Senator Medical – Senator Medical AB

Important points about: Cloth Face Masks

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 05:23:41 +0000

As you may be hearing in the news, experts may soon be recommending that all of us wear masks in public. There’s a growing body of evidence suggesting that it could be a wise move. Researchers from Yale compared data from countries where mask usage is common against countries where it is not and found that the death rate from COVID-19 is up to 10% lower in the countries with masked populations. Whether “masks for all” becomes an official recommendation in the US or not, at this point, if something MAY be effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19, it’s probably time to do it.

However, it’s important that you do not try to buy surgical or N95 masks! Given the dangerous shortage of protective equipment for healthcare workers on the frontlines, it is vitally important that we save surgical masks and N95 masks for those doctors, nurses, and others who are exposed to high levels of the virus.

That being said, you can still make cloth masks, or order them, for yourself or family. Studies have shown that cloth masks may help with spread of infection when used in conjunction with hand washing and physical distancing.

As a mom of two kids myself, I started looking into this a few days ago. There are several options, it seems: you could go the DIY route (basic instructions here); or you could buy them, whether from people in your communities who are selling them, or on websites, like etsy.

What type of cloth mask could work?

One study done in 2013 showed that 100% cotton t-shirts could have 69% effectiveness in protecting against organisms that are sized similar to flu viruses, and linen has 60-61%. But since COVID-19 is so new, we don’t have data about the levels of protection against this particular virus.

When choosing a fabric, one doctor suggested a “light” test, to see how effective different cloths might be – the less light that passes through the mask, the more effective it is. In fact, this doctor demonstrates how to make masks from old bras! (this doctor’s YouTube video is here)

Whatever kind of fabric you choose, keep these best practices in mind:

2-3 ply masks make sense, as the extra fabric helps filter out particles.
The fit of the mask is key: you need to make sure it covers the mouth and nose properly, and that it doesn’t slip from that area too often.
Putting a vacuum filter, or even a coffee filter, between layers of fabric may help as it causes some electrostatic friction which may ‘trap’ particles in the mask so you won’t breathe them. If you go this route, make sure that the mask has a pocket that will allow you to take out the filter when you need to wash the mask. Note that there is very little science around this idea – it’s just based on common sense at this point.
Washability of the mask is important. Remember, to sterilize, you need to use the hot water cycle in the washer, and heat dry. For this reason, synthetic fabrics may not be good.
Make sure you don’t touch the mask when you wear it. It may have contaminants on the surface. Leave it on until you get home and wash your hands after you do take it off.
Take off your mask when you get home. Place it in a plastic bag until you’re ready to do laundry. Masks should be treated as dirty and contaminated after each use.

One last thought as we venture into the “masked” new world –

Although wearing a mask can potentially help prevent the spread of infection, it should be considered an add-on, not a replacement, for physical distancing and hand hygiene. Staying away from others and vigilant hand-washing are truly the pillars of prevention, and have been proven to be effective in ‘flattening the curve” and decreasing the flow of people to our hospitals.

Reference: WebMD

Four Things Patients with Cancer Should Know About Coronavirus 2020

admin — Fri, 06 Mar 2020 13:56:48 +0000

Here are the four key things that patients with cancer need to know as they prepare for the corona-virus:

Take Preventive Measures Like You Normally Would
Make Sure You Get the Flu Shot
Only Testing Can Determine If You Have Corona-virus
Cancer Drugs Manufactured Overseas Are Okey

Reference Article

Corona Virus (COVID-19), Characteristics and important lessons learned!

admin — Tue, 25 Feb 2020 14:48:01 +0000

latest updates Characteristics of and Important Lessons From the Corona virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak in China.

Summary of a Report of 72 314 Cases From the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Reference: #Jamajournal #CoronaVirus #statistics #2020

Read original article here

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admin — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 08:08:08 +0000

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Women are gaining ground at top Medical Journals — Slowly

admin — Tue, 20 Aug 2019 15:08:18 +0000

It has been a hard but continuous achievement

When the New England Journal of Medicine announced its new editor-in-chief in June, it chose to continue with a man for the post. In their 208-year history, the journal has had one top female editor, Marcia Angell, MD. She held the title for 1 year, from 1999 to 2000.

Angell was the first woman to helm a major medical publication, though Suzanne Fletcher, MD, shared the position at the Annals of Internal Medicine with her husband, Robert Fletcher, MD, from 1990 to 1993.

Now that women make up a little more than half of the current medical school class, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the times they are a changing, though not at the same pace everywhere.

As this graphic illustrates, the Journal of the American Medical Association was helmed by Catherine DeAngelis, MD, from 2000 to 2011; Fiona Godlee, MD, has run the BMJ since 2005; and the Annals of Internal Medicine appointed Christine Laine, MD, to its highest spot in 2009. Another prestigious medical journal, the Lancet, has never had a female editor-in-chief.

Reference: Medscape 2019

Importance of Body image for women (Breast Cancer Article)

admin — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 12:23:05 +0000

Body image in women with breast cancer using a scalp cooling system to reduce chemotherapy induced hair-loss

Background: Most women consider hair to be an important part of body image. Alopecia is an emotionally traumatic side effect for breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant chemotherapy. The DigniCap Scalp Cooling System is the first scalp cooling system cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration to reduce the likelihood of chemotherapy induced alopecia.

Methods: Quality of Life (QOL) data were collected as part of a prospective clinical trial evaluating the clinical performance of scalp cooling in women with early stage BC receiving adjuvant chemotherapy.

The study’s primary endpoint was hair loss as evaluated by patient self-assessment. Treatment success was defined as ≤ 50% hair loss. QOL was evaluated by the EORTC-QLQ-BR23 (BR23) administered at baseline, last chemotherapy cycle, and one month later. For BR23, 4 response categories were collapsed to 2 categories (Not at all/A little bit and Quite a bit/Very much) for analysis. QOL was compared between those with success vs. failure of scalp cooling.

Results: 101 patients were evaluable for the primary endpoint: Success was seen in 67 (66.3%) pts. QOL at study entry was comparable between pts with scalp cooling success or failure for each item in the BR23 questionnaire. Results reported as percentages of patients in each group who answered either quite a bit or very much to body image-related questions on the BR23 questionnaire are displayed in Table 1.

Conclusions: Women with breast cancer using scalp cooling during chemotherapy who had hair preservation experienced improved quality of life, according to self-assessment of body image, compared to women who had significant hair loss.

Reference: Cancer Research Journal

A Swedish Human Milk Analyzer Cleared by FDA to Measure Nutritional Content for Donor Milk

admin — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 17:54:30 +0000

Senator Medical AB in Stockholm, Sweden introduces an innovative Swedish medical device with FDA Approval

Donor human milk is a standard of care in many maternity wards caring for preterm infants. While very effective, the nutritional content of donor milk is often subpar and requires targeted fortification.

Miris, based in Uppsala, Sweden, won FDA clearance for its Human Milk Analyzer, a novel device used to test donor breast milk for energy, fat, carbohydrate, and protein content. The device provides results within minutes using only a small sample of milk. The technology allows clinicians to fortify donor milk with the right ingredients before it is administered to preterm babies.

The system consists of the Miris Ultrasonic Processor and Miris Heater that are used to prepare samples, and the Miris Human Milk Analyzer for analysis.

Senator Medical AB, New technologies, FDA approved Swedish product

Some details about the study that led to the clearance, according to Miris:The FDA reviewed data submitted by the sponsor of 112 samples of human milk to analyze the performance of the device. For the study, the sponsor tested the same 112 samples in the machine and compared them to the expected true values obtained by independent methods; both systems provided similar results for each test. The data showed that the Miris Human Milk Analyzer test was effective at determining levels of protein, fat and carbohydrate in the milk.

There may be conditions that limit the information available from the Miris Human Milk Analyzer. For example, certain medications that a nursing mother may be taking could interfere with the test’s ability to accurately measure nutrient levels in breast milk.

The FDA reviewed data submitted by the sponsor of 112 samples of human milk to analyze the performance of the device. For the study, the sponsor tested the same 112 samples in the machine and compared them to the expected true values obtained by independent methods; both systems provided similar results for each test. The data showed that the Miris Human Milk Analyzer test was effective at determining levels of protein, fat and carbohydrate in the milk. There may be conditions that limit the information available from the Miris Human Milk Analyzer.

For example, certain medications that a nursing mother may be taking could interfere with the test’s ability to accurately measure nutrient levels in breast milk.

Reference: Internet, medgadget, Senator Medical Ab

Keywords: Innovative technologies, future projects, Senator Medical AB, Medisenator, milk analyzer, 2019, FDA approved, Medical devices

From patient to patient advocate: how a cancer diagnosis fueled a new career path

admin — Thu, 20 Dec 2018 16:04:23 +0000

Almost 30 years ago, Elyse Spatz Caplan’s oldest son hopped on a bus to go to summer camp while she drove to the hospital for surgery. A young mom of 3 boys under the age of 8, she had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and was dealing with feelings of unease and uncertainty about the future.

While at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Spatz Caplan received the best care offered at that time. When she was diagnosed, she set a goal to see her youngest start preschool. She set more personal goals throughout the course of her treatment, and they grew as she neared the end of her regimen. Still, those feelings of uncertainty were never far from her mind. At the time, patient support programs were limited, so she was inspired to do something constructive to help others. “With a cancer diagnosis, there’s always uncertainty and fear,” she says. “My antidote to that was to do something constructive to help people with cancer.”

Pursuing a new career

As Spatz Caplan recovered from surgery and subsequent chemotherapy, she approached her oncologist with an idea. “With my academic training in speech pathology [and] psychology, and a teacher’s certification, I thought if I paired my professional credentials with my experiences as a patient and caregiver, I might be able to contribute something meaningful.”

The cancer center agreed, and ultimately created a new position for her: psychosocial program coordinator. In this pioneering role, Spatz Caplan would focus on helping address the needs of the whole patient – not just the patient’s cancer.

Spatz Caplan (right) with her 3 sons and daughter-in-law celebrating love.

After 7 years at Einstein Medical Center, Spatz Caplan took on a new challenge when she decided to move from a medical institution to a nonprofit. During this period, big things were happening in cancer research; pathways responsible for tumor growth were being identified and researchers were hard at work developing treatments that targeted those pathways.

The changing landscape of both treatment and patient care continued to motivate Spatz Caplan, and she joined Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC) as an education and outreach coordinator. Over time, she became the director of programs and partnerships, using her experiences as a patient and working with the organization to infuse the patient voice into their work.

Making a move to Novartis

Spatz Caplan spent nearly 14 years with LBBC, and again felt compelled to do more. At this point, more targeted treatments were being studied and developed, patients were becoming more informed and involved in their own treatment decisions, and patients were also beginning to expect more from the companies that provided their treatments.

She says she was drawn to Novartis because of its legacy in oncology. “The extent of cancer in my own immediate family – let alone my extended family – makes this very personal,” she says. “This is what gets me out the door every day. I’m very proud to work for Novartis because we have a strong focus in oncology, and most especially in breast cancer. That’s what drew me here.”

The extent of cancer in my own immediate family – let alone my extended family – makes this very personal. This is what gets me out the door every day.

As Director, US Patient Advocacy, Spatz Caplan is still fueled by her experiences as a patient and the insights she receives from patient advocacy groups. One project Spatz Caplan is proud of is the STEP (Solutions to Empower Patients) Program. She wanted to create a program that engages external advocacy organizations in an effort to address gaps in care and unmet patient needs. The pilot launched to help find solutions for people living with metastatic breast cancer as they navigate their treatment path. This year, 3 advocacy groups were funded that initiated innovative programs that help patients and caregivers interpret media coverage on research, provide an online patient navigation portal so patients have easy access to information, and create a financial resource directory for patients. The program has been valued by the community, and this year will focus on another patient community with major gaps in care, sickle cell disease.

In the 5 years since Spatz Caplan joined Novartis, the cancer landscape has continued to evolve as scientists, researchers, patient advocates, and oncologists work together to advance research. “The only way we are going to make it better for other families is to keep studying and researching cancer, and identifying new targets for which new treatments can be developed,” Spatz Caplan says. “I’m working for a company that is a change agent and is looking to invest in making lives better for people impacted by cancer – and that makes me feel like there could be a brighter future for people over time.”

When Spatz Caplan looks back on how her breast cancer diagnosis changed the course of her life in 1991, she is filled with gratitude. “I’m just grateful to be alive and well, and to witness life’s milestones. Twenty-seven years ago, those milestones were so far away.”

Reference: Novartis, Senator Medical AB, Stockholm, Sweden, Medisenator

TRANSPLANTING HEPATITIS C-INFECTED LIVERS IS SAFE AND COST-EFFECTIVE

admin — Wed, 19 Dec 2018 15:05:26 +0000

ANALYSIS of a large registry has shown hepatitis C (HCV)-positive livers to be safe for transplant, since the transplanted disease is controlled by direct-acting antiviral therapy. This data from researchers from the University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA may offer an increased pool of transplantable organs for patients in dire need of a transplant, as well as a considerable cost saving to healthcare systems.

The researchers analysed records from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients from 2014–2018, comparing the trend of HCV-negative donors with HCV-negative recipients (n=11,270), negative donors with positive recipients (n=4,748), positive donors with negative recipients (n=87), and positive donors with positive recipients (n=753). Over this period, the number of HCV-positive donors had increased dramatically, with HCV-infected livers being transplanted into 269 HCV-positive patients and 46 HCV-negative patients in 2018, compared to 8 and 0 patients, respectively, in 2014. Graft survival times were not affected by donor status at 1 or 2 years; at 1 year, values ranged from 92.6% (negative-to-negative) to 94.3% (positive-to-positive) and were similarly comparable at 2 years (85.7–89.7% in positive-to-negative and positive-to-positive patients, respectively).

These results show that the recent advances in HCV management have made HCV-infected livers a viable option for patients with severe disease. “For someone who has a MELD (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease) score >20, who has a declining quality of life […] I think this is a great opportunity,” commented Dr Sonali Paul, University of Chicago.

The researchers note the practical caveats of their results, primarily that communicating the status of the donor liver to the patient is vital, as well as anticipating any insurance issues relating to the hepatitis C treatment. Nonetheless, these results represent a new, safe option for this vulnerable patient population, as well as the potential for significant cost-savings related to patients no longer waiting on transplant lists.

Reference: European Medical Group, Dec 2019, EMJ

Keywords: Senator Medical AB, Medisenator, Hepatology, Hepatitis V, Liver transplant, Cost effectiveness