Jim McGrann, Chairman and CEO of Healthy Eyes Advantage + PECAA, named Chair-elect of the Prevent Blindness Board of Directors.

“As we look towards 2022, we are highly encouraged by the immense amount of expertise and leadership that our Board of Directors brings to us,” said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “We enthusiastically welcome Mr. McGrann, Dr. Chan, and Ms. Oduwole to their new Board roles.”

CHICAGO (PRWEB)
November 09, 2021

Prevent Blindness, the nation’s oldest volunteer eye health and safety organization, has announced that Mr. Jim McGrann, Chairman and CEO of Healthy Eyes Advantage + PECAA (HEA + PECAA), has been named chair-elect of the Prevent Blindness Board of Directors. And, Dr. R.V. Paul Chan, Chair, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois College of Medicine, and Ms. Adéola Oduwole, MSc, Vice President & Chief of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, have been elected to the Board of Directors. The vote was held on Nov. 8, at the 2021 Prevent Blindness Annual Board Meeting.

Additionally, Dr. Sandra Block, retired from the Illinois College of Optometry, has been elected as the Board of Directors Secretary. Dr. Susan Primo, Professor of Ophthalmology, Director of Optometry Services and Low Vision Services at Emory Eye Center, and Dr. Joshua Ehrlich, Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Michigan, Kellogg Eye Center, have been named co-chairs of the Center for Vision and Population Health at Prevent Blindness Advisory Committee. Dr. Stacy Lyons, Professor of Optometry and the Chair of Specialty and Advanced Care Department at the New England College of Optometry, will serve as Chair of the National Center for Children’s Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness Advisory Committee.

Jim McGrann has decades of experience in the vision industry. Prior to HEA + PECAA, he most recently served as President & CEO of VSP Global and is the former President of VSP Vision Care, Chief Technology Officer of VSP Global, President of Eyefinity and CIO of Marchon Eyewear. At HEA + PECAA, McGrann manages business strategy development, customer experience management, and information technology strategy development. He has a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering from Columbia University.

McGrann is a long-time volunteer at Prevent Blindness and co-chaired the group’s 2021 Person of Vision Award committee, honoring Marc Ferrara of Jobson Medical Information. He will be taking over the role of Board Chair in November of 2022 from another long-time Prevent Blindness volunteer, Dr. M. Kathleen Murphy, Associate Dean, Inclusivity, Global Health & Community Engagement, University of Texas Medical Branch School of Nursing.

R.V. Paul Chan, MD, MSc, MBA, FACS, is Professor and Head of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, the John H. Panton, MD Professor of Ophthalmology, Director, Pediatric Retina and ROP Service at the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). He was named the recipient of the 2021 Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health from Prevent Blindness for his outstanding leadership in the fields of global retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) program development, pediatric retina, retinal imaging, telemedicine and tele-education.

Adéola Oduwole has more than 20 years of experience in improving diversity and inclusion efforts in various healthcare settings. At the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, she is responsible for providing leadership and strategic direction to implement and manage processes that support diversity, inclusion, and equity efforts across the hospital impacting physicians, staff, trainees, patients, families and the community. Ms. Oduwole has a master’s of science degree in industrial/organizational psychology from Radford University, and a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the University of Windsor.

“As we look towards 2022, we are highly encouraged by the immense amount of expertise and leadership that our Board of Directors brings to us,” said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “We enthusiastically welcome Mr. McGrann, Dr. Chan, and Ms. Oduwole to their new Board roles.”

For a full listing of members of the Prevent Blindness Board of Directors, please visit https://www.preventblindness.org/prevent-blindness-board-directors. For more information about Prevent Blindness or general eye health information, visit http://www.preventblindness.org.

About Prevent Blindness

Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness is the nation’s leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. Focused on promoting a continuum of vision care, Prevent Blindness touches the lives of millions of people each year through public and professional education, advocacy, certified vision screening and training, community and patient service programs and research. These services are made possible through the generous support of the American public. Together with a network of affiliates, Prevent Blindness is committed to eliminating preventable blindness in America. For more information, visit us at preventblindness.org, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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For centuries, the Chaga mushroom has been popular because of its numerous health benefits, which is why most people still use it to date.

MCCONNELL, Ill. (PRWEB)
November 09, 2021

Out-Grow LLC has announced the release of a new resource “What Is Chaga Mushroom Tea?”. This guide provides an in-depth look at Chaga mushroom tea by exploring what Chaga mushrooms tastes like, when to drink Chaga mushroom tea, the health benefits of Chaga mushrooms, the side effects, and how to make Chaga mushroom tea.

Chaga is a type of mushroom that many people take in their tea. It has a pleasant taste and includes vanillin, the compound giving the vanilla taste to vanilla beans. When starting to drink Chaga mushroom tea, it’s best to start with 1 teaspoon and gradually increase the amount. Chaga mushroom tea can be taken any time of the day and particularly during cold and flu season.

According to Out-Grow LLC, “For centuries, the Chaga mushroom has been popular because of its numerous health benefits, which is why most people still use it to date.” Chaga mushrooms help people improve their health because it boosts immunity, defends against inflammation, lowers cholesterol, protects the liver, and slows the aging process. Chaga mushrooms do have a few side effects including blood thinning, diabetes, and increased risk of kidney disease or autoimmune diseases.

To learn more about Chaga mushroom tea, please visit here.

About Out-Grow LLC

Out-Grow is the leading provider for edible mushroom cultures and prepared substrates on the internet. They are a small company positioned in the glacial hills in the corner of northwestern Illinois. They take pride in their rural roots and delight in bringing their Midwestern integrity and high-quality products to the entire world from their little spot in the country.

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With no serious adverse effects observed in the third participant, we’re seeing a verifiable trend in the data that gives reasonable confidence that the treatment has low risk of adverse events. -AGT CEO Jeff Galvin

ROCKVILLE, Md. (PRWEB)
November 09, 2021

American Gene Technologies (AGT), a clinical-stage biotechnology company, announced that the independent Data Safety and Monitoring Board (DSMB) overseeing the trial of AGT’s HIV gene therapy found no serious adverse events (SAEs) from the treatment for the third patient and voted unanimously to allow AGT’s HIV cure program to continue at a faster pace, eliminating the requirement of DSMB reviews between each participant and moving to quarterly DSMB safety meetings. AGT and trial sites will monitor participants for any adverse events and report them to the DSMB, however, the pace of enrollment and treatment can be increased.

“This is a very exciting moment in our trial,” said AGT CEO Jeff Galvin. “With no serious adverse effects observed in the third participant, we’re seeing a verifiable trend in the data that gives reasonable confidence that the treatment has low risk of adverse events. Once three more participants are treated in November and December, we can start studying efficacy data. We expect to see objective markers from studies of treated participants’ blood tests by the end of the year, and hopefully will have a functionally cured patient by next summer.”

Designated as the RePAIR trial (Restore Potent Antiviral Immune Responses, NCT04561258), participants receive a single infusion of their own HIV-specific CD4 T cells after those cells were enriched and genetically modified to resist infection. Without any observed negative or adverse events, the DSMB has allowed the trial to continue without adjustments or delays.

Phase 1 Trial Status

• Overview: AGT’s first-in-human study for AGT103-T is currently underway at trial sites in the Maryland / Washington, D.C. area. The Phase 1 trial is the company’s first step in clinical testing of cell and gene therapies for HIV, cancer, and rare diseases. Enrollment, product manufacturing and treatments are ongoing at AGT’s clinical trial sites. The recruitment status of the Phase 1 RePAIR clinical trial along with information on the trial sites can be found on the official ClinicalTrials.gov website.
• Focus: The primary endpoint is safety; testing related to secondary endpoints evaluates responses to treatment including changes in the immune response to HIV.
• Participant Criteria: Participants range in age from 18 to 60 and include males and females. Participants have been diagnosed with HIV for at least three years and must have taken HIV antiretroviral medication for more than two years prior to enrollment. Participants cannot be pregnant and must be available to attend 17 study visits over a 10-month period. Anticipated completion of treatments in the Phase 1 study is Q2 2022, although final data and long-term monitoring will continue. The Phase 1 study will include from 15 to 18 participants.
• Timeframe: Participants treated with AGT103-T are followed for 6 months in this safety study before enrolling in an FDA-mandated, 15-year, long-term follow up (required for all gene therapy trials). The first infusion occurred in May 2021, the second in August 2021, and the third in September 2021.

About HIV

According to UNAIDS, approximately 37.7 million people worldwide live with HIV/AIDS. In the United States, government statistics show 1.2 million people have HIV and estimate that 34,800 Americans were newly infected with HIV in 2019. Across the globe, UNAIDS estimates that approximately 1.5 million individuals were newly infected with HIV in 2020. The Washington D.C./Baltimore area is often cited as a ‘hot spot’ for HIV, with Washington, D.C., having the highest rate of infection at nearly 46 cases per 100,000 population and Baltimore City having rates of 17 cases per 100,000. Maryland also ranks sixth among U.S. states and territories in HIV diagnosis rates, with more than 900 new cases in 2019 alone, according to the Maryland Department of Health.

Since the late 1980s, antiretroviral drugs have restored quality of life to persons living with HIV and, in some cases, have even been used to prevent new infections. However, no approved treatment has demonstrated the ability to cure HIV. AGT is committed to addressing this unmet medical need.

About AGT103-T

AGT103-T is a genetically modified cell product made from a person’s own cells. AGT’s unique approach focuses on permanently repairing the key immune system damage caused by HIV. AGT’s goal is to develop a cell and gene therapy capable of repairing the immune system so it will provide natural control over HIV replication.

About American Gene Technologies

AGT is a gene and cell therapy company with a proprietary gene-delivery platform for rapid development of cell and gene therapies to cure infectious diseases, cancers, and inherited disorders. AGT’s mission is to transform people’s lives through genetic medicines that rid the body of disease. AGT has been granted four patents for the technology used to make AGT103-T and 11 patents for its unique immuno-oncology approach to stimulate gamma-delta (γδ) T cells to destroy a variety of solid tumors. The company has developed a synthetic gene for treating Phenylketonuria (PKU), a debilitating inherited disease. AGT’s treatment for PKU has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and it is expected to reach the clinic in 2022.

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Danette Andley, SVP and CMO 3M Health Care Business Group

Danette’s excellence in her field as well as her passion for helping others means that she fits right into the culture of EWA, and her influence among our women leaders will be felt for decades to come.

LOS ANGELES (PRWEB)
November 09, 2021

The Exceptional Women Awardees Foundation (EWA) has named Danette Andley, 3M Health Care senior vice president and chief marketing officer, as Fall 2021 EWA Awardee. Andley was selected from a pool of high level, high potential candidates across multiple industries to be part of a year-long professional executive development and mentorship program designed to help propel women to sustainable success.

Andley leads the 3M Health Care Global Marketing Center, and is responsible for integrated and digital marketing, e-commerce, brand and communications, customer education and pricing. For the past 10 years, Andley has continued to advance her career at 3M in strategy and global business development, Lean Six Sigma, international operations, and marketing excellence. She has served as the Chair of the 3M Marketing Senate and Chair of the 3M U.S. Women’s Leadership Forum. Danette is a member of the Hastings College Foundation Board as well as Camp Fire National Headquarters Board.

Prior to joining 3M, Danette held positions at St. Luke’s Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, as well as working in marketing and PR at global agency, Fleishman-Hillard. She has an undergraduate degree in marketing and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis.

“We are delighted to include Danette in EWA,” said Larraine Segil, Founder, Chair and CEO of The Exceptional Women Awardees Foundation, ” Danette’s excellence in her field as well as her passion for helping others means that she fits right into the culture of EWA, and her influence among our women leaders will be felt for decades to come.”

“Danette possesses a combination of talent, skills, and attitude that contribute to her success and achievements. I am excited about her well-earned recognition by EWA and look forward to her continued leadership contributions,” said Mojdeh Poul, Group President of 3M Health Care.

About 3M

At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily as our employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to global challenges at http://www.3m.com or on Twitter @3M or @3MNews.

The Exceptional Women Awardees Foundation (EWA) selects high potential, high level Exceptional Women from multiple industries, develops and mentors them with peer to peer guidance and sisterhood, to propel them to achieve their professional and personal goals, enabling them to reach sustainable and holistic success for the rest of their lives – one woman at a time. Their year-long program enables the EWA to be connected for life to their ever-expanding EWA global network, as their fellow women leaders move into positions of significance.

Learn more at https://www.exceptionalwomenawardees.com/

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By supporting top surgeons with financial and management strategies, physicians are able to concentrate on what they do best, while also ensuring they have the operational structure that enables their practices to succeed and grow.

BOULDER, Colo. (PRWEB)
November 09, 2021

Today, M2 Orthopedics (M2O), innovator of modern practice management for the nation’s best orthopedic surgeons, is announcing it has secured significant funding to broaden its ability to support orthopedic practices. The financing, led by private equity sponsor Archimedes Health Investors, with participation from Heritage Medical Systems and The Firmament Group, enabled M2O’s recent acquisition of Virginia-based Anderson Orthopaedic Clinic, a leader in comprehensive orthopedic services, as well as Harborside Surgery Center, a premier facility for orthopedic surgeries.

“We are committed to an innovative practice management approach that focuses on serving as a trusted partner to physicians, so that they can excel as practice leaders and doctors,” said Marshall Maran, co-founder and CEO of M2O. “By supporting top surgeons with financial and management strategies, physicians are able to concentrate on what they do best, while also ensuring they have the operational structure that enables their practices to succeed and grow.”

According to the American Medical Association’s Physician Practice Benchmark Survey, 2020 was the first year in which less than half of patient care physicians worked in a private practice, a drop of almost 5 percent from 2018, continuing the shift away from small, independent practices. M2O is investing in the field’s leading orthopedists and empowering doctors to increase focus on patient care and to take control of their future through access to capital, back-office support and professional corporate management.

“Our primary objective has been to provide high quality care to our patients. In addition, our practice has been deeply involved in training young surgeons through our fellowship program and in clinical research, all of which further the development and knowledge of the field of orthopedics”, said C. Anderson Engh, Jr. MD of Anderson Orthopaedic Clinic. “Through our partnership with M2O, we are able to continue our focus on these three critical aspects of our practice, while having the resources and capabilities to develop and grow, which are critical in today’s environment.”

“This is a pivotal time for orthopedic practices – and having served in clinical and higher education roles, I am inspired by M2O’s approach to supporting leaders in the orthopedic field,” added Dr. Michael Meneghini, co-founder and Chief Medical Officer. “M2, which stands for Mobility and Motion to exemplify our mission in musculoskeletal health, is steadfast in helping physicians and clinics focus on these twin goals of orthopedics treatment, so I’m excited to be a part of this game-changing model for better supporting the best in the industry.”

With this news, M2O is also scaling its team with the appointments of two impressive executives; Senior Human Resources professional and former VP of HR at Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Michael Romano as Chief People Officer and DaVita Kidney Care Finance Leader Jeff Clidence as Chief Financial Officer.

“Marshall and the M2O team are visionaries who share our mission to improve the quality of care and reduce health costs through investments in people and technology,” added Harry Eichelberger, managing partner of Archimedes Health Investors. “M2O’s unique value proposition combined with its deep bench of expertise in orthopedics means they are at the forefront of moving the industry towards value-based care.”

For more insight into M2O’s unique approach to supporting orthopedic surgeons and their practices, visit http://www.m2orthopartners.com.

About M2 Orthopedics

M2 Orthopedics is modernizing practice management for the nation’s best orthopedic practices and surgeons so they can focus on patient care. By combining expertise in orthopedics with a unique focus on long-term physician partnerships, M2O supports private practices through enhanced management capabilities and access to capital – empowering practices to sustain their independence and grow. M2O enables physicians to prioritize exceptional care and experiences, so everyone has better outcomes – patients win, practices succeed and ultimately, the broader orthopedic field thrives. For more information, visit http://www.m2orthopartners.com

About Archimedes Health Investors

Archimedes Health Investors is a New York-based private equity firm focused on supporting high-growth healthcare companies that improve the quality of care and reduce health costs. Archimedes invests on behalf of family offices, pension funds and strategic healthcare investors. Archimedes’ principals have been involved in investing over $600 million in many significant healthcare transactions, including Vera Whole Health Inc., National Partners in Healthcare, LLC and Panorama Eye Care, LLC.

About Anderson Orthopaedic Clinic

Anderson Orthopaedic Clinic is widely recognized as a national leader in comprehensive orthopaedic services. The board certified physicians of The Anderson Clinic have received specialized training in orthopaedic surgery and in subspecialty areas within the field of orthopaedic medicine and can diagnose and treat the most complicated orthopaedic conditions.

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Placencia Belize

“Find a list of specific requirements at your destination country’s U.S. Embassy website. If you are traveling to more than one country or region, you will need to meet the requirements for each location.”

BALTIMORE (PRWEB)
November 09, 2021

“Pre-COVID, all you needed was a passport,” says Shane McCarthy D.O., “Nowadays, the list is much longer—and different for each destination.”

“Conditions for tourist entry are country specific and may include: Proof of vaccination status; documented negative COVID test within a certain timeframe prior to arrival; certification of international medical insurance coverage— which may need to specify trip dates, set dollar amounts (e.g., coverage up to U.S. $50,000), and other funding minimums to cover medical costs, food, and housing in case of quarantine; health forms and attestations; and self-quarantine and/or retesting after arrival.”

“Find a list of specific requirements at your destination country’s U.S. Embassy website. If you are traveling to more than one country or region, you will need to meet the requirements for each location.”

The report offers advice on travelling on public transportation, what to expect when flying and answers questions on enjoying a cruise.

With so many more considerations and requirements for post-pandemic travel, in the report, McCarthy provides detailed to-do lists of what one should do before travelling. She says:

Pre-Travel Checklist

• 
  Get Vaccinated with an FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine. Keep proof of your vaccine—make copies of the card or take a picture. If you live in a state that logs your vaccines electronically or has vaccine passports, keep the link and/or download the app.
• List COVID-specific requirements for your destination. Which documents do you need to present upon arrival? Pre-travel COVID test results? Proof of vaccination? Anything else? Be sure to check requirements for each leg of your trip, as they can vary.
• List COVID-specific requirements for returning home. Do you need proof of a negative COVID test prior to boarding your plane back to the U.S.? Check CDC and State Department websites for the most up-to-date requirements. If you plan to stay in a small town or village, COVID testing may not be available. Plan extra days to get tested.
• List further testing and self-quarantine requirements. Some destinations may require self-quarantining and/or further testing upon arrival. Check the U.S. embassy and local tourist board websites for each leg of your trip. You may also need to self-quarantine and/or get tested upon returning home. Check with local authorities.
• Make a list of additional travel recommendations for your destination. Country and region-specific suggestions can be found on the CDC website.

The report also includes checklists lists for a month before, a week before and a day before travel to ease folks back into a more open world.

The full report can be found, here: Traveling Safely Post-Pandemic

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