AARP
As AARP’s 60th anniversary approaches, the new AARP Brain Health Fund is investing $60 million in the Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF) to disrupt dementia by supporting innovative research into dementia prevention and treatment.
One in 10 people 65 and older in the United States have Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. Despite decades of research, there is still no cure for dementia and few effective ways to treat symptoms of the disease. The Dementia Discovery Fund takes a new approach to dementia research by exploring other possible causes of the disease and applying treatment insights gained from other areas, such as cancer research, to develop new dementia drugs.
AMAG Pharmaceuticals
AMAG Pharmaceuticals recently announced FDA acceptance of its New Drug Application (NDA) for bremelanotide, a first-in-class melanocortin 4 receptor agonist designed for the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women. HSDD is the most common type of female sexual dysfunction, affecting approximately six million premenopausal women in the U.S. HSDD is characterized by persistent low sexual desire (or libido) that is associated with distress, often negatively impacting women’s emotional health, intimate relationships, and overall quality of life.
Additionally, AMAG and the March of Dimes recently announced a strategic corporate partnership focused on a shared commitment to improve maternal health and birth outcomes, as well as to reduce health inequities. Through the partnership, AMAG will participate in the March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign Collaborative and support the expansion of the March of Dimes’ Supportive Pregnancy Care (SPC) model, an innovative group prenatal care program.
America’s Health Insurance Plans
AHIP has had a busy quarter with its ongoing Modern Medicaid Alliance efforts as well as the launch of its Coverage@Work campaign, a nationwide effort to bring employer-provided coverage to the forefront by highlighting the critical role this type of coverage plays in improving Americans’ health and financial security. Nearly 180 million workers, their families, and American businesses depend on employer-provided coverage for their health and financial protection. The program has evolved into one of the country’s essential lifelines for insurance, with an overwhelming majority of Americans reporting high-satisfaction with their coverage. Over the next year, the Coverage@Work campaign and advertising effort — which can be viewed here — will highlight innovative partnerships between health plans, employers, and employees nationwide.
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) is committed to addressing the day-to-day challenges that drug shortages create in our healthcare system. From sodium bicarbonate to small volume parenteral solutions to injectable opioids, shortages of critical medications dangerously interfere with the ability to care for patients. Following the Drug Shortages Roundtable ASHP convened in November 2017, ASHP has continued its longstanding efforts to highlight the impact of these shortages and raise the awareness of Congress and other healthcare decision makers about the need for a long-term solution. ASHP has sent letters to and met with key legislators, pushed officials at the Drug Enforcement Administration to ease restrictions on the production of injectable opioids, and worked with the FDA and many other concerned organizations to advocate for needed changes. ASHP recently launched the Enough is Enough campaign, which is designed to promote grassroots engagement of its members with federal legislators to educate policymakers on shortages and to advocate for effective solutions.
Association for Accessible Medicines
AAM continues to urge Congress to pass the bipartisan CREATES Act, which will stop the anti-competitive practices that are costing patients billions. Most recently, on June 14th, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed the CREATES Act (S 974) on a strong bipartisan basis, and took a critical first step toward making real progress on the problem that U.S. patients care the most about: high drug prices. With a strong vote out of committee, one-third of the Senate now publicly supports this market-based solution—as do 86 stakeholder organizations representing patients, providers, consumers, industry, civil society groups, and many others committed to increasing competition and lowering prescription drug costs for patients. You can find more information about REMS abuse—which costs patients and taxpayers more than $5 billion each year—and the CREATES Act, including a list of supporters and cosponsors, online here.
AAM’s Biosimilars Council recently released a white paper offering policy recommendations to promote the development of a robust biosimilars market in the United States. Breaking Through on Biosimilars: Delivering More-Affordable, Innovative Medicines to America’s Patients, highlights the current regulatory, legislative, market and education challenges to ensuring patients gain access to these innovative, life-saving treatments. The white paper also provides solutions to current challenges in biosimilars market development including:
- Hurdles intended to thwart competition, such as restricted access to reference products, patent abuses and trade agreement provisions that extend monopolies;
- Obstacles to market-based competition once the FDA has approved an application, including naming, labeling and interchangeability rules, and reimbursement issues; and
- Efforts to disseminate misinformation to patients and health care professionals to slow biosimilar uptake.
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb has been focused on Medicare Part D access issues and analyzing and responding to the Administration’s Drug Pricing Blueprint and RFI.
Caregiver Action Network
Caregiver Action Network (CAN) has been conducting workshops entitled “Family Caregivers Matter: Shared Decision Making for Family Caregivers.” The workshops teach caregivers about caregiving tools, creating patient and family centered goals, and shared decision-making. The next workshops will be held on 7/22 in Chicago and 7/29 in Los Angeles.
Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy and the Medication Adherence Alliance
Three priorities for the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy and the Medication Adherence Alliance in the next year are:
- Improve health policy (nationally and locally) to support medication access and management;
- Improve communication between providers and patients/caregivers; and
- Improve patient skills for medication use/management/adherence.
FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER)
In May 2018, CDER updated its webpage on the Disposal of Unused Medicines. This highly visited page is designed to help consumers determine the best disposal method for their medications. An interactive infographic was created to help consumers walk through the decision-making process associated with medication disposal and includes links to valuable resources, such as drug takeback options and the FDA’s flush list.
FDA’s Office of Women’s Health
The FDA Office of Women’s Health (OWH) held “The Great Debate: What is Enough … Women in Clinical Trials?” on May 16, 2018. Featuring two cardiologists, Dr. Ellis F. Unger, FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), and Dr. Rita F. Redberg, University of California San Francisco Medical School and Chief Editor of JAMA Internal Medicine, the debate centered on cardiovascular disease clinical trials and the challenges and complexity of the question, “What is enough?” when determining participation of women in these trials.
FDA and OWH staff authored a publication titled, “Participation of Women in Clinical Trials Supporting FDA Approval of Cardiovascular Drugs.” Published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, this study examined clinical trial inclusion/exclusion criteria, women’s participation, and the reported safety and efficacy by gender for pivotal cardiovascular disease trials submitted to the FDA supporting marketing applications over one decade (2005-2015).
The OWH Research and Development program accomplishes its goals largely through its intramural research project, which addresses knowledge gaps in regulatory science pertaining to sex differences and health conditions unique to women. OWH developed the Research Impact and Outcomes Framework as a guide to developing an organizational impact and outcomes measurement tool for program assessment and reporting.
In the fall, OWH will be hosting a scientific conference on sex and gender differences in the misuse and abuse of opioids and tobacco.
Healthcare Distribution Alliance
The Healthcare Distribution Alliance continues to work with partners across the pharmaceutical supply chain and healthcare sector to educate consumers about prescription opioids through Allied Against Opioid Abuse (AAOA). HDA launched AAOA in February 2018 with the goal of helping to solve the opioid abuse epidemic by educating consumers about the rights, risks and responsibilities associated with prescription opioids.
A recent Morning Consult survey, commissioned by AAOA, underscored the gap in education and awareness about the safe and appropriate use of pain medication. The findings demonstrated how imperative it is to equip consumers and their families with the latest information on safe use, storage, and disposal of prescription opioids.
Through AAOA, HDA is working with national partners as well as local communities to provide education and create awareness. Check out this video to learn more about AAOA’s local programs and partnerships. To learn more, visit www.AgainstOpioidAbuse.org. Pease contact Lee Lynch (llynch@reservoircg.com) if you are interested in getting involved with AAOA.
HealthyWomen
Beth Battaglino, RN, CEO, presented ““Strengthening Families and Communities: Improving Access to Medication-Assisted Treatment for Substance Use Disorders,” with Paul Samuels, Director/President, Legal Action Center, at the Women in Government National Legislative Conference, plenary session, June 21, in San Francisco. Beth and Paul conveyed to state policy makers from across the country the importance of improving access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) — now considered the gold standard for treating opioid-use disorder. For women, the impact of opioid use disorder is especially acute, and Beth highlighted the effects barriers to MAT have on women, families, and communities. Both Beth and Paul encouraged policy makers to examine how their states are navigating these issues and to develop plans to address them.
On June 13, HealthyWomen hosted “Alla Nostra Salute! To Our Health!” dinner program and silent auction at the Embassy of Italy. The program celebrated innovation in women’s health, advocacy, and women’s health research with remarks by keynote speaker John Whyte, MD, MPH, on the state of diversity in clinical trials. Esteemed speakers also presented on a range of topics from non-opioid-based pain management for women from a physician’s and a consumer’s perspective, sex influences on brain and body, research on Zika virus and pregnancy, and the importance of access to preventive care and screenings for women.
HealthyWomen also hosted the panel, “Women & Clinical Trials: Past, Present & Future,” May 16 at the Women’s Health Empowerment Summit: Breaking Barriers, Changing Futures, with the Coalition for Women’s Health Equity, convened by Hadassah.
National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health
NPWH recently held its second Healthy at Any Age Summit and is in the process of forming the Coalition on Older Women’s Health. If you or your organization are interested in learning more information about the Summit or Coalition, please email info@npwh.org. Additionally, NPWH just concluded its fifth annual Women’s Sexual Health Course for NPs and looks forward to its 21st Annual Premier Women’s Healthcare Conference, as well as the launch of its Patient Portal, later this year.
National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE)
On June 8, 2018, after completing a formal dissolution process and transfer of a broad range of educational assets including the primary website, www.BeMedWise.org, ground-breaking research and the annual “Talk About Your Medicines” month observation in October, the National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE), organized in 1982, has merged these resources with a like-minded 20 year old national non-profit group NeedyMeds, based in Gloucester, MA. The NeedyMeds mission — to help people find assistance with the cost of medications and healthcare services complements NCPIE’s mission of over 35 years — to promote safe and appropriate use of medicines through trusted communication for better health.
NeedyMeds will now be able to expand its consumer and patient education and provide information across the entire medicine use continuum: access to needed medicines; safe and appropriate use of medicines; safe storage of medicines; and safe disposal of unused medicines. NeedyMeds provides information on all the pharmaceutical patient assistance programs (PAPs), copay programs, and other types of financial assistance for those experiencing a hardship paying for medications and healthcare costs. The NeedyMeds website is visited by 13,000 – 14,000 visitors most weekdays. All of the data is free, easy to access, and updated regularly. The toll-fee helpline receives around 6,000 callers per month. All access is anonymous. As part of its expansion into health education, NeedyMeds has three additional websites:
- Safe Needle Disposal— This site contains information on how to safely and legally dispose of home-generated used sharps.
- HealthWeb Navigator — A site with reviews of health-related websites that will relaunch soon with a new look.
- Findcare — A site containing free/low-cost/sliding-scale clinics.
Deborah Davidson, with nearly 20 years of NCPIE experience, has joined NeedyMeds as a full-time staff member, where she will be responsible for managing the evolution of the BeMedWise program under the auspices of NeedyMeds. Ray Bullman, who has led NCPIE for more than 33 years as Executive Vice President, is helping with the transition as a volunteer advisor.
USP
On May 23, 2018, on the sidelines of the 71st World Health Assembly in Geneva, USP launched the Medicines We Can Trust Campaign, which seeks to generate a sense of urgency by raising awareness of the scope and impact of the problem of poor quality medicines, and inspire collective action by unifying a diverse and broad coalition of partners. Organizations can join the campaign by signing up here.
Verde Technologies
New Health Advisory Council member Verde Technologies is committed to developing research-based scientifically proven solutions to reduce drug abuse, misuse and negative environmental impact. Its Deterra Drug Deactivation System deactivates drugs using activated carbon, rendering them inert, unavailable for misuse, and safe for the environment.
Don’t be fooled: Con artists posing as NCL representatives
/byOver the past few weeks we have heard from dozens of consumers who have been contacted by scammers posing as employees of the National Consumers League. These scammers, impersonating NCL staff, inform their victims that they have won a sweepstakes or lottery and that they must pay a fee to claim their winnings.
While this may appear legitimate, it is not. Consumers have been tricked into paying for phony “insurance,” “taxes” owed to the IRS or the state treasury, “processing fees,” or “lawyers’ fees.” While the scammers can go to great lengths to convince their victims that they are NCL representatives—as evidenced by an actual letter a victim received, which we have published below—consumers who fall for these scams can lose hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Unfortunately, perpetrators of this scam do not just impersonate NCL employees. They are known to impersonate government agencies like the IRS and other respected consumer groups. To protect yourself from this scam, it is important to remember the following:
The #DataInsecurity Digest | Issue 73
/byCyber threats are ‘blinking red’ as U.S. readiness struggles continue
By John Breyault (@jammingecono, johnb@nclnet.org)
NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud
Subscribe here. Tell us what you think.
Editor’s Note: While Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats was raising the alarm over U.S. lack of cybersecurity readiness to lawmakers last week, cybersecurity issues continued to plague American businesses–especially concerning given new research that data breaches are more financially devastating to U.S. companies than to any others around the globe. In further bad news for businesses, researchers have found a site on the dark web that is selling backdoors to computers (including three at a single international airport) for a mere $10. Finally, Russian state-sponsored hacking has compromised “hundreds” of American electrical utilities, potentially giving adversaries the power to literally turn out the lights on millions of U.S. consumers.
And now, on to the clips!
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Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats: Cyber threat warnings are ‘blinking red.’ The top intelligence official compared America’s current cyber threat with pre-9/11 characterizations of our preparedness for terror attacks. “‘Here we are nearly two decades later and I’m here to say the warning lights are blinking red again,’ Coats said.” (Source: Washington Post)
Russians ‘could have thrown switches’ at utilities. State-sponsored Russian hackers have compromised “hundreds” of supposedly secure American electric utilities and possess the ability to cause blackouts, said Department of Homeland Security officials this week. “‘They got to the point where they could have thrown switches’ and disrupted power flows, said Jonathan Homer, chief of industrial-control-system analysis for DHS.” (Source: Wall Street Journal)
The government continues to struggle with sharing cyber threat intelligence. Last week, at a Washington Post Live event, current and former policymakers lamented that “the U.S. government needs do a better job sharing cyber threat information with the private sector if it’s going to defeat increasingly complex cyberattacks from nation states. …” During the event, government officials acknowledged they “have been too focused on trying to get companies to share information with them — and less on sharing with private companies who want threat intelligence the government detects.” (Source: Washington Post)
Data breaches cost U.S. companies more in 2018 than foreign counterparts. A new report from Statistica shows that American companies “paid significantly more on average for every data breach in 2018 than [did] companies in any other country — a little over $3 million more than companies in runner-up Canada, and more than twice [as much] as everyone other than Canada, Germany, and France.” (Source: Business Insider)
Backdoors into your computer could be for sale on the dark web for $10. A dark web store is advertising backdoors into computer systems and offering tips on how to use the logins without being caught. In one frightening case, cybersecurity researchers examined the IP address of compromised machines advertised on the store’s site “to discover that three belonged to a single international airport. ‘This is definitely not something you want to discover on a Russian underground RDP shop,’ said John Fokker, head of cyber investigations for McAfee Advanced Threat Research.” (Source: ZDNet)
2018 has not been a good year for cybersecurity. With a little more than half of 2018 behind us, we have a pretty good idea of what is going well and what isn’t in the cybersecurity space. @lilyhnewman reports that, while “there haven’t been as many government leaks and global ransomware attacks as there were by this time last year… that’s pretty much where the good news ends. Corporate security isn’t getting better fast enough, critical infrastructure security hangs in the balance, and state-backed hackers from around the world are getting bolder and more sophisticated.” (Source: Wired)
Quick hit: none of Google’s 85,000 employees have been a victim of a phishing attack since it began requiring their use of physical security keys to log into their workspaces in early 2017. (Source: Krebs on Security)
Advocates raise concern over CFPB nominee Kraninger’s questionable data security track record. While working at DHS, Kathy Kraninger advocated for a biometric data collection program that would later be criticized by the GAO for “significant information security control weaknesses.” (Source: Allied Progress)
SEC opens probe against Facebook. The SEC has now acknowledged that it is investigating whether Facebook “adequately warned investors that developers and other third parties may have obtained users’ data without their permission or in violation of Facebook policies.” (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Upcoming Events
August 9-12, 2018 – DEF CON 26 – Las Vegas, NV
DEF CON is the world’s longest-running and largest underground hacking conference. Each summer, hackers, corporate IT professionals, and three-letter government agencies all converge on Las Vegas to absorb cutting-edge hacking research from the most brilliant minds in the world. (Source: DEF CON)
October 2018 – National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Every October, the National Cybersecurity Alliance organizes the National Cybersecurity Awareness Month to address specific challenges and identify opportunities for behavioral change. (Source: Stay Safe Online)
National Consumers League
Published July 26, 2018
The #DataInsecurity Digest | Issue 72
/byData broker leaves 340M consumers’ most personal data unsecured
By John Breyault (@jammingecono, johnb@nclnet.org)
NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud
Subscribe here. Tell us what you think.
Editor’s Note: As the cyber community assess President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee’s views on privacy and the 4th Amendment, data breaches continue to plague businesses and make headlines. Last week, a data broker left the intimate details of 340 million consumers unsecured online. Likewise, Ticketmaster found itself in the midst of a massive data breach whose scope is not yet fully known. With the midterm elections looming in less than four months, Congress is letting the administration know of its displeasure with the lack of cyber leadership from the White House.
And now, on to the clips!
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Data broker Exactis left nearly 340 million consumer profiles unprotected and easily discoverable. While the records did not contain Social Security Numbers, they did include “more than 400 variables on a vast range of specific characteristics: whether the person smokes, their religion, whether they have dogs or cats, and interests as varied as scuba diving and plus-size apparel. …” The data trove also includes information on individuals’ children and other details, including “phone numbers, home addresses, email addresses, and other highly personal characteristics for every name.” (Source: Wired)
Senate Commerce Committee convenes hearing on Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities. In the hearing, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) complained that “seven months [was] too long for the companies to wait before disclosing major vulnerabilities.” In response, the companies testifying pointed out that they were mainly focused on informing the affected companies first. However, @alfredwkng reports that some senators rebutted this, pointing out that “companies notified Chinese companies about Spectre and Meltdown before the US government.” (Source: CNET)
SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh has a track record of opposing net neutrality and privacy. @alfredwkng reports that Kavanaugh believes that the “NSA’s surveillance program was consistent with the Fourth Amendment, even without a warrant, citing that ‘In my view, that critical national security need outweighs the impact on privacy occasioned by this program.’” The justice also “sided against net neutrality in a 2017 dissent, arguing that it was ‘one of the most consequential regulations ever issued by any executive or independent agency in the history of the United States.’” (Source: CNET)
Lawmakers aim to force Trump to act on cybersecurity. The Senate Armed Services Committee added language to the must-pass defense reauthorization bill that would require the administration to develop a cyberwar doctrine. @D_Hawk reports that “[t]he move highlights mounting frustration with what lawmakers see as a woefully insufficient strategy for responding to cyberattacks, and shows they’re serious about holding officials to their tough rhetoric.” As Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE) recently said, “Let’s not sugarcoat it: Washington is dangerously unserious about cybersecurity. … We’re decades into the era of cyberwar and we’re still playing catch-up.” (Source: Washington Post)
Cyber lamentations: The cost of doing nothing. In a July 4 piece, New York Times opinion columnist @NickKristof provided a sobering look at the path ahead if nothing is done to improve America’s cybersecurity. When Gen. Paul Nakasone, head of the U.S. Cyber Command, was asked in his 2018 confirmation hearings what he thought would happen if our enemies attack us in cyberspace, Kristof wrote, “They do not think much will happen,” Nakasone replied. “They don’t fear us.” (Source: New York Times)
Ticketmaster breach grows to affect U.S. website and possibly 800 additional e-commerce sites. Security researchers @RiskIQ believe that the “Ticketmaster breach was far bigger than first thought, after several of its global sites — including its US site, which had initially ruled out being affected — was running code from another third-party company that had also been compromised.” (Source: ZDNet)
Equifax agrees to a consent decree, avoiding financial penalty with eight states. However, Equifax must perform a detailed assessment of cyber threats, boost board oversight of cybersecurity, and improve processes for patching known security vulnerabilities, according to the terms of the agreement. The consent decree was approved by regulators in Alabama, California, Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, and Texas. (Source: Reuters)
Facebook’s new privacy settings may not be that consumer-friendly. Consumer Reports found that “the design and language used in Facebook’s privacy controls nudge people toward sharing the maximum amount of data with the company.” The report also found that “users can’t make changes to default settings before completing the sign-up process. Facebook also directs new users through a confusing dashboard of policies to learn how to change settings, and in some instances users need to perform a dozen or more clicks and swipes to find and adjust the appropriate settings.” (Source: Consumer Reports)
Upcoming Events
August 9-12, 2018 – DEF CON 26 – Las Vegas, NV
DEF CON is the world’s longest-running and largest underground hacking conference. Each summer, hackers, corporate IT professionals, and three-letter government agencies all converge on Las Vegas to absorb cutting-edge hacking research from the most brilliant minds in the world. (Source: DEF CON)
National Consumers League
Published July 12, 2018
Spring 2018 membership meeting minutes
/byHealth Advisory Council
Fourth Annual Spring Membership Meeting
View our photo album.
June 27, 2018
Welcome and overview: Sally Greenberg, Executive Director, National Consumers League
Sally Greenberg welcomed attendees to the Fourth Annual Spring Membership Meeting of the Health Advisory Council. Greenberg thanked the Members of the Council for their support, engagement, and enthusiasm. She then turned the program over to Janay Johnson, NCL’s Health Policy Manager, who introduced the distinguished panel of experts.
Counterfeit and Substandard Drugs Panel (watch video here)
The following panelists made presentations and answered questions from Council Members about the threat of counterfeit drugs:
As a result, Karavetsos said that a flood of counterfeit and dangerous unapproved drugs arrive at International Mail Facilities (IMF) daily. Unfortunately, FDA does not have sufficient personnel to stop the flow of counterfeit drugs at IMFs, as the agency only employs 22 inspectors with responsibility for all 9 IMFs.
All is not lost, however. Karavetsos recommended that the following 5 strategies be implemented in order to stop the flow of counterfeit and unapproved drugs from entering the U.S.:
Good work is underway, but more needs to be done to protect consumers from illegal online pharmacies and counterfeit drugs. To find safe online pharmacies, consumers can use the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy’s .Pharmacy Verified Websites Program. Consumers can also check the legitimacy of a website at http://www.LegitScript.com. ASOP Global looks forward to continuing to work with its partners to educate consumers and healthcare providers about how to stay safe and save money when buying prescription drugs.
In addition to .pharmacy, Levine also mentioned the formation of the Fentanyl Council, a joint project of the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI), the Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM), and NABP, created to raise awareness of the dangers of counterfeit drugs laced with fentanyl.
Anthony Lakavage, J.D., Senior Vice President, Global External Affairs, USP, discussed USP’s work to ensure quality medicines. Data suggest that 1 in 10 medicines circulating in lower/lower-middle income countries are substandard and falsified. These poor quality medicines are a threat to families, countries, and global health progress. USP helps to combat substandard and fake medicines by developing quality standards; strengthening quality systems around the world; advocating; convening regulators and patient, disease, and other groups; and building a movement for quality medicines. To combat anti-microbial resistance (AMR), USP has been working to elevate existing evidence on the link between poor quality and AMR, and advocate for investment in quality assurance as a solution.
To help prioritize medicine quality globally, USP recently launched its Medicines We Can Trust Campaign, which is built around the principle that everyone should have access to medicines they can trust – as a right, not a privilege. The campaign will focus on the impact of poor quality medicines on people; engage patient, consumer, and disease advocacy groups; raise awareness and urgency; and inspire collective action. Lakavage invited Health Advisory Council members to join USP’s efforts by becoming official supporters of the campaign.
Q&A and discussion
Importation legislation
In response to a question about Senator Sanders’ legislation to allow the importation of drugs from Canada, George Karavetsos said that the concept is “flawed at its core.” As he had noted during his presentation, Canadian authorities are not regulating prescription drugs exported to the U.S., and the FDA, CBP, and FBI do not have the resources to stop the flow of unapproved and counterfeit drugs purporting to come from Canada. Recognizing this fact, no HHS Secretary or FDA Commissioner has certified that importation from Canada is safe.
Getting the word out about the risks of counterfeit drugs
In response to a question about the most important thing that can be done to protect the public from counterfeit drugs, the panelists agreed that consumer and healthcare provider education is key. As George Karavetsos noted, “we should all be sounding the alarm.” Consumers and healthcare providers need to be aware of the risks of counterfeit drugs and how to stay safe when purchasing medications online.
The panelists agreed that there is no magic bullet to addressing the problem. Rather, a number of strategies need to be implemented to lessen the threat of counterfeit drugs. It is going to take a team effort.
National Consumers League’s health program priorities: Karin Bolte, Senior Director, Health Policy, National Consumers League
Following the panel discussion, Karin Bolte gave an overview of NCL’s health programs and policy priorities. NCL carries out its health policy work through research, education, advocacy, and convening. NCL’s key priorities are:
Bolte also took the opportunity to thank Janay Johnson, NCL’s Health Policy Manager, for all of her hard work and valuable contributions to NCL, and wished her well in her new position as a Policy Analyst at the American Heart Association.
Information sharing from Health Advisory Council Members
Following the overview of NCL’s health programs, Health Advisory Council Members had the opportunity to share updates on their programs, priorities, and initiatives with each other. Please see the Q2 2018 Health Advisory Council Newsletter for a brief summary of member updates.
Closing remarks: Karin Bolte
Bolte thanked the Health Advisory Council Members for attending the meeting and for their continued support of NCL. She encouraged Members to support NCL’s Counterfeit Drugs Consumer Education Campaign, and to contact NCL with ideas and suggestions for future Council activities.
Health Advisory Council Newsletter | 2018 Q2
/byWelcome to the Q2 issue of the Health Advisory Council Newsletter. Below you will find NCL policy updates, a new Q&A with the American Medical Women’s Association, member updates, and more.
ICYMI: Counterfeit drugs panel discussion
On June 27, NCL hosted the Fourth Annual Spring Membership Meeting of its Health Advisory Council, featuring a panel discussion on counterfeit and substandard drugs. Panelists included George M. Karavetsos, Partner at DLA Piper and former Director of FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations; Matthew Rubin, Advisor, Faegre Baker Daniels Consulting and Advisor, Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies (ASOP Global); Gertrude “Gg” Levine, .Pharmacy Registry Operations Manager, National Association of Boards of Pharmacy; and Anthony Lakavage, J.D., Senior Vice President, Global External Affairs, USP. Janay Johnson, NCL’s Health Policy Manager, served as moderator.
Topics of discussion included the increasing threat of counterfeit drugs and the importance of consumer education; ASOP Global’s work to combat illegal online pharmacies; NABP’s .Pharmacy Verified Websites Program; and USP’s work to ensure quality medicines and its new Medicines We Can Trust Campaign. In addition to the panel discussion, the meeting also included a report on NCL’s health programs and activities, as well as the opportunity for Members to network with each other and share updates on their initiatives and priorities.
For meeting minutes, as well as photos, slides, and a video of the panel, click here.
Script Your Future Medication Adherence Team Challenge
In May, NCL announced the winners of the 7th annual Medication Adherence Team Challenge, a competition that encourages health profession students and faculty across the nation to develop creative ideas, events, and initiatives to raise public awareness about the importance of medication adherence.
This year, the Script Your Future National Challenge Awards went to the University of Charleston School of Pharmacy and the University of the Sciences Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. The three focused awards were won by Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) (health disparities), Touro University California College of Pharmacy (media outreach), and the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy (creative inter-professional team event). NCL also honored Pacific University School of Pharmacy with the Rookie Award.
Hundreds of future healthcare professionals from 73 participating educational institutions held more than 350 events in 17 states, counseled more than 14,000 patients, and reached 1.5 million consumers nationwide. Since the Challenge began in 2011, more than 15,000 future healthcare professionals have directly counseled nearly 65,000 patients and reached more than 24.5 million consumers.
Click here for more NCL health policy updates.
Member spotlight
Get to know the American Medical Women’s Association with a new Q&A.
Get the latest updates on programs, policy, and initiatives from our Members, including AARP, FDA, HealthyWomen, NPWH, and many more.
As we announced at the June 27 Health Advisory Council meeting, NCL’s Health Policy Manager, Janay Johnson, is moving on to the American Heart Association after nearly 2 ½ years at NCL. Janay’s last day will be July 13. NCL expresses its sincere appreciation to Janay for all of her hard work and valuable contributions she has made to NCL’s health policy and consumer education work. We know that you will join us in wishing Janay the best in her new position! Please contact Karin Bolte at karinb@nclnet.org if you have any candidates in mind for Janay’s position.
If you have time-sensitive information and updates you’d like to share with the Health Advisory Council in between NCL’s quarterly newsletters, please contact Karin Bolte (karinb@nclnet.org) and we will be happy to forward your materials to the Council membership. We also encourage you to contact us with your ideas and suggestions for Council activities.
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National Consumers League
Health Advisory Council Newsletter | Q2 2018
Published July 10, 2018
NCL health policy updates | Health Advisory Council Newsletter | 2018 Q1
/byNCL health policy at work
Script Your Future Medication Adherence Team Challenge
In May, NCL announced the winners of the 7th annual Medication Adherence Team Challenge, a competition that encourages health profession students and faculty across the nation to develop creative ideas, events, and initiatives to raise public awareness about the importance of medication adherence.
This year, the Script Your Future National Challenge Awards went to the University of Charleston School of Pharmacy and the University of the Sciences Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. The three focused awards were won by Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) (health disparities), Touro University California College of Pharmacy (media outreach), and the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy (creative inter-professional team event). NCL also honored Pacific University School of Pharmacy with the Rookie Award.
Hundreds of future health care professionals from 73 participating educational institutions held more than 350 events in 17 states, counseled more than 14,000 patients, and reached 1.5 million consumers nationwide. Since the Challenge began in 2011, more than 15,000 future healthcare professionals have directly counseled nearly 65,000 patients and reached more than 24.5 million consumers.
Protect Our Care/Big Tent Coalition and Short-Term Limited-Duration Insurance
As part of the Protect Our Care/Big Tent Coalition, NCL remains actively engaged in the nationwide effort to protect the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Medicaid. In April, NCL submitted comments and joined a group letter opposing the Trump Administration’s Short-Term Limited-Duration Insurance (STLDI) Proposed Rule. The proposed rule would rescind restrictions on short-term plans, thereby allowing insurers to offer junk insurance policies to millions of consumers that fail to meet their healthcare needs. STLDI plans exclude coverage for critically important healthcare services; vary premium rates by gender, health status, and age; and put individuals and families at significant financial risk. In addition, allowing the expansion of these types of plans would undermine the individual market by pulling healthy individuals away and leaving an older, sicker risk pool behind. Many who rely on comprehensive coverage – including women, older adults, and people with chronic conditions – would be left without affordable, comprehensive coverage options.
Fighting the opioid epidemic
On April 26 in Annapolis, NCL joined allies for the launch of the Rx Abuse Leadership Initiative (RALI), a Maryland-based coalition of more than a dozen local, state, and national organizations dedicated to finding solutions to end the opioid crisis in the state. At the event, NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg laid out the broad range of options for the safe disposal of opioids, including medication disposal programs at pharmacies and other collection sites, Drug Take-Back Days, in-home disposal methods, and other options. Noting that “consumers want to dispose of their medications properly, they just need to understand how to do so,” Greenberg expressed NCL’s commitment to partnering with RALI to educate consumers about the safe use and disposal of opioids and resources available to support addiction treatment and recovery.
Compounding
NCL continues to be a strong supporter of the Compounding Quality Act and FDA’s appropriate oversight of the practice of compounding. While it’s important to preserve access to compounded drugs for patients who have a medical need for them, it is critical to protect patients from poor quality compounding. At FDA’s June 19th Compounding Listening Session, NCL joined our consumer colleagues in urging FDA to pay particular attention when the state interest is weak (e.g., lots of interstate distribution) or there’s a large volume of compounded drugs being shipped interstate (so any error affects more patients).
FDA appropriations
Each year, NCL advocates for a solid base of budget authority appropriations for the FDA. On April 25, Karin Bolte, NCL’s Senior Director of Health Policy, participated in the Alliance for a Stronger FDA’s Capitol Hill Advocacy Day. Altogether, 8 Alliance teams met with 60 Congressional offices to advocate for additional investment in the FDA that will result in substantial added value to the American public. In June, NCL joined an Alliance sign-on letter urging Appropriators to support the higher levels of the House version of the Ag/FDA appropriations bill, as well as the Senate’s proposals for certain accounts–including critical funding for food safety that was not in the House bill and larger increases in monies for generic drugs and combating opioid abuse.
Counterfeit drugs
This quarter, NCL has had a strong focus on counterfeit drugs. On June 7, NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg gave a Keynote Speech at the Partnership For Safe Medicines 2018 Interchange. The event brought together policymakers, counterfeit drug victims, pharmaceutical manufacturers, patient advocates, law enforcement, and healthcare professionals to discuss solutions to the deadly impacts that counterfeit drugs are having. The meeting also explored one of the newest public health threats – counterfeit drugs laced with fentanyl. The use of even minute amounts of fentanyl, a highly potent and deadly ingredient, in counterfeit drugs has killed many innocent people who have unwittingly received counterfeit pills from friends.
On June 27, NCL hosted a panel discussion (video available here) on counterfeit drugs at our Health Advisory Council meeting. At the meeting, NCL provided an overview of our planned Counterfeit Drugs Consumer Education Campaign. Working together, NCL’s Health and Fraud teams will develop consumer education content to be housed at NCL’s Fraud.org. The content will focus on the following elements:
NCL is still seeking partners for our Counterfeit Drugs Consumer Education Campaign. Please contact Charlotte Gray, NCL’s Director of Development, at charlotteg@nclnet.org about how your organization can join this resource-rich platform to educate consumers on making smart decisions and improve understanding about how to avoid the scourge of counterfeit drugs.
Health Advisory Council Member Updates | Q2 2018
/byAARP
As AARP’s 60th anniversary approaches, the new AARP Brain Health Fund is investing $60 million in the Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF) to disrupt dementia by supporting innovative research into dementia prevention and treatment.
One in 10 people 65 and older in the United States have Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. Despite decades of research, there is still no cure for dementia and few effective ways to treat symptoms of the disease. The Dementia Discovery Fund takes a new approach to dementia research by exploring other possible causes of the disease and applying treatment insights gained from other areas, such as cancer research, to develop new dementia drugs.
AMAG Pharmaceuticals
AMAG Pharmaceuticals recently announced FDA acceptance of its New Drug Application (NDA) for bremelanotide, a first-in-class melanocortin 4 receptor agonist designed for the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women. HSDD is the most common type of female sexual dysfunction, affecting approximately six million premenopausal women in the U.S. HSDD is characterized by persistent low sexual desire (or libido) that is associated with distress, often negatively impacting women’s emotional health, intimate relationships, and overall quality of life.
Additionally, AMAG and the March of Dimes recently announced a strategic corporate partnership focused on a shared commitment to improve maternal health and birth outcomes, as well as to reduce health inequities. Through the partnership, AMAG will participate in the March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign Collaborative and support the expansion of the March of Dimes’ Supportive Pregnancy Care (SPC) model, an innovative group prenatal care program.
America’s Health Insurance Plans
AHIP has had a busy quarter with its ongoing Modern Medicaid Alliance efforts as well as the launch of its Coverage@Work campaign, a nationwide effort to bring employer-provided coverage to the forefront by highlighting the critical role this type of coverage plays in improving Americans’ health and financial security. Nearly 180 million workers, their families, and American businesses depend on employer-provided coverage for their health and financial protection. The program has evolved into one of the country’s essential lifelines for insurance, with an overwhelming majority of Americans reporting high-satisfaction with their coverage. Over the next year, the Coverage@Work campaign and advertising effort — which can be viewed here — will highlight innovative partnerships between health plans, employers, and employees nationwide.
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) is committed to addressing the day-to-day challenges that drug shortages create in our healthcare system. From sodium bicarbonate to small volume parenteral solutions to injectable opioids, shortages of critical medications dangerously interfere with the ability to care for patients. Following the Drug Shortages Roundtable ASHP convened in November 2017, ASHP has continued its longstanding efforts to highlight the impact of these shortages and raise the awareness of Congress and other healthcare decision makers about the need for a long-term solution. ASHP has sent letters to and met with key legislators, pushed officials at the Drug Enforcement Administration to ease restrictions on the production of injectable opioids, and worked with the FDA and many other concerned organizations to advocate for needed changes. ASHP recently launched the Enough is Enough campaign, which is designed to promote grassroots engagement of its members with federal legislators to educate policymakers on shortages and to advocate for effective solutions.
Association for Accessible Medicines
AAM continues to urge Congress to pass the bipartisan CREATES Act, which will stop the anti-competitive practices that are costing patients billions. Most recently, on June 14th, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed the CREATES Act (S 974) on a strong bipartisan basis, and took a critical first step toward making real progress on the problem that U.S. patients care the most about: high drug prices. With a strong vote out of committee, one-third of the Senate now publicly supports this market-based solution—as do 86 stakeholder organizations representing patients, providers, consumers, industry, civil society groups, and many others committed to increasing competition and lowering prescription drug costs for patients. You can find more information about REMS abuse—which costs patients and taxpayers more than $5 billion each year—and the CREATES Act, including a list of supporters and cosponsors, online here.
AAM’s Biosimilars Council recently released a white paper offering policy recommendations to promote the development of a robust biosimilars market in the United States. Breaking Through on Biosimilars: Delivering More-Affordable, Innovative Medicines to America’s Patients, highlights the current regulatory, legislative, market and education challenges to ensuring patients gain access to these innovative, life-saving treatments. The white paper also provides solutions to current challenges in biosimilars market development including:
Bristol-Myers Squibb
Bristol-Myers Squibb has been focused on Medicare Part D access issues and analyzing and responding to the Administration’s Drug Pricing Blueprint and RFI.
Caregiver Action Network
Caregiver Action Network (CAN) has been conducting workshops entitled “Family Caregivers Matter: Shared Decision Making for Family Caregivers.” The workshops teach caregivers about caregiving tools, creating patient and family centered goals, and shared decision-making. The next workshops will be held on 7/22 in Chicago and 7/29 in Los Angeles.
Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy and the Medication Adherence Alliance
Three priorities for the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy and the Medication Adherence Alliance in the next year are:
FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER)
In May 2018, CDER updated its webpage on the Disposal of Unused Medicines. This highly visited page is designed to help consumers determine the best disposal method for their medications. An interactive infographic was created to help consumers walk through the decision-making process associated with medication disposal and includes links to valuable resources, such as drug takeback options and the FDA’s flush list.
FDA’s Office of Women’s Health
The FDA Office of Women’s Health (OWH) held “The Great Debate: What is Enough … Women in Clinical Trials?” on May 16, 2018. Featuring two cardiologists, Dr. Ellis F. Unger, FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), and Dr. Rita F. Redberg, University of California San Francisco Medical School and Chief Editor of JAMA Internal Medicine, the debate centered on cardiovascular disease clinical trials and the challenges and complexity of the question, “What is enough?” when determining participation of women in these trials.
FDA and OWH staff authored a publication titled, “Participation of Women in Clinical Trials Supporting FDA Approval of Cardiovascular Drugs.” Published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, this study examined clinical trial inclusion/exclusion criteria, women’s participation, and the reported safety and efficacy by gender for pivotal cardiovascular disease trials submitted to the FDA supporting marketing applications over one decade (2005-2015).
The OWH Research and Development program accomplishes its goals largely through its intramural research project, which addresses knowledge gaps in regulatory science pertaining to sex differences and health conditions unique to women. OWH developed the Research Impact and Outcomes Framework as a guide to developing an organizational impact and outcomes measurement tool for program assessment and reporting.
In the fall, OWH will be hosting a scientific conference on sex and gender differences in the misuse and abuse of opioids and tobacco.
Healthcare Distribution Alliance
The Healthcare Distribution Alliance continues to work with partners across the pharmaceutical supply chain and healthcare sector to educate consumers about prescription opioids through Allied Against Opioid Abuse (AAOA). HDA launched AAOA in February 2018 with the goal of helping to solve the opioid abuse epidemic by educating consumers about the rights, risks and responsibilities associated with prescription opioids.
A recent Morning Consult survey, commissioned by AAOA, underscored the gap in education and awareness about the safe and appropriate use of pain medication. The findings demonstrated how imperative it is to equip consumers and their families with the latest information on safe use, storage, and disposal of prescription opioids.
Through AAOA, HDA is working with national partners as well as local communities to provide education and create awareness. Check out this video to learn more about AAOA’s local programs and partnerships. To learn more, visit www.AgainstOpioidAbuse.org. Pease contact Lee Lynch (llynch@reservoircg.com) if you are interested in getting involved with AAOA.
HealthyWomen
Beth Battaglino, RN, CEO, presented ““Strengthening Families and Communities: Improving Access to Medication-Assisted Treatment for Substance Use Disorders,” with Paul Samuels, Director/President, Legal Action Center, at the Women in Government National Legislative Conference, plenary session, June 21, in San Francisco. Beth and Paul conveyed to state policy makers from across the country the importance of improving access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) — now considered the gold standard for treating opioid-use disorder. For women, the impact of opioid use disorder is especially acute, and Beth highlighted the effects barriers to MAT have on women, families, and communities. Both Beth and Paul encouraged policy makers to examine how their states are navigating these issues and to develop plans to address them.
On June 13, HealthyWomen hosted “Alla Nostra Salute! To Our Health!” dinner program and silent auction at the Embassy of Italy. The program celebrated innovation in women’s health, advocacy, and women’s health research with remarks by keynote speaker John Whyte, MD, MPH, on the state of diversity in clinical trials. Esteemed speakers also presented on a range of topics from non-opioid-based pain management for women from a physician’s and a consumer’s perspective, sex influences on brain and body, research on Zika virus and pregnancy, and the importance of access to preventive care and screenings for women.
HealthyWomen also hosted the panel, “Women & Clinical Trials: Past, Present & Future,” May 16 at the Women’s Health Empowerment Summit: Breaking Barriers, Changing Futures, with the Coalition for Women’s Health Equity, convened by Hadassah.
National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health
NPWH recently held its second Healthy at Any Age Summit and is in the process of forming the Coalition on Older Women’s Health. If you or your organization are interested in learning more information about the Summit or Coalition, please email info@npwh.org. Additionally, NPWH just concluded its fifth annual Women’s Sexual Health Course for NPs and looks forward to its 21st Annual Premier Women’s Healthcare Conference, as well as the launch of its Patient Portal, later this year.
National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE)
On June 8, 2018, after completing a formal dissolution process and transfer of a broad range of educational assets including the primary website, www.BeMedWise.org, ground-breaking research and the annual “Talk About Your Medicines” month observation in October, the National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE), organized in 1982, has merged these resources with a like-minded 20 year old national non-profit group NeedyMeds, based in Gloucester, MA. The NeedyMeds mission — to help people find assistance with the cost of medications and healthcare services complements NCPIE’s mission of over 35 years — to promote safe and appropriate use of medicines through trusted communication for better health.
NeedyMeds will now be able to expand its consumer and patient education and provide information across the entire medicine use continuum: access to needed medicines; safe and appropriate use of medicines; safe storage of medicines; and safe disposal of unused medicines. NeedyMeds provides information on all the pharmaceutical patient assistance programs (PAPs), copay programs, and other types of financial assistance for those experiencing a hardship paying for medications and healthcare costs. The NeedyMeds website is visited by 13,000 – 14,000 visitors most weekdays. All of the data is free, easy to access, and updated regularly. The toll-fee helpline receives around 6,000 callers per month. All access is anonymous. As part of its expansion into health education, NeedyMeds has three additional websites:
Deborah Davidson, with nearly 20 years of NCPIE experience, has joined NeedyMeds as a full-time staff member, where she will be responsible for managing the evolution of the BeMedWise program under the auspices of NeedyMeds. Ray Bullman, who has led NCPIE for more than 33 years as Executive Vice President, is helping with the transition as a volunteer advisor.
USP
On May 23, 2018, on the sidelines of the 71st World Health Assembly in Geneva, USP launched the Medicines We Can Trust Campaign, which seeks to generate a sense of urgency by raising awareness of the scope and impact of the problem of poor quality medicines, and inspire collective action by unifying a diverse and broad coalition of partners. Organizations can join the campaign by signing up here.
Verde Technologies
New Health Advisory Council member Verde Technologies is committed to developing research-based scientifically proven solutions to reduce drug abuse, misuse and negative environmental impact. Its Deterra Drug Deactivation System deactivates drugs using activated carbon, rendering them inert, unavailable for misuse, and safe for the environment.
Health Advisory Council Newsletter | 2018 Q2 | Member Q&A
/byExecutive Director, American Medical Women’s Association
Q. How would you describe your work at the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) and how it relates to AMWA’s overarching mission?
A. My work at AMWA is to oversee all of AMWA’s programs in advancing women in medicine and improving women’s health. Those two areas have been central to AMWA’s core mission over the past century.
Q. How long have you been at AMWA, and what do you love most about your job?
A. I have been Executive Director of AMWA for about 5 years now and prior to that served as AMWA President in 2010-2011. I love being involved in an organization which for the past 100 years has been the vision and voice of women in medicine. AMWA has played pivotal roles in history — establishing the importance of women’s health, advocating for reproductive rights, paving the way for generations of women physicians and more. My work at AMWA touches on so many different areas – education, mentorship, advocacy, women’s health, career development, medical humanities, and more. To be able to build and grow programs which impact the lives of so many patients and providers has been a unique privilege. I love what I do and look forward to partnering with other groups so that we can accomplish more together.
Q. What are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing AMWA today
A. More research and education are needed to better understand sex and gender differences in health, so that treatment can be tailored to achieve better health outcomes for both men and women. AMWA is helping to lead that charge along with partnering organizations and institutions.
Women’s health advocacy continues to be a need — ensuring that all women have access to affordable, comprehensive healthcare, including preventive screenings and reproductive health services.
Though women are entering the medical field at near equal numbers compared to men, they are not advancing to leadership positions in the same proportions as men and the percentage of women physicians reflects a significant drop off. AMWA is seeking to better understand this leaky pipeline phenomenon so that appropriate interventions can be implemented.
Physician wellness is an area that has received much focus recently, and within the group of physicians, the need to address issues concerning women physicians, even more imperative.
Q. What AMWA initiatives would you like to share with the Council?
A. AMWA has been a leading advocate of sex and gender specific health – both in terms of promoting more inclusive research and translation of research findings into the education of current and future healthcare providers. In 2015, we co-organized the Sex and Gender Medical Education Summit that brought together over 100 representatives from medical institutions in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. In 2018, we co-organized the Sex and Gender Health Education Summit that brought together nearly 250 representatives from schools of medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, and allied health to advance sex and gender health education within an interprofessional framework. We invite everyone to join our Sex and Gender Women’s Health Collaborative (SGWHC).
This past year, we produced a short documentary, At Home and Over There: American Women Physicians in World War I that premiered at the French Embassy in Washington, DC.
We have also launched a series of medical humanities initiatives within AMWA – Studio AMWA (art), Literary AMWA (writing), Digital AMWA (film), and Music and Medicine. Contact us if you would like to engage or contribute!
In July 2019, AMWA will be hosting the Centennial Congress of the Medical Women’s International Association in New York City. The call for posters and proposals is now open.
Q. What does AMWA value about membership in NCL’s Health Advisory Council?
A. We are thrilled to be part of NCL’s Health Advisory Council. AMWA first worked with NCL back in 1921, when both organizations were part of the Women’s Joint Congressional Committee (WJCC) that at the time was formed to lobby for women’s issues. One of the first areas that the WJCC focused on was the Sheppard–Towner Act, which would help protect maternal, prenatal, and child health and establish prenatal and child health centers across the country. We are excited to be partnering again with NCL on issues that impact patients, the consumers of healthcare.
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The #DataInsecurity Digest | Issue 71
/byNew fraud related to OPM hack underscores growing threat of data breach fallout
By John Breyault (@jammingecono, johnb@nclnet.org)
NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud
Subscribe here. Tell us what you think.
Editor’s Note: The fallout from the OPM breach continues as media outlets have learned that criminals are using the data to take out fake loans. Demonstrating harm in data breach cases is often difficult for the individuals affected, but the OPM case gives a peek into how fraud can flow from breaches. Unfortunately, several new studies are suggesting that 2018 is not on track to provide any data breach relief for consumers. The Ponemon Institute estimates that 38 percent of public sector entities will suffer an attack, and two-thirds of small businesses don’t work to improve their cybersecurity in the aftermath of a breach, which sets them up for yet another breach. Good news, however, is that some victims of the Equifax breach are receiving a bit of relief in small claims court.
And now, on to the clips!
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Despite warnings of Russian interference in the midterm elections from top intelligence officials, White House remains silent. To fill the leadership void, members of Congress are stepping up by convening a summit next month to determine just how severe the threat is. “We’re getting so many mixed signals, depending on what the agency is,” said Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC). “It compels us to bring everybody together in the same room and try to figure out whether or not there’s some stovepipe issues.” (Source: Politico)
Four years after the OPM breach, we now know what criminals are using the data for. The Washington Post reports that “two people have admitted in Newport News federal court they used the stolen identities to take out fake loans through a federal credit union.” Left unexplained is how the individuals obtained the OPM information, as the hack was traced back to China and the criminals “were not accused of any hacking-related crimes.” (Source: Washington Post)
Quick hit: In 2017, the average data breach cost companies $3.6 million. The report also found the average cost per lost or stolen record was $141. (Source: Ponemon Institute)
Data breach victims are taking Equifax to small claims court and winning. While this may be good news, as one plaintiff—a small-business owner in San Francisco—put it, “I’m happy to get the money, but it’s not really over because I know my information has been leaked and you can never put it back.’” (Source: New York Times)
Ponemon Institute estimates that 38 percent of public sector entities will suffer a ransomware attack this year alone. @jon_kamp and @scottmcalvert observe that “[p]ublic-sector attacks appear to be rising faster than those in the private sector.” However, @nppd_krebs notes that hackers generally don’t target specific cities, but instead are constantly searching for vulnerabilities wherever they may occur. “The trick about ransomware right now is that it’s typically not a targeted, focused attack,” says DHS’s Christopher Krebs. (Source: Wall Street Journal)
Employee negligence is perceived to be the main cause of data breaches by employers. A report by Shred-it found that “47 percent of business leaders said human error such as accidental loss of a device or document by an employee had caused a data breach at their organization.” (Source: CNBC)
New report: Two-thirds of small business do not improve their data security after a hack. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the same report also found that 44 percent of small business suffered multiple attacks last year, according to a survey by insurer Hiscox. (Source: Associated Press)
FBI to World Cup fans: Leave your devices at home. The FBI is advising Americans to not take electronic devices with them “because they are likely to be hacked by criminals or the Russian government.” William Evanina, director of the U.S. National Counterintelligence and Security Center, warned travelers that “[i]f you’re planning on taking a mobile phone, laptop, PDA, or other electronic device with you—make no mistake—any data on those devices (especially your personally identifiable information) may be accessed by the Russian government or cybercriminals.” (Source: Reuters)
Upcoming Events
August 9-12, 2018 – DEF CON 26 – Las Vegas, NV
DEF CON is the world’s longest-running and largest underground hacking conference. Each summer, hackers, corporate IT professionals, and three-letter government agencies all converge on Las Vegas to absorb cutting-edge hacking research from the most brilliant minds in the world. (Source: DEF CON)
National Consumers League
Published June 28, 2018