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Pediatric Lyme Disease—'An Epidemic Within a Pandemic!’—to be Focus of Free Webinar Hosted by Quidel Corporation Oct. 21

Quidel Corporation

Among the many health challenges facing children is the very real threat of contracting Lyme disease as nearly 30% of the estimated 476,000 people in the U.S. each year who are diagnosed and treated for this disease are ages 0-19. In response to this troubling fact, an important webinar focused on how Lyme disease affects the pediatric population will be held on Thursday, Oct. 21. The free webinar—titled Pediatric Lyme Disease: “An Epidemic Within a Pandemic!”—is part of an ongoing series hosted by Quidel, the California-based diagnostic health care manufacturer known for successfully developing rapid diagnostic health solutions. The program is being held in collaboration with the Global Lyme Alliance. Registration is now available at http://education.quidel.com/frontmatter/2591/1/Ped-Lyme. Conducting the webinar will be Robert A. Dracker, M.D., medical director at Summerwood Pediatrics and Infusacare Medical Services in Liverpool, New York. Dr. Dracker currently serves as chair of the heart, lung and cancer committee for the Medical Society of New York State and is a board member of the Office of Professional Conduct for the New York State Department of Health. Since 2014 he has been a member of the Pediatric Advisory Committee of the FDA and served as chairman of the committee from 2018-2019. The Oct. 21 webinar will discuss how Lyme disease presents in children (often flu-like symptoms including fever, chills, malaise and headache), how it progresses and tick-exposure management. Also discussed will be how to test for Lyme disease, including the innovative Sofia® 2 Lyme FIA test. This revolutionary test provides the patient and physician with indicative results within 15 minutes, as opposed to days, which has historically been the norm (and during which time organisms can spread and become systemic). It can be performed in the privacy of a doctor’s office or local clinic, and it is the only test that can get results from a simple finger prick of blood. “Children, for the most part, are more engaged on a regular basis than are adults in outside activities, which is why being on guard and testing for Lyme disease is so important,” said Dr. Dracker. “If left untreated, the bacteria that cause Lyme disease can attack many systems of a child’s body, including the skin, heart, nerves and joints. While each child is different, to a tick they are all the same and are all just waiting to be bitten. Parents need to be vigilant, and physicians need to be attuned so children can enjoy the wonderment of being a child while remaining safe and smart.” Among those expected to attend the webinar are pediatricians, representatives of physician office laboratories, urgent care centers, and any other allied health professionals or health care researchers interested in hearing the latest regarding the prevalence of Lyme disease in children. The free, Oct. 21, webinar will take place from noon to 1 p.m. (EDT). To register, visit http://education.quidel.com/frontmatter/2591/1/Ped-Lyme. About Quidel Corporation Quidel Corporation (Nasdaq: QDEL) is a leading manufacturer of diagnostic solutions at the point of care, delivering a continuum of rapid testing technologies that further improve the quality of health care throughout the globe. An innovator for over 40 years in the medical device industry, Quidel pioneered the first FDA-cleared point-of-care test for influenza in 1999 and was the first to market a rapid SARS-CoV-2 antigen test in the U.S. Under trusted brand names, Sofia®, Solana®, Lyra®, Triage® and QuickVue®, Quidel’s comprehensive product portfolio includes tests for a wide range of infectious diseases, cardiac and autoimmune biomarkers, as well as a host of products to detect COVID-19. With products made in America, Quidel’s mission is to provide patients with immediate and frequent access to highly accurate, affordable testing for the good of our families, our communities and the world. For more information about Quidel, visit quidel.com. Contact Details Jim Yeager +1 818-264-6812 jim@breakwhitelight.com Company Website http://Quidel.com

October 18, 2021 02:56 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Ultrahuman hires former KKR exec ahead of expansion drive

Ultrahuman

Ultrahuman, the rapidly growing metabolic fitness platform, has today appointed its first chief business officer, installing Bhuvan Srinivasan in the leadership team. This appointment comes hot on the heels of the recent $17.5m funding round as Ultrahuman aims to help over a billion people in the world improve their metabolic fitness. Bhuvan has spent over 14 years in consultancy and private equity before joining Ultrahuman. He was most recently a Director in KKR's India team where he led multiple investments in pharma, hospitals, waste management, tech and education. His key focus was to drive transformation, turbocharge growth, hire senior management, lead M&A transactions and achieve successful funding rounds and exits for their portfolio. Prior to joining KKR, Bhuvan was with Bain Capital. Prior to that he was with Bain & Company in Singapore working with businesses in Southeast Asia and across the Middle East. He holds an MBA with honors from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Having read his undergrad and masters in Biomedical Engineering from the Johns Hopkins University, Bhuvan began his career as a research scientist working on continuous glucose monitoring at Medtronic Diabetes in Los Angeles. On his appointment to chief business officer at Ultrahuman, Bhuvan Srinivasan commented: “Life has come full circle for me in joining Ultrahuman. I began my career as a research scientist for glucose sensors for diabetes. Since then, I have benefitted from working closely with a range of businesses and people, skills that I will be able to utilise in driving the future trajectory of Ultrahuman as it scales globally. Research over the last 15 years has shown that good glucose control is important for preventing other diseases as well, including cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s and even cancer. I have been an avid supporter of the business over the years and am thrilled to be joining this amazing group of people who are focussed on making a huge impact.” Ultrahuman was started by Mohit Kumar and Vatsal Singhal who were also co-founders at Runnr that later merged with Zomato. Mohit is an avid cyclist, biohacker and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu enthusiast. Vatsal is a cross fit enthusiast and biohacker. Mohit was training at one of the largest MMA Camps in the world (Tiger Muay Thai). There he observed athletes train smartly via usage of data, recovery tools and protocols. He got together with Vatsal and they came up with a vision for Ultrahuman where they can make the journey of fitness for people more personalised and impactful. “We are navigating our scale up journey and having people like Bhuvan will certainly bolster our efforts. His appointment is part of the next phase of growth and his experience in building businesses will provide the perspective and guidance Ultrahuman requires as we charter the course” said Ultrahuman Founder and CEO Mohit Kumar. The metabolic health crisis is unarguably one of the largest healthcare crises that exists today. Over a billion people in the world suffer from a metabolic health disorder which contributes to almost 85% of all chronic diseases in the world. By helping people understand how food and exercise affects their metabolic health, people would be able to make informed choices about what they eat and their activity levels. The approach is a geography / diet agnostic way to help people eat and exercise better. The Ultrahuman Cyborg wearable helps people optimize their exercise and nutrition based on glucose biomarkers. Launched in June 2021, Ultrahuman has already amassed tens of thousands of people on a waitlist whilst users rave about their experience on Twitter after using the wearable. An important biomarker like glucose can be very revealing about how a particular food item affects the user’s metabolic health by measuring the glucose response. This response is unique to an individual and it depends on various factors like their microbiome diversity, stress levels, time of the day, food ingredient quality etc. About Ultrahuman Ultrahuman is headquartered in the US and India. It is the world's most advanced metabolic fitness platform. It helps people create long-term habits and changes via instant nudges and deep health insights instead of diets and strict exercise routines. For more information and updates on Ultrahuman, please visit ultrahuman.com Contact Details Ultrahuman Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://ultrahuman.com/

October 18, 2021 08:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

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The U.S. Chamber Discover & Deliver Initiative Spotlights Medical Innovation Happening across Main Street America

YourUpdateTV

You may be surprised to learn that cutting edge medical innovation is happening right now in your own community—from coronavirus to cancer, America’s innovation community is mobilized like never before. Across main street America, businesses of all sizes, the public sector, and academic institutions are making remarkable progress in developing the next generation of breakthrough treatments, vaccines, and diagnostics we need. The results are clear—working together we achieve more. That’s why the U.S. Chamber Discover & Deliver initiative is spotlighting the role of business in bringing science to life and delivering it to humanity. It’s the story of a nationwide, cross-industry effort that involves our brightest scientific minds, the most innovative companies, and the nation’s leading universities—all working together toward the common goal of making a healthier global community. The scope is as impressive as the speed. Scientists are conducting more than 140,000 clinical trials across the United States, in all 50 states, from big cities to small towns. This search for new medical solutions and cures also supports hometown economies by creating good jobs and driving growth. Discover & Deliver is conducting outreach in communities across the United States to engage local leaders, share the latest information, and provide a “peek inside the pipeline” to shed light on what science can tackle next. To help illustrate this story, the U.S. Chamber developed an interactive map, to show what’s happening across our country—in communities large and small—as innovation works to identify the solutions needed to fight disease. Visit www.USChamber.com for the latest resources and insights into how business is stepping up in extraordinary ways to solve our biggest challenges. 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. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

October 15, 2021 03:40 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Living With Narcolepsy: Symptoms and Misconceptions

YourUpdateTV

Confusion, stereotypes, and stigma about the sleep disorder narcolepsy persist to this day. This can lead to a long time to diagnosis and prevent people who think they have narcolepsy from reaching out to a healthcare professional to learn more. So, what is narcolepsy? Narcolepsy is a rare, chronic, debilitating neurological disorder that affects the way the brain controls sleep-wake cycles. 1,2 Narcolepsy affects approximately 165,000 Americans, with one of its main symptoms being excessive daytime sleepiness, or the inability to stay awake and alert during the day. 1 Other symptoms may include cataplexy, which is the sudden and brief loss of muscle strength or tone brought on by certain emotions or situations, sleep paralysis, vivid hallucinations when falling asleep or waking up, and disturbed nighttime sleep. 3,4 Narcolepsy is estimated to be severely underdiagnosed. 5,6 It can take an average of 10 years for people living with narcolepsy to be diagnosed after experiencing their first symptoms. 5 Narcolepsy can disrupt everyday life, 1 but the symptoms of narcolepsy aren’t always obvious, and may be inaccurately attributed to other medical conditions. 3,7 Getting to know narcolepsy means recognizing the symptoms, understanding their impact, and finding resources and support to help manage the disorder. Dr. Michael J. Thorpy, a world-renowned sleep specialist and narcolepsy expert based in New York, New York, and Jessica, a person living with narcolepsy, conducted a nationwide media tour in conjunction with Your Update TV and Harmony Biosciences to help address misconceptions, learn more about the signs and symptoms, find out what it is like to live with narcolepsy, and discover resources to help those impacted. For more information visit: WWW.KNOWNARCOLEPSY.COM and WWW.KNOWNARCOLEPSY.COM/STORIES References: 1 National Institutes of Health. Narcolepsy. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. May 2017. 2 Narcolepsy Fact Sheet. NIH Publication No. 17-1637. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Narcolepsy-Fact-Sheet. 3 American Academy of Sleep Medicine. International Classification of Sleep Disorders. 3rd ed.; 2014. 4 Silber MH, Krahn LE, Olson EJ, Pankratz VS. The epidemiology of narcolepsy in Olmsted County, Minnesota: a population-based study. Sleep. 2002;25(2):197-202. 5 Overeem, Sebastiaan & Reading, Paul & Bassetti, Claudio. (2012). Narcolepsy. Sleep Medicine Clinics. 7. 263–281. 10.1016/j.jsmc.2012.03.013. 6 Carter LP, Acebo C, Kim A. Patients' journeys to a narcolepsy diagnosis: a physician survey and retrospective chart review. Postgrad Med. 2014;126(3):216-224. 7 Thorpy M, Morse AM. Reducing the clinical and socioeconomic burden of narcolepsy by earlier diagnosis and effective treatment. Sleep Med Clin. 2017;12(1):61-71. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV i s 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. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

October 15, 2021 03:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Media OutReach Newswire Partners with The International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP) to Promote Mental Health in Children and Adolescents

Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach - 13 October 2021 - Media OutReach, the first global newswire and press release distribution service provider founded in Asia, is pleased to announce a global partnership with The International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP), an international non-profit organization established in 1937. IACAPAP's mission is to advocate for the promotion of the mental health and development of children and adolescents through policy, practice, and research. Under this partnership, Media OutReach Newswire will fully support IACAPAP's global communications goals by exclusively distributing their market-specific press releases through Asia Pacific, USA, UK, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin America. IACAPAP has numerous activities aimed to promote child and adolescent mental health around the globe. Among these are the bi-annual world congresses where scientific advancements are shared. The IACAPAP also educates mental health professionals through a free e-textbook, online and in-person courses, and an open access scientific journal. Career development programs for early career professionals through the flagship Donald Cohen programme and Helmut Remschmidt Research Seminars are also carried out. "We are very pleased to engage Media OutReach to be our global newswire partner to help us promote youth mental health issues around the world. By leveraging their expertise in media industry and global distribution network, we hope our message will reach a global audience. In a world where one out of 5 children suffer from a mental health problem that is often not addressed, spreading knowledge and helping to combat stigma is invaluable." Said Prof. Daniel Fung, the IACAPAP President. "As the global newswire partner to IACAPAP, Media OutReach Newswire plays an integral role in helping the organisation to spread awareness about the importance of prevention, promotion, and intervention of mental health issues in children and young people around the world. We hope by becoming the voice of the organisation, the society will come to the realisation that mental health issues in children and young people should not be stigmatized and that there are effective interventions for youth with mental health problems. Furthermore, IACAPAP's website has useful resources on topics related to children and young people's mental health issues that anyone, including parents, children, young people, or even members of the media, can access for free. We will also be distributing thought leadership articles from the IACAPAP every quarter on pertinent public youth mental health issues. We hope through knowledge sharing and imparting positive messages, we can collectively make a positive difference in people's lives. Knowledge changes perception and shape's opinion." Said Ms. Jennifer Kok, the Founder & CEO of Media OutReach." Media OutReach has been supporting numerous local and international non-profit organisations which focus on social and mental wellbeing of children and young people. "We help on the premise that every child matter, regardless where they live and what skin colour they are, no child or adolescent should be neglected. They are the future of the world, and this our vision aligns with that of IACAPAP's. We are very certain that this partnership will bring a positive impact to the society and help to change people's attitudes towards mental health issue. More importantly, we want parents and society to regard seeking mental health advice as just the same as going to your general practitioners." She continued. Media OutReach's guarantee online news posting helps to make articles available to a global audience and by delivering news directly to the inboxes of relevant journalists out of 140,000 media contacts, the newswire will ensure IACAPAP's news is readily available for journalists who would like to write or research about related topics. "With Media OutReach's global press release distribution capabilities, we are able to make changes impactfully." Said Ms Kok. About IACAPAP The International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (IACAPAP) dates its origin back to 1937 in Paris, France. Initially named the International Committee of Child Psychiatrists, it was renamed IACPAP in 1948 incorporating allied professions, and in 1978 adolescent psychiatry was added to form IACAPAP. IACAPAP's mission is to advocate for the promotion of the mental health and development of children and adolescents through policy, practice and research. About Media OutReach Founded in 2009, and with its headquarters in Hong Kong, Media OutReach is the first global newswire founded in Asia Pacific with offices in Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, China and Taiwan. Media OutReach is the only newswire that owns its distribution network across 24 countries across Asia Pacific; possessing a database of more than 140,000 journalists, 400 trade categories, 65,000 media titles and 480 media partnerships, it is revolutionising the industry by providing guarantee online news posting by language for each distribution. With proprietary technology at its core, Media OutReach Newswire distributes multi-language and multimedia press release contents directly to the inboxes of targeted editors and journalists to optimize news write-ups, build media relations and automates the reporting process with key performance metrics and its pioneering post-release reports gives insights into journalists accessing the release by publication and by country. Media OutReach Newswire is the go-to news release and content distribution partner for public relations, social marketing, digital agencies, and organizations in Asia Pacific. For more information on Media OutReach, please visit www.media-outreach.com Contact Details IACAPAP Ms Sue Wong, Administrator suewong.iacapap@gmail.com Media OutReach Ms. Jowie Wong, Director of Marketing Communications Jowie.wong@media-outreach.com Company Website https://www.xxx.com/

October 15, 2021 06:33 AM Eastern Daylight Time

MCR Labs Announces First Annual “Cannabis Science Fair,” Begins Accepting Submissions

MCR Labs

Massachusetts-based cannabis testing company MCR Labs will host its inaugural “Cannabis Science Fair” at The BUild Lab IDG Capital Student Innovation Center on December 11. MCR Labs is partnering with The Cannabis Center of Excellence (CCoE) and Innovate@BU to organize the event, which is billed as “an exhibition of research and progress from the institutions working to expand our cannabis knowledge.” Groups interested in showcasing their cannabis-focused work at the science fair are invited to submit abstracts and other materials to MCR Labs via https://ma.mcrlabs.com/event/the-cannabis-science-fair. “We’re extremely excited about the potential for this event,” said Melissa Kenton, MCR Labs event and outreach coordinator. “It’s been on our radar for over a year, and we cannot wait to see what our fellow cannabis scientists and innovators are ready to share with us and the community.” Submissions for the Cannabis Science Fair will be assessed by MCR Labs and their event partners and selected for inclusion based on the soundness of methodologies, their potential scientific or industry impact and how thoroughly their findings are presented. A limited number of submissions will be selected for full presentations, poster presentations and demonstrations of any devices or prototypes. Projects chosen to be exhibited at the Cannabis Science Fair and other details about the event will be announced in November. Sponsorship opportunities are available and the event will be free to the public. Please contact MCR Labs for additional information about the event and how to join. About MCR Labs: MCR Labs is one of the longest operational cannabis testing laboratories on the East coast with facilities operating in several legal cannabis markets. 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

October 14, 2021 02:17 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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GRYT Health and Bristol Myers Squibb Team Up to Launch Diversity in Oncology Initiative

GRYT Health

In light of the health disparities in oncology, GRYT Health (“grit”), an oncology solutions company that was started and run by cancer survivors, and Bristol Myers Squibb, have partnered to launch Diversity in Oncology, a virtual platform available at www.diversityinoncology.com to highlight and raise awareness of the health disparities in oncology facing diverse patients in the U.S. As one example of a racial disparity that exists in oncology, according to the National Institute of Health, “The invasive breast cancer age-adjusted mortality rate for black women age <40 was twice that for white women.” The Diversity in Oncology initiative will co-create a series of live, interactive sessions that bring together a multi-stakeholder audience of local and national organizations, patients and caregivers, healthcare providers, clinical trial teams and principal investigators, schools of public health and others. The goal of the initiative is to have courageous conversations about what’s currently inequitable, so that this cross-stakeholder, cross-cultural initiative can work towards structural changes in clinical trials. By bringing together diverse patients who have experienced inequities, alongside those who run trials, we will highlight current inequities and identify ways to adapt the system. The first of four live sessions will be October 27, 2021, from 4:00 – 5:30pm ET and is titled “Experience of Diverse Patients and Families in Clinical Trials.” It will feature an opening keynote from Wendy Short Bartie, senior vice president, U.S. Oncology at Bristol Myers Squibb, followed by a panel conversation moderated by Megan-Claire Chase, partnership director at GRYT Health and equity advocate. The session will include “break-out” rooms where attendees will be able to interact with the speakers to ask questions and to share their own stories and experiences in cancer clinical trials. “This initiative is about acknowledgment of the real and current issues in cancer clinical trials that need to be fixed,” said Megan-Claire Chase, partnership director at GRYT Health and moderator of the first session on the Diversity in Oncology platform. “This initiative is being developed with the voices of the underrepresented communities living these experiences, so that resources and structural change can be co-designed together.” The panel speakers in the first session will share their own personal experiences - as patients participating in clinical trials, as well as those who chose not to participate in a clinical trial. “When I participated in a clinical trial for breast cancer, the research team never showed any care or concern to my questions,” said Venus Ginés, president and founder, Día de la Mujer Latina® Inc. and speaker on the Oct. 27 session of Diversity in Oncology. “When I shared about the side effects that I was struggling with - they would say ‘I will document it on your file,’ but there was no support or follow-up care. After three months, I left the trial and upon not getting a call-back, I felt it had been a waste of my time.” Venus founded Día de la Mujer Latina® Inc. not only to educate Latinas about breast and cervical cancer, but as a result of her experience. In her work, she teaches promotores/community health workers to be more patient-centered and respectful to their constituents and patients, providing timely responses, resources, and support. Upcoming sessions, all available on the same virtual platform, will focus on topics relevant to bringing awareness to and developing solutions for healthcare inequities, including the experience of diverse physicians, principal investigators in clinical research, improving representation of diversity in clinical trials, and new models of academia and community collaboration in terms of clinical research. The virtual platform will provide resources and access to organizations and individuals advancing health equity, as well as the opportunity to participate in the live, interactive sessions to foster discussion and collaboration. To register for free access to the platform and the series, visit www.DiversityinOncology.com. All sessions will be recorded and also available on demand. Source: Breast cancer epidemiology in blacks and whites: disparities in incidence, mortality, survival rates and histology (nih.gov) GRYT Health is a digital oncology company that empowers people to be in charge of their own health through education, engagement and support. We offer a community free from judgment that focuses on humanity and the value each person brings. Our mission is to improve quality of life and increase survival for people facing cancer through the relentless focus on patient experience. We put patients first and work with healthcare organizations that do the same. We use the patient voice to enhance drug development and access; and together, we are helping to move healthcare forward. Visit www.grythealth.com or www.solutions.grythealth.com to learn more. Contact Details Lindsay Barnes +1 215-410-9982 Lindsay.Barnes@evokegroup.com Company Website https://www.grythealth.com

October 14, 2021 11:52 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Turning the Lights Out on Fluorescents

Clean Lighting Coalition

A new report released today by the Clean Lighting Coalition highlights the environmental and health risks posed when fluorescent lamps break, especially to vulnerable populations. The report provides concrete steps government, industry, consumers, and others, like childcare providers, can take to accelerate the transition to LED lighting, which is mercury-free, more energy-efficient, more cost-effective, and widely available. To mitigate the risks posed by mercury, the Coalition is calling on the Biden Administration to support the global phase-out of fluorescent lighting by 2025 at the upcoming meeting of the United Nation’s Minamata Convention on Mercury in March 2022. Furthermore, the Coalition notes that phasing out fluorescent lighting aligns with the Administration’s Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad issued earlier this year. “Fluorescent lamps have been tolerated for decades because they were considered the most energy-efficient option,” said Alicia Culver, Executive Director of the Responsible Purchasing Network and co-author of the report. “But this is no longer the case: LEDs are twice as energy efficient as fluorescent lamps, last 2-3 times longer, and they don’t contain mercury.” The report details: Health risks to those exposed to mercury, especially populations that are more vulnerable, such as pregnant people and their unborn babies, infants and young children, communities of color, and those living in low-income neighborhoods Health risks to workers exposed to mercury when lamps break during the manufacturing, installation, recycling, and disposal of fluorescent lamps Environmental hazards posed by the release of mercury in fluorescent lighting Benefits of transitioning to LED lighting, now considered the most cost-effective and reliable lighting option in the U.S. marketplace “We know that mercury exposure, especially in early life, can lead to irreversible deficits in verbal skills, reduced attention span and motor control, and lower IQ,” said Michael T. Bender, director of the Mercury Policy Project and one of the report authors. “However, these exposure risks are avoidable by replacing fluorescents with LEDs.” The report recommends steps that government entities, businesses, and consumers can take to accelerate the transition to LEDs. For example, it recommends state and local governments: Adopt and enforce mercury reduction laws to phase out fluorescents. For example, Vermont law bans sales of mercury-containing lamps unless the manufacturer has demonstrated that no comparably performing alternative non-mercury energy-efficient lamp is available at a comparable cost. Update guidance, including on websites, to highlight the hazards of mercury in fluorescent lighting and the advantages of LEDs including reduced risk, better energy efficiency, longer product life, and significant cost savings. Adopt new lighting specifications that prohibit vendors from offering fluorescent lamps, fixtures and ballasts on their state supply contracts. Maryland and Minnesota are already using this approach to eliminate many fluorescent lighting products from their contracts. Develop contracts for environmentally preferable lighting equipment that offer a wide array of LED lighting products at discounted prices. New York State and the City of San Francisco have lighting contracts that feature LEDs. The report also highlights guidelines from the US EPA regarding strict protocols that should be taken when cleaning up broken fluorescent lamps. “There is no safe level of mercury exposure and following US EPA guidelines in cleaning up a broken lamp is not easy,” says Coalition Deputy Director Ana Maria Carreño. " Most people, for example, either don’t know about or find it difficult to follow the proper procedures. Yet, with the tremendous advances in LED technology during the past decade, there’s no reason to continue using fluorescent lighting.” Mercury is highly toxic to humans, which is why the World Health Organization lists it among the top 10 chemicals or groups of chemicals of major public health concern. “The U.S. has been a global leader on many fronts,” said Michael Scholand, LC, of the Coalition and one of a worlds-leading experts on lighting policy and technology. “But when it comes to taking action on fluorescent lighting, the U.S. lags behind some African countries and the European Union, which have already taken steps to phase out mercury-based lighting.” Mercury in Fluorescent Lighting: Unnecessary Health Risks and Actionable Solutions ” was published by the Clean Lighting Coalition in partnership with the Mercury Policy Project and the Responsible Purchasing Network. The report was co-published by the following groups: Vermont Public Interest Research Group, Healthy Babies Bright Futures, Eco-Healthy Child Care, the Children’s Environmental Health Network, Clean Water Action and Ecology Center. The Coalition is encouraging consumers, businesses, and others to sign a pledge to support the global transition to clean and efficient lighting, and to end the manufacture, export and import of mercury-containing fluorescent lighting in the United States by 2025. To learn more, visit https://cleanlightingcoalition.org/advocates-pledge. ____________ For more information about the transition away from mercury-based lighting, visit https://cleanlightingcoalition.org/benefits/ About the Clean Lighting Coalition The Clean Lighting Coalition is a global partnership coordinated by CLASP to capture the health and environmental benefits of eliminating mercury-based lighting. To learn more, visit www.cleanlightingcoalition.org and follow the Coalition on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. About the Mercury Policy Project Founded in 1998, the Mercury Policy Project promotes policies to eliminate mercury use and reduce mercury exposure. To learn more, visit www.mercurypolicy.org About the Responsible Purchasing Network Responsible Purchasing Network is an international network of buyers dedicated to socially responsible and environmentally sustainable purchasing. To learn more, visit www.responsiblepurchasing.org About Peter Maxson Mr. Maxson is an environmental consultant who has long provided expert advice on mercury to multinational organizations, government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and others. Contact Details Clean Lighting Coalition Alexia Ross +1 339-222-4311 aross@clasp.ngo Clean Lighting Coalition Ana Maria Carreno +1 202-999-2886 acarreno@clasp.ngo Company Website https://www.cleanlightingcoalition.org

October 14, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Bay Area Mental Health adds Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy to its Services as the Psychedelic Renaissance Booms

Bay Area Mental Health

California based mental health clinic, Bay Area Mental Health (BAMH) is officially announcing that they have added Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) to their offerings in order to better serve the needs of Silicon Valley and surrounding areas. Bay Area Mental Health is the first mental health clinic in Silicon Valley’s South Bay to offer Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy, and is laying the foundation to provide additional psychedelic therapies as soon as they become available. For now, the only legal form of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy uses ketamine, which is not a traditional psychedelic, but has mind-altering properties that have been found to relieve depression, anxiety and PTSD when used appropriately and under supervision of licensed professionals. The rates of depression, anxiety, PTSD and suicidality is continuing to climb. BAMH founder Linnea Butler states, “we have a mental health epidemic in the United States. More urgently than ever, we need new approaches to complex mental health problems that are not treated by talk therapy alone. Ketamine is safe, legal, and accessible and shows many of the same benefits as the more traditional, but largely inaccessible, psychedelic medicines. We have seen as much as a 70% reduction in symptoms over a 6 week course of ketamine assisted psychotherapy treatment and in one case we witnessed a near complete remission of trauma, depression and anxiety.” Butler specializes in treating complex trauma and mood disorders, and currently oversees Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy at the clinic. Butler has been accepted into the MAPS MDMA Assisted Therapy training program and is on track to complete her certificate by the end of 2021. The results of a successful phase-three drug trial of MDMA Assisted Therapy were reported in May that showed that 67% of patients with PTSD were cured. MDMA will likely be available to clinics in the next 2 years, pending FDA approval. Butler stated, “it is critical that we work within the legally allowed and approved medicines and procedures, otherwise it becomes the wild west; emotional and physical safety is paramount”. Clients are evaluated psychologically and medically to ensure that they are appropriate for this treatment. This work is overseen by founder and licensed therapist, Linnea Butler, and integrative psychiatrist Dr. Sidney Edsall. A ketamine assisted psychotherapy session is typically 3 hours long and clients are attended to throughout the session. Sessions begin with preparation and setting the intention for the psychedelic experience, followed by self-administration of doctor-prescribed medicine, and finally processing and integration of the experience. The patient wears an eye mask and listens to specifically curated music to help guide the experience. Butler’s scientific background as a molecular biologist and geneticist has driven her to look deeply at the intersection between science and psychology. Butler explains, “we are on the cutting edge of mental health care, where neuroscience meets experiential treatment, spirituality and depth psychology. Talk therapy is no longer adequate to address the increasingly complex nature of mental health problems, where people often are struggling with more than one diagnosis. The need for a new paradigm is urgent.” Butler will be speaking about Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy at an online event next month: “ Ketamine: The Science and Spirit of Psychedelic Healing “ About Bay Area Mental Health BAMH was founded in 2014 to treat people with complex mental health issues, including Trauma and complex PTSD, that often necessitate multiple different approaches and healing modalities. BAMH is dedicated to helping people with difficult problems using cutting edge approaches and collaborative care. Linnea Butler is a licensed marriage and family therapist and the founder of Bay Area Mental Health, Linnea specializes in treating complex trauma, has been featured on the Trauma Therapist Podcast, and was an Adjunct Professor at Sofia University and guest lecturer at Santa Clara University. Linnea received her M.S. degree in Genetics and Molecular Biology under the direction of Nobel Laureate Dr. Mario Cappechi, and her M.A. degree in Counseling Psychology from Institute of Transpersonal Psychology. Dr. Sidney Edsall is a board-certified psychiatrist and completed her residency at Stanford in integrative medicine. She integrates Western medical practices with Traditional Chinese Medicine by cultivating treatment plans using Western medicine terminology infused with Buddhist and Daoist philosophy. She also spent 4 years living and working abroad in Germany and Italy caring for active duty U.S. Army soldiers on U.S. military bases. For more information about mental health therapy services provided by BAMH, please visit the company website at: www.bayareamentalhealth.com Contact Details Bay Area Mental Health Linnea Butler, LMFT +1 669-240-5505 linnea@bayareamh.com Company Website https://www.bayareamh.com

October 14, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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