Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-09-28 Board of Health Supplemental Materials BOH Meeting 9-28-2017 LanyFkx|er Topics 1-Educational presentations- began with previous discussions among board members and we are at the point making this an actual program during the meetings.All of us Tom etc. contributed our ideas throughout the year for this tohappen a- How long are the presentations and discussion afterwards b- What topics 7 r' How many presentations throughout the year d- Are the BOH meetings|ivemtreamed e' Ways to promote our guest speakers including BOH Doctor members (Social Media,Town Web Page, Signage atTown hall, Senior Center Eho., North Andover Cam f- This Year we had, Water Dept., North East Mosquito District, Oct. 2017 Tech Company that tests air quality atVVhee|ebrator. Q- 20I8 Jan 25 meeting: Dr Megan Bernstein, Dermatologist at Northeast Dermatology in North Andover,Spring of 2018, Melanie Callahan, a local physical therapist at Northeast Rehab. Hosp, our BOH members Uc Fronk K8nrK4i||an, Dr.Tom Trowbridge in 2018 2' Priorities List 3' Meeting with Brian and Caroline last month Dept. focus, promotions,organization, responsibilities,stance in community etc. 4' One BOH member short 5- Top 3areas ofconcern during inspections for restaurants MONTHLY REPORT from the Public Health Director September 2017 MEETINGS: • Larry Fixler and Caroline lbbitson to discuss ways to promote the Health Dept(previously). • Region 3B Greater Lawrence Public Health Coalition (Bioterrorism/Emergency Preparedness). • Regional Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) meeting. • Region 3 Health and Medical Coordinating Coalition (HMCC) meeting. • Region 3 HMCC Board of Governors meeting. • Region 3 HMCC Budget subcommittee meeting • Department Head meeting with Town Manager. • Meeting with Ray regarding MGL 30B Procurement procedures for flu vaccines. • Meeting with Community Development Director regarding administrative procedures. • Meeting with Town Counsel regarding abandoned property initiatives. • Tobacco Control Advisory Board meeting. • 2 Technical Review Committee (TRC) meetings-High Street Project,Turnpike Street TRAININGS: • Hoarding Task Force (Tewksbury Health Department) working group. • Google Calendar training • MHOA- Food Borne Illness Investigations update seminar INSPECTIONS: • 7 Septic Inspections • 2 Food inspections: 1 post construction inspection; 1 layout/design renovation proposal • Noise complaint- Market Basket truck deliveries REVIEWS: • Septic Reviews:4 • Food Reviews: McDonalds, Baba's Pizza, 1-5 Temporary Event Food Applications • Building Permit Applications: 67 Administration. • Reviewed 7 Title 5 Reports submitted. • Reviewed 50 Food Inspection reports submitted. • General Invoicing • Vaccine procurement • Trash Truck Administration with PD • Handle general resident requests and inquiries, complaints and customer service. • Animal Control: 1 Bat tested, I Cat tested, 1 Family referred for vaccination. • Correspondence with TEC,Wheelabrator, GLSD,Animal Control. • Mosquito Control: Positive West Nile Virus test; Press Release; Coordinate targeted spray and quadrant spray, overall correspondence with NEMC. • Scheduled Royal Crest Comprehensive Inspection project. • DPH conference call-regional coalition staff planner hiring MISC: • Phone calls with Chairman : 18 RNMonthly Report ~~ September 2017 Camps: w Tally offinal numbers for each camp—report faxed toDPH Meetings: w K4APHN m TRIAD w Cheryl Barozek'f|u preparation � Coalition and MRC � Sanofi (flu manufacturer) presentation oswell asmeeting with Sanofi rep Clinics/Outreach: w QPClinic 2d m and Wednesdays w OP Clinic Morkerk| Meadows � Flu flyer Distribution toeach Senior Housing apartment Influenza: v Purchase oftransport cooler * Purchase ofclinic supplies • Compiled an Emergency Kit for transport to flu oUnioa m Much research on purchasing limitations and state contract with regards to flu vaccine • Accepting, inventory and organization nfinfluenza vaccine w Email distribution to each school for electronic newsletter distribution w Flyers to town contacts for social media, posting of flyers and cam advertisements • 4/0 9/28—first Elder Clinic oonnp|otod--56 in ottmndance--52 High Dose Vaccine given. 3/5 PID flu visits completed. To cornm— School Staff, PD, FU, DPW,Town Employee flu clinics as well as 3 more Senior Center clinics, elderly housing clinics and community wide clinic. • MassHea|threimburooment M|SC: m MAVEN-Communicable disease-calls and follow up • Calls from residents-research on vaccines, occupational immunization requirements • Follow up on Cholesterol Screenings—A/o 9/28 per state verbal oktostart Cholesterol 5c,eenin8mM oon"t wamit., vaccinate,. ELDER FLU CLINICS A limited amount Of Nigh Dose Flu Vaccine will he available for ages 65 and older "Bring all insurance cards" From - hSenior Center Ur Thursday September 28th Wednesday October 4 th Thursday October 12t" Wednesday October 18th t Menior Housin Monday October 2"1 -Bingham 10-11 am -O'Connor 11 :30-12:30 -McCabe 2-3 Thursday October 5th -Morkeski 10-11 -Fountain 11 :30-12:30 -Foulds 2-3 i' � 1) -00 00 , .......... r�tr f a r 4 � a Av!-- ro � I. � ;R. °`- . a�. �� �I 2 0 17 a rn I'l F, 1,U i I Wednesday October 18th Forth Andover High School Field Meuse 430 Osgood Street 5 : 00- 7: 00pm Influenza vaccine will be available for residents of North Andover. Children must be 3 and older. Save time and visit the town website at www.northandoverma.,gov for access to the insurance and consent form *Bring all insurance cards to the CHDIO TOWN EMPLOYEES .. ./i r .� ri rr s r !ri rr Akt the Nurse s Office 120 Main Street, Ground Floor By appointment Call x43403 or email cibbitsonOnorthandovermaogov Friday 20th Tuesday Ot r 24 th 8 : 30a.m, - 12p.m. You can save time and access the insurance form on the town website. *Bring all insurance cards to your appointment* uon't Wait ! Vaccinate ! ELDER FLU CLINICS A limited amount of High Dose Flu Vaccine will be available for ages 65 and older "Bring all insurance cards" The Senior Center Thursday September 28th 9a-12p Wednesday October 4th 9a-12p Thursday October 12th 9a-12p, Wednesday October 18th 9a-12p Senior Housing: Monday October 2nd -Bingham 10-11a -O'Connor 11:30a-12:30p -McCabe 2-3p Thursday October 5th -Morkeski 10-11a -Fountain 11:30a-12:30p -Foulds 2-3p If you are homebound and unable to make one of these clinics please call 978-688-9543 to speak with the town nurse. M T VV TH F Published September 13, 2017 CDC : Influenza Vaccine Slightly Modified for New Season By staff Atlanta, GA—Influenza vaccine components for the upcoming season are slightly modified fi-om those used last year, according to the CDC. An article in the Morbidity and Mortality WeeklyReport (MMWI?) discussed the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for the influenza season. "This represents a change in the influenza A(HINI) pdm09 virus component from the previous season," noted the report. The CDC review also discussed recent regulatory actions, including two new licensures and one labeling change. Among those: ® Afluria Quadrivalent (11V4; Seqirus, Parkville, Victoria, Australia) was licensed by the FDA in August last year for adults aged 18 and older. - Flublok Quadrivalent (RIV4; Protein Sciences, Meriden, Connecticut) was licensed by the FDA in October 2016, for adults aged 18 and older. ® The age indication for FluLaval Quadrivalent (11V4; ID Biomedical Corporation of Quebec, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada) was extended last November from children aged 3 years and older to infants older than 6 months. Children aged 6 through. 35 months may receive FluLaval Quadrivalent at the same 0.5 mL per dose (containing 15 mcg of hemagglutinin [HA] per vaccine virus) as is used for older children and adults. This licensure creates an additional option for vaccination of children aged 6 through 35 months in addition to the previously available 0.25 mL per dose presentation (containing 7.5 meg of HA per vaccine virus) of Fluzone Quadrivalent (11V4; Sanofi Pasteur, Swiftwater, Pennsylvania). Afluria (IIV3; SeqirLIS, Parkville, Victoria, Australia) is now recommended for persons aged 5 years and older, in line with FDA-approved labeling. The CDC also emphasizes that pregnant women can receive any licensed, recommended, age-appropriate influenza vaccine. The agency reiterated its recommendations about the use of live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV4). The nasal spray was -found to have low effectiveness against influenza A(H IN 1) pdm09 in the United States, leading to the CDC's position to suspend use last year. "Influenza viruses typically circulate widely in the United States annually, from the late fall through the early spring," the MA4WR article notes. "Although most persons with influenza will recover without sequelae, influenza can cause serious illness and death, particularly among older adults, very young children, pregnant women, and those with certain chronic medical conditions." Since 20 1,O, the CDC and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices have advised routine annual influenza vaccination for all persons aged 6 months and older who do not have contraindications. For the 2017-2018 season, quadrivalent and trivalent influenza vaccines will be available, as will inactivated influenza vaccines (IlVs), which will be available in trivalent (IIV3) and quadrivalent (11V4) formulations. Recombinant influenza vaccine (RIV) will be available in trivalent (RIV3) and quadrivalent (RIV4) formulations also. r The Tap 7 Craziest Drugs in the Pipeline Not all drugs are incredible—and sometimes even the incredible ones have weird. origins. September 11, 2017 By Nicholas Hamm H iM, DMA 3 ecstasy 3.4 M othylenedioxymethamphetamine 1. MDMA OK Says FDA Though this sounds like the dream.of a stoned-out college kid musing to his friends about what the world would be like without the Man, ecstasy(MDMA, or its approved generic name, midomafetamine) is a very real and serious proposition for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. How serious is it? The FDA just granted a breakthrough therapy designation to MDMA. The agency is working with the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (Yes, it is a real organization)to develop Phase 3 trials of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for patients with severe PTSD. The first trial will begin next spring and involve 200 to 300 patients in the United States, Canada,and Israel. In Phase 2 trials with 107 patients, after three sessions of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, 61% of patients no longer had symptoms of PTSD. At a 12-month follow-up, 68%no longer had PTSD. These results have not yet been published, so maybe take them with a grain of salt. 2. Lactose Intolerant No More Not all drugs can be as glamorous as that breakthrough cancer treatment or miracle orphan drug. Instead, some treat more mundane maladies. Take RP-G28 (do NOT confuse this with the RPG-28, a Russian hand-held anti-tank rocket launcher), a drug far the treatment of lactose intolerance. The drug, currently in Phase 2b/3 trials, is being developed by Ritter Pharmaceuticals. Lactose intolerance affects over one billion people worldwide. RP-G28 stimulates the growth of lactose-metabolizing bacteria in the colon, which reduces gas production, which in turn relieves the symptoms of lactose intolerance, some of which are uncomfortable and some of which are less than socially acceptable. According to Ritter, this is the first time researchers have"been able to identify a change in the specific bacteria species as a result of a course of treatment of a specific disease." Early phase 2 trials for the drug seem promising, a majority of patients reported no abdominal pain after taking the drug. If approved,RP-G28 would be the first ever FDA-approved drug for the treatment of lactose intolerance (but not the last time bacteria will be mentioned on this list). 3. A Radical New Drug? Sometimes the hottest new drug is available for$3.99 in the supplement section of your pharmacy. Biotin—formerly known as vitamin H and now called vitamin 137—is now in phase 3 trials for the treatment of progressive MS. MedDay Pharmaceuticals is qupKAl -sessin high- dose biotin. In one pilot study of 23 patients, 21 patients (91.3%) improved clinically. Four patients with prominent visual impairment related to optic nerve injury"improved significantly." One patient kept improving from 2 to 16 months following treatment, and 16 patients with prominent spinal cord involvement improved 2 to 8 months following treatment. There are currently no approved drugs for progressive MS--proving that even the most mundane treatments could provide huge benefits for patients 4. Putting the Drug Back in Prescription Drugs Medical qigdqp12A is all the rage these days, but,one drug is taking cannabis to a new level. In what again sounds like a stoned college student's dream, GW Pharmaceuticals is currently testing I',pidiolex, an oral solution of pure plant-derived cannabidiol. The drug is currently in several Phase 3 trials for multiple indications—two trials for Dr vel. Ldome,two for Lepnon-Gastaut syndpoing, one for Tubelous SclerosisComplex, and one for Lpfantil SLiasrnq. s_ _ The FDA has also granted expanded access for Epidiolex, allowing physicians to apply for emergency access to the drug for patients suffering from intractable epilepsy 5. Didn't We Eradicate That One? This drug comes straight fi-om the beginning of B movie. As if the anti-vaccination movement bringing back preventable diseases wasn't bad enough,researchers at the Duke University Medical Center,Durham,NC, are conducting Phase 2 trials using a re-engineered polio virus. To make matters worse,that virus is combined with the common cold. Were this a B movie,the polio virus would mutate into a large green blob that would terrorize New York. But in the real world, the virus is doing something much better—attacking tumors. The trials currently underway are examining the effect of recombinant oncolytic poliovirus PVS- RIPO with or without chemotherapy drug lomustine in treating grade IV gliomas. To create the modified virus,researchers replace the internal ribosomal entry site (IBES) with the IRE,S from the human rhinovirus type 2. The virus is then taken up and replicates in certain tumor cells, eventually causing tumor cell lysis. So while you could say that researchers are using new techniques to defeat cancer, you could also say that scientists are creating mutant viruses designed to kill. Your call. 6. Like Borrowing a Cup of Sugar ,Sometimes drugs are like hot dogs—you can only enjoy them if you don't know what's in them. Take Seres Therapeutics' efforts to bring the first"regulated, clinically approved bacteria-filled pill to treat diseases associated with disruptions to the microbes inside the human body."They say that yogurt eaters know that bacteria are good—but they might have a harder time selling that their pills are not filled with live yogurt cultures but with live human bacteria. Seres isn't saying exactly what bacteria are involved, but do mention fecill,trans lants as an analogous—though insufficient—treatment. They do,however, say that one drug, SER-109, contains "an ecology of bacterial spores enriched and purified from healthy, screened human donors." SER-109 is a pill, currently in Phase,3-trkils,used for the treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI). CDI is, according to the CDC, one of the top three most urgent antibiotic-resistant bacterial threats in the United States and results in 29,000 deaths per year. SER-109 may repair dysbiosis—a disrupted state of the microbiome—an underlying cause of recurrent CDI. 7. Insta-Tan This one isn't technically in the pipeline yet, but it's too odd not to share. from the lowly cave dwellings of our ancient ancestors to the sleek smart homes of today, humans have spent the last 10,000 years perfecting the indoors. And now there's one more reason to stay home—researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston have developqd a process that may eventually give anyone the ability to tan with just a simple application of a liquid. The researchers bought a molecule that inhibits salt-incuclibe kinase, which turns off melanin production. They then create a compound using that molecule, which they applied to the backs of shaved redhead mice. After 7 days of treatment the skin turned almost black, which then returned to normal within two weeks—with no noted safety concerns. The researchers then modified the compound to penetrate human skin and tested it on discarded patches of skin from surgical procedures. One of the compounds tested made a brown spot, indicating that it was able to reach the mclanocytes in the skin and spur melanin production. The researchers say more work,is needed before human trials could begin, but they see the compound as a way to combat skin cancer. The compound would work even on fair-skinned people who do not normally tan, potentially lowering their risk for skin cancer. However, it is not intended to replace sunscreen, but to enhance its effects. The researchers are currently looking for collaborators to test the compound in a clinical trial