SECTOR  NEWS & EVENTS

The Global Gateway for Modern Selfcare, Consumer Goods

 and Consumer Health

A Culture of Triumphant Living

in service to Health and Wealth Creation

What does the National Wealth Fund mean for advisors, investors and businesses?

National Wealth Fund CEO John Flint will speak at ICAEW's Infrastructure Investment Forum for Investors and Advisors on 5 November in our home city of Leeds

Joining John at the forum will be Emily Sidhu, our Managing Director in Banking and Investments, who will speak on a panel: Overcoming hurdles in energy transition and infrastructure. The panel will include Louise Shaw of EY, Paul Hirst of Addleshaw Goddard, James Pincus of PwC UK, and Daniel Grosvenor of Deloitte.

There will also be a fireside chat with our Director in Local Authority Advisory and Lending Iain Watson.

Register for your place: https://lnkd.in/eDqd4wh3

Citation: National Wealth Fund | National Wealth Fund

Health and Healthcare Assets

London’s posh borough reveals first HMO fines under new scheme

A landlord has been fined £5,000 for failing to licence an HMO following a crackdown by the Royal London Borough of Kensington & Chelsea.

The council has issued its first civil penalty under the Housing Act 2004 after an investigation found the Portobello Road (pictured) property had no HMO licence. The landlord, who has remained anonymous, has since applied for a licence and paid the fine.

Citation: London's posh borough reveals first HMO fines under new scheme (thenegotiator.co.uk)

FCA fines TSB £10.9m over treatment of customers in financial difficulty

The FCA has fined TSB Bank plc (TSB) £10,910,500 for failing to ensure customers who were in arrears were treated fairly.

Citation: https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/fca-fines-tsb-over-treatment-customers-financial-difficulty

Opportunity, Affordability, and Equality

Queen Mary and Deutsche Bank launch degree apprenticeship

Queen Mary’s School of Economics and Finance has partnered with Deutsche Bank to provide a new Investment Banking degree apprenticeship programme: a job with training, combining work with study to gain vital skills for a career in finance.

Over the four-year programme, apprentices will spend 12-18 months working on Deutsche Bank’s investment desks in London, earning a competitive salary as well as having their fees covered for a world-class education from Queen Mary experts. 

The programme is open to students who are completing A-Levels in 2023 or did so in 2022, with entry requirements of AAA (to include A Level Maths) or UCAS points equivalent. Applications are open now for the September 2023 programme.

Citation: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/media/news/2023/hss/queen-mary-and-deutsche-bank-launch-degree-apprenticeship-.html

Opportunity, Affordability, and Equality

Knowledge, Healthy Resilience, Healthy Longevity, Efficacy

Learn how the International Development Association (IDA) works across countries and sectors to invest in the future of people and planet.

🏥Health + nutrition services
🧑🏾‍🏫Job-focused interventions
🚰Water and sanitation services
🌱Climate financing

Citation: Road to IDA21 (worldbank.org)

The Quantified Self

Knowledge, Healthy Resilience, Healthy Longevity, Efficacy and Financial Literacy

Jamie Dimon the CEO of JP Morgan Chase Bank wants to see Wellness, Nutrition and Saving Money added to America’s high school curriculum

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon wants to see some new topics added to the curriculums of America's schools to better prepare students for the working world.

The Wall Street titan previously said the school system makes his job harder because young talent is not adequately trained for today's economy, and the burden of individual development is falling onto private companies.

https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/jamie-dimon-wants-see-wellness-105617613.html

Citation: https://www.theatlantic.com/live/atlantic-festival-2024/

Opportunity, Affordability, and Equality

Nationwide launches three new benefits for current account customers

Nationwide is offering a new top of market switching incentive from Wednesday 25 September – paying £175 to those switching their current account.

Britain’s biggest building society will also pay one per cent cashback on debit card spending for those with a FlexDirect current account and will be introducing a £50 interest free overdraft buffer.

It is the latest move from Nationwide that shows the value of being part of a modern mutual that invests profit for the benefit of members. Last year Nationwide returned £385 million to eligible members through a £100 Fairer Share payment earlier this year, while it remained first for customer satisfaction amongst its peer group for the 12th year running.

Citation: https://www.nationwide.co.uk/

Wealth Inequality and Social and Financial Exclusion

Bridging the Gap:

why Social and Economic Inclusion is everyone’s business

Together, the Covid-19 pandemic and recent waves of inflation have widened social and economic inequalities across the globe. Achieving inclusion – the guarantee of essential rights like housing, fair wages, healthcare, food, and education for all – is thus more crucial than ever.

Citation: https://group.bnpparibas/en/

The Health Equity Fund at the Greater Washington Community Foundation has announced $8.7 million in multiyear investments in two transformative projects focused on collaborative approaches to increasing economic mobility and wealth building.

Everyone deserves an opportunity to live a healthy life. And, with 80% of health outcomes driven by social, environmental and economic factors, it's essential to apply an economic mobility frame to effectively address systemic barriers at root cause.

The Health Equity Fund at the Greater Washington Community Foundation has announced $8.7 million in multiyear investments in two transformative projects focused on collaborative approaches to increasing economic mobility and wealth building.

Given that 80 percent of DC’s health outcomes are driven by social, economic, and other factors, compared to just 20 percent by clinical care, the Fund adopted an economic mobility strategy to address the root causes that are causing health challenges in the first place. Its strategy is designed to achieve health equity for all DC residents by addressing the social and structural determinants of health that impact health outcomes including education, employment, income, housing, transportation, nutrition, environmental safety, medical care, culture and recreation, and more.

https://www.bcbs.com/news-and-insights/article/creating-a-more-equitable-system-for-the-health-of-america

Citation: www.bcbs.com

Congratulation to SNAP on reaching 60.

SNAP reaches over 40 million Americans each month, including children, seniors, and people with disabilities. We're committed to continuously improving SNAP to best serve those who need it most. https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program

Citation: www.usda.gov

Thousands of workers at UK retailer Next win equal pay case

An Employment Tribunal ruled that Next had failed to show that paying its sales consultants, who are overwhelmingly women, lower pay rates than its warehouse workers was not sex discrimination, said Leigh Day, the law firm representing workers.

Citation: https://www.gazetteseries.co.uk/news/national/24542934.thousands-next-store-workers-win-equal-pay-claim/

Institute for Clinical and Economic Review Publishes Final Evidence Report on Treatment for Anemia in Myelodysplastic Syndrome 

Independent appraisal committee voted that current evidence is not adequate to demonstrate net health benefits for imetelstat added to best supportive care when compared to best supportive care alone; treatment would meet common thresholds of cost effectiveness if priced between $94,800 to $113,000 per year, therapy currently priced at approximately $365,000 per year

The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) today released a Final Evidence Report assessing the comparative clinical effectiveness and value of imetelstat (Rytelo, Geron Corporation) for the treatment of anemia in patients with low-to-intermediate risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). 

ICER’s report on this treatment was the subject of the July 2024 public meeting of the of the CTAF, one of ICER’s three independent evidence appraisal committees. 

Downloads: Final Evidence Report | Report-at-a-Glance | Policy Recommendations

“MDS-associated anemia requires frequent blood transfusions, which pose a significant burden for patients and their caregivers,” said ICER’s Chief Scientific Officer and Director of Health Technology Assessment Methods and Engagement, Dan Ollendorf, PhD, MPH. “While current data suggest that imetelstat may reduce or eliminate the need for transfusion in some patients, there is no evidence of its effect on the trajectory of MDS itself, there are key side effects of concern, and perhaps most importantly, the price set by the company is far out of line with the modest short term benefit suggested by the clinical trials, especially given the uncertainty regarding those results. Such excessive pricing may in fact limit patient access to this new treatment option.”

ICER’s Public Meeting: Voting Results on Clinical Effectiveness and Benefits Beyond Health 

ICER assessed, and the independent appraisal committee voted on, the evidence of imetelstat for patients with lower risk myelodysplastic syndrome without the del(5q) mutation who are transfusion dependent and ineligible for, or refractory to erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs): 

• A majority of panelists (11-4) found that current evidence is not adequate to demonstrate a net health benefit for imetelstat plus best supportive care when compared to best supportive care alone.

For patients with lower risk myelodysplastic syndrome without the del(5q) mutation who are transfusion dependent and ineligible for, or refractory to ESAs, and are ring sideroblast positive:

• All panelists (15-0) found that current evidence is not adequate to demonstrate a net health benefit for imetelstat plus best supportive care when compared to luspatercept plus best supportive care. 

Panel members also weighed potential benefits and disadvantages beyond the direct health effects and special ethical priorities. Voting highlighted the following as particularly important for payers and other policymakers to note: 

• There is substantial unmet need despite currently available treatments.

ICER’s Public Meeting: Voting Results on Long-Term Value for Money 

For patients with lower risk myelodysplastic syndrome without the del(5q) mutation who are transfusion dependent and ineligible for, or refractory to ESAs: 

• A majority of panelists (14-1) found at the current pricing, imetelstat plus best supportive care (compared to best supportive care alone) represents a “low” long-term value for money.

For patients with lower risk myelodysplastic syndrome without the del(5q) mutation who are transfusion dependent and ineligible for, or refractory to ESAs, and are ring sideroblast positive:

• A majority of panelists (13-2) found at the current pricing, imetelstat plus best supportive care (compared to luspatercept plus best supportive care) represents a “low” long-term value for money.

On June 6, 2024, imetelstat was approved by the FDA. The manufacturer announced a US price of approximately $365,000 per year. ICER has calculated a health-benefit price benchmark (HBPB) for imetelstat to be between $94,800 to $113,000 per year.

ICER’s HBPB is a price range suggesting the highest US price a manufacturer should charge for a treatment, net of all rebates and discounts, based on the amount of improvement in overall health patients receive from that treatment, when a higher price would cause disproportionately greater losses in health among other patients in the health system due to rising overall costs of health care and health insurance. In short, it is the top price range at which a health system can reward innovation and better health for patients without doing more harm than good.

Citation: The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review www.icer.org

    Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition • FSN Forum

Building Resilient Food Systems
HLPE-FSN consultation on the scope of the report     

 
  Dear Colleagues,

We would like to remind you about the ongoing e-consultation "Building resilient food systems - HLPE-FSN consultation on the scope of the report", which is open until 17 June 2024 and now available in three languages.

The consultation is organized and facilitated by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE-FSN) of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS).
 

To take part in this e-consultation, please visit the webpage to read the full introduction, the scope of the report and the guiding questions. Please register / registrese/ inscrire to the FSN Forum, if you are not yet a member, or “sign in” to your account to post your comments. For any technical questions or assistance please contact fsn-moderator@fao.org. 

During its 51st plenary session (23-27 October 2023), the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) adopted its four-year Programme of Work (MYPOW 2024-2027), which includes a request to its High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE-FSN) to produce a report on “Building resilient food systems” to be presented at the 53rd plenary session of the CFS in October 2025.

To respond to the CFS request, the HLPE-FSN will develop the report “Building resilient food systems”, which will provide recommendations to the CFS workstream of the same title under the focus area: “Fostering resilience of agriculture and food systems to shocks and stresses”. The HLPE-FSN has drafted the scope of the report and seek for the feedback from stakeholders. 
 
The results of this consultation will be used by the HLPE-FSN to elaborate the report, which will then be made public in its V0 draft for e-consultation, and later submitted to peer review, before finalization and approval by the HLPE-FSN drafting team and the Steering Committee.
 
 

TO PARTICIPATE – get registeredor login to your account on the FSN Forum website www.fao.org/fsnforum; post your contribution on the dedicated webpage. For questions please contact fsn-moderator@fao.org

Citation: FAO www.fao.org

Ask an expert: How can education support child empowerment?

May 31, 2024 02:00 PM in London

31 May 15:00 CET

Child empowerment is high on education policy agendas around the world. The growing view is that children are autonomous agents of change who play important roles in shaping current and future democracies. A large body of evidence suggests that education systems can help empower children to act on topics that they feel passionate about and that affect them as outlined in our recent report, “What does child empowerment mean today?”.

In our latest Ask an Expert webinar, we’ll learn the student and teacher perspective on how education policy and practice can support child empowerment, and what empowerment can look like from different perspectives. And we will delve into what some of the challenges and opportunities are in developing and implementing child-centered policies and practices that acknowledge the rights, experiences and opinions of children themselves in education systems worldwide.

Join us as we explore these issues and more, offering insights and practical strategies for empowering children as citizens of today.

Speakers include:

• Caitlin Faye Maniti, 2022/23 Uachtarán (President) of the Irish Second Level Students’ Union, Ireland
• María Francisca Elgueta, History teacher and winner of the Global Teacher Prize Chile 2022, Chile
• Shari Irfan, 2023/24 Uachtarán (President) of the Irish Second Level Students’ Union, Ireland
• Jordan Hill & Francesca Gottschalk – Analysts in the OECD’s Centre for Educational Research and Innovation, France

Register Here:

 https://meetoecd1.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xeKSsP2BQCeMc9O14kJA0g

Citation: OECD  www.oecd.org

The 7th OECD World Forum - Strengthening Wellbeing  approaches for a changing world -  4 to 6 November, 2024 in Rome Italy

The 7th OECD World Forum on Well-being will bring together experts, practitioners and thought leaders to strengthen approaches for centering multidimensional well-being in policy, measurement, and societal action. Taking place in person in Rome on the 4-6 November 2024, and marking the 20th anniversary since the 1st OECD World Forum on Statistics, Knowledge and Policy, it will be an essential event for advancing knowledge, building connections, and spurring action for inclusive, sustainable well-being.

This 7th edition of the OECD World Forum is being co-organised with the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance, with the collaboration of ISTAT, the Italian National Statistical Institute, and the support of the Bank of Italy. It is one of the events being organised under the Italian Presidency of the G7.

Citation: OECD www.oecd.org

The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review Publishes Evidence Report on Treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder 

The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER) today posted its revised Evidence Report assessing the comparative clinical effectiveness and value of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy (MDMA-AP; Lykos Therapeutics) for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“PTSD can be a severe condition affecting nearly all aspects of an individual’s life,” said ICER’s Chief Medical Officer David Rind, MD. “Current therapeutic options are insufficient for many people with PTSD. While MDMA-AP may be a promising therapy for PTSD, functional unblinding in the clinical trials and additional concerns around trial design and conduct led to ICER concluding that the publicly available evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms. It will be incumbent on regulators with complete access to primary data to carefully evaluate whether MDMA-AP has been proven safe and effective.”

This Evidence Report will be reviewed at a virtual public meeting of the New England CEPAC (New England CEPAC) on May 30, 2024. The New England CEPAC is one of ICER’s three independent evidence appraisal committees comprising medical evidence experts, practicing clinicians, methodologists, and leaders in patient engagement and advocacy.

Register here to watch the live webcast of the virtual meeting.

Citation: The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review www.icer.org

To celebrate International Day of Immunology

The International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) are pleased to invite you to the 20th edition of the Immunology of Diabetes Congress, IDS 2024, taking place in Bruges, Belgium, between November 4-8, 2024. 

This conference unites basic and translational scientists, clinicians, and pharmaceutical companies interested in Type1 Diabetes. Together we strive to better predict, prevent and eventually cure T1D. 

Registration and abstract submission are open NOW! We encourage young scientists to apply for oral and poster presentations, as this is an exciting opportunity to engage in new collaborations and discuss novel insights with experts in the field.

Citation: The International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS)

idsbruges2024.com

The federal program that helps pay for groceries for millions of low-income mothers, babies and young kids will soon emphasize more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, as well as provide a wider choice of foods from different cultures.

Under the new rules, fruits and vegetable vouchers in 2024 will provide $26 per month for kids ages 1 through 4; $47 per month for pregnant and postpartum women; and $52 for breastfeeding women. The changes also expand access to whole grains like quinoa, wild rice and millet and to foods such as teff and whole wheat naan. They also remove or reduce monthly allowances for juice and cut back on allowances for milk.

Citation: USDA www.usda.gov

The Food Is Medicine Strategy Gains Momentum

U.S. health care is crafting food-based nutrition interventions to combat diet-related diseases

Diet-related conditions are also costly. The U.S. economy annually loses an estimated $963 billion in medical expenditures and lost labor productivity from poor nutrition and $146 billion from food insecurity—a total of $1.1 trillion in yearly economic losses. 

Citation: Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University

GusNIP Nutrition Incentive Program

ESTIMATED TOTAL PROGRAM FUNDING: $36,300,000

NIFA requests applications for the GusNIPNutrition Incentive Program to support and evaluate projects intended to increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables by providing incentives at the point of purchase among income eligible consumers participating in the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands, in addition to income-eligible consumers participating in the USDA Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) in Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands.

Download the RFA

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/funding-opportunities/gus-schumacher-nutrition-incentive-program-nutrition-incentive-0

Proposal DueDate: 05/14/2024

Citation: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH;  https://www.nih.gov/

We Promised you more exciting Integration News about our Sector, and here is one part of it.

US FDA allows new claim that yogurt may reduce diabetes risk

GREAT WORK DANONE

Citation: USA FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION

https://www.fda.gov/food/cfsan-constituent-updates/fda-announces-qualified-health-claim-yogurt-and-reduced-risk-type-2-diabetes

The Future of People-Centred Health Innovation

OECD High-Level Policy Forum

22 January 2024 | Paris, France 

Citation: https://www.oecd-events.org/health-ministerial/en/content/register-for-the-forum

Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DFAP)

The deadline to submit an application for the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DFAP) is Jan. 13, 2024. Farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who experienced discrimination in USDA’s farm lending prior to 2021 can apply for assistance. Please click on the button below for more information.

Citation; www.usda.gov

NIH revises grant review process to improve focus on scientific merit, reduce reputational bias

The National Institutes of Health is taking steps to simplify its process to assess the scientific merit of research grant applications and mitigate elements that have the potential to introduce bias into review. The changes will help reviewers focus on the potential for proposed research to advance scientific knowledge and improve human health. 

Citation: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/

Applying for a grant from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) 

If you plan to apply for a grant from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) or if you’ve submitted a grant application, NCCIH program directors (PDs) can be an excellent resource for you. 

Citation: Basic and Mechanistic Research in Complementary and Integrative Health Branch

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health

Tour the Farm

Agroforestry Tour of New Forest Farm with Mark Shepard

Calling all conservationists, farmers, hunters, gardeners, chefs, permies, biology researchers and inquisitive onlookers. Join us for a full 3-hours of immersion into one of the most famous agroforestry permaculture systems on the planet! Amongst the combinations of our innovative systems for water management, plants and animals, there is loads to experience for whichever lenses you’re looking through!

Citation: https://newforestfarm.us/

FAO CAMPAIGN - AROUND THE WORLD SOILS ARE DYING

FOLLOW THE FOOD

HOW TO BRING LIFE TO DYING SOILS