MD Anderson at Cooper Leading the Way in Pancreatic Cancer in SJ

CAMDEN CITY, NJ (Nov. 21, 2019)–Pancreatic cancer is the 4th leading cause of

cancer death in the United States and the second most common gastrointestinal cancer in the U.S.

There are two types of pancreas cancer:

pancreatic adenocarcinoma

, which makes up more than 95% of all pancreatic cancers, and the rarer

pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor

. The symptoms and treatments for neuroendocrine tumors are different than those of pancreatic adenocarcinomas. For this article we will focus on pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

photo Jamin C Morrison, MD

“There are several reasons mortality rates related to pancreatic cancer are so high,” says

Jamin Morrison, MD

, medical oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper.

“Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive cancer and it generally spreads silently, without symptoms,” says Morrison. “About 80% of pancreatic cancers are diagnosed after the cancer has spread to other organs, which makes them hard to treat.”

“The pancreas is set deep inside the body, behind several other organs, making it difficult to feel or see without special equipment,” he explains.

“Also, there are no screening tests for pancreatic cancer for those at average risk,” Dr. Morrison continues. “Screening is generally limited to people at high risk, such as those with certain inherited

Your pancreas is about 6 inches long and lies horizontally behind the lower part of your stomach back toward the spine. The pancreas is an essential organ in the digestive process. It produces enzymes that aid in digestion and it makes insulin and other hormones that help the body manage sugar.

gene mutations.”

Advanced Treatment Options

Treatment for pancreatic cancer may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, interventional radiology procedures, or a combination of these options. “Coordinated, multidisciplinary care like we have at MD Anderson at Cooper is crucial to good outcomes,” says Dr. Morrison.

“Today we are able to offer some exciting new chemotherapy regimens that are more effective in treating pancreatic cancer than ever before,” says Dr. Morrison. “There have been great advances in our understanding of how pancreatic cancers behave, and the more we know about the cancer the more effective treatment can be.

“We often treat patients with an aggressive chemotherapy regimen before surgery to shrink the tumor and make the surgery more effective,” he explains. “And we have a new clinical trial underway where we are delivering chemotherapy directly into the tumor.”

photo Francis R Spitz, MD, FACS

When pancreatic cancer is confined to the pancreas, and sometimes when it has spread only to nearby lymph nodes, the tumor can be removed with surgery. “Complete removal of the tumor with surgery is often the best chance at curing pancreatic cancer,” says

Frank Spitz, MD, FACS

, Director of the Pancreatic Cancer Program and Deputy Director of MD Anderson at Cooper.

“Research shows that patients who have their surgery at high volume centers like MD Anderson at Cooper have fewer complications and lower mortality,” says Dr. Spitz. “Our team performs the most pancreatic cancer surgeries in South Jersey. The experience of our surgeons and team makes a difference.”

The most common technique used to remove a pancreatic tumor is known as the

Whipple procedure

. This complex operation is performed when the cancer is located in the pancreatic head. The surgery involves removal of parts of the pancreas, intestine, nearby lymph nodes, gallbladder, bile duct, and sometimes parts of the stomach. Often, we can offer minimally invasive surgery for tumors located in the body and tail of the pancreas – which means smaller incisions, shorter hospital stays, less pain, and a faster return to normal activities.

Advanced radiation therapy technologies are also being used to treat pancreatic cancer at MD Anderson at Cooper.

David J Mulvihill, MD

“Patients with pancreatic cancer can receive radiation treatments before or after surgery; either to shrink the tumor pre-operatively or destroy any remaining cancer cells after surgery. Radiation therapy can also be used to destroy the tumor if surgery is not an option or to ease symptoms,” says

David Mulvihill, MD

, radiation oncologist at MD Anderson at Cooper.

In spring 2020, MD Anderson at Cooper will be one of the first centers in the U.S. to offer a ground-breaking new radiation treatment to patients with pancreatic and other cancers – the MR Linac.

“We’re very excited about this technology,” says Mulvihill. “It allows for greater precision during treatment, especially with tumors that move during breathing and/or the body’s natural internal movements.”

“Pancreatic cancer continues to be a challenge for cancer experts, but the team at MD Anderson at Cooper is committed to improving the odds for patients and is leading the way in pancreatic cancer care in South Jersey,” says Dr. Spitz.

For more information about the

Pancreatic Cancer Program at MD Anderson at Cooper

or if you’d like to make an appointment with one of our specialists call 855.MDA.COOPER (855.632.2667).

Pennsylvania Senate Votes to Ban Abortions in Down Syndrome Cases

By Steve Bittenbender |

The Center Square

HARRISBURG, PA–The Pennsylvania Senate on Wednesday voted, 27-22, to advance legislation that would ban abortions in cases where a fetus has been diagnosed with Down syndrome in spite of a promised veto from Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf.

Caused by the presence of an extra chromosome, Down syndrome causes intellectual disabilities and delayed physical development. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 6,000 babies are born with some type of the condition each year.

“It just seems to me that the genesis of the bill is just about a fundamental right to be born,” said state Sen. Judy Ward, R-Hollidaysburg, when the legislation, House Bill 321, was considered Monday by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. “And that’s what I see as just a fundamental right.”

Pennsylvania state Sen. Judy Ward speaks Sept. 11, 2019, during a hearing of the Senate Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. Image courtesy of the Pennsylvania Senate

While Republicans wholeheartedly supported the measure, Democrats, such as state Sen. Judy Schwank, D-Reading, opposed the bill as an attempt to restrict women’s rights.

“I don’t think legislators, government period, has a role to play in the relationship between a mother and a doctor and her family or whoever else she wishes to consult with,” Schwank told state Rep. Kate Klunk, R-Hanover, the bill’s sponsor, during Monday’s hearing. “I just find this really troubling.”

Klunk added that her bill does grant exceptions for pregnancies created through acts of rape or incest and for instances when the pregnancy puts a mother’s health at risk.

The bill faces opposition from reproductive rights groups, such as Planned Parenthood. Another group, the Women’s Law Project, said in a tweet that the bill targets families dealing with complicated pregnancies and deprives people of their constitutional rights.

“The bill’s supporters pretend it is designed to protect people with disabilities, but in reality it merely seeks to force doctors to police patients’ reasons for exercising their constitutional right to abortion if such a decision is considered in the wake of a prenatal diagnosis,” the Women’s Law Project said Monday in a statement on its website. “It is simply more political interference into the exam room.”

Anti-abortion advocates hailed the bill, saying women are often urged to terminate such pregnancies.

“[The legislation] sends a compassionate message to Pennsylvania communities that no human being should be targeted for death by abortion because of a disability,” Michael Geer, president of the Pennsylvania Family Institute, said in a statement.

Wolf spokesman J.J. Abbott reiterated the governor\’s veto promise shortly after the vote Wednesday evening, noting that Wolf \”has said repeatedly, he will veto any bill, including House Bill 321, that seeks to limit health care choices for women and politicize difficult moments for vulnerable families.\”

posted here with permission

The Center Square

Jefferson Health in New Jersey Receives MAAPE Proficiency Award

CHERRY HILL, NJ (Nov. 22, 2019)–Jefferson Health in New Jersey (JHNJ) recently received a Proficiency Award from the nonprofit Mid-Atlantic Alliance for Performance Excellence (MAAPE). The award is the next tier in JHNJ’s journey to achieve Baldrige Performance Excellence, after receiving MAAPE’s Commitment Award in 2017.

JHNJ began its Baldrige journey in 2017 — under the leadership of Dr. David Condoluci, Senior Vice President and Chief Patient Safety & Quality Officer; Kathleen Victor, Corporate Director for Performance Improvement; and Abbey Driendl, Performance Excellence Specialist — by using the

Baldridge Health Care Excellence Framework

. Many organizations use the framework to reach their goals, improve and sustain results, and become more competitive.

“I am pleased we have been awarded the next tier level in the Baldrige Journey,” said Joseph W. Devine, FACHE, President, New Jersey Division. “This is a monumental achievement for our program, after just two years on the journey. The award acknowledges our commitment to excellence, and our drive to establish and execute processes for continuous improvement.”

The MAAPE is a Baldrige-based awards program serving Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. MAAPE helps organizations improve their performance and outcomes; it uses the leading-edge Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence as the basis for its process and for giving feedback to applicants. The result of this feedback supports JHNJ’s performance advancement and achieving increasing levels of excellence through MAAPE and, eventually, at the national level through the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

The Baldrige Framework helps JHNJ accelerate its performance in 17 Health Care Criteria in leadership, strategy, customers, measurement, analysis and knowledge management, workforce, operations, and results. Dr. Condoluci, who last spring completed the nationally recognized

Baldrige Executive Fellowship Program

, says, “We are excited to see this framework shape our organization to be a high-performing healthcare system dedicated to improving lives by putting people first, doing the right thing, and being bold and thinking differently.”

Devine will accept the award at MAAPE’s annual Awards Banquet & Conference, in Malvern, PA, on Nov. 13. Among the six other award recipients will be Abington – Jefferson Health, who will receive MAAPE’s Excellence Award, the highest level of recognition. For more, visit

www.midatlanticape.org

Jefferson Health New Jersey Using MyChart for Patient Medical Records

On September 28, Jefferson Health in New Jersey transitioned to a new patient portal called MyChart. The innovative, user-friendly platform will enhance the safety and security of the organization of medical records, as well as offer unique benefits to

patients.

MyChart allows patients to access real-time results, right at their fingertips, explains Brenda Gorman, oncology assistant at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center – Washington Township.

“It’s one chart – everywhere you go,” said Gorman. “That’s what we are so excited about! All of the patient’s information will be comprehensive, in one spot, to help us provide the best possible care.”

If you’re a Jefferson Health patient using MyChart through a secure, internet connection, you can:

Schedule medical appointments during or after office hours.

Swap your appointment for an earlier one.

Message your provider directly (*note: not meant for urgent matters).

Schedule video visits with Jefferson Health doctors.

View test results electronically – no more waiting for a phone call or letter in the mail.

Request prescription refills at Jefferson pharmacies.

View your health information while you\’re in the hospital, with

MyChart Bedside

, a 24/7 tool that provides you with safe and secure access to your medical record, treatment plan, test results and more.

If you or a loved one requires additional assistance in managing and navigating medical care, you can also

assign a Proxy

through MyChart. If you are a parent, legal guardian or other designated adult, you might be eligible to become a designated proxy.

Gorman and all other clinical employees at Jefferson Health in New Jersey have received extensive training in MyChart and Epic (the new internal electronic medical record system).

“It’s our priority to have complete accuracy in each patient’s chart,” continued Gorman. “In addition, no one can access patient records without a proper, credential login, and we can see everyone who views a chart. We want these records to be as safe as our patients.”

With this transition, you’ll be able to manage your healthcare information like never before. You can sign-up for MyChart at your next Jefferson Health visit.

To learn more about MyChart, including how to login, schedule an appointment, pay your bill online, and more, click

HERE

Check out Jefferson Health in New Jersey\’s journey to implementing Epic and MyChart by watching the video below!

NJ Department of Health Awards $2.3 Million To Local Health Agencies

To Strengthen Communicable Disease Response

The New Jersey Department of Health today announced $2.3 million in funding to local health departments to detect and respond to communicable disease outbreaks.

Department of Health Acting Commissioner Judith Persichilli announced the grants during the annual “State of Health” Address to county and local health officials at the League of Municipalities Conference in Atlantic City.

The funding, included in the budget Governor Phil Murphy proposed, includes nearly $2 million in grants of $95,000 each to 21 local health departments. Letters announcing the grants were sent to local health departments earlier this month. In addition, $350,000 in state funds will be made available to 73 local health departments through training scholarships. Each of the 73 local health departments will receive $3,000. The funding will be distributed to by the New Jersey Association for County and City Health Officials.

“When there is an outbreak of a communicable disease like measles or Hepatitis A, local health departments provide the front-line public health response. They notify residents who have been potentially exposed, set up vaccination clinics, and respond to local public health concerns,” said Acting Commissioner Persichilli. “These grants will help our local health agencies better prepare for and respond to outbreaks in their communities.”

Twelve county health departments received grants: Camden, Bergen, Burlington, Cumberland, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset and Sussex. Three regional health commissions received grants in Essex, Hudson and Monmouth. Six towns also received funding: Trenton, Montgomery, Paterson, Jersey City, North Bergen, and Westfield.

Acreage Holdings Looking at $317M in Medical Cannabis Sales with Purchase of NJ Compassionate Care

Company Release – 11/18/2019 7:30 AM ET

NEW YORK, Nov. 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Acreage Holdings, Inc. (“Acreage”) (CSE: ACRG.U) (OTC: ACRGF) (FSE: 0ZV) announced that on November 15, certain of its subsidiaries and Compassionate Care Foundation, Inc. (“CCF”), a New Jersey vertically integrated cannabis nonprofit corporation, entered into a Reorganization Agreement, pursuant to which Acreage will acquire 100% of the equity interests in CCF, and subsequently consolidate their financials. Closing of the transaction is subject to state approval.

With a population of approximately nine million, New Jersey is estimated to generate $317 million in legal medical cannabis sales by 2022, according to Arcview Market Research.

“I’m thrilled to finally welcome CCF into the Acreage family,” said Kevin Murphy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Acreage. “This reorganization will result in increased access to affordable medical cannabis for New Jersey’s existing patients in short order. Moreover, we have long believed that upon adult-use legalization, the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions will be the preeminent cannabis market in the U.S. and Acreage is best positioned of any U.S. cannabis company to benefit.”

CCF Operations

CCF’s vertically integrated operations include licenses for cultivation, manufacturing & processing, and three retail dispensaries. A description of the operations follows:

Cultivation:

CCF operates one of New Jersey’s largest indoor growing facilities, primarily for high end flower, in Egg Harbor, NJ. Acreage and CCF are planning to expand this facility to serve the existing demand for medical cannabis and in anticipation of adult-use legalization, and to build out a robust wholesale business.

Retail Dispensary Operations:

CCF has the potential to operate three retail dispensaries, one of which is currently in operation in Egg Harbor. An additional dispensary is under construction in Atlantic City as The Botanist, and an letter of intent has been signed for another The Botanist dispensary in Williamstown, NJ.

ABOUT ACREAGE

Headquartered in New York City, Acreage is one of the largest vertically integrated, multi-state operators of cannabis licenses and assets in the U.S., according to publicly available information. Acreage owns licenses to operate or has management or consulting services or other agreements in place with license holders to assist in operations in 20 states (including pending acquisitions) with a population of approximately 180 million Americans, and an estimated 2022 total addressable market of $16.7 billion in legal cannabis sales, according to Arcview Market Research. Acreage is dedicated to building and scaling operations to create a seamless, consumer-focused branded cannabis experience. Acreage\’s national retail store brand, The Botanist, debuted in 2018.

On June 27, 2019 Acreage implemented an arrangement under section 288 of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the “Arrangement”) with Canopy Growth Corporation (“Canopy Growth”). Pursuant to the Arrangement, the Acreage articles were amended to provide Canopy Growth with an option to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares in the capital of Acreage, with a requirement to do so, upon a change in federal laws in the United States to permit the general cultivation, distribution and possession of marijuana (as defined in the relevant legislation) or to remove the regulation of such activities from the federal laws of the United States (the “Triggering Event”), subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set out in the arrangement agreement entered into between Acreage and Canopy Growth on April 18, 2019, as amended on May 15, 2019 (the “Arrangement Agreement”). Acreage will continue to operate as a stand-alone entity and to conduct its business independently, subject to compliance with certain covenants contained in the Arrangement Agreement. Upon the occurrence or waiver of the Triggering Event, Canopy Growth will exercise the option and, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain conditions to closing set out in the Arrangement Agreement, acquire (the “Acquisition”) each of the Subordinate Voting Shares (following the automatic conversion of the Class B proportionate voting shares and Class C multiple voting shares of Acreage into Subordinate Voting Shares) in exchange for the payment of 0.5818 of a common share of Canopy Growth per Subordinate Voting Share (subject to adjustment in accordance with the terms of the Arrangement Agreement). If the Acquisition is completed, Canopy Growth will acquire all of the Acreage Shares, Acreage will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Canopy Growth and Canopy Growth will continue the operations of Canopy Growth and Acreage on a combined basis. For more information about the Arrangement and the Acquisition please see the respective information circulars of each of Acreage and Canopy Growth dated May 17, 2019, which are available on Canopy Growth’s and Acreage’s respective profiles on SEDAR at

www.sedar.com

. For additional information regarding Canopy Growth, please see Canopy Growth’s profile on SEDAR at

www.sedar.com

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release and each of the documents referred to herein contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information, including, for greater certainty, statements regarding the proposed transaction with Canopy Growth, including the anticipated benefits and likelihood of completion thereof.

Generally, forward-looking information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “proposed”, “is expected”, “budgets”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or might occur or be achieved. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. This forward-looking information reflects Acreage’s current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Acreage and on assumptions Acreage believes are reasonable. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Acreage to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: the ability of the parties to receive, in a timely manner and on satisfactory terms, the necessary regulatory approvals; the available funds of Acreage and the anticipated use of such funds; the availability of financing opportunities; the ability of Acreage and Canopy Growth to satisfy, in a timely manner, the conditions to the completion of the Acquisition; the likelihood of completion of the Acquisition; other expectations and assumptions concerning the transactions contemplated between Acreage and Canopy Growth; legal and regulatory risks inherent in the cannabis industry; risks associated with economic conditions, dependence on management and currency risk; risks relating to U.S. regulatory landscape and enforcement related to cannabis, including political risks; risks relating to anti-money laundering laws and regulation; other governmental and environmental regulation; public opinion and perception of the cannabis industry; risks related to contracts with third-party service providers; risks related to the enforceability of contracts; reliance on the expertise and judgment of senior management of Acreage; risks related to proprietary intellectual property and potential infringement by third parties; the concentrated voting control of Acreage’s founder and the unpredictability caused by Acreage’s capital structure; risks relating to the management of growth; increasing competition in the industry; risks inherent in an agricultural business; risks relating to energy costs; risks associated to cannabis products manufactured for human consumption including potential product recalls; reliance on key inputs, suppliers and skilled labor; cybersecurity risks; ability and constraints on marketing products; fraudulent activity by employees, contractors and consultants; tax and insurance related risks; risks related to the economy generally; risk of litigation; conflicts of interest; risks relating to certain remedies being limited and the difficulty of enforcement of judgments and effect service outside of Canada; risks related to future acquisitions or dispositions; sales by existing shareholders; and limited research and data relating to cannabis. A description of additional assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information and a description of additional risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in Acreage’s disclosure documents, including the Circular and Acreage’s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2018 filed on April 29, 2019, on the SEDAR website at

www.sedar.com

. Although Acreage has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of Acreage as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. However, Acreage expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider has reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release.

5 Cases of Ocean County Measles Outbreak

The New Jersey Department of Health is warning residents that 5 additional cases of measles — a highly contagious disease — have been confirmed in Ocean County. This brings the total to 11 confirmed cases. These individuals could have exposed others to the infection while in Ocean County on November 1.

Anyone who visited the following locations may have been exposed to measles:

Office of Dr. Eli Eilenberg, 150 James St, Lakewood, NJ 08701
- November 1 between 12:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

The Department is working in collaboration with the Ocean County Health Department to identify and notify people who might have been exposed during the time the individuals were infectious. For a comprehensive list of exposures identified to date related to this outbreak, please visit the Department’s measles page.

Continue reading →

Deadly Adenovirus Outbreak Infects Four More Kids

Lab testing over the weekend confirmed that four more children have been infected by adenovirus at the Wanaque Center, a pediatric long-term care facility in Passaic County. The state Health Department confirmed Monday that the viral outbreak has killed ten young patients. So far 33 patients have been infected, as well as one adult who works there. The first case of the virus was reported Sept. 26, and the most recent was on Friday, Nov. 9th. (NJ Advance Media)

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The National Institutes of Health is teaming with government, biopharmaceutical, life science and non-profit organizations to overcome obstacles and increase success for advancing promising treatments for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Part of the NIH Accelerating Medicines Partnership (AMP), AMP PD will focus on identifying and validating promising markers of disease called biomarkers that may be useful in tracking the progression of PD and could serve as biological targets for the development of new drugs.

“Advancing treatments for Parkinson’s disease is hampered by insufficient understanding of biological networks; drugs aimed at seemingly promising therapeutic targets fail in clinical trials,” said NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D. “By combining our expertise and resources, AMP PD partners hope to increase our collective odds of success in accelerating the development of effective treatments for a million Americans who suffer from this debilitating disease.”