Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

LEGAL VICTORY: The Biden Administration Waves White Flag in FGA v. HHS Lawsuit on Drug Price Transparency

Retrieved on: 
Monday, October 2, 2023
Titanium carbide, Pressure, Foundation for Government Accountability, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, File, HHS, Human services, Policy, Trump, Bragdon, Public policy, American Dream, FAQ, Government, Treasury, FGA, Patient, Labour, Pharmaceutical industry, Health insurance, Health

NAPLES, Fla., Oct. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Today, the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) released a court filing from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), et al. notifying FGA of the government's decision to reverse its position of non-enforcement of Transparency in Coverage (TiC) rules that require group health plans and health insurers to publish prescription drug prices to give purchasers complete pricing information for medications.

Key Points: 
  • The Foundation for Government Accountability's successful federal lawsuit holds the Biden administration accountable and protects patients' right to health care transparency.
  • When the Biden administration decided to take the side of health insurers and drug manufacturers, FGA decided to take the side of patients & their families.
  • In response to its resounding legal victory in the federal lawsuit FGA v. HHS , FGA released the following statement:
    "When the Biden administration decided to take the side of health insurers and drug manufacturers, FGA decided to take the side of patients and their families.
  • "The Biden administration broke the law when they prohibited agencies from enforcing the drug price transparency rule, and they knew it.

Priority Health members informed of EyeMed incident, no fraudulent activity detected

Retrieved on: 
Monday, October 2, 2023
Professional Services, Security, Health, Technology, Insurance, General Health, Luxottica, Identity theft, Civil and political rights, Fraud, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Risk, Spectrum Health

There is an update regarding a 2020 security incident involving EyeMed who manages vision benefits on behalf of Priority Health.

Key Points: 
  • There is an update regarding a 2020 security incident involving EyeMed who manages vision benefits on behalf of Priority Health.
  • EyeMed also immediately launched an investigation into the incident and engaged a cybersecurity firm to assist in its efforts.
  • On September 28, 2020, Priority Health was made aware of the security incident by EyeMed.
  • Priority Health is not aware of any instances of fraud or identity theft arising from the incident.

Saranac Lake, NY Police Department is Prioritizing Critical Technology With CivicEye. Here's how, and why.

Retrieved on: 
Monday, October 2, 2023
IPhone, U.S. Department of Justice Office of Legislative Affairs, Justice, PD, CiviCRM, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Law enforcement, COPS, Government, Cryptocurrency

SARANAC LAKE, N.Y., Oct. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Many, if not most, government agencies are familiar with the challenge of small budgets and lengthy to-do lists. Law enforcement agencies, particularly, are no stranger to this situation.

Key Points: 
  • SARANAC LAKE, N.Y., Oct. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Many, if not most, government agencies are familiar with the challenge of small budgets and lengthy to-do lists.
  • But, in an agency in New York, a police chief was determined to find the funding his department needed.
  • Chief Darin Perrotte was appointed in February 2022 as Chief of Saranac Lake Police Department.
  • To follow Saranac Lake Police Department's work and updates, you can follow the agency on Facebook , Instagram , or their local crime watch page .

Tactile Medical Appoints Vindell Washington, M.D. to Board of Directors

Retrieved on: 
Monday, October 2, 2023
Health informatics, Most, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University, University, Accreditation, Emergency medicine, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Policy, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Pennsylvania State University, Harvard University School of Mining and Practical Geology, Medicine, Research, Pharmacy, Private practice, Health, TCMD, Public health, Alphabet, Principal, Raffles Medical Group, Nursing, Health care

MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tactile Systems Technology, Inc. (“Tactile Medical”) (Nasdaq: TCMD), a medical technology company providing therapies for people with chronic disorders, today announced the appointment of Vindell Washington, M.D.

Key Points: 
  • MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tactile Systems Technology, Inc. (“Tactile Medical”) (Nasdaq: TCMD), a medical technology company providing therapies for people with chronic disorders, today announced the appointment of Vindell Washington, M.D.
  • to the Company’s Board of Directors (“Board”), effective October 2, 2023.
  • “We are pleased to welcome Dr. Washington to Tactile Medical, who joins our Board with over 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry,” said Bill Burke, Chairman of the Board of Tactile Medical.
  • in Healthcare Management from the Harvard University School of Public Health.

SOTERA ALERT: Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. is Investigating Sotera Health Co. on Behalf of Long-Term Stockholders and Encourages Investors to Contact the Firm

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, September 30, 2023
Class Action Lawsuit, Professional Services, Legal, Pressure, P.C, Poison, IPO, JPMorgan Chase, Human, Probability, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atmosphere, GTCR, Culture, Telephone, Human services, Offerings, Class, NATA, Cancer, Jeanne Eagels, SHC, SPO, Sterilization, Goldman Sachs, EPA, School, Risk, Agency, Warburg Pincus, Ethylene oxide, Knowledge, Health, News, Safety, Cryptocurrency, Dietary supplement, Environmental remediation, Tobacco, Pharmaceutical industry, Nordion, Sotera Tschetter

Our investigation concerns whether the board of directors of Sotera have breached their fiduciary duties to the company.

Key Points: 
  • Our investigation concerns whether the board of directors of Sotera have breached their fiduciary duties to the company.
  • Sotera provides sterilization and lab testing and advisory services to the medical device and pharmaceutical industries.
  • The Company’s sterilization services rely on three primary technologies, one of which is Ethylene Oxide (“EtO”) processing.
  • Sotera, through its Sterigenics business, conducts or has conducted EtO processing at facilities located in Illinois, California, Georgia, and New Mexico.

Concentric By Ginkgo and Texas A&M University Awarded USDA NIFA AFRI Grant to Conduct Genomic Animal Research to Prevent Zoonotic Disease Spillover

Retrieved on: 
Friday, September 29, 2023
Zoonosis, DNA, Human, APHIS, College, Biosecurity, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Deer, SARS-CoV-2, Texas A&M University, Concentric objects, Livestock, Research, Biomedical sciences, Science, Natural Resources, Animal, Ginkgo Bioworks, Ginkgo, USDA, Risk, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, School, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Veterinary medicine, Epidemiology, NYSE, Disease, Animal husbandry, Agriculture

BOSTON and COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Sept. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ginkgo Bioworks (NYSE: DNA), which is building the leading platform for cell programming and biosecurity, and Texas A&M University today announced they have been jointly awarded a research grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) via the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (NIFA AFRI) to study SARS-CoV-2 in white-tailed deer populations in Texas.   

Key Points: 
  • This research is one of the first at-scale studies that will conduct widespread DNA sequencing of white-tailed deer in Texas.
  • White-tailed deer are a farmed animal species that have historically had high positivity rates of SARS-CoV-2 in wild populations throughout the United States.
  • Texas A&M will screen both historic and newly collected samples for the presence of the virus, which will then be sequenced and analyzed by Concentric.
  • "This data and research will provide governments, industry leaders, and academics the information they need to optimize behaviors and provide early warnings to help prevent disease spillover."

Thymmune Therapeutics Receives $37M in Funding from the National Institutes of Health's Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)

Retrieved on: 
Friday, September 29, 2023
Technology, Biotechnology, Health, Consumer, Other Health, Pharmaceutical, Stem Cells, Other Science, Research, Software, Genetics, Science, Seniors, Clinical Trials, Vaccine, ARPA-H, Drug development, DARPA, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, IPSC, Birth, Human services, Thymus, Ageing, Cancer, Quality of life, Immunity, Cell, ARPA, Transplant, Drawing, Animal, Patient, Machine learning, Immune system, Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, Disease, DSM-IV codes, Mortality, Therapy, Pharmaceutical industry

This is the first industry project funded by the ARPA-H Open Broad Agency Announcement .

Key Points: 
  • This is the first industry project funded by the ARPA-H Open Broad Agency Announcement .
  • The Thymus Rejuvenation project, led by Thymmune Therapeutics, aims to restore damaged or non-functional thymus tissue.
  • Using laboratory methods, scientists can turn cells into different tissue types, eventually growing into functional thymus tissue for a patient, and allowing for a “reboot” of immunity.
  • This effort builds on ARPA-H’s ongoing work to improve health outcomes for all Americans.

Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. Reaches Settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, September 28, 2023
Justice, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Culture, U.S. Department of Justice Office of Legislative Affairs, CCO, Sale, SAN, NYSE, Security (finance)

SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCO) (the "Company") today announced that it has reached a settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") to resolve a previously-disclosed SEC investigation involving the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act relating to its former indirect, non-wholly-owned Chinese subsidiary, Clear Media Limited ("Clear Media").

Key Points: 
  • SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCO) (the "Company") today announced that it has reached a settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") to resolve a previously-disclosed SEC investigation involving the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act relating to its former indirect, non-wholly-owned Chinese subsidiary, Clear Media Limited ("Clear Media").
  • The SEC resolution pertains to the actions of Clear Media in China, and to the Company's oversight of that entity prior to the Company's previously-announced sale of its entire interest in Clear Media in April 2020.
  • As of June 30, 2023, the Company had recorded a liability for the full amount of the potential settlement in anticipation of such settlement.
  • In connection with the settlement, the U.S. Department of Justice has declined to pursue any charges against the Company.

ModeX Therapeutics Secures BARDA Contract to Develop Novel Multispecific Antibodies Against Viral Infectious Disease Threats

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, September 28, 2023
United States Department of Health and Human Services, DNA, Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, Epstein–Barr virus, Therapy, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, HHS, SARS-CoV-2, Human services, Public, Infection, COVID-19, MSTAR, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, DRS, Research, Antibody, Bangladesh Technical Education Board, Modex, Messenger, Vaccine Research Center, Administration, Development, OPKO Health, Merck, BARDA, Virus, NIH, Vaccine

The awarded funding will enable research, development and clinical evaluation of potent multispecific antibodies, based on ModeX proprietary MSTAR technology.

Key Points: 
  • The awarded funding will enable research, development and clinical evaluation of potent multispecific antibodies, based on ModeX proprietary MSTAR technology.
  • Additional funding of up to $109 million may be available from BARDA upon achieving particular milestones to develop multispecific antibodies targeting other viral pathogens such as influenza.
  • “We are excited to partner with BARDA to advance the potential of our MSTAR multispecific antibody platform as a versatile solution to major viral threats,” said Drs.
  • Gary Nabel and Elias Zerhouni, Co-Founders of ModeX and, respectively, President, Chief Executive Officer of ModeX and President of OPKO.

Deadline in 5 Days for Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. Investors: Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP Reminds Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. (LYV) Investors of Filing Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, September 28, 2023
Ticketmaster, Insurance, LLP, Pressure, Music, COPY, Senate, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Central District, Nation, E pluribus unum, Politico, Consumer, DOJ, LYV, U.S. Department of Justice Office of Legislative Affairs, Lead, United States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust and Consumer Rights, Live Nation Entertainment, Competition law, District court, Congress, The New York Times, NPR, Court, Knowledge, Defendant, Policy, Letter, News, NYSE

The action charges Live Nation with violations of the federal securities laws, including omissions and fraudulent misrepresentations relating to the company’s business, operations, and prospects.

Key Points: 
  • The action charges Live Nation with violations of the federal securities laws, including omissions and fraudulent misrepresentations relating to the company’s business, operations, and prospects.
  • As a result of Live Nation’s materially misleading statements and omissions to the public, Live Nation’s investors have suffered significant losses.
  • Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP encourages Live Nation investors who have suffered significant losses to contact the firm directly to acquire more information.
  • The class action complaint against Live Nation, Donley v. Live Nation Entertainment, Inc., et al., Case No.