Archive for January, 2020

Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) Market Insights 2018, is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) industry with a focus on the Global market. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry. Overall, the report provides an in-depth insight of 2018-2025 global Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) market covering all important parameters.

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The key points of the Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) Market report:

The report provides a basic overview of the Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) industry including its definition, applications and manufacturing technology.

The report explores the international and Chinese major industry players in detail. In this part, the report presents the company profile, product specifications, capacity, production value, and 2018-2025 market shares for each company.

Through the statistical analysis, the report depicts the global total market of Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) industry including capacity, production, production value, cost/profit, supply/demand and Chinese import/export.

The total market is further divided by company, by country, and by application/type for the competitive landscape analysis.

The report then estimates 2018-2025 market development trends of Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) industry. Analysis of upstream raw materials, downstream demand, and current market dynamics is also carried out.

The report makes some important proposals for a new project of Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) Industry before evaluating its feasibility.

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There are 3 key segments covered in this report: competitor segment, product type segment, end use/application segment.

For competitor segment, the report includes global key players of Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) are included:

competitive landscape in the market. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, wherein end-users are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate and general attractiveness.

The study provides a decisive view on the global microcrystalline cellulose market by segmenting it in terms of end-users. End-user segments have been analyzed based on present and future trends. Regional segmentation includes the current and forecast demand for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW). The report also covers demand for individual end-user segments in all the regions.

The study includes profiles of major companies operating in the global microcrystalline cellulose market. Key players profiled in the report include Asahi Kasei Corporation, BLANVER FARMOQUMICA LTDA, FMC Corporation, DFE Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, J. RETTENMAIER & SHNE GmbH + Co KG, Libraw Pharma, JUKU ORCHEM PRIVATE LIMITED, Sigachi Industrial Pvt. Ltd., Avantor Performance Materials, Inc., MINGTAI CHEMICAL CO., LTD. and Accent Microcell Pvt. Ltd. Market players are profiled in terms of attributes such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies and recent developments.

The report provides the market size of MCC for 2013 and forecast for the next six years. The global market size of MCC is provided in terms of both volume as well as revenue. Market volume is defined in tons, while market revenue is in US$ thousand. Market numbers are estimated based on various key end-user segments of MCC. Market size and forecast for each major end-user is provided in terms of global and regional markets.

In order to compile the research report, we conducted in-depth interviews and discussions with a wide range of key industry participants and opinion leaders. Primary research represents the bulk of research efforts, supplemented by an extensive secondary research. We reviewed key players product literature, annual reports, press releases and relevant documents for competitive analysis and market understanding. Secondary research also includes a search of recent trade, technical writing, internet sources and statistical data from government websites, trade associations and agencies. This has proven to be the most reliable, effective and successful approach for obtaining precise market data, capturing industry participants insights and recognizing business opportunities.

Secondary research sources that are typically referred to include, but are not limited to company websites, annual reports, financial reports, broker reports, investor presentations, SEC filings, Plastemart magazine, TPE magazine, internal and external proprietary databases, and relevant patent and regulatory databases such as ICIS, Hoovers, Onesource, Factiva and Bloomberg, national government documents, statistical databases, trade journals, market reports, news articles, press releases and webcasts specific to companies operating in the market.

Primary research involves e-mail interactions, telephonic interviews and face-to-face interviews for each market, category, segment and sub-segment across geographies. We conduct primary interviews on an ongoing basis with industry participants and commentators in order to validate the data and analysis. Primary interviews provide firsthand information on market size, market trends, growth trends, competitive landscape and outlook, etc. These help validate and strengthen the secondary research findings. These also help develop the analysis teams expertise and market understanding.

The report segments the globalmicrocrystalline cellulose marketas:

Microcrystalline Cellulose Market: End-user Segment Analysis

Microcrystalline Cellulose Market: Regional Analysis

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Reasons to Purchase this Report:

* Estimates 2018-2025 Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC) market development trends with the recent trends and SWOT analysis

* Market dynamics scenario, along with growth opportunities of the market in the years to come

* Market segmentation analysis including qualitative and quantitative research incorporating the impact of economic and policy aspects

* Regional and country level analysis integrating the demand and supply forces that are influencing the growth of the market.

* Competitive landscape involving the market share of major players, along with the new projects and strategies adopted by players in the past five years

* Comprehensive company profiles covering the product offerings, key financial information, recent developments, SWOT analysis, and strategies employed by the major market players

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Hormone Replacement Therapy Market Analysis, Scope, Future Trends and Opportunities During 2019-2025 - Fusion Science Academy

Incoming House Speaker Chris Sprowls had little trouble Thursday convincing members of a House health-care panel to approve legislation that would prohibit life-insurance, long-term care insurance and disability-insurance companies from using customers genetic information in changing, denying or canceling policies.

Florida would become the first state to have such a law if Sprowls proposal is ultimately passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Members of the House Health & Human Services Committee passed Sprowls bill (HB 1189) without any debate, and committee Chairman Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero, praised Sprowls for introducing the bill.

I think our privacy is important. And I think its equally important to be a visionary, to look forward and I'm happy that Florida is going to be the state that leads the way on this issue, Rodrigues said.

Insurance industry lobbyists, who opposed the measure, sat quietly, agreeing to waive their speaking time.

Curt Leonard, regional vice president for state relations for the American Council of Life Insurers, said his association had expressed concerns on the issue for the past two years.

Weve expressed our concerns with Speaker Sprowls and other interested parties on this issue going back to 2018. So theres no point in repeating the same things over and over again, in the interest of the committee's time, Leonard said. That being said, we do share the speaker-designates (Sprowls) concerns about privacy. I think it's a concern for everybody.

Hours before the committee considered the bill, supporters launched a website dubbed Protecting Our DNA and a Facebook page.

The website also includes a petition and animated digital video helping to explain the issue.

Sprowls told reporters after the meeting that the social media campaign was launched to educate the public.

I think most people, myself included up until a couple years ago, (werent) aware that if you had gotten a genetic test, that was something that your insurance company could get. I think when you tell people whove said they have 23andMe or who have had a genetic test in a clinical setting, whatever the reason, they had no idea that they have this massive liability by giving it to their insurance companies, he said. So its part about raising the awareness for people that its a danger and that this bill will help close the loophole and garner support. We want them to know about the bill. We want them to be educated on the topic.

In addition to preventing insurers from using the information in making policy decisions, Sprowls bill also would block the companies from requiring or soliciting genetic information from applicants.

Sprowls said insurance companies have for years been able to sell policies without having access to the genetic data.

Insurance carriers have been successful without access to genetic information. They have been able to provide affordable coverage to consumers without genetic information. Insurance is about spreading risk, not guaranteeing the outcomes or rewards to the (carriers). And affordable life, disability, and health insurance should not be available simply to the genetic elite, Sprowls said.

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, who helps oversee the insurance industry, also backs efforts to pass legislation. In a statement issued after the vote, Patronis, said "As DNA testing becomes more popular through companies like 23andMe and AncestryDNA, we must ensure that your genetic code is not used against you."

Federal law already prevents health insurers from using genetic information in underwriting policies and in setting premiums. But the prohibition doesnt apply to life insurance or long-term care coverage, which Sprowls described as a massive loophole.

Florida isnt the only state to look at the issue. California, New Jersey, and New York require insurers to get informed consent when requesting genetic testing for life or disability insurance, according to a Florida legislative staff analysis.

Also, Massachusetts prohibits unfair discrimination on the basis of genetic information or tests and prevents requiring applicants or existing policyholders to undergo genetic testing. In Arizona, life and disability insurance carriers are prohibited from using genetic information for underwriting or ratemaking unless supported by an applicants medical condition, medical history and either claims experience or actuarial projections.

Its unusual for incoming House speakers and Senate presidents to file bills under their names. But Sprowls, a cancer survivor, said its an honor to do so.

While Sprowls influence looms large in the House, he must convince the Florida Senate to go along. For that, Sprowls said he will look to Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, to spearhead the issue.

I leave the Senate in her capable hands, Sprowls said.

Senate President Bill Galvano, though, told The News Service of Florida that he supports a potential compromise on the issue.

Leonard said a compromise would authorize consumers to use their private information any way they want to. And that might include them wanting to share their genetic science or genetic testing information, he said. So we dont like the idea that consumers will be handcuffed in how they use that information.

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Bill to withhold genetic test information from insurance companies gains momentum in Florida - Orlando Weekly

Increasing public awareness and increasing amount of companies delivering Direct-To-Consumer Genetic Testing is expected to drive the market growth.Data Bridge Market Researchhas recently announced publishing of a report, titledGlobal Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market Industry Trends and Forecast to 2026As per the report, Global direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing market is set to witness a healthyCAGR of 18%in the forecast period of 2019-2026. The report contains data of the base year 2018 and historic year 2017. This research report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing industry. The report also enlists several important factors share, size, growth, trends, global statistics, key manufacturers and 2026 forecast analysis.

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The report Global Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market intends to provide cutting-edge market intelligence and help decision makers take sound investment evaluation. Also identifies and analyses the emerging trends along with major drivers, challenges, opportunities and entry strategies for various companies in the global Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Industry.

The report profiles some of the Leading Players in the global Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market. These include:EasyDNA, Ancestry, 23andMe Inc., Color Genomics, Inc., Genesis HealthCare, Full Genomes Corporation, Inc., Helix OpCo LLC, IDENTIGENE, LLC, Living DNA Ltd, Mapmygenome, Pathway Genomics, Gene by Gene, Ltd., MyHeritage Ltd., 10X Genomics, Dante Labs, Inc., 24Genetics, LabCorp, Myriad Genetics, Inc., Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, Abacus Diagnostica Oy among others.

The report focusses on weaknesses and strengths of the global Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing market with a competitive landscape that includes information on some market vendors. Information presented in the report is gathered from primary and secondary research methods. The report also presents recent trends and opportunities of the market helping players strive for the lions share in the market.

Explore Key Industry Insights In 60 Tables And 220 Figures From The 350 Pages Of Report,Global Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market

The global Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing market report covers scope and product overview to define key terms and offers detailed information about market dynamics to the readers. This is followed by a regional outlook and segmental analysis. The report also consists of the facts and key values of the global Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing market, in terms of sales and volume, revenue and its growth rate.

One of the important factors in the global Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing market report is competitive analysis. The report covers all of the key parameters, such as product innovation, market strategies of the key players, market share, revenue generation, the latest research and development and market experts views.

Segmentation: Global Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market

By Service:Diagnostic Screening ,Prenatal ,Newborn Screening, Pre-Implantation Diagnosis, Relationship Testing.

By Test type:Carrier Testing ,Predictive Testing ,Ancestry & relationship Testing ,Nutrigenomics Testing ,Others.

By Technology:Targeted Analysis ,Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) Chips, Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) ,By Product type, Ancestry, Health and Wellness, Entertainment,

By End User:Laboratories, Blood Banks, Nursing Homes, Hospitals, Imaging Centers, Home Care, Cosmetics, Others, By Sales Channel, Online Channel, Over the Counter Channel, Doctors Office

By Business Model

Competitive Analysis: Global Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market

The global Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing market is highly fragmented and the major players have used various strategies such as product (software) launches, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market. The report includes market shares of Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing market for global, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and South America.

Primary Respondents

Demand Side: Doctors, Surgeons, Medical Consultants, Nurses, Hospital Buyers, Group Purchasing Organizations, Associations, Insurers, Medical Payers, Healthcare Authorities, Universities, Technological Writers, Scientists, Promoters, and Investors among others.

Supply Side: Product Managers, Marketing Managers, C-Level Executives, Distributors, Market Intelligence, and Regulatory Affairs Managers among others.

Key Developments in the Market:

In May 2019, MyHeritage Ltd. pronounce the launch of the MyHeritage DNA Health+Ancestry test, which gives new scopes of genetic awareness to enhance the life, enlighten the health further assists in leading a better life. It will also help the company to strengthen their genetic testing, clinical trial, and consulting capabilities in the areas of R&D providing accurate information about their genes.

In October 2018, 23andme, Inc. received the U.S. FDA approval for de novo technology, which is being operated in pharmacogenetics tests. Representing how consumers genetics may impact the way they break down certain medications. This approval will permit the company to introduce innovative and advanced products, thereby fostering companys growth.

Reasons to Purchase this Report

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Research Methodology: Global Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market

Data collection and base year analysis is done using data collection modules with large sample sizes. The market data is analysed and forecasted using market statistical and coherent models. Also market share analysis and key trend analysis are the major success factors in the market report. To know more please request an analyst call or can drop down your enquiry.

The key research methodology used by DBMR research team is data triangulation which involves data mining, analysis of the impact of data variables on the market, and primary (industry expert) validation. Apart from this, other data models include Vendor Positioning Grid, Market Time Line Analysis, Market Overview and Guide, Company Positioning Grid, Company Market Share Analysis, Standards of Measurement, Top to Bottom Analysis and Vendor Share Analysis. To know more about the research methodology, drop in an inquiry to speak to our industry experts.

Customization of the Report

All segmentation provided above in this report is represented at country level.

All products covered in the market, product volume and average selling prices will be included as customizable options which may incur no or minimal additional cost (depends on customization)

Table of Content:Global Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market

Browse Complete Tables and Figures:https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/toc/?dbmr=global-direct-to

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Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.

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Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market 2020 Share Growing Rapidly with Recent Trends, Revenue, Top Players, Development, Demand and Forecast...

Cancer Research UK has announced that a new type of scan involving magnetising molecules could allow doctors to see in real-time which regions of a breast tumour are active.

According to research, which was funded by the UK organisation, carbon-13 hyperpolarised imaging can be used to monitor breast cancer.

Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the report shows that researchers tested the technique in seven patients from Adenbrookes Hospital with various types and grades of breast cancer before they had received any treatment.

They used the scan to measure how fast the patients tumours were metabolising a naturally occurring molecule called pyruvate, and were able to detect differences in the size, type and grade of tumours a measure of how fast growing, or aggressive the cancer is.

Professor Kevin Brindle, lead researcher from the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, said that the results show one of the most detailed pictures of the metabolism of a patients breast cancer that weve ever been able to achieve. Its like we can see the tumour breathing.

He continued, Combining this with advances in genetic testing, this scan could in the future allow doctors to better tailor treatments to each individual, and detect whether patients are responding to treatments, like chemotherapy, earlier than is currently possible.

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK, with around 55,000 new cases each year. 80% of people with breast cancer survive for 10 years or more, however for some subtypes, survival is much lower.

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New scan could see active breast tumour regions in 'real-time' - PharmaTimes

About 150,000 new cases of epilepsy are confirmed in the U.S. each year. But the cause of epilepsy a neurological condition that causes seizures remains unknown for 6 out of 10 people.

Scientists suspect unidentified genetic factors are likely behind the epilepsy cases with unknown causes,according to theEpilepsy Foundation. Because the relationship between genes and seizures is complex, genetic testing is unavailable for many forms of epilepsy.

Additionally, the identified causes of epilepsy can vary by a person's age.For some, structural brain abnormalities including congenital conditions and injury-based changes spark seizures. For others, metabolic disorders, brain infections or immune-related changes cause epilepsy.

Despite the unknowns surrounding epilepsy's cause,scientists have identified ways to reduce the risk of developing it.

Anyone at any age can develop epilepsy. The marked characteristic of the disorder is the frequency of seizures. A person is diagnosed with epilepsy after they have had two or more of them.

A seizure occurs when there is a surge of electrical activity in the brain that can affect how a person looks or acts. The appearance of a seizure depend on the parts of the brain that are affected. Sometimes, a personwon't experience any noticeable symptoms during an episode.

There are generally three stages of a seizure, but not every victims experiences all three.

For some, the first symptom is an aura sensory or visual impairment. The heart of the electrical activity occurs during the middle, or ictal, phase. During this phase a person may have trouble talking or moving and experience tremors, muscle spasms or convulsions. Some people even have out of body sensations.

The third phase, known as the postictal phase, is the recovery period. It can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours to bounce back from a seizure.

The most common types of seizures that affect both sides of the brain are petit mal and grand mal seizures.

During a petit mal seizure, a person experiences more minor symptoms, like rapid blinking or spacing out for a few moments. But during a grand mal, the victim may lose consciousness and collapse to the ground.

People with epilepsy may be diagnosed with a particular syndrome based on certain features, like the type of seizure, cause and their age at initial onset. For example, Doose Syndrome occurs mostly in boys and has an initial onset in early childhood. It can be difficult to control with medication.

There is no cure for epilepsy, but medication can help control the seizures. Most people living with epilepsy can engage in their normal activities as long as their seizures remain under control.In the case of more severe, uncontrollable seizures, a doctor may recommend surgery.

Uncontrollable seizures can cause development issues in children and prevent adults from being able to drive and maintain a job.

Epileptic seizures also can be fatal.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that there are approximately 1.16 cases of sudden unexpected death per 1,000 people withepilepsy each year.

Though there are a lot unknowns regarding the causes of epilepsy, the CDC and the Mayo Clinic suggest various recommendations toreduce risk:

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The causes of epilepsy are not always clear, but there are ways to treat and prevent it - PhillyVoice.com

20 January 2020

Researchers testing a new way to harvest embryosfor genetic screening have been criticised for payingwomen in Mexico to be inseminated.

The study, published online in Human Reproduction, involved 81 women at a hospital near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Each participant was paid about $1400 to be artificially inseminated and subsequentlyto undergo a procedure where the embryos were flushed from the womb and analysed for research.

Lead investigator Dr Santiago Munnsuggests the new method could offer a simpler, less expensive way to assure a healthy child for couples with high risk for passing on genetic disease, such as beta-thalassemia or cystic fibrosis.

'The advantage is that these embryos are conceived naturally, so you don't need in vitro fertilisation (IVF) to do the genetic testing of the embryos. In theory, it should be much cheaper,' Dr Munn said.

As a first step, the participants received hormone injections to stimulate their ovaries' eggproduction a standard way to increase the number ofeggs obtained in fertility treatments.

Unlike IVF, the eggs weren't extracted before fertilisation in the lab, instead fertilisation was achieved in vivo by means of insemination with donor sperm. Four to six days later, the resulting embryos were flushed out using a mechanical procedure called 'lavage' and analysed,comparing them to embryos produced via IVF.

Theresearch has been calledunethical by critics.

'What this essentially does is use a woman's body as a petri dish, and there's something about that that seems so profoundly disturbing,' Dr Laurie Zoloth,a bioethicist from the University of Chicago, told NPR.

Other issues include the payment participants received, equal to more than two month's average salary in the area, which might become coercive to participants living on the poverty line.

The study also posedhealth risks to the participating women, who received intensive hormone stimulation. In some cases the lavage did not remove all the embryos, making terminations necessary.

Editor-in-chief of Human Reproduction, Professor Lambalk, told NPR that after verifying that the research had been thoroughly reviewed, they decided to publish the study along with an editorial and a commentary to draw attention to the ethical issues it raised.

In response to the criticism, Dr Munn referred to the extensive review and subsequent approval by the Ministry of Health of the State of Nayarit, Mexico, and the Western Institutional Review Board in the United States. Furthermore, he noted that the women were fully informed ofrisks associated with participation.

Embryos produced in the study have been frozen to be used by couples experiencing infertility and have been used to produce at least five pregnancies and three, thus far, healthy babies.

More here:
Embryo research to reduce the need for in vitro fertilization raises ethical concerns - BioNews

The Global Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market study with 100+ market data Tables, Pie Chat, Graphs & Figures is now released by Data Bridge Market Research. The report presents a complete assessment of the Market covering future trend, current growth factors, attentive opinions, facts, and industry validated market data forecast till 2026. Delivering the key insights pertaining to this industry, the report provides an in-depth analysis of the latest trends, present and future business scenario, market size and share of Major Players such as EasyDNA, Ancestry, 23andMe Inc., Color Genomics, Inc., Genesis HealthCare, Full Genomes Corporation, Inc., Helix OpCo LLC, IDENTIGENE, LLC, Living DNA Ltd, Mapmygenome, Pathway Genomics, Gene by Gene, Ltd., MyHeritage Ltd., 10X Genomics, Dante Labs, Inc., 24Genetics, LabCorp, Myriad Genetics.

Global direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing market is set to witness a healthy CAGR of 18% in the forecast period of 2019-2026.

Avail 20% Discount on Buying This Report: Get a Free Sample Copy of the Report @ (Use Corporate email ID to Get Higher Priority): https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-direct-to-consumer-dtc-genetic-testing-market&BloomBerg

Market Dynamics:

Set of qualitative information that includes PESTEL Analysis, PORTER Five Forces Model, Value Chain Analysis and Macro Economic factors, Regulatory Framework along with Industry Background and Overview.

Global Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Research Methodology

Data Bridge Market Research presents a detailed picture of the market by way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. The data thus presented is comprehensive, reliable, and the result of extensive research, both primary and secondary. The analysts have presented the various facets of the market with a particular focus on identifying the key industry influencers.

Major Drivers and Restraints of the Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Industry

Market Drivers

High ageing population and growing prevalence of genetic diseases will boost this market growth

Growing customer awareness about the DTC genetic testing acts as a market driver

Tests are effortlessly accessible to the customers around the world; this factor acts as a major market driver

Market Restraints

High charges of DTC genetic testing kits can hamper the growth of this market

Lack of skilled and trained professional is another factor restraining the growth of the market

Scientific, technical and clinical issues along with fidelity to facts and truth-in-advertising can also act as restraining factor for the growth of this market

Complete report is available @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/toc/?dbmr=global-direct-to-consumer-dtc-genetic-testing-market&BloomBerg

For an excellent outcome of Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing report, qualitative and transparent research studies are carried out devotedly for the specific niche. Being a global market research report, it also identifies, analyses, and estimates the emerging trends along with major drivers, challenges and opportunities in the industry and analysis of vendors, geographical regions, types, and applications. An idea about competitive landscape plays very important role in deciding about the improvements required in the product and more. As businesses can achieve thorough insights with this report, they can confidently take decisions about their production and marketing strategies.

The titled segments and sub-section of the market are illuminated below:

Region Included are: United States, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India & Central & South America

By Service: Diagnostic Screening, Prenatal, Newborn Screening, Pre-Implantation Diagnosis

By Product Type: Ancestry, Health and Wellness, Entertainment

By Business Model: Genome Data Bank Material Model, Individual Health Planning Model

Top Players in the Market are: EasyDNA, Ancestry, 23andMe Inc., Color Genomics, Inc., Genesis HealthCare, Full Genomes Corporation, Inc., Helix OpCo LLC, IDENTIGENE, LLC, Living DNA Ltd, Mapmygenome, Pathway Genomics, Gene by Gene, Ltd., MyHeritage Ltd., 10X Genomics, Dante Labs, Inc., 24Genetics, LabCorp, Myriad Genetics.

How will the report help new companies to plan their investments in the Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing market?

The Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing market research report classifies the competitive spectrum of this industry in elaborate detail. The study claims that the competitive reach spans the companies of .

The report also mentions about the details such as the overall remuneration, product sales figures, pricing trends, gross margins, etc.

Information about the sales & distribution area alongside the details of the company, such as company overview, buyer portfolio, product specifications, etc., are provided in the study.

Any query? Enquire Here For Discount Or Report Customization: https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/inquire-before-buying/?dbmr=global-direct-to-consumer-dtc-genetic-testing-market&BloomBerg

Some of the Major Highlights of TOC covers:

Chapter 1: Methodology & Scope

Definition and forecast parameters

Methodology and forecast parameters

Data Sources

Chapter 2: Executive Summary

Business trends

Regional trends

Product trends

End-use trends

Chapter 3: Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Industry Insights

Industry segmentation

Industry landscape

Vendor matrix

Technological and innovation landscape

Chapter 4: Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market, By Region

Chapter 5: Company Profile

Business Overview

Financial Data

Product Landscape

Strategic Outlook

SWOT Analysis

Thanks for reading this article, you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.

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An absolute way to forecast what future holds is to comprehend the trend today!Data Bridge set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process. Data bridge is an aftermath of sheer wisdom and experience which was formulated and framed in the year 2015 in Pune.

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Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market Astonishing Growth| EasyDNA, Ancestry, 23andMe, Gene by Gene - Fusion Science Academy

Ever wonder why the clothes that fit you so well 20 years ago are too small today? Has your size gone from medium to large without you knowing how or why? Well, here is a cockamamie theory to explain such a phenomenon. A theory that makes about as much sense as showing up at one of the big box stores at midnight on Thanksgiving to shop.

A little background first. Before the Industrial Revolution, we used to make our own clothes. Our mothers made our clothes, our fathers watched Ozzie and Harriet reruns. Just kidding. Fathers made guns and tools and tamed horses.

Things changed when industrialization dictated that our clothing would now be made in factories by workers who are paid money. Those workers could be living anywhere, in less developed countries like Sri Lanka or Cambodia, halfway around the world. Now, Im not denigrating any group of people when I write that the average height of men and women of a certain country may be shorter (or to be politically correct, of less height) than those living in more developed countries. It is well known that human growth is limited by poor nutrition and poverty, but genetics play a major role also.

My point is that my shirts started misfitting me at about the time the shirts in the marketplace began to sport labels of manufacture from places like Myanmar and Bangladesh. According to a 2013 study by the University of Oxford, the average height of those inhabitants of Asian origin was 6 inches shorter than those inhabitants of North America and Europe. I discovered this firsthand years ago on a Tokyo subway when I gazed down the length of the train car and saw nothing but the tops of heads. In comparison, I would see a sea of shirt collars on a subway back in America.

In that same report from Oxford, the average height of a Danish man was listed at 183 centimeters (5 feet, 11 inches), tallest in the world, while the average Burmese male comes in at 161 centimeters (5 feet, 5 inches). Scientists know that height and build are dependent on good health, good nutrition and avoidance of poverty, but the most important factor is genetics. If you want to be tall when you grow up, choose tall parents.

So my crazy proposition is that somehow shirts being made by an average Burmese woman from Myanmar are for an average North American male (a full 6 inches taller than the person making it) to wear.

Ive got it in my head that somehow the person sewing the shirt is influenced by the height of the recipient. It may appear to be ridiculous, but so does the idea of the Electoral College. Given my take on the relationship between sewer and sewee, a mens medium shirt made in Samoa would end up the same size as a two-person tent from L.L.Bean. Ill report on that at a future time.

Previous

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Over Easy: History of Shopping, part II - Press Herald

SALT LAKE CITY While opioid-related deaths dominate recent headlines, even more people died as a result of drinking alcoholic beverages over the last two decades. During that period, close to 1 million Americans died from alcohol-related causes, as overall consumption rose and drinking patterns changed, according to an analysis of U.S. death certificates from 1999 to 2017 by researchers at the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Alcohol consumption, emergency room visits related to drinking and hospitalizations also increased during that time frame, according to a new study published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

I think that drinking is a huge problem and weve forgotten about alcohol with the attention on opioids. Alcohol kills more. We havent seen it go away, said Dr. Elizabeth F. Howell, an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Utah who is board-certified in addiction psychiatry and addiction medicine.

Women drove most of the increase, though they are still much less likely to consume alcohol than men. Women are, however, drinking at higher rates than they were across all adult age categories in those 20 years, while male drinking patterns were comparatively flat. Death rates involving alcohol, in fact, increased 85% for women, compared to 35% for men.

Men drink a lot more, they drink more often. They drive drunk more, they are injured and die more. They go to the hospital more, said Aaron M. White, lead author on the study and senior scientific advisor to the director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. But women are catching up; the gap is narrowing.

Meanwhile, women are particularly vulnerable to the physical harm associated with alcohol, compared to men, a phenomenon Howell called telescoping. It means that women get in trouble with alcohol faster than men, from getting addicted to developing medical complications because they have less of an enzyme that helps metabolize alcohol. If drinking had a lifespan, she said, it would be 10 years shorter for women.

The institute study points to a growing body of research that shows alcohol in even moderate amounts increases the risk of breast cancer for women. They also face more risk of developing heart or liver disease, alcohol use disorder and other health problems related to drinking.

In 1999, 35,914 death certificates mentioned alcohol. In 2017, the number rose to 72,558. That compares to nearly 70,000 drug-related deaths, including opioids like heroin and fentanyl.

Women ages 55-64 had the highest rate of female alcohol-related deaths, followed by those ages 45-54. The death rate increased for women by 5.2% a year from 2010-2017. In 1999-2010, the annual increase was 2.1%. The highest rate of alcohol-related male deaths is also among those 55 to 64, followed by those 65 to 74.

Experts note that many death certificates dont mention the role of alcohol, though it is relevant. Of drivers who die in crashes with a blood-alcohol level above 0.08%, a level pretty much everyone considers dangerous, White said, fewer than 1 in 5 death certificates list alcohol as contributing.

Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 1 in 3 deaths from falls involve excessive drinking, but fewer than 2% of those death certificates say it. Its not a nefarious plot; often someone is taken to the hospital and dies hours later. By that time, the alcohol is not detectable during autopsy, White said.

Patterns of drinking also changed in ways that may be surprising. Beer consumption is down. Wine consumption is up. Consumption of spirits went up more than anything, White said.

Industry tracker IWSR said the volume of wine consumption fell slightly in 2019, the first drop since 1994. The Wall Street Journal reported volumes of ready-to-drink products consumed rose 50%, driven by hard seltzers and canned cocktails. Spirits volumes grew 2.3%, helped by mezcal, tequila, cognac, bourbon and other whiskey. Beer continued to decline, falling 2.3%.

While more women and more older women are binge drinking, binge drinking has been decreasing among college students for a few years, dropping most in states where marijuana is legal, according to research from Oregon State University. Marijuana use, not surprisingly, has increased significantly in those states.

Its hard to say what increased marijuana use will bring, said David C. R. Kerr, associate professor of psychological science and a co-author of that study. We know that marijuana use is not totally distinct from other substances.

Binge drinking is clearly linked to harm, though, he said, noting more run-ins with the police, sexual assaults and risky behavior involve alcohol. Known negative outcomes with marijuana include poor motivation, less academic achievement and greater risk for driving accidents.

Amid the shifting trends, theres a bit of encouraging news, if it holds over time, White said: While alcohol use and harm are going up for adults, they are coming down among adolescents particularly adolescent males. Alcohol use has also declined among those college age, again mostly among males, not females, who are more likely to report drinking and being drunk than are males that age.

The greatest increase in drinking is among older non-Hispanic white women.

White believes as baby boomers age, they will continue to bring higher levels of alcohol and drug use with them. He said experts expect increases in harm among older drinkers, but its possible that if younger cohorts arent drinking and harming themselves they could bring a new attitude toward alcohol.

Thats already being seen in different social movements, like Sober October and Dry January. The sober curious are taking a time out from alcohol consumption or eschewing it entirely. Boozeless bars are also becoming popular.

Basically, theyre asking the question, What is this drug again? White said. Why are we drinking it? What do we get from it?

Its too soon to predict the change will hold among those who are younger now, said White. But hes among those hoping that will be the case. Right now, weve got what weve got, which is an increase among adults.

Alcoholism is not determined by how much one drinks, Howell said, but what happens when one drinks, such as loss of consistent control over consumption and continued use of alcohol in the face of adverse consequences.

The biggest risk of becoming alcoholic is genetic, but people dont necessarily know they carry genetic risk. Trauma is a big risk, as well. And the younger one starts drinking the more the risk increases. One can become an alcoholic at any age and studies suggest the share of people becoming alcoholic when they are older is growing.

Chronic excessive drinking doesnt spare any organ system, White said. It triggers inflammation and irritates the stomach lining. It alters the brain. If you just keep doing that over time, the body ends up damaged. Alcohol takes a toll; it is not a nutrient.

Still, he added, its a legal drug for adults as long as they dont break laws. And at low doses, the risks appear to be smaller, though they are not zero. The risk goes up the more you drink.

Howell said some may be able to drink more, others less, without harm. And she notes one little-known risk factor: gastric bypass. People who have had it and drink see greater harm.

Does America have a drinking problem? White ruminates.

Yes, we have a drinking problem that in some ways is getting worse and in other ways is getting better. Its getting worse among adults, especially middle-age and older. Its certainly getting worse among women in general. But the positive component is less drinking among adolescents and young adults. Whether that will lead to fewer problems as they age, we dont know.

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Does the United States have a drinking problem? - Deseret News

Publishing Date : 21 January, 2020

Benson C SailiTHIS EARTH, MY BROTHER

It all began in Orion on a planet of the Suriya star

If we depose that Princes Diana was a direct descendent of Jesus of Nazareth, it necessitates, General Atiku, that we posit a well-buttressed argument that she indeed was such. This, General, is not a profession that can be exhaustively elucidated upon in only one or two articles: maybe three, four, five, six, or even more. As such, I accordingly seek your permission, venerable General, that I do likewise.

I am mindful that you may find this elaborate approach a shade overdone and even somewhat pedantic, but Ill trust to your patience and forbearance anyway. After all, patience is the companion of wisdom and you General constitute a remarkable repository of enormous reserves of both these traits. Not too long ago, General, relatively speaking, I served up a series titled The Jesus Papers. I would like to believe, General, that you followed it avidly and fervidly. Much of what I will say in relation to the divinity of Diana if you will, General, I did enunciate in The Jesus Papers, and to a larger extent in The Earth Chronicles.

If I am obliged to restate the same in the Lady Die context, General, it is only for the sake of that segment of the readership who came aboard the This Earth My Brother bandwagon much later and therefore missed out on the gem that was The Jesus Papers and the inceptual section of The Earth Chronicles narrative. Certainly General, I wouldnt want them to find themselves in a position where they make neither head nor tail of the tale that is being woven before them.

HOLY GRAIL BEGINS WITH ORION

As a keen and voracious all-round reader General, Im sure you will have come across the concept of the Holy Grail elsewhere other than my own writings. In the wider public domain, it first surfaced in a 1982 best-seller, The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail (sub-titled The Secret History of Christ and the Shocking Legacy of the Grail) by the trio of Henry Lincoln, Michael Baigent, and Richard Leigh.

There were further cherries on the cake by another prolific mystery historian Laurence Gardner. These were Bloodline of The Holy Grail (sub-titled The Hidden Lineage of Jesus Revealed), 1989; Genesis of the Grail Kings (sub-titled The Explosive Story of Genetic Cloning and the Ancient Bloodline of Jesus), 1999; and The Magdalene Legacy (sub-titled The Jesus and Mary Bloodline Conspiracy), 2005.

Barbara Theirings Jesus and the Riddle of the Dead Sea Scrolls (sub-titled Unlocking the Secrets of His Life Story), 1992, was further food for thought about who exactly the Saviour or Messiah was. But it was The Davinci Code, a 2003, blockbuster, fact-based fictional work that mainstreamed the subject of the Holy Grail into daily parlance, General. Never before, General, had Jesus mortality, as opposed to his divinity, so riveted the attention of a globalwide audience.

All the above works in varying degrees of depth traced the origins of the Holy Grail to either the Anunnaki (Gardner) or Jesus (Theiring and Lincoln & Co). But years before Lincoln & Co put pen to paper, General, Robert Morning Sky had gone much further: in his pocket-sized book titled Eden, Atlantis, and the UFO Myth, he traced the genesis of the Holy Grail to the Orion star system. How so General? And what anyway is this animal called the Holy Grail?

EARTH, A COLONY OF ORION

Over the course of time, the Holy Grail, General, has assumed any number of forms depending on whos telling the story and the juncture in history he or she is specifically highlighting. In the main, it has been characterised as a cup, bow, dish, chalice, goblet, platter, or a stone invested with miraculous powers to heal all wounds, deliver eternal youth, and grant everlasting happiness. But all these, General, are little more than emblems of the real deal. For the fact of the matter, General, is that the Holy Grail is a genetic strain that goes all the way back to the Orion Queen, who resides in a cosmic location ranging from 243 to 1360 light years away.

Permit me at this juncture, General, to restate a cardinal point I adduced in The Earth Chronicles that our planet Earth is not independent: it is a colony, de jure or de facto, of the Sirian-Orion star system. Earth is actually situated on the fringes of the broader Sirian-Orion Empire, the most expansive in the Milky Way Galaxy. The history of Earth, General, begins not here but in the Sirian-Orion star system and even further back in the Lyran star system as we amply demonstrated in The Earth Chronicles.

The term Orion derives from the ancient compound word Ori-An. Orimeant Spirit, that is, the Spirit of the Queen of Orion; Holy; or Master Race; and Anstood for Heaven, that is, the cosmos. Thus Orion was the abode of the Holy Goddess. To the ancients, therefore, Heaven was not a spiritual realm of existence where First Source dwells, the way it is understood in modern-day religion: it was the home of the Mother Goddess primarily. The Mother Goddess was not a spiritual being: she was the Queen of Orion.

In the worlds the beings of Orion conquered, they were referred to as the Alla-An, Arra-An, Ari-An, or Aya-An (varying but related renditions of one of the Orion Queens multiple titles). All these forms of address meant The Holy Ones of Heaven or The Divine of Heaven. It is Ari-An/Alla-An which gives us the words Aryan and Alien, terms ancient Earthlings used for beings from the Orion star system primarily and all ETs in general. The Sumerians, the worlds best-known known civilisation of old, called it Uru-Anna, meaning Crown of Heaven.

Orion, General, is the most significant constellation both astronomically and historically with respect to Earth. Orion has had the most impact and influence on Earth exopolitically as ancient records attest. Only Sirius is second in this regard. Orion is one of the largest constellations in the cosmic expanse. It has more than 300 stars. Its brightest stars are Rigel and Betelguese, whose civilisations have featured prominently in Earths cosmic history. The other significant stars are Mintaka, Alnilam, and Alnitak. These constitute what is known as Orions Belt. It is Mintaka, General, to which the shaft of the Giza Pyramids Queens Chamber is astronomically aligned.

If you do read the Bible at least from time to time, you will be aware, General, that Orion is directly mentioned in the Bible three times in JOB 9:9 (He [God] is the maker of the Bear and Orion), JOB 38:31 (Can you loosen Orion`s belt?), and AMOS 5:8 (He [God] who made the Pleiades and Orion). In the gospels, the three stars on Orions Belt have been allegorised as the Three Wise Men who presented special gifts to baby Jesus. Ancients called the Orion Belt stars as the Three Kings.

The symbology in the Jesus story of the Star from the East (Sirius) and the Three Wise Men (the three stars studding Orions belt) is a veiled message that Jesus had both Sirius and Orion origins. But he was not unique in that way, General: we all have genes of beings from Sirius and Orion.

A SPECIES KNOWN AS KHEBS

The first planet to develop life by way of evolution in the Orion star system General has at times been referred to as the Green World because green is the colour that is generally associated with Reptoids inasmuch as the baseline colour of the worker class of the Reptoid world, the mainstream class, is green. The insect genotype that was the first to dominate its species on the Green World looked like a dragonfly. It also had traits and characteristics of a bee. If it arose on Earth, we would call it a dragonfly-bee. In the ancient records, however, it is referred to as a Kheb.

The Khebs laid their eggs in the ponds. The newly-born Khebs looked like microscopic scorpions, with tiny stingers on their tails and tiny pincer claws on their forelegs. The moment they were born, General, the Khebs went to war with each other. They fought for territory straight from birth and they killed straight from birth very much in keeping with Reptilian humanoids were familiar with here on our planet.

In time, the Khebs left the watery ambience to dwell on dry land but up in the trees. Here, another transformation took place. The Khebsno longer looked like a dragonfly-bee but like a mantis. By then, their outer skins had hardened into a tough shell. How did the Khebs reproduce, General? For ages, they produced asexually, that is, without the involvement of a male Kheb. This was not by choice: the male species had not appeared at this stage. Evolution is such that female creatures appear first. Male creatures follow at a later stage. These are millions of years were talking about General.

KHEB INSECTS BECOME REPTILES

At long last, General, a genetic mutation in the Kheb females caused Kheb males to come into existence. The Kheb species was now able to reproduce sexually. In other words, the Khebs were capable of producing either sexually or asexually depending on their preference or environmental factors such as climate for instance. Remember, General, the Khebshad part-characteristics of bees and bees even in our day produce either way, sexually or asexually. When the eggs are fertilised by male seed (sexual reproduction), they will always produce a female.

When they are not fertilised by male seed (asexual reproduction), they will always produce a male. This is what was happening to the Khebs as well. However, for the Kheb females to produce sexually, General, it necessitated a certain transformation in their internal organs. This change was necessary to permit conception. Before the advent of male Khebs, female Khebs routinely survived on the nectar of plants or the flesh of other insect species. Now they needed to feed on the blood of other creatures. The female Khebshad become vampires, like what malevolent Reptoids (humanoids [beings who look like us] who evolved from a reptile) are today.

As time went by, in billions of years, the Khebs, General, became large, flying reptiles. At this stage, the male Khebs had bony plates all over their bodies and arms and legs, much like the dinosaurs of Earth in the long ago prehistoric eras. They had a ridge of short plates with semi-sharp edges, that began near their forehead, trailed back and over their skull and down their backs, gradually tapering down on their short slender tail (like a Tokoloshe, or sprite in English.). All the while, the Khebs retained the ability to fly.

At some stage, the Kheb reptiles began to branch into several related species. Some specialised as lizards, others as dinosaurs and still others as snakes. It was the latter species, the snake strain, that proliferated on the Green World, General. Even among the snake species, there were branches. Here on Earth, we have more than 3000 snake species. The Green world must have had a similar number of serpent strains too.

KHEB REPTILES BECOME HUMANOIDS

In the course of evolution, General, genetic instructions were such that the Kheb males were physically smaller than the Kheb females. This indeed is true of the overwhelming majority of reptiles: females are typically larger than males. It is only among mammals and birds that males are predominantly larger than females. But there was one major development with the Kheb females on the Green World that was particularly significant, General. A glitch in their physiology rendered them poisonous.

Relates Robert Morning Sky: Something happened to the female Khebs that did not happen to the males. The changes in their bodies that produced the hormones necessary for the production of offspring also produced a fluid that was acidic and highly poisonous to other creatures! The Kheb Reptilian females could protect themselves and their nests by spitting natural venom into the eyes and faces of their victims. A stream of hot acidic fluid that struck the face of an enemy could cause nerve-numbing paralysis or blindness.

If there was an open wound or the venom entered the gullet of the victim, death was almost always certain. And woe be to any enemy that felt the fangs of the female Kheb. The Kheb females were resultantly much more feared than the Kheb males, General. In time, General, the Khebs became the most dominant life form on the Green World. It were the Khebs who became the first humanoid species to evolve on the Green World.

And just as we Earthlings have lost much of the features and traits of the animal from which we evolved, an ape-like creature, the Khebs also lost a great deal of the very distinct Reptilian and insect features of their ancestors. They no longer had scales, for example, and could no longer fly. But unlike us, they were smooth through and through: they didnt have a single strand of hair on their bodies because they evolved from a hairless insect strain which metamorphosed into a hairless serpentine creature (it explains, General, why Enki, the great Anunnaki scientist who genetically engineered mankind into existence from Anunnaki and Ape Man genes [see The Earth Chronicles series] and whose primordial ancestry was Kheb, is always bald-headed and without a beard in every ancient depiction of him that take the form of a statue).

In terms of skin texture, the Kheb race were very much like the Ebens of planet Serpo, who also evolved from a serpentine creature (see Zeta Series). These first Reptoids to emerge on the Green World, General, were known as the Surbah. Surbah is a compound word, with Sur standing for majestic and Bah meaning being. Surbah therefore meant Royal Race. It is the term Surbah which gives us the Sanskrit word sarpha; the Latin word serpens; and the English word serpent.

The serpent race, General, was the first to arise, by way of evolution, in the 9th Passageway of the Milky Way Galaxy, arguably the most lucrative trade route in the cosmos. Let me underline this most pertinent of points General: originally, the term serpent did not mean snake at all. It had a very noble meaning Majestic Race. The snake connotation arose as a slur on that race by the Sirians, the beings of the Sirius star system, just because the Surbah evolved from a snake-like creature. In sum, General, the Surbah evolved from a dragon-fly bee insect to a mantis to a large flying reptile to a snake-like creature to a humanoid.

THE SURIYA STAR

The Surbah, as the first fully sentient beings to evolve on the Green World, were very spiritual General. This is the trend with evolution everywhere in this universe. Why is it like this? Because the first souls to incarnate did so cloaked in predominantly female energy although as spirits they are genderless. Thats why all life begins with females everywhere in the universe. We all know that females are comparatively tender-hearted than males (albeit more gullible than males because they generally think with their emotions than intellect).

They are in fact more spiritual, more affectionate, and way kinder than males. Females are also known to have a facility for communicating with the spirit world. It explains, General, why most psychics are women and the shamans of old were initially women. In the primordial age of the Surbah, life in this counterfeit universe (which was designed by Lucifer) was very much akin to that of the real Heaven, General. It was a kind of Paradise. The ancients referred to this age as the Dar-Ek-Uye, meaning the Primeval Holy Age of the Universe.

Sadly, the historical particulars of this age are not fully chronicled by cosmic historians; only its general tenor and tempo. The relevant history that cascaded down to our Solar System begins in the Omakh, the Age of the Divine Mother. This was the Age of the Orion Queen.It was the age of Ari-Anbeings, as the ancients referred to the Orion civilisation. Now, the ancients, General, did not refer to the Orion constellation as such.

They called it the Shagari Stars, meaning Fires That Drift (shagari being a compound word made up of asa[fiery] + gar [to drift or fly]). Of course we know that stars, also called suns, are fiery at least theoretically and are not stationary: they too drift in their own orbits carrying along their planets with them, just as planets drift in their own orbits carrying along their satellites (moons) with them.

The Shagari cosmic region had numerous stars. From the viewpoint of our planet, astronomers today designate at least 300 as the constellations notable stars, that is, those that can be detected from this distance by virtue of their more pronounced degree of luminosity. However, only ten of the Shagari Stars had planets, and of these ten only seven were the most consequential.

One of the seven most important stars was known as the Suriya star, meaning Star of the Divine One (Suriyabeing a compound word made up of sur[majestic] + Aya[divine or holy]). In the Omakh age, the Divine One was the Orion (Shagari) Queen. It was on one of the planets of the Suriya star, in the Shagari star system and in the Peshmeten the 9thPassage Way of the Milky Way Galaxy that the Serpent race arose, first as the holy Surbah, and over time as the degenerate Ari-An beings, General.NEXT WEEK: THE GREAT MA-MA

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Genesis of the Holy Grail - WeekendPost

Scrolling through your Instagram is often not an easy task. Each day your feed is bombarded by seemingly perfect mirror selfies or poolside pictures, and you cant help but wonder why cant I look like that?

People often compare themselves to what they see online, at school, or in their own homes. In fact, a recent study done by psychiatrists at UCLA report that people today feel worse about their appearance compared to statistics from the 1970s. Similarly, in a schoolwide survey, 64% of respondents feel like they too struggle with body image.

Body image is defined as ones perception of his or her aesthetic body. This being said, one can have either a positive or negative body image. A person who expresses positive body image, body satisfaction, is able to appreciate his or her natural shape and recognize that physical appearance in no way correlates to ones character or value. On the other hand, body dissatisfaction causes a person to develop a distorted vision of oneself.

According to The National Eating Disorders Association, people who feel frustrated with their bodies are more likely to suffer from feelings of isolation, low self-esteem, and depression. Even though there is no single explanation of why eating disorders develop, research identifies body dissatisfaction as the best-known contributor to conditions such as anorexia and bulimia.

In a survey of 100 Brentwood School students, 90% reported that social media was a cause of body image issues, 75% reported that it comes from their peers, 35% from sports, 33% from parents, 20% from their siblings, and 9% named other sources such as stereotypes, magazines, and celebrities.

Upper School counseling department member and psychologist Densise Mahdesian has worked with patients, both inside and outside of Brentwood School, on issues relating to body dissatisfaction.

Restricting food intake is a way people seek to gain control in their lives, Mahdesian said.

Mahdesian also speaks on the genetics of eating disorders.

Its psychology, biology, and social factors, Mahdesian said. Its all combined. People with these diseases tend to have family members who struggle with alcoholism or mood disorders.

With women in particular, body dissatisfaction, is deeply rooted in our historical view of the female body. Since the beginning of time, women have been valued for their bodies dating back centuries. Such a strong emphasis has allowed for the cultural norm to become a sexualized view of a womans body, rather than understanding it as an outlet in which humans sustain life and function.

Even in the present day, these ideals are still apparent. NEDA reported that 40% to 60% of girls who are six to 12 years old already begin expressing concerns about their shape or weight.

Negative body image is an equally serious issue for men. Subclinical eating disordered behaviors, such as binge eating, laxative abuse, and fasting, are about as common in males as they are in females. A more recent pattern among men is the development of Orthorexia the obsessive behavior when seeking a healthier diet.

The hyperfocus on health can easily tip into something very unhealthy as fitness is becoming extremely compulsive, said Director of Upper School Counseling Bryan Anderson.

A major contributor to this rise in body dissatisfaction in men is the movie industry, especially superhero films. For instance, Healthline.com points to the fact that The Marvel Cinematic Universe which tops the list for highest grossing film franchises portrays men with ideal bodies.

In order to be a hero in these movies, men must be muscular. By projecting this message, society is essentially encouraging men to prioritize their physical bodies over their character or mind.

Nearly 70% of Brentwood students surveyed said that they think there is an ideal body type that they should look like.

However, everyone has a different shape based upon their genetic makeup, and that is perfectly alright.

In addition to school counselors, there are multiple resources for students to hold important conversations. One resource is B-Well, Brentwoods first student-run mental health initiative that officially launched this year. In November, B-Well focused on body image. B-Well also provides resources in Schoology regarding body image and eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.

Other peer-led resources for students include Girl Impact, which can provide a safe space for all students, male or female, to discuss either body satisfaction or dissatisfaction.

Lastly, the Gender Studies course, taught by Upper School Assistant Director Dana Gonzalez, delves into gender-charged topics such as body image. In particular, Gonzalez encourages her students to tackle the language from the best-selling novel, The Beauty Myth, which supports women and young girls perception of their bodies, a profoundly eye-opening experience for her classes.

No matter if you fit the perfect image or not, we should be open to talk about it and get rid of the stigma by making it a part of our everyday conversations, Gonzalez said.

Excerpt from:
Opinion: Body image and its presence on school campuses - Los Angeles Times

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Shelf Life Extension Ingredients Market To Exceed Revenues Worth US$ By The End Of 2018 2028 Dagoretti News - Dagoretti News

Chambers and The Fruitery will be revealing an exciting new launch at this years Fruit Logistica, as The Fruitery announces its decision to expand its business to include the supply of fresh fruit and branded medley pots for the foodservice, retail and culinary trade sectors, alongside the original white label offering.

Last year Chambers - which enjoys a strong heritage as a grower whose innovative business model enables customers to access soft fruit direct from the grower resulting in a shelf life extension of two days - became the UKs only specialist fruit grower to launch its own prepared fruit facility, The Fruitery. Created in response to thegrowing demand for a healthy snacking option within the buoyant take home and on the go markets, The Fruitery accesses the same premium fresh fruit grown by Chambers (either in the UK or at one of its partner farms located in countries around the world) to create a range of berry medley pots. The extended shelf life, as well as reduced food miles and 100% traceability and provenance, have proved popular within the foodservice and food retailer sectors, where The Fruitery has previously provided a white label product.

The launch of a branded berry medley offering represents another first for The Fruitery, as it will be the first branded prepared berry product to hit the market, providing consumers with a unique fresh berry medley choice in line with current healthy eating guidance. In addition, the move towards the supply of fresh fruit under The Fruitery brand enables the business to service the needs of the discerning culinary trade who, while acknowledging the benefits of The Fruiterys current catering pack and the extended shelf life, are more interested in buying larger volumes of fruit in a fresh rather than prepared format.

Commenting on The Fruiterys new plans, Commercial Director James Miller says, The Chambers business model is based on four key pillars, growing, packing, importing and prepared, all of this is underpinned by an ongoing commitment to innovation and tracking current and future market opportunities. The Fruitery has been well received within the industry and our advantageous reduced supply chain timeline, 2m investment in the high care facility, BRC accreditation and ability to provide a seamless year-round supply of berries direct from the grower resonates favourably with our customers. We are now keen to pursue wider distribution channels for the product including culinary professionals with whom we have already started a seeding programme via the renowned Westminster Kingsway college in London. We believe that The Fruitery can operate successfully as a proprietary brand, alongside the existing white label business, leveraging the successful supply chain model pioneered by Chambers.

Chambers and The Fruitery will be in Hall 8.2 stand A-03 at Fruit Logistica.

For media information:Carla WesselEmail: Carla@foxredmedia.co.ukTel 01227 700 175

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The Fruitery to expand its business to include supply of fresh fruit and branded medley pots for the foodservice - FreshPlaza.com

I get asked many questions about stem cell therapies, but one of the most common over the years has been about the stem cell treatment cost. For instance, a reporter might ask, How much does a stem cell treatment for MS cost? and a patient might ask me, How much is a fair cost for a stem cell therapy for arthritis? Or, patients will voluntarily tell me what they paid or mention it in the comments. We hear various numbers thrown around about costs so I decided to do a poll on this. I even did an early update on the results of this poll, voicing my skepticism that the costs paid were worth it.

But the poll has gotten well over 500 responses now so I thought I would revisit it and what it might mean.

You can see a screenshot of the images. Its fair to say, as much as Internet polls arent considered particularly accurate, that this one largely fits with what is reported out in the field.

(On a side note, I wish there was such a thing as going out into the field for stem cell scientists as Ive always been a bit jealous of scientists who really do go out in the field. What do we do, go out in the wild and catch wild or feral stem cells in the bush?)

Patients self-reported most often paying between $2,500 and $7,500 for their stem cell therapy so if we take the average of those we get that $5,000 figure that is what I hear most often from others. Yes, not necessarily very rigorous, but the result makes good sense. Not far behind though were responses in the $7,500-20,000 range.

About 1 in 10 respondents reported paying $20,000 or more, including some beyond $100,000. Thats a whopping stem cell treatment cost, especially for something most often unproven and unapproved by the FDA.

If we consider these responses, the average cost may be more like $7,500-$10,000.

Notably, about 1/16 respondents indicated their stem cells were free. Im not sure what that means in terms of how that came to be.

Interestingly, most respondents who also went on to answer a 2nd poll in that post about where they got the treatment indicate it was at a stem cell clinic (scroll down in that Oct. 2017 post and youll see the 2nd poll). This 2nd poll has about 200 responses.

So today buying a simple stem cell treatment, most often unproven and non-FDA approved, is often not so different in cost than buying a 10-year old used car, while less often it is similar to buy various new cars including at the high end of stem cell therapy cost, some very expensive new cars. This cost and the risks involved are why I have suggested to patients in the past to be assertive when considering a stem cell treatment, ask questions, dont just accept too good to be true kinds of answers, etc. In short, be at least (or ideally much more) rigorous about unproven stem cell treatments as you are about buying a car.

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Update on stem cell treatment cost for 2018 from ongoing ...

The Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) the professional body that represents psychiatrists in India, strongly condemned the use of stem cell therapy in psychiatric disorders, particularly autism, until such a time that research evidence substantiated its effectiveness.

IPS, in its position statement on stem cell therapy on January 17, said that till now, there is no scientifically validated and scrutinized research evidence that proves that stem cells are helpful in any psychiatric disorders including autism.

Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with no known single cause.

The advisory from the IPS comes at a time when stem cell therapy clinics that claim to have developed stem cell therapies to treat complex psychiatric problems such as autism, cerebral palsy (movement disorder), muscular dystrophy (weakness of muscles), mental retardation, spinal cord injury and brain stroke have mushroomed across the country.

These stem cell therapy centres extract stem cells from the bone marrow of each child and then inject it into the childs spinal canal. The whole procedure takes place under general anaesthesia.

These clinics use aggressive marketing techniques and false claims to lure parents of children who are suffering from disease like autism.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has already published guidelines that cover the various diseases that are applicable for stem cell treatment. No psychiatric disorders, including autism, are listed there under this advisory.

Stem cells are special human cells that have the ability to develop into many different cell types, from muscle cells to brain cells. In some cases, they also have the potential to repair damaged tissues, and provide a cure for various diseases. But the clinical evidence at this point is low.

Psychiatric disorders including autism are combined derangements of both neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative trajectories of brain and are polygenetic in origin. So they actually are symptomatic manifestations of a variety of different pathogenetic processes about which scientific evidence is as yet inconclusive, IPS said.

Originally posted here:
Psychiatric body condemns use of stem cell therapies to treat psychiatric disorders - Moneycontrol.com

Health technology and precision genomics company Color has raised $75 million in a series D funding round led by T. Rowe Funds andViking Global Investors.

TheBurlingame, California-based company counts Apple, Verily, Northshore University HealthSystem,the Teamsters Health and Welfare Fund of Philadelphia and Vicinity, and now Sanford Health among its partners.

Color has raised $150 million in financing to date, according to Color spokesman Ben Kobren. Kobren said the value of the company's contracts has grown significantly in the past year,and the company has expanded its margins. The recently raised funds will help Colorscale its infrastructure.

Color was recently named one of FierceHealthcare's Fierce 15 2020 award winners.

In 2019 alone, Color announced a slew of new partnerships, including withthe Teamsters Health and Welfare Fund of Philadelphia and Vicinityto provide access to Color's clinical-grade genomic services to about 14,000 members of their regional unions.

Color also is teaming up with Ochsner Health System on a first-of-its-kind, fully digital population health pilot program that integrates clinical genomics intostandard care.

The company is expanding its partnerships with healthcare systems looking to integrate genetic testing into the primary care setting. This week, the company announced that it had met its goal of enrolling 10,000 patients into the DNA-10K programa year after launching itwith NorthShore University Health System.

RELATED:Ochsner Health System teaming up with Color to integrate genetic information into preventive care

At the38th J.P.Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco this week, Color also announced that it is working with Sanford Health, the nations largest rural not-for-profit healthcare system,to build on its Imagenetics genomics program. The Imagenetics program, which began in 2014, allows Sanford Health to embed genetic medicine directly into primary care.

Through that partnership, Sanford Healthphysicians willhave further access insights to enhance clinical decision-making. Sanford also will implement Colors digital tools to engage patients, increase adoption and streamline clinical reporting across Sanford Health's locations in North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota, the organizations said.

The NIH All of Us Research Program awardedColora $4.6 million grant to act as the initiatives nationwide genetic counseling service. It expanded onColors existing genotyping of patient samples as part of the program.

"In the last 18 months, we saw a huge acceleration with institutions around the world and across every type of player in the health ecosystemwhether its hospitals or health systems, large-scale research programs, payers, care delivery, employerswho want to change the care delivery model for their population by understanding genetics across the population,"Caroline Savello, vice president of commercial for Color,told FierceHealthcare.

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JPM20: Health technology company Color scores $75M funding round to scale its infrastructure - FierceHealthcare

(TNS) Incoming House Speaker Chris Sprowls had little trouble Thursday convincing members of a House health-care panel to approve legislation that would prohibit life-insurance, long-term care insurance and disability-insurance companies from using customers genetic information in changing, denying or canceling policies.

Florida would become the first state to have such a law if Sprowls proposal is ultimately passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Members of the House Health & Human Services Committee passed Sprowls bill (HB 1189) without any debate, and committee Chairman Ray Rodrigues, R-Estero, praised Sprowls for introducing the bill.

I think our privacy is important. And I think its equally important to be a visionary, to look forward and I 'm happy that Florida is going to be the state that leads the way on this issue, Rodrigues said.

Insurance industry lobbyists, who opposed the measure, sat quietly, agreeing to waive their speaking time.

Curt Leonard, regional vice president for state relations for the American Council of Life Insurers, said his association had expressed concerns on the issue for the past two years.

Weve expressed our concerns with Speaker Sprowls and other interested parties on this issue going back to 2018. So theres no point in repeating the same things over and over again, in the interest of the committee's time, Leonard said. That being said, we do share the speaker-designates (Sprowls) concerns about privacy. I think it's a concern for everybody.

The bill will have to clear the Commerce Committee before it would be ready to go to the full House. Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, is slated to become speaker after the November elections.

In addition to preventing insurers from using the information in making policy decisions, Sprowls bill also would block the companies from requiring or soliciting genetic information from applicants.

Sprowls said insurance companies have for years been able to sell policies without having access to the genetic data.

Insurance carriers have been successful without access to genetic information. They have been able to provide affordable coverage to consumers without genetic information. Insurance is about spreading risk, not guaranteeing the outcomes or rewards to the (carriers). And affordable life, disability, and health insurance should not be available simply to the genetic elite, Sprowls said.

While Sprowls influence looms large in the House, he must convince the Florida Senate to go along. For that, Sprowls said he will look to Sen. Kelli Stargel, R-Lakeland, to spearhead the issue.

Senate President Bill Galvano, though, told The News Service of Florida that he supports a potential compromise on the issue.

Leonard said a compromise would authorize consumers to use their private information any way they want to. And that might include them wanting to share their genetic science or genetic testing information, he said. So we dont like the idea that consumers will be handcuffed in how they use that information.

2020 The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, Fla.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Florida Genetic Information Bill Advances in House - Government Technology

The following are the top rated Healthcare stocks according to Validea's Small-Cap Growth Investor model based on the published strategy of Motley Fool. This strategy looks for small cap growth stocks with solid fundamentals and strong price performance.

ZYNEX INC. (ZYXI) is a small-cap growth stock in the Medical Equipment & Supplies industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool is 83% based on the firms underlying fundamentals and the stocks valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.

Company Description: Zynex, Inc. operates through the Electrotherapy and Pain Management Products segment. The Company conducts its business through its subsidiaries and the operating subsidiary is Zynex Medical, Inc. (ZMI). Its other subsidiaries include Zynex Monitoring Solutions, Inc. (ZMS) and Zynex Europe, ApS (ZEU). ZMI designs, manufactures and markets medical devices that treat chronic and acute pain, as well as activate and exercise muscles for rehabilitative purposes with electrical stimulation. ZMS is in the process of developing its blood volume monitoring product for non-invasive cardiac monitoring. ZEU intends to focus on sales and marketing its products within the international marketplace, upon receipt of necessary regulatory approvals. It markets and sells Zynex-manufactured products and distributes private labeled products. Its products include NexWave, NeuroMove, InWave, Electrodes and Batteries. ZMI devices are intended for pain management to reduce reliance on drugs and medications.

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Company Description: LeMaitre Vascular, Inc. is a provider of medical devices for the treatment of peripheral vascular disease. The Company develops, manufactures and markets medical devices and implants used primarily in the field of vascular surgery. It is engaged in the design, marketing, sales and technical support of medical devices and implants for the treatment of peripheral vascular disease industry segment. The Company's product lines include valvulotomes, balloon catheters, carotid shunts, biologic vascular patches, radiopaque marking tape, anastomotic clips, remote endarterectomy devices, laparoscopic cholecystectomy devices, prosthetic vascular grafts, biologic vascular grafts and powered phlebectomy devices. Its portfolio of peripheral vascular devices consists of brand name products that are used in arteries and veins outside of the heart, including the Expandable LeMaitre Valvulotome, the Pruitt F3 Carotid Shunt, VascuTape Radiopaque Tape and the XenoSure biologic patch.

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INMODE LTD (INMD) is a small-cap growth stock in the Medical Equipment & Supplies industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool is 79% based on the firms underlying fundamentals and the stocks valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.

Company Description: Inmode Ltd is an Israel-based company. It designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes energy-based, minimally-invasive surgical aesthetic and medical treatment solutions. The Company's proprietary technologies are used by physicians to remodel subdermal adipose, or fatty, tissue in a variety of procedures including fat reduction with simultaneous skin tightening, face and body contouring and ablative skin rejuvenation treatments. Its products target a wide array of procedures including simultaneous fat killing and skin tightening, permanent hair reduction, skin appearance and texture, among others. The Company's products may be used on a variety of body parts, including the face, neck, abdomen, upper arms, thighs and intimate feminine regions. It owns six product platforms: BodyTite, Optimas, Votiva, Contoura, Triton and EmbraceRF. All are market and sell traditionally to plastic and facial surgeons, aesthetic surgeons and dermatologists, among others.

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BIOLIFE SOLUTIONS INC (BLFS) is a small-cap growth stock in the Medical Equipment & Supplies industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool is 76% based on the firms underlying fundamentals and the stocks valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.

Company Description: BioLife Solutions, Inc. (BioLife) is engaged in the developing, manufacturing and marketing a portfolio of biopreservation tools and services for cells, tissues and organs, including clinical grade cell and tissue hypothermic storage and cryopreservation freeze media and a related cloud hosted biologistics cold chain management application for shippers. The Company's product offerings include hypothermic storage and cryopreservation freeze media products for cells, tissues, and organs; generic blood stem cell freezing and cell thawing media products; custom product formulation and custom packaging services; cold chain logistics services incorporating precision thermal packaging products and cloud-hosted Web applications, and contract aseptic manufacturing formulation, fill and finish services of liquid media products. Its products include HypoThermosol FRS, CryoStor, BloodStor, Cell Thawing Media, PrepaStor and biologistex cold-chain management service.

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MEDPACE HOLDINGS INC (MEDP) is a mid-cap growth stock in the Biotechnology & Drugs industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool is 76% based on the firms underlying fundamentals and the stocks valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.

Company Description: Medpace Holdings, Inc. is a clinical contract research organization. The Company provides clinical research-based drug and medical device development services. The Company partners with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies in the development and execution of clinical trials. The Company's drug development services focus on full service Phase I-IV clinical development services and include development plan design, coordinated central laboratory, project management, regulatory affairs, clinical monitoring, data management and analysis, pharmacovigilance new drug application submissions, and post-marketing clinical support. The Company also provides bio-analytical laboratory services, clinical human pharmacology, imaging services, and electrocardiography reading support for clinical trials. The Company's operations are principally based in North America, Europe, and Asia.

The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.

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Validea's Top Five Healthcare Stocks Based On Motley Fool - 1/19/2020 - Nasdaq

New research has found that the cell and gene therapy clinical environment in the UK has encouraged commercial sponsorship from around the world.

Researchers have found that the UK accounts for over 12 percent of global cell and gene therapy clinical trials. Another finding revealed that these trials have increased by approximately 45 percent in the UK compared to 2018.

According to a report published by Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (CGT Catapult), international companies are also recognising the appeal of the UK cell and gene therapy environment. The findings show they are sponsoring the majority of UK commercial clinical trials, which account for 77 percent of the total 127 ongoing trials. This is an increase from the 25 percent of commercially sponsored trials in 2013.

The researchers suggest that the National Health Service (NHS) and UK ecosystem are providing the right platforms to allow innovative therapies to progress through to the clinic in ever increasing numbers.

Keith Thompson, CEO of CGT Catapult said: The total number of cell and gene therapy clinical trials in the UK has been increasing consistently by an average of 25 percent year-on-year since 2013. This has been enabled by the development of the UKs fantastic ecosystem to support the development and clinical adoption of cell and gene therapies. The infrastructureand initiatives that have been put in place, with strong backing by the government, including the Advanced Therapy Treatment Centrenetwork, are giving companies the confidence to setup and run their innovative clinical studies here. The result is that we are now seeing therapies moving from academic projects towards becoming commercial products that can be delivered at scale by the NHS.

The report highlights that the main indication for cell and gene therapy clinical trials remains oncology at 39 percent, followed by 13 percent ophthalmology and 12 percent haematology.

Health Minister Baroness Nicola Blackwood said: These extraordinary figures show the UKs life sciences sector is leading the world in getting cutting-edge treatments to NHS patients as quickly as possible.

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UK accounts for 12 percent of global cell and gene therapy clinical trials - European Pharmaceutical Review

A new team at Medical College of Georgia is taking aim at defective gene sequences that cause disease using the revolutionary CRISPR method that allows precise editing of specific sequences to create animal models of those diseases.

Drs. Lin Gan and Joseph Miano sit at a conference table outside their new lab at Augusta University, and in the blink of an eye the discussion goes from how they began using a certain technology in its early days of 2013 to how they are applying the latest iteration that came out only last month.

Thats how fast they, and their field of genome editing and manipulation, are moving.

Gan and Miano and colleague Xiaochun Long were recently recruited as a team to the Medical College of Georgia at AU, where Gan became the founding director of the Transgenic and Genome Editing Core. He is a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in Neuroscience, and Miano is a J. Harold Harrison Distinguished University Chair in Vascular Biology.

The floor of their lab shows they are only a few months into the new stint in Augusta.

Were still living out of boxes, Miano said as he stepped around cardboard boxes.

The two have been together since the early 1990s in Houston and spent the past 20 years working together at the University of Rochester, though they had no idea they were both headed there initially.

Unbeknownst to me, he was being recruited at the same time, Miano said.

Were meant to be together and we didnt even coordinate our move, Gan said jokingly.

The move to Augusta was deliberate. Miano had interviewed at MCG in 1995 and wanted no part of it then and was not interested again after recently giving a talk at the school and receiving some initial offers.

But then I came down for a second visit and I thought, Hmm, this is interesting, Miano said. They have really built it up well. Theres an opportunity here to make a difference.

But the three were a package deal Long and Miano are now married, and Gan would not have come without them.

I also see this as an opportunity, Gan said. I can definitely have more support here for the Core.

He was quite familiar with MCG and in particular the eye researchers there, which is also an interest for him.

There is a very strong eye group here, Gan said, and he has been supplying them with animal models of disease for more than a decade. Creating those animals models, where a gene may be knocked out or silenced, got a lot easier for him with the advent of CRISPR, or clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats.

It is the ability to take a short length of genetic material known as a guide RNA, which will match up with a highly specific target in DNA and in many instances attach an enzyme that then precisely cuts the DNA at that spot, allowing researchers to target very specific sections of that DNA and either silence genes or in some cases begin the replacement of defective sections.

Gan and Miano use CRISPR to create animal models in mice of human disease that other researchers can use to study those diseases. They often involve a small mutation in the genetic material that gives rise to the condition, known as a single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP.

CRISPR is very effective for SNPs, for mutations, Gan said. It is a little quicker.

There are a lot of them, and more are being added all of the time, Miano said.

The latest database of SNPs, that last time I looked was over 600 million, he said.

Miano was at the conference in 2012 when Dr. Jennifer Doudna of the University of California, Berkley made what he called a jaw-dropping revelation that a bacterial defense system against viruses allows for the precise targeting and cutting of DNA. CRISPR soon became a hot new technique that he and Gan adopted the following year.

Though they are primarily working in mice, CRISPR can be used in other animal models and outside the field as well, Miano said.

I think what is exciting, as Lin says, anything with a genome can be edited, he said. The agricultural field is blowing up. There are all kinds of stuff going on in agriculture with editing.

It has already reached the human level. The National Library of Medicines database of clinical trials involving CRISPR-aided therapy or testing lists 20 active studies, although only a handful are in the U.S. and most are in China. Therapies are most likely to focus first on what Miano called the low-hanging fruit, the 7,000 or so diseases that arise from a single gene defect, such as cystic fibrosis.

More complex conditions, such as heart disease, are going to be tough, he said.

There is no silver bullet for those, but CRISPR will be at the center of that work, he said.

For his part, Gan would like to focus on the eye. The tissue there is thinner and more concentrated, so correcting a defect in vision in, for instance, the macular area of the retina at the back of the eye involves manipulating much fewer cells than trying to correct something in the brain or elsewhere.

This is great for manipulation because a lot of our vision comes from the macular region, Gan said. Its a very small region. That is why he believes in terms of therapies, the eye will be one of the first.

See the article here:
Genome editing heralds new era of disease research, therapy - The Augusta Chronicle

GenScript Biotech Global Forum Highlights Advances in Cell and Gene Therapy and Opportunities in China

GenScript Biotech Corp., a leading global biotechnology group and a pioneer in the field of gene synthesis, held its inaugural "Global Forum on Cell & Gene Therapy and the Booming China Market," during the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference week, attracting hundreds of industry leaders, investors and others to address the challenges and opportunities in this innovative field.

"As an industry, we are on the brink of achieving some extraordinary breakthroughs in cell and gene therapy for cancer and other diseases," said GenScript Biotech CEOFrank Zhang, PhD. "Four gene and cell therapies have recently been approved by the FDA, bringing new hope to patients, and this is only the beginning. Our vision is to make cancer a chronic or curable disease rather than a deadly one, and to transform the treatment of cancer, autoimmune and other diseases by leveraging the advantages of cell and gene therapy."

While significant advances are being made, the Forum also tackled some of the more pressing challenges, such as mitigating treatment side effects, improving treatment efficacy in solid tumors and scaling up manufacturing. Panelists from Kite Pharma, GE Healthcare Life Sciences, Ziopharm Oncology, Oxford Biomedica, Genethon, CARsgen Therapeutics, J&J Innovation Asia Pacific, the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy, Loncar Investment, Lilly Asia Ventures, and many others participated in the event.

In the U.S. alone, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve 40-60 cell and gene therapies by 2030. During a panel discussion focused on regulatory issues, experts considered what regulators will need to do to keep up with the rapid pace of innovation, the new hospital-based regulatory pathway inChina, how to ensure quality through the manufacturing process, and the challenges and opportunities that come with regulatory harmonization among different countries.

Chinacontinues to attract significant attention from industry and investors and is poised to grow even more. During his welcoming remarks, Zhang notedChina'semergence as a global economic leader, with a projected$1.1 trillionspend on healthcare this year, as well as the growing disease burden inChina. By 2030, an estimated 4.3 million Chinese will be diagnosed with one of the 14 major cancers, according to research from IMS Health. Panelists addressed issues such as the amount of capital required to achieve scale inChina, and advantages of the market inChina.

"The drug development business is changing rapidly andChinais at the fore in a number of ways," Zhang said. "Biotech and pharma companies do not need or desire to have the infrastructure to scale their drugs through commercialization. With lower costs,Chinais a natural place for companies to contract out costly development and manufacturing to organizations that have the expertise and experience to collaborate with them through the entire discovery to development lifecycle."

For its part, GenScript has put significant resources into its Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) business to meet the increasing demand. In 2018, the company officially launched its biologics CDMO segment, and last year opened a new GMP compliant biologics research center. GenScript is also leading the way in cell therapy through its antibody discovery service and plasmid and virus production capabilities.

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Advances in Cell and Gene Therapy and Opportunities in China - BSA bureau

SAN FRANCISCO Novartis sparked a new round of drug pricing criticism last May when the Swiss pharma revealed its new gene therapy Zolgensma would cost $2.1 million per patient.

In the eight months since then, however, insurers have reimbursed treatment for all but one eligible infant who have received the one-time therapy, according to company CEO Vas Narasimhan, speaking Monday at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference.

Commercially, it seems, Novartis' launch has gone according to plan.

But the drugmaker is still awaiting the Food and Drug Administration's judgment on a scandal that erupted last summer following revelations preclinical testing data for Zolgensma had been inappropriately altered. And a clinical hold from the regulator on another study of the gene therapy has slowed plans for expanding treatment into older children.

Resolving both will be key tests in 2020, as will be expanding newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy, the genetic disease that Zolgensma treats.

David Lennon

Novartis

This year could also feature the start of human testing for two new gene therapies from AveXis, the biotech developer of Zolgensma that Novartis bought in 2018 to gain access to its drug pipeline.

AveXis President David Lennon spoke with BioPharma Dive about the challenges the business is facing, along with how Novartis' ownership has accelerated its ambitions.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

What's the latest progress on newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy?

LENNON: It's still a key priority with the states, as it was approved last July. There's been a lot of progress. Sixteen states have implemented newborn screening that represents about 32% of new births in the U.S. that are screened. That's our internal estimate of what we see. We estimate that number will get to 70% over the course of this year as more states implement it.

There's an amazing impact when you have newborn screening. In states where we have newborn screening, [there is] a two- to three-fold higher utilization of gene therapy for newborns than in states where we don't. A lot of that has to do with, when newborn screening gets set up, a dedicated referral pathway to the best institutions also gets created. The parents are informed of the diagnosis and get referred to a geneticist to get counsel.

Do you think the newborn screening process should be reformed, given the state-to-state disparities?

LENNON: It's a travesty. You're just waiting for these kids to present clinically. The bureaucracy that limits the adoption of these kinds of policies is silly in many cases.

RUSP [The Recommended Uniform Screening Panel] recommends and has a two-year implementation requirement that's soft, there's no enforcement around it. It's up to the states to put it in place. Implementation often takes active patient groups and an active physician to advocate for it getting into the state.

How do you grade Novartis' job on communicating Zolgensma's price to payers and the public?

LENNON: With payers, which were the folks we had to really convince, we did an outstanding job. Payers understand the value it provides, they readily wrote policies to cover the product even with a broad label at launch, very positive discussions and good coverage in general very early. I'd give us strong marks on the payer side.

In the public domain, I think it's more problematic. Healthcare cost transparency and understanding of healthcare costs in the general public is not great. It's very easy to just go to the extreme and say, '$2.1 million, I don't understand; that must be ridiculous.' If I was to say it cost $2 million to do a heart transplant, people might say 'I totally get that.'

We anticipate about 300 or 400 [will be treated with Zolgensma], basically the same number of pediatric heart transplants that get done every year. When you start to try to draw some comparisons, it quickly gets lost in the 'but it's $2.1 million dollars.' We have to do a better job of helping people generate relevant transparency that allows us to put these things in context.

How did you choose the pipeline products to prioritize?

LENNON: Our next two programs take on different challenges and opportunities. One is Rett syndrome, where organic [gene] expression needs to be much more targeted. If we overexpress this protein, you actually create a similar syndrome to the one we are trying to address. There's a kind of 'Goldilocks' area of expression. That program is using a promoter that is more controlled and has a natural feedback mechanism that limits the amount of expression.

The third program, called AVXS-301, is for a genetic form of Lou Gehrig's disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS. That is actually an inhibitory construct. The first two programs we've had are gene replacement the gene's defective, we're adding back protein. In this case, the defect leads to overexpression or active expression of a mutated form of SOD1 that drives inflammation and degradation of the neurons of these patients. We are inhibiting that by introducing a short hairpin RNA that actually inhibits the expression of the defective gene.

Those programs existed as part of the acquisition of AveXis. Since then, we started partnering with [the Novartis Institutes of Biomedical Research] to apply this platform to different diseases. The first one we announced is a project for Friedreich's ataxia, a muscle-wasting disease.

You took over AveXis in 2018, coming from Novartis. What was AveXis particularly skilled at doing, and what's an area that Novartis' ownership could help in?

LENNON: Technically, this organization was very skilled at taking a problem, breaking it down, developing options to address it and agreeing on the best solution forward. It was an organization that was optimistic it could continually find that. Whether you believe in optimism or luck, the organization was very effective at finding that.

Where the organization really benefits from the Novartis backbone is then: How do you take the process that you developed and make that an industry-leading, highly reproducible and globally scalable system? That's where Novartis is brilliant. That experience has allowed us to bring in quality systems, management talent that knows how to scale, and financial wherewithal that allows us to scale to now multiple sites around the country.

When you look at AveXis, we could do one thing at a time. Now we can start to do seven or eight things at a time, because Novartis has the backbone and scale because they're used to managing 143 projects at once.

Ned Pagliarulo contributed to this article.

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Novartis' David Lennon on next steps for AveXis, selling Zolgensma's price to the public - BioPharma Dive

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January 13, 2020

We expect that a satellite cell with the corrected DMD gene would quite quickly and continuously propagate the edited gene throughout the muscle tissue, said Prof. Amy Wagers, who leads the research. (Photo credit: Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer.)

Cambridge, Mass. January 13, 2020 Harvard University stem cell researchers led by Amy Wagers, PhD, are embarking on a major study of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Supported by research funding from Sarepta Therapeutics, under a multi-year collaboration agreement coordinated by Harvards Office of Technology Development (OTD), the project aims to use in-vivo genome editing, in mouse models of DMD, to fully and precisely restore the function of the dystrophin protein, which is crucial for proper muscular growth and development. Approaches validated by this work may point the way to an eventual therapeutic strategy to reverse DMD in humans.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a genetic disease caused by the lack of a protein called dystrophin that normally helps to support the structural integrity of muscle fibers, including those in the heart. Without the dystrophin protein, cells are weaker and degenerate more quickly. Over time, affected individuals boys, typically, as it is a recessive X-linked disorder lose their capacity to move independently.

Its really a devastating disease; it robs young boys of their capacity to be young boys, said Wagers, who is the Forst Family Professor of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Co-Chair of the Department of Stem Cell & Regenerative Biology, and an Executive Committee Member of Harvard Stem Cell Institute. Though it is early days, Im hopeful that through this work we may identify and validate new avenues for therapy to completely rescue the proper expression and function of the dystrophin protein and regenerate healthy muscle tissue.

Researchers worldwide have pursued a variety of promising approaches such as cell and gene therapies, small-molecule therapies, and others to lessen or prevent the disease and improve patients quality of life.

The strategy pursued by the Wagers Lab at Harvard aims to fully correct the genetic template for dystrophin at its source, in the DNA of stem cells (satellite cells) that create and regenerate muscle cells. Combining cutting-edge CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technologies with a deep knowledge of stem cell science and regenerative biology, this approach if successful might offer a permanent restoration of muscular function.

In skeletal muscle, muscle fibers are terminally post-mitotic, meaning they cannot divide and they cannot reproduce themselves, Wagers explains. If you lose muscle fibers, the only way to produce new muscle is from stem cells, specifically the satellite cells. The satellite cells are self-renewing, self-repairing, and ready to spring into action to create new muscle fibers. So we expect that a satellite cell with the corrected DMD gene would quite quickly and continuously propagate the edited gene throughout the muscle tissue.

At present, research conducted in mice has shown promising results. In June, the Wagers Lab published the results of editing stem cells in vivo, demonstrating that stem cell genes can be edited in living systems, not only in a dish. In that work, Wagers and her team delivered genome editing molecules to the cells using adeno-associated viruses (AAVs). Her lab has also successfully used gene editing in heart, muscle, and satellite cells to partially restore the function of the DMD gene that encodes dystrophin, by chopping out faulty sequences of code that are disrupting the proper reading frame.

The new stem-cell approach pursued in collaboration with Sarepta would build on these achievements and use more precise genome editing approaches, in animal models of DMD, to entirely replace genetic mutations in the DMD gene with correctly encoded sequences. The project will also explore alternate delivery methods and strategies to mitigate immune effects of in vivo genome editing.

This ambitious project will benefit greatly from the resources and insights of a company with deep clinical experience in the development of therapeutics for muscular dystrophy, said Vivian Berlin, Managing Director of Strategic Partnerships at Harvard OTD. Preclinical discoveries by Harvard researchers may open entirely new possibilities for lifesaving treatments in the long run, offering much-needed hope to patients and families in the future. Were grateful to be able to sustain the important momentum already established in Prof. Wagers lab, through this collaboration.

As we work to bring forward new treatments for patients with DMD, Sarepta is excited to support Prof. Wagers and her lab to accelerate the development of a gene editing approach, which has shown significant potential in early studies, said Louise Rodino-Klapac, Sareptas Senior Vice President of Gene Therapy. This multi-year collaboration is part of Sareptas broader commitment to pursuing all therapeutic modalities and advancing our scientific understanding of gene editing in order to maximize the potential of this approach to help patients.

Under the terms of the agreement between Harvard and Sarepta, the company will have the exclusive option to license any arising intellectual property for the purpose of developing products to prevent and treat human disease. As with any research agreement facilitated by OTD, the right of academic and other not-for-profit researchers to use the technology in further scholarly work is preserved.

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Muscular dystrophy collaboration aims to correct muscle stem cells' DNA - Harvard Office of Technology Development

19 January 2020 11min read

But ethical and economic challenges could limit the benefits medtech brings to healthcare.

The Nobel Prize in Medicine 2019 was awarded to three men for their discoveries of how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability. The Nobel Prize in Medicine 2018 was given to two men for their discovery of cancer therapy by inhibition of negative immune regulation. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2017 went to a trio for developing cool microscope technology that revolutionises biochemistry by allowing researchers to study three-dimensional structures of biomolecules in their search for a cure for the Zika and other viruses. One of the three chemistry winners of 2017, Joachim Frank of the US, said at the time that he thought the chance of winning a Nobel Prize was minuscule because there are so many innovations and discoveries happening.

Frank is still right about that. Technological leaps in medicine dubbed medtech are accelerating as researchers find better ways to treat more diseases, in more ways, for more people. Advances are occurring in biotechnology, immunotherapy, surgery, and foetal and neonatal care to name just some areas. Artificial-intelligence software trained on data from digitalised health records and devices can spot problems faster and more reliably than can humans. HCA Healthcare, the largest for-profit hospital operator in the US, for instance, now uses algorithms trained on 31 million cases to detect the sepsis infection that kills about 270,000 people a year in the US.

More medtech advances are certain. Money is pouring into research and development overseen by regulators and doctors to ensure benefits outweigh risks. Common sights soon might be robot physicians, remote surgery and mini 3D-printed organs. Bacteria genetically reprogrammed to destroy tumours in mice could one day work on humans. Genome scans and gene therapies could become routine.

For all this promise, however, medtech comes with two certain and one likely drawback. The first definite disadvantage is that medtech is raising ethical issues that could stop the deployment of key advances. The two most sensitive are the gene-editing of foetuses (superbabies) that could alter human experience and protecting the privacy of patient data, an issue highlighted in November when it emerged that US healthcare provider Ascension had secretly handed over the records of tens of millions of patients to data crunchers at Google. Medtechs other certain shortcoming is the cost. Many advancements might never become mainstream because they could prove too expensive for governments burdened with budget deficits and heavy debt loads that are already facing rising healthcare costs as their populations age.

Medtechs contentious disadvantage is doctors are finding that self-monitoring via devices, which often detects harmless abnormalities and fuels hypochondria, is leading to unwarranted anxiety, incorrect diagnoses and unneeded treatments. All up, medtechs value to society will be tied to the extent to which these disadvantages limit the spread of its unquestionable benefits.

Many of medtechs ethical issues could be resolved, to be sure, but that wont be easy. Some medtech advancements, especially those based on AI, are economical. Medtech needs to be assessed with the perspective that there is much it is not solving. Medtech advances, for example, arent enough to avert the recent decline in life expectancy in western countries due to heart attacks tied to obesity. Medtech pharmaceutically does little for autoimmune diseases such as arthritis that afflict one in four US adults though it is improving joint-replacement surgery. Researchers are yet to find a cure for infections made drug-resistant due to the overuse of antimicrobial drugs that the World Health Organisation says could kill 10 million people a year by 2050. Nothing medtech has come up with is usurping MRI scans and X-rays.

Be these as they may, medtech advancements are ushering in treatments that produce better outcomes for patients. Only time will tell how much ethical, economic and other possible drawbacks limit mainstream access to medtechs benefits.

The biotech era

Eras become known for their medical advancements. From the 1920s to the 1950s, for example, the key medical leaps were vaccines and antibiotics. Later epochs might regard todays advances to be centred on cell and gene therapy, robotic surgery and perhaps AI.

Hope for cures from gene therapy, an area of research that emerged from the late 1980s, accelerated in the early 2000s when the human genome was sequenced. And treatments are underway now and more are likely. Biopolymers (nucleic acid) are injected into cells to treat inherited eye diseases and immune deficiencies while researchers are studying how gene therapy could treat cancer, heart disease and diabetes. A stellar example of gene therapy improving lives is that a Novartis subsidiary has developed a one-time gene-based treatment (Zolgensma) that is a curing treatment for children born with spinal muscular atrophy (who without this advance constantly need treatment over their short lives). The problem is one dose costs US$2.1 million.

Aside from the costs, gene therapy comes with other challenges too. The finicky nature of genes has made progress slow. Other hindrances are rejection, side effects such as cancer, and the risk that other genes might be delivered to a cell. Some treatments are so risky authorities have halted them. Some breakthroughs have proved false a recent study debunks that a certain gene causes depression. That the ethical issues surrounding gene therapy are unresolved became an urgent issue in 2018 when two Chinese babies were born with modified genes.

Inventions to assist surgeons have proved faster to everyday use (and less problematic). Robots have aided orthopaedic surgeons since the mid-1980s and now help with general, transplant, urological and other procedures. One measure of their widespread use is that Intuitive, the US-based maker of the 1999-launched da Vinci surgical system, counts that tens of thousands of surgeons have conducted more than six million procedures in at least 66 countries using its equipment. The benefits of robotic-assisted surgery are less invasive, more precise and safer procedures due to fewer and tinier incisions (microsurgery) and reduced human error.

While less-invasive surgery shortens hospital stays and robotic surgerys lower margins of error reduce the need and costs of further treatment, robotic-assisted procedures are expensive. Assuming cost issues can be overcome, technology will expand its role in surgery and robots could use AI more extensively to help surgeons make more decisions.

AIs use in healthcare goes well beyond surgery too. AI programs including chatboxes are diagnosing heart disease and cancer, identifying retinal damage, analysing suicide risk, streamlining drug-development processes, proposing remedies for multiple sclerosis, even helping the dumb speak. AI s promise is more timely, economical, convenient and streamlined treatments.

AIs usual drawbacks apply, however. Personal data needs privacy protection, which can impede research. Data can be dodgy and data-training algorithms can be flawed and biased, which could lead to misdiagnosis. AI is vulnerable to hacking, whereby malicious tweaks lead to errors. AIs deployment often runs ahead of peer review and ethical considerations.

A neurotic world?

One medtech achievement is to elevate the practitioner Doctor Me. The term (sometimes stated as Doctor You) is for when people use devices and self-testing to monitor their health or genetic risks.

Self-monitoring comes with many advantages. It can save lives. The unwell can gain comfort if their vital signs are normal. The data collected can help everyones health and allow people to find others with similar issues, which could provide clues for treatments and moral support.

The problem, however, is that Doctor Me has ushered in the nocebo effect, essentially a form of hypochondria. The nocebo effect occurs when patients think they are experiencing a side effect to a greater degree than possible or when people fret they are suffering from an ailment that a test showed they are at risk of say people self-tested as prone to Alzheimers imagine they have the affliction when they forget something.

A Stanford study of 2018 found the nocebo effect is ripe in self-testing genetics, a flagship area of medtech that is not foolproof. The expression could become ubiquitous soon because more people are testing their disposition to Alzheimers, cancer and obesity by 2017, already one in 25 in the US knew their genetic data. If the nocebo effect becomes widespread, authorities may need to limit self-testing.

While future Nobel Prizes await those making medtech advances, perhaps others lie ahead for those who find ways to resolve medtechs ethical, economic and hypochondriac challenges.

Published by Michael Collins, Investment Specialist, Magellan Group

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Technology is reshaping modern medicine - TheBull.com.au