In the News

Klaire Labs (SFI USA) Announces Availability of Target gb-X™

Health AI Startup Medial EarlySign Predicts Which Diabetic Patients Will Suffer Kidney Damage Within One Year

Metagenics Joins the UC San Diego Center for Microbiome Innovation as an Industry Sponsor

Symposium to Honor Two Top Integrative Healthcare Visionaries, Leaders

Bringing UC San Diego’s Healthy Diet and Natural Medicine Research into the Spotlight

Diabetes Management Greatly Improved In High-Risk Ethnic Population Through Community-Based Program

Naturopathic Doctors Address Root Causes of Heart Disease

Cancer Treatment Centers of America® Publishes Patient Treatment Results

Klaire Labs (SFI USA) Announces Availability of Target gb-X™

The first commercially available gut-brain focused probiotic blend for clinically-demonstrated
mood support
Reno, NV—(Feb 15, 2018) Klaire Labs (SFI USA) today announced availability of Target gb-X™
with Ecologic BARRIER, a unique 9-strain blend to support positive mood. This shelf stable, 5B
CFU probiotic was specifically designed to influence the gut-brain axis through defined
mechanisms including strengthening of the gut barrier function, modulation of cytokines and
inflammatory response, neuroprotective metabolite production, and HPA axis.
Target gb-X™ was formulated and developed in partnership with Winclove Probiotics
(Amsterdam, NL), a company that researches, develops and manufactures evidence-based
probiotics.
“Target gb-X™ is a clinically-researched, safe, and effective way to support patients with moodrelated concerns,” said Jeremy Appleton, ND, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Klaire Labs.
“This product is the first in a line of Klaire Labs’ targeted, indication-specific probiotics. We are
very excited to continually support our practitioner partners with innovative, evidence-based
products.”
The product will be launched officially at the Integrative Healthcare Symposium (IHS) in New
York, 22-24 Feb. Klaire Labs will be sponsoring an Evening Symposium discussing the
mechanisms, the clinical evidence, and one psychiatrist’s experience with the formulation.
REGISTER HERE to attend.
Target gb-X™ is currently available for pre-order. This formulation is available as shelf-stable,
hypoallergenic*, non-GMO, single serving sachets. For more information and product updates,
visit meetklaire.com or stop by the Klaire Labs booth (100) at IHS.
*Free of the following common allergens: milk/casein, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat,
gluten, and soybeans. No artificial additives, colors, flavorings, preservatives, sugar, or
salicylates are used. Contains corn.
About Klaire Labs
Klaire Labs has been formulating and manufacturing premium, hypoallergenic supplements sold
through healthcare practitioners for nearly half a century. Our mission is to develop and
manufacture the purest, most potent nutraceuticals possible, thereby empowering clinicians
with consistently reliable performance.
Klaire Labs is located in Reno, NV. It is owned by Soho Flordis International, a privately held
nutraceutical company based in Sydney, Australia.
Media Contact
Caitlin Hadley
BrandHive for Klaire Labs
[email protected]
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product
is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Health AI Startup Medial EarlySign Predicts Which Diabetic Patients Will Suffer Kidney Damage Within One Year

 Medial EarlySign (www.earlysign.com), a leader of machine-learning based solutions to improve non-communicable disease management, today announced the results of an additional clinical data study in the domain of diabetes - identifying diabetic patients who are at highest risk for having renal dysfunction within one year.

Medial EarlySign's machine-learning based model analyzed dozens of factors residing in Electronic Health Records (EHRs), including laboratory tests results, demographics, medication, diagnostic codes and others, to predict who might be at high risk for having renal dysfunction within one year. By isolating less than 5% of the 400,000 diabetic population selected among the company's database of 15 million patients, the algorithm was able to identify 45% of patients who would progress to significant kidney damage within a year, prior to becoming symptomatic. This represents 25% more patients than would have been identified by commonly used clinical tools and judgement.

"Immense efforts are invested in developing treatment protocols to reduce the number of patients who will develop renal dysfunction due to diabetes," said Dr. Ran Goshen, Medial EarlySign's Chief Medical Officer. "Medial EarlySign's algorithm can aid decision-makers, drug developers, insurers and providers to better allocate their capped resources and secure preferential clinical outcome as well. This can help reduce the likelihood for diabetes related end stage renal disease (ESRD)."

"The significant size and rapid growth of digital health databases now allow the application of advanced mathematical tools that can identify patterns in diverse patient populations in order to identify high risk patients," said Dr. Itamar Raz, Head of the Israel National Council of Diabetes and Director Emeritus of the Diabetes Unit at Hadassah University Hospital. "Rather than relying only on small patient samples based on known risk factors, machine learning tools can reveal the slightest correlations among these parameters and discover additional risk indicators that can lead to improved prediabetic patient risk stratification."

Kidney problems are one of the most common diabetes-related complications, affecting approximately 20%-40% of diabetics worldwide. In the U.S., over 36% of adult diabetics were estimated to have diabetic nephropathy or other form of renal dysfunction between 2011-2012, affecting roughly 11 million people. These numbers will continue to rise as diabetes becomes more prevalent. Early identification and treatment may help prevent or slow the progression of damage to the kidney, reducing the likelihood of future complications, such as ESRD.

This model joins a suite of predictive models and algorithmic calculators developed and researched by Medial EarlySign, with the goal of providing healthcare organizations a comprehensive set of predictive tools to address the challenge of engaging with the right patients and offering effective interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality from diabetes. In addition to renal dysfunction, the company's research and development work also includes models for prediabetes to diabetes progression, diabetes-related cardiovascular disease, and additional collaborations focused on identifying successful interventions and optimizing engagement with diabetic and pre-diabetic individuals.

The prediabetes research follows successful clinical implementation of Medial EarlySign's solution to identify patients at high risk of harboring lower GI Disorders, consolidated by research conducted in the U.S., EU and Israel by Kaiser Permanente, Oxford University and Maccabi Healthcare Services, respectively.

Metagenics Joins the UC San Diego Center for Microbiome Innovation as an Industry Sponsor

Metagenics, Inc., a health sciences company, has joined the UC San Diego Center for Microbiome Innovation (CMI) as an industry sponsor.

CMI encompasses a large range of expertise from microbiome sampling, a broad range of technologies (metagenomics, metabolomics, meta transcriptomics) and data analysis using high-performance algorithms to machine learning and modeling. The ultimate goal is to increase knowledge of the impact of the microbiome on human health and/or the environment with an eye towards providing innovative solutions and treatments for major disease.

"Throughout our history Metagenics has recognized the importance of bacteria in the gut to human health," said Metagenics Sr. Director, Nutrition Science Nikky Contractor, Ph.D. "That's why we're so excited to join CMI as an industry sponsor. We look forward to working with the leaders in the field of microbiome research to bring the most innovative tools and techniques to our quest to provide personalized lifestyle solutions to our customers."

Metagenics delivers high-quality, science-based nutritional supplements, medical foods, and lifestyle programs to support healthcare practitioners in their efforts to help patients achieve their health and wellness goals. As part of the benefits of this CMI sponsorship, Metagenics will have the opportunity to influence the research directions of the center through participation in the Center Board meetings as well as regular communication with the center's team of experts.

"We are excited to have Metagenics join as a CMI industry sponsor," said Center Faculty Director Rob Knight. "This partnership will help elucidate the relationship between the gut microbiome and nutrition. We're learning a tremendous amount about how your microbiome affects your response to the drugs you take and the food you eat. By partnering with one of the leaders in evidence-based supplements, we'll be able to apply the same tools to maintaining your individual microbiome wellness throughout your lifetime."

Symposium to Honor Two Top Integrative Healthcare Visionaries, Leaders

PORTLAND, MAINE (PRWEB) JANUARY 31, 2018

The Integrative Healthcare Symposium is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2018 Leadership and Visionary awards, which will be presented at the conference, taking place February 22-24 at the New York Hilton Midtown.

Each year, the Symposium honors two integrative healthcare professionals whose forward-thinking contributions have advanced their fields of practice and their communities.

The Leadership Award recognizes a pioneer whose contributions have shaped integrative healthcare and paved the way for other practitioners. This year, that honor will go to Joe Pizzorno, ND. Notable past recipients include Mark Hyman, MD; Mehmet Oz, MD; and Tieraona Low Dog, MD.

The Visionary Award recognizes a thought leader who has moved the integrative healthcare community forward through their leadership and vision. That honor will be given to Deepak Chopra, MD. Notable past recipients include Daniel G. Amen, MD; Daniel Kraft, MD; Wayne Jonas, MD; and James Gordon, MD. 
Both honorees will play an active role in the three-day conference, each leading an educational session on their area of expertise.

About the 2018 Honorees:

Leadership Award –Joe Pizzorno, ND

Joe Pizzorno, ND, is a naturopathic physician, researcher, author, and international authority on science-based natural medicine. When patients, professional colleagues, academic institutions, and even two former U.S. Presidents have needed integrative healthcare advice, they’ve all looked to Dr. Pizzorno. And through 12 published books, Dr. Pizzorno has expanded his sphere of influence to the general public.

His latest book, The Toxin Solution, published in early 2017, uses insights from his four decades of clinical experience to illuminate the links between environmental toxins and autoimmune disease, cancer, obesity and more, and then posits solutions in practical, actionable terms.

Dr. Pizzorno’s commitment to sharing knowledge began as early as 1978, when he founded Bastyr University. Since then, he has become the editor-in-chief of PubMed-indexed Integrative Medicine: a Clinician’s Journal (IMCJ), and currently serves on several prestigious boards including the Institute for Functional Medicine (as treasurer); American Herbal Pharmacopeia; Hecht Foundation; Gateway for Cancer Research; and Bioclinic Naturals. He has also served on two Presidential commissions focused on the integration of natural medicine into the U.S. healthcare system.

On Thursday, Feb. 22, at 8:45 a.m., just following the Leadership Award ceremony, Dr. Pizzorno will lead an educational session titled Environmental Toxins and Neurodegeneration.

Visionary Award – Deepak Chopra, MD

Deepak Chopra, MD, FACP is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Dr. Chopra is author of more than 85 books, including 25 New York Times bestsellers. In 1999, Time magazine named him one of the Top 100 heroes and icons of the century, calling him “the poet-prophet of alternative medicine.”

He’s also the founder of The Chopra Foundation, co-founder of The Chopra Center for Wellbeing, and a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. His most recent work, The Healing Self, heralds a paradigm shift in medical science toward more personal responsibility for one’s health and well-being, including evidence-based connections between higher consciousness and physical healing.

On Friday, Feb. 23, at 10:30 a.m., Dr. Chopra will be presented with the Visionary Award prior to delivering the Integrative Healthcare Symposium’s keynote, The Future of Wellbeing.

In addition to Chopra and Pizzorno, symposium attendees will have the chance to learn from and network with dozens of other thought leaders, published educators, and like-minded peers. Agenda items include dozens of valuable CME-eligible sessions as well as insight-packed non-CME sessions and symposia, an optional pre-conference program, networking events, book signings, daily yoga, an exhibit hall, and more.

Registration for the 2018 Integrative Healthcare Symposium is open and includes the awards presentations, Chopra and Pizzorno’s educational sessions, and all other Thursday, Friday, and Saturday sessions and events. Exhibit hall passes are included with the conference passes or can be purchased separately. Pre-conference workshops are ticketed separately, but can be bundled with a full conference pass for a discounted rate. Full details are available at ihsymposium.com/register.

Qualified members of the press employed by accredited consumer or trade news organizations are invited to attend, but must pre-register for a press pass at ihsymposium.com/press.

About Integrative Healthcare Symposium: The Integrative Healthcare Symposium brings together multi-disciplinary practitioners and healthcare professionals dedicated to improving patient outcomes and defining the future of integrative healthcare. Attendees return to the annual conference each year to attend CME sessions, symposia, roundtable discussions, and networking events. During the three-day live event, practitioners connect with peers, synthesize findings, and ultimately take new insights and approaches back to their practices. The conference’s official media is Integrative Practitioner, the leading online community for integrative practitioners and professionals, providing its users with access to the most up-to-date information in integrative health news, events and resources. Integrative Healthcare Symposium is produced by Diversified Communications. For more information, visit ihsymposium.com.

Bringing UC San Diego’s Healthy Diet and Natural Medicine Research into the Spotlight

The late Richard N. (“Dick”) Krupp, born in 1930 to a family of Russian Jewish ancestry and very modest means, suffered from severe asthma as a child. His doctors offered little hope of full recovery. By the time he was a young man, Krupp realized that he had no alternative but to heal himself and began reading the works of popular health and nutrition authors of that period. As a result of his research, he turned to healing approaches such as proper diet and nutrition as well as natural therapeutics including herbs, vitamins and minerals. Krupp’s health improved dramatically.

He believed nutrition and natural medicine held the power to make people happier and healthier, yet he understood that broader acceptance of these methods was limited by a lack of solid scientific research. He also felt that the University of California San Diego had the reputation and credibility to manifest his dream of studying complementary and alternative medicine approaches. This led him to generously establish the Krupp Endowed Fund in 1997 to support research overseen by the UC San Diego Center for Integrative Medicine.

The Center for Integrative Medicine was recently renamed the Centers for Integrative Health, and the Krupp Endowed Fund helped give birth to two of its five individual centers: the Center for Integrative Research and the Center for Integrative Nutrition. The focus of the endowment remains on research regarding the use of diet and natural approaches in the prevention and treatment of important health problems. The Center for Integrative Research serves as an administrative home for the endowment and oversees practice-based research efforts. The Center for Integrative Nutrition houses all nutrition- and natural medicine-related programs, clinical services, cooking classes and research infrastructure. The Center for Integrative Medicine, Center for Mindfulness and Center for Integrative Education are also part of the UC San Diego Centers for Integrative Health.

“When Dick Krupp learned that the founders of the UC San Diego Center for Integrative Medicine had a profound shared interest in diet to improve human health, he realized that he had finally found the academic partner he was seeking,” said UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. “We will always be grateful to Dick Krupp for his vision and generosity, and we celebrate the launch of the Krupp endowment at the new Centers for Integrative Health.”

“Dick Krupp’s generosity will have a great impact on the field of integrative medicine not only here in San Diego but across the United States,” added David A. Brenner, MD, vice chancellor of UC San Diego Health Sciences and dean of UC San Diego School of Medicine. “At UC San Diego, we will rigorously test the effectiveness of integrative medicine therapies.”

After Krupp turned to UC San Diego because of its reputation and credibility as a top research institution, he connected with Gordon Saxe, MD, PhD, a founding member of the UC San Diego Centers for Integrative Health who shared Krupp’s interest in diet and natural medicine to improve health.

The Krupp Endowed Fund will support research on the use of healthy diet and natural medicine in the prevention and treatment of significant health problems. In just the past year, the support provided by Krupp’s bequest has funded novel research on a range of conditions: heart disease, cancer, diabetes, glaucoma, macular degeneration, endometriosis, rheumatoid arthritis and cerebrovascular disease.

According to Saxe, in addition to the two new centers, the bequest from Krupp has also led to a series of new initiatives including: integrative ophthalmology, based on a partnership between UC San Diego’s Shiley Eye Institute and the Center for Integrative Nutrition, which could become the first such program in the United States; heart disease reversal, in collaboration with Caldwell Esselstyn, MD, at the Cleveland Clinic; a program in personalized nutrition and “N-of-1” research (a clinical trial in which a single patient is the entire trial; a single case study); and a Culinary Medicine Institute for training a cadre health care providers and professional chefs in the use of food as medicine.

Saxe, the chair of research for the Krupp Endowed Fund, said, “Our new centers are grounded in the rigorous research that Dick has enabled, and will help his vision blossom further. This will occur through a growing clinical research program.”

Krupp’s continuing focus on healthy diet and natural medicine, and passion for integrative research and nutrition, compelled him to expand his original gift 20 years later. To further maximize the impact of his philanthropic contribution, Krupp spent the last few years of his life working tirelessly to increase the value of the assets in his bequest, which significantly increased the value of the Krupp Endowed Fund and potential to help transform health care. The legacy he left may be realized at over $30 million in the coming years. This endowment contributes to The Campaign for UC San Diego.

Dick Krupp died on New Year’s Day in 2015, but his kind, selfless, generous spirit will live on through his legacy to UC San Diego.

To learn more, please watch the video, “Food is Medicine: The Krupp Endowed Fund at UC San Diego.”

Diabetes Management Greatly Improved In High-Risk Ethnic Population Through Community-Based Program

An ethnic population at high risk for Type 2 diabetes achieved significant control of the disease through participation in community-based health programs, demonstrating that active intervention and culturally-sensitive education can reverse the course of certain illnesses. This according to a randomized controlled trial published January 31 by researchers at NYU School of Medicine's Department of Population Health in the journal Clinical Diabetes.

The Diabetes Research, Education, and Action for Minorities, or DREAM trial, took place in several neighborhoods throughout New York City heavily populated by Bangladeshi-Americans, who have a notably higher rate of Type 2 diabetes than the general U.S. population. The study participants were randomly assigned to either a control group or a group that participated in several educations sessions with community health workers.

After six months, over 55% of those in the intervention group had blood sugar levels of seven percent or less--a measure of Type 2 diabetes management also known as Hemoglobin A1c levels--compared to 42% in the control group.

"This is the first study of a community-based program to help New York City's Bangladeshi community control diabetes," says Nadia S. Islam, PhD, principal investigator of DREAM and associate professor of Population Health at NYU School of Medicine. "To the broader issue of disease management, these results add to a growing body of evidence showing that community health worker programs are a low cost and effective strategy for controlling certain chronic diseases."

Bangladeshi immigrants make up the fastest growing segment of South Asians in the U.S., numbering over 3.4 million -- with a majority living in New York City. Foreign-born South Asians also are at greater risk of diabetes than the general population. A recent study in New York City concluded that 35% of South Asians had Type 2 diabetes while another study in California found a prevalence of 29% -- compared to a rate of slightly more than 9% among the general U.S. population.

The researchers attribute this unusually high incidence of Type 2 diabetes to several factors: heredity, economic hardship, language barriers, and illiteracy and culture differences. These, in turn, create barriers to adequate healthcare.

To help overcome these barriers, the researchers developed intervention and health education programs led by community-based health workers, who were hired and trained by centers like NYU Langone, and who often come from the same ethnic background and communities as the populations they serve.

"They understand specific challenges and tailor interventions appropriately, facilitating a community's involvement in its own care," said Chau Trinh-Shevrin, DrPH, associate professor of Population Health at NYU School of Medicine and the study's senior investigator. "Community-based health workers build on existing bonds and encourage leadership around health."

How the Trial Was Conducted

The DREAM study enrolled 336 participants who identified as Bangladeshis; resided in New York City; were between 21 and 75 years old; and had a confirmed diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes -- defined as a hemoglobin A1c level of 6.5 percent or higher.

The researchers randomly assigned 176 participants into an intervention group that participated in five, two-hour monthly educational sessions led by bilingual Bangladeshi health workers, covering topics including nutrition and healthy eating; physical activity; complications of Type 2 diabetes; preventive self-care; and stress management and family support. Each individual also participated in two, one-on-one visits where they set individual health goals.

The other 160 participants were assigned to a control group, who were invited only to the first educational session, an overview of diabetes.

At end of the trial period, 36.3% of the intervention group achieved control or stabilization of their hemoglobin A1c levels (defined as under seven percent) compared with 24.6% of the control group. In addition, 55.2% of intervention group also had decreased A1c levels at the end of the study, compared to 42.5% in the control group.

The researchers also found that both the intervention and control groups reported overall changes in behavior, including increased diabetes knowledge, increased weekly physical activity, and weekly monitoring of blood sugar. "This suggests that even minimal community engagement around health made an impact," Islam says.

In addition to Islam and Trinh-Shevrin, additional study authors include Laura C. Wyatt, MPH, and MD Taher, MPH, Department of Population Health, NYU School of Medicine; Lindsey Riley, MPH, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research; S. Darius Tandon, PhD, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine; and Michael Tanner, MD, Department of Medicine, NYU School of Medicine.

Naturopathic Doctors Address Root Causes of Heart Disease

Naturopathic doctors (NDs) play an important role in reversing and preventing the number one killer of Americans: cardiovascular disease. That's because they focus on identifying the underlying causes of heart disease, and empowering patients to make enduring lifestyle changes. This is according to the Institute for Natural Medicine (INM), which today released a new FAQ in partnership with the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP).

Trained to treat the whole person, naturopathic doctors address the genetic, environmental, and behavioral/lifestyle factors that lead to cardiovascular disease. Root causes often show up as warning signs in other bodily systems, and many times they are the result of chronic inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation can arise from poor diet, a sedentary lifestyle, stress, autoimmune disease, food allergies, and many other sources.

While treatment approaches are individualized to each patient, here are six key focuses for naturopathic prevention and treatment of heart disease:

·         Comprehensive 1-2-hour intake to identify risk factors and underlying causes

·         Targeted labs for a clear picture of what's going on inside your body

·         Management of vital signs with medication as needed

·         Optimizing gastrointestinal function

·         Addressing endothelial dysfunction

·         Motivating physical activity

"Lifestyle changes can reverse heart disease in patients with arterial plaque build-up, and help people avoid surgery and long-term reliance on medication," said Michelle Simon, PhD, ND and Chair of the INM Board of Directors. "Naturopathic doctors individualize treatment with an emphasis on lifestyle shifts and other natural therapies, such as clinical nutrition, botanical medicine and counseling."

The complete FAQ, "How do naturopathic doctors prevent and treat heart disease?" can be found here.

About the Institute for Natural Medicine
The Institute for Natural Medicine (INM) is a national not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides public education about naturopathic medicine and increases consumer access to naturopathic doctors. As a close partner to the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, the INM strives to increase consumer and physician choice in safe, effective healthcare that improves patient outcomes and lowers costs. For more information visit www.naturemed.orgor call 855-799-4490.

About the AANP
The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians is the professional association that represents licensed naturopathic physicians. The AANP strives to make naturopathic medicine available to every American, and to increase recognition of naturopathic physicians as the identified authorities on natural medicine. Learn more at www.naturopathic.org.

Cancer Treatment Centers of America® Publishes Patient Treatment Results

Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), a national network of five hospitals, today announced the release of its fifth annual Patient Treatment Results, a comprehensive reporting of patient treatment outcomes for 11 cancer types, including the most common. The Patient Treatment Results report reflects an industry-leading standard for transparency, as less than 10 percent of all cancer care providers in the U.S. publish their results. The CTCA® report includes data on length of life, quality of life, care experience, and patient safety and quality results. The report is available for download via the CTCA website, at cancercenter.com/ctca-results.

"To our knowledge, this new report is among the most complete in the nation in terms of reporting of treatment results, patient ratings of their experience, and self-reported quality of life data from the beginning of treatment through return visitation," said Raj Garg, MD, JD, President and CEO of CTCA®. "Today's release reaffirms our commitment to providing patients and their families with information that will help them make more informed choices about their care."

The 2017/2018 Patient Treatment Results book provides five-year survival rates for CTCA patients treated between 2000 and 2013 for 11 cancer types, including complex cancers such as pancreatic and small cell lung cancers. Additionally, the report supplies companion survival data for each cancer type as reported by the National Cancer Institute in its Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program. The report also details various safety and quality of life measurements during treatment, which are not typically reported by other oncology treatment centers.

"These results are yet another testament to the clinical excellence we bring to each and every one of our patients every day," said Maurie Markman, MD, President of Medicine and Science at CTCA. "Less than 10 percent of the 1,500 plus cancer care providers in the U.S. publish their results, and among those who do, most report on just one or two cancer types. Our report includes results for 11 different cancer types, plus safety and quality of life measurement data. We believe the more information patients have available about the providers to whom they entrust their lives, the more informed their overall decision-making will be."