BLACK HEALTH MATTERS Brings Wellness Expo to Charlotte

On Saturday, November 16, 2024, Black Health Matters (BHM), a leading health and wellness organization for African Americans, will host its hybrid Summit and Expo at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church 3400 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, NC, 28216 from (8:00am – 3:30pm, EST). BHM has teamed up with Mecklenburg County Public Health (MCPH) to offer this free one-day health expo for the community. The BHM Fall 2024 Health Summit & Expo links leading medical experts, community health advocates and specialists in chronic illness and nutrition, offering stimulating and informative panel discussions and one on one consultations to the community. Complimentary breakfast and lunch will be offered along with no-cost health screenings, fitness activities, cooking and nutrition demonstrations.  Register for free at bhmfall2024summit.com.

"This will be the very first Black Health Matters Summit and Expo held in the Queen City," says Roslyn Young-Daniels, founder, and president of Black Health Matters, LLC. "Carolina is a global leader in medical and health research, making it an ideal location to elevate awareness and provide resources needed to advocate for better health outcomes for African Americans and their loved ones. We are deeply appreciative of our sponsors, including AstraZeneca, Sanofi-Regeneron, argenx, Biogen, Watchman/Boston Scientific, Kite Pharmaceuticals, Vertex, Novartis, and Eisai, along with a grant provided by Merck."  

The Charlotte chapter of GirlTrek will host a fun walk immediately prior to the start of the Summit. Following the walk, opening remarks will be delivered by Roslyn Young-Daniels, at 8:45am ET. In-person and online attendees will additionally enjoy a low-impact exercise session led by fitness expert DaShaun Johnson.

Speaking to attendees during motivational event sessions throughout the day will be Congresswoman Alma Adams (D-NC); entrepreneur, educator, author and speaker Sonya Curry; Charlotte Mayor, Vi Alexander Lyles; New York Times best-selling author and attorney Bakari Sellers, actress, director and producer Terri J. Vaughn, and more. All speaker-led sessions will be livestreamed. More details about the speakers and the full agenda may be found by visiting www.BlackHealthMatters.com.

In addition to the informational sessions, throughout the day, in-person attendees will have access to no-cost medical screenings, health education materials, and prizes, beginning at 9:00am ET.  Free breakfast and lunch will also be available. The day's events are scheduled to conclude at 3:30pm ET.

Black Health Matters, now in its 12th year, convenes health and research professionals, national personalities, local community leaders, and fitness and nutrition experts to deliver health information of particular interest to African Americans. The November event in Charlotte is the fourth BHM event in 2024. Participation in the Black Health Matters Fall 2024 Health Summit & Expo is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required, and early registration is encouraged. To attend in person, or to view the livestream of the event online, please visit: www.BlackHealthMatters.com, for more details.

Additional community partners for the Fall 2024 Black Health Matters Health Summit & Expo in Charlotte, include several organizations who will provide free health screenings, including Allergy & Asthma Network; Atrium Health; Piedmont Black Nurses Association; RAO Community Health; and the Iota Chapter of Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Inc. More than 25 other local community partners will also be on-site, including several local chapters of Greek organizations.

123 Leading Organizations Urge President Biden: Act Now to Eliminate Menthol Cigarettes

123 leading civil rights, public health, medical, faith, youth-serving and other organizations placed a full-page ad in The Washington Post and issued a joint statement urging the Biden Administration to issue final rules this month to prohibit menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, meeting a deadline the Administration set in December.

The ad and joint statement underscore the strong and broad support across the nation for the FDA’s proposed rules to eliminate menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, including from organizations representing populations that have been targeted by the tobacco industry and disproportionately harmed by these deadly and addictive products.

“President Biden, we stand united. Act now to eliminate menthol cigarettes,” the ad states.

“These rules are supported by overwhelming scientific evidence, they will have enormous benefits for our nation’s health, and they are critical to achieving top priorities of the Biden Administration, especially the President’s Cancer Moonshot and the Administration’s commitment to promoting health equity,” the joint statement reads.

“We were deeply disappointed in December when the Administration delayed issuing these long-overdue rules. As tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, killing nearly half a million Americans every year, any further delay in issuing the final rules will result in needless disease, suffering and deaths. The Administration must stand up to the tobacco industry and act now to save lives.”

The full statement and list of organizations joining the statement and ad follow.

Joint Statement Urging the Biden Administration to Immediately Issue Final Rules Prohibiting Menthol Cigarettes and Flavored Cigars

Our organizations are united in our strong support for the FDA’s proposed rules to prohibit menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, and we call on the Biden Administration to issue the final rules this month, the deadline the Administration set in December when it issued the Fall 2023 Unified Agenda of regulatory actions. These rules are supported by overwhelming scientific evidence, they will have enormous benefits for our nation’s health, and they are critical to achieving top priorities of the Biden Administration, especially the President’s Cancer Moonshot and the Administration’s commitment to promoting health equity.

We were deeply disappointed in December when the Administration delayed issuing these long-overdue rules. As tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, killing nearly half a million Americans every year, any further delay in issuing the final rules will result in needless disease, suffering and deaths. The Administration must stand up to the tobacco industry and act now to save lives.

These rules will have a profound impact on our nation’s health. Once implemented, they will:

• Protect America’s kids from tobacco addiction. Menthol cigarettes are a “starter product” for youth because menthol cools and numbs the throat, masking the harshness of tobacco smoke. Half of all youth who have ever tried smoking started with menthol cigarettes. Flavored cigars, sold in hundreds of kid-friendly flavors, also attract kids and endanger their health.
• Advance the President’s Cancer Moonshot. As the Administration has stated, smoking causes 30% of all cancer deaths in the U.S. and is “the biggest single driver of cancer deaths in this country.” These rules represent some of the most impactful actions the Administration can take to save lives from cancer, and research shows that prohibiting menthol cigarettes would help close the disparity in lung cancer death rates between Black Americans and other racial groups sooner than it otherwise would have.
• Promote health equity. These rules will especially improve the health of Black and other communities that have long been targeted by the tobacco industry with predatory marketing for these products. The industry has particularly targeted the Black community, causing devastating and disproportionate harm to the health of Black Americans. Other populations disproportionately impacted by menthol cigarettes include Hispanic and Asian Americans, the LGBTQ+ community, women, people with limited incomes, and people with mental health conditions.
• Save hundreds of thousands of lives. Researchers estimate that prohibiting menthol cigarettes will save up to 654,000 lives within 40 years, including 255,000 Black lives.

Given these enormous benefits, the Biden Administration has an obligation to issue the final rules prohibiting menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars without further delay. We urge President Biden and his Administration to seize this historic opportunity to improve our nation’s health, promote health equity and save lives from cancer and other tobacco-related diseases. Delays cost lives, and inaction is unacceptable.

100 Black Men of America, Inc.
67th Precinct Clergy Council
Academic Pediatric Association
Academy of General Dentistry
Action on Smoking & Health
African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council
Allergy & Asthma Network
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
AME Church - Social Action Commission
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Association for Cancer Research
American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research
American Association for Respiratory Care
American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
American College Health Association (ACHA)
American College of Cardiology
American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST)
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
American College of Physicians
American College of Preventive Medicine
American Dental Association
American Heart Association
American Indian Cancer Foundation
American Lung Association
American Medical Association
American Medical Women's Association
American Pediatric Society
American Pharmacists Association
American Public Health Association
American School Health Association
American Society of Addiction Medicine
American Society of Hematology
American Thoracic Society
Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights
Arc of Justice
Asian American Christian Collaborative
Asian Pacific Partners for Empowerment, Advocacy and Leadership (APPEAL)
Association for Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
Association for the Treatment of Tobacco Use and Dependence
Association of American Cancer Institutes
Association of Black Cardiologists
Association of Black Women Physicians
Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs
Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
Big Cities Health Coalition
Black Women's Health Imperative
BlackDoctor.org
Breathe DC
Breathe PA
Breathe Southern California
CADCA
Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids
CATCH Global Foundation
Catholic Health Association of the United States
CenterLink: The Community of LGBTQ Centers
Commissioned Officers Association of the USPHS
Community Wellness Alliance
COPD Foundation
Counter Tools
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
DC Tobacco Free Coalition
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated
Doctors for America
Emphysema Foundation of America
First Focus on Children
Free ME from Lung Cancer
GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality
GO2 for Lung Cancer
HealthHIV
Healthy Americas Foundation
Hope for Stomach Cancer
IntelliQuit
Leadership Council for Healthy Communities
League of United Latin American Citizens
LUNGevity Foundation
March of Dimes
Mocha Moms, Inc.
NAACP
National Alliance for Hispanic Health
National Association of County and City Health Officials
National Association of Hispanic Nurses
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
National Association of School Nurses
National Black Empowerment Council
National Black Justice Coalition
National Black Nurses Association
National Center for Health Research
National Coalition for LGBTQ Health
National Council of Negro Women (NCNW)
National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention
National Hispanic Council on Aging
National Hispanic Medical Association
National LGBT Cancer Network
National Medical Association
National Network of Public Health Institutes
North American Quitline Consortium
Oncology Nursing Society
Parents Against Vaping e-cigarettes
Pediatric Policy Council
Prevent Cancer Foundation
Preventing Tobacco Addiction Foundation/Tobacco 21
Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association
Public Health Law Center
Public Health Solutions
Respiratory Health Association
Right 2 Breathe
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Save A Girl Save A World
Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions
Society for Pediatric Research
Society for Public Health Education
The African American Wellness Project
The Center for Black Health & Equity
The National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health
Trust for America's Health
Truth Initiative
Union for Reform Judaism
WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease

Lack of Men of Color Graduating From the Health Professions Declared a Crisis by Association CEOs

The Federation of Associations of Schools of the Health Professions (FASHP) has declared the low number of historically underrepresented men of color (HUMOC) graduating and entering the health care professions a national crisis. Representing CEOs of national academic health professions associations, FASHP has released a consensus statement addressing this critical issue, and is calling on local and national educational, health care, governmental and community leaders to raise awareness regarding this critical issue and to identify barriers and provide resources to dramatically increase the number of men of color graduating from the health professions.

“Our patients deserve the best care we can provide, and that requires a concerted, broader effort to motivate attention and activate solutions.”

“We must urgently join forces with P-16 education, government, health care, corporations and other leaders to remove pathway barriers and adopt robust strategies that facilitate a significant increase in the number of historically underrepresented men of color entering and graduating from dental, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, social work and other health professions schools,” said Dr. Karen P. West, Secretary of FASHP and President and CEO of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA).

Similar disparities exist across the academic health professions. For example:

Of 6,665 2021 U.S. dental school graduates, 3,223 (48.4%) were men (American Dental Association). Of those, 431 (6.46%) were HUMOC (263 Hispanic/Latino men, 147 Black/African American men, 18 American Indian/Alaska Native men and 3 Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander men).

Of 21,051 2021-2022 U.S. medical school graduates, 10,268 (48.8%) were men (Association of American Medical Colleges [AAMC]). Of those, 1,251 were HUMOC (664 Hispanic/Latino men, 565 Black/African American men, 13 American Indian/Alaska Native men, and 9 Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander men).

The 2021 graduating class of veterinary medical students included only 0.6% Black/African American men, 1.4% Hispanic/Latino men, and 0.2% American Indian/Alaska Native men.

Of the 824 2021-2022 U.S. public health doctoral graduates, 230 were men (Association of Schools & Programs of Public Health [ASPPH]). Of the total graduates, only 2.5% were Black/African American men, 2.1% Hispanic/Latino men, and 0.1% American Indian/Alaska Native men.

"The development of a diverse healthcare workforce is a critical goal for all FASHP member associations,” said FASHP President Dawn Mancuso, MAM, CAE, FASAE, Executive Vice President and CEO of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry. “Our patients deserve the best care we can provide, and that requires a concerted, broader effort to motivate attention and activate solutions.”

The low numbers of HUMOC health care providers affect not only communities of color but the entire nation’s well-being. This lack of diversity has significant consequences for public health, education, economic stability and the availability and quality of health care treatment for all U.S. communities. There is also a need to significantly increase the number of HUMOC graduating with Ph.D.s and doctorate degrees in public health. “These statistics are unacceptable and solidify our resolve to implement impactful solutions around engaging our members toward a more inclusive and equitable public health workforce,” said Dr. Laura Magaña, ASPPH President and CEO.

Dr. Andrew T. Maccabe, CEO of the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges, noted that “a lack of awareness, marginalization, educational disparities, systemic racism and unconscious bias has led to these continuing inequalities and a lack of HUMOC matriculating and graduating in the academic health professions, which has now reached crisis proportions.”

FASHP members are addressing disparities through a variety of initiatives. For example:

The AAMC launched the Action Collaborative for Black Men in Medicine in 2020, which includes partnerships that focus on systemic solutions to increase the representation and success of Black men interested in and entering medicine.

With a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), ADEA hosted a two-day Summit with 83 representatives from across the health professions to develop solutions to the paucity of HUMOC in the health professions. Dr. David Satcher, 16th Surgeon General of the United States and former President of Morehouse College and Meharry Medical College, was a featured guest and galvanized the group to act.

The Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP), jointly administered by ADEA and AAMC and supported by the RWJF, is a six-week summer enrichment program for marginalized and socioeconomically and educationally disadvantaged college students interested in the health professions.

Dr. Dennis Mitchell, dentist and Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for University Life at Columbia University who serves on the National Association of Chief Diversity Officers in Higher Education Board of Directors, was instrumental in establishing SHPEP. “Pathway programs such as SHPEP make a difference, but we need more of these programs and more of these interventions throughout the P-16 student lifecycle for boys and men of color,” said Dr. Mitchell.

FASHP CEOs agree that more academic enrichment interventions are needed to increase the representation of all historically underrepresented and marginalized groups in the health professions. However, FASHP believes there is an urgent need to call attention to the significant deficiency of HUMOC entering and graduating from health professions schools in comparison to other marginalized student populations.

In pursuit of greater collective action, FASHP is establishing a coalition with associations across the academic health professions, health care institutions and health professional organizations to tackle the longstanding problem of the low numbers of HUMOC at health professions schools. FASHP plans to expand its work to galvanize P-16, governmental, health care, corporate, foundation, health care research, community and other leaders to develop short- and long-term strategies with focused action plans.

FASHP Member Organizations

American Association of Colleges of Nursing

American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine

American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy

American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine

American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges

American Dental Education Association

Association of American Medical Colleges

Association of Chiropractic Colleges

Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions

Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry

Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health

Association of University Programs in Health Administration

Council on Social Work Education

PA Education Association

Liaison Members:

Association of Accredited Naturopathic Medical Colleges

American Council of Academic Physical Therapy

American Occupational Therapy Association

American Physical Therapy Association

American Psychological Association

Aspiring bodybuilder wins medal in 1st bodybuilding competition after 20 weeks of chemo

Erica Langley, an aspiring bodybuilder who discovered she had cancer in 2018 is inspiring others after winning a medal in her first competition after chemotherapy.

Watch her story below:

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Video: VP-Elect Kamala Harris gets Covid-19 Vaccine

Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, received their first doses of Moderna's coronavirus vaccine on Tuesday, with the incoming vice president getting her shot on camera as part of efforts to build public trust in the inoculations.

Harris and Emhoff were administered the vaccine at United Medical Center in Washington, D.C., by Patricia Cummings, clinical nurse manager at the hospital.

Alabama Nurses Association elects 1st African American president

The Alabama Nurses Association elected its first African American president in its 107 year history.

The organization named Dr. Lindsey Harris as its president.

The organization will induct Dr. Harris in a ceremony on the afternoon of Friday, September 25th.

According to a news release, Dr. Harris earned her bachelor of science nursing degree from Samford University, her master of science in nursing as a family nurse practitioner and her doctor of nursing practice from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing. Dr. Harris is a past president of the Birmingham Black Nurses Association, Inc. (BBNA) and a member of the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA).

[SOURCE: ABC3340]

The African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council sues FDA for inaction on banning menthol cigarettes

Today, The African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council (AATCLC) and Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) held a virtual press conference announcing their joint complaint against the FDA, represented by Pollock Cohen, LLP. The complaint requests the court compel the FDA to fulfill its mandate to take action on FDA's own conclusions that it would benefit the public health to add menthol to the list of prohibited characterizing flavors and therefore ban it from sale.

"We stand before you today to announce that we are suing the United States Food and Drug Administration for their failure to implement public health policy that protects the health and welfare of African Americans with respect to menthol cigarettes," said Carol McGruder, founding member and co-chair of the AATCLC.

This lawsuit brings to the forefront the lack of action from the FDA to fulfill its mandate concerning whether menthol products should be taken off the shelves. In 2009, Congress passed—and President Obama signed into law—the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. The act created a flavor ban in cigarettes but excluded menthol, subject to further research. In 2011, the FDA's Advisory Committee concluded that the "Removal of menthol cigarettes from the marketplace would benefit public health in the United States."

Despite this conclusion, the FDA has not begun the rulemaking process of removing menthol from combustible cigarettes. The plaintiffs are asking the court to direct the FDA to take action.

Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death worldwide, smoking-related illnesses are the number one cause of death in the African American community, and 85 percent of African American smokers smoke menthol cigarettes.

"By continuing to delay, the FDA and the U.S. government are failing to protect the health of U.S. citizens, particularly African Americans, and the U.S. is also falling behind the global trend as countries around the world are increasingly banning menthol," said Kelsey Romeo-Stuppy, managing attorney at ASH.

Our nation finds itself at a moment in time when action to eradicate systemic inequities and racism is crucial to fighting injustice, and this case is a perfect example of action which will elicit positive change. It is no coincidence that the timing of the announcement falls two days before the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth, the day slaves in Texas finally heard they had been freed. Juneteenth has become a day in the Black community to celebrate the sacrifices that it took to free African Americans from slavery.

"Now is the time for the FDA to step up to the plate and do what it was supposed to do years ago – prohibit the sale of all flavored tobacco products," said Dr. Phillip Gardiner, founding member and co-chair of AATCLC.

New PSA with Harry Lennix on how prostate cancer disproportionately affecting African American men

Actor Harry Lennix   who currently co-stars on the NBC drama "The Blacklist," is the face of PCF's 2019 "Know the Numbers" campaign, which encourages men to understand their personal risks for prostate cancer. 

"I am honored to serve as an ambassador for the Prostate Cancer Foundation and to use my platform to raise awareness about this insidious disease which has affected so many people close to me," said Lennix.  "In honor of those I have lost, I am encouraging all men, including African Americans who are at heightened risk, to take the time to familiarize themselves with this disease and to take steps to reduce their risk for developing prostate cancer or to catch it early enough to survive it."

Despite recent reports of declining mortality rates for African American men, they remain the hardest hit by prostate cancer, with nearly 20 percent still being affected, and suffer the highest mortality rate from the disease of any racial or ethnic group in the United States. There remains a need to build public awareness about prostate cancer and to provide easy access to critical information, including screening guidelines, prevention and new targeted treatments.  Equally important is destigmatizing the disease through open, honest dialogue, such as this discussion featuring former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives, Stacey Abrams, and her father, which will lead to more men becoming proactive about their health.

"Currently, there is focus and large commitment in place to understand why the disparities that affect African American men with prostate cancer exist, and we are finally seeing some progress. But this is not the time to take the foot off the gas; this is the time to accelerate," said Christine N. Jones, Chief Operating Officer, PCF.  "We have a two-pronged approach to address this issue -  education and awareness - which we know is saving lives on the front end, and investment in science, so we can better understand what is going on so precision treatments can be developed." 

National Minority Health Month Campaign Highlights

Actor Harry Lennix, who currently co-stars on the NBC drama "The Blacklist," is the face of PCF's 2019 "Know the Numbers" campaign, which encourages men to understand their

• personal risks for prostate cancer, take charge of their health and save lives by breaking down barriers and talking about the disease. The PCF's new PSA featuring Lennix can be viewed at www.pcf.org/knowthenumbers.
• The PCF's new "PROSTATE CANCER: Additional Facts for African American Men and Their Families" is available for free download at www.pcf.org. The new guide provides actionable information about what men can do to prevent prostate cancer as well as information about risks and screening guidelines specifically for African Americans. The guide features comments from Chris Tucker, Brian Custer, "Uncle" Charlie Wilson and Snoop Dogg. Also available for free download is a comprehensive Prostate Cancer Patient Guide. 
• The PCF currently has more than $10 million invested in research focused on prostate cancer in African American men. Teams across the U.S. are investigating a range of topics such as environmental factors to targeted therapies and genomics. Commencing this month is recruitment for the RESPOND study, which represents a $1 million PCF investment and is the largest study of its kind aimed at identifying the environmental and genetic factors related to disproportionately high diagnoses of aggressive prostate cancer in African American men. The study aims to recruit 10,000 participants over a three-year period to generate key biological and non-biological information that will help researchers reduce the rate of aggressive prostate cancer in this population. Find out more at www.pcf.org/RESPOND.
• Randy Jackson, Chris Tucker, Rev. Rosey Grier and others will be featured in month-long social media campaigns designed to reach men to encourage them to "Know the Numbers."

ABOUT THE PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) is the world's leading philanthropic organization funding and accelerating prostate cancer research. Founded in 1993, PCF has raised more than $788 million and provided funding to more than 2,000 research programs at nearly 200 cancer centers and universities. The PCF global research enterprise now extends to 19 countries. PCF advocates for greater awareness of prostate cancer and more efficient investment of governmental research funds for transformational cancer research. Its efforts have helped produce a 20-fold increase in government funding for prostate cancer. For more information, visit www.pcf.org.

Connect with PCF:Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

MEDIA CONTACT:
Colleen McKenna
Prostate Cancer Foundation
(310) 570-4722
cmckenna@pcf.org

Kamala Harris on mortality rates of black mothers: 'We can solve' this

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) said society needs to do more to curb the increasing rates of mortality among black mothers.

Harris, a rising star in the Democratic Party believed to have presidential aspirations, introduced the CARE Act in August aimed at reducing the disparity in maternal death rates between women of color and white women.

Speaking at the Center for American Progress Wednesday, Harris championed the cause in an effort to raise awareness to the problem, calling it a “truth that must be spoken.”

"Women in the healthcare system must be given dignity. They must be listened to. They must be taken seriously. They must be given respect,” Harris said. “They must be given a sense of dignity about understanding that when they tell you something, then listen. When they tell you what they need, listen. They know what they need when they tell you. Hear them."

Harris said black women are three to four times more likely to die than white women because they choose to become mothers. Additionally, infants born to African-American mothers die at twice the rate of babies born to white mothers.

“We can solve for this, because at its core, one of the biggest parts of the problem is that his is an issue that’s about race,” she said.

Harris noted that increased education and awareness is necessary to fight the growing problem. She believes government also should be doing more to help.

"I've found myself saying recently that if something is worth fighting for, it's a fight worth having. If something is worth fighting for, it's a fight worth having. And when it comes to maternal healthcare for black women in America - it's a fight worth having,” Harris said.

[SOURCE: THE HILL]

National Institutes of Health launches initiative to accelerate therapies to cure sickle cell disease

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) today announced the launch of a new initiative to help speed the development of a cure for sickle cell disease, a group of inherited blood disorders affecting at least 100,000 people in the United States and 20 million worldwide. The Cure Sickle Cell Initiative will take advantage of the latest genetic discoveries and technological advances to move the most promising genetic-based curative therapies safely into clinical trials within five to 10 years.

“Our scientific investments have brought us to a point where we have many tools available to correct or compensate for the defective gene that causes sickle cell disease. We are now ready to use these tools to speed up our quest for a cure,” said Gary H. Gibbons, M.D., director of NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), which is leading the effort.

Sickle cell disease results from a single genetic mutation that causes a person’s red blood cells to form an abnormal, sickle shape. These sickled cells can clog the blood vessels and deprive cells of oxygen. In turn, this lack of oxygen wreaks havoc on the body, damaging organs, causing severe pain, and potentially leading to premature death.

Decades of basic research on sickle cell disease have laid the groundwork for novel genetic approaches to cures, such as the genetic editing of bone marrow cells, which have shown great promise in animal models and in some small-scale human studies. In addition, the NHLBI Production Assistance for Cellular Therapies (PACT) program has been working with researchers to manufacture cellular therapeutic products, including genetically modified cells, that can be used safely in clinical trials with patients.

NIH spends approximately $100 million on sickle cell disease research each year. Through this initiative, NHLBI seeks to support the development of cell and genetic therapies resources, clinical trials, comparator analyses of different management strategies, data repositories and resources, and patient and advocate engagement activities related to curative therapies for this condition. Already in 2018, NHLBI committed an additional $7 million to jumpstart the initiative’s research and engagement infrastructure.

NHLBI has named hematologist Edward J. Benz Jr., M.D., President and CEO Emeritus of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, as the Initiative’s executive director, and the Emmes Corporation, a contract research organization with specialized expertise in clinical trials, gene, and cell therapy development in preclinical studies, as its coordinating center.

The initiative and other research partners will establish a national data warehouse of genetic therapies for sickle cell disease and conduct comparative analyses of therapeutic approaches to assess both clinical and cost-effectiveness. They will also establish national networks to make it easier for patients and providers to learn and engage with the research, clinical trials, and other activities happening across the country.

“The engagement of patients will be a cornerstone of this effort,” said Benz. “Patients will work alongside researchers in developing and recruiting for clinical trials.”

Currently, the only cure for sickle cell disease is a bone marrow transplant, a procedure in which a sick patient receives bone marrow from a healthy, genetically-compatible sibling donor. However, transplants are too risky for many adults, and only about 18 percent of children with the sickle cell disease have a healthy, matched sibling donor.

The Cure Sickle Cell Initiative seeks to develop cures for a far broader group of individuals with the disease, and it is initially focusing on gene therapies that modify the patient’s own hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which make red and other blood cells. These modified HSCs can then be given back to the patient via a bone marrow transplant, making a cure available to more patients who lack a matched donor.

“This initiative is giving patients, families, and communities a reason for hope. I’m particularly pleased that we are able to make this announcement during Sickle Cell Awareness month when we are shining a spotlight on the toll of this devastating disease,” said ADM Brett Giroir, M.D. Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

This patient-focused Initiative builds on the legacy of NHLBI-supported research that has contributed to improving clinical care for patients who have sickle cell disease. It also complements the Institute’s broader sickle cell disease research investment, which includes basic, clinical, translational, and implementation science research.

Part of the National Institutes of Health, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) plans, conducts, and supports research related to the causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart, blood vessel, lung, and blood diseases; and sleep disorders. The Institute also administers national health education campaigns on women and heart disease, healthy weight for children, and other topics. NHLBI press releases and other materials are available online at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health

Tuskegee University develops new breast cancer test

A team led by Tuskegee University researchers have developed a new way to detect the most aggressive and fatal form of breast cancer.

The university and researchers hope the new method may hold the potential for earlier detection and more informed treatment decisions.

The breakthrough was detailed in an article in PLOS ONE,a publication tied to the Public Library of Science. The article, “AR Negative Triple Negative or ‘Quadruple Negative’ Breast Cancers in African-American Women Have an Enriched Basal and Immune Signature,” shows researchers have developed a fourth testing marker to complement the other three biomarker-based methods.

Dr. Clayton Yates, a professor of biology and director of Tuskegee University’s multidisciplinary Center for Biomedical Research, published the team's findings. Support for the research come through the National Cancer Institute’s Comprehensive Partnerships to Advance Cancer Health Equity program, otherwise known as the U54 program.

“Scientifically speaking, our research suggests that the expression of the androgen receptor (the receptor for testosterone), should be added to the current set of prognostic markers — estrogen, progesterone and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 — used to test for classify and determine the aggressiveness of breast cancer,” Yates said.

“As with any fight, you have to know your enemy. Imagine going into battle not knowing if you needed a BB gun, a shotgun, or a bazooka,” Yates said. “With this additional testing option, physicians will be able to better define the enemy and develop a more precise treatment plan. This, in turn, promises to be more effective for the patient — not to mention safer and less expensive — in the long run.”

Breast cancer currently is the second-most common cancer among females. The new testing method shows significant promise for detecting the most aggressive types of breast cancer, especially among black women. Black women are more likely than white women to be diagnosed at later stages in life and are 40 percent more likely to die from breast cancer after initial diagnosis.

Read more: Tuskegee University develops new breast cancer test

North Carolina Central University Awarded $16.3 Million by National Institute of Health

North Carolina Central University (NCCU) has been awarded $16.3 million by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), for a new Research Center in Minority Institutions (RCMI) focusing on elevating the university’s health disparities research program. Led by Deepak Kumar, Ph.D., director of the Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute and principal investigator for the grant, the funding will support health disparities research activities across campus at NCCU.

NCCU is one of the seven minority-serving institutions that were recipients of this award. The research funding is the largest annual grant amount received for a non-Title III grant by NCCU and the largest funding for a single principal investigator on the campus.

The new RCMI Center for Health Disparities Research (RCHDR) will conduct three innovative basic biomedical and behavioral research projects, along with health disparities research pilot projects, involving robust mentoring, development of core facilities and leveraging of resources and partnerships with community-based organizations and neighboring institutions in the Research Triangle area. The center will also promote a collaborative research environment conducive to career enhancement for postdoctoral trainees and NCCU faculty at all levels.

“This major research grant will allow North Carolina Central University to engage in transformative research that examines health disparities and identifies real-world solutions that strengthen health care for minority populations throughout our state,” said University of North Carolina President Margaret Spellings. “Moreover, the establishment of the new Research Center in Minority Institutions supports our shared goal of enhancing research opportunities, which will ultimately improve the quality of life of our citizens and generate economic growth.

Johnson O. Akinleye, Ph.D., chancellor of NCCU, said, “The significant research funding provided by the National Institutes of Health elevates North Carolina Central University’s noteworthy work investigating solutions to some of the nation’s toughest health disparities that persist as challenges to communities of color. Through this grant, I am thrilled that Dr. Kumar and his team are already fulfilling three of the six strategic priorities represented in ‘The Eagle Promise’initiative, which focus on expanding research, facilitating innovative strategic partnerships with the Research Triangle Park and building new infrastructure for the university.”

The mission of NCCU’s Research Center in Minority Institutions is to develop and strengthen the research infrastructure at NCCU for conducting cutting-edge health disparities research and to foster the next generation of minority biomedical researchers. It has three main objectives: 1) enhance the research capacity at NCCU within the areas of basic, behavioral and translational biomedical research; 2) diversify the biomedical research workforce and to prepare researchers who are successful extramurally funded health disparities investigators and 3) promote a collaborative environment for interdisciplinary research and establish sustainable relationships with neighboring research and community-based organizations to advance cutting-edge health disparities research at NCCU. The core of the research center will focus on: African-American men, stress, kidney and cardiometabolic disease; breast cancer disparities and metabolic stress; diet-induced obesity and metabolic syndrome; community engagement and pilot projects and mentoring.

“NCCU demonstrated its commitment to biomedical research by creating two biotechnology research institutes, BBRI and BRITE,” stated Kumar. “We are grateful to NIH/NIMHD for providing NCCU with this unprecedented opportunity to further enhance biomedical research by developing infrastructure, preparing the next generation of minority researchers and bringing faculty together in cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research projects to advance our mission of addressing health disparities. The grant will foster collaborations and leverage resources from research and community-based organizations from the Research Triangle area and in North Carolina. This is a team effort across campus that will impact five NCCU colleges and schools, along with BBRI and BRITE. I am excited about Chancellor Akinleye’s ‘The Eagle Promise’ initiative and am grateful for his support and vision.”

In a press release announcing the award, NIMHD Director, Dr. Eliseo Pérez-Stable said: “Institutions with historical commitment to diversity are essential to supporting scientific research and providing healthcare to underserved communities. These institutions are uniquely positioned to engage minority populations in research, and in the translation of research advances into culturally competent, measurable and sustained improvements in health outcomes.”

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration Approves Endari, A New Treatment for Sickle Cell Disease

Endari has shown to decrease the number of sickle cell crises and hospitalizations in patients with sickle cell disease. SCD is a rare, debilitating and lifelong hereditary blood disorder that affects approximately 100,000 patients in the U.S. and up to 25 million patients worldwide, the majority of which are of African descent.

Emmaus Life Sciences Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Endari™ (L-glutamine oral powder) to reduce the severe complications of sickle cell disease (SCD) in adult and pediatric patients age 5 and older. Endari reduces oxidant damage to red blood cells by improving the redox potential of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), a coenzyme that has been identified as the primary regulator of oxidation.

"The approval of Endari is a significant milestone for the sickle cell patient community who has not had an advancement in treatment for nearly 20 years and which now, for the first time ever, has a treatment option for children," said Yutaka Niihara, MD, MPH, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Emmaus Life Sciences. "Endari reinforces our commitment to discovering innovative therapies that help to improve the lives of people with rare diseases. We thank the FDA for its prompt review and look forward to making treatment available to patients as early as this fourth quarter."

SCD is a rare, debilitating and lifelong hereditary blood disorder that affects approximately 100,000 patients in the U.S. and up to 25 million patients worldwide, the majority of which are of African descent as well as Latinos and other minority groups. Approximately one in every 365 African American children is born with SCD and children between the ages of 2 and 7 are 400 times more likely to suffer from stroke.

Caused by a genetic mutation in the beta-chain of hemoglobin that distorts red blood cells into crescent shapes, SCD lowers oxygen levels in the blood and has an extensive impact on morbidity, mortality and quality of life. Patients often suffer from debilitating episodes of sickle cell crises, which occur when the rigid, adhesive and inflexible red blood cells block the blood vessels, resulting in excruciating pain. Sickle cell crises can lead to organ damage, stroke, pulmonary complications, and other adverse outcomes, including acute chest syndrome (ACS), which may be potentially fatal and is the leading cause of death among people with SCD.

"A sickle cell crisis is the most common acute complication for patients and the number one cause of emergency room visits," said Wally Smith, MD, Florence Neal Cooper Smith Professor of Sickle Cell Disease, Division of General Internal Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University. "Endari has clinically shown to reduce sickle cell crises and hospitalizations, representing a significant medical advancement for patients with limited therapeutic options that have many side effects."

FDA approval was supported by efficacy data from a 48-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the effects of Endari, prescription grade L-glutamine, as compared to placebo on 230 adults and children with SCD. The results demonstrated that Endari reduced the frequency of sickle cell crises by 25 percent and hospitalizations by 33 percent. Additional findings showed a decrease in cumulative hospital days by 41 percent and lower incidence of ACS by more than 60 percent.

Safety was based on data from 298 patients treated with L-glutamine and 111 patients treated with placebo in the Phase 2 and Phase 3 studies. Endari's safety profile was similar to placebo and well-tolerated in pediatric and adult patients. The most common adverse reactions occurring in greater than 10 percent of patients treated with Endari were constipation, nausea, headache, abdominal pain, cough, pain in extremity, back pain, and chest pain (non-cardiac).

About Emmaus Life Sciences

Emmaus Life Sciences is engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative treatments and therapies for rare diseases. The company's research on sickle cell disease was initiated by Yutaka Niihara, MD, MPH, Chairman and CEO of Emmaus, at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. For more information, please visit http://www.emmauslifesciences.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, regarding the research, development and potential commercialization of pharmaceutical products. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, and could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from current expectations. Additional risks and uncertainties are described in reports filed by Emmaus Life Sciences, Inc. with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Emmaus is providing this information as of the date of this press release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Emmaus Life Sciences Inc.

Related Links: http://www.emmauslifesciences.com