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News Release

Statement from Nick Desai: Co-Founder of Heal

Nick Desai

The following is a statement from Nick Desai, Co-Founder of Heal: " It's with great sense of appreciation and high hopes for the future that I announce I've stepped down as CEO of Heal. As I catch my breath from Heal, I am thinking about who's going to create the healthcare solution that is used not by 100,000 or one million, but rather 100 million Americans. In the six years of building Heal and my 30+ year professional career, I know more than anything that education and equal access - especially to Americans who are economically or demographically disadvantaged, ethnic minorities and others who struggle with getting even the most basic healthcare - are desperately needed and my hope is to help improve access to innovations and information that will help them, most of all. It was recently reported that 85% of telehealth users come from households with an income over $150,000 - meaning much work remains in creating truly accessible, effective solutions that are equally and easily available to those who need it most. As of now, I am an entrepreneur again. And, of course, I am an enthusiastic supporter of Heal, its team and mission. I am incredibly proud of what my wife and Co-Founder, Renee, and I built at Heal. We transformed healthcare with innovat ive solutions like doctor house calls, one-touch telehealth and upfront price transparency, that enable better healthcare for all. Looking back and seeing things we invented as industry standard best practices is very gratifying. While my role as CEO has been passed on to my successor Scott Vertrees, Renee remains the Chief Medical Officer of Heal and driving force of Heal's continued innovations and of the excellent, life-changing patient care Heal delivers every day. More than the awards Heal won, or the investors I brought to Heal, such as Lionel Richie, Fidelity, Breyer Capital and Humana, or the 250,000 patients we have served, I am most proud of the dozens of letters, postcards and emails from everyday Americans saying we saved the lives of their parents, kids and loved ones. Thank you to everyone who's contributed to the growth and success of Heal. Looking back, I can barely imagine we went from Renee and I going house to house to Heal being available to nearly 150MM Americans in 11 US States. I look forward to the future and know Heal will continue to do great things as I focus on helping solve more problems impacting healthcare in America." Contact Details NRPR Group Nicole Rodrigues +1 424-421-9610 nicole@nrprgroup.com

March 09, 2021 05:00 AM Pacific Standard Time

NeurologyLive®, in Partnership with the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers, Launches MS Cure Connections® Video Series Program

NeurologyLive

NeurologyLive®, a multimedia platform dedicated to providing health care professionals who treat neurological diseases with direct access to expert-driven, practice-changing news and insights in neurology, has launched multiple sclerosis (MS) Cure Connections® video series program in partnership with the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC). The first video series, titled “The Multiple Sclerosis Patient Journey”, features an expert panel including June Halper, M.S.N., APN-C, MSCN, FAAN, chief executive officer of CMSC, who serves as moderator; Patricia K. Coyle, M.D., professor of neurology, vice chair of clinical affairs and director of the MS Comprehensive Care Center at Stony Brook University Medical Center; Frederick W. Foley, Ph.D., clinical psychologist at the MS Center at Holy Name Medical Center; and Ann Moore, a patient with multiple sclerosis (MS), and her care partner, Kathy Zelles, who give their perspectives on various facets of multiple sclerosis. “These past several months our partnership with the CMSC has escalated to producing and disseminating extremely important education for neurology professionals everywhere,” said Mike Hennessy Jr., president and CEO of MJH Life Sciences™, the parent company of NeurologyLive®. “With the CMSC being the ongoing resource for all those affected by multiple sclerosis, it was only right to launch an MS Cure Connections® video series program with them. Through this series, the health care team and the patients and families who receive MS care will get expert perspectives on hot topics in MS that will lead to improved patient care and outcomes.” As part of the second video series, NeurologyLive® and CMSC will host a live, interactive webcast titled “Strategies for Managing Advanced Disease in Multiple Sclerosis during COVID-19” on Tuesday, March 23 at 7:00 p.m. EST. This innovative program will provide health care professionals, patients and care partners with a detailed patient journey in managing progressive MS. It also will discuss the use of telehealth for diagnosis and treatment, review the pharmacologic management of progressive MS and address quality of life, complementary and natural therapies for symptom control, and support networks for patients, caregivers and clinicians. To register, click here. Halper added, “This new video series and expanded collaboration with NeurologyLive® is helping us keep the worldwide health care professional community informed and engaged about MS in creative and productive ways.” For more information and to view the “The Multiple Sclerosis Patient Journey” video series, click here. About NeurologyLive® A multimedia platform for health care professionals treating neurological diseases, NeurologyLive® delivers direct access to practice-changing news and expert insights directly from top medical conferences and researchers to improve the lives of patients with neurological diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer disease, epilepsy, headache and migraine, movement disorders, multiple sclerosis, neuromuscular diseases, sleep disorders and stroke. The NeurologyLive® platform offers an in-depth look at the hundreds of new treatments in development with ever-expanding mechanisms of action, all during an unprecedented time of growing demand for neurology expertise. The NeurologyLive® platform also connects visitors with the most up-to-date clinical trial results, FDA approvals, practice-changing research and expert insights. NeurologyLive® is a brand of MJH Life Sciences ™, the largest privately held, independent, full-service medical media company in North America, dedicated to delivering trusted health care news across multiple channels. About Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) is the largest North American multidisciplinary membership organization dedicated to defining and advancing the standard of care of MS patients. Its mission is to promote high-quality MS care through education, training, clinical research, networking and targeted advocacy efforts. The CMSC includes a professional network of 13,500 health care clinicians and scientists worldwide. The membership represents the full spectrum of MS health care professionals: physicians, nursing professionals, advanced practice clinicians, pharmacists, rehabilitation and mental health professionals, researchers and patient advocates. The work of the CMSC directly influences the quality of care for hundreds of thousands of people living with MS. Contact Details NeurologyLive® Media Alexandra Ventura +1 609-716-7777 aventura@mjhlifesciences.com CMSC Media Annie Scully 201-310-9252 annie.scully@mscare.org Company Website https://www.neurologylive.com/

March 08, 2021 01:09 PM Eastern Standard Time

CMMC Center of Excellence Announces Engagement Agreement with HKA Technology Solutions

Interoperability Clearinghouse

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Center of Excellence ( CMMC COE ), hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public-private partnership serving the public and private sectors for more than 15 years, is excited to announce a partnership with HKA Technology Solutions, an IT Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) consulting company providing a wealth of GRC solutions for clients from the U.S. Government to the private sector. This unique partnership will extend efforts to identify and include proven capabilities within the CMMC COE Marketplace to improve cybersecurity protection and resilience for the global defense industrial base network of contractors, vendors, and suppliers. By facilitating results that customers want to reduce costs and risks, HKA provides the CMMC subject matter expertise that creates business value co-creation to help the DIB contractor think critically about establishing, documenting, and testing their CMMC administrative, technical, and physical controls to support the nation’s warfighters. Furthermore, HKA uses a unique Service Value System (SVS) to ensure that within the CMMC Practices and Processes Lifecycle, DIB CMMC practices and processes continuously co-create value with all stakeholders. The executed Engagement Agreement establishes a collaborative engagement between HKA Technology Solutions and the CMMC COE to partner in the furthering of their respective and complementary missions and objectives regarding the adoption, use, and expansion of CMMC based cybersecurity practices, risk management, and compliance for the DIB contractor, vendor, and supplier community of providers creating a broader CMMC ecosystem globally to improve security and resilience. Specific actions will include: The co-development of CMMC advisory services, cyber training and education programs to accelerate CMMC certification, increase cyber adoption and improve cyber protection & resilience. Co-sponsor symposiums, training programs and podcasts leveraging their combined cyber and IT expertise. Host regular working groups, with other partners, to enable collaboration and communications. Establish an independent Industry Cyber Security Advisory Council with peer organizations to advise and educate leaders across government and industry on the continued evolution and effectiveness of CMMC. The CMMC-COE ( http://cmmc-coe.org ) and HKA Technology Solutions partnership will focus on bringing together the many disparate cyber and national security communities of interest to reduce complexity, improve awareness, and accelerate industry effort to become more cyber resilient against the growing threats from nation states and criminal enterprises. “This is exciting opportunity for us”, said Mr. John Weiler, Chairman of the Board at CMMC Center of Excellence, “This new partnership will further help advance the goals and objectives for improving the supply chain security and resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD)”. "Through the partnership with the CMMC-COE, HKA Technology Solutions scopes, tailors, and publishes CMMC policies, procedures, and standards to safeguard data Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability for our Defense Industrial Base members who support our nation's warfighters." said Mr. Glenn Axelrod, President & CEO. The CMMC-COE establishes both a Market Place and Knowledge Clearinghouse that will include resources that support the overall effort, including white papers; tutorials; recorded webcasts; presentations; and more that will help reduce the cost and burden on small and medium size contractors already struggling from the impact of COVID. For more information on the CMMC COE, please visit http://cmmc-coe.org, email info@cmmc-coe.org or call 703-863-3766 For more information on HKA Technology Solutions, please visit https://www.hkatechnolgysolutions.com/ About Us ---------- CMMC-COE.ORG is a unique non-profit public-private partnership, with a vision to accelerate Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CMM) adoption, and reduce time & cost for security compliance for our partners by leveraging commercial best practices, CMMC standards, and innovative solutions for a measurable success. Our mission, focused on DOD mission objectives, cost containment and expeditious CMMC compliance, is to help the DIB improve cyber posture and resilience, and simplify its acquisition. The CMMC-COE is hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public/private partnership (P3) chartered in 2007 as an honest broker to reach outside the confines of the Federal IT advisories that lack dynamic reach into the Global IT Market, and dedicated to the adoption of commercial IT management standards of practice and innovations emanating from the Global IT market. Team IT-AAC has already demonstrated the value of its decade long investment, and provides a unique value to agencies seeking to achieve accelerate the transformation of legacy processes and systems. Our Just-in-Time SMEs apply an innovative suite of Technology Business Management and Agile Acquisition Processes needed to assure the business value of commercial IT. The Interoperability Clearinghouse (ICH), is the managing partner that make up the 24 NGO/SDO organizations that make up the IT-AAC. ICH provides the contract vehicles, clearances, and critical resources proven to guide sustainable, measurable and repeatable processes needed to drive better investment decisions as the speed of mission need, while aligning existing processes, methods and workforce with IT reform mandates contained in Clinger Cohen Act, FITARA, IT MGT Act, EO13838. Contact Details Bob Dix +1 703-975-6633 bob.dix@it-aac.org Company Website https://cmmc-coe.org

March 08, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Fintern launches consumer lending driven by AI and Open Banking

Stockwood Strategy

The UK consumer lending market is worth £160bn, yet over 15 million people in the UK are denied access to affordable loans. These people are resorting to unsustainable means including high-cost lenders and buy-now-pay-later schemes to manage their lives. Today, digital consumer lender Fintern has launched to radically transform the financial well-being of people with an innovative and sustainable lending approach that goes beyond traditional credit scoring and puts affordability first. Fintern’s next generation credit technology bypasses credit scores in making lending decisions, focusing instead on affordability. Fintern builds relationships with customers helping them to understand how much they really need, how much they can afford to take on, and how they will repay. Fintern integrates its AI platform with Open Banking* to smartly connect the dots in consumers’ banking data enabling Fintern to obtain the most accurate view of borrowers’ affordability and spending behaviour using real time transaction information. Gerald Chappell, CEO and co-founder of Fintern commented: “Fintern will help people to really understand what is affordable for them, rather than offering yet another faceless transactional process. Currently, lenders either lend money or don’t, and then don’t engage with the borrower again until the loan terms ends or payments are missed. “Our success as a lender lies in the ability of our customers to repay their loans. Our AI-powered technology helps us and all our customers to understand their finances in a deeper, more hands-on way than ever before. This approach allows us to increase approval rates, lower APRs and empower our customers to make the best and most responsible borrowing decisions for them.” The approach of banks to personal lending inappropriately results in “computer says no” answers for millions every year. While traditional behavioural credit scoring (the industry’s approach for credit decisioning) works well to separate the highest quality customers from the lowest, it performs poorly in differentiating risk among the majority of people. Often the consumers hardest hit are those who have had historical blips in their credit records or, for example, those people who are new to credit or have moved countries. Dr. Michelle He, COO and co-founder of Fintern added: “We will be closer to our customers than incumbent lenders can ever be, and this will differentiate us in the marketplace. Intelligently integrating AI and Open Banking data disrupts credit decisioning for the better of all customers. Doing it well requires the right experience. Data and technology are Fintern’s bread and butter. We have an amazing team with extensive experience in digital lending and credit analytics. They are customer obsessed and have made the Fintern App a unique experience.” Looking ahead, Gerald Chappell added: “As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, Fintern is needed now more than ever. While many existing lenders are reducing credit supply given the shock to their existing portfolios, Fintern uses high frequency transaction data to understand consumers’ real time financial circumstances and lend responsibly. Over the next 4-5 years, we intend to rapidly grow in the UK building a £1bn loan book alongside broadening our product range and considering expansion to other geographies.” Fintern received its FCA authorisation as a regulated consumer credit lender in February 2021. The co-founders have built an exceptional team that includes credit experts with over 100 years’ experience in finance and technology. Ends * Open Banking regulation requires UK banks to open up customer transaction data in a secure and standardised form, which means the third party providers have access to consumer data from banks via APIs. While the UK is leading globally on Open Banking, adoption is under way in 35 economies. About Fintern Fintern is a digital consumer lender on a mission to expand access to low cost personal finance and transform financial well-being. Fintern’s next generation credit technology bypasses credit scores in making lending decisions, focusing instead on affordability. Fintern builds relationships with customers helping them to understand their repayment capacity and credit appetite. Fintern integrates its AI platform with Open Banking to smartly connect the dots in consumers’ banking data enabling Fintern to obtain the most accurate view of borrowers’ affordability and spending behaviour using up to the minute transaction information. Fintern was founded in 2020 with a team from McKinsey, EY, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, HSBC and XiaoMi. Fintern is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, firm reference number 929244, a member of Cifas (the UK's leading anti-fraud association) and registered with the UK Information Commissioner's Office in compliance with the Data Protection Regulations 2018. Contact Details Fintern Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 press@fintern.ai Company Website https://fintern.ai/

March 08, 2021 06:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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CORRECTING AND REPLACING: GoGetVax Streamlines COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

GoGetVax

GoGetVax, the first end-to-end COVID-19 vaccine technology platform in the United States launched today. Currently available in Texas’ Rockwall and Brownwood Counties with expansion across the country coming soon, GoGetVax continues the citizen-powered healthcare response needed to beat COVID-19 and provides critical information and processes to enable medical providers, local governments and independent pharmacies to seamlessly manage vaccine operations. GoGetVax also provides citizens with an intuitive portal to review their eligibility for a COVID-19 vaccine, pre-register, receive real-time updates on vaccine availability, and schedule a vaccination appointment. GoGetVax’s all-in-one solution offers free FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccinations and provides consistent delivery of data and provider/patient communication. "Our mission is to optimize the vaccination process, eliminate bottlenecks and reduce waiting times,” said GoGet, Inc CEO Mohammad Gaber. “We've taken the lessons, practices and policies from scaling GoGetTested to roll out GoGetVax and create an efficient, seamless and safe experience to provide mass vaccinations. We’re committed to orchestrate and spur the distribution of vaccine doses to quickly vaccinate as many people as possible and help protect U.S. residents from the effects of COVID-19.” GoGetVax’s operating system ensures a simpler path to managing COVID-19 vaccinations for consumers and public health professionals alike. Providers can also use the platform to handle patient communication, such as notifying a person to schedule their first shot or reminding them to come in for a second dose. For communities with existing COVID vaccination programs in place, the GoGetVax platform is lab-agnostic and can seamlessly integrate with existing healthcare platforms to create a citizen-friendly healthcare experience for local residents. Additional key features of the GoGetVax platform include: Cohort Management: GoGetVax presents appointments based on pre-existing conditions. Users fill out the survey and receive information on what is available based on comorbidities. Waitlist/Standby Feature: When there is additional vaccine inventory, a notification will be sent to those people on the waitlist. Digital Certificate: Integration into Apple Passport and all apps certifying vaccination. Vaccine Reporting: GoGetVax makes it simple to transmit vaccination records and patient data as required by the CDC, state and local governments. For more information on GoGetVax, including testing locations and scheduling a vaccination, visit https://www.gogetvax.com/. About GoGetVax GoGetVax is the easiest way to vaccinate your communities through a complete end-to-end technology platform designed for vaccine administration. The GoGetVax COVID-19 vaccination experience will help keep the nation’s communities and economies open and safe. GoGetVax’s COVID-19 response units ensure geographical reach to rural areas and fast activation in virus hotspots. For more information, visit http://gogetvax.com. Contact Details Trust Relations April White +1 323-216-8589 gogettested@trustrelations.agency Company Website https://www.gogetvax.com/

March 04, 2021 02:17 PM Eastern Standard Time

Cyvatar Creates First All-in-One Cybersecurity Membership Platform

Cyvatar

Cyvatar today unveiled its all-in-one platform to deliver the first-of-its-kind cybersecurity-as-a-service (CSaaS) offering. The Cyvatar platform is now the de facto operating system for all of its members’ security programs. Cyvatar’s unique membership model levels the playing field by democratizing cybersecurity and making the best protection accessible and affordable for every size organization, even if they have no cybersecurity expertise in-house. With the introduction of the Cyvatar platform, members also get complete visibility into the management of all their security tools from a single pane of glass. The platform demonstrates immediate and concrete results from their cybersecurity efforts with executive-level analytics, rising compliance and risk grades, time to remediation, and ROI calculations. “We’re losing the battle against hacks and breaches; even though more and more security tools are available, sensitive data isn’t getting better protected,” said Corey White, Cyvatar co-founder and chief executive officer. “We launched Cyvatar as the industry’s first subscription-based CSaaS to solve this problem. Rather than simply identifying issues, the Cyvatar platform gives members complete and continuous transparency into all remediation activity to support their security and compliance goals.” By replacing ownership with membership, Cyvatar members can select the freemium plan in seconds at no cost. They can later choose the packages and pricing that meet their unique business needs and they can cancel anytime--another industry first. “Without Cyvatar, you’re basically going to the supermarket and stocking up on all of the best ingredients without a recipe or general know-how to turn those ingredients into a meal,” said Cyvatar Co-Founder and Chief Product and Strategy Officer Craig Goodwin. “If you want to eat, you can’t just keep buying more ingredients; at some point, you have to combine them in the proper order and prepare them at the right temperature to create the necessary outcome--that’s what we do for our members. Our expert team of Cydekicks use the platform to remediate all vulnerabilities in a member’s system and provide CyValue in 90 days or fewer with full transparency into every action they perform.” Become a free member to get your vulnerability scan, remediation plan, and platform access today. About Cyvatar Cyvatar is committed to cybersecurity for everyone. As the industry’s first subscription-based, cybersecurity-as-a-service (CSaaS) company, it’s our mission to transform the way the security industry builds, sells, and supports cyber solutions. We empower our members to achieve successful outcomes by providing expert advisors, proven technologies, and a strategic process roadmap to guarantee results that map to their business drivers. Our approach is rooted in proprietary ICARM (installation, configuration, assessment, remediation, maintenance) methodology that delivers smarter, measurable security solutions for superior compliance and cyber-attack protection faster and more efficiently, all at a fixed monthly price. And because we’re a subscription, members can cancel anytime. Cyvatar is headquartered in Irvine, California with locations around the world. Begin your journey to security confidence at https://cyvatar.ai/ and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Contact Details Cyvatar Media KC Higgins +1 303-434-8163 kc@cyvatar.ai Company Website https://cyvatar.ai/

March 04, 2021 08:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

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The Economist Group and The Nippon Foundation launch a new initiative to promote ocean health

Media Outreach

TOKYO, JAPAN - Media OutReach - 3 March 2021 - Back to Blue, a new initiative from The Economist Group and The Nippon Foundation, launches today at the 8th annual World Ocean Summit. With an initial focus on ocean pollution, the three-year collaboration is a response to the escalating challenges posed by plastic pollution and, less visibly, pollution from nutrients and chemical contaminants that are damaging ocean life and ecosystems, and in turn human health. The programme, now under development, has been supported by findings from a Back to Blue global survey* which place plastic pollution (59.6% of respondents) and chemical pollution (39.1%) as the top two concerns, followed by climate change (31.1%). The opportunity to embark on original research, stimulate fresh dialogue and explore new solutions to the vexing problems posed by pollution in the ocean is motivating both organizations. The Economist Group, through its World Ocean Initiative and World Ocean Summit, has been fostering a global conversation on the greatest challenges facing the seas. The Nippon Foundation--with its diverse programmes building and nurturing ocean networks, research and professionals--has a global reputation for championing ocean science and health. The Back to Blue initiative brings together two organisations that share a common understanding of the need for evidence-based approaches and solutions to the pressing issues faced by the ocean, offering a powerful platform from which to accelerate momentum for improving ocean health. During remarks at the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two organisations, Yohei Sasakawa, chairman of The Nippon Foundation, warned that "we are much aware of the land-based problems that occur around us[...]; however, when it comes to understanding the multifaceted problems of the ocean that covers 70% of the earth surface, I believe that our understanding is still very poor. This is already a threat to human security for every individual on this planet." Echoing these sentiments, Lord Deighton, chairman of The Economist Group, said: "We [at The Economist Group] have also developed our own passion for the ocean. We held our first World Ocean Summit in 2012, after we had argued in the newspaper that the seas were in trouble, and that human activities were having a profound impact on ocean health. A decade or so later we are more committed than ever to our vision of an ocean in robust health and with a vital economy. The ocean is too big to fail." Speaking on the Back to Blue initiative at the launch event, Charles Goddard, editorial director at The Economist Group, noted that "defining and heading towards a pollution-free ocean is an enormous challenge, as we are already seeing in the many extraordinary efforts to address plastic pollution. We hope Back to Blue can contribute vital new knowledge and perspectives on contaminants in the ocean, and to the global architecture of engagement needed to address them. The urgency is very real." * In January 2021, The Economist Group, in cooperation with The Nippon Foundation, undertook two related surveys--one of industry and public-sector executives, the other of the general public (global citizens)--to better understand their views and priorities around key ocean issues. The survey was conducted to provide a reference point for the Back to Blue initiative among the global audience we expect to be engaging, as well as to seek feedback on the direction and relevance of the initiative, and to help us gauge progress towards our goals. Survey details: Survey 1. industry and public sector Sample size: 1000 Geography: 20% each from North America,, Europe and Asia-Pacific, 40% Rest of the World Employment status: Full or part-time employees Type of organisation respondents work for: 70% for profit organisations (a range including minimum 50 each from finance, food (including fisheries) and beverage, travel (including shipping) and tourism, energy 30% public sector, non-profit organisations or academia Survey 2. General Public/ world citizens Sample size: 3000 Geography: 20% each from North America,, Europe and Asia-Pacific, 40% Rest of the World Age: 50% Millennials (1981-96) and Generation Z (1997-) / 50% Generation X (1965-80) and Baby Boomers (1946-64) Gender: At least 40% male/female Back to Blue Website: backtoblueinitiative.com MOU signing ceremony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPUar232EkA&t=3s About The Economist Group The Economist Group is built on high-quality, independent analysis which runs through all of its businesses. Based in London and serving a global readership and client base, the group publishes print and digital products, produces global events, and offers a range of subscriptions and other services for clients and readers. Its flagship businesses include The Economist newspaper, and research and analysis division The Economist Intelligence Unit. About The Nippon Foundation Established in 1962, The Nippon Foundation is Japan's largest philanthropic foundation, providing support to public-service activities in a variety of fields across national borders. In ocean affairs, the Foundation aims to cultivate human resources who will chart a course for the ocean's future and to pass on the ocean's riches to future generations. Other primary areas of activity include support for children, persons with disabilities, disaster relief, and international cooperation, with the ultimate goal of achieving a society where all people support one another. Contact Details head of marketing, Content solutions, Asia Alice Tong +65 6428 2659 alicetong@economist.com

March 03, 2021 06:30 AM Eastern Standard Time

How Genetic Testing Can Impact Health and Wellness

YourUpdateTV

In recent years, direct-to-consumer genetic testing has been used to facilitate the detection of certain health risks, allowing for proactive lifestyle modifications. In some cases, genetic testing can be lifesaving for patients, helping empower them to make informed life choices, with the help of healthcare providers, to improve their health and well-being. Recently, Genetic Trends Expert at 23andMe, Jhulianna Cintron and customer Marc Lovicott, participated in a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss the benefits of genetic testing on health and wellness. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/Nz1ZCfva2aw Marc Lovicott, the Director of Communications and Public Information Officer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department, is one such example. Last year, Marc began suffering from debilitating headaches and gastrointestinal distress, but a variety of tests offered no answers. In tandem, Marc decided to purchase a Health + Ancestry kit from 23andMe to learn more about his ancestry and his health. Marc was surprised when he opted into his Genetic Health Risk reports and saw he had one of the variants common in people with celiac disease.* He took the information to his doctor who did follow-up testing to reveal that Marc does in fact have celiac disease. Since the diagnosis, Marc has been able to make positive changes to help him manage living with the disease. Using insights backed by the latest science, 23andMe helps users determine how their DNA can affect their chances of developing certain health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, celiac disease, high blood pressure, kidney stones and more.* For more information, visit 23andMe.com About 23andMe: 23andMe, Inc. is the leading consumer genetics and research company. Founded in 2006, the mission of the company is to help people access, understand, and benefit from the human genome. 23andMe is the first direct-to-consumer company to receive FDA authorization for genetic health reports, and has millions of customers worldwide, with more than 80 percent of customers consented to participate in research. 23andMe, Inc. is located in Sunnyvale, CA. More information is available at www.23andMe.com. About Marc Lovicott: Marc is the Director of Communications & Public Information Officer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department. He purchased a 23andMe kit out of interest for his ancestry, but decided to splurge on the Health + Ancestry kit to learn more about his health. Earlier that year, Marc began suffering from debilitating headaches and gastrointestinal distress. After a battery of tests that offered no answers, Marc looked at his 23andMe results and saw he had one of the variants common in people with celiac disease. He took the information to his doctor, who through a blood test and endoscopy confirmed that Marc does in fact have celiac disease. Since learning his diagnosis, Marc has adopted a gluten free diet, and not only feels higher energy, but his headaches and gastrointestinal issues are gone too. In Marc’s words, “I'm still amazed that I was able to get some answers from the 23andMe kit! About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. *23andMe health predisposition reports include both reports that meet FDA requirements for genetic health risks and reports which are based on 23andMe research and have not been reviewed by the FDA. The test uses qualitative genotyping to detect select clinically relevant variants in the genomic DNA of adults from saliva for the purpose of reporting and interpreting genetic health risks. It is not intended to diagnose any disease. Your ethnicity may affect the relevance of each report and how your genetic health risk results are interpreted. Each genetic health risk report describes if a person has variants associated with a higher risk of developing a disease,but does not describe a person’s overall risk of developing the disease. The test is not intended to tell you anything about your current state of health, or to be used to make medical decisions, including whether or not you should take a medication, how much of a medication you should take, or determine any treatment. For important information and limitations regarding each genetic health risk report, visit 23andme.com/test-info. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

March 02, 2021 04:20 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Researchers Obtain Crystalline Structure of THCA-A In an “Extraction First”

MCR Labs

Researchers from Brandeis University, MCR Labs and Skell Labs have determined the crystal structure of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid A (THCA-A) for the first time in a discovery that paves the way for further research on the cannabinoid as well as the more well-known product derived from its decarboxylation, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). As the precursor to the primary psychoactive cannabinoid THC, THCA-A has been of interest to researchers for some time. Studies of the pure compound have been limited owing to difficulties in both purification and crystallization. Both issues were solved by using a carefully-designed selective extraction and fractionation process with liquid carbon dioxide. Unfortunately, THCA-A also appears to be difficult to stabilize, which has been a roadblock to further study or clinical research on the cannabinoid. Chemical stability is a major area of study during drug development in the pharmaceutical industry, as different forms of crystalline drugs will affect how the body absorbs that drug. If there are two forms of a solid drug, one may be so insoluble that it has no beneficial effect, while another more soluble form could offer an ideal bio-delivery option. Product storage is likewise a concern when faced with unstable compounds. All chemical compounds, such as cannabinoids, are subject to degradation, whether it occurs naturally over time, or is instigated by heat, light, or an interaction with another compound. This degradation often leads to a loss in potency, negatively affects the product’s efficacy, and introduces potentially unwanted byproducts. Obtaining the pure crystalline form of a compound, such as THCA-A, gives researchers a clear look at the structure of the compound and opens avenues to solve stability issues. During the process, researchers noted that each molecule within the structure had an intramolecular hydrogen bond and that pairs of molecules were connected by intermolecular hydrogen bonds. "The hydrogen bond pattern could be an important key to unlocking alternative approaches to the stability issues that have been observed for THCA-A," said Dr. Bruce Foxman, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at Brandeis University. "THCA-A could be a useful form for the storage and production of THC, as the compound decarboxylates relatively cleanly into the product THC with minimal side reactions." Knowledge of the hydrogen bond pattern will also be helpful for further research on polymorphs or co-crystals, which might have different arrangements and thus might affect the compound’s decarboxylation behavior. Skell, J. M., Kahn, M. & Foxman, B. M. Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid A, the precursor to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) Acta Cryst. (2021). C77, 84-89, https://scripts.iucr.org/cgi-bin/paper?S2053229621000280. About MCR Labs: MCR Labs is the first independent cannabis testing laboratory to be certified by the state of Massachusetts. We are ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited providers of analytical cannabis product testing and R&D services committed to assisting licensed marijuana establishments, patients, researchers, entrepreneurs, and advocates. Our team of chemists and pharmaceutical scientists are dedicated to advancing public health and safety through leading-edge chemical analysis of cannabis products and offering unparalleled guidance and support for partners, regulators, and the communities we serve. For more information visit http://mcrlabs.com. Contact Details MCR Labs Joe Crinkley +1 857-230-0839 joe@mcrlabs.com Company Website http://mcrlabs.com

March 02, 2021 12:22 PM Eastern Standard Time

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