NewzIntel.com

Category: Health

  • MIL-OSI Security: RCMP Headquarters — PEI RCMP’s response to mental health matters

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The Prince Edward Island RCMP recognize the important role police play in responding to mental health crises. PEI RCMP responded to 1169 mental health calls and 636 wellbeing checks last year. These represent a diverse number of complaints from those who present extreme danger to themselves and others, to situations where individuals simply need to be connected with help. Wellbeing checks are instances where someone is concerned for someone else’s well being, for example a family member concerned that they have not seen their loved one for some time, or there has been a change in their loved one’s behaviour. Wellbeing checks listed here are only those instances that have been determined to not be mental health related.

    RCMP take a de-escalation approach in dealing with mental health calls, while balancing public safety. The goal is always to bring the best possible outcomes for all those involved. In some of these cases those in crisis present a danger to themselves, healthcare workers and others; it is for this reason that police are often at the front line when responding to these situations.

    RCMP Training:

    Our goal is to bring about a peaceful, safe resolution and we train to achieve this goal. Almost all the officers with PEI RCMP have taken Crisis Intervention and De-escalation training. This course specifically trains officers to deal with mental health crisis incidents. Officers re-qualify on scenario-based training on an annual basis, these scenarios include Mental Health Crisis simulations and serve to reinforce the skills they have learned. In addition, officers have been trained with Road to Mental Readiness, ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training), Resolving Conflict Effectively, Cultural Awareness and Humility training, Interest Based Negotiation, Understanding and Responding to Mental Illness, and many other continuous learning and developmental opportunities.

    Resources:

    We work with our partners including Mobile Mental Health, and other health care providers to connect those in crisis with the appropriate resources that may support them. PEI RCMP recognize that in most cases mental health incidents are not criminal in nature and our role is to ensure the safety of any health care provider, patient and the public while those in crisis access the health care resources they need.

    PEI RCMP currently maintain a Police Mental Health Liaison. This position helps improve engagement with partner agencies under the Social Services umbrella, with a particular focus on Mobile Mental Health and BRIDGE. BRIDGE is a group of support agencies across PEI that meet regularly to coordinate help for those at high risk.

    RCMP officers across the Province carry the 40mm Extended Range Impact Weapon, a less lethal intervention option. This weapon looks and sounds like a Firearm, but it fires a foam projectile. Its recent use proved it is a very useful tool for police in bringing about a safe less-lethal resolution to dangerous incidents, without having to resort to the use of potentially lethal force.

    RCMP JURISDICTION MENTAL HEALTH OCCURRENCES

    1. (Jan 1 – Oct 8th) = 788

    2023 = 1169

    2022 = 991

    2021 = 904

    WELLNESS CHECKS

    2024 Wellbeing checks (Jan 1 – Oct 8th) = 664

    2023 Wellbeing checks = 618

    PEI RCMP recognize the role police play in assisting with mental health calls. Training our personnel to respond in ways that will achieve the best possible outcomes for all involved has been, and will continue to remain a priority. As we engage with all those agencies and organizations involved in supporting mental health, we look to learn and stay current with the best practices available that will support those facing mental health issues. The safety of all Islanders is the top priority for all police agencies, regardless of any challenges individuals may face.

    “Your PEI RCMP works with community partners and health professionals to ensure those that are in a mental health crisis are dealt with compassion and respect, while maintaining the safety of our communities, police officers, and the clients. We have demonstrated here on the island that we utilize de-escalation and all tools available to bring safe and successful conclusions to our interactions with the public. Due to the unpredictability of mental health incidents, safety of everyone involved is first and foremost”, said Chief Superintendent Kevin Lewis.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The Bright and Dark Sides of Pacific Salmon Biotransport

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Each year millions of Pacific salmon make a grand journey from the ocean to their freshwater spawning grounds at the end of their life cycles. This migration has rippling effects through food webs and ecosystems along the way.

    Whether they decompose or are consumed by other animals, these salmon deliver both nutrients and contaminants they have accumulated in their bodies after spending most of their lives growing at sea. A team of researchers from UConn, the University of South Dakota, the U.S. Geological Survey, Natural Resource Consultants, the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Missouri, and Regis University set out to study the transport of these nutrients and contaminants and trends as the salmon community changed over 40 years. Their findings are published in the journal Nature.

    Jess Brandt, assistant professor in UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and the Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, led the project. The study considers the spawning migrations to North America for the five major Pacific salmon species including Chinook, chum, coho, pink, and sockeye salmon. The research team combined estimates of migrating fish biomass for the forty years between 1976 and 2015 with Pacific salmon nutrient and contaminant tissue concentrations from scientific studies and reports.

    Energy and nutrients that travel from one system to another and have positive effects are called ecological subsidies. Contaminants that move alongside nutrients that can have detrimental impacts are referred to as “the dark side of subsidies,” says Brandt.

    “This research is about the ‘bright and dark sides’ of Pacific salmon subsidies,” she says. “We usually study them separately in the context of transport by animals, but nutrients and contaminants go hand-in-hand.”

    To start, the researchers combined the biomass estimates for each species with nutrient and contaminant concentrations to estimate the movements of these materials carried by salmon. Brandt says these movements had not been estimated at the continental scale before, and the magnitudes of materials transported by Pacific salmon were compelling.

    “On average, there were an estimated 119 million Pacific salmon returning to North America each year in the 40-year period of the study. This involved the movement of thousands of tonnes of nutrients and kilograms of contaminants. The fluxes of nutrients by Pacific salmon we report are among the largest fluxes that have been estimated so far for large groups of animals that move materials when they emerge, migrate, or die in large numbers.”

    The second question they address is how changes in the Pacific salmon community over time have impacted nutrient and contaminant transport.

    They found the Pacific salmon community grew substantially over that 40-year period, both in terms of biomass and number of fish. Brandt says the estimated amount of nutrients and contaminants transported in 2015 was 30% higher than in 1976, and the increase in pink salmon biomass during this period accounted for nearly 80% of the increase they observed.

    “We were curious about how shifts in the structure of the Pacific salmon community translated to changes in nutrient and contaminant transport over time,” says Brandt.

    To understand the significance of these questions, it helps to look at some of the aspects of the lives of different Pacific salmon species. Brandt says that where a species feeds on the food chain (called its trophic level), how long it spends in the ocean, and how large it gets, are all important when considering contaminant concentrations. The environmental contaminants included in this study build up in food webs and increase in concentrations from prey to predators, in a process called biomagnification. This means animals higher in the food web accumulate higher concentrations of these contaminants.

    Brandt notes that contaminant concentrations in Pacific salmon are low, overall, relative to many other types of fish. Even still, there are clear differences in contaminant levels among the Pacific salmon species. Pink salmon feed lower on the food web, spend less time at sea, and are small when they return to spawning grounds. By comparison, Chinook salmon feed higher up, spend many years in the ocean, and are the largest of the Pacific salmon species. These differences influence the amounts of contaminants each species transports.

    “That’s where we started thinking about the loading potential of each species – in other words, how much of each chemical a fish carries – and how loadings of nutrients and contaminants compare. We found the higher trophic level fish, specifically Chinook salmon, will carry relatively high ratios of contaminants to nutrients. On the other hand, pink salmon carry more nutrients per contaminant.”

    Despite these differences, pink salmon transported the largest overall amounts of contaminants, and this comes down to sheer numbers, says Brandt,

    “We also asked which species were contributing the most to nutrient and contaminant transport by the Pacific salmon community. Even though pink salmon have the lowest tissue concentrations of contaminants, the entire group of pink salmon contributes the greatest share of contaminants transported to North America because they dominate the community. Their numbers have increased, and even if the concentration of the contaminant hasn’t changed, if more fish are carrying the contaminant, then there’s more contaminant transferred.”

    Finally, the researchers considered the tradeoffs in nutrient and contaminant co-exposure for animals that eat salmon, including people. They compared the benefits of the omega-3 fatty acids people get from eating salmon with the health risks associated with the contaminants included in the study. “The results for each species indicated that salmon consumption brings a net benefit to people,” says Brandt. “We believe this means that there is a net benefit to the ecosystem as well.”

    Studying nutrients and contaminants together gives powerful insight into the environmental impacts of migratory species like salmon.

    “We miss part of the story when we study nutrients and contaminants separately,” Brandt says. “We hope this study leads to future work focused on migratory species as transporters of nutrients and contaminants and the tradeoffs between the two types of inputs for recipient systems at large spatial scales.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Competitive compensation for resident physicians

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

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    Alberta’s government, in partnership with Alberta Health Services (AHS), the University of Alberta, University of Calgary and the Professional Association of Resident Physicians of Alberta has reached a four-year agreement that provides competitive and fair-market compensation for physicians in training.

    The negotiated agreement provides wage increases of three per cent in each of the first two years, and two per cent in each of the last two years. It also includes market adjustments that put Alberta on par with other western Canadian medical schools.

    Ensuring resident physicians receive competitive, fair-market compensation while they train and provide services across the province will help stabilize and strengthen acute health care today while bringing medical students and ultimately more physicians to the province to support the province’s future health needs.

    “Alberta’s government is grateful for all the hard work resident physicians put in as they complete their training. We are pleased to see that a new agreement has been reached and look forward to more physicians calling Alberta home.”

    Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health

    “We are extremely grateful to all of our resident physicians, who play a vital role in caring for Albertans and supporting our front-line physicians and health care teams. This agreement will help us recruit medical students and encourage them to practise in this province.”

    Athana Mentzelopoulos, president and CEO, AHS

    Rural and Remote Family Medicine Resident Physician Bursary Pilot Program

    The agreement builds on actions Alberta’s government is taking to make the province a more attractive place for medical students and resident physicians to study and practise. On Oct. 3, Alberta’s government announced measures to improve health care in rural and remote communities through the new Rural and Remote Family Medicine Resident Physician Bursary Pilot Program. The bursary program is part of the province’s Rural Health Action Plan.

    The pilot program will provide up to $8 million annually for the next two years to medical students in their final year of an undergraduate medical program when they are matched with a family medicine residency program at the University of Alberta or University of Calgary, or to residents currently completing a family medicine residency at either university regardless of their year of study. In return, bursary recipients will commit to delivering comprehensive patient care in eligible communities for three years after completing their residency. 

    “With this agreement, Alberta strengthens its position as an attractive destination for resident physicians across Canada. By enhancing compensation, training and working conditions, we ensure Alberta recruits and retains the brightest medical talent to serve our communities and shape the future of health care.”

    Dr. Pauwlina Cyca, president, Professional Association of Resident Physicians of Alberta (PARA)

    “The University of Alberta is pleased collaborations with our partners have resulted in an agreement that reflects the critical impact resident physicians make in our health care system so all Albertans receive the care they need.” 

    Brenda Hemmelgarn, dean and vice-provost, College of Health Sciences, and dean, faculty of medicine & dentistry, University of Alberta

    “Remuneration, respect, retention and recruitment of rural generalists are key to elevating rural hospitals to becoming rural centres of excellence. With this agreement and bursary pilot program, the Alberta government is recognizing rural health as being different, requiring separate and unique solutions for our communities that are mutually beneficial in enhancing the health of rural Albertans.”

    Dr. Rithesh Ram, president, section of rural medicine, Alberta Medical Association

    Quick facts

    • Resident physicians have graduated medical school but are completing post-graduate training in a residency program to obtain their licence to practise. With residency programs requiring an additional two to seven years of post-graduate training, most resident physicians spend more than 10 years training to become fully licensed physicians and surgeons.
    • The Professional Association of Resident Physicians of Alberta represents more than 1,660 resident physicians in Alberta.
    • The current agreement between AHS, the University of Alberta, University of Calgary and the association ended on June 30, 2024.
    • The resident physician agreement is funded by Alberta Health through a grant to AHS and the universities.

    Related information

    • Postgraduate medical education (AHS)

    Related news

    • Improving health care in rural and remote Alberta (Oct. 3, 2024)

    Multimedia

    • Watch the news conference

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Nature is a ‘National Wealth Service’

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Tony Juniper speech at the launch of Natural England’s first State of Natural Capital Report

    Location:
    The State of Natural Capital Report launch
    Delivered on:
    (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

    This notion of natural capital, I think, is really quite a powerful idea. I think everybody in the room will understand the notion of financial capital and how if we look after our capital assets, we get a flow of dividends and interest long into the future.

    And of course, if we blow our capital, we go bankrupt. So it goes with natural capital and the extent to which, today confirmed by this report, we have drifted deeply into the red over the years. And this is now something which poses a source of risk. The state of natural capital very much confirms the need to grow Nature as a prerequisite for health, wealth and security. Indeed, with economic growth identified as an overriding national priority, it will be necessary to grow the natural assets needed to underpin that.

    The report gives a clear snapshot of the state of these assets, and gives us a logical baseline from which to measure growth over time. It highlights the extent to which we rely on Nature, which gives us life’s essentials of fresh water, air and food. In fact, with 90% of the world’s food reliant on just 20 species, we ignore this at our peril. Nature also provides places to relax, resources to build with, and mitigation of the climate change impacts ever more visible on the planet.

    In short, if we look after Nature, Nature will look after us, but the truth is, that we haven’t been. The web of life is in critical decline. Ninety percent of the UK’s wetlands have been lost in the modern era and over 97% of lowland semi-natural grasslands have been lost in the last century, taking with them countless birds, butterflies and bumblebees. Nature is being wiped off the face of our supposedly green and pleasant land. Yet we continue to act as if we were oblivious to the warning signs from a planet that is evidently struggling.

    Impacts like these exacerbate many of the most serious threats to society. Nature loss and climate change fuel one another, so losing wildlife and habitat helps drive changes to weather systems to unprecedented extremes, which in turn forces more species to flee their traditional ranges and for some to be wiped out altogether.

    For years, we have taken Nature for granted and taken more than it can sustainably supply. We are, in effect, running down those capital assets as we strip away Nature’s ability to provide clean water and carbon storage by degrading soils, which increases water pollution and sends harmful emissions into the atmosphere, affecting human health and adding to consumer bills. Those degraded soils and lost wetlands reduce landscapes’ ability to regulate temperature, hold water and to slow the flow of rivers, amplifying flooding downstream. Not only does this cause widespread human misery, it puts businesses and services out of action and adds considerably to insurance premiums.

    It’s interesting to note in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which smashed through the southern states of the United States a couple of weeks ago, how many of the properties there were uninsured because they were not deemed to be in areas prone to flood risk. Thereby revealing a series of not only serious economic consequences, but also social ones, and the costs of degradation can be measured not only economically but in lives lost. Almost 3000 excess deaths occurred across the UK in 2022 as a result of extreme heat and this is also seen in the impacts of agriculture with flooding causing losses to farming income in England to drop by a fifth in 2023, leading to a £1 billion blow to this country’s GDP.

    The decline of Nature is not only visible in the countryside, of course, but also in our towns and cities and villages, particularly amongst the most disadvantaged communities. Evidence gathered in the State of Natural Capital Report indicates that lower risks of sick days are associated with increased access to green and blue spaces. However, according to Natural England’s Green Infrastructure research, we see that around one in three people, 38%, do not live within 15 minutes of the green space, and they tend to be from more disadvantaged communities. The link between social and equalities and differences in health outcomes is thus strong and persistent.

    The upside of this disturbing picture is that we can work together across society to recover Nature and unlock solutions to these pressing challenges For that to happen, information regarding the value we all derive from Nature needs to be put into the hands of those who decide on actions that shape our country at both national and local levels, and that’s where this research comes in.

    It gives decision makers a vivid picture of these close dependencies between the social well-being and economic resilience and the ecosystems which underpin those essentials of our society. Taking a natural capital approach highlights the extent to which our mountains, wetlands, sea bed, soils and rivers are just as critical to business success and community wellbeing as roads, railways and broadband.

    These natural assets add up to a national wealth service, providing a steady stream of essential goods and benefits upon which our economy and population rely. Setting them out so clearly as we’re doing today allows them to be moved out of the shadows and onto an extended balance sheet where companies can see their true value and act to protect these priceless and essential assets. This allows us to progress beyond just seeing the health of our economy and country in terms of GDP and to incorporate the health of our natural capital and its ability to sustain our economy into our understanding of the condition of our nation. It’s time we treasured this ‘National Wealth Service’ as much we do as we do the National Health Service.

    What I hope people will understand as a result of this State of Natural Capital Report is that Nature isn’t some rather quaint, distant notion that inevitably gets trampled by progress, or occasionally holds it up. Nature is a dynamic, vigorous multilayered force that can provide so many of our essential needs today and into the future, if we take this opportunity to understand it better, to treat it with respect.

    For these reasons, a thriving natural world means Nature flourishing across landscapes – hills, valleys, towns and cities, seas and shores, where people can be active, inspired and fulfilled. Healthy rivers and wetlands providing clean water and homes for wildlife and reducing the risks of flooding and drought. Restored peatlands and sea beds, storing vast quantities of carbon instead of releasing it into the atmosphere. Trees, shrubs, parks and rivers, cooling cities and some are bringing urban dwellers closer to Nature, reducing crime and encouraging businesses to invest. Hedgerows and flower-rich margins, ensuring a plentiful supply of pollinators for crops underpinning food security.

    All of these benefits provide us with security and resilience in an uncertain world. Put them together and it’s very clear that Nature isn’t different to growth, it is at the heart of it. You cannot grow the economy if you don’t grow Nature. According to recent estimates, the value of the UK’s stock of natural capital assets is just over £1.5 trillion.

    Is it wise to blow that capital and to not think about tomorrow? Or should we try to grow that capital to thereby grow the dividends and interest that we will get into the future?

    The evidence presented in this report reveals the answer and how investing in Nature recovery pays the upfront costs many times over. However, each decade doubles the costs of restoring the damage, meaning that the longer we leave this process of Nature recovery, the more expensive it will become.

    This report thereby offers an important resource for policymakers, making the invisible visible and providing the missing evidence needed, guiding the action that we require to achieve sustainable use of our natural assets. The case for Nature recovery as a result of this work, makes it an even stronger agenda.  I encourage those of you here today not to read the report only and to be informed by it, but to use it in your future decision-making processes and to create a stronger positive outlook for our economy and society by doing so.

    Notes

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Jefferson, The Fed’s Discount Window: 1990 to the Present

    Source: US State of New York Federal Reserve

    Thank you, Steve, for that kind introduction and for the opportunity to talk to this group today.1
    Let me start by saying that I am saddened by the tragic loss of life, destruction, and damage resulting from Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, and throughout this region. My thoughts are with the people and communities affected. For our part, the Federal Reserve and other federal and state financial regulatory agencies are working with banks and credit unions in the affected area to help make sure they can continue to meet the financial services needs of their communities.
    Yesterday I shared my historical perspective on the discount window at Davidson College.2 In 1913, when the Federal Reserve was established, the discount window was the main tool it used to provide the nation with a safer, more flexible, and more stable monetary and financial system. More than 110 years later, the discount window continues to play an important role in supporting the liquidity and stability of the banking system, and the effective implementation of monetary policy.
    Today I would like to discuss with you how the discount window has evolved in the 21st century, including recent steps the Federal Reserve Board has taken to solicit feedback from the public on discount window operations. Before I address our most recent efforts, however, I will review some important episodes in discount window history that brought us to where we are today.
    First, I will recount briefly events in the 1980s and early 1990s that provide important context for the reappraisal of the discount window in the early 2000s. Second, I will summarize revisions to the discount window that the Fed made in 2003 and some additional changes made since then. Third, I will describe efforts that the Fed has taken to ensure that the discount window remains effective today, including the request for information that the Board recently issued on operational aspects of the discount window and intraday credit. After completing my discussion of the discount window, I will conclude with my outlook for the U.S. economy.
    Events before the 2003 Discount Window RevisionsI would like to pick up today where I left off yesterday in my speech at Davidson College: the 1980s and early 1990s. This was a period of widespread problems in the commercial banking sector. Troubled institutions borrowed from the discount window for extended periods of time as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) sought to find merger partners or otherwise manage the closure of these institutions. As a result, the discount window became associated strongly with lending to troubled institutions. Healthy banks’ reluctance to borrow from the discount window increased. The greater reluctance to borrow from the discount window made it less effective both as a monetary policy tool and as a crisis-fighting tool.3 This led to a reassessment of the discount window in the early 2000s and to eventual revisions implemented in 2003.
    A Reassessment of the Discount Window in the Early 2000sThe key challenge in the reassessment of the discount window was to establish a lending program that would not only operate effectively and support monetary policy implementation, but also mitigate moral hazard and provide sufficient controls to minimize risk to Reserve Banks and, ultimately, to American taxpayers. After the reassessment, the Fed implemented several changes aimed to achieve the right balance.
    The Board replaced the adjustment credit program, which was extended at a below-market rate, with a new type of discount window credit called primary credit. This new type of discount window credit became effective in 2003.4 It is available as a backup source of liquidity to depository institutions in generally sound financial condition at an above-market rate. Making the discount rate a penalty rate is more consistent with the long-standing practice of other major central banks. This feature was intended to reduce the need for administrative pressures based on Reserve Bank staff judgment of inappropriate usage when the discount rate was below market rates. Although those measures effectively limited usage that was deemed inappropriate at the time, they also presented communication challenges regarding when it was appropriate to use the discount window and perpetuated the perception that the Fed discouraged its use.
    Primary credit is a “no questions asked” facility in which eligible depository institutions are no longer required to have exhausted other sources of funding or be subject to restrictions on the use of the borrowed funds. The Fed initially set the primary credit rate 100 basis points above the target federal funds rate.5 Since March 2020, the Fed has set the primary credit rate at a level equal to the top of the target range for the federal funds rate.6
    At the same time primary credit was established, another new program, called secondary credit, replaced the extended credit program. Secondary credit is available to depository institutions that are not eligible for primary credit. It was initially available at an interest rate 50 basis points higher than the primary credit rate, which is the spread in effect today. In contrast to primary credit, extensions under secondary credit are subject to higher collateral discounts and may involve ongoing oversight on the use of funds obtained under the program, reflecting the less-sound condition of secondary credit borrowers. Typically, Reserve Banks review a depository institution’s plan to repay the loan and return to market sources of funding.
    This two-tiered structure of providing the no-questions-asked primary credit program for healthy depository institutions and the secondary credit program for less-than-healthy depository institutions was designed primarily to instill public confidence in the health of institutions borrowing from the primary credit program and to reduce the reluctance of healthy depository institutions to borrow.7 In addition, having two separate facilities would reinforce the notion that healthy and troubled depository institutions alike should regard borrowing from the Fed as an option in the event of a need for additional funds.
    In the early years of the switch to the new facilities, there were signs that healthy depository institutions became more willing to borrow from the discount window. For example, some research found that after the 2003 discount window revisions, banks borrowed more from the discount window when the federal funds rate spiked than they had previously.8 This finding suggests that the redesign of the discount window was effective in reducing banks’ reluctance to borrow. As a result, the discount window may have been more effective in placing a ceiling on short-term funding rates, aiding the implementation of monetary policy, and serving as a liquidity tool when needed.
    Nevertheless, it is important to acknowledge that it is difficult to measure reluctance to borrow from the discount window. When the interest rate on primary credit is above the target federal funds rate and the federal funds rate is close to its target, the aggregate volume of primary credit is expected to be low. In other words, a low average level of discount window borrowing does not necessarily mean that there is a reluctance to borrow; instead, it could simply reflect a situation in which depository institutions do not currently need to borrow. In addition, when there is an abundance of liquidity in the banking system, as is the case in the current ample-reserves monetary policy regime, depository institutions may have less need to obtain additional liquidity via the discount window. Again, this does not necessarily mean that there is a reluctance to borrow. Conversely, the presence of discount window borrowing does not necessarily reflect the absence of a reluctance to borrow. It could be the case that, although aggregate usage increases, there are still some depository institutions that are willing to pay well above the primary credit rate even when they could have borrowed readily from the discount window. For these reasons, it is important that we complement data with market outreach information to assess the effectiveness of the discount window.
    Changes and Challenges since the Introduction of Primary and Secondary CreditPrimary and secondary credit exist today, but some changes have been made to primary credit since its inception. For example, although the discount window was used extensively and played an important role in the emergency measures taken during the financial crisis of 2007–09, some depository institutions during this period still were willing to borrow funds from the market at rates above the discount rate.9 This suggested that there was a reluctance to borrow before the crisis, and that reluctance appeared to grow over the course of the crisis. To promote the restoration of orderly conditions in financial markets and provide depository institutions with greater assurance about the cost and availability of funding, the Board approved temporary changes to its primary credit discount window facility during the crisis.10 In addition, in late 2007, the Board established the Term Auction Facility (TAF).11
    Concerns about lending to troubled depository institutions reemerged after the 2007–09 financial crisis. In the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which was enacted in 2010, Congress required the Fed to publish detailed individual institution borrowing data with a two-year lag.12 This action was intended to enhance the transparency and accountability of Federal Reserve lending while still preserving a measure of confidentiality to avoid discouraging depository institutions from borrowing.
    More recently, in March 2020, the Fed announced changes to the provision of primary credit that were intended to encourage depository institutions to use the discount window to meet demands for credit from households and businesses in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic. These changes included setting the primary credit rate at a level equal to the top of the federal funds target range—a step that enhanced the ability of the discount window to support trading within the Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) target range for the federal funds rate—and communicating the terms of borrowing as 90 days, prepayable and renewable on a daily basis. To further encourage depository institutions to use the discount window, the Fed also made changes to its reporting of Reserve Bank–level aggregate weekly discount window borrowing. It consolidated amounts previously reported as “loans,” which include discount window borrowing, into a broader category of assets.13 The changes made in 2020 remain in effect.
    During and after the spring 2023 stress events, the discount window again played an important role in supporting both monetary policy and financial stability. Depository institutions that came under severe stress turned to the discount window. The discount window also served an important role in providing ready access to funding, especially for depository institutions experiencing spillovers from the bank failures. To further ensure that depository institutions had the ability to meet the needs of all their depositors, the Board announced the creation of a new emergency program, the Bank Term Funding Program (BTFP). Although the BTFP was established pursuant to the Board’s emergency lending authority in section 13(3) of the Federal Reserve Act, the BTFP used the discount window infrastructure to lend to eligible depository institution borrowers.14 By relying on the existing discount window infrastructure, the BTFP was able to begin operating right away. The program ceased extending new loans on March 11, 2024, as scheduled.
    Today the discount window continues to be an effective tool, but it is important to acknowledge that economic and banking conditions continue to evolve. Since the 2003 discount window reassessment, we have seen an increased focus on liquidity in banking regulation, including the advent of quantitative liquidity requirements for large banking organizations; technological changes in the banking system; a general trend toward faster and 24-7-365 payment systems; changes in the composition and posture of Federal Home Loan Bank lending; and the move to an ample-reserves monetary policy implementation regime.
    In light of these developments, the Federal Reserve System has taken important steps to ensure that the discount window performs its functions successfully in the 21st-century economy. For example, last year the Board, along with the other federal banking agencies and the National Credit Union Administration, issued guidance on contingency funding plans that encouraged depository institutions to be ready to borrow from the discount window.15 This includes taking steps to establish borrowing relationships with the Federal Reserve, such as providing certain legal documentation and ensuring that collateral to secure loans is ready to pledge. In connection with interagency initiatives, Reserve Banks have conducted outreach to depository institutions and made efforts to guide them in using the discount window.
    Data suggest that this encouragement is working. By the end of 2023, 3,900 banks, or roughly 80 percent of all banks, had completed the legal documentation required to borrow from the discount window.16 Of those, nearly 2,000 banks had pledged collateral, with an aggregate lendable value of over $2.6 trillion after applying appropriate discounts. These figures are notably above their levels at the end of 2021 and 2022. Although I am pleased to see the improvements in discount window readiness statistics, continued outreach is still important. To that effect, this summer, Federal Reserve Banks hosted an Ask the Fed® session to discuss the purpose of the discount window, its facilities, and recommendations for depository institutions on how to prepare to borrow from the Fed.17
    Additionally, the Federal Reserve System has made important investments to enhance the technology that supports discount window activities. Earlier this year, the System launched Discount Window Direct, which is an online portal for depository institutions to request and prepay loans as well as securely message their local Reserve Bank.18 Discount Window Direct generally is accessible 24 hours a day. We are actively encouraging the use of Discount Window Direct.
    Seeking Feedback on the Discount WindowTo complement our efforts to enhance discount window operations, the Federal Reserve Board recently announced that it is collecting feedback from the public on operational frictions associated with the discount window and intraday credit through the issuance of a request for information. As some of you may know, a request for information is a formal document through which a government agency solicits feedback. Members of the public can submit comments in response to the request for information until December 9, 2024.19
    The Board requests input on various discount window and intraday credit operational practices, such as the process for requesting, receiving, and repaying discount window loans as well as Reserve Bank discount window and intraday credit communications practices. Through the request for information, the Board hopes to gain further insight into the operational aspects that are the most costly or burdensome for depository institutions. This will help the Fed consider further improvements to promote efficiency and reduce burden on depository institutions. Ultimately, the Fed’s goal is to build on the current discount window operations and processes so that the discount window will continue to provide ready access to funding against a wide range of collateral in the future. I encourage members of the public to submit comments on the request for information, and I look forward to considering the feedback that we receive.
    Economic OutlookBefore concluding, let me share with you a summary of my outlook for the U.S. economy, as I did yesterday with the audience at Davidson. Economic activity continues to grow at a solid pace. Inflation has eased substantially. The labor market has cooled from its formerly overheated state.
    Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) prices rose 2.2 percent over the 12 months ending in August, well down from 6.5 percent two years earlier. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core PCE prices rose 2.7 percent, compared with 5.2 percent two years earlier. Our restrictive monetary policy stance played a role in restraining demand and in keeping longer-term inflation expectations well anchored, as reflected in a broad range of inflation surveys of households, businesses, and forecasters, as well as measures from financial markets. Inflation is now much closer to the FOMC’s 2 percent objective. I expect that we will continue to make progress toward that goal.
    While, overall, the economy continues to grow at a solid pace, the labor market has modestly cooled. Employers added an average of 186,000 jobs per month during July through September, a slower pace than seen early this year. The unemployment rate now stands at 4.1 percent, up from 3.8 percent in September 2023. Meanwhile, job openings declined by about 4 million since their peak in March 2022. The good news is that the rise in unemployment has been limited and gradual, and the level of unemployment remains historically low. Even so, the cooling in the labor market is noticeable.
    Congress mandated the Fed to pursue maximum employment and price stability. The balance of risks to our two mandates has changed—as risks to inflation have diminished and risks to employment have risen, these risks have been brought roughly into balance. The FOMC has gained greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward our 2 percent goal. To maintain the strength of the labor market, my FOMC colleagues and I recalibrated our policy stance last month, lowering our policy interest rate by 1/2 percentage point.
    Looking ahead, I will carefully watch incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks when considering additional adjustments to the federal funds target range, our primary tool for adjusting the stance of monetary policy. My approach to monetary policymaking is to make decisions meeting by meeting. As the economy evolves, I will continue to update my thinking about policy to best promote maximum employment and price stability.
    Thank you.
    ReferencesArtuç, Erhan, and Selva Demiralp (2010). “Provision of Liquidity through the Primary Credit Facility during the Financial Crisis: A Structural Analysis,” Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Economic Policy Review, vol. 16 (August), p. 43–53.
    Bernanke, Ben S. (2009a). “The Federal Reserve’s Balance Sheet,” speech delivered at the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond 2009 Credit Markets Symposium, Charlotte, N.C., April 3.
    ——— (2009b). “The Federal Reserve’s Balance Sheet: An Update,” speech delivered at the Federal Reserve Board Conference on Key Developments in Monetary Policy, Washington, October 8.
    Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (2002a). “Extensions of Credit by Federal Reserve Banks; Reserve Requirements of Depository Institutions,” final rule, technical amendment (Docket Nos. R-1123 and R-1134), Federal Register, vol. 67 (November 7), pp. 67777–87.
    ——— (2002b). “Publication of Final Rule Amending Regulation A (Extensions of Credit by Federal Reserve Banks),” press release, October 31.
    ——— (2020). “Federal Reserve Actions to Support the Flow of Credit to Households and Businesses,” press release, March 15.
    ——— (2023). “Federal Reserve Board Announces It Will Make Available Additional Funding to Eligible Depository Institutions to Help Assure Banks Have the Ability to Meet the Needs of All Their Depositors,” press release, March 12.
    ——— (2024a). “Bank Term Funding Program: Frequently Asked Questions (PDF),” updated January 24.
    ——— (2024b). “Request for Information and Comment on Operational Aspects of Federal Reserve Bank Extensions of Discount Window and Intraday Credit,” request for information and comment (Docket No. OP-1838), Federal Register, vol. 89 (September 10), pp. 73415–18.
    Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, National Credit Union Administration, and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (2023). “Agencies Update Guidance on Liquidity Risks and Contingency Planning,” joint press release, July 28.
    Clouse, James A. (1994). “Recent Developments in Discount Window Policy (PDF),” Federal Reserve Bulletin, vol. 80 (November), pp. 965–77.
    Jefferson, Philip N. (2024). “A History of the Fed’s Discount Window: 1913-2000,” speech delivered at Davidson College, Davidson, N.C., October 8.
    Madigan, Brian F. (2009). “Bagehot’s Dictum in Practice: Formulating and Implementing Policies to Combat the Financial Crisis,” speech delivered at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s Annual Economic Symposium, Jackson Hole, Wyo., August 21.

    1. The views expressed here are my own and are not necessarily those of my colleagues on the Federal Reserve Board or the Federal Open Market Committee. Return to text
    2. See Jefferson (2024). Return to text
    3. For more details about this period, see Clouse (1994). In response to the wave of depository institution failures, Congress placed legal limitations on Federal Reserve lending to troubled institutions. Specifically, section 142 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 (FDICIA) amended section 10B of the Federal Reserve Act to place restraints on discount window lending to undercapitalized and critically undercapitalized insured depository institutions. FDICIA also imposed liability on the Board of Governors for excess losses incurred by the FDIC that are attributable to lending beyond those limits. The provisions of FDICIA were intended to reduce moral hazard in the banking system and limit taxpayer losses. Return to text
    4. For more details, see the October 31, 2002, Federal Reserve press release (Board of Governors, 2002b) and the final rule implementing the changes (Board of Governors, 2002a). Return to text
    5. In 2003, when primary credit was implemented, there was a single federal funds target rate. The Federal Open Market Committee adopted a federal funds target range on December 16, 2008. Return to text
    6. For details on the change to the rate spread announced in March 2020, see the press release (Board of Governors, 2020). As will be discussed in greater detail later, before 2020, the spread between the primary credit rate and the target federal funds rate (or top of the target range) had changed a few times to address economic conditions during the 2007–09 financial crisis and the subsequent recovery. Return to text
    7. This design feature also would help Reserve Banks manage risk more easily by establishing a standardized approach and risk controls when lending through a facility reserved for troubled depository institutions. Loans to troubled depository institutions entail more risk to the lending Reserve Bank, and depository institutions that are undercapitalized or critically undercapitalized are subject to lending limitations under FDICIA. Return to text
    8. See Artuç and Demiralp (2010). Return to text
    9. See Bernanke (2009a) and Madigan (2009) for a retrospective that elaborates on some of the emergency measures taken during the 2007–09 financial crisis and the reasoning for discount window rate changes during the financial crisis. Return to text
    10. Throughout this crisis, the Board approved numerous reductions in the primary credit rate and narrowed the spread between the primary credit rate and the target federal funds rate twice. With the narrowing of the spread in August 2007 from 100 basis points to 50 basis points and in March 2008 to 25 basis points, the Board announced that the maximum term for primary credit loans would be extended, first to 30 days and then to 90 days, respectively. As economic conditions improved, in 2010, the Board increased the spread between the primary credit rate and the target federal funds rate to 50 basis points and shortened the maximum term for primary credit loans to overnight. Return to text
    11. The TAF provided fixed quantities of term credit to depository institutions through an auction mechanism and seemed to have largely addressed banks’ concern that borrowing from the Federal Reserve would imply weakness. According to Bernanke (2009b, paragraph 7), this was “partly because the sizable number of borrowers provides a greater assurance of anonymity, and possibly also because the three-day period between the auction and auction settlement suggests that the facility’s users are not using it to meet acute funding needs on a particular day.” Return to text
    12. See section 1103 of the Dodd-Frank Act, which amended section 11 of the Federal Reserve Act. Return to text
    13. The Board’s H.4.1 statistical release, “Factors Affecting Reserve Balances of Depository Institutions and Condition Statement of Federal Reserve Banks,” is published weekly. It presents a balance sheet for each Federal Reserve Bank, a consolidated balance sheet for all 12 Reserve Banks, an associated statement that lists the factors affecting reserve balances of depository institutions, and several other tables presenting information on the assets, liabilities, and commitments of the Federal Reserve Banks. For additional details on the consolidation of “loans” into a broader category of assets, see the March 19, 2020, H.4.1 announcement, available on the Board’s website at https://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/h41/20200319. Return to text
    14. As with the discount window, an eligible institution participated in the BTFP through its local Reserve Bank. The legal agreements and process for pledging securities in the BTFP also relied on those used in discount window lending. Nevertheless, the BTFP differed from the discount window in various ways, including the term of lending, scope of eligible collateral, collateral valuation, and interest rate. For more information on the differences between the BTFP and the discount window, see the response to question A.3 in Board of Governors (2024a, p. 3). For additional details on the BTFP, see the March 12, 2023, press release (Board of Governors, 2023). Return to text
    15. See Board of Governors and others (2023). Return to text
    16. The statistics in this paragraph are available on the Board’s website at https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/discount-window-readiness.htm. Return to text
    17. More information on Ask the Fed is available on the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis’s website at https://bsr.stlouisfed.org/askthefed/Auth/Logon. Return to text
    18. Additional details on Discount Window Direct can be found on the Federal Reserve Bank Services website at https://www.frbservices.org/central-bank/lending-central. Return to text
    19. See the information on discount window operations in section II.A of Board of Governors (2024b). Return to text

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA-Funded Study Assesses Pollution Near Los Angeles-Area Warehouses

    Source: NASA

    Satellite-based data offers a broad view of particulate air pollution patterns across a major West Coast e-commerce hub.
    As goods of all shapes and sizes journey from factory to doorstep, chances are they’ve stopped at a warehouse along the way — likely several of them. The sprawling structures are waypoints in the logistics networks that make e-commerce possible. Yet the convenience comes with tradeoffs, as illustrated in a recent NASA-funded study.
    Published in the journal GeoHealth, the research analyzes patterns of particulate pollution in Southern California and found that ZIP codes with more or larger warehouses had higher levels of contaminants over time than those with fewer or smaller warehouses. Researchers focused on particulate pollution, choosing Southern California because it is a major distribution hub for goods: Its ports handle 40% of cargo containers entering the country.
    The buildings themselves are not the major particulate sources. Rather, it’s the diesel trucks that pick up and drop off goods, emitting exhaust containing toxic particles called PM2.5. At 2.5 micrometers or less, these pollutants can be inhaled into the lungs and absorbed into the bloodstream. Although atmospheric concentrations are typically so small they’re measured in millionths of a gram per cubic meter, the authors caution that there’s no safe exposure level for PM2.5.
    “Any increase in concentration causes some health damage,” said co-author Yang Liu, an environmental health researcher at Emory University in Atlanta. “But if you can curb pollution, there will be a measurable health benefit.”

    Growing Air Quality Research
    Particulate pollution has been linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, some cancers, and adverse birth outcomes, including premature birth and low infant birth weight.
    The new study is part of a broader effort funded by the NASA Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team to use satellite data to understand how air pollution disproportionately affects underserved communities.
    As the e-commerce boom of recent decades has spurred warehouse construction, pollution in nearby neighborhoods has become a growing area for research. New structures have often sprouted on relatively inexpensive land, which tends to be home to low-income or minority populations who bear the brunt of the poor air quality, Liu said.
    Another recent NASA-funded study analyzed satellite-derived nitrogen dioxide (NO2) measurements around 150,000 United States warehouses. It found that concentrations of the gas, which is a diesel byproduct and respiratory irritant, were about 20% higher near warehouses.
    Distribution Hub
    For the GeoHealth paper, scientists drew on previously generated datasets of PM2.5 from 2000 to 2018 and elemental carbon, a type of PM2.5 in diesel emissions, from 2000 to 2019. The data came from models based on satellite observations, including some from NASA’s MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) and ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) instruments.
    The researchers also mined a real estate database for the square footage as well as the number of loading docks and parking spaces at nearly 11,000 warehouses across portions of Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, and all of Orange County.
    They found that warehouse capacity correlated with pollution. ZIP codes in the 75th percentile of warehouse square footage had 0.16 micrograms per cubic meter more PM2.5 and 0.021 micrograms per cubic meter more elemental carbon than those in the 25th percentile.
    Similarly, ZIP codes in the 75th percentile of number of loading docks had 0.10 micrograms per cubic meter more PM2.5 and 0.014 micrograms per cubic meter more elemental carbon than those in the 25th percentile. And ZIP codes in the 75th percentile of truck parking spaces had 0.21 micrograms per cubic meter more PM2.5 and 0.021 micrograms per cubic meter more elemental carbon than those in the 25th percentile.
    “We found that warehouses are associated with PM2.5 and elemental carbon,” said lead author Binyu Yang, an Emory environmental health doctoral student.
    Although particulate pollution fell from 2000 to 2019 due to stricter emissions standards, the concentrations in ZIP codes with warehouses remained consistently higher than for other areas.
    Researchers also found that the gaps widened in the holiday shopping season, up to 4 micrograms per cubic meter — “a significant difference,” Liu said.
    Satellites Provide Big Picture
    Satellite observations, the researchers said, were essential because they provided a continuous map of pollution, including pockets not covered by ground-based instruments.
    It’s the same motivation behind NASA’s TEMPO (Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution) mission, which launched in April 2023 and measures air pollution hourly during daylight over North America. The release of TEMPO’s first maps showed higher concentrations of NO2 around cities and highways.
    Meanwhile, NASA and the Italian Space Agency are collaborating to launch the MAIA (Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols) in 2026. It will be the first NASA satellite mission whose primary goal is to study health effects of particulate pollution while distinguishing between PM2.5 types.“This mission will help air quality managers and policymakers conceive more targeted pollution strategies,” said Sina Hasheminassab, a co-author and science systems engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. Hasheminassab, like Liu, is a member of the MAIA science team.
    News Media Contacts
    Andrew Wang / Jane J. LeeJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.626-379-6874 / 818-354-0307andrew.wang@jpl.nasa.gov / jane.j.lee@jpl.nasa.gov
    2024-134

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: NIO minister pledges UK Government to support Health and Social Care Reform 

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Fleur Anderson, was speaking after attending the Accelerating Change conference in Belfast today (9 October)

    Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Fleur Anderson

    Northern Ireland Office Minister Fleur Anderson has pledged the UK Government will support the NI Executive to reform and transform public services.

    The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State was speaking after attending the Accelerating Change conference hosted by the Department of Health in Belfast on Wednesday.

    Minister Anderson paid tribute to the Health Minister Mike Nesbitt for “bringing together expert voices on health reform into one room.”

    She said: “The conference highlighted the need to accelerate change in the health service and this is something the UK Government is keen to support. 

    “I understand the scale of the challenge facing the health service across the UK and particularly in Northern Ireland.

    “This Government’s five missions provide ambitious, measurable and long-term objectives to tackle shared public service challenges, which exist right across the UK. 

    “We want to support the NI Executive and the Department of Health to transform the health service to provide better outcomes for local people.”

    Updates to this page

    Published 9 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ultra-processed foods: we have the technology to turn them from foe into friend

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By David Benton, Professor Emeritus (Human & Health Sciences), Medicine Health and Life Science, Swansea University

    Ultra-processed foods can be cheap, convenient and they usually taste good. PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Ultra-processed foods are the latest nutritional villains, associated with several diseases of the modern world, from obesity to heart disease. However, many nutritionists question whether the term “ultra-processed” does any more than create confusion. It only considers the way food is produced, ignoring other important factors like calories and nutrients.

    My work suggests that instead of being viewed as the problem, ultra-processed foods could actually be part of the solution. With advances in food science, we have the technology to create low-calorie, nutritious and affordable processed foods.

    There is no consensus about how ultra-processed foods should be defined. But a common approach was proposed by the nutrition and public health scholar, Carlos Monteiro. He coined the term about 15 years ago, defining foods that undergo significant industrial processing and often contain multiple added ingredients. In Portugal, ultra-processed food make up about 10% of the average diet, whereas in Germany it’s 46%, the UK 50% and in the US 76%.

    Ultra-processed foods three major advantages – they are cheap, convenient and they usually taste good. Their affordability in particular is an important factor.

    Producing food in bulk reduces costs. For instance, the Heinz factory in Wigan is the largest baked bean factory in the world. It produces 3 million cans of baked beans a day, ensuring they are widely available and affordable.

    In 1961, scientists in Chorleywood, Hertfordshire developed a new method for making bread. Today, more than 80% of loaves in Britain are produced this way. These loaves are softer, last longer and cost less than traditional bread.

    The affordability of ultra-processed food makes them a staple for many, particularly people on lower incomes. As around 30% of children in the UK live in poverty, calls to remove such foods from diets need to address how poorer families will be able to afford fresher and more nutritious food. Current ultra-processed foods may not offer a perfect diet, but they do provide calories when money is scarce.



    Read more:
    Ultra-processed foods: here’s what the evidence actually says about them

    Convenience is another notable benefit of ultra-processed food. Preparing meals from scratch can be time-consuming, involving buying ingredients, cooking and cleaning up afterwards. Ultra-processed foods offer a shortcut, saving valuable time. This is especially important for parents trying to balance jobs and family life. For those with busy lives who are working long hours, time is a luxury that ultra-processed food can help reclaim.

    Finally, ultra-processed foods are designed to be tasty. We’re genetically inclined to be attracted to sweet and fatty foods. Having a pleasant taste is one of the reasons we select our food.

    This convenience, affordability and taste come at a cost, however, as ultra-processed foods are often high in sugar, salt and saturated fats, while lacking in fruits, vegetables and essential nutrients.

    Are all ultra-processed foods bad for us?

    It’s not always clear if it’s the “ultra-processed” nature of these foods or their high calorie and low nutrient content that causes health issues. Nutrition is more complex than just considering how food is processed. We also need to consider calories, fibre, vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients.

    For example, while baked beans are considered ultra-processed, they’re also high in fibre – something often missing from UK diets – low in fat and calories, and a good source of plant-based protein.

    Inside the world’s largest baked bean factory in Wigan.

    Some studies suggest that many health problems linked to ultra-processed food, like obesity and diabetes, may be caused by excess calorie consumption rather than the processing itself. When people cut out ultra-processed foods, they often end up eating fewer calories, which could explain the health benefits they experience.

    The link between ultra-processed foods and poverty suggests that many of the health issues linked to ultra-processed food may be caused by factors associated with poverty itself. Poor nutrition is often just one part of a wider picture that includes limited access to healthcare, higher stress levels and fewer opportunities for physical activity – all of which can contribute to poor health.

    Can ultra-processing be used for good?

    Ultra-processing has been used to fortify foods in the UK for decades. For example, the Bread and Flour Regulations 1998 requires certain nutrients like calcium, iron, thiamine (vitamin B1) and niacin (vitamin B3) to be added to any non-wholemeal flour. This fortification plays an important role in public health, providing around 35% of calcium intake, 31% of iron and 31% of thiamine to the average UK diet. Without these added nutrients, the risk of deficiencies would rise.

    The UK government took a further step in 2022 by requiring folic acid be added to flour. It was a move aimed at preventing birth defects such as spina bifida, where a baby’s spine and spinal cord doesn’t develop properly in the womb, and anencephaly, where a baby is born without parts of the brain and skull.

    Breakfast cereals, often criticised for their sugar content, can also boost the intake of essential nutrients like vitamins B2, B12, folate and iron. Some experts would like to see mandatory food fortification be extended much further.

    Food scientists are exploring other ways to make ultra-processed foods healthier. One approach involves reducing sugar by making it taste sweeter more quickly, which means less sugar is needed to achieve the same taste.

    Another is using scientific techniques to increase the speed at which salt is released from food. Similarly, this results in it being tasted more quickly, leading to lower consumption.

    Other innovations to lower the calories in foods by changing the recipe include creating creamy, low-calorie sauces without dairy, or plant-based burgers that are virtually indistinguishable from their meat counterparts, but have fewer calories.

    These types of innovations show that ultra-processing doesn’t necessarily mean unhealthy and calorie-dense food – it’s about the choices made in production. If scientists focus on creating affordable, nutritious ultra-processed foods, they could become part of the solution to the obesity crisis, rather than the enemy.

    I have never had funding that has anything to do with ultra-processed foods. However, I have worked on other aspects of nutrition and have worked with the likes of Novartis, Danone, Yakult, Beneo and Pepisco. Much of my work has been on micro-nutrients or the glycaemic response to carbohydrate. 

    – ref. Ultra-processed foods: we have the technology to turn them from foe into friend – https://theconversation.com/ultra-processed-foods-we-have-the-technology-to-turn-them-from-foe-into-friend-239683

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada renews historic funding for Indigenous health research from coast to coast to coast

    Source: Government of Canada News

    News release

    Investments will support self-determination of Indigenous Peoples in health research

    October 9, 2024 — Ottawa, Ontario — Canadian Institutes of Health Research

    Today, the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, announced an investment of $37.6 million over five years, through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, for the renewal of the Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research (NEIHR).

    Across the country, NEIHRs bring together researchers, Indigenous leaders and community members to support community-based and scientifically excellent health research grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing. These networks work to address significant health disparities and train and mentor the next generation of First Nations, Inuit and Métis health researchers. Simply put, this investment is supporting health researchers who are studying ways of improving Indigenous health.

    This continued investment supports the nine established NEIHR Centres in their vital work, assists the NEIHR National Coordinating Centre, and will also expand the program into the Yukon—meaning this important program is now operating in every region of the country.

    Quotes

    “Supporting Indigenous health research and improving Indigenous health is a priority for our Government. By engaging Indigenous communities, Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers, and many groups and organizations, the NEIHRs are supporting a national research agenda that benefits not just Indigenous Peoples, but all health research in Canada.”

    The Honourable Mark Holland
    Minister of Health

    “Since its launch in 2018, the NEIHR Program has been focused on the unique health needs of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis in Canada. The program creates supportive research environments for community-based research that is driven by Indigenous communities and grounded in Indigenous ways of understanding, also providing the space to grow and adapt with evolving needs.”

    The Honourable Patty Hajdu
    Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario

    “Research involving Indigenous Peoples is always a priority at CIHR. With a total investment of $107.8 million for the Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research, CIHR looks forward to continuing its partnership with Indigenous health researchers and communities across the country.”

    Dr. Tammy Clifford, Acting President
    Canadian Institutes of Health Research

    “The NEIHR centres are independent, Indigenous-led networks that provide supportive research environments for Indigenous health research driven by, and grounded in, Indigenous communities in Canada. This funding renewal means we can continue to support our community partners, our researchers, and our trainees in addressing complex issues in community and with community.”

    Dr. Robert Henry, Co-Lead
    NEIHR National Coordinating Centre

    “This is a big day for Indigenous health research in Canada. All 9 NEIHR Centres have guaranteed funding for five more years, funds have been designated to develop the new Yukon NEIHR Centre, and there’s a stronger focus on training the next generation of Indigenous health researchers. This is the type of support that I had as a NEIHR funded student and the type of support that we need to improve the health and well-being of Indigenous Peoples.”

    Dr. Chelsea Gabel, Scientific Director
    CIHR Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health

    Quick facts

    • The Network Environments for Indigenous Health Research (NEIHR) initiative was developed to strengthen Indigenous research capacity, training and mentoring, and support Indigenous community-based health research that reflects the priorities and values of Indigenous Peoples. The NEIHR program is now active in all regions of Canada.

    • Today’s announcement of $37.6 million over five years from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research represents the next phase of the agency’s 2018 investment of $100.8M, the single largest investment ever made in Indigenous health research in Canada, which established NEIHR networks across the country. With a planned final phase of funding arriving in 2029, the total investment by the end of the program is expected to be close to $108 million. 

    • Through the NEIHR initiative, CIHR is supporting hundreds of Indigenous researchers and trainees, and significant Indigenous health research projects across the country.

    • CIHR is committed to advancing Indigenous self-determination in health research and embedding Indigenous ways of knowing, learning and doing in our research programs.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    Matthew Kronberg
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Honourable Mark Holland
    Minister of Health
    343-552-5654
    matthew.kronberg@hc-sc.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Canadian Institutes of Health Research
    mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

    At the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) we know that research has the power to change lives. As Canada’s health research investment agency, we collaborate with partners and researchers to support the discoveries and innovations that improve our health and strengthen our health care system.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: Lendmark Financial Services Expands Kentucky Presence with Florence Branch, Marking its 22nd Location in the State

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FLORENCE, Ky., Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lendmark Financial Services (Lendmark), a leading provider of household credit and consumer loan solutions, continues to expand its Kentucky footprint, opening a new branch in Florence.

    The branch is located at 212 Mount Zion Road and is expected to serve hundreds of customers in its first year. Elaine Gambill, who serves as the branch manager, will be responsible for administration of all daily operations. These include building personal relationships with customers and integrating into the community to ensure area residents receive a superior level of individualized loan services that meet their unique financial needs.

    “Planned and unplanned life events still happen, causing many consumers to look for financial resources to meet these needs,” said EJ Ryan, Vice President of Branch Operations at Lendmark. “Our team will be laser focused on serving the Florence community, delivering personalized and convenient household credit solutions that meet their respective financial needs.”

    In addition to serving consumers directly, Lendmark provides financing solutions for thousands of retailers and independent auto dealerships, allowing these businesses’ customers to obtain Lendmark financing. Local businesses that are interested in partnering with Lendmark to provide financing solutions for their customers should visit the branch or call 859-474-5598.

    Lendmark’s ‘Climb to Cure’ is its signature cause-related initiative. The company has committed to raising $10 million by 2025 to mark its 10-year anniversary partnering with CURE Childhood Cancer. So far, Lendmark’s employees, partners and customers have raised $8.83 million to support CURE, an Atlanta-based nonprofit dedicated to funding targeted pediatric cancer research that is utilized nationwide.

    Lendmark customers can participate by donating $1 when closing their loan. Lendmark matches the donation.

    About Lendmark Financial Services
    Lendmark Financial Services (Lendmark) provides personal and household credit and loan solutions to consumers. Founded in 1996, Lendmark strives to be the lender, employer, and partner of choice by protecting household wealth, offering stability and helping consumers meet both planned and unplanned life events through affordable loan offerings. Today, Lendmark operates more than 515 branches in 22 states across the country, providing personalized services to customers and retail business partners with every transaction. Lendmark is headquartered in Lawrenceville, Ga. For more information, visit http://www.lendmarkfinancial.com.

    Media Contact
    Jeff Hamilton
    Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
    jhamilton@lendmarkfinancial.com
    678-625-3128

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4de73a45-0f99-4be1-8ac5-4dd139567888

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Zoomtopia 2024: Unveiling AI-first work platform innovations

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • Next generation of Zoom AI Companion to pull in information from across Zoom Workplace, empowering users to get more done
    • New custom add-on for AI Companion to offer advanced customization capabilities, including new Zoom AI Studio
    • Zoom Tasks expands Zoom Workplace capabilities to help users detect, recommend, and complete tasks throughout their workday

    SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZM) kicked off Zoomtopia 2024 and unveiled new AI-first work platform innovations for Zoom Workplace and Zoom Business Services that will transform team communication, collaboration, and productivity and help customers get more done.

    Zoomtopia 2024 announcements include Zoom AI Companion 2.0, a new add-on option to customize and personalize AI Companion, Zoom Tasks to help users take action across Zoom Workplace, and enhanced employee and customer experience innovations underpinned by cutting-edge AI.

    “At Zoom, we’re not just reimagining communication—we’re revolutionizing the entire work experience. Our vision is to create an AI-first work platform for human connection that empowers teams to achieve more than ever,” said Eric S. Yuan, founder and CEO of Zoom. “With AI Companion already enhancing productivity, we are helping our customers transform the way they work. This is more than an evolution; it’s a complete overhaul of how we get things done in the digital age.”

    Zoom AI innovations

    Zoom’s mission is to deliver an AI-first work platform for human connection. This AI-first approach to Zoom Workplace and Zoom Business Services allows individuals and teams to free up time and focus on what they do best: engaging, connecting, and delivering creative and insightful work.

    Zoom’s federated approach to AI allows its tech stack to dynamically select from multiple AI models to provide high-quality outputs; is responsible and provides customers with controls; and helps users drive enhanced collaboration, optimize time, and prioritize tasks effectively. Additionally, Zoom AI Companion is included at no additional cost with the paid services in eligible Zoom accounts so that users can harness the benefits of AI across all of their workstreams and get more done.

    Zoom AI Companion 2.0
    Zoom is dedicated to continuously improving AI Companion, giving its customers access to its most up-to-date and high-quality AI tools to make the user experience more seamless and productive. New capabilities of AI Companion 2.0 will include:

    • Persistent: Users can now engage with AI Companion via a convenient, persistent side panel, with seamless availability throughout Zoom Workplace, delivering an AI-first user interface (UI) that seamlessly integrates graphical and conversation UIs to allow for better information flow across Zoom Workplace.
    • Expanded context: AI Companion gains advanced contextual understanding based on what the user is looking at in the Zoom Workplace app and on previous conversations to provide intelligent suggestions and responses that come with citations to help users stay on top of their workday.
    • Advanced synthesis: AI Companion can pull in interactions from across Zoom Workplace, and, when connected, information from Microsoft Outlook, Gmail, Google Calendar, and uploaded files from Microsoft Office and Google Docs to help users summarize content and interactions and get caught up fast.
    • Connected to the web: AI Companion will be able to answer user questions and look up information from the web in real time.
    • Takes action: AI Companion will be able to detect, track, and complete actions across different workloads in Zoom Workplace to help users get more done.

    AI Companion 2.0 will be available in the coming weeks at no additional cost with paid services in Zoom Workplace accounts.

    Custom add-on for AI Companion
    A new optional add-on that allows for a customized and personalized AI Companion experience for individual customers will provide expanded data access to apps beyond Microsoft and Google email and calendar services and additional company data sources to expand its knowledge, allow customization with company glossaries, offer enhanced search capabilities, and be able to take action on the user’s behalf. The personalization capabilities will help improve AI Companion’s performance on the customer’s account and empower them to scale staff development efforts with a personalized coach and help save time and resources with custom avatar clips. Key components of the new add-on include:

    • Customized experience with AI Studio: Organizations can tailor the AI Companion experience to their unique business needs with custom dictionaries, meeting summaries, and knowledge collections, helping improve response accuracy by connecting to company data sources.
    • Connected third-party apps: Get comprehensive insights with the option to connect third-party data sources that integrate with Zoom’s AI capabilities to allow AI Companion to get answers and orchestrate actions across third-party apps like Atlassian (Jira & Confluence), Glean, Workday, Zendesk, ServiceNow, Box, Asana, Hubspot, and more.
    • Personalization: With the custom AI Companion add-on, individuals can also grow their skills with personal coaching capabilities and save time and production costs with custom avatars for Zoom Clips, which help users scale video clip creation and avoid multiple takes by using a personalized AI-generated avatar to create clips with a user-provided script.

    Custom AI Companion add-on will be available for $12 per user per month and is planned to launch in the first half of 2025. Visit the Zoom newsroom for more information on Zoom’s latest AI innovations.

    Zoom Workplace advancements

    Stay on top of the workday
    With Zoom Workplace, employees can easily stay on top of their day and get more done. New innovations include an AI-first product, Zoom Tasks, which will use AI Companion to help detect, recommend, and complete tasks for a user based on conversations from across Zoom Workplace; Zoom Phone AI-first enhancements, including real-time queries, which will provide summaries of Zoom Phone calls as they happen and Zoom Phone voicemail generation that a user can set up so AI Companion can automatically create personalized voicemail greetings from their voiceprint that are tailored to the user’s calendar events, such as travel schedules, to avoid manual voicemail greeting updates.

    Collaborate more effectively
    Zoom Workplace users will be able to have more productive meetings and collaborate more effectively with AI Companion meeting agendas and real-time summaries that help them make sure the most important topics are covered and keep meetings on track; scale their efforts with a library of pre-selected avatars in Zoom Clips to generate professional video content from text; Zoom Docs will offer new organization and permission options for finer control, new Data Table views and columns for collaboration on projects, APIs and workflow automation, and AI Companion skills to help streamline writing by generating content from templates tailored for writing scenarios and additional data sources.

    These Zoom Workplace enhancements are included at no added cost with the paid services in Zoom Workplace accounts.

    In-person experiences
    Zoom announced AI Companion for in-person meetings, which provides meeting summaries and action items via the Zoom Workplace app on a mobile device. For in-office meetings, AI Companion is expanding within Workspace Reservation to recommend what days employees should go into the office based on when their teammates are there, and recommend rooms based on location and size, making it easier to coordinate, collaborate with teammates, and optimize in-office space.

    Employee engagement
    New AI-first employee engagement solutions that help foster connection include AI Companion for Workvivo, which helps keep employees informed, engaged, and connected by creating content faster, and Workvivo Employee Insights, which helps measure employee engagement, happiness, and performance.

    Visit the Zoom newsroom for more information on these Zoom Workplace features and more.

    Business Services enhancements

    Zoom Customer Experience
    Zoom introduced enhancements to self-service solutions and improved agent and management support features to help provide world-class customer experiences.

    • Zoom’s self-service chatbot, Zoom Virtual Agent, now includes multi-intent detection to handle more complex customer issues. It can process several problems within a single engagement and automatically update customer intents based on learnings from active trends or common queries. Zoom is also launching an AI virtual voice agent to bring Zoom Virtual Agent’s capabilities into self-service voice calls.
    • The new Auto Quality Management allows supervisors to gain comprehensive insights into agent performance, automatically scoring customer interactions.
    • New AI Expert Assist capabilities include dynamic agent guides—AI Expert Assist analyzes the conversation context, notices which steps the agent has already taken, and then guides them to the relevant next step.

    Visit the Zoom newsroom for more information about these customer experience announcements and additional innovations for sales and marketing.

    Industry-specific offerings

    Different types of workers, whether it’s based on where they work or their industry, have unique needs, so Zoom announced new tailored solutions enhanced with AI.

    • For frontline workers, Zoom Workplace for Frontline provides a mobile-centric experience to drive employee productivity, engagement, and collaboration. It includes AI Companion-generated shift summaries, on-shift communications, work management, insights, and more.
    • For healthcare, Zoom Workplace for Healthcare will include AI Companion 2.0 to help personnel get more done. Healthcare customers will also be able to purchase a custom AI Companion for Healthcare add-on to provide customization and personalization capabilities with healthcare dictionaries and access to third-party data sources like electronic healthcare records.
    • The new Zoom Workplace for Clinicians offering helps clinicians save time by automating the clinical workflow. A key part of the solution is clinical notes, which will use specialized healthcare AI to help reduce documentation overhead and improve doctor-patient interactions.
    • For education, Zoom Workplace for Education will include AI Companion 2.0, along with education-specific enhancements like lesson planning, lecture summaries, personalized feedback, and in-class student engagement, as well as capabilities for students, such as AI Companion-generated live notes, Zoom Docs, and more. A custom AI Companion for Education add-on will provide additional access to third-party data sources like student information systems, Learning Management Systems, and other institutional content.

    Visit the Zoom newsroom for more information on additional industry enhancements.

    Watch Zoomtopia

    Tune in to Zoomtopia today for the Americas and tomorrow, October 10 for APAC, EMEA, and Japan to learn more about these innovations, and visit the Zoom blog for product updates.

    About Zoom
    Zoom’s mission is to provide an AI-first work platform for human connection. Reimagine teamwork with Zoom Workplace — Zoom’s open collaboration platform with AI Companion empowers teams to be more productive. Together with Zoom Workplace, Zoom’s Business Services for sales, marketing, and customer experience teams, including Zoom Contact Center, strengthen customer relationships throughout the customer lifecycle. Founded in 2011, Zoom is publicly traded (NASDAQ:ZM) and headquartered in San Jose, California. Get more information at zoom.com.

    The statements contained here are for informational purposes only and may not be incorporated into any contract. Any services, products, or functionality referenced that are not currently available are subject to change at Zoom’s sole discretion and may not be delivered as planned or at all. Customers who purchase from Zoom should make their purchase decisions based on currently available pricing, features, and functions.

    Zoom Public Relations
    Lacretia Nichols
    press@zoom.us

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Collins, King Announce Over $11 Million to Protect Children From Lead Poisoning

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Angus King (I-Maine) announced today that the cities of Portland and Lewiston have been awarded grant funding to help protect children from lead poisoning. The Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction (LHR) grant program awards, totaling $11,117,960, will help improve the health of Maine communities by fixing older housing and preserving affordable housing units that pose a lead hazard — such as the use of lead paint, more common in homes built before 1960. Additionally, this grant targets housing where children less than six years of age live.
    “The majority of Maine’s housing stock was built prior to 1978, the year that lead-based paint was banned, which has resulted in our state having one of the highest levels of lead paint contamination in the country,” said Senator Collins. “This federal investment in lead hazard abatement will increase the safety of housing for families in Portland and Lewiston, helping to further alleviate this public health threat.”
    “Lead exposure and poisoning can pose extreme health risks, especially for young children who are still growing and developing,” said Senator King. “Even small amounts of lead from paint chips and flakes can build up in the body and cause serious health problems. Families should be focused on helping their children grow and thrive, not worried about whether or not their house is hazardous. This robust funding will help more Maine families and children have a healthy and safe place to call home.”
    The Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction program is funded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In addition to the LHR program, HUD also offers the Healthy Homes Supplemental funding that is available to further bolster lead-based paint hazard prevention and control.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Trahan, Zlotnik Announce $225,000 in Funding for Mental Health and Addiction Services in Gardner

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

    LOWELL, MA – Yesterday, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) and State Representative Jon Zlotnik were joined by local leaders in Gardner to highlight $225,000 in federal and state funding they secured to support GAAMHA’s mental health and addiction programs.

    “For more than 50 years, GAAMHA has supported individuals and families here in Gardner and across the region through battles with addiction and mental health challenges, regardless of their income. Their holistic approach to treatment and recovery has helped so many not just get back on their feet, but also develop the skills to get ahead,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “Evergreen Grove is a very special place, and I’m proud of my work with State Representative Zlotnik to deliver significant federal and state funds to support the outstanding work happening here.”

    “Funding that we an provide for these programs is incredibly important,” said State Representative Zlotnik. “GAAMHA does good work and has been able to be very creative in their approach. This has helped so many people in our community because most importantly, they are accessible and strive to make their programs available to everyone who needs them regardless of their past struggles or financial constraints.”

    “Our organization is focused on the concept of redefining community support,” said GAAMHA President & CEO, Shawn Hayden. “We aim to provide the very best care in our field to anyone who needs it. As a provider who focuses on serving people with low or no income, our ability to innovate and raise the standard of care relies on our creativity and our partnerships with funders, grantmakers, and donors. With the support we have received from Congresswoman Trahan, Representative Zlotnik, and so many others, we’ve been able to develop a program model that is receiving national attention and make it available to the underserved.”

    Founded in 1967, GAAMHA has provided services to individuals with developmental and physical disabilities as well as those struggling with mental health and addiction challenges in communities across North Central Massachusetts. The organization has focused on the creation of a “recovery ecosystem” that treats the whole person. This includes work opportunities, a school to community program that provides workforce preparedness, employment services, substance use and mental health treatment, transitional and permanent supportive housing for individuals in recovery, and transportation support. GAAMHA believes that everyone needs community, and communities need everyone. This idea drives GAAMHA to continually redefine what community support looks like.

    “Congresswoman Trahan has always been a great friend to Gardner. The benefits this funding will bring to the community by allowing GAAMHA to expand its operations at Evergreen Grove and their ROOTS program are invaluable. This program has already shown its success by utilizing the farm setting as a means of treatment and therapy to those dealing with issues of mental health and substance abuse disorders. This out-of-the-box thinking helps bring treatment methods to a whole new level by relating the experiences of working with the animals on the site, to experiences in the lives of those going to the programs. My hope is that the work being done by GAAMHA at this site sets a new standard for others around Massachusetts and the country to follow, and this funding helps further that goal,” said Gardner Mayor Mike Nicholson.

    During government funding negotiations, Trahan secured $200,000 in federal funding to support GAAMHA’s Evergreen Grove, a 115-acre farm purchased by the organization in 2018 that is now home to two programs offering innovative alternative approaches to recovery for individuals in North Central Massachusetts struggling from co-occurring substance use disorder and mental health challenges. The Carl E. Dahl House at Evergreen Grove is a 16-bed licensed residential facility that offers men struggling with mental health disorders and addiction treatment using a therapeutic farming approach to assist in sustaining recovery. GAAMHA’s new program, R.O.O.T.S. (Resilient, Optimistic, Open-minded, Thriving, Serene), serves as an outpatient care farming day program for young people struggling with mental health or substance use disorders so that they can access the same effective treatment methods as the residents of the Dahl House. Evergreen Grove is also home to a livestock rescue operation where, as part of their treatment, participants help create forever homes for over 70 different animals who have been abused, neglected, and abandoned. 

    In addition to the federal funding, Zlotnik secured passage of an earmark on Beacon Hill that will provide an additional $25,000 in state funding for GAAMHA to support capital improvements to their residential and substance use disorder services in Gardner.

    Since her election to Congress in 2018, Trahan has been a leader on addiction and mental health issues. In 2022, Trahan successfully shepherded into law her bipartisan Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act, which standardizes substance use disorder training to ensure that all prescribers of addictive medications possess baseline knowledge in evidence-based addiction prevention and treatments. That same month, President Biden also signed into law her bipartisan Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Reauthorization Act, which ensures the continuation and strengthening of community-based youth and young adult suicide prevention efforts that were set to expire at the end of the year. Earlier this year, Trahan secured House passage of her bipartisan Youth Poisoning Protection Act, and she introduced bipartisan legislation to commemorate Overdose Awareness Day on August 30th each year to honor those who have lost their lives to overdoses, destigmatize addiction and seeking treatment, and combat the addiction crisis.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Obtains Injunction to Prevent California Company from Manufacturing and Distributing Adulterated Food Following Listeria Outbreak

    Source: United States Attorneys General 12

    A federal court yesterday enjoined a California company from manufacturing and distributing adulterated food products following a listeria outbreak linked to multiple hospitalizations and two deaths.

    In a civil complaint filed on Sept. 27 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, the United States alleged that Rizo Lopez Foods Inc., along with its president, chief executive officer and co-owner, Edwin Rizo, and its chief financial officer, secretary and co-owner Tomas Rizo, violated the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) at the company’s facility in Modesto, California, by manufacturing and distributing adulterated food products. Rizo Lopez Foods produced cotija cheese and other cheeses, yogurt, sour cream and other foods sold under the brand names Tio Francisco, Don Francisco, Rizo Bros, Rio Grande, Food City, El Huache, La Ordena, San Carlos, Campesino, Santa Maria, Dos Ranchitos, Casa Cardenas and 365 Whole Foods Market.

    The complaint further alleged that, in January, Hawaiian state health officials detected Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono), the bacterial pathogen that can cause listeriosis, in cheese made by the defendants. The government further alleged that during a subsequent inspection of the defendant’s facility, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found L. mono in two locations as well as various insanitary conditions. The complaint alleged that a genetic analysis matched the L. mono strain collected in Hawaii to the strain from defendants’ facility, as well as to L. mono samples from patients sickened as early as 2014 during a years-long listeriosis outbreak. An investigation by the Centers for Disease Control identified 26 cases of listeriosis in 11 states linked to the same L. mono strain. The CDC reported that 23 individuals were hospitalized as a result of the outbreak, including two patients who died. In February, Rizo Lopez recalled all cheese and dairy products produced at their facility.

    “Food manufacturers have an important responsibility to ensure the safety of their products,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department and FDA will continue to work closely on enforcement actions against food manufacturers who fail to meet their obligations and put the health of their customers at risk.”

    “Food producers in the Eastern District of California feed the nation,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “Our office is committed to assuring compliance with the FDCA throughout the District.”

    The defendants agreed to settle the suit and be bound by a consent decree of permanent injunction. The injunction entered by the court permanently enjoins the defendants from violating the FDCA. As part of the settlement, the defendants represented that they have discontinued all operations related to preparing and processing food. Under the permanent injunction, the defendants must notify FDA in advance of resuming such operations, comply with specific remedial measures set forth in the injunction and allow FDA to inspect their facility, including the buildings, sanitation-related systems, equipment, utensils, all articles of food and relevant records.

    Trial Attorney David G. Crockett Jr. and Senior Trial Attorney James Nelson of the Justice Department’s Civil Division prosecuted this case, with assistance from Assistant Chief Counsel for Enforcement Lauren Fash of the FDA’s Office of Chief Counsel.

    Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts can be found at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.

    The claims resolved by the consent decree announced today are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.

    Consent Decree

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Announces $52 Million Multistate Settlement with Marriott over Data Breach

    Source: US State of New York

    NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a $52 million multistate settlement with Marriott International, Inc. (Marriott) over a multi-year data breach of one of its guest reservation databases. A multistate investigation found that one of Marriott’s subsidiaries, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide (Starwood), had intruders in its system for four years without getting detected, leading to a data breach that affected 131.5 million customers nationwide, including millions of New Yorkers. Today’s settlement with 50 attorneys general requires Marriott to significantly overhaul and strengthen its data security to protect customers’ private information and pay $52 million in penalties, of which New York will receive $2.29 million.

    “When people book a hotel stay for travel or work, they shouldn’t have to worry that their personal data and credit card information will be stolen,” said Attorney General James. “Marriott let cybercriminals live in its database for years and millions of people had their information stolen as a result. Protecting customers’ private information should be a top priority, not a last resort, for all companies. I am proud to stand with my fellow attorneys general to hold Marriott accountable and to protect customers.”

    Starwood operates hundreds of hotels nationwide, including hotels in New York. Marriott acquired Starwood in 2016 and took control of its computer network and databases. A multistate investigation discovered that from July 2014 until September 2018 intruders accessed and stayed on Starwood’s databases undetected for years. This intrusion led to the breach of 131.5 million customers’ personal information. The theft impacted people nationwide and exposed personal information, including contact information, gender, dates of birth, legacy Starwood Preferred Guest information, reservation information, and hotel stay preferences, as well as a limited number of unencrypted passport numbers and unexpired payment card information. 

    Today’s settlement requires Marriott to significantly strengthen and continually improve its cybersecurity practices. Some of the specific measures include:

    • An independent third-party assessment of Marriott’s information security program every two years for a period of 20.
    • Data minimization and disposal requirements, which will lead to less customer data being collected and retained.
    • Implementation of a comprehensive Information Security Program, including regular security reporting to the highest levels within the company, including the Chief Executive Officer, and enhanced employee training on data handling and security.
    • Increased vendor and franchisee oversight, with a special emphasis on risk assessments for “Critical IT Vendors,” and clearly outlined contracts with cloud providers.
    • In the future, if Marriott acquires another entity, it must promptly assess the acquired entity’s information security program and develop plans to address deficiencies as part of the integration into Marriott’s network.

    As part of the settlement, Marriott will allow customers to delete their data that is stored with the hotel if they wish to do so. Marriott must also offer multi-factor authentication to customers for their loyalty rewards accounts, such as Marriott Bonvoy, and conduct reviews of those accounts to ensure there is no suspicious activity. 

    Joining Attorney General James in signing today’s settlement are the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Vermont, and the District of Columbia.

    Attorney General James has taken major actions to hold companies accountable for having poor cybersecurity and to improve data security practices. In August 2024, Attorney General James and a multistate coalition secured $4.5 million from a biotech company for failing to protect patient data. In July 2024, Attorney General James launched two privacy guides, a Business Guide to Website Privacy Controls and a Consumer Guide to Tracking on the Web, to help businesses and customers protect themselves. In July 2024, Attorney General James issued a consumer alert to raise awareness about free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services available for millions of customers impacted by the Change Healthcare data breach. In March 2024, Attorney General James led a bipartisan coalition of 41 attorneys general in sending a letter to Meta Platforms, Inc. (Meta) addressing the recent rise of Facebook and Instagram account takeovers by scammers and frauds. In January 2024, Attorney General James reached an agreement with a Hudson Valley health care provider to invest $1.2 million to protect patient data.

    For New York, this matter was handled by Deputy Bureau Chief Clark Russell of the Bureau of Internet and Technology, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Kim Berger. The Bureau of Internet and Technology is a part of the Division for Economic Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Chris D’Angelo and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Kelly, DelBene, Bucshon, Bera applaud milestone for life-saving Medicare Advantage prior authorization bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representatives Mike Kelly (PA-16), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN-08), and Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06) released the following statement after securing the support of a bipartisan majority for the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act (H.R. 8702) with over 218 cosponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation would improve care for seniors by streamlining and standardizing the way Medicare Advantage (MA) plans use prior authorization and increasing oversight and transparency.

    “With over 33 million Americans enrolled in Medicare Advantage, modernization of the prior authorization process is long overdue. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, hundreds of health care organizations, Americans from all corners of the country agree – streamlining this process will allow our Nation’s seniors to receive the care they are entitled to more efficiently. As champions of this legislation, we are grateful to our bipartisan majority of House colleagues for their support, and look forward to working with them to get this critical bill signed into law.”

    BACKGROUND

    Prior authorization is a tool used by health plans to reduce unnecessary care by requiring health care providers to get pre-approval for medical services. However, the current system often results in unconfirmed faxes of a patient’s medical information or phone calls by clinicians which takes precious time away from delivering quality and timely care. Prior authorization continues to be the #1 administrative burden identified by health care providers, and three out of four Medicare Advantage enrollees are subject to unnecessary delays due to prior authorization. In recent years, the Office of the Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) raised concerns after an audit revealed that Medicare Advantage plans ultimately approved 75% of requests that were originally denied. More recently, HHS OIG released a report finding that MA plans incorrectly denied beneficiaries’ access to services even though they met Medicare coverage rules.

    Health plans, health care providers, and patients agree that the prior authorization process must be improved to better serve patients and reduce unnecessary administrative burdens for clinicians. In fact, leading health care organizations released a consensus statement to address some of the most pressing concerns associated with prior authorization.

    Specifically, the bill would:

    • Establish an electronic prior authorization process for MA plans including a standardization for transactions and clinical attachments.
    • Increase transparency around MA prior authorization requirements and its use.
      Clarify CMS’ authority to establish timeframes for e-PA requests including expedited determinations, real-time decisions for routinely approved items and services, and other PA requests.
    • Expand beneficiary protections to improve enrollee experiences and outcomes.
    • Require HHS and other agencies to report to Congress on program integrity efforts and other ways to further improve the e-PA process.

    The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act unanimously passed the House in the 117th Congress and was cosponsored by a majority of members in the Senate and House of Representatives. 

    Bill text is available here.

    A section-by-section summary can be found here.

    This bill is supported by over 440 national and state organizations representing patients, physicians, MA plans, hospitals, and other key stakeholders in the health care industry. To see the list as of today, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: California Department of Justice Releases Report on Officer-Involved Shooting of Ruben Ramos

    Source: US State of California

    Wednesday, October 9, 2024

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

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta, pursuant to Assembly Bill 1506 (AB 1506), today released a report on Ruben Ramos’ death from an officer-involved shooting in Burbank, California, on May 27, 2023. The incident involved officers from the Burbank Police Department (BPD). The report is part of the California Department of Justice’s (DOJ) ongoing efforts to provide transparency and accountability in law enforcement practices. The report provides a detailed analysis of the incident and outlines DOJ’s findings. After a thorough investigation, DOJ concluded that criminal charges were not appropriate in this case.

    “The loss of life in this situation is a tragedy that resonates deeply throughout California,” said Attorney General Bonta. “It serves as a stark reminder of the profound consequences that such events can have on individuals and families, as well as the ripple effects felt throughout the community. We acknowledge that this incident has caused significant challenges and hardships for all those impacted, including Mr. Ramos’ family, the law enforcement agencies involved, and the wider community. The California Department of Justice is firmly committed to working in partnership with all law enforcement agencies to ensure that we uphold a legal system that is not only fair and transparent but also accountable to every resident of California. We believe that it is our duty to foster trust and integrity within our justice system, and we will strive to ensure that the rights and dignity of all individuals are respected and protected.”

    On May 27, 2023, in Burbank, California, several Burbank police officers responded to a report of an individual with a gun in the parking lot of Home Depot located at 1200 South Flower Street. After Mr. Ramos was identified as the person reported to have a gun, law enforcement contacted him and attempted to take him into custody. Mr. Ramos pulled an unknown object, later identified as a black knife, out of his right pocket and pointed it at the officers while maintaining a shooting stance, at which point he was fatally shot.

    Under AB 1506, which requires DOJ to investigate all incidents of officer-involved shootings resulting in the death of an unarmed civilian in the state, DOJ conducted a thorough investigation into this incident and concluded that the evidence does not show, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officers involved acted without the intent to defend themselves and others from what each of them reasonably believed to be imminent death or serious bodily injury. Therefore, there is insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution of the officers. As such, no further action will be taken in this case.

    As part of its investigation, DOJ has identified several policy recommendations that it believes will help prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. The first recommendation is regarding negligent discharge and round count. It is recommended that BPD amend its policy to require officers to check all weapons used during a critical incident to identify and preserve any potential evidence. This will ensure that information or evidence regarding the discharge of firearms and less lethal weapons is not missed in the event of a negligent or unknown discharge. 

    The second set of recommendations is regarding BPD’s crisis intervention response. It is recommended that BPD continue its efforts to add additional staff to its Mental Health Evaluation Team and that BPD consider extending the hours of the Mental Health Evaluation Team’s availability. It is also recommended that BPD consider implementing a POST certified course to further train personnel on recognizing the most common mental illnesses encountered by law enforcement, and the use of effective de-escalation techniques to resolve an incident involving a person suffering from a mental health crisis.

    A copy of the report can be found here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: IADC Proudly Supports & Participates in SPE’s International Health, Safety, Environment, & Sustainability Conference

    Source: International Association of Drilling Contractors – IADC

    Headline: IADC Proudly Supports & Participates in SPE’s International Health, Safety, Environment, & Sustainability Conference

    IADC is proud to support the SPE International Health, Safety, Environment, & Sustainability (IHSES) Conference & Exhibition, which took place 10-12 September in Abu Dhabi. Hisham Zebian, IADC VP – Eastern Hemisphere, participated in a panel on “Developing a Culture of Care and WellBeing in the Energy Sector.”

    During the session, Hisham spoke about the Mental Health in Energy initiative, originally launched by the IADC North Sea Chapter. As part of this initiative, the North Sea Chapter published a 15-page white paper titled “Changing Minds: Saving Lives – An urgent new approach to mental health in the North Sea.” The Chapter also hosted an interactive Mental Health in Energy Workshop in 2023. More recently, a task group has been formed and a Mental Health in Energy Charter has been established, with many companies pledging their support. 

    IADC appreciates the opportunity to support and participate in important conversations about the wellbeing of our workforce, such as those that took place at the SPE IHSES Conference. 

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kelly Appoints Kathy Wolfe Moore to Kansas Board of Regents – Governor of the State of Kansas

    Source: US State of Kansas

    TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced today that she has appointed Kathy Wolfe Moore to the Kansas Board of Regents.

    “Kathy Wolfe Moore has wide-ranging experience from local and state government to higher education that will make her an exceptional member of the Kansas Board of Regents,” Governor Kelly said. “I look forward to working with her and the entire board to support our higher education system and Kansas students.”

    Wolfe Moore is currently an external liaison for the University of Kansas Health System and serves on the Wyandotte Economic Development Council. She was previously a Kansas State Representative for House District 36 from 2011 to 2023 and prior to this, was chief of staff to Unified Government of Kansas City, KS and Wyandotte County Mayor Carol Marinovich. Wolfe Moore earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Welfare and a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Kansas.

    “I am honored that Governor Kelly has entrusted me to help move Kansas’ higher education system forward,” Kathy Wolfe Moore said. “I am eager to begin working with the Regents and our excellent institutions to ensure Kansas remains a top-tier state to pursue a postsecondary education.”

    The Kansas Board of Regents is a bipartisan, nine-member board composed of members who serve for a staggered period of four years. Each member is appointed by the governor, and subject to confirmation by the Kansas Senate.

    Please find a headshot for Kathy Wolfe Moore here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Machine learning cracked the protein-folding problem and won the 2024 Nobel Prize in chemistry

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Marc Zimmer, Professor of Chemistry, Connecticut College

    Protein molecules can have complicated structures that dictate their functions. Christoph Burgstedt/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

    The 2024 Nobel Prize in chemistry recognized Demis Hassabis, John Jumper and David Baker for using machine learning to tackle one of biology’s biggest challenges: predicting the 3D shape of proteins and designing them from scratch.

    This year’s award stood out because it honored research that originated at a tech company: DeepMind, an AI research startup that was acquired by Google in 2014. Most previous chemistry Nobel Prizes have gone to researchers in academia. Many laureates went on to form startup companies to further expand and commercialize their groundbreaking work – for instance, CRISPR gene-editing technology and quantum dots – but the research, from start to end, wasn’t done in the commercial sphere.

    Although the Nobel Prizes in physics and chemistry are awarded separately, there is a fascinating connection between the winning research in those fields in 2024. The physics award went to two computer scientists who laid the foundations for machine learning, while the chemistry laureates were rewarded for their use of machine learning to tackle one of biology’s biggest mysteries: how proteins fold.

    The 2024 Nobel Prizes underscore both the importance of this kind of artificial intelligence and how science today often crosses traditional boundaries, blending different fields to achieve groundbreaking results.

    The challenge of protein folding

    Proteins are the molecular machines of life. They make up a significant portion of our bodies, including muscles, enzymes, hormones, blood, hair and cartilage.

    Proteins are chains of amino acid molecules that form a 3D shape based on their atoms’ interactions.
    ©Johan Jarnestad/The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

    Understanding proteins’ structures is essential because their shapes determine their functions. Back in 1972, Christian Anfinsen won the Nobel Prize in chemistry for showing that the sequence of a protein’s amino acid building blocks dictates the protein’s shape, which, in turn, influences its function. If a protein folds incorrectly, it may not work properly and could lead to diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cystic fibrosis or diabetes.

    A protein’s overall shape depends on the tiny interactions, the attractions and repulsions, between all the atoms in the amino acids its made of. Some want to be together, some don’t. The protein twists and folds itself into a final shape based on many thousands of these chemical interactions.

    For decades, one of biology’s greatest challenges was predicting a protein’s shape based solely on its amino acid sequence. Although researchers can now predict the shape, we still don’t understand how the proteins maneuver into their specific shapes and minimize the repulsions of all the interatomic interactions in a few microseconds.

    To understand how proteins work and to prevent misfolding, scientists needed a way to predict the way proteins fold, but solving this puzzle was no easy task.

    In 2003, University of Washington biochemist David Baker wrote Rosetta, a computer program for designing proteins. With it he showed it was possible to reverse the protein-folding problem by designing a protein shape and then predicting the amino acid sequence needed to create it.

    It was a phenomenal jump forward, but the shape chosen for the calculation was simple, and the calculations were complex. A major paradigm shift was required to routinely design novel proteins with desired structures.

    A new era of machine learning

    Machine learning is a type of AI where computers learn to solve problems by analyzing vast amounts of data. It’s been used in various fields, from game-playing and speech recognition to autonomous vehicles and scientific research. The idea behind machine learning is to use hidden patterns in data to answer complex questions.

    This approach made a huge leap in 2010 when Demis Hassabis co-founded DeepMind, a company aiming to combine neuroscience with AI to solve real-world problems.

    Hassabis, a chess prodigy at age 4, quickly made headlines with AlphaZero, an AI that taught itself to play chess at a superhuman level. In 2017, AlphaZero thoroughly beat the world’s top computer chess program, Stockfish-8. The AI’s ability to learn from its own gameplay, rather than relying on preprogrammed strategies, marked a turning point in the AI world.

    Soon after, DeepMind applied similar techniques to Go, an ancient board game known for its immense complexity. In 2016, its AI program AlphaGo defeated one of the world’s top players, Lee Sedol, in a widely watched match that stunned millions.

    Demis Hassabis and John Jumper at Google DeepMind on Oct. 9, 2024, after being awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry.
    AP Photo/Alastair Grant

    In 2016, Hassabis shifted DeepMind’s focus to a new challenge: the protein-folding problem. Under the leadership of John Jumper, a chemist with a background in protein science, the AlphaFold project began. The team used a large database of experimentally determined protein structures to train the AI, which allowed it to learn the principles of protein folding. The result was AlphaFold2, an AI that could predict the 3D structure of proteins from their amino acid sequences with remarkable accuracy.

    This was a significant scientific breakthrough. AlphaFold has since predicted the structures of over 200 million proteins – essentially all the proteins that scientists have sequenced to date. This massive database of protein structures is now freely available, accelerating research in biology, medicine and drug development.

    Designer proteins to fight disease

    Understanding how proteins fold and function is crucial for designing new drugs. Enzymes, a type of protein, act as catalysts in biochemical reactions and can speed up or regulate these processes. To treat diseases such as cancer or diabetes, researchers often target specific enzymes involved in disease pathways. By predicting the shape of a protein, scientists can figure out where small molecules – potential drug candidates – might bind to it, which is the first step in designing new medicines.

    In 2024, DeepMind launched AlphaFold3, an upgraded version of the AlphaFold program that not only predicts protein shapes but also identifies potential binding sites for small molecules. This advance makes it easier for researchers to design drugs that precisely target the right proteins.

    Google bought Deepmind for reportedly around half a billion dollars in 2014. Google DeepMind has now started a new venture, Isomorphic Labs, to collaborate with pharmaceutical companies on real-world drug development using these AlphaFold3 predictions.

    David Baker speaks on the phone with Demis Hassabis and John Jumper just after they got the Nobel Prize news on Oct. 9, 2024.
    Ian C. Haydon/UW Medicine Institute for Protein Design

    For his part, David Baker has continued to make significant contributions to protein science. His team at the University of Washington developed an AI-based method called “family-wide hallucination,” which they used to design entirely new proteins from scratch. Hallucinations are new patterns – in this case, proteins – that are plausible, meaning they are a good fit with patterns in the AI’s training data. These new proteins included a light-emitting enzyme, demonstrating that machine learning can help create novel synthetic proteins. These AI tools offer new ways to design functional enzymes and other proteins that never could have evolved naturally.

    AI will enable research’s next chapter

    The Nobel-worthy achievements of Hassabis, Jumper and Baker show that machine learning isn’t just a tool for computer scientists – it’s now an essential part of the future of biology and medicine.

    By tackling one of the toughest problems in biology, the winners of the 2024 prize have opened up new possibilities in drug discovery, personalized medicine and even our understanding of the chemistry of life itself.

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

    – ref. Machine learning cracked the protein-folding problem and won the 2024 Nobel Prize in chemistry – https://theconversation.com/machine-learning-cracked-the-protein-folding-problem-and-won-the-2024-nobel-prize-in-chemistry-240937

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Going off grid is a financial win for some, but it’s a threat for poorer families and the environment

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Joshua M. Pearce, John M. Thompson Chair in Information Technology and Innovation and Professor, Western University

    How would you like to never have another electric bill? Advances in technology have made it possible for some consumers to disconnect from the power grid — a move that was once only available to the ultra-wealthy who could afford the associated costs, or survivalists willing to trade convenience for freedom. This is no longer the case.

    A recent study I coauthored with energy researcher Seyyed Ali Sadat reveals that the balance of economics has shifted and now many families may be better off financially by cutting ties to the grid. However, this might not be a good thing for everyone.

    How did we get here?

    Back in the 2000s, solar was costly. The solar industry’s goal was to push the cost of solar panels below $3 per watt because that would produce solar electricity at a low enough cost to be economically competitive without subsidies. Over the year, the cost of solar plummeted.

    By 2011, we showed for the first time in both the United States and Canada that the levelized cost of solar electricity had reached grid parity. This means people could have a net-metered, grid-connected solar system and pay the same for electricity as the grid costs.

    Your utility meter would spin backward during the day as you amassed solar electric credits, then spin forward at night when you used grid electricity. If you sized your solar correctly, you would never pay an electric bill.

    When I moved to Michigan in 2011, I installed solar, earning a return on investment of more than 10 per cent. Many other faculty members at Michigan Tech did the same, and our area was the first to hit Michigan’s arbitrarily mandated one per cent distributed generation limit.

    Solar costs kept dropping, and ten years later, I collaborated with an engineer from Sweden — where nearly every house has a heat pump — to show that solar costs were so low they could effectively subsidize heat pumps into profitability in both northern Michigan and Ontario. Although the return on investment was modest — only a few per cent — it was enough to make solar-powered heating more viable than natural gas.

    Concern among electric utilities

    Today, more heat pumps are sold that normal furnaces in the U.S., but Canada is still warming up to them. The price of solar modules has since dropped well below $1 per watt.

    This shift caused concern among some electric companies; under their traditional business models, every new solar customer reduces their profit. Forward-thinking companies embraced solar and funded it for their customers. Some even rented their customers’ roofs for solar panel use.

    Many electric companies, however, took a different path by trying to weaken net metering. Some manipulated the rate structure by increasing unavoidable charges for customers while decreasing the electric rate, making net-metered solar systems less appealing for customers. As off-grid systems are now more affordable, this strategy could push customers away.

    Solar costs continued to drop and are now the lowest cost power in history. The costs of electric batteries also plummeted by over 50 per cent just last year.

    Grid defection is a real option

    Grid-tied residential solar systems currently dominate the market, primarily due to historical net metering. As utility rate structures shift away from real net metering, increase unavoidable fees or restrict grid access, solar consumers are finding that going off-grid is becoming more economically viable.

    Our recent study shows that grid defection is economically advantageous for many families because of these rate structure changes.

    Consider a typical family in San Diego, for example. After an initial investment of $20,000 on the off-grid system (solar, diesel generator and batteries), they could pay 45 per cent less for electricity than if they remained connected to the grid.

    The system would pay for itself in just six years, and even with a battery replacement, they would break even again in year eight. Over the lifespan of the system, these families could save over $40,000 in electricity costs.

    Since our analysis using data from one year ago, battery costs have dropped even further, increasing the return on investment. Locations that were previously on the borderline of economic viability are now clear opportunities for grid defection.

    These trends, coupled with increasing grid electricity costs and decreases in both solar and battery costs, have made economic grid defection a salient issue.

    But this also raises concerns about potential “utility death spirals,” where as more customers leave the grid to save money, the ones who are left face higher electricity costs, prompting even more to leave until the utility is bankrupt.

    Stay on the grid

    This trend raises two major concerns. First, those who can’t afford to leave the grid — often the poorest households — will end up paying the most for left-over fossil fuel electricity from the grid. Leaving the grid requires a hefty up-front cost, and not everyone can afford it.

    Second, our research shows that the diesel generators used as back up for off-grid solar and battery systems will cause significant pollution — even more than the grid in some locations.

    Our results show that regulators must consider mass economic grid defection of PV-diesel generator-battery systems as a very real possibility in the near future. To prevent utility death spirals and increased carbon emissions, it’s imperative we have rate structures that encourage solar producers to remain on the grid.

    The worst thing regulators can do is allow the electric utilities to increase unavoidable costs for their short-term profits. This can backfire, as utilities will lose customers entirely in the long run. With solar and battery costs continuing to decline, this problem is only becoming more urgent.

    Joshua M. Pearce has received funding for research from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Mitacs, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, U.S. Department of Defense, The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the National Science Foundation. His past and present consulting work and research is funded by the United Nations, the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine, and many companies in the energy and solar photovoltaic fields. He does not directly work for any solar manufacturer and has no direct conflicts of interests.

    – ref. Going off grid is a financial win for some, but it’s a threat for poorer families and the environment – https://theconversation.com/going-off-grid-is-a-financial-win-for-some-but-its-a-threat-for-poorer-families-and-the-environment-240615

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Peapack-Gladstone Bank Hires Michael Anthony Guarino, Esq., CRCM as Senior Vice President

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BEDMINSTER, N.J., Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select Market: PGC) and Peapack-Gladstone Bank are proud to announce that Michael Anthony Guarino, Esq. has joined the Bank as a Senior Vice President, Attorney.

    Working out of the Bank’s Headquarters in Bedminster, New Jersey and its new location at 300 Park Avenue, New York City, Mr. Guarino is primarily responsible for responding to all legal issues arising out of the Company’s New York office, in addition to working with the Bank’s General Counsel in providing support and advice to the Bank’s executive and leadership teams on all matters of law and policy.

    An accomplished and seasoned corporate attorney, Mr. Guarino has over 25 years of experience in financial services, including legal, regulatory risk assessment and compliance management, fraud and AML investigations, and vendor management/contract review with evolving risk.  He most recently served as Senior Vice President and Senior Counsel at Metropolitan Commercial Bank.  Prior to that as Compliance Officer & Risk/Counsel Risk Assessment at Israel Discount Bank of New York where he held roles as Compliance Officer & Counsel/Risk Assessment/Quality Control/ and Legal Counsel.  Additional roles included Assistant Counsel/Vice President & Regulatory Compliance Manager, First Fidelity, First Union Bank and Assistant Treasurer, Legal Liaison/Risk Manager, International Trade Products Department, and Legal Investigator/Analyst at Chase Manhattan Bank, New York, NY.

    Michael earned his Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, Political Science and Pre-Law from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, along with a summer studies program in Valencia, Spain.  He obtained his Juris Doctor from the Seton Hall Law School, with a concentration in Banking, UCC Business, Trusts and International Law.  Michael is a member of both the New Jersey and New York Bars and holds certifications as a Certified Compliance Manager (ICB), and Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM).  In addition to his studies in Spanish, Michael has a working knowledge of Italian.

    About the Company

    Peapack-Gladstone Financial Corporation is a New Jersey bank holding company with total assets of $6.5 billion and assets under management and/or administration of $11.5 billion as of June 30, 2024.  Founded in 1921, Peapack-Gladstone Bank is a commercial bank that offers a client-centric approach to banking, providing high-quality products along with customized and innovative wealth management, investment banking, commercial and retail solutions.  Peapack Private, a division of Peapack-Gladstone Bank, offers comprehensive financial, tax, fiduciary and investment advice and solutions to individuals, families, privately held businesses, family offices and not-for-profit organizations, which help them to establish, maintain and expand their legacy.  Together, Peapack-Gladstone Bank and Peapack Private offer an unparalleled commitment to client service.  Visit http://www.pgbank.com and http://www.peapackprivate.com for more information.

    Contact:  Rosanne Schwab, Peapack-Gladstone Bank, Vice President, Public Relations and Corporate Communications Manager, 500 Hills Drive, Suite 300, Bedminster, NJ  07921 rschwab@pgbank.com, (908) 719-6543.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NIH launches large study to tackle type 2 diabetes in young people

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 2

    News Release

    Wednesday, October 9, 2024

    Effort to identify risk factors for youth-onset type 2 diabetes to improve prevention and treatment.

    The National Institutes of Health has launched a nationwide consortium to address the dramatic rise in youth diagnosed with type 2 diabetes over the past two decades, a trend that is expected to continue. The effort aims to advance understanding of the biologic, social, and environmental drivers of youth-onset type 2 diabetes, with the goals of determining which children are at highest risk for developing the disease and how to better prevent, screen for, and manage type 2 diabetes in young people.

    “Our children who are overweight or have obesity are at risk, but we don’t know how best to identify the children who will progress to type 2 diabetes,” said Rose Gubitosi-Klug, M.D., Ph.D., study lead, and chief of pediatric endocrinology at Case Western Reserve University/Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, Cleveland. “This study will bring us closer to our goal of prevention of type 2 diabetes in future generations of youth.”

    The observational study is funded by the NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and builds on previous NIDDK-funded research indicating that youth-onset type 2 diabetes is more challenging to treat and progresses more aggressively compared to adult-onset type 2 diabetes. In youth with type 2 diabetes, good blood glucose control is harder to achieve, and the ability of the pancreas to secrete insulin declines much more rapidly. Many young people with type 2 diabetes also don’t respond well to metformin, the drug most commonly used as the first-line treatment for diabetes in adults. In addition, youth-onset type 2 diabetes is associated with earlier development of diabetes-related complications, such as damage to the eyes, kidneys, and nerves.  

    “These factors all create a picture of a disease that is much more aggressive in youth than in adults, but we don’t understand what drives these differences,” said Barbara Linder, M.D., Ph.D., NIDDK program director who is overseeing the study. “Consequently, young people are developing devastating complications of the disease during what should be the most productive years of their life.”

    The study will aim to identify unique drivers of youth-onset type 2 diabetes distinguishing it from the disease in adults, which will help clinicians better understand which children will develop the disease and guide more effective, targeted prevention and intervention strategies. Study sites across the country will recruit 3,600 participants, ages 9 to 14, who are considered at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. They must have started puberty, have overweight or obesity, and have high-normal to above-normal hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. The participants will reflect the U.S. population of youth with type 2 diabetes, including people from diverse racial and ethnic, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and underserved rural populations.

    The research team is also seeking extensive input from youth, young adults, and parents with lived experience of type 2 diabetes on both study design and conduct, including how to best recruit and retain participants, how frequently participants should be seen during the study, what questionnaires should be used to collect data, and more.

    In addition to looking at biological factors, the study team will gather comprehensive data from participants and their families to understand what social and environmental factors may be adversely contributing to health disparities and poor outcomes among youth with type 2 diabetes. Research has suggested that these social determinants of health—the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age—have a powerful influence on shaping health outcomes. For example, people without access to healthy food and safe places to engage in physical activity may be more likely to develop obesity, which is associated with type 2 diabetes.

    “Most children we currently consider ‘at-risk’ for developing type 2 diabetes will not actually do so, so we need to better understand what factors define who is at risk and would benefit from targeted prevention strategies,” said Dr. Linder. “These efforts are critical to lessen the immense burden, not just on young people and their families, but also the U.S. healthcare system, arising from the growing numbers of youth living with this disease and its debilitating complications.”

    For more information about the study, known as DISCOVERY of Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes in Youth, please visit discovery.bsc.gwu.edu.

    Funding: DISCOVERY is funded through NIH grants DK134971, DK134984, DK134975, DK134996, DK134958, DK134967, DK135002, DK134982, DK135007, DK134988, DK134978, DK134981, DK135012, DK135015, DK134976, and DK134966.

    The NIDDK, a component of the NIH, conducts and supports research on diabetes and other endocrine and metabolic diseases; digestive diseases, nutrition and obesity; and kidney, urologic and hematologic diseases. Spanning the full spectrum of medicine and afflicting people of all ages and ethnic groups, these diseases encompass some of the most common, severe, and disabling conditions affecting Americans. For more information about the NIDDK and its programs, see https://www.niddk.nih.gov.

    About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

    NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lt. Governor Austin Davis Kicks Off Listening Tour to Inform the Work of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    October 08, 2024 – Harrisburg, PA

    Lt. Governor Austin Davis Kicks Off Listening Tour to Inform the Work of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention

    Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis and the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) joined the Departments of Health, Human Services, Community and Economic Development, State Police, Military and Veterans Affairs, Office of the Victim Advocate and advocacy organizations CeaseFirePA, Everytown for Gun Safety, GIFFORDS, Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, and others to kick off the first in a series of listening sessions that will inform the work of PCCD’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention.

    “I believe every Pennsylvanian deserves to be safe and feel safe in their communities – and my Administration took real action to re-establish Pennsylvania’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention and put real resources behind this effort,” said Governor Shapiro. “Under Lieutenant Governor Davis’ leadership at PCCD, we are listening to Pennsylvanians about their experiences with gun violence and bringing together public safety and public health experts, gun violence survivors and advocates, and leaders from state and local agencies to address and prevent violence across the Commonwealth. We’re going to continue to work together to ensure that every Pennsylvanian has the real freedom that comes when you can walk down the street in your community without worrying about gun violence.”

    List of Speakers:
    Lt. Governor Austin Davis
    PA Commission on Crime & Delinquency Executive Director Mike Pennington
    PA Commission on Crime & Delinquency Interim Director Samantha Koch
    Department of Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen
    Department of Human Services Executive Deputy Secretary Andrew Barnes
    Department of Education Secretary Dr. Khalid Mumin
    Office of Victim Advocate Suzanne Estrella
    Department of Human Services Deputy Secretary Andrew Barnes
    Department of Community & Economic Development Deputy Secretary Rick Vilello

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Floridians Must Listen to Local Authorities as Hurricane Milton Makes Landfall; FEMA Administrator Traveling to Florida Tonight Ahead of Landfall

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Floridians Must Listen to Local Authorities as Hurricane Milton Makes Landfall; FEMA Administrator Traveling to Florida Tonight Ahead of Landfall

    Floridians Must Listen to Local Authorities as Hurricane Milton Makes Landfall; FEMA Administrator Traveling to Florida Tonight Ahead of Landfall

    Hurricane Milton will be catastrophic; FEMA is working in close coordination with state and local officials 

    WASHINGTON – Ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall, FEMA Administrator Criswell will travel to Florida tonight to work alongside state and local officials as they prepare for the impacts of this catastrophic storm. Floridians in the storm’s path must continue following the instructions of local officials, as the storm is expected to bring destructive storm surge along portions of Florida’s west coast as well as devastating hurricane-force winds, heavy rainfall and life-threatening flooding across the Florida Peninsula. 

    Floridians in Milton’s path in vulnerable parts of the state have been ordered to evacuate. Those who have stayed behind are urged to go immediately. Many residents outside of mandatory evacuation zones will experience significant rain and hurricane force winds. 

    FEMA has over 1,000 responders on the ground in Florida supporting Milton and previous disasters. There are over 1,400 search and rescue personnel pre-staged to support Milton response efforts.

    FEMA and its federal partners are leaning forward and already pre-positioned resources to support local and state response efforts ahead of Hurricane Milton. FEMA pre-staged seven FEMA Incident Management Assistance Teams, eight federal Urban Search & Rescue and swift water rescue teams, three U.S. Coast Guard Swift Water Rescue teams, 10 HealthCare System Assessment Teams, two U.S Army Corps of Engineers temporary power teams, debris experts, Environmental Protection Agency wastewater experts, over 400 ambulances, 20 helicopters prepared to support media requirements following landfall, and 60 High Water Vehicles with ladders from the Department of Defense. 

    Additionally, FEMA has five incident staging bases with commodities including food and water. Right now, FEMA has 20 million meals and 40 million liters of water ready to deploy to address ongoing Helene and Milton response efforts with capacity to expand as needed.

    President Biden granted emergency declarations for the state of Florida and the Seminole Tribe of Florida for Hurricane Milton, enabling FEMA to provide direct assistance to the state, local and tribal response, preposition supplies and response assets and mobilize hundreds of personnel in the state, many of whom were already in place supporting the Hurricane Helene response.

    Stay Safe in the Storm

    Those in the path of Hurricane Milton should take every precaution as the storm passes through.

    • Move to higher ground: Free shuttles are operating this morning in Manatee, Pinellas, Pasco, Hillsborough and Sarasota counties. To locate shuttle locations, visit www.FloridaDisaster.org/updates.  Residents may also use Uber code MILTONRELIEF to receive free Uber ride to a shelter.
    • Shelter in place: Do not attempt to travel during the storm. Hurricane winds are expected to impact a significant portion of the state, far away from the eye of the storm. Flash flooding, tornadoes, high-velocity debris, fallen trees and power lines will pose a significant danger.
    • If you do not feel safe in your home: A list of emergency shelters, including those that can accommodate people who need assistance and those who have pets can be found at Shelter Status | Florida Disaster. If you plan to go to a shelter, do so before the storm arrives. 
    • Stay out of floodwater: Walking or driving through flood waters is extremely dangerous. Standing water may be electrically charged from underground or downed power lines or contain hazards such as wild or stray animals, human and livestock waste, and chemicals that can lead to illness. 
    • Be prepared for service outages:
      • Fill and freeze empty water bottles to help keep food cool in the event of a power outage. Fill your bathtub so you have a clean water supply in the event of water service disruption.
      • Charge all electronic devices, then put them in low power or battery saver mode. While cell service and power may be disrupted during the storm, your phone is a lifeline to family, friends, emergency assistance and alerts. Preserve your batteries so your devices are ready if you need them. Text messages or social network sites may be the best way to get in touch with family and friends as Hurricane Milton moves through the state.
      • Use only flashlights or battery-powered lanterns for emergency lighting. Never use candles during a blackout or power outage due to extreme risk of fire.
      • When using generators, always use them outdoors and at least 20 feet from windows, doors and attached garages. Make sure to keep the generator dry and protected from rain or flooding.

    mashana.davis

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Message from the Minister of Health and the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health – Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October 2024

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Statement

    October 9, 2024 | Ottawa, Ontario | Public Health Agency of Canada

    October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a period when we come together to support and honor those impacted by this disease.

    Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death among womenFootnote * living in Canada. One in eight women is expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.

    Raising awareness of breast cancer screening, which aims to detect cancer at an earlier, more treatable stage, is crucial for the Government of Canada. We are dedicated to advancing women’s health through comprehensive breast cancer screening and prevention efforts. We are also taking action by collaborating with partners and stakeholders to address identified gaps in breast cancer research.

    The Canadian Institutes of Health Research has invested almost $140 million over the past five years to advance breast cancer research in Canada. Through more than 500 grants and awards, these investments are supporting cutting-edge research to prevent, detect, and treat breast cancer more effectively.

    For example, researchers from Sunnybrook Hospital Research Institute are using artificial intelligence to develop more personalized breast cancer screening strategies; a team from the University of Saskatchewan is developing new techniques that combine radiation therapy and the body’s immune system to target breast cancer; and a project led by McGill researchers is examining how to prevent breast cancer from spreading to surrounding tissues. With support from the Government of Canada, the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer is refining its OncoSim-Breast microsimulation model, a tool used in the development of more effective breast cancer prevention and treatment policies.

    The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is working closely with Statistics Canada to conduct analyses of national cancer trends. They are looking at differences in breast cancer rates based on where people live, their age and ethnicity, and how advanced it is when people are diagnosed. Statistics Canada is also examining data on access to, and participation in, breast cancer screening by mammography to fill identified data gaps. These initiatives will enhance our understanding of the current state of breast cancer in Canada.

    Breast cancer touches the lives of so many, either through a personal diagnosis or that of a loved one. We strongly believe that nobody should have to face this alone. If you or a loved one is having difficulty coping with a cancer diagnosis, there are many ways you can seek support. Visit Canada.ca/mental-health or visit the Canadian Cancer Society’s community services locator, which helps cancer patients, caregivers and healthcare providers find the services they need to feel supported.

    Let’s empower everyone to make informed health care decisions, supported by the best available science and evidence.

    Reference

    Footnote *

    Cisgendered women and other adults assigned female at birth, such as transgender men and nonbinary people

    Return to footnote * referrer

    Contact

    Matthew Kronberg
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Honourable Mark Holland
    Minister of Health
    343-552-5654

    Yuval Daniel
    Director of Communications
    Office of the Honourable Ya’ara Saks
    Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health
    819-360-6927

    Media Relations
    Health Canada
    613-957-2983
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Mpox vaccines – P-001626/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    In 2022, the Commission purchased 334,540 doses of the MVA-BN vaccine (called Jynneos in the United States and Imvanex in the EU) and donated those to the Member States to respond to the global outbreak of mpox in Europe.

    The Commission also concluded framework contracts under the Joint Procurement Agreement (JPA) that allow participating countries to purchase up to 2 million doses of vaccine until the end of 2024 and 10 million courses of the therapeutic Tecovirimat SIGA until mid-2026.

    The Commission is currently in discussions with the JPA participant countries and the manufacturer Bavarian Nordic to conclude a new vaccine framework contract.

    Imvanex is the only vaccine authorised at Union level for adult immunisation against mpox. The European Commission issued a decision extending the indication of use for Imvanex to include adolescents from 12 to 17 years of age on 19 September 2024. Tecovirimat SIGA is the only medicine authorised at EU level for treatment of mpox in adults and children weighing at least 13 kg.

    Following the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 14 August 2024, the Commission donated 215 420 vaccine doses to Africa via the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. To date, 200 000 of these doses have been delivered to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    The Commission is also coordinating the response by the EU and Member States in a Team Europe approach where Member States have so far committed to donating approximately 360 000 additional doses to Africa as soon as an agreement is reached on allocation and acceptance of these doses by recipient countries.

    Last updated: 9 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – The ‘Cannabis light’ amendment in Italy’s security bill and its compatibility with EU law – E-001510/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission has received multiple complaints both against the recently approved Amendment 13.06 of Italy’s security bill that aims to restrict the movement of hemp inflorescences or products containing such inflorescences and against the Italian Decree of 27 June 2024[1] that classifies the products containing as an active substance for pharmaceutical use cannabidiol oil for oral consumption derived from Cannabis.

    The analysis of these complaints is ongoing. In that context, the Commission is currently assessing the compliance of these measures with the Treaties and with secondary Union legislation.

    • [1] Decree of the Ministry of Health of 27 June 2024, Update of the tables containing the indication of narcotic and psychotropic substances, referred to in Presidential Decree No 309 of 9 October 1990, as amended and supplemented. Inclusion in the table of medicines, section B, of compositions for oral administration of cannabidiol obtained from cannabis extracts. OJ General Series No 157, 06.07.2024.
    Last updated: 9 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Solidarity and funding to renovate the Divino Espírito Santo Hospital in the Azores – E-001931/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001931/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    André Rodrigues (S&D)

    On 4 May 2024, a major fire broke out at the Divino Espírito Santo Hospital (DESH) in Ponta Delgada, São Miguel, Azores, putting it out of action. The entire hospital had to be evacuated, with patients being moved into alternative accommodation. The health care system and services on the island and in the wider region also had to be reorganised.

    DESH is the largest health facility in the region and the hospital for the other health centres, giving it an important role on the island and in the region as a whole. The disaster has therefore considerably disrupted health care and has had a significant financial impact on the Azores region’s health service and budget.

    • 1.Has Portugal activated the EU Solidarity Fund to help cover the costs of this disaster and quickly restore the hospital? If so, how much funding has been requested?
    • 2.What other EU funding is available to the region and Member State to quickly restore and improve a crucial health facility in one of the EU’s outermost regions?

    Submitted: 3.10.2024

    Last updated: 9 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: New Zealand’s BMI threshold for publicly funded fertility treatment is outdated and unethical. Here’s why it should go

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Carina Truyts, Associate Research Fellow (Deakin) and Research Officer, Monash University

    Getty Images

    Women seeking publicly funded fertility treatment in New Zealand must have a body mass index (BMI) under 32, according to clinical priority assessment criteria for access to assisted reproductive technology.

    But as our in-depth interviews and a growing body of evidence show, this approach is outdated and unethical.

    One of our study participants described the system as “completely rigged if you’re a fat person”. Nina, a 37-year-old dance teacher, was denied public funding support to help her conceive because her BMI was above 32 – even though the cause of infertility was her husband’s sperm count.

    Nina is not alone. Paratta, who moved to Aotearoa from Sri Lanka in 2009, was also denied because of her BMI. She raced to lose the required weight in spite of a medical condition, but was then denied again because she had reached 40, the age limit for access to public funding.

    Both women’s experiences highlight New Zealand’s obsolete and discriminating BMI limit. The United Kingdom does not include BMI as a criterion for public funding, and international cutoffs are generally between 35 and 45.

    We argue New Zealand’s BMI threshold must be scrapped to reflect impactful research and respond ethically to New Zealand’s diverse population.

    BMI and fertility

    One in six people worldwide are affected by infertility, according to the World Health Organization’s most recent estimate. They suffer severe social and psychological consequences.

    There are numerous factors that can affect fertility, and obesity is certainly one of them, impacting 6% of women who have never been pregnant.

    But the BMI is an outdated method of assessing this risk. It doesn’t measure body fat percentage, distribution or differences across populations.

    Our study participants have raised concerns about the BMI limit. International and local studies concur with them. Research shows Polynesians are much leaner than Europeans at significantly higher BMIs, meaning Māori and Pacific women are disadvantaged before they even step into the clinic.

    Quick weight loss unlikely to help

    In New Zealand, people seeking public support are told that “making lifestyle changes like quitting smoking or losing weight” could help them become eligible. They are given a stand-down period wherein they must lose the requisite weight before referrals.

    As in Paratta’s case, this can lead to a race to lose weight before the inflexible age limit of 40 is reached. Evidence-based research advises that fertility care should balance the risk of age-related fertility decline with weight-loss advice.

    Nina rejected the advice to lose weight. She was concerned that quick weight loss would require unhealthy practices that could affect her success rate during the embryo transfer.

    Lifestyle changes made within a short time before conception don’t improve outcomes.
    Getty Images

    At the Australia and New Zealand Fertility Association’s annual conference last month, US obstetrician Kurt Barnhart confirmed that lifestyle interventions made weeks or months before conception are unlikely to improve outcomes. They may even cause harm.

    He discussed the FIT—PLESE randomised control study, which compared two groups of infertile women. One underwent a targeted weight-loss program and another exercised but did not lose weight. The results showed no statistically significant difference between the groups’ fertility and live-birth rates. These findings suggest the stand-down period should be revised.

    Barnhart also highlighted that weight loss through lifestyle changes can be practically impossible given obesity is often linked to endocrine issues that have nothing to do with choice. He observed signals that the medical community is changing its views on obesity as a “lifestyle” choice – a welcome shift.

    BMI, lifestyle and ethics

    Social science research has long challenged a colonial and biomedical habit of imposing standards on women whose bodies do not conform to Western ideas of a healthy or ideal body.

    Historically, the emphasis on weight as a criterion for reproductive health echoes harmful eugenicist beliefs. As US science historian Arleen Tuchman writes, the discovery of insulin prompted some groups to recommended banning marriages for people with diabetes to prevent the “unfit” from reproducing. New Zealand’s BMI criteria similarly suggest only those who fit specific physical standards deserve access to fertility care.

    The idea that lifestyle and health are straightforward individual choices is also challenged by research in epigenetics and philosophy. Obesity is often linked with poverty, which in turn is linked to broader social and living environments, including access and income.

    The high economic burden of obesity has led biomedical experts to recommended obese people should be considered for particular support, given the prohibitive cost of assisted reproductive technologies.

    Nina exercises more than eight hours a week and Paratta leads an active lifestyle. For both women, behavioural advice – and the stigma and assumptions it underscores – is offensive.

    Weight-loss advice can be particularly culturally offensive for Māori and Pacific peoples, who may be stigmatised in clinic settings for being too “fat” but considered “skinny” in their communities if they lose the required weight.

    New Zealand’s assessment criteria for publicly funded fertility treatment have not been updated in 27 years. While infertility and health risks associated with obesity during pregnancy and at birth should not be ignored, research shows these risks can be managed effectively and with empathy through a transdisciplinary approach.

    The Australian state of Victoria now offers two free cycles of fertility treatment to any Medicare-holding woman, regardless of BMI, up to the age of 42. The program deliberately reaches out to specific groups whose ethnicity, sexuality and environment limit their access. It has been highly successful and should inspire New Zealand to approach fertility funding with fresh perspectives.

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

    – ref. New Zealand’s BMI threshold for publicly funded fertility treatment is outdated and unethical. Here’s why it should go – https://theconversation.com/new-zealands-bmi-threshold-for-publicly-funded-fertility-treatment-is-outdated-and-unethical-heres-why-it-should-go-240295

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –