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

New Coalition Addresses Health Equity Challenges through Inclusive Data Collection

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Thursday, September 28, 2023
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the National Minority Quality Forum (NMQF), the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), and 17 partner organizations announced the formation of the Data Equity Coalition, a new partnership to improve health outcomes through better, more accurate and more representative data on race, ethnicity and language (REL) and sexual orientation and gender identification (SOGI). Developing a standardized approach to this important data can be critical to ensuring everyone in America has an equal opportunity to attain their highest level of health.

Key Points: 
  • The lack of comprehensive data to better understand these challenges as well as archaic standards for collecting it are contributing factors to the growing health equity gap.
  • The Data Equity Coalition will focus on the following:
    Education on the importance of data as a critical pillar in advancing health equity.
  • "Data is the lifeline of modern health care and after decades of collecting health data, NMQF is concerned about the limitations of available comprehensive standards for REL and SOGI data," said Dr. Gary A. Puckrein, NMQF president and CEO.
  • "The formation of the Data Equity Coalition marks a shared commitment to not only advancing health care equity but also enabling targeted solutions to better meet the needs of underserved groups.

Berger Montague Expands Its Premier Antitrust Practice with Addition of Two Attorneys

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Thursday, September 28, 2023
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PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Complex litigation powerhouse Berger Montague is pleased to announce that the firm has bolstered its antitrust practice with the addition of Zachary Caplan as a Shareholder and Grace Ann Brew as an Associate. Both new additions will work out of the firm's Philadelphia headquarters.

Key Points: 
  • PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Complex litigation powerhouse Berger Montague is pleased to announce that the firm has bolstered its antitrust practice with the addition of Zachary Caplan as a Shareholder and Grace Ann Brew as an Associate.
  • In the last year alone, the firm has added more than a dozen attorneys and opened three new offices.
  • Mr. Caplan returns to Berger Montague following a year and a half of service with the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
  • The addition of Zach and Grace Ann is further evidence that Berger Montague is succeeding in creating an environment where thoughtful, creative, aggressive, and diligent attorneys seek to practice."

Spectral MD Awarded BARDA Project BioShield Contract Valued at $149 Million for AI-Driven DeepView® Burn Wound Imaging Technology

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Thursday, September 28, 2023
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The contract is for the advanced development of the DeepView® System, the Company’s AI-driven burn wound imaging technology, to be used at emergency departments, trauma centers and burn centers, for both routine burn care and as a medical countermeasure for use in burn mass casualty incidents (BMCI).

Key Points: 
  • The contract is for the advanced development of the DeepView® System, the Company’s AI-driven burn wound imaging technology, to be used at emergency departments, trauma centers and burn centers, for both routine burn care and as a medical countermeasure for use in burn mass casualty incidents (BMCI).
  • Previously in 2013 and 2019, SMD was awarded BARDA contracts totaling $123 million, of which $101 million has been committed to date.
  • Together with this new contract, it brings the total potential support from BARDA to nearly $251 million.
  • For the first time, there will be an accurate and objective solution in burn wound healing assessment to guide treatment.

Tracking daily step counts can be a useful tool for weight management – an exercise scientist parses the science

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Thursday, September 28, 2023
Weight, Exercise, Appetite, Obesity, Food, Health, Diet, Body composition, Prevalence, U.S. Department of Defense Strategy for Operating in Cyberspace, Kennesaw, Georgia, Facial muscles, Human services, Health status of Asian Americans, Weight loss, Kennesaw State University, Research, Burn, Meta-analysis, Weight gain, Man, Walking, Population, Eating, Time, Overweight, Conditional sentence, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, News, Human, Dietary supplement, Property insurance, Pig, Copper

Among the most common, and arguably the most meaningful, tracking method for daily physical activity is step counting.

Key Points: 
  • Among the most common, and arguably the most meaningful, tracking method for daily physical activity is step counting.
  • Counting steps is far more than a fad: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services dedicated a sizable portion of its most recent physical activity guidelines to documenting the relationship between daily step counts and several chronic diseases.
  • Unfortunately, the guidelines have little to say about how step counts might be used to aid in weight management, an outcome of critical importance given the high rates of overweight and obesity in the U.S.
  • I am a professor of exercise science at Kennesaw State University, and our lab has been conducting studies examining relationships among step counts and a number of health outcomes.

Step counts may – or may not – lead to weight loss

    • A number of recent studies have looked at whether increasing step counts can lead to weight loss over a certain period of time.
    • One large-scale study called a meta-analysis concluded that increasing physical activity by way of step counts was effective for attaining modest weight loss.
    • My team’s research has compiled weight, body fat percentages and average step counts for large numbers of adults between 19 and 40 years of age.

Parsing the numbers

    • We have used our data to develop a model that predicts average daily step counts per unit of fat mass from body fat percentage.
    • Take, for instance, a man who weighs 175 pounds (80 kilograms), of which 25% is fat.
    • Although they have different amounts of lean mass, both men have about 44 pounds (20 kilograms) of fat.
    • In other words, the heavier person has a lower percentage of body fat and walks more to maintain that leaner body composition.

Step counts for weight loss

    • With our model, you must determine your body weight and fat weight in kilograms – to do this, simply divide your weight in pounds by 2.2.
    • With this information in hand, our model can provide a step count target that is specific to a person’s current body weight and body fat percentage, and their goal for fat loss and weight reduction.
    • So even with a comfortable pace, this additional daily dose of walking would take fewer than 30 minutes.

Juries that don't understand forensic science can send innocent people to prison − a short training video could help

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Thursday, September 28, 2023
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Ledura Watkins was 19 years old when he was accused of murdering a public school teacher.

Key Points: 
  • Ledura Watkins was 19 years old when he was accused of murdering a public school teacher.
  • In 1976, Ledura Watkins was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
  • Ledura Watkins lost over 41 years of his life to a wrongful conviction based on improper forensic testimony.

Forensic testimony carries weight with jurors

    • Jurors tend to rely heavily on forensic evidence when making decisions in a case, despite struggling to understand the statistical analyses and language used to explain forensic science.
    • They might ignore the differences between appropriately worded forensic testimony and testimony that violates best-practice guidelines, fail to grasp the limitations of forensic science in expert witness testimony and overly rely on an expert’s experience when evaluating the evidence.
    • These guidelines aimed to lessen misleading statements in forensic testimony and outlined five statements forensic experts should not make.

An informational video for jurors

    • Inspired by one court’s use of videos to help train jurors on relevant concepts, our team developed what we call the forensic science informational video.
    • In the FSI video, a narrator explains what a forensic expert is and how they might testify in court.
    • In two different studies, we recruited jury-eligible adults to test whether our video had any effect on how jurors judged forensic testimony.

Training helps jurors assess forensic testimony

    • Participants learned how to identify low-quality forensic testimony and how to adjust their evaluations of the expert and their testimony accordingly.
    • Our study is a promising first step in exploring ways to help jurors understand complex forensic testimony.
    • A brief video like ours can provide standardized information about forensic experts and types of appropriate and inappropriate testimony to jurors across courts, much like similar videos about implicit bias already being used in some courts.

Represented by The Campos Firm, Roberto Antonio Garay Saravia, a Former U.S.-Trained Salvadoran Special Forces Colonel, Has Been Exonerated

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Thursday, September 28, 2023
Public Policy, Government, Legal, White House, Federal Government, Courts, Immigration, Law Enforcement, Emergency Services, Professional Services, Homeland Security, Arrest, Justice, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Life, State Security Investigations Service, DHS, The Department, U.S. Department of Justice Office of Legislative Affairs, Criticism of the United States government, United States Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Immigration law, Death, Atrocity, Salvadorans

Additionally, Garay Saravia was accused of willful misrepresentation on his application to enter the United States as a Permanent Resident.

Key Points: 
  • Additionally, Garay Saravia was accused of willful misrepresentation on his application to enter the United States as a Permanent Resident.
  • The judgement officially exonerates Garay Saravia and, as a result, permits him to reside in the United States rather than face deportation.
  • “Today, we are pleased to announce that Roberto Antonio Garay Saravia has been vindicated of all charges brought against him by the United States Government,” stated Jose Campos, Esq., Managing Attorney, The Campos Firm.
  • In this case, the exoneration of Roberto Antonio Garay Saravia demonstrates the commitment to justice and fairness that underpins the values of the United States.

Gritstone bio Awarded BARDA Contract to Conduct Comparative Phase 2b Study Evaluating Next-Generation Vaccine Candidate for COVID-19 Valued at up to $433 Million

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
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EMERYVILLE, Calif., Sept. 27, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gritstone bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: GRTS), a clinical-stage biotechnology company working to develop the world’s most potent vaccines, announced today that it was awarded a contract by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to conduct a Phase 2b comparative study evaluating Gritstone’s self-amplifying mRNA (samRNA) vaccine candidate containing Spike plus other viral targets to protect against COVID-19. The agreement, which is valued at up to $433 million, was awarded as part of ‘Project NextGen,’ an initiative by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to advance a pipeline of new, innovative vaccines and therapeutics providing broader and more durable protection for COVID-19.

Key Points: 
  • Under the contract, Gritstone bio will conduct a 10,000 participant, randomized Phase 2b double-blinded study to compare the efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of the Gritstone next-generation COVID-19 vaccine candidate with an approved COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Preparations for the study are underway, and execution of the study will be fully funded by BARDA.
  • CORAL was designed to address these limitations by inducing durable neutralizing antibody and T cell-based immunity against current and future SARS-CoV-2 variants.
  • We are excited about this opportunity to work alongside BARDA and look forward to initiating the Phase 2b study (CORAL-BARDA) in the first quarter of 2024.

Plant Based Products Council Announces James Glueck Joining as Executive Director

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Wednesday, September 27, 2023
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Today, the Plant Based Products Council (PBPC) announced that James Glueck will join their team as Executive Director.

Key Points: 
  • Today, the Plant Based Products Council (PBPC) announced that James Glueck will join their team as Executive Director.
  • In this position, Glueck will lead PBPC’s advocacy for a shift toward a more circular bioeconomy through greater adoption of renewable, plant-based materials.
  • “James’ expertise and commitment to advanced bioproducts is impressive and we’re thrilled to have him join PBPC,” said Acting Executive Director Jamaica Gayle.
  • Glueck has also worked for Senator Mike Johanns, Bunge Noth America, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

eBay Issues Statement Responding to U.S. Department of Justice Lawsuit

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Law enforcement, California Environmental Protection Agency, EBay, DOJ, U.S. Department of Justice Office of Legislative Affairs, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, SAN, EBAY, Sale, Online shopping, Auction

eBay issued the following statement:

Key Points: 
  • eBay issued the following statement:
    "Maintaining a safe and trusted marketplace for our global community of sellers and buyers is a fundamental principle of our business at eBay.
  • We dedicate significant resources, implement state-of-the-art technology and ensure our teams are properly trained to prevent prohibited items from being listed on the marketplace.
  • Indeed, eBay is blocking and removing more than 99.9% of the listings for the products cited by the DOJ, including millions of listings each year.
  • And eBay has partnered closely with law enforcement, including the DOJ, for over two decades on identifying emerging risks and assisting with prevention and enforcement.

Allsup Highlights Importance Of Suicide Prevention Awareness, National 988 Hotline This September

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
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Allsup , a nationwide provider of Social Security disability, veterans disability appeal, return to work, and healthcare benefits services, joins organizations nationwide in raising awareness and celebrating the first anniversary of the 988 national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline.

Key Points: 
  • Allsup , a nationwide provider of Social Security disability, veterans disability appeal, return to work, and healthcare benefits services, joins organizations nationwide in raising awareness and celebrating the first anniversary of the 988 national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline.
  • “Our services at Allsup are designed to assist individuals in securing the necessary support, potentially serving as a financial lifeline during their most vulnerable moments.
  • As the nation commemorates Suicide Prevention Month, Allsup encourages everyone to educate themselves and others about suicide awareness and prevention, and the resources available for help.
  • If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or visit 988lifeline.org for support.