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McConnell: Path on healthcare ‘murky’ – The Hill (blog)

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Danzig

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellMitch McConnellTrumps isolation grows Ellison: Trump has 'level of sympathy' for neo-Nazis, white supremacists Trump touts endorsement of second-place finisher in Alabama primary MORE (R-Ky.) acknowledgedMondaythat Congress's next steps on healthcare are unclear after Republicans failed to repeal ObamaCare.

"Obviously we had a setback on the effort to make dramatic changes on ObamaCare. The way forward now is somewhat murky," the Senate GOP leader said at a Chamber of Commerce event inKentucky with Treasury Secretary Steven MnuchinSteven Terner MnuchinLiberal coalition launches 'Stop Trump Tax Cuts' website Trump touts infrastructure order, but veers off message Looming debt limit fight rattles Wall Street MORE.

A GOP push to pass a "skinny repeal" of ObamaCare failedin a dramatic 49-51 vote before the August recess. A broader repeal proposal and a measure to repeal and replace theAffordable Care Actsimultaneouslyalso failed to get enoughvotes to pass inthe Senate.

McConnell added that lawmakers were "going to see" whatnegotiationsbetween Sens. Lamar AlexanderAndrew (Lamar) Lamar AlexanderTrump to make ObamaCare payments to insurers for August CBO: ObamaCare premiums could rise 20 percent if Trump ends payments CBO to release report Tuesday on ending ObamaCare insurer payments MORE (R-Tenn.) and Patty MurrayPatty MurrayCBO to release report Tuesday on ending ObamaCare insurer payments OPINION | Progressives, now's your chance to secure healthcare for all McConnell open to bipartisan deal on health insurance payments MORE (D-Wash.), the top two members of the Senate's healthcare committee, aimed atstabilizingthe individual health insurance market could produce.

"We have ... collapsing individual insurance markets around the country. Requests to continue to subsidize the insurance companies. It's a pretty controversial subject to subsidize insurance companies without any reforms," the GOP senator said.

He added that Democrats "have been pretty uninterested in any reforms," but the two parties will need to try to negotiate when they get back to Washington next month.

"So when we get back after Labor Day we'll have to sit down and talk to themand see ... what the way forward might be," he said.

Alexander and Murray are expected to holda series of bipartisan Health Committee hearings next month.

Their goal is to craft an insurance stabilization bill by mid-Septemberthat is expected to include money for ObamaCare's cost-sharing reduction payments, which President Trump has threatened to cut off.

McConnell has previously acknowledged that the next steps on healthcare are unclear afterRepublicans campaigned for years on repealing and replacing the Obama-era law.

If the Democrats are willing to support some real reforms, rather than just an insurance company bailout, I would be willing to take a look at it, McConnell toldreporters earlier this monthahead of the annual Fancy Farm Picnic.

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McConnell: Path on healthcare 'murky' - The Hill (blog)

Democrats prep for next round of healthcare fight – The Hill

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Danzig

Democrats are heading toward a new phase in the battle over healthcare as they brace for a tough midterm election cycle.

With the GOP's ObamaCare repeal push largely on ice, Democrats are shifting their focus from defending the Affordable Care Act to pitching their own healthcare ideas.

The long-shot proposals have little chance of passing with Republicans in control of both chambers of Congress and the White House.

But the competing measures could feed into the ongoing fight about the partys future as Democrats search for a path out of the political wilderness.

Establishing a Medicare for All single-payer program will improve the health of the American people and provide substantial financial savings for middle class families. It is the right thing to do. It is the moral thing to do, Sanders wrote in a Guardian op-ed.

Echoing his upstart presidential campaign last year, the Vermont senator is asking supporters to sign up as a citizen co-sponsor of the forthcoming legislation, arguing that its time to wage a moral and political war against a dysfunctional healthcare system.

Sanders put universal healthcare at the center of his bid for the Democratic nomination, and the idea has gained traction amid a progressive resurgence within the party.

Many of Sanderss potential opponentsin a 2020 presidential primary including Democratic Sens. Kamala Harris (Calif.) and Cory BookerCory Anthony BookerBooker: Republicans can't force new healthcare plan 'down our throats' Bill targets lead in schools drinking water Batman v Superman star pushes Cory Booker for president MORE (N.J.) have voiced some support for a government operated healthcare system. Sen. Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenWarren: Education Dept lawyer may have violated conflict-of-interest laws Congress should think twice on the Israel Anti-Boycott Act Sanders plans to introduce single-payer bill in September MORE (D-Mass.) told The Wall Street Journal that its time for the next step. And the next step is single-payer.

Marissa Barrow, a spokeswoman for the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said Democrats should embrace a big and bold agenda heading into the next election.

Were looking to make Medicare for all one of the big issues on the campaign trail, she said. We see it as an issue that could help unite the Democratic Party.

But Sanderss Senate colleagues who are running in red states have kept the proposal at arm's length.

Democratic Sens. Joe ManchinJoe ManchinOPINION | 5 ways Democrats can win back power in the states Trump's Democratic tax dilemma Manchin eyed as potential pick for Energy secretary: report MORE (W.Va.), Joe DonnellyJoe DonnellyTrump's Democratic tax dilemma FEC 'reform' a smokescreen to weaponize government against free speech It's time for McConnell to fight with Trump instead of against him MORE (Ind.), Jon TesterJon TesterWhy 'cherry-picking' is the solution to our nations flood insurance disaster Trump signs Veterans Affairs bill at New Jersey golf club It's time for McConnell to fight with Trump instead of against him MORE (Mont.) and Heidi HeitkampHeidi HeitkampTrump's Democratic tax dilemma It's time for McConnell to fight with Trump instead of against him The real litmus test is whether pro-life democrats vote for pro-life legislation MORE (N.D.), as well as Independent Sen. Angus KingAngus Stanley KingSen. King: If Trump fires Mueller, Congress would pass veto-proof special prosecutor statute Senate heading for late night ahead of ObamaCare repeal showdown Overnight Healthcare: Four GOP senators threaten to block 'skinny' repeal | Healthcare groups blast skinny repeal | GOP single-payer amendment fails in Senate MORE (Maine), joined with Republicans to vote against a single-payer amendment from GOP Sen. Steve Daines (Mont.) late last month.

Heitkamp said Congress needs realistic solutions and that Dainess maneuver which was expected to fail was a political stunt.

We need realistic solutions to help fix our healthcare system. ... The decision was made in 2010 to go with a market-based system the question is how we improve the system we have, Heitkamp said in a statement.

Sen. Claire McCaskillClaire McCaskillSenators push for possible FCC enforcement over Lifeline fraud Democrat senator: Trump has elevated Kim Jong-Un to the world stage It's time for McConnell to fight with Trump instead of against him MORE (D-Mo.), who like most Democrats voted present on the GOP amendment, also told constituents she would not support a single-payer proposal.

Im going to disappoint a lot of you. ... I would say if a single-payer came up to a vote right now I would not vote for it, McCaskill, who is up for reelection next year, told constituents during a town hall earlier this year.

McCaskill added she would support allowing individuals who only have one option on the ObamaCare exchanges to buy into Medicare or Medicaid instead.

Democrats face a tough Senate map in 2018, with 10senators running for reelection in states carried by Trump. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report shifted three of those races West Virginia, Indiana and Missouri to toss up and North Dakota from likely D to lean D this week.

A spokesman for Sanders said he didnt yet have an estimate for how many members of the Democratic conferencewould support the forthcoming legislation. One hundred and sixteen House Democrats are backing a separate House bill from Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) the first time a majority of the House Democratic Caucus has supported the proposal.

Democratic leadership is trying to walk a fine line in the looming healthcare fight as they balance the competing interests of different wings of the party.

Senate Minority Leader CharlesSchumer (D-N.Y.) has put myriad options, including single payer, on the table.

We're going to look at broader things single payer is one of them, he told ABC News. Medicare for people above 55 is on the table. A buy-in to Medicare is on the table. A buy-in to Medicaid is on the table.

Overall, 33 percent of Americans believe healthcare should be a single payer setup, according to a Pew Research Center poll from late June, compared to 52 percent of Democrats and 64 percent of liberals.

The poll also found that roughly 60 percent believe the government is responsible for making sure all Americans have health insurance.

The coming fight over healthcare is the latest example of a vocal progressive wing trying to flex its muscle and push the Democratic Party to the left in the wake of the 2016 presidential election.

When Sanders introduced a bill to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 a key issue between himself and primary opponent Hillary ClintonHillary Rodham ClintonAssange meets U.S. congressman, vows to prove Russia did not leak him documents High-ranking FBI official leaves Russia probe OPINION | Steve Bannon is Trump's indispensable man don't sacrifice him to the critics MORE 30Democratic senators signed on to the bill, compared to five supporters for a similar bill in 2015.

But red-state incumbents arent the only Democrats worried about embracing single payer.

Sen. Dianne FeinsteinDianne FeinsteinTrump's Democratic tax dilemma Feinstein: Trump immigration policies 'cruel and arbitrary' The Memo: Could Trumps hard line work on North Korea? MORE (D-Calif.) received pushback at a town hall in San Francisco when she said told constituents that she wasnt there on single payer.

Asked if he could support a single-payer system, Sen. Tim KaineTim Kaine Violent white nationalist protests prompt state of emergency in Virginia Republicans will get their comeuppance in New Jersey, Virginia Spicer signs deal with top TV lawyer: report MORE (D-Va.), Clintons vice presidential pick, noted Sanders would be introducing a bill but that he has a different view about what we ought to do.

I want people to have more options, not fewer. ... I would like to explore a circumstance under which there could be a public option, like a Medicare Part E for everybody that you'd have to buy into, Kaine, who is also up for reelection next year, told ABC News earlier this month.

Democratic Sens. Debbie StabenowDebbie StabenowHead of McConnell-backed PAC: We're 'very interested' in Kid Rock Senate campaign Juan Williams: Trump and the new celebrity politics Senate Dems unveil trade agenda MORE (Mich.), Tammy BaldwinTammy BaldwinClub for Growth endorses Nicholson in Wisconsin GOP primary Senate Dems unveil trade agenda Group pushes FDA to act on soy milk labeling petition MORE (Wis.) and Sherrod BrownSherrod Campbell BrownOvernight Finance: House passes spending bill with border wall funds | Ryan drops border tax idea | Russia sanctions bill goes to Trump's desk | Dems grill bank regulator picks Dems grill Trump bank regulator nominees Senate Dems launch talkathon ahead of ObamaCare repeal vote MORE (Ohio), who are each up for reelection in states carried by Trump, are offering legislation that let Americans between the ages of 55 and 64 buy into Medicare.

Barrow called the move a positive step, though the end game is either a single-payer system or a state-by-state or federal Medicare option for everyone.

Sanders has also acknowledged that with Republicans in control of Congress, his bill is unlikely to pass. He outlined three steps to take in the meantime: passing legislation to get the public option in every state, lowering Medicaid eligibility to 55 and lowering the cost of prescription drugs.

But he is also prepared to take his argument for a broader single payer bill into Trump territory. Hell hit the road with stops in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan to discuss healthcare and the economy, including a rally with Conyers where theyre expected to discuss Medicare for all.

Barrow added that the Progressive Change Campaign Committee is already reaching out Capitol Hill offices and will keep up their effort through 2018 and beyond to get Democrats to wrap themselves in the flag of Medicare.

If you go into a red state its a super, super popular program in red states, blue states and purple states, she said. Its going to be a winning issue in 2018 especially in those red and purple states.

Hospitals must band together to beat hackers – Healthcare IT News

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Danzig

Consider this a rallying cry: Hospitals, health systems and networks need to join forces, organize, come together as a community, to proactively fend off hackers, hacktivists, organized criminals and other emerging threats all trying to penetrate healthcare entities to either steal patient data or, worse, destroy it altogether.

Its not just WannaCry, Petya, NotPetya, ransomware in coffee makers (yes, that appears to have really happened) or the newest malware strain, either. Yes, they all startled the industry, if not the world, for a flash. And theyre legitimate threats.

But the greater danger is that CISOs, CIOs and their shops regardless of how tech-savviness, how many specialists they boast or even the number of attacks their ace security team has detected, blocked or survived every single healthcare organization must protect against the next big attack even though there is literally no way to know what it will look like or from where it will come.

[Register Now: Upcoming HIMSS Healthcare Security Forum]

To be fair, this is happening. Some hospitals are working together just not nearly enough. Security frameworks, information sharing centers, industry trade groups already exist.

Its time to start operating as a healthcare infosec community because security is only going to get harder.

Embed from Getty Images

Tom Ridge, the first U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security and former Pennsylvania Governor, said that a community approach has worked in other industries.

Can it succeed in healthcare?

Yes, yes, Ridge said. Yes and the information sharing and analysis centers proved to be very helpful in financial services and energy-related industries. That is a great platform within which to share best practices, to share threat information.

Healthcare has an ISAC of its own, too, the NH-ISAC and Denise Anderson is its President.

Obviously we'd love to see as many people situationally aware as is possible, Anderson said.

In response to Petya, for instance, Anderson said NH-ISAC had a core team of subject matter experts working to collaboratively determine what the problem was and then craft a mitigation strategy. Members, in turn, can take that strategy and put it, or parts thereof, into action.

Thats just one recent example, of course. And Penn Medicine Associate CIO John Donohue said the opportunities to collaborate with other healthcare organizations to improve Penns own security posture are significant.

As we begin to shift more to a proactive cybersecurity stance, timely and accurate intelligence becomes the name of the game, Donohue said.

Penn, for its part, taps into what Donohue described as a network of peers for real-time intelligence on zero-day malware and other trending threats.

That practice is going to become increasingly important as hospitals have more and more apps and devices to protect.

Embed from Getty Images

Depending upon which estimate you prefer, somewhere between 5 and 10 million new devices hook up to the internet every day.

Cyber Threat Alliance President Michael Daniel, who served as the White House Cybersecurity Coordinator for President Obama, said that cyberspace is the only environment expanding on a daily basis and that, in turn, makes the security problem both harder and bigger.

As the number of devices grows, so does peoples reliance on them, and the potential damage that can be done when they are attacked expands as well.

They are much more heterogeneous than we saw in the past, Daniel added. Its not just desktops or laptops, but now its mobile devices and Fitbits, refrigerators, and cars, light bulbs and all the so-called internet of things.

Lets calculate for a minute. A greater variety and number of apps and devices, more new types of cyberattacks, even more adversaries than ever before, and no suggestion that any of those will let up in the near future.

Heres one more to add.

I'm not sure anyone has a true handle on all of the organizations involved in healthcare out there, said NH-ISACs Anderson. Hospitals are not the only organizations that are vulnerable. Dentists, small physician practices, labs, radiological and therapy providers are all very rich targets because they are small and don't have many resources.

The sum of those realities is a pretty grim picture: Healthcare information security is difficult today and its only going to get harder from here.

Not only hospital management but the boards of directors need to embrace the fact that the industry is vulnerable and they really have to prioritize securing IT systems.

Ridge pointed out that hospital IT and security executives should be aware that the world is in a digital war and its not just nation-state against nation-state. Organized cybercriminal groups, hackers and hacktivists, lone wolf attackers are all dangerous.

Corporate leadership, Ridge said, not only hospital management but the boards of directors need to embrace the fact that the industry is vulnerable and they really have to prioritize securing IT systems.

Ridge said a security framework, such as the one National Institute of Standards and Technologys offers, is a baseline. NIST is one option, HITRUST is another.

In addition to the frameworks, the Department of Health and Human Services Health Cybersecurity Communications and Integration Center, the InfraGard cyber health working group and industry trade groups including Healthcare IT News owner HIMSS, as well as the Medical Group Management Association and the American Medical Association, all make certain resources available.

Lee Kim, Director of Privacy and Security at HIMSS, said the combination of frameworks, associations, government groups could be the virtual glue binding together the infosec community healthcare needs.

Penns Donohue said as threats continue accelerating, he finds himself participating more and more in the intelligence sharing community.

As a result of this collaboration Penn Medicine has been able better prepare for vulnerability exploits and minimize the impact of malware attacks, Donohue said.

Healthcare needs to do with its IT systems what financial services, telecom and energy have already done. Be preemptive, not reactive.

The frameworks and sharing tools exist but, of course, so do challenges.

Picking one among the various resources itself can be confusing, if not inhibitive, HIMSS Kim said. Cost is another issue.

But the biggest obstacle is simply not knowing what information to seek and share or how to make that happen and the same goes for what not to share.

Ridge, who is now chairman of consultancy Ridge Global, added that healthcare should emulate other industries.

Healthcare needs to do with its IT systems what financial services, telecom and energy have already done, Ridge said. Be preemptive, not reactive.

Indeed, it has become a necessity for the healthcare industry to overcome those barriers to participation on the way to safeguarding patient information and care delivery for the patients and their families that infosec, IT and medical professionals serve.

We need to be more coordinated as a sector, HIMSS Kim said. Otherwise, we, too, will be pwned!

Twitter:SullyHIT Email the writer: tom.sullivan@himssmedia.com

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Hospitals must band together to beat hackers - Healthcare IT News

Why Tenet Healthcare Shares Are Rallying 14.2% Today – Motley Fool

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Danzig

What happened

After a sell-off that's seen its shares drop from over $20 in July to below $13 earlier this month, news that a hedge fund has acquired a 5.7% stake sentshares ofTenet Healthcare(NYSE:THC)soaring 14.2% at 2:00 p.m. EDT today.

On Aug. 7, Tenet Healthcare reported second-quarter financial results that were anything but encouraging. In the quarter,the company's net revenue declined 1.4% to $4.8 billion, and its net loss expanded 19.6%, to $55 million, or $0.55 per share. On an adjusted basis, the company's net loss per share was $0.17. These figures were worse than investors were looking for, and shares were punished as a result.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES.

Last week, two members of Tenet Healthcare's board of directors resigned, citing "irreconcilable differences." The two members are employees of Glenview Capital Management, a major Tenet Healthcare investor, and their departure triggers the expiration of a standstill agreement later this month. After the standstill agreement expires, Glenview can evaluate other options that could unlock shareholder value in the company, and according to Glenview's press release on that matter, they are committed to remaining a Tenet Healthcare investor. Perhaps this suggests that a proxy fight for control of the board is in the making. As of June 30, Glenview is Tenet Healthcare's largest shareholder, with holdings of 17.9 million shares.

Tenet Healthcare's shares moved up significantly after Glenview's announcement, and Camber Capital Management today revealed in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that it's amassed a 5.7% position in Tenet Healthcare, adding conviction to the thinking that a management shake-up can unlock shareholder value. As of June 30, Camber Capital reported $1.4 billion in assets invested in 37 positions, including a 4 million share stake in Tenet Healthcare. Currently, Camber Capital owns 5.75 million shares.

After its lackluster performance last quarter, Tenet Healthcare ratcheted back its outlook for the full year. In addition to its operating headwinds, Tenet Healthcare also faces uncertainty regarding the future of Obamacare. Because Obamacare has decreased the uninsured rate, it has had a positive impact on hospital write-offs that are associated with charity care that's provided to patients.

Clearly, Glenview and Camber Capital believe there's value in Tenet Healthcare that can be unlocked. However, it's unclear exactly how that might happen. Until we get greater insight into how Glenview will proceed, or see signs that Tenet Healthcare's business is improving, the volatility that's likely in this stock has me thinking there are better stocks for investors to focus on.

Todd Campbell has no position in any stocks mentioned. His clients may have positions in the companies mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Why Tenet Healthcare Shares Are Rallying 14.2% Today - Motley Fool

Rx for Federal Healthcare Transformation through IT – FederalNewsRadio.com

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Danzig

Segment 1:How Technology Improves Healthcare

The Defense Department treats about 9 million service members and their families per year. The Veterans Affairs Department provides medical services to about 6 million veterans annually.

Add to this 15 million, the citizens served by the Indian Health Service, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a host of other agencies, giving the federal government a timely opportunity to change the way through technology and innovation healthcare is delivered to all citizens.

Market research firm Deltek estimates agencies will increase their spending on commercial health IT products and services to $6.4 billion by 2021 up from $6 billion in 2016.

Deltek says DoD and VA are driving the spending increases through new electronic health care systems as well as the broader digitization of processes and integration of data across the federal healthcare sector.

The move to the cloud and the rise of better and faster data analytics will drive the broader adoption of telehealth and mobile applications for healthcare providers, Deltek says.

These technologies can help hospitals and clinics gain a complete view of any one patient to ensure the service member or veteran or citizen more generally receives unique health plan that makes the most of the existing data, systems and processes.

The challenge many health care organizations face, however, both in the public and private sectors, is the tangled mess of systems and databases that have grown up over the last 20 years. This makes data integration and sharing much more difficult.

Right behind that challenge is the amount of data health care produces each day. IDC Health Insights estimates more than 25,000 petabytes of health data will be created by 2020. How can patients and health practitioners manage, understand and make best use of all that information?

These challenges must be overcome to reach the end goals of these efforts, which like most IT transformation efforts center around lowering the cost of care, improving patient outcomes and improving the patient experience.

Moderator

Jason Miller is a reporter whose work focuses mainly on technology and procurement issues, including cybersecurity, e-government and acquisition policies and programs.

Panelists

Andrew Jacobs, Technology Strategy Branch Chief, Architecture, Advanced Concepts & Engineering Division, Defense Health Agency

Andrew Jake Jacobsis the branch chief for the Technology Strategy Branch and the acting branch chief for the Engineering Branch, two branches of the Architecture, Advanced Concepts & Engineering (AACE) Division of the Defense Health Agency (DHA). Jacobs has more than 20 years of federal, industry, and military experience, leading IT operations and initiatives across large-scale complex organizations, including 10 years as a Navy Corpsman. Before his time as a branch chief, Jacobs was a key leader within the MHS infrastructure office, where he rose through the ranks as a network engineer and liaison to the MHS CTO. Today, Jacobs continues to provide guidance on all facets of emerging technologies, industry trends, and IT planning for military health.

Col. William Baez, Chief Medical Information Officer, Office of the Air Force Surgeon General

Col William Bez is the Chief Medical Information Officer and Chief Clinical Information Branch for the Air Force Medical Support Agency, Office of the Air Force Surgeon General, Defense Health Headquarters, Falls Church, Virginia. Col Bez is responsible for a team of six active duty members and eight civilian employees who provide medical modernization support in the arena of health information management and technology for more than 42 thousand medics, 2.6 million Air Force beneficiaries, and 76 military treatment facilities worldwide. His offices mission is to provide medical information management and technology guidance and policy in support of medical expeditionary capabilities and the provision of cost-effective, patient-centered, and prevention-based health care. They also direct the implementation of legacy and future health care information systems and collaborate with Department of Defense and Veterans Administration organizations.

Wayne Bobby, Vice President, Infor Federal

Wayne Bobby joined Infor in October of 2013 to establish a Federal sales team and grow the business throughout the Civilian, Department of Defense, and the Intelligence Community. Prior to joining Infor, Mr. Bobby was the Vice President of Oracles Public Sector Industry Solutions for North America. He draws from over thirty years of work experience in public sector program operations and technology software solutions. Prior to joining Oracle in 1996, Mr. Bobby spent seventeen years in the Federal government where he was the Director of Financial Management Services for the U.S. Department of State. He holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Management Information Systems from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Beth Meyers, RN, PhD, CPHIM, Chief Nurse Executive, Analytics Strategy Director, Infor

Prior to joining Infor, Beth led the Fairview Health System, Minneapolis, supply chains business intelligence team, responsible for converting data into actionable information for decision making. Beth also worked as a perioperative nurse in the U.S. Army and held positions in surgery and clinical management with Baldwin Area Medical Center, Baldwin, Wisc. Beth earned a bachelors degree in nursing from the University of Minnesota and a masters degree in technology management from the University of Wisconsin. She is currently pursuing her PhD in healthcare informatics with the University of Minnesota.

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Rx for Federal Healthcare Transformation through IT - FederalNewsRadio.com

Study says Aurora tops in country for pediatric health care – Chicago Tribune

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Danzig

Aurora has been named tops in the country for pediatric health care.

The ranking comes from Vitals, a national health care incentive and engagement program. It researched the 200 largest American cities to find out which have access to the best and worst pediatric care, according to a press release from the city of Aurora.

Aurora was number one in the study. The other top cities were Madison, Wis, second place; Grand Rapids, Mich., third place; Minneapolis, Minn., fourth place; Rochester, N.Y., fifth place; St. Paul, Minn., sixth place; Cleveland, Ohio, seventh place; Salt Lake City, Utah, eighth place; Cincinnati, Ohio, ninth place; and Akron, Ohio, 10th place.

When creating the list of America's Top Cities for Access to Pediatric Care, Vitals analyzed the number of pediatricians available in each city on a per-capita basis for their under-18 population, according to the press release. Patient-reported information such as ease of getting an appointment, pediatrician ratings and wait times were also factored into the final rankings.

"When a child is ill, the primary concern for parents is getting quick access to quality care," said Mitch Rothschild, founder and executive chairman of Vitals, in the release. "Vitals not only helps consumers find top-rated pediatricians near their homes, but also make informed decisions, relying on the wisdom of others who've contributed to the nine million patient ratings and reviews on the site."

Pediatric services in Aurora are provided by a range of medical professionals including Rush Copley Medical Center and its connection with Rush University Children's Hospital; Presence Health and its collaboration with the Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago; and the multiple locations of VNA Healthcare in Aurora, according to the release.

"Pediatric health care is a primary building block for lifelong success," said Trish Rooney, executive director of Strong Prepared and Ready for Kindergarten, in the release. "We have a strong network of early childhood providers in Aurora, and our health care providers are integral members of the community. It is great to know they are leading the way and setting the standard for pediatric health care for the entire country."

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Study says Aurora tops in country for pediatric health care - Chicago Tribune

A Health-Care Fix That Works, Now Being Rolled Back – Wall Street Journal (subscription)

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Danzig

Wall Street Journal (subscription)

A Health-Care Fix That Works, Now Being Rolled Back
Wall Street Journal (subscription)
President Trump is correct: Health care is complicated. If you've ever received a hospital bill, you've seen it for yourself. America's health-care system is a tangle of providers, all paid separately for each and every thing they do. One emergency ...

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A Health-Care Fix That Works, Now Being Rolled Back - Wall Street Journal (subscription)

Getting People to Enroll in Health Plans While Trump Attacks Them … – New York Times

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Danzig

A recent sticky Friday found Ms. Barker passing out fliers about open enrollment at a back-to-school fair in East Nashville. To every parent and grandparent who strolled past, she asked, You have health insurance? Nearby was her favorite prop: a wheel that passers-by could spin with a dial that landed on terms like deductible and penalty, which she cheerfully explained to those willing to listen.

For the laws first four enrollment seasons, the Obama administration spent heavily on advertising, recruited celebrities like Katy Perry and companies like Uber to spread the word and scrutinized data to pinpoint potential customers. But this year, community-based enrollment groups, known as navigators, may be largely on their own.

This is going to be the heaviest lift we have ever tried to undertake, said Jessie Menkens, navigator program coordinator for the Alaska Primary Care Association. We will be shouting out for people to recognize this really is not over that regardless of what deliberations are happening in Washington, this is still truly the law of the land.

The approximately 100 navigator groups around the country, which received $63 million in federal grants last year, are not sure the Trump administration will renew those grants, which are supposed to be awarded next month. Matt Slonaker, executive director of the Utah Health Policy Project, said he had had encouraging conversations with officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (known as C.M.S.), but no one will know for sure until the grants are finalized.

Mr. Slonaker also said that at a conference that C.M.S. held for navigators in June, employees of the agency said the federal government would not run any ads to promote open enrollment this year. A spokeswoman for the agency would not confirm whether that was true or answer other questions about the administrations plans.

Other open questions include whether the Trump administration will automatically re-enroll people who did not actively cancel or change their plan, as Mr. Obamas did, and whether it will increase staffing at call centers that help people sign up, given the compressed enrollment time frame.

Insurance companies had asked for the shorter enrollment period, saying it would allow them to collect a full years worth of premiums from Obamacare customers and reduce the number of people who wait until they are sick to sign up. The Obama administration had planned to cut the enrollment period to six weeks starting in 2018, but the Trump administration moved it up to this year.

Leaders of the state-based marketplaces say they feel largely in the dark.

By this time in prior years, the states would have a really good sense of what the federal government was planning so we could plug the holes or leverage what they were doing, said Mila Kofman, executive director of the D.C. Health Benefit Exchange Authority. We just havent seen any details.

It seems clear that Mr. Trump wont be using his powerful Twitter account to encourage sign-ups. Nor are he and Tom Price, his health and human services secretary, likely to be visiting enrollment sites around the country like Mr. Obama and his health secretaries, Kathleen Sebelius and Sylvia Burwell, did.

Mr. Obama visited Nashville to promote the health law in 2015, going to the home of a breast cancer survivor who had benefited from the law, then taking her in his motorcade to an elementary school, where the two of them talked up the law to a cheering crowd.

Last year, Tennessee became a symbol of the laws growing problems. Insurers sought some of the steepest premium increases in the country after posting major losses they blamed on their Obamacare customers high medical costs. Then BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee decided to stop offering plans in Nashville, Memphis or Knoxville. Statewide enrollment dipped to 200,401 by February 2017, from 231,705 in March 2016.

The state became something of a poster child for the repeal-and-replace effort this year, when Humana announced it was pulling out of the Obamacare markets nationally. That left 16 Tennessee counties with no insurers for next year, a situation Mr. Trump seized on at a rally here in March. (BlueCross BlueShield has since agreed to offer coverage in those counties.)

The Health and Human Services department has produced a series of videos featuring Americans burdened by Obamacare, which Mr. Price has posted on Twitter. In response to a request from Senate Democrats, the Government Accountability Office is investigating the videos as part of a broader look at whether some of the anti-Obamacare actions by H.H.S. have violated restrictions on how federal funds can be spent.

Congressional Democrats said they would be sending a letter to Mr. Price on Friday, demanding detailed information about his plans for marketing and outreach during open enrollment. In the letter, the ranking Democrats on House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over health care said they were concerned the administration was intent on depressing sign-ups.

Its pretty powerful, Ms. Barker said of the administrations frequent attacks on the law, and thats what were up against.

Ms. Barkers salary is paid out of the $1.6 million grant that her nonprofit agency, Family and Childrens Services, receives under the law and shares with three other groups around the state. For now she remains upbeat, especially since Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, the Republican who leads the Senate health committee, recently announced the committee would try to create bipartisan legislation next month to shore up the law.

Im thinking yes, thats great! Ms. Barker said. I use that when I talk to people who are concerned theres a possibility that things will get better, that premiums will go down and this will all get worked out.

At the back-to-school fair, she buttonholed an uninsured father who said he was moving to Memphis, telling him he might be eligible for a special enrollment period and pressing a phone number into his hand. He gave her a thumbs-up as he walked away.

As the event wound down, she made plans to stop on her way home at a TJ Maxx that was going out of business. Its employees, she reasoned, might need new insurance soon.

An earlier version of this article misspelled the surname of the executive director of the D.C. Health Benefit Exchange Authority. She is Mila Kofman, not Mila Kaufman.

A version of this article appears in print on August 21, 2017, on Page A11 of the New York edition with the headline: The Heavy Lift of Recruiting for Tenuous Health Insurance Plans.

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Getting People to Enroll in Health Plans While Trump Attacks Them ... - New York Times

Genomic Revolution is Here: What an Insurance Professional Needs to Know – Corporate Wellness Magazine

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Danzig

Genomic Revolution is Here: What an Insurance Professional Needs to Know

Dr. Phil Smalley

Is genetic testing ready for prime time use in employee benefits and insurance products? We think so, albeit with some caveats. Other expert opinions are mixed regarding this question, but one thing is for sure, this field of medicine is growing in leaps and bounds. New genetic discoveries are published weekly leading to new treatments, better disease prevention, less drug side effects, and overall improved public health. And actually, genomics is already being used in clinical practice in certain settings as mandated by various professional association clinical guidelines. Some innovative insurance companies have started to offer genetic testing of various forms to their insurance clients and as part of employee health programs in the US and around the world.

The cost of various genetic tests ranging from USD $200 to $5000 is one of the commonly quoted reasons why doctors and patients avoid needed genetic tests. One study of lung cancer patients showed that 41% of patients did not follow the recommended clinical guidelines for genetic testing. They mention uncertainty regarding cost reimbursement as one of the barriers to ordering these tests. (1) This is where genomic based products can play an important role at the time of cancer diagnosis as an employee benefit.

In these next 10 monthly articles, we will explore the topic of genomics as we discuss genetic basics, use of genetics in cancer management, pharmacogenomics, screening with liquid biopsies and disease risk stratification. Because I am a medical doctor working in the insurance industry and not a geneticist, I hope to present a different point of view on this important topic from a practical insurance perspective. We will show you the benefits of incorporating genetic tests of various types into employee benefits and in other insurance products. The emphasis of our work is more in the post-policy issue space rather than entering the political, ethical and regulatory whirlwind surrounding genetic testing at the time of underwriting. Our goal through these articles is to give the insurance professional 5 or 6 key talking points to make the sale to insurance companies and employers on the benefits of genetic testing services. Equally important, these articles will cover some of the challenges associated with going down this road and discuss ways to overcome these obstacles.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I am writing on behalf of a new genetic testing service intermediary, Wamberg Genomic Advisors (WGA) who stand at the crossroads of the insurance and genetic testing industries. They use their collective knowledge and expertise to guide insurance clients in their successful adaptation of this new genetics technology to improve their employees health, to increase sales, maximize return on investment and improve public health and longevity.

A 2016 Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health survey reports that 6% of the US population has had some form of genetic testing done and 81% found the information useful. (2) Presently, clinical doctors mostly order genetic tests in patients who have a strong family history of disease or when the patient has symptoms and the genetic test is performed to diagnose a condition or to help decide upon the most appropriate form of treatment. But with the price of genetic testing falling precipitously, we have seen a rapid increase in public access to genetic testing either through their doctor, employee health programs or via direct to consumer genetic testing kits. Insurance companies will need to adapt to this possible asymmetry of information that could lead to anti-selection.

In next months September article, we will get into the real meat of this topic. We will discuss the basics of genetics, the different types of genetic tests and their accuracy. We will cover the benefits of genetic tests and get into some practical example uses of genomics in corporate wellness programs, voluntary benefits and in other insurance products.

I invite you to answer this anonymous one question online survey and see what others think about genetic testing. Also, post your comments and opinions in the comments section below as we start this open discussion.

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Dr. Phil Smalley is an Internal Medicine specialist with 27 years of experience in insurance medicine. He recently retired from his position as Senior Vice Presidentand Global Chief Medical Officer for RGA International Corporation. Dr. Smalley received his medical degree from the University of Toronto, Canada. He is aFellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and Past President of the Canadian Life Insurance Medical Officers Association. Dr. Smalleywas also Managing Director of the Longer Life Foundation, the not-for-profit research partnership between RGA and Washington University School of Medicine. Dr. Smalley currently lives in Toronto consulting for the insurance industry and is Chief Medical Director for Wamberg Genomic Advisors.

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Genomic Revolution is Here: What an Insurance Professional Needs to Know - Corporate Wellness Magazine

Comprehensive genomic analysis offers insights into causes of Wilms tumor development – Medical Xpress

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Danzig

August 21, 2017 Credit: CC0 Public Domain

A comprehensive genomic analysis of Wilms tumor - the most common kidney cancer in children - found genetic mutations involving a large number of genes that fall into two major categories. These categories involve cellular processes that occur early in kidney development. The study, published in Nature Genetics, offers the possibility that targeting these processes, instead of single genes, may provide new opportunities for treatment of Wilms tumor.

"It is very difficult to therapeutically target over 40 genes that may be mutated in Wilms tumor," said senior author Elizabeth Perlman, MD, from Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. "We discovered that many of these genetic mutations converge into two developmental pathways that lead to cancer. Early development of the kidney starts with rapid proliferation of undifferentiated cells. Within these cells, a signal triggers a switch to undergo differentiation into the normal cells of the kidney. In Wilms tumors, one set of mutations promotes abnormal and continued proliferation of the undifferentiated cells. A second set of mutations impacts the differentiation switch itself. Targeting these two different pathways in future studies might be more efficient than targeting individual gene mutations."

Perlman is the Head of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Lurie Children's and a Professor of Pathology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. She is the Arthur C. King Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

In the study, Perlman and colleagues in the Children's Oncology Group and the National Cancer Institute initially identified all genetic mutations in 117 Wilms tumor cases. Then they focused on a set of genetic mutations that occurred in more than one case and conducted a targeted analysis of these recurrent mutations in 651 Wilms tumors to validate the results. They found that the most common genes mutated in Wilms tumor were TP53, CTNNB1, DROSHA, WT1 and FAM123B.

In an unexpected finding, Perlman and colleagues also identified underlying germline mutations - or mutations in all the cells of the body - in at least 10 percent of Wilms tumor cases. "Our discovery of germline mutations in so many cases of Wilms tumor means that the children and family members of these patients may be at risk for tumor development," said Perlman.

Explore further: Researchers find new gene mutations for Wilms Tumor

More information: A Children's Oncology Group and TARGET initiative exploring the genetic landscape of Wilms tumor. Nature Genetics (2017). DOI: 10.1038/ng.3940

Journal reference: Nature Genetics

Provided by: Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago

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Comprehensive genomic analysis offers insights into causes of Wilms tumor development - Medical Xpress

ADRIAN Kibbler wonders whether genetic engineering may be used in the future to prevent illness – Ludlow Advertiser

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Danzig

LEANNE Brownhill was a 26-year-old nurse from Ludlow who sadly died young as a result of a genetic heart condition.

She suffered from cardiomyopathy, a disease that comes in three different forms but essentially damages the heart.

It can unfortunately result in the sudden death of young people who might otherwise have appeared to be fit and healthy.

The case that most people will be aware of is that of the footballer Fabrice Muamba, who aged just 23, suddenly collapsed and nearly died in an FA Cup match between his team Bolton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur in 2012.

Indeed, when we hear of a young sportsman or woman who has died suddenly then there is a good chance that cardiomyopathy is responsible.

One of the problems with this disease is that it can be difficult to diagnose and can bring with it no obvious symptoms although in some cases there may be shortness of breath or unexplained fainting.

When the disease is diagnosed various treatments are available that can include the use of various drugs and in some cases the fitting on a defibrillator type device to kick in if the heart fails.

However, medical experts are saying that a new technique could free people of this condition that is caused by inheriting a faulty gene.

The latest breakthrough suggests that not only can the faulty gene be identified but that it can also be repaired.

Now it is important to be cautious because even if this can be advanced it is not likely to widely available anytime soon. However, the potential is huge and there would appear to be reason to hope that the technique could also be applied to other inherited conditions.

The medical and scientific issues around this are only a part of the story because this is genetic engineering.

Of course, it is desirable that when people become ill they receive the best possible treatment but this is not the same thing as genetic engineering.

Some people will argue that if medicine gives us the ability to prevent illness by repairing faulty genes then there is nothing wrong with that. After all medicine enables treatment to be given to babies even when they are in the womb so is this so different?

It has long been the case that babies can be examined for serious medical conditions as part of pre-natal screening and in some cases this can lead to a decision to terminate a pregnancy.

What makes genetic engineering different is that it creates at least potentially the ability to produce a race of perfect people and many of us are very uncomfortable about this.

After all some would argue that it is our difference including in some cases our imperfections that make us special and unique.

No one can give a definitive answer but, for example, would Beethoven have been such a great composer if he not been deaf or Stephen Hawking such a special scientist without his illness?

These are difficult questions but they will become ever more important as medical science advances and what up to now might have been considered science fiction becomes science fact.

Spark’s Gene Therapy SPK-8011 to Treat Hemophilia A and B Advance in Clinical Trials – Hemophilia News Today

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Danzig

Three patients who received SPK-8011 a gene therapy developed by Spark Therapeutics for hemophilia A show increased production of clotting factor VIII without any safety issues reported, says the company.

The patients are the first to receive the treatment as part of a Phase 1/2 clinical trial, with early data showing they have not yet experienced spontaneous bleeding episodes.

The encouraging start of our SPK-8011 clinical trial reinforces the strength of our gene therapy platform, delivers human proof-of-concept in a second liver-mediated disease a significant achievement in the gene therapy field and positions us well to potentially transform the current treatment approach for this life-altering disease with a one-time intervention, Katherine A. High, president and CEO of Spark Therapeutics, said inreleasingsecond-quarter 2017 financial results.

The study (NCT03003533) examines escalating doses of the treatment a one time infusion of a non-infectious virus that delivers a functional copy of the gene encoding clotting factor VIII.

The first two patients received the lowest dose and have now been followed for 23 weeks and 12 weeks. Measurements show their levels of the clotting factor steadily rising, reaching a stable level of 11 and 14 percent of normal values. Withthose results in hand, researchers decided to go for a higher dose in the third patient. So far, the increase of factor VIII in that third patient is higher than that observed in the other two, corresponding to the increased dose.

Researchers have not detected immune reactions to the therapy in any of the patients. This is important, as antibodies to SPK-8011 ould potentially render it ineffective.No serious adverse events have been reported and none of the patients required treatment with corticosteroids.

Spark, based in Philadelphia, has also reported on its second gene therapy, SPK-9001, now being developed to treat hemophilia B.

Researchers presented data from the Phase 1/2 study (NCT02484092) at the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) 2017 Congress, showing that the 10 participants had lowered their annual bleeding rate by 96 percent. They also lowered their annualized infusion rate by 99 percent.

In addition, their levels of clotting factor IX, 12 weeks after the treatment, had stabilized at 33 percent. Four of the patients have been followed for more than a year after the treatment, and one for as long as 18 months.

None have developed immune reactions to the treatment and no bleeding episodes have been recorded. One patient with severe joint disease had precautionary factor infusions for persistent knee pain.

We are excited about the progress we are making to achieve our goals of our investigational hemophilia A and B programs: to safely achieve predictable, consistent and sustained activity levels that prevent spontaneous bleeding, said High.

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Spark's Gene Therapy SPK-8011 to Treat Hemophilia A and B Advance in Clinical Trials - Hemophilia News Today

Gene Therapy for Huntington’s Disease in Development – Rare Disease Report

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Danzig

Uniqure, the company best known for having the first approved gene therapy put on the market (for familial chylomicronemia syndrome), is expanding its pipeline to include a gene therapy for Huntingtons disease. While still in early development, the company stated they plan to file an Investigational New Drug (IND) application next year with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in order to begin clinical studies in humans. Huntington's disease is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder that leads to loss of muscle coordination, behavioral abnormalities and cognitive decline when a person enters their 3rd or 4th decade. The disease is an autosomal dominant mutation, meaning that if a person has the condition, there is a 50% chance their offspring will have it as well, and is due to a mutation on the huntingin gene. Despite good understanding of the condition, current treatments can only alleviate the symptoms of it, but they do not delay the onset or slow the progression of the disease. It is hopeful that gene therapy can do that. In Huntingtons disease animal models, the gene therapy called AMT-130, an AAV5 vector carrying a DNA cassette encoding artificial micro-RNA, is effective. In April, data was presented at the 12th Annual CHDI HD Therapeutics Conference in Malta showing the drug was able to silence the human mutant huntingtin gene in pig model. In the animal study, AMT-130 was administered into the striatum and thalamus of minipigs that had the mutant Huntingtin gene. Three months after treatment, the vector was observed throughout the minipig brain and expression of mutant HTT mRNA was significantly reduced in the striatum and thalamus by 50% to 80% and reductions were also observed in the cortex (reduced up to 40% compared to controls). Lead author of that study, Prof. Jan Motlik, Director of the Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics in the Czech Republic said, "This study demonstrated that a single administration of AAV5-miHTT resulted in significant reductions in HTT mRNA in all regions of the brain transduced by AMT-130, as well as in the cortex. Consistent with the reduction in HTT mRNA, we also observed a clear dose-dependent reduction in mutant huntingtin protein levels in the brain, with similar trends in the cerebral spinal fluid. Taking into account the similarities of CHDI's proprietary transgenic pig model to the human brain, these results provide additional data to support moving forward with clinical trials of uniQure's promising gene therapy for Huntington's disease." For more news and information about orphan drugs in development, followRare Disease ReportonFacebookandTwitter.

Gene Therapy for Huntington's Disease in Development - Rare Disease Report

YOUR HEALTH Gene therapy for better eyesight – WQAD.com

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Danzig

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GAINESVILLE, Florida Imagine only being able to see the things in front of you in soft focus, and just in black and white.

For people with the genetic eye condition achromatopsia, those are just some of the side effects.

Each time Tara Cataldo prepares to leave her house, she has to make sure her face is completely shielded from the sun.

"I need to have very dark, very tinted sunglasses to feel comfortable outside, to see really well," said Tara.

Tara has achromatopsia, a genetic condition that makes her eyes incredibly sensitive to light. She is also very nearsighted; even while wearing glasses or contacts, she can only see clearly at a very short distance.

"I cannot drive a car so I rely on public transportation and my bike to get around," she said.

"There are currently no approved or no effective treatments for achromatopsia," said Dr. Christine Kay, a surgical ophthalmologist at the University of Florida.

But she's working to change that.

She is one of a handful of experts testing a gene therapy.

"For achromatopsia the cells we have to target are cone cells responsible for decreased vision and color vision. and those are cells at the very bottom layer of the retina," explained Dr. Kay.

Using a tiny cannula, doctors deliver a normal copy of one of two mutated genes, the CNGA-3 or CNGB-3 gene, directly into the eye to restore vision.

Tara`s myopia is so severe that her risk of retinal detachment from any retinal surgery is high, which rules her out for the current trial.

In the meantime, Tara says she's learned to adapt to achromatopsia and live without limitations.

"And I hope, ya know, all young achromats, ya know, learn the same thing."

Dr Kay says if the gene could eventually be delivered to the surface of the retina, additional patients, like Tara, could be treated. AGTC, the biotech company that developed the therapies, and several U.S. universities have successfully tested this therapy in dogs and sheep.

NEW TECHNOLOGY: A new clinical trial is underway testing gene therapy for achromatopsia. The genes are responsible for releasing proteins essential for the function of all the cells. Researchers remove the virus from the host DNA so it does not have the capacity to make the patient sick, and then insert the gene of interest into the DNA. Surgically done by a vitro retinal surgeon, the gene is then directly delivered to the retinal tissue. Researchers try to avoid directly touching the retina, to avoid detaching it and keep the surgery less evasive. The CNGA3 or CNGB3 gene would help restore the patient`s vision. This can only be done on certain patients; those with extremely severe achromatopsia are not able to participate in this trial because of the risk of retinal rupturing.

If this story has impacted your life or prompted you or someone you know to seek or change treatments, please let us know by contacting Jim Mertens at jim.mertens@wqad.com or Marjorie Bekaert Thomas at mthomas@ivanhoe.com.

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YOUR HEALTH Gene therapy for better eyesight - WQAD.com

Sangamo Therapeutics: The Breakthrough In Gene Therapy – Seeking Alpha

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Danzig

Investment Thesis

With an undervalued stock, a critically-acclaimed drug leading in its space and a barrage of financial and expertise-based backing, Sangamo Therapeutics (NASDAQ:SGMO) is the ideal vehicle for exposure to a market with high growth potential and a hedge against the antiquated methods (CRISPR/Cas9) of treating hemophilia. The same method has also been found to work to a high degree of accuracy on other genetic disorders.

Sangamo Therapeutics' accomplishments to date have helped to draw integrity to its operations and raise its profile against common competitors in the space (QURE, GSK, ONCE, BMRN, BLUE, BIVV (a pure-play hemophilia company). Principally, Sangamo has secured an exclusivity agreement (and subsequent vote of confidence) from Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) (also once a competitor) regarding the development and commercialization of gene therapy programs for hemophilia A (SB-525), which affects 85% of hemophilia sufferers (Nelson Pediatrics), bagging $70 million upfront and a potential $475 million in milestones and royalties (Reuters). (The Zinc Finger Protein Nuclease technology method adopted is targeted at diseases which are caused by genetic defects, as their removal is known to respond best to gene editing targeting, in particular, tauopathies, thalassemias, hemophilia, and HIV/AIDS).

The company's strong balance sheet was further bolstered by a raise of circa $78.1 million through public offering at a price of $7.25 per share, with a revised analyst share price target estimates from Jefferies LLC of $17 per share (jefferies.com), as a "financial investment hedge against emerging gene-editing technology of CRISPR," the CRISPR/Cas9 system, has seen less successful testing, coupled with scientific criticism for its reported high incidence of nonspecific DNA cleavage, mosaicism (failure to replicate mutant alleles in only some of the cells) and inversely, and overproduction of mutations in a given organism.

SGMO's latest 10-Q (SEC.gov):

In the context of gene therapy, Sangamo ($707.16 million market cap) (capitaliq.com) was the only firm with innovative gene therapy drugs to advance in two clinical trials (namely the SB-728-T program in the Sangamo ZFP Therapeutic Pipeline targeting HIV/AIDS), and the first to conduct genome editing studies in clinical trials, as covered in the Financial Times. The stock's performance has been volatile, and investors were disinclined to back the drug lottery in gene therapy as biotech became heavily saturated in players, regulations and setbacks, stunting the prospect of any tangible advancement.

Sangamo has jumped on the "radar" to become a buy. The FDA has authorized Fast Track designation, the scientific backing is legitimate (and has received industry-wide appraisal), the longer-term targets look plausible and Sangamo's management and consultants are capable of executing given their credentials and two decades of development.

By all measures of valuation, Sangamo is undervalued, and price-action enthusiasts will recognize the surge in trading volumes and the breaking of the 50-day moving average. Early riders would have capitalized on the short-term price depression triggered by the publicizing of the mucopolysaccharidosis Type I (MPS I) and MPS II delay, an overreaction from the market that posed a great value opportunity at the beginning of this month, whose benefits were felt just last week when the stock surged on the impressive FIH results.

Gene therapy (and emicizumab) renders recombinant factor VIII/IX proteins redundant. This a slice of the industry that is represented by $8-10 billion annually (with 90%+ profit margins) shared by Shire (NASDAQ:SHPG), Bayer (OTCPK:BAYRY), Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO), Pfizer and Bioverativ (NASDAQ:BIVV), an overvalued stock whose current operations consist entirely of the moribund method of treating hemophilia - a potential sell. It recently acquired True North and thus entering into cold agglutinin disease market, a result of severe hemolytic anemia.

Sangamo now has the backing and leeway to make its drugs commercially viable, magnetizing further interest - 48 institutions have increased their respective positions in SGMO, with Wasatch and BlackRock leading the pack. The smart money and medical experts are backing Sangamo.

Bold tickers indicate potential buys should this thesis play out as predicted.

This is not investment advice, you are advised to carry out your own due diligence.

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

A Smart Label Can Sense When Your Food Has Gone Bad – Futurism – Futurism

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Danzig

In Brief In a meeting of the American Chemical Society, researchers presented their work on a paper sensor that can tell you when your food is spoiled. The technology could also help spot infectious bacteria or find medicinal herbs in the Amazon. Best Before is No Longer Good Enough

Many of us have struggled to figure out if a food item sitting in our fridge is ok to eat. Now, with a little help from science, theres an easy, low cost sensor that could replace those unreliable dates printed on our favorite foods. Research presented at todays 254th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) by Silvana Andreescu of Clarkson Universitys Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Science goes into how these sensors work, and many of the possible upcoming real-world applications for the technology.

My lab has built a versatile sensing platform that incorporates all the needed reagents for detection in a piece of paper. At the same time, it is adaptable to different targets, including food contaminants, antioxidants and free radicals that indicate spoilage, she said. We use stable, inorganic particles that are redox active. When they interact with the substances we want to detect, they change color, and the intensity of the change tells us how concentrated the analyte (the substance being measured) is.

This tech is in its infancy, but the researchers envision incorporating this development into future labels to give clear readouts of when its time to toss spoiled food or cosmetics. The sensors are also good for more much more than keeping you from drinking curdled milk. Other possible applications include authenticating teas and wines by their antioxidant content, searching for new medicinal herbs in the Amazon, or eventually detecting salmonella and E.coli to prevent food poisoning.

Lately, paper-based technologies have been bringing new, cheap technologies into the world. Researchers are working on paper based batteries that can charge in seconds or even be powered by your spit. The relatively low costs of these devices open up a wide variety of possibilities for remote areas of the world, and could even help to save lives.

Astrophysicists Believe They’ve Found Another Earth-Like Planet in … – Futurism

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Danzig

In BriefAstrophysicists have discovered a probable Earth-likeexoplanet that is 23 light-years closer than the Trappist-1 system.It has sparked new hope for finding extraterrestrial life in theuniverse. Hope for Exoplanets

Last year, the Trappist-1 system was discovered, and it reignitedhumanitys hope of finding planets that could one day (or currently) sustain life. Butthere has been much debate over the probability that planets within that system, which is located 39 light-years away,could hold life as we know it. While Trappist planets might fall within what is known as the habitable zone, other factors, such as the factthat they orbit a red dwarf, might make them less prone to sustaining life than initially thought.

This uncertainty might get you down until you read that astrophysicistsat the University of Texas at Arlington(UTA) have predicted the existence of a much closer planet that is Earth-like in nature. Published as Dynamics of a probable Earth-Like Planet in the GJ 832 System in The Astrophysical Journal, this planet is only 16 light-years away, within the star system Gliese 832, and it appears to be both stable and Earth-like.

Lead author Suman Satyal, UTA physics researcher, stated in an UTA press release that, According to our calculations, this hypothetical alien world would probably have a mass between 1 to 15 Earths masses.

This is an important breakthrough demonstrating the possible existence of a potential new planet orbiting a star close to our own, UTA Physics Chair Alexander Weiss said in the press release.The fact that Dr. Satyal was able to demonstrate that the planet could maintain a stable orbit in the habitable zone of a red dwarf for more than 1 billion years is extremely impressive and demonstrates the world class capabilities of our departments astrophysics group.

According to Satyal, The existence of this possible planet is supported by long-term orbital stability of the system, orbital dynamics and the synthetic radial velocity signal analysisAt the same time, a significantly large number of radial velocity observations, transit method studies, as well as direct imaging are still needed to confirm the presence of possible new planets in the Gliese 832 system.

So, it is not yet 100 percent certain that this unicorn of a planet exists. However, these predictions are strongly supported by evidence garnered by the research group. But what could this mean if and when these scientists prove the existence of such a planet?

Technologies which allow us to explore further and further into the cosmos continue to develop. From SpaceXs advances to the Breakthrough Initiatives, it is becoming ever-more possible to reach previously unseen corners of the universe. Now, Mars is only an average of 12.5 light-minutes from Earth, so 16 light-years might seem like an unconquerable distance.

However, compared to the distances of other promising exoplanets, this could be one of the best shots we have to survey and study an exoplanet that fits many habitable criteria. The exploration of the universe is a never-ending journey that will only continue to further our knowledge and curiosity.

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Astrophysicists Believe They've Found Another Earth-Like Planet in ... - Futurism

Bitcoin Now Comes From Satellites in Space. Welcome to the Future. – Futurism

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Danzig

In Brief Bitcoin software company Blockstream announced that its Blockstream Satellite network will transmit the cryptocurrency down from space, enabling people in places with little support for the blockchain network to access bitcoin. Blockstream Satellite Network

On August 15, Blockstream, a Bitcoin software company, announced the launch of its Blockstream Satellite network that broadcasts bitcoin to people just about anywhere in the world irrespective of their internet connection for free. This will make the cryptocurrency more accessible to almost anyone, even in places where data costs are high and living standards and incomes are low.

The Blockstream Satellite network will transmit the cryptocurrency down from space, enabling people in places where few people are supporting a blockchain network with their computers to access bitcoin anyway. And, because Bitcoin is decentralized, it works as users run full nodes on their computers all over the world. These nodes contribute to community decisions about the blockchain, keep the network safe, and confirm transactions.

While running a full node is easy where the internet is fairly cheap and accessible, it does demand that you have a complete version of the Bitcoin blockchain, with all records of each bitcoin transaction since 2009 on your machine constantly. This task becomes very costly, or even impossible in some areas, either because the internet is too difficult to access, or because the people local to the area do not have 100$ every month so spend on running bitcoin nodes.

With the help of Blockstreams satellite network, it is now possible to receive this cryptocurrency directly from space for free, but only after investing in some fairly expensive hardware. The projects GitHub documentation indicates that to run a bitcoinnode, youll need a computer, a receiver, a TV satellite dish, and a USB stick that allows your computer to pick up radio frequencies.

According to Blockstream, current satellite coverage by the network includes much of the US, Africa, Latin America, and parts of Europe. Blockstream CEO Adam Back told Motherboard Vice that the company plans to extend that coverage to envelope most of the world within a year, although he joked, I guess there might be some research scientists in Antarctica who wont be able to use bitcoin.

Several members of the Futurism team are personal investors in a number of cryptocurrency markets. Their personal investment perspectives have no impact on editorial content.

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Bitcoin Now Comes From Satellites in Space. Welcome to the Future. - Futurism

Toyota Just Patented a Cloaking Device – Futurism

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Danzig

In Brief Toyota is developing a device that would allow objects to turn invisible, or at least transparent. The Japanese car maker recently received a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a device meant to improve the visibility of drivers. For Better (In)Visibility

From cloaking devices that conceal spaceships, to Harry Potters hand-me-down disappearing blanket, or even the One Ring and its power to conceal its wearer, invisibility is a staple in science fiction and fiction in general. Scientists have been hard at work, however, to bring such a technology into reality. Joining the research and development of cloaking technology is Japanese car manufacturer Toyota.

The company recently acquired a patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for Apparatuses and methods for making an object appear transparent, which Toyota filed last June 17. Seems exciting, especially since its a car maker working on an invisibility tech or cloaking device. It actually is interesting, but not because its meant to turn Toyotas cars invisible well, at least not all of them.

The patent describes a cloaking device designed to turn vehicles A-pillars to the left and right of the cars dashboard invisible, improving road visibility for the driver. Seems ironic that a cloaking technology would improve visibility, right? Toyota thinks that its the way to go, especially since A-pillars have become rather large following crash-safety standards. The wider they are, the more they end up obscuring a drivers vision.

According to Toyota, such a technology is already possible like the Rochester Cloakbut it would require video cameras and other expensive equipment for it to work in cars. This cloaking device, on the other hand, would be a less expensive solution. It would use mirrors to bend visible light around the A-pillars to allow the driver to see through them. This would give drivers a wider view of the road and their surroundings. It also benefits pedestrians, as drivers would see them better.

Light from an object on an object-side of the cloaking device [i.e., facing the road] is directed around an article [the A-pillars] ]within the cloaking region and forms an image on an image-side of the cloaking device [i.e., facing the drivers seat] such the article appears transparent to an observer looking towards the object, according to a description of the device in the patent.

Making things invisible is all about manipulating light. The other invisibility technologies currently being developed do the same thing, albeit using different methods or materials. For instance, researchers from the Max Planck Institute are working on mimicking the biology of moths eyes to turn lenses and glass invisible. Meanwhile, a group from the University of California, San Diego is controlling how light reflects on objects using a thin carpet cloak made form Teflon and ceramic particles.

All of these studies bring us closer to a working invisibility cloak, or at least a technology which allows us to see through objects by making them bend light like Toyotas device. We will have to wait and see.

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Toyota Just Patented a Cloaking Device - Futurism

CRISPR Co-Discoverer: "I’ve Never Seen Science Move at the Pace … – Futurism

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Danzig

In Brief CRISPR co-discoverer Jennifer Doudna stressed the importance of using the technology with proper consideration at CrisprCon this week. Pushing the Pace

The CRISPR gene editing tool has already been used to perform some incredible feats of science, from manipulating the social behavior of ants to making superbugs kill themselves. Its an incredibly powerful asset, but this week at CrisprCon, there was plenty of discussion about where we should draw a line on its usage.

Ive never seen science move at the pace its moving right now, said CRISP co-discoverer Jennifer Doudna, who has spent recent months touring the world campaigning for a global consensus on appropriate implementations of gene-editing technologies. Which means we cant put off these conversations.

CRISPR has already been used to edit harmful conditions out of animals and even viable human embryos. From this point, it wouldnt take a great leap to start using the technology to enhance healthy organisms which is why now is the time for discussions about the consequences.

While medical uses of CRISPR are perhaps the most ethically urgent, the conversation about its usage goes beyond medicine. Companies like Monsanto and Cargill have already licensed CRISPR technologies to help with their agricultural efforts. However, early attempts at genetically modified crops struggled to gain mainstream acceptance, and thats something these firms need to keep in mind as they implement the latest techniques.

It was a convenience item for farmers, observed organic farmer Tom Wiley at the convention, according to Wired. And a profit center for corporations. To combat genetically modified foods perception problem, companies using CRISPR will have to make sure that the technology benefits the consumer, not just the production process.

The convention addressed CRISPR usage in many different fields: from the importance of ensuringit is used to address the widest range of medical conditions as possible, to the potentially damaging effects of gene drives on a delicate ecosystem.

Science is moving at a rapid pace, and CRISPR is too but if we dont carefully consider which applications are safe and valid, it could quickly cause as many problems as it solves.

Crispr is not a light on the nation, its a mirror, said CrisprCon keynote speaker Greg Simon, director of the Biden Cancer Initiative;Wiredreporter Megan Molteni interpreted those words as,its just another technology thats only as good as the people using it.

CRISPR Co-Discoverer: "I've Never Seen Science Move at the Pace ... - Futurism

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