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AstraZeneca Confirms Strong Vaccine Protection After US Rift

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FILE - In this Wednesday, March 24, 2021 file photo, a vial of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination on a table prior to Croatia's Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandrokovic and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic being vaccinated, in Zagreb, Croatia. AstraZeneca says that its COVID-19 vaccine is strongly effective even after counting additional illnesses in its disputed U.S. study. The announcement late Wednesday was the latest in an extraordinary public rift with American officials. The drugmaker said it had recalculated data from that study and concluded the vaccine is 76% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19, instead of the 79% it had reported earlier in the week. (Admir Buljubasic/Pool via AP, File)

CAMBRIDGE, UK (AP) — AstraZeneca insists that its COVID-19 vaccine is strongly effective even after counting additional illnesses in its U.S. study, the latest in an extraordinary public dispute with American officials.

In a late-night news release Wednesday, the drugmaker said it had analyzed more data from that study and concluded the vaccine is 76% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19, instead of the 79% it had reported earlier in the week.

Just a day earlier, an independent panel that oversees the study had accused AstraZeneca of cherry-picking data to tout the protection offered by its vaccine. The panel, in a harsh letter to the company and to U.S. health leaders, said the company had left out some COVID-19 cases that occurred in the study, a move that could erode trust in the science.

Some experts said the new data provided by AstraZeneca was “reassuring” and that the information was likely solid enough for U.S. regulators to authorize the vaccine.

“AstraZeneca may have just been too hasty in submitting the earlier, incomplete interim analysis rather than waiting to analyze and submit the full dataset,” said Julian Tang, a virologist at the University of Leicester who was not connected to the research. He said the updated details didn’t look substantially different from what was published earlier this week.

Data disputes during ongoing studies typically remain confidential but in an unusual step, the National Institutes of Health publicly called on AstraZeneca to fix the discrepancy.

AstraZeneca had been counting on findings from a predominantly U.S. study of 32,000 people to help rebuild confidence in a vaccine that, despite being widely used in Britain, Europe and other countries, has had a troubled rollout. Previous studies have turned up inconsistent data about its effectiveness, and then last week a scare over blood clots had some countries temporarily pausing inoculations.

Most have since restarted after the European Medicines Agency said the vaccine doesn’t increase the overall incidence of blood clots, though it did not rule out a connection to some rare clots. On Thursday, Denmark announced it would continue its suspension of the vaccine, with officials saying they needed more information before making a decision.

The question now is whether the company’s newest calculations can end the tension in the United States. Even before the latest spat, experts had expressed concern that missteps in the vaccine’s rollout could undermine confidence in the shot, which is crucial to global efforts to end the coronavirus pandemic since it is cheap, easy to store and a pillar of the COVAX initiative aimed at bringing vaccines to low- and middle-income countries.

Earlier Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top U.S. infectious disease expert, told reporters he hoped that when all the data was publicly vetted by federal regulators, it would dispel any hesitancy caused by the spat. He predicted it would “turn out to be a good vaccine.”

AstraZeneca’s newest calculations were based on 190 COVID-19 cases that occurred during the study, 49 more than it had included earlier in the week. The vaccine appears especially protective against the worst outcomes, with no severe illnesses or hospitalizations among vaccinated study volunteers compared to eight severe cases among those given dummy shots, the company said. It didn’t provide a breakdown of the rest of the cases.

Some European authorities have questioned how protective the vaccine is in older adults. In the U.S. study, it was 85% effective in volunteers 65 and older, the company said. The study didn’t turn up safety concerns.

The updated information “confirms that our COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective in adults, including those aged 65 years and over,” AstraZeneca research chief Mene Pangalos said in a statement. He said the company looks forward to “the rollout of millions of doses across America.”

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PBIRx Launches “PBIRx Success Stories” Video Series Featuring Client Case Study Testimonials

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MILFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–PBIRx, Inc., a leading pharmacy benefit auditing and consulting firm, is excited to announce the launch of its new video series, PBIRx Success Stories. These client testimonial videos highlight the successful partnerships between PBIRx and its valued client partners. In this insightful series, clients share their experiences working with PBIRx’s team of skilled account consultants, PharmDs, and analysts to achieve substantial plan cost savings, reduce drug trends, and enhance member outcomes and satisfaction.

“We value their trust and strive to educate”

The first two videos in the PBIRx Success Stories series spotlight the successful partnership of PBIRx and two Taft-Hartley groups, featuring Tim Morrin, Fund Administrator of Automatic Sprinkler Local 281, U.A. Welfare Fund, and Phyllis Lucidi, Health Plans Administrator of Teamsters Local 35 Health Plans. Both commend PBIRx for delivering tangible results to their plan and employing unique strategies to optimize savings while protecting their members’ quality of care.

“With the savings from PBIRx, we are certainly helping our bottom line. We are improving our financial footing and building our reserves,” said Tim Morrin, Fund Administrator of Automatic Sprinkler Local 281, U.A. Welfare Fund. “The results were a million-dollar savings, 25 percent from the year previous, and we couldn’t be more pleased at the results and the savings that we got with this partnership.

“We haven’t raised our copays in years. We would like to continue to offer those low costs so that these families that are part of our local union can prosper,” Morrin added. “These are working families that are experiencing inflation.”

The PBIRx Success Stories series showcases real-life examples of how PBIRx has successfully helped numerous clients save on pharmacy benefit costs without compromising the quality of care provided to their members.

“PBIRx takes great pride in the partnerships we cultivate with our clients,” said Patricia Sirowich, PBIRx Founder and President, “and we are very grateful for the testimonials shared on our behalf by our valued client partners.

“We value their trust and strive to educate,” Sirowich said. “We see ourselves as a guide, taking our clients by the hand and leading them through the complex maze of the pharmacy benefit landscape and shining a light of transparency on Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBM) and pharmaceutical manufacturers and the tactics they employ to achieve excessive profits.”

“I know where my costs are and I see our plan is doing fantastic,” said Phyllis Lucidi, Health Plans Administrator of Teamsters Local 35 Health Plans. “We have a reserve that is unheard of today. Service is excellent. We can call them at any time. Our answers are at our fingertips.

“I would most definitely recommend PBIRx and for many reasons. Their reliability, their service, the value that they have brought to Teamsters 35 is of the utmost highest quality,” Lucidi added. “That’s important to our members and their families today.”

To view the “PBIRx Success Stories” video series, visit PBIRx.com.

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iHerb® and NFL Alumni Health Team Up to Provide Valuable Membership Perks

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NFL Alumni Official, Mike Brodsky, Host and Associate Editor of Super Bowl Events for Florida National News, iHerb Global Advisor Dr. Mehmet Oz, Bill Davis, NFL Alumni Health, and Kyle Richardson, NFL Alumni visits Super Bowl LVIII Radio Row at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Wednesday, February 7, 2024. Brion Price / Florida National News

IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — iHerb, one of the world’s leading e-commerce retailers for vitamins, minerals, supplements and other health and wellness products, announced a strategic alliance with the National Football League Alumni Association to offer its members and the general public access to a curated selection of wellness products.

To promote the newly formed partnership, iHerb Global Advisor Dr. Mehmet Oz was a featured speaker at the “Huddle for Health” NFL Alumni Health Symposium held Feb. 6 in Las Vegas. With numerous members and guests in attendance, Dr. Oz discussed the essential role vitamins and nutrients play in extending one’s longevity.

“One of the primary reasons our nonprofit organization exists is to help ensure the long-term health of our members,” said NFL Alumni CEO Brad Edwards. “As iHerb and Dr. Oz work together to make health and wellness more accessible, our members and supporters can access this platform as a crucial component of taking a proactive approach to optimizing their health and improving their overall well-being.”

Starting today, NFL Alumni members and fans are eligible for up to 15% off iHerb orders of $60 or more using promo code “NFLALUMNI.” As part of the NFL Alumni’s “Get What the Pros Get” initiative, iHerb is extending the “NFLALUMNI” promo code to the public for a limited time. A portion of the proceeds from each order will help the NFL Alumni advance its support of community organizations that serve children and families in need.

iHerb is proud to join other health and wellness providers that offer information, resources and tools to help NFL Alumni members enhance their quality of life long after their time on the field.

To learn more about the NFL Alumni and its charitable partners, please click here. To view all press releases from iHerb, please visit: iherb.com/pressreleases.

About iHerb:
iHerb is one of the world’s leading e-commerce destinations dedicated to offering a vast selection of vitamins, minerals, supplements and other health and wellness products. Supported by a global workforce of 3,000 team members, iHerb serves more than 10 million global active customers across more than 180 countries and 19 languages. iHerb’s sophistical global logistics network is anchored by eight climate-controlled fulfillments centers located in the U.S. and Asia, providing customers a seamless and reliable shopping experience. Founded in 1996 and based in Irvine, California, iHerb is on a mission to make health and wellness accessible to all. For more information, please visit corporate.iherb.com.

About NFL Alumni (NFLA):
NFLA is an organization with a nationwide reach comprised primarily of National Football League players, coaches, and other employees whose mission since 1967 is “Caring for our Own” and “Caring for Kids.” The mission of the NFLA is furthered by numerous efforts, including raising funds to support its members, their communities, and qualified youth-oriented charities. NFL Alumni Health is a wholly owned subsidiary of NFL Alumni, offering informational resources, programs, services, and other offerings for NFL Alumni members and the general public.

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Being Health Launches With $5.4 Million in Funding and a Mission to Bring the Best of Psychiatry and Novel Treatments Under One Roof

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Being Health Reception. Credit: Alexandra Rowley

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Being Health, a psychiatrist-founded modern mental health practice, launches today to bring the best of psychiatry, psychotherapy, novel treatments (such as ketamine infusion therapy), functional medicine and wellness services (such as acupuncture and nutrition) all under one roof for a seamless patient experience in New York City. Being Health has raised $5.4 million to date in funding from 18 Park and HDS Capital.

“Opportunities for enhancing the mental health care system are rapidly expanding and we see ourselves at the forefront of these innovations”

In a world that offers one-size-fits-all solutions, Being Health was created for patients who desire a truly personalized approach to mental health care that emphasizes the impact of both mind and body on a person’s well-being. Being Health offers a multi-dimensional approach and provides access to a diversity of evidence-based treatments to patients experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, and stress.

Co-founded and led by Cornell-trained psychiatrist Dr. Allie Sharma, Being Health’s care team includes a diverse array of clinicians – such as psychiatrists, psychotherapists, nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), functional medicine physicians, nutritionists, acupuncturists and care advocates – all working together to provide exceptional patient care and better patient outcomes.

“We are combining the best of what is tried and tested in psychiatry with what is new and novel in our field,” said Dr. Allie Sharma, Being Health co-founder and Chief Medical Officer. “More and more Americans are grappling with mental health conditions, with far too many feeling overwhelmed by the burden of navigating their own care. At Being Health we’ve created a modern mental health practice that seamlessly incorporates a diversity of therapeutic approaches including, for example, ketamine infusion therapy for treatment resistant depression or functional medicine combined with nutritional support to optimize both health and mental health outcomes, which we know are inextricably linked.”

Being Health’s modern mental health practice is guided by empathic clinicians and clinical excellence under the leadership of Medical Director Dr. Hudson Elmore. With multiple disciplines offered under one roof, Being Health’s team of clinicians collaborate with each other to personalize care according to individual needs, offering the potential for optimized mental health outcomes.

“Being Health’s integrated model of care leveraging traditional and novel treatments is positioned to play a leading role in transforming mental health care as we know it,” said Haim Dabah, founder of HDS Capital and lead investor. “By expanding the mental health toolkit and building a team of best-in-class clinicians coupled with gold standard safety protocols, Being Health can serve as a bridge to bring innovative treatments to patients in a safe, clinical environment.

“Today there are more than fifty biotech and pharmaceutical companies investing hundreds of millions of dollars into the development of promising therapeutic applications of novel treatments with approximately thirty clinical trials in Phase II and Phase III with promising results. Upon FDA approval, these novel treatments will likely require delivery to patients in clinically-monitored settings. Being Health is poised to become first-to-market to deliver these novel treatments to patients.”

Being Health offers both in-person and virtual care, with a two-story, 7,000 square foot built-to-suit clinic located in Lower Manhattan at 76 Beaver St. The state-of-the-art facility features 22 spacious rooms for in-person services. New patients can book consultations online at beinghealth.co/book-an-appointment.

“Opportunities for enhancing the mental health care system are rapidly expanding and we see ourselves at the forefront of these innovations,” said Stephen Dabah co-founder & president. “We are creating a new standard for modern mental health care and are developing an ecosystem for the future delivery of novel treatments as they become FDA-approved.”

About Being Health

Co-founded in 2023 by Dr. Allie Sharma, a Cornell trained and board certified Psychiatrist and behavioral health strategist, and Stephen Dabah, a healthcare entrepreneur, Being Health is an integrated mental health practice that leverages the best of psychiatry, novel treatments, psychotherapy, functional medicine and wellness services to personalize care and help people feel better in their everyday state of being. Being Health is setting a new standard for mental health by bringing together diverse therapeutic modalities under one roof. The Being Health team of empathic, highly skilled clinicians collaborates to optimize outcomes for individuals seeking support and treatment across a spectrum of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, stress, and trauma. Clinical services are offered virtually and in-person at their clinic in New York City’s Financial District, opening in January 2024. Being Health is committed to fair and transparent pricing, with prices always upfront and no surprise bills or fees. To learn more about Being Health, please visit www.beinghealth.co.

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