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As COVID-19 Cases Continue to Increase in Many US States, Doctors Are Looking to Prepare
Families for What They Can Better Control – The Seasonal Flu

PrepareforFlu.com

While the number of people infected by the flu each year fluctuates based on a variety of factors such as virus strains and characteristics of the person being vaccinated, the CDC findings suggest that about 8% of the United States population contracts symptomatic flu illness every year. However, this flu season will be different than those of the past, as this year the US is also navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many questions and anxieties remain surrounding the global pandemic, including when a vaccine will be available, whether a second wave is coming, or even when the first wave will end. Amid increased uncertainty, and as a result of the impacts of both the flu and COVID-19, doctors are actively preparing their communities to help stay protected and healthy.

This year, an important action that parents can take for their families is to talk to a healthcare provider about getting a flu vaccine. In fact, the CDC is encouraging flu vaccination for the upcoming season, now more than ever, to help reduce the burden on the healthcare system. While some people regularly get a flu vaccine, others do not. There are several vaccine options available, even for those who prefer a needle-free option. The CDC does not recommend one flu vaccine over another. It is important to speak to your healthcare provider to determine which vaccine is right for you and your loved ones.

Dr. Ravi Jhaveri, MD, Associate Division Head of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine will discuss how parents can prepare their families for this year’s flu season, while navigating alongside a global pandemic.

Interview courtesy: AstraZeneca
for video and more info, go to http://goodnewsplanet.com/easing-anxieties-about-the-upcoming-flu-season-while-the-covid-19-pandemic-continues/
#dr #ravi #jhaveri astrazeneca #md #associate #division #head #pediatric #infectious #diseases #disease #ann #robert #lurie #children #hospital #chicago #northwestern #university #feinberg #school #medicine #families #family #flu #season #global #pandemic #covid #covid19 #codvid-19 #us #states #doctors #increase #control #fluctuates #vaccine #virus #cdc #impact #healthcare

Three tips all organ recipients and their caregivers should know for monitoring organ health, particularly during COVID-19

Approximately 80 people undergo organ transplants each day – these recipients are presented with unique challenges during the pandemic that require them to make substantial changes in ways that they receive medical care from their healthcare professionals. Organ recipients are at higher risk of contracting the virus because the immunosuppressive drugs they take to prevent organ rejection also limit their body’s ability to ward off infection.

As restrictions start to lift, and the world seems more like normal, existing transplant patients would benefit from practical tips that help them remain informed and hyper-vigilant about safety. And as organ transplant surgeries begin to resume at centers around the country, transplant professionals can provide guidance to new patients regarding staying healthy in our “new normal” environment.

Leading transplant surgeon Adam W Bingaman, MD, PhD, Director of Abdominal Organ Transplantation at Methodist Hospital/Specialty and Transplant, is on the front lines during this crisis in his community and is available to provide tips to both patients and their caregivers about keeping safe, during the “new normal.”

•Seek Care with Telemedicine: Consult with your doctor about available telemedicine programs. Also known as telehealth, telemedicine uses phones, tablets and laptops for virtual medical appointments, remote but in real-time, with healthcare professionals.
•Evaluate Caregivers’ Risk: In addition to transplant patients being hyper-vigilant of their own health, they must also monitor their caregivers' exposure to the public. If a caregiver needs to go into public areas– for example, if they are an essential worker – then they should take necessary precautions.
•Inquire About Home Blood Draws: Transplant patients undergo frequent blood tests in labs or hospitals to monitor for the health of their transplanted organs. There are at-home services that A service allows patients to receive home blood draws from trained technicians called phlebotomists to access for organ rejection:
•Dr. Adam Bingaman, will be available to discuss what transplant patients can expect during COVID-19 and to share helpful tips on ways to protect a transplanted organ. Additionally, CareDx CEO Peter Maag – the company behind RemoTraC – is available to discuss widespread usage of the service during COVID-19, and the company’s ongoing commitment to addressing patient needs.

Interview courtesy: CareDx, Inc.
for video and more info, go to http://goodnewsplanet.com/navigating-the-new-normal-as-a-transplant-patient/
#caredx #adam #peter #bingaman #maag #navigating #new #normal #transplant #patient #tips #organ #recipients #caregivers #monitoring #health #covid #covid19 #covid-19 #transplants #pandemic #require #changes #medical #care #healthcare #virus #drugs #ability #environment #abdominal #transplantation #hospital

Important advancement in treatment for patients living with Follicular Lymphoma (FL)

• Dr. M. Yair Levy, Texas Oncology – Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center

BACKGROUND:
Cancer is a disease that almost everyone will confront at some point in their lives, either personally or through a loved one. As we continue to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s more important than ever to ensure patients receive proper care when managing a chronic cancer, like follicular lymphoma (FL).1

FL is a slow-growing and incurable blood cancer that starts in the lymphatic system, which is a system of lymph nodes found throughout the body, including the neck, underarms, chest, abdomen and groin/pelvis.1 While FL can occur at any age, it is most frequently diagnosed among people aged 55-64, with a median age of 63.2 Of the estimated 74,000 individuals diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the United States each year,3 FL accounts for approximately 20% of all cases, or about 14,800 individuals.1

It’s important for patients and doctors to remember that cancer care should not be put by the wayside due to COVID-19. By having routine and open conversations with healthcare providers via telemedicine and select in-person visits, patients can help to support their own improved health outcomes. There is also new hope as treatment advances give patients with FL, and the doctors who treat them, new, convenient options to help fight this debilitating cancer.

With the FDA’s recent accelerated approval of TAZVERIK® (tazemetostat) for the treatment of adults with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma who have received at least 2 prior systemic therapies, FL patients have a new oral treatment option to discuss with their physicians. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial(s). For more information on TAZVERIK, including full Prescribing Information, please visit: www.tazverik.com.4

Dr. M. Yair Levy, Texas Oncology – Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, will be available for interviews. He will share details about this recent approval, risk factors, symptoms and treatment options for FL.
Interview is courtesy: Epizyme, Inc.

For more information on FL, please visit: www.lymphomaresearchfoundation.org or www.lls.org
For more information on TAZVERIK, including full Prescribing Information, please visit: www.tazverik.com

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Warnings and Precautions

• Secondary Malignancies

The risk of developing secondary malignancies is increased following treatment with TAZVERIK. Across clinical trials of 729 adults who received TAZVERIK 800 mg twice daily, myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML) occurred in 0.7% of patients. One pediatric patient developed T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL). Monitor patients long-term for the development of secondary malignancies.

• Embryo-Fetal Toxicity

Based on findings from animal studies and its mechanism of action, TAZVERIK can cause fetal harm when administered to pregnant women. There are no available data on TAZVERIK use in pregnant women to inform the drug-associated risk. Administration of tazemetostat to pregnant rats and rabbits during organogenesis resulted in dose-dependent increases in skeletal developmental abnormalities in both species beginning at maternal exposures approximately 1.5 times the adult human exposure (area under the plasma concentration time curve [AUC0-45h]) at the 800 mg twice daily dose.

Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with TAZVERIK and for 6 months after the final dose. Advise males with female partners of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with TAZVERIK and for 3 months after the final dose.

Adverse Reactions

In 99 clinical study patients with relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma receiving TAZVERIK 800 mg twice daily: Serious adverse reactions occurred in 30% of patients who received TAZVERIK. Serious adverse reactions occurring in ≥2% were general physical health deterioration, abdominal pain, pneumonia, sepsis, and anemia. The most common (≥20%) adverse reactions were fatigue (36%), upper respiratory tract infection (30%), musculoskeletal pain (22%), nausea (24%), and abdominal pain (20%).

Drug Interactions

Avoid coadministration of strong or moderate CYP3A inhibitors with TAZVERIK. If coadministration of moderate CYP3A inhibitors cannot be avoided, reduce TAZVERIK dose.

Avoid coadministration of moderate and strong CYP3A inducers with TAZVERIK, which may decrease the efficacy of TAZVERIK.

Coadministration of TAZVERIK with CYP3A substrates, including hormonal contraceptives, can result in decreased concentrations and reduced efficacy of CYP3A substrates.

Lactation

Because of the potential risk for serious adverse reactions from TAZVERIK in the breastfed child, advise women not to breastfeed during treatment with TAZVERIK and for one week after the final dose.

Please see full Prescribing Information for TAZVERIK, available at www.tazverik.com

MORE ABOUT DOCTOR*
Dr. Levy received his medical doctorate at the University of Wisconsin at Madison School of Medicine. He served his residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and his hematology fellowship at Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, MD. He also served on the faculty at Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Levy specializes in hematology, including lymphoma, myeloma and leukemia.

###

References:
1. Lymphoma- Non-Hodgkin: Introduction. Cancer.Net. Accessed September 15, 2020. Available at: https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/lymphoma-non-hodgkin/introduction
2. National Cancer Institute (NCI). Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. Cancer stat facts: NHL – follicular lymphoma. Accessed September 15, 2020. Available at: https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/follicular.html.
3. About Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. American Cancer Society. Accessed September 15, 2020. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/non-hodgkin-lymphoma/about.html.
4. TAZVERIK® (tazemetostat) Prescribing Information. Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA: Epizyme, Inc; June 2020.

*Spokespeople are subject to change based on availability. Individual experience with diagnosis and treatment of follicular lymphoma will vary by patient.

Produced for: Epizyme, Inc.
for video and more info, go to http://goodnewsplanet.com/new-hope-for-patients-living-with-an-incurable-blood-cancer/
#yair #levy #hope #patients #living #incurable #blood #cancer #follicular #lymphoma #texas #oncology #disease #love #covid #covid-19 #covid19 #pandemic #lymph #nodes #tazverik #risk #factors #epizyme #hodgkin #lymphoma #foundation #safety

We All Play a Part in Energy Conservation
October is Energy Action Month. It’s the time of year when we turn our attention toward the importance of energy conservation and resiliency. The call to save energy can reach everyone this October, from Soldiers to civilian employees to families. The U.S. Army Reserve is leading that call because conservation advances their mission, protects communities and empowers Soldiers to charge ahead.

From the electricity that powers Army Reserve facilities, to the fuel that powers their vehicles, energy touches nearly every aspect of the Army Reserve’s mission. Conserving power can help protect our energy future.

However, we all face threats to our energy security; from increasing global demands to natural disasters, fluctuating fuel costs and innovative adversarial attacks like cyber weapons. Conservation helps ensure Soldiers have the energy they need, when and where they need it, to accomplish their missions – at home and abroad, now and in the future. The Army Reserve is also focused on prioritizing energy and water security requirements to ensure Soldiers always have available, reliable power and water to continuously sustain critical missions.

Energy Action Month is an opportunity for the Army Reserve Energy Program to help the public understand the important role everyone can play in energy conservation and resiliency and offer practical, smart energy tips that everyone can implement in their daily lives.

Simple ways for everyone to reduce their energy footprint include:
 Weathering your home to eliminate air leaks and adding insulation
 Replacing your incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) or light emitting diodes (LEDs)
 Creating a more energy efficient office by using natural light wherever possible
 Powering down computer monitors at end of each day
 Unplugging electronics that aren’t in use for extended periods and using power strips
 Recycle packaging materials like paper and cardboard, as we continue to increase shipping supplies to our homes
 Adjusting your thermostat to 68 degrees during the fall and winter and 78 degrees in the spring and summer

Colonel Daniel Cederman, Director, Army Reserve Installation Management Directorate will be available to help your audience learn more about reducing their carbon footprint. COL Cederman will also discuss the energy conservation innovations employed by the U.S. Army Reserve and how the public can similarly do their part to reduce energy waste.

Interview courtesy: U.S. Army Reserve
for video and more info, go to http://goodnewsplanet.com/learn-how-the-army-reserve-is-protecting-our-nations-energy-security/

18 TO PARTY

Director/ Screenwriter: Jeff Roda

Starring: Alivia Clark, Tanner Flood, James Freedson-Jackson, Oliver Gifford, Nolan Lyons, Sam McCarthy, Ivy Miller, Taylor Richardson and Erich Schuett.

Producers: Nikola Duravcevic, Emily Ziff Griffin, Andrew Cahill and Stephanie Marin.

Including music by: The Alarm, Big Audio Dynamite, Mick Jones, The Velvet Underground and many more.

WFF 2019 Official Screenings:

Friday, October 4th
WORLD PREMIERE: 9:30PM (Upstate Films, Woodstock)
Q&A to follow with filmmaker and key cast.

Sunday, October 6th
3:15PM (Rosendale Theater)
Q&A to follow with filmmaker and key cast.

It’s 1984 and outside a small-town nightclub, a group of 8th graders gather, grappling with a spate of recent suicides, UFO sightings, their absentee parents, and each other. 18 TO PARTY spans a single evening in the lives of these kids, but manages to transport us fully to a time when waiting for something to happen felt just as significant as the thing itself. Gorgeously atmospheric, with a pulsating sense of anticipation that steadily builds, the film pulls us into the fears, wounds, and desires of each character, ultimately revealing that hope may arrive from the last place we expect. The meticulously authentic production design, killer soundtrack, and universally excellent performances recall the spirit of classic 80s teen movies like Stand By Me and The Breakfast Club.

18 TO PARTY is a spot-on love letter to Gen X, awkward teenagers, and the transcendent power of friendship.

FILMMAKER JEFF RODA

Jeff Roda has written screenplays for DreamWorks, Universal, Paramount Pictures, New Regency, TriStar, and television pilots for HBO, CBS, and Warner Bros. Additionally, he was a producer on the Sony Pictures Classics feature, Love Liza, starring Academy Award winning actors Philip Seymour Hoffman and Kathy Bates. 18 TO PARTY marks his directorial debut.

Roda is a local resident of Woodstock area and the film is set in Upstate New York.

WFF 2019 Ticket Information: http://woodstockfilmfestival.org/ticketinfo

For video and more info, go to http://goodnewsplanet.com/woostock-film-festival-filmmaker-jeff-roda-speaks-to-us-about-18-to-party-is-a-spot-on-love-letter-to-gen-x-awkward-teenagers-and-the-transcendent-power-of-friendship/

Executive Perspectives on C-Suite TV, and business podcast host of All Business with Jeffrey Hayzlett on C-Suite Radio. He is a global business celebrity, speaker, best-selling author, and Chairman and CEO of C-Suite Network, home of the world’s most trusted network of C-Suite leaders. Hayzlett is a well-traveled public speaker, former Fortune 100 CMO, and author of four best-selling business books: Think Big, Act Bigger: The Rewards of Being Relentless, Running the Gauntlet, The Mirror Test and The Hero Factor: How Great Leaders Transform Organizations and Create Winning Cultures. Hayzlett is one of the most compelling figures in business today and an inductee into the National Speakers Association’s Speaker Hall of Fame.
Find more at: http://goodnewsplanet.com/jeffrey-w-hayzlett-chairman-primetime-television-podcast-host/