Canadian Study to Target COVID-19 in Long-Term Care Facilities
Canada’s Immunity Task Force supports a new study that will seek to determine how well COVID-19 vaccinations protect people living in nursing homes from contracting the disease. Led by McMaster University investigators, the study will involve more than 2,000 nursing home residents in Ontario. It will also look at how previous exposure to the virus or an immune response may protect or not protect these residents from further infection. “Although most residents are dangerously susceptible to COVID-19, some are resilient,” said co-principal investigator Dawn Bowdish, PhD. “Learning about how the immune system helps some residents teaches us how to make better vaccines and protect residents from future outbreaks.” The study will also examine factors within long-term care facilities to determine how they may be associated with outbreaks. Read More
AAFA, OMRON Healthcare, Team Up to Help Underserved Communities
OMRON Healthcare, Inc., in cooperation with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), plans to donate hundreds of its medical-grade, FDA-cleared nebulizers to families in need. The company will also support the AAFA’s efforts to deliver educational information to people in these underserved communities to improve condition management and quality of life. “Our mission is to reduce the burden of disease for people with asthma and allergies through ongoing support, advocacy, and education while promoting health equity for underserved and marginalized groups,” said Kenneth Mendez, CEO and president of the AAFA. “We are grateful for OMRON’s generous donation to help us reach communities that don’t have ready access to this technology.” Read More
Study on Novel Antibiotic for Multi-Drug Resistant Bacterial Lung Infections Gets Underway
Hoth Therapeutics, Inc. entered into a research agreement with the University of Cincinnati Research Institute to study a novel antibiotic dubbed HT-006 that may play a role in battling multi-drug resistant bacterial lung infections seen in hospital-acquired pneumonia, ventilator-associated pneumonia, COPD, and cystic fibrosis. The company previously licensed the technology for HT-006 from Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. The research plan includes critical antimicrobial in vitro characterization studies for HT-006 in alignment with the FDA’s program for “antibacterial therapies for patients with an unmet medical need for the treatment of serious bacterial diseases.” The program allows for nonclinical animal studies to reduce the number of clinical studies required for approval. Read More
Digital Behavior Change Program Offers Financial Incentives for Medication Adherence
The Medicare accountable care organization Vytalize Health is launching a new digital behavior change program called Wellth to its members with chronic conditions like congestive heart failure, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, COPD, and asthma. The program will provide users with financial incentives for verifying their adherence to prescribed medications, with the check-ins relayed to their care team. “As we look into the future of Vytalize Health and how we continue to drive value-based care for Medicare patients in partnership with independent providers, we have to find innovative solutions,” said Vytalize Health CEO Faris Ghawi. “Wellth takes a unique approach of leveraging financial incentives to create lasting habit-formation to care plan adherence, which makes a long-term impact on the health of the members we serve.” Read More
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Debbie Bunch is an AARC contributor who writes feature articles, news stories, and other content for Newsroom, the AARC website, and associated emailed newsletters. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, traveling, photography, and spending time with her children and grandchildren. Connect with Debbie by email or on AARConnect or LinkedIn.
