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☆ Uganda passes a law making it a crime to identify as LGBTQ
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

KAMPALA, March 21 (Reuters) - Uganda's parliament passed a law on Tuesday making it a crime to identify as LGBTQ, handing authorities broad powers to target gay Ugandans who already face legal discrimination and mob violence. The new law appears to be the first to outlaw merely identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ), according to rights group Human Rights Watch. In addition to same-sex intercourse, the law bans promoting and abetting homosexuality as well as conspiracy to engage in homosexuality. Violations under the law draw severe penalties, including death for so-called aggravated homosexuality and life in prison for gay sex. In recent weeks, Uganda authorities have cracked down on LGBTQ people after religious leaders and politicians alleged students were being recruited into homosexuality in schools.

☆ Uganda passes bill banning identifying as LGBTQ
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The new law appears to be the first to outlaw merely identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ), according to rights group Human Rights Watch. In addition to same-sex intercourse, the law bans promoting and abetting homosexuality as well as conspiracy to engage in homosexuality. Violations under the law draw steep penalties including death for so called aggravated homosexuality and life in prison for gay sex. I support the bill to protect the future of our children," said lawmaker David Bahati during debate on the bill. In recent weeks Uganda authorities have cracked down on LGBTQ individuals after religious leaders and politicians alleged students were being recruited into homosexuality in schools.

☆ FDA advisors recommend full approval of Pfizer Covid treatment Paxlovid for adults 50 and over and other high-risk people
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Food and Drug Administration's independent panel of advisors recommended full approval of Pfizer's Covid-19 antiviral pill Paxlovid for high-risk adults 16-1 on Thursday, but flagged potentially harmful drug interactions. The FDA first made Paxlovid available in December 2021 for emergency use in high-risk individuals ages 12 and up. More than half of Paxlovid-eligible Medicare and Veterans Affairs patients are on medications that have drug interactions with Paxlovid, according to an FDA review of safety surveillance data. Roughly 74% of Paxlovid prescriptions were from adult primary care practitioners who may not be experienced with managing the possible adverse drug interactions, the FDA review added. To complete a full course of the drug, patients must take three Paxlovid pills twice a day for five days.

☆ How GSK plans to replenish its depleted medicine cabinet
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Maggie Fick | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

GSK has since suffered a series of clinical trial setbacks in its cancer drugs portfolio, most recently last year involving ovarian cancer drug Zejula and blood cancer drug Blenrep. BLOCKBUSTER POTENTIALAnalysts say that despite a string of strong quarterly earnings, lingering concerns over the company's drug pipeline reflect in GSK's share price. The investor said he does not see enough GSK drugs, either on the market or in development, with potential to be a so-called "blockbusters" with annual sales exceeding $1 billion. But Wood said the overhauled R&D department has put GSK in a strong position to meet growth targets. U.S. regulatory approval on GSK's vaccine, and a rival vaccine developed by Pfizer, is expected in May.

☆ If Student Loan Forgiveness Is Overturned by the Supreme Court, Refinancers Are Waiting
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Thomas Gokey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

The PSLF program cancels federal student loans for people who work in public-service jobs for 10 years, and the impact of relief is profound. In the process, borrowers forfeit many protections that come with federal student loans, including the chance to get their loans canceled. In one survey, more than one-third of respondents who refinanced their federal student loans said they eventually came to regret it. President Biden announced a plan to cancel $10,000 in student loan debt, but if you privately refinanced, you won't benefit. Most private student loans allow for some kind of "cosigner release" so no one else is on the hook for your loans.

☆ Explainer: International Women’s Day: date, history and this year’s theme
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Josie Kao | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

March 6 (Reuters) - As the world gears up to celebrate International Women's Day (IWD) on Wednesday, here is a look at what the global event stands for, this year's theme and the issues that activists are focusing on. WHAT IS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY? WHAT IS THIS YEAR'S INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY THEME? The U.N.'s theme this year is "DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality." WHY IS INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY IMPORTANT?

☆ Marianne Williamson opens long shot 2024 challenge to Biden
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Biden, 80, is the oldest president in U.S. history and would be 86 at the end of a second term. Biden's political advisers say they aren't worried about the Democratic primary and say Biden is anxious to defeat Donald Trump again in the general election. Williamson insists her 2024 campaign is about far more than just making a statement. A Texas native who now lives in Beverly Hills, California, Williamson is the author of more than a dozen books. She ran an unsuccessful independent congressional campaign in California in 2014 and supported Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2016 progressive challenge of eventual Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

☆ Student-Debt Relief: Why Refinancing Your Student Loans Is a Trap
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Thomas Gokey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

The PSLF program cancels federal student loans for people who work in public-service jobs for 10 years, and the impact of relief is profound. In the process, borrowers forfeit many protections that come with federal student loans, including the chance to get their loans canceled. Recent changes to the law require private student loans to be discharged if you die, but that isn't the case with older loans. Most private student loans allow for some kind of "cosigner release" so no one else is on the hook for your loans. Refinancing companies make the system worse for everyonePrivate refinancing companies don't just hand out their loans to anyone.

☆ Shionogi sees COVID pill reaping $2 billion in annual sales upon U.S. approval
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Rocky Swift | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Xocova, a protease inhibitor like the COVID treatments developed by Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and Merck & Co (MRK.N), was granted emergency approval by Japanese regulators in November, making it the nation's first domestically produced oral treatment for COVID. "If you kill the virus fast enough and sharp enough, the lower the probability of long COVID. According to one study by the Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care System, Pfizer's antiviral drug Paxlovid cuts the risk of developing many long COVID symptoms. Shionogi is hoping for Xocova sales of around $1 billion to $1.5 billion this year. "I have no regrets," Teshirogi said, adding that expectations among shareholders and the public had demanded that Shionogi devote its resources to fighting COVID.

☆ These 5 health conditions affect the Black community at higher rates—here are early signs to look out for and preventative measures
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Renée Onque | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Health conditions like colon cancer and cardiovascular diseases impact people within the Black community at much higher rates than most other racial backgrounds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And even after the onset of life-threatening conditions, systemic issues lead to health disparities that prevent many Black people from accessing the resources they need. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV): "In 2019, Blacks/African Americans represented 13% of the U.S. population, but 40% of people with HIV," says HIV.gov. Metabolic syndrome: Between 1988 and 2012, "Non-Hispanic black women were more likely than non-Hispanic white women to have metabolic syndrome," CDC data shows. Colon cancer: In 2016, Black men had the highest incidence and mortality rates of colorectal cancer, when compared to other racial groups, per CDC data.

☆ 'The Last of Us' is based on real science: A fungus pandemic is unlikely, but not impossible
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

"The Last of Us" on HBO Max depicts a zombie apocalypse caused by a fungus pandemic. Here's the science fact and fiction behind the show, and the possibility of a fungal pandemic. The new scenario, first realized in the video game that the show is based on, is making viewers wonder whether a fungus pandemic can happen in real life. "A fungal pandemic is definitely possible," Norman Van Rhijn, a mycologist researching fungal infections at the University of Manchester, told Insider in an email. Still, fungal infections are on the rise worldwide, and researchers are concerned that more and more people are at risk.

Biden will deliver his second State of the Union address at about 9 p.m. (0200 GMT Wednesday). It will be broadcast live on major U.S. broadcast television networks and online by the White House and the House of Representatives. The speech could deliver Biden his largest television audience of the year. The White House has also invited Brandon Tsay, who disarmed a gunman responsible for a mass shooting in Monterey Park, California. Republicans have picked Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who served as White House press secretary under Donald Trump, to deliver their response.

Following are some of the guests expected to attend:* Brandon Tsay: Tsay was called a hero by authorities for disarming a gunman who shot dead 11 people during a celebration of the Lunar New Year in Monterey Park, California. The White House called it a "recognition of sustained U.S. support for Ukraine nearly a year after Russia launched its unprovoked attack." * The White House has also invited Paul Pelosi, husband of former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "The attack reportedly was politically motivated, with the intruder's alleged intent to harm and kidnap the former Speaker," the White House said. The United States completed the withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan in August 2021 after a 20-year war.

☆ Beyoncé Fans Make Plans A, B and C to Get Tickets After Taylor Swift Ticketmaster Debacle
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Jennifer Calfas | Alyssa Lukpat | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Beyoncé fans rejoiced when the singer last week revealed her hotly anticipated “Renaissance” tour schedule. Then they quickly fell into a frenzy of urgent logistics. “This is not a drill,” read the subject line of an email Stella Safo, a 39-year-old HIV primary-care physician in New York, sent to her friends to launch their Beyoncé ticket-buying plans.

On Wednesday, the company reported adjusted fourth quarter profit of 25.8 pence per share on sales of about 7.4 billion pounds ($9.11 billion). At 0900 GMT, GSK shares were up 0.4% outperforming the FTSE 100 which was up 0.3%. U.S. litigation over the heartburn drug Zantac has also spooked investors, hurting GSK's shares in the second half of 2022. "Nevertheless, against the backdrop of recent performance, and without any contribution from Covid-19, GSK’s 2023 guidance demonstrates some improved momentum," he said. GSK's shares have lagged most of its rivals in recent years.

Companies GSK plc FollowAstraZeneca PLC FollowFeb 1 (Reuters) - GSK (GSK.L) on Wednesday beat fourth-quarter profit and sales forecasts helped by sales of its blockbuster shingles vaccine Shingrix. That beat the 21.2 pence per share on sales of about 7.1 billion pounds expected by analysts in a company-compiled consensus. Shingrix generated 769 million pounds over the quarter, topping the 748 million in the GSK-compiled consensus estimates. GSK, now solely focused on vaccines and medicines, on Wednesday forecast 2023 adjusted operating profit to climb by 10% to 12% on sales up 6% to 8%. The company said that it also does not expect any significant COVID-19 pandemic-related sales in 2023, after the its COVID solutions unit generated 2.4 billion pounds last year.

LONDON, Feb 1 (Reuters) - GSK (GSK.L) chief executive Emma Walmsley on Wednesday made replenishing the drugmaker's pipeline of vaccines and therapies her number-one priority. But analysts say there is not enough in the medicine cabinet to keep the momentum going even beyond the next few years. Meanwhile, analysts say the market for Shingrix will eventually become saturated, further limiting the company's growth prospects. GSK shares lagR&D SPENDGSK's spending on R&D has long lagged behind its peers, something activist investor Elliott highlighted in a 2021 letter pressuring the company to make sweeping changes. Lucy Coutts, investment director at wealth management firm JM Finn, which holds GSK shares, there is hope the company will eventually deliver a streamlined and specialist portfolio of blockbuster drugs.

☆ 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.

☆ A fungus pandemic is unlikely, but not impossible. There's real science behind the mushroom zombies in HBO's new series 'The Last of Us.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

The new HBO Max series "The Last of Us" depicts a zombie apocalypse caused by a fungus pandemic. Here's the science fact and fiction behind the show, and the possibility of a fungal pandemic. The new scenario, first realized in the video game that the show is based on, is making viewers wonder whether a fungus pandemic can happen in real life. "A fungal pandemic is definitely possible," Norman Van Rhijn, a mycologist researching fungal infections at the University of Manchester, told Insider in an email. Still, fungal infections are on the rise worldwide, and researchers are concerned that more and more people are at risk.

☆ FDA proposal would allow gay men in monogamous relationships to donate blood
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Under the guidelines proposed on Friday, gay and bisexual men who are in monogamous relationships would be allowed to donate blood. The FDA had imposed a lifetime ban on men who have sex with men donating blood during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s. The agency had eased the ban in 2015, allowing gay and bisexual men to donate blood if they had not had sex in the previous year. The American Medical Association had criticized the FDA's restrictions on gay men donating as discriminatory. Those taking injections to prevent HIV would not be allowed to donate blood for two years following their most recent injection.

☆ CDC urges people with weak immune systems to take extra precautions after Covid subvariants knock out Evusheld
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday urged people with weak immune systems to take extra precautions to avoid Covid after the dominant omicron subvariants knocked out a key antibody treatment. The guidance comes after the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday pulled its authorization of Evusheld, a combination antibody injection that people with weak immune systems took as an additional layer of protection to prevent Covid infection. The FDA pulled Evusheld because it is not effective against 95% of the omicron subvariants circulating in the U.S. People with weak immune systems include cancer patients who are on chemotherapy, organ transplant patients who are taking medication for their transplant, people with advanced HIV infection, and those born with immune deficiencies. Some 7 million adults in the U.S. have a condition, like cancer, that compromises their immune system, according to the CDC.

☆ Nearly 70% of all reported sexual assaults on US cruises since 2010 happened on ships run by Royal Caribbean or Carnival
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Yelena Dzhanova | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Carnival Cruise Line has the most reported sexual assaults since 2010, DOT data shows. But Carnival, with a fraction of Royal's fleet size, has recorded nearly double the number of reported sexual assaults aboard its ships since 2010. On Royal Caribbean and Carnival cruises, an overwhelming majority, or 82%, of the reported sexual assaults were found to have been committed by passengers, data showed. DOT data revealed that the majority of reported sexual assaults on Princess Cruises were attributed to crew members. A 2013 congressional report found that up to a third of reported sexual assaults aboard cruise ships involved minors.

As Africa struggles with economic headwinds caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and, notably, Washington's own monetary policy, Africans are asking for proof the United States will stay the course this time. African countries have become collateral victims of this year's rate hikes by the U.S. Federal Reserve, aimed at curbing inflation at home. African countries are also finding it harder to access capital markets to meet their fiscal needs and refinance maturing debt. The United States, meanwhile, has largely failed to offer viable alternatives to cheap Chinese credit, officials said. One senior U.S. Treasury official said the United States had long been engaged in Africa, funding anti-HIV work and working on other health issues.

☆ 'No Straight Lines' unearths the hidden history of queer comic books
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Dan Avery | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

Independent Lens“No Straight Lines” also profiles Mary Wings, who is credited with publishing the first known queer comic book, “Come Out Comics,” in 1973. San Francisco, where Wings now lives, was home to many of the earliest LGBTQ comic books and strips — most of which were made by queer women. “Stuck Rubber Baby” was one of the first queer comics to get mainstream critical acclaim. His generosity of spirit and intellect brought this community together.”Cruse died of cancer in 2019, while “No Straight Lines” was still in development. “It’s very exciting.”“No Straight Lines” premieres on PBS’ “Independent Lens” Monday at 10 p.m.

Health officials in Tennessee say they will reject federal funding for groups that provide services to residents living with HIV. He is concerned that Tennessee health officials are setting a dangerous precedent. Millet said that the CDC provides Tennessee as much as $10 million in HIV funding. "We have not received any official notification from the Tennessee Department of Health withdrawing from CDC's HIV prevention funding," the CDC said. Follow NBC HEALTH on Twitter & Facebook.

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