DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Opinion: Call it ‘Make America Chaste Again.’ And it’s a losing message for the GOP in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-17 | by ( Opinion Karen Finney | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

In a recent television interview, Trump said he was considering restricting access to birth control and leaving the decision to the states. Taking to social media, Trump falsely claimed that neither he nor the Republican Party supported imposing restrictions on or banning birth control. The plans call for again attacking birth control through executive action, including threatening access to IUDs and emergency contraception. In Arizona, GOP Senate Majority Leader Sonny Borrelli absurdly suggested that women could simply hold “an aspirin between their knees” as birth control. In Iowa, legislation falsely conflated birth control with abortion to block the approval of over-the-counter birth control pills.

Persons: Karen Finney, Hillary Clinton, I’ve, Karen Finney Ralph Alswange, Donald Trump, Roe, Wade, — Trump, Trump, Wade —, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, ”, Comstock, Stephen Miller, Roger Severino, Severino, Susan B, Anthony Pro, Donald Trump’s, Biden, Servino, Sonny Borrelli, Glenn Youngkin, Chuck Schumer, Kellyanne Conway, we’ve Organizations: CNN, Democratic, UCLA, MAGA Republicans, Republican Party, Trump, Trump Administration, GOP, Heritage Foundation, Trump Health, Human Services Department, Republican, Congressional Republicans, Republicans Locations: It’s, Roe, America, Arizona, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Alabama , Arizona, Florida, Georgia , Iowa, Louisiana , Mississippi , Nevada , North Carolina , Tennessee, Virginia, Alabama, American

☆ Olivia Rodrigo's team won't allow free contraceptives to be handed out on tour anymore, says report
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Eve Crosbie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewThe remainder of Olivia Rodrigo's Guts tour will no longer feature reproductive rights groups handing out free emergency contraceptives, lube, and condoms following the widespread media attention brought on by her recent Missouri show, according to reports. Multiple representatives of other rights groups also confirmed the news to Jezebel. Kevin Mazur/Getty ImagesRobin Frisella, Missouri Abortion Fund's Community Engagement Director, told the publication: "While we are disappointed to learn that other abortion funds will not get the same opportunity to do the same, we are encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive response." Advertisement"We can't speak to why this decision was made, but we hope this conversation highlights the work being done by abortion funds every day in states across the country. A portion of Rodrigo's tour ticket sales will go to abortion funds across the US through the singer's Fund 4 Good initiative, which she launched in collaboration with the tour and advocates for reproductive healthcare freedom.

Persons: —, Olivia Rodrigo's Guts, Louis, Jade Hurley, Rodrigo, Spaeth, Stone, Olivia Rodrigo, Kevin Mazur, Robin Frisella, Bill Eigel, Eigel —, Lily Allen's, Roe, Wade Organizations: Service, National Network of Abortion, Business, Missouri Abortion, DC Abortion, Abortion, Missouri Abortion Fund, Arena, singer's Locations: Missouri, Minnesota, Palm Springs , California, Robin Frisella , Missouri, Glastonbury, England

☆ Olivia Rodrigo concert hands out free morning-after pills in Missouri, a state where abortions are illegal
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

AdvertisementOlivia Rodrigo handed out free morning-after pills at her St. Louis GUTS world tour stop in Missouri on Tuesday, according to reports. The Hollywood Reporter said that the Grammy-award-winning pop star passed out free Plan B pills from Julie, as well as condoms and stickers from the Missouri Abortion Fund. The Missouri Abortion Fund shared a photo on X of the Julie pills that were being distributed. "We're thankful for artists like Olivia Rodrigo and initiatives like the Missouri Abortion Fund who share our mission," they added. Rodrigo is partnering with the National Network of Abortion Funds throughout the tour, according to the fund's page on the Entertainment Industry Foundation.

Persons: Olivia Rodrigo, Louis, —, Julie, Rd7fc0b1xG —, Roe, Wade, Rodrigo, Lily Allen's Organizations: Service, Hollywood Reporter, Missouri Abortion, Missouri Abortion Fund, Rd7fc0b1xG — Missouri Abortion, Guardian, Glastonbury, National Network of Abortion, Entertainment Industry Foundation, New York Times Locations: Missouri, Rd7fc0b1xG — Missouri, Wade , Missouri

Vending machines offering tests for sexually transmitted infections hold promise as a way to reach people with sexual health services, according to a study that comes on the heels of recent increases in STIs in both the U.S. and England. For the study, published in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections, researchers analyzed data associated with nearly a dozen vending machines in two regions of England that were stocked with free kits to help detect chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV. Approximately 6% of the STI tests were positive for chlamydia, while 2.5% tested positive for gonorrhea, according to the study. A total of four samples tested positive for HIV, though they were from people already known to be HIV positive, and three tests came back positive for syphilis antibodies. Previous research suggests vending machines that offer self-tests for HIV can lead to increased uptake in testing among men who have sex with men, and the latest study adds to those findings.

Persons: “, what’s, ”, Aaron Glatt, Glatt Organizations: U.S, World Health Organization, The Washington Post, Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Society of America Locations: STIs, England, Black, U.S, Mount Sinai South Nassau, New York

But there's some unexpected good news: The rate of new gonorrhea cases fell for the first time in a decade. Total cases surpassed 207,000 in 2022, the highest count in the United States since 1950, according to data released Tuesday. About 59,000 of the 2022 cases involved the most infectious forms of syphilis. STD testing was disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and officials believe that's the reason the chlamydia rate fell in 2020. “We are encouraged by the magnitude of the decline,” Mermin said, though the gonorrhea rate is still higher now than it was pre-pandemic.

Persons: It's, gonorrhea, Philip Chan, Meghan O’Connell, O'Connell, Jonathan Mermin, ” Mermin Organizations: U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, CDC, Brown University, Plains Tribal, ’, U.S . Department of Health, Human Services, District of Columbia, CDC’s National Center, HIV, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: United States, U.S, Providence , Rhode Island, Alaska, South Dakota, New Mexico, South, Rapid City , South Dakota

Nov 7 (Reuters) - The number of newborns with syphilis in the United States surged more than 10-fold in the last decade, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on Tuesday. The agency said 3,761 cases were recorded in 2022, the highest in over 30 years, up from 334 cases in 2012. The 2022 cases included 231 stillbirths and 51 infant deaths. Congenital syphilis occurs when a mother with syphilis passes the infection to her baby during pregnancy. The CDC recommends screening for syphilis at the first prenatal care visit to reduce perinatal transmission.

Persons: Laura Bachmann, Bachmann, Sriparna Roy, Nancy Lapid Organizations: U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, CDC's, CDC, Thomson Locations: United, Bengaluru

More than 3,700 babies were born with congenital syphilis in 2022 — 10 times more than a decade ago and a 32% increase from 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday. The 2022 count was the most in more than 30 years, CDC officials said, and in more than half of the congenital syphilis cases, the mothers tested positive during pregnancy but did not get properly treated. The rise in congenital syphilis comes despite repeated warnings by public health agencies and it’s tied to the surge in primary and secondary cases of syphilis in adults, CDC officials said. It’s also been increasingly difficult for medical providers to get benzathine penicillin injections — the main medical weapon against congenital syphilis — because of supply shortages. Nearly 40% of last year’s congenital syphilis cases involved mothers who didn't have prenatal care, the CDC said.

Persons: it’s, It’s, Laura Bachmann, “, Mike Saag, ”, Nina Ragunanthan, ___ Hunter, Robert Wood Johnson Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, CDC, Federal, Associated, University of Alabama, OB, Delta Health Center, Pfizer, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AP Locations: U.S, Illinois, Birmingham, Mound Bayou , Mississippi, Atlanta

The fallout was quick: Nevada, which saw a 44 percentage-point jump in congenital syphilis from 2021 to 2022, was supposed to get more than $10 million to bolster its STD program budget. In 2021, there were 77.9 cases of congenital syphilis per 100,000 live births. Doing so in a timely manner can prevent congenital syphilis. Mississippi is also seeing an uptick in congenital syphilis cases, which a recently published study showed rose tenfold between 2016 and 2022. Agency head Dr. Dan Edney said one of his top priorities now is finding money from other parts of the state's health budget.

Persons: they’d, Dawn Cribb, ”, Sam Burgess, Deneshun Graves, Lupita Thornton, Graves, Thornton, “, Dan Edney, Rebecca Scranton, ” Scranton, Robert Wood Johnson Organizations: Nevada Division of Public, Behavioral, Associated Press, Louisiana Department of Health, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Houston Health Department, Health, Mississippi State Department of Health, Agency, of Health Services, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AP Locations: U.S, Nevada, . Mississippi, Arizona

NEW YORK (AP) — Gay and bisexual men at high risk for mpox infection should get vaccinated for the virus even after the current outbreak ends, government health advisers said Wednesday. More than 30,000 U.S. mpox cases were reported last year. About 500,000 people in the U.S. have gotten the recommended two doses of the vaccine, about a quarter of the 2 million who are eligible, CDC officials said. The new recommendation may serve to remind people the virus is still out there, and that people can be infected during international travel, CDC officials said. The daily average of new U.S. cases is one to four per day, though some people likely aren't being diagnosed, CDC officials said.

Persons: — Gay, —, It’s, mpox, ”, Stephanie Cohen Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, CDC, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: U.S, Africa, Europe, Francisco

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials plan to endorse a common antibiotic as a morning-after pill that gay and bisexual men can use to try to avoid some increasingly common sexually transmitted diseases. The proposed CDC guideline was released Monday, and officials will move to finalize it after a 45-day public comment period. Doxycycline, a cheap antibiotic that has been available for more than 40 years, is a treatment for health problems including acne, chlamydia and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. That kind of antibiotic resistance hasn't materialized in San Francisco, but it will be important to watch for, Cohen said. ___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group.

Persons: ”, Jonathan Mermin, Mermin, Stephanie Cohen, —, Taimur Khan, Khan, Cohen Organizations: —, Centers for Disease Control, CDC, New, of Medicine, Fenway Health, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: — U.S, “, Boston, San Francisco

☆ Take a look at this skinny 'tube house' that's just 13 feet wide and is home to 3 generations
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-02 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

An architecture firm has put a modern twist on the popular Vietnamese "tube house." The five-level residence in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam is home to three generations. Pham Trung, the studio's director, told Insider that tube houses are also popular in Vietnam because they can provide more housing for people in its crowded cities. The company designed and constructed the skinny house for a family of six for 554 million Vietnamese dong ($230,000). It took the studio about two months to devise a full concept and complete drawings, and a further five months to construct.

Persons: Pham Trung Organizations: Service Locations: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Wall, Silicon

☆ Reid Hoffman reportedly compared Elon Musk's behavior during a merger to someone hiding a sexually transmitted disease from their spouse
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Kylie Kirschner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Former PayPal COO Reid Hoffman criticized Elon Musk's behavior during the early days of PayPal. Hoffman told The New Yorker that Musk behaved like someone hiding an STD from their spouse. Hoffman and Musk were both part of the "PayPal Mafia" — early PayPal employees who became big names in tech. In a new interview, former PayPal COO Reid Hoffman criticized Elon Musk's behavior during a merger years ago. Hoffman compared the merger to a marriage and said that Musk's behavior at the time was like someone hiding a sexually transmitted disease from their spouse.

Persons: Reid Hoffman, Elon, Hoffman, Musk, Peter Thiel, we're, Thiel, X Organizations: PayPal, Yorker, New, SpaceX, Twitter

☆ STIs are on the rise in the US. A pill taken after sex could help slow them down
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Jacqueline Howard | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Yet recent research suggests that one pill of the drug can be effective in preventing such infections among men who have sex with men if taken within 72 hours after unprotected sex. He added that any guidance from the CDC will help “fill gaps,” provide direction to clinics and offer a framework for using doxyPEP for STI prevention. “Drug resistance when taking doxyPEP is currently being studied in people using this treatment for STI prevention. “There are still many STI prevention and treatment gaps left to fill. “In STI prevention, we’ve been relying on tools that are decades, sometimes centuries old.

Persons: Dr, Jonathan Mermin, ”, doxyPEP, Stephanie Cohen, “, “ We’re, ” Cohen, ” David C, Harvey, ” Harvey, DoxyPEP, someone’s, Annie Luetkemeyer, gonorrhea, ” Luetkemeyer, Connie Celum, Kenya Medical Research Institute —, Jenell Stewart, Stewart, ” Stewart, Suneer Chander, Wisp, ” Chander, Sanjay Gupta, Mermin, Deidre McPhillips Organizations: CNN, US Centers for Disease Control, CDC’s National Center, HIV, CDC, San Francisco Department of Public Health, California Department of Public Health, San Francisco Department of Public, National Coalition, STD, “, New England, of Medicine, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, UCSF, University of Washington, Hennepin Healthcare Research Institute, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Hennepin Healthcare, University of Minnesota, PEP, Food and Drug Administration, CNN Health Locations: United States, San Francisco, Seattle, King County, Washington, Kenya, Hennepin

☆ There was a gonorrhea outbreak at a McDonald's branch among staff who were having sex with each other, a report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

There was an outbreak of gonorrhea among staff at a McDonald's branch in the UK, a report says. The BBC reported that there had been an outbreak of gonorrhea among staff at a branch in Northern Ireland but did not provide any further details. Another manager at a Cheshire branch is alleged to have tried to pressure a 16-year-old female worker into having sex. He added that McDonald's UK would investigate all of the allegations. The US-owned hamburger chain has 1,450 outlets in the UK and employs 170,000 staff, the BBC reported.

Persons: Alistair Macrow Organizations: Northern, Service, BBC, . Workers, vapes, Workers, Ireland Locations: Northern Ireland, Wall, Silicon, Hampshire, Cheshire, Plymouth

☆ After a ‘safe sex’ lecture, this 30-year-old co-founded a company to bring at-home STD tests to the LGBTQ community
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Gili Malinsky | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

In 2019, he co-founded Ash Wellness, which now offers at-home diagnostic testing for "everything from HIV, cholesterol, lipids," he says, and more. Thus far, the company has raised $6.6 million in funding, according to Crunchbase. People at the facility where he was getting tested "start to give me a lecture on safe sex," he says. "It cost us $150 to acquire a patient and our testing kits sold for just under $150." They sold them about 250 testing kits and over the next month sold kits to three more B2B clients.

Persons: David Stein, Stein, He's, Cornell Tech's, Kyle Waters, Mio Akasako, Nick Sempere Organizations: U.S, Ash Wellness, George Washington University, Cornell, Villanova, University, PrEP Locations: Philadelphia, San Francisco

☆ Dr. Chatbot will see you now
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Almost invariably, the chatbot answers were rated as three or four times as reliable as the ones from the poor wee humans. But here's the most striking part: The chatbot answers, on average, were rated seven times as empathetic as the ones from humans. It's as if the unfeeling android Mr. Data figured out how to convincingly emulate Dr. Crusher's comforting bedside manner. Give those medical chatbots access to people's individual medical records, and they could offer more precisely directed advice. Healthcare AI startups will want the cheapest versions with the most financial bang, which won't necessarily have the best patient outcomes.

Persons: feely, San Diego lurked, I'm, ChatGPT, John Ayers, Ayers, —, chatbot, they're, That's, They're, Teva Brender, Brender, Jonathan Chen, Greg Corrado, isn't, Adam Rogers Organizations: University of California, UC San Diego, Pew Research Center, Harvard, Google, Stanford University School of Medicine, Food and Drug Administration, Healthcare Locations: San Diego, San Francisco

☆ New HIV infections decline in U.S. but most people at risk are not receiving prevention drugs
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-23 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The decline was driven by a 34% drop in new HIV infections among 13- to 24-year-olds, according to the data. The U.S. has set a national goal to end the HIV epidemic by reducing new infections 90% by 2030. About 40% of new infections within the gay community were among Black men and 35% were among Hispanic men, according to the data. Among heterosexual women, 60% of new infections were among Black women. Among heterosexual men, about 61% of new infections were among Black men, according to the CDC.

Disability Insurance Is Available at All Wage LevelsYou should opt for disability insurance if you're the sole earner in your family. Disability Insurance Can Help Parents Pay BillsWorkers with children should also consider disability insurance. Disability Insurance Is Also for Self-Employed WorkersSelf-employed workers or own small business owners may disregard the need for disability insurance. Disability Insurance Can Help with Nagging InjuriesDid you know just 14% of Americans have disability insurance? Disability insurance is one way to shield yourself financially to make wise decisions before a nagging backache becomes a permanent disability.

☆ TBD Health wants to make STI testing feel like a 'moment of self-care for the day.' Here's an exclusive look at the pitch deck it used to win over investors like Tusk Ventures.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Samantha Stokes | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

STI testing startup TBD Health just raised $4.4 million in a seed round led by Tusk VenturesThe startup sells at-home testing kits and offers telemedicine consultations about sexual health. Check out the 9-slide pitch deck TBD Health used to raise its seed round. Instead of feeling embarrassed, TBD Health's goal is to help people feel empowered about staying on top of their sexual health. When it comes to sexual health, there are numerous startups targeting the reproductive and fertility space, like women's health startup Maven and surrogacy platform Nodal. Check out the nine-slide pitch deck TBD Health used to raise its $4.4 million seed round from Tusk.

☆ TikTok's rising star Chris Olsen told millions of viewers he's had chlamydia 3 times, fighting stigmas with a funny storytime video about getting tested
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Geoff Weiss | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Chris Olsen has amassed 10 million subscribers thanks to storytime vlogs and collabs with famous friends. In an effort to "end the stigma," Olsen shared in a recent video that he's had chlamydia three times. Olsen began the story by saying he'd just gotten tested for chlamydia, which he's already had three times. The nurse thought her son might fit the bill, so she shared his name with Olsen. "She just called me and told me I do not have chlamydia this time," Olsen said.

☆ The economy, funding, and 3 other small-business challenges entrepreneurs will face in 2023, according to founders
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Marketing and customer acquisitionBeatrice Dixon, a cofounder and the CEO of the Honey Pot Company. Beatrice DixonBeatrice Dixon, a cofounder and the CEO of the feminine-care brand Honey Pot Company"Continued market saturation. I think there will be dilutive market saturation, and the challenge then becomes the ability to actively communicate your 'why' through undeveloped tactics or channels." After IOS14 privacy updates, social ads do not work like they used to, so founders need to get creative in how they are acquiring new customers." Consumers can also agree that we don't need more content, ideas, or strategies.

☆ Google isn't just afraid of competition from ChatGPT — the giant is scared ChatGPT will kill AI
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A perfect example of this is the viral technology ChatGPT. ChatGPT makes a lot of people nervous (here's everything you need to know about it, BTW). Or maybe one day ChatGPT will just teach the class — that's probably part of Google's AI nightmare. If ChatGPT runs rampant, the search giant fears it could ruin AI adoption for everyone. My colleague Hasan Chowdhury breaks down how so-called generative AI — not just ChatGPT — could derail an entire sector of emerging technology.

☆ Twitter auctioned off a $16,000 piece of kitchen equipment known as the 'Lamborghini of meat slicers' from its San Francisco office
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Azmi Haroun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Twitter auctioned off a number of office items from its San Francisco office this week. The auction included luxury kitchen equipment that was being sold at cut-rate prices. During the auction, Twitter's blue bird logo was sold for $100,000, and a high-end machine known as the "Lamborghini of meat slicers," was also sold. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the Berkel 330M-STD Manual Fly Wheel Slicer, a top-of-the-line meat slicer used in top restaurants, was one of the items listed during the auction. The meat slicer, which sells for $16,000 at retail price, was originally listed at $7,500 at the start of the auction, and much of the luxury kitchen equipment was highly discounted, per The Chronicle.

☆ Abortion was a hot topic in the 2022 midterms. Here's how an abortion clinic in Ohio plans to move forward after the end of Roe v. Wade.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Alexandra York | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The executive director of an independent Ohio clinic shares her plans for keeping the business open. At the same time, abortion clinics are navigating the new normal. While abortion access is temporarily restored in Ohio, limited timelines mean the viability to run an independent clinic is shrinking. Sri Thakkilapati, the interim executive director at the Cleveland independent abortion clinic Preterm, is trying to balance the two realities. It's always been our mission to destigmatize abortion and support patients through whatever reproductive-health decisions they make.

☆ Over a decade after founding Grindr, Joel Simkhai wants a do-over
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Zachary Schermele | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

When Joel Simkhai left Grindr five years ago, he had a lot of time to think. Simkhai, a gay man and tech entrepreneur, helped launch the groundbreaking gay hookup and dating app in 2009. As recently as this year, the average daily time spent on Grindr per user was about an hour, according to The Guardian. The results of an online survey of nearly 100 Grindr users published in 2017 in the peer-reviewed journal Behavioral Medicine showed obese users reported significantly greater feelings of body dissatisfaction. But racist, discriminatory and exclusionist tropes — or euphemisms for them — continue to pervade a number of LGBTQ hookup and dating apps.

Search resuls for: "STD"

25 mentions found