found that the cells matched with a tag called RUNX2, which is related to bone cell differentiation. 

    Santhanam is now working with Fumilayo Showers, assistant professor of sociology and Africana studies, on a project looking at frontline and non-frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of how health care had to change during the pandemic and what we can learn from the emergency. 

    Santhanam is also currently putting the finishing touches on a documentary project about disability advocacy in South India that she made through the BOLD Scholars program.  

    Santhanam’s individualized major in health policy and racial disparities has allowed her to take classes in a wide array of subjects including women’s, gender, and sexuality studies and human development and family sciences. In these classes, she learned about harmful patient-provider interactions where individuals with disabilities do not feel heard or lack access to healthcare facilities in the first place.  

    “This was interesting to me because I feel like when we talk about intersectionality between race, class, gender, and all these things, sometimes we don’t think about disability as one of those social determinants of health,” Santhanam says.  

    Santhanam went to her parents’ home of Chennai, India to interview people involved in disability advocacy there. 

    “The differences and cultural stigmas I see when I go back really is something that is not talked about enough,” Santhanam says. “I know individuals with disabilities in India, and I know how that care is different, and I really want people to know that, and I also want people to know the positive strides that have been made in the past 20 years.”  

    Santhanam interviewed doctors and people involved with advocacy groups, including Dr. Aishwarya Rao, pediatrician, disability rights activist, and the founder of Better World Shelter, a rehabilitation shelter for women with disabilities; Sharada Devi, an assistant professor at the University of Kerala’s Institute of English; and KVJ Sumitra Prasad, founder of SAI Center, which promotes the importance of adults with disabilities living independently through the DORAI Foundation.  

    Santhanam will screen her documentary at UConn Storrs in January. 

    Santhanam plans to attend medical school after graduation with the long-term goal of opening a clinic focused on women’s health.  

    During her sophomore year, Santhanam participated in the UConn Health Leaders program where she screened patients for social determinants of health. She quickly realized that in Connecticut there are massive disparities in people’s ability to access healthcare, like healthy food and transportation that support wellbeing.  

    “That experience really was eye-opening,” Santhanam says. “Doing that program really made me feel like this is my calling, and really sent me into wanting to see what internal medicine was like. In my opinion, I believe primary care is the first place and the most important place where you can make an impact on someone’s health outcomes.”  

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Task Group on New Medical School holds first meeting today (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, and the Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, cochaired the first meeting of the Task Group on New Medical School today (October 22) to discuss strategic directions and major parameters for the establishment of a third medical school in Hong Kong.

         At the meeting, members of the Task Group discussed the considerations for establishing a third medical school in Hong Kong, and concluded that the third medical school should adopt an innovative strategic positioning in pursuit of complementary development with the two existing medical schools. The Task Group recommended that the curriculum design of the new medical school should be accorded top priority in consideration, requiring the medical curriculum to meet the requirements as stipulated by the Medical Council of Hong Kong. Proper arrangements should also be made for medical students to undergo an adequate amount of clinical training, thus ensuring that the medical students are well equipped with both professional knowledge and clinical skills to safeguard the interest of patients. The new medical school should also set out a forward-looking long-term development plan for its campus and teaching facilities, as well as an interim arrangement for a campus and a teaching hospital if admission of students is essential before the long-term facilities are available, alongside strategies to ensure financial soundness.

         Professor Lo said, “The establishment of a third medical school is a significant project in the development of medical education in Hong Kong. Not only will it attract global talent and help nurture more outstanding doctors for further reinforcement of the city’s healthcare system in the sustainable provision of healthcare services with enhanced quality and quantity, but also serves to promote high-quality development in medical education and research, dovetailing with the city’s development as an international hub for medical training, research and innovation.”

         Dr Choi said, “The establishment of a new medical school will further elevate Hong Kong’s position as an international education hub. Taking this unique opportunity, the scope of local medical teaching and research will be expanded through an innovative curriculum design and diversified student recruitment arrangements, complementing our goals of nurturing future talent and promoting the development of the ‘Study in Hong Kong’ brand.”

         The first target of the Task Group is to extend an invitation of proposals within this year to local universities interested in setting up the new medical school. The Task Group will liaise with respective universities and assess the proposals, addressing issues on funding arrangements, course accreditation, sources of teaching staff and students, a teaching hospital and research etc. The Task Group will subsequently submit to the Chief Executive in Council recommendations on the establishment of the new medical school and related arrangements. Land will also be reserved in the Northern Metropolis Ngau Tam Mei for the construction of the new medical school campus and the associated integrated medical teaching and research hospital.

         The Chief Executive announced in the Policy Address last Wednesday (October 16) that the Government supports the plan, by local universities, to establish a third medical school. The Task Group on New Medical School was then established the next day (October 17) to take up the responsibilities of devising the direction and parameters for establishing the new medical school, exploring ways to nurture more local medical talent and enhance Hong Kong’s healthcare system, as well as promoting various measures for Hong Kong to become an international medical training, research and innovation hub. The Task Group comprises seasoned local, Mainland and overseas academics for medical teaching and university management, professionals, the Chairman of the Medical Council of Hong Kong, the President of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, as well as representatives from relevant government bureaux and departments.         

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: York taxi passengers to get safer, greener rides

    Source: City of York

    Published Tuesday, 22 October 2024

    New requirements for York taxis and private hire vehicles are set to make them among the safest in the UK.

    This will stem from a new policy which incorporates national guidance and will make them even safer, with fewer emissions and will offer greater choice, especially for disabled passengers.

    An extensive consultation carried out this summer has helped shape a new Taxi Licensing Policy for the city. Feedback was gathered over the course of 12 weeks, from taxi users and members of the trade, North Yorkshire Police, disabled residents and York Hospital.

    As a result, the new policy requires vehicles to meet the higher Euro 6 emission standards to help improve air quality across the city. To add confidence among passengers, especially more vulnerable people, the policy supports the supply of more wheelchair-accessible taxis and aims to increase awareness of and extend safeguarding standards among drivers and operators.

    To make them easier for passengers to identify, Hackney carriage taxis – which can be flagged down on the street – must be black, while private hire cars – which can only be pre-booked and not stopped in the street – can be any colour other than black. This change will be phased in over a number of years.

    Cllr Kate Ravilious, Executive Member for Transport at City of York Council, said:

    For many residents, taxis are a key form of transport and source of employment. It’s essential that they are properly and fairly regulated to ensure their safety and supply. Operators and drivers in York must be well-informed and highly qualified to deliver a great and safe service to their many, and often disabled or vulnerable, passengers.

    “The new standards we’re setting put us in line with national best practice guidance and raise the safety and cleanliness of the city’s taxis even higher, plus put greater emphasis on driving standards and road safety, to help protect all road users. I look forward to seeing the full and detailed report next month.”

    A report was presented to the Council’s Licensing and Regulatory Committee on 8 October, and you can read it here. A full and detailed report on these changes will be discussed at full Council on 21 November

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 24, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Kwai Chung Hospital announces incident of losing patient data

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

         â€‹The spokesperson for Kwai Chung Hospital (KCH) made the following announcement today (October 22) regarding an incident of losing patient data:
          
         A case manager of the KCH Community Psychiatric Service lost a document containing patient’s personal data yesterday (October 21), which involves the name, date of birth, gender, telephone number and address of 19 patients, and the telephone number of some relatives.

         The staff concerned brought the document for contacting patients during an outreach visit yesterday afternoon. The staff had taken out the document to check patient’s address. Upon completion of the visit, the staff returned to office and found the document missing. The staff immediately informed the hospital and conducted a search but in vain.

         KCH is very concerned about the incident. The hospital has contacted patients concerned to express apology and explain the incident. Patient’s treatment is not affected. KCH has reminded all staff again on the guidelines of safekeeping and handling patients’ data and will strengthen internal training.
          
         KCH has reported the case to the Police and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data, and the Hospital Authority Head Office via the Advance Incident Reporting System.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    January 24, 2025
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