Manitoba reaches settlement with family of woman who died after halted medical flight
Matt Wiebe, minister of justice and the province's attorney general, confirmed a settlement was recently reached with the family of Krystal Mousseau more than two years after Mousseau's mother first sued the provincial government and health agencies.
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Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Ousted vaccine panel members say rigorous science is being abandoned
NEW YORK (AP) — The 17 experts who were ousted from a government vaccine committee last month say they have little faith in what the panel has become, and have outlined possible alternative ways to make U.S. vaccine policy. U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. abruptly fired the entire Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, accusing them of being too closely aligned with manufacturers and of rubber-stamping vaccines. He handpicked replacements that include several vaccine skeptics. In a commentary published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, the former panel members wrote that Kennedy — a leading voice in the anti-vaccine movement before becoming the U.S. government's top health official — and his new panel are abandoning rigorous scientific review and open deliberation. That was clear, they said, during the new panel's first meeting, in June. It featured a presentation by an anti-vaccine advocate that warned of dangers about a preservative used in a few flu vaccines, but the committee members didn't hear from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staffers about an analysis that concluded there was no link between the preservative and neurodevelopmental disorders. The new panel recommended that the preservative, thimerosal, be removed even as some members acknowledged there was no proof it was causing harm. 'That meeting was a travesty, honestly,' said former ACIP member Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, a pediatric infectious diseases expert at Stanford University. The 17 discharged experts last month published a shorter essay in the Journal of the American Medical Association that decried Kennedy's 'destabilizing decisions.' The focus was largely on their termination and on Kennedy's decision in May to stop recommending COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women. In the new commentary, the ousted committee members took it one step further and prescribed some steps that could be taken to maintain scientifically sound vaccine recommendations. 'An alternative to the Committee should be established quickly and — if necessary — independently from the federal government,' they wrote. 'No viable pathway exists to fully replace the prior trusted and unbiased ACIP structure and process. Instead, the alternatives must focus on limiting the damage to vaccination policy in the United States.' Options included having professional organizations working together to harmonize vaccine recommendations or establishing an external auditor of ACIP recommendations. There are huge challenges to the ideas, including having access to the best data, the authors acknowledged. There's also the question of whether health insurers would pay for vaccinations that are recommended by alternative groups but not ACIP. They might pick and choose which vaccines to cover, said the University of North Carolina's Noel Brewer, another former ACIP member. For example, they might pay for vaccines that offer more immediate cost savings for health care, like the flu vaccine. 'But maybe not ones that have a longer-term benefit like HPV vaccine,' which is designed to prevent futures cancers, Brewer said. Officials with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to a request for comment. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
The Province
an hour ago
- The Province
McGill researchers develop AI that predicts respiratory illness before symptoms show
Ring, watch and T-shirt equipped with sensors recorded biometric data to accurately predict acute systemic inflammation Published Jul 30, 2025 • 3 minute read McGill researchers have developed an AI system that uses wearable sensor data to predict respiratory infections up to 72 hours before symptoms appear. Photo by gpointstudio / Getty Images/iStockphoto Researchers at McGill University say they developed an artificial intelligence platform that can predict when someone is about to come down with a respiratory tract infection before they start to feel sick. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors In what researchers are calling a 'world first,' the study involved participants who wore a ring, a watch and a T-shirt, all of which were equipped with sensors that recorded their biometric data. By analyzing the data, researchers were able to accurately predict acute systemic inflammation — an early sign of a respiratory infection such as COVID-19. Published in The Lancet Digital Health, the study says the AI platform can one day help doctors address health problems much earlier than they normally would, particularly in patients who are fragile and for whom a new infection could have serious consequences. It could also potentially reduce costs for the health-care system by preventing complications and hospitalizations. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We were very interested to see if physiological data measured using wearable sensors … could be used to train an artificial intelligence system capable of detecting an infection or disease resulting from inflammation,' explained the study's lead author, Prof. Dennis Jensen of McGill University's department of kinesiology and physical education. 'We wondered if we could detect early changes in physiology and, from there, predict that someone is about to get sick.' Jense says the AI model his team created is the first in the world to use physiological measures — including heart rate, heart rate variability, body temperature, respiratory rate, blood pressure _ rather than symptoms, to detect a problem. Acute systemic inflammation is a natural defence mechanism of the body that usually resolves on its own, but it can cause serious health problems, especially in populations with pre-existing conditions. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'The whole idea is kind of like an iceberg,' Jensen said. 'Kind of when the ice cracks the surface, that's like when you're symptomatic, and then it's too late to really do much to treat it.' During the study, McGill researchers administered a weakened flu vaccine to 55 healthy adults to simulate infection in their bodies. The subjects were monitored seven days before inoculation and five days after. Acute systemic inflammation is a natural defence mechanism of the body that usually resolves on its own, but it can cause serious health problems, especially in populations with pre-existing conditions. Photo by simonapilolla / Getty Images/iStockphoto Participants wore a smart ring, smart watch, and a smart T-shirt simultaneously throughout the study. As well, researchers collected biomarkers of systemic inflammation using blood samples, PCR tests to detect the presence of respiratory pathogens, and a mobile app to collect symptoms reported by participants. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In total, more than two billion data points were collected to train machine learning algorithms. Ten different AI models were developed, but the researchers chose the model that used the least amount of data for the remainder of the project. The chosen model correctly detected nearly 90 per cent of actual positive cases and was deemed more practical for daily monitoring. On their own, Jensen said, none of the data collected from the ring, watch, or T-shirt alone is sensitive enough to detect how the body is responding. 'An increase in heart rate alone may only correspond to two beats per minute, which is not really clinically relevant,' he explained. 'The decrease in heart rate variability can be very modest. The increase in temperature can be very modest. So the idea was that by looking at … several different measurements, we would be able to identify subtle changes in physiology.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The algorithms also successfully detected systemic inflammation in four participants infected with COVID-19 during the study. In each case, the algorithms flagged the immune response up to 72 hours before symptoms appeared or infection was confirmed by PCR testing. Ultimately, the researchers hope to develop a system that will inform patients of possible inflammation so they can contact their health-care provider. 'In medicine, we say that you have to give the right treatment to the right person at the right time,' Jensen said. By expanding the therapeutic window in which doctors can intervene, he added, they could save lives and achieve significant savings by avoiding hospitalizations and enabling home management of chronic conditions or even aging. 'In a way, we hope to revolutionize personalized medicine.' Read More Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here. Vancouver Canucks Local News Vancouver Whitecaps News Celebrity
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Another Trump administration figure who met Laura Loomer's ire is out. A look at her influence
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — President Donald Trump has downplayed the influence of Laura Loomer, a right-wing provocateur known for her incendiary social media presence, in his administration's decision-making. But the list of administration officials who have drawn Loomer's ire and swiftly thereafter gotten the ax from Trump has been growing. The latest was Dr. Vinay Prasad, the Food and Drug Administration's polarizing vaccine chief, who announced this week he was leaving the agency after a brief tenure that drew the ire of biotech executives, patient groups and conservative allies of Trump. Prasad had recently become a target of right-wing activists, including Loomer, who flagged Prasad's past statements criticizing Trump and praising liberal independent Sen. Bernie Sanders. Loomer, who has publicly encouraged Trump to purge aides who she believes are insufficiently loyal to the 'Make America Great Again' agenda, has taken credit for some of the ousters, tearing into some of Trump's allies and advisers and calling out what she calls a 'vetting crisis' within the White House. Trump, meanwhile, has long praised Loomer while distancing himself at times from her most controversial comments and downplaying her direct impact on his choices. Here's a rundown on connections between Loomer's criticism and Trump administration departures: Vocal opposition to Health and Human Services appointees Two people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that Prasad was ousted following several recent controversies. The people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal personnel matters. Last week, Loomer posted on X of Prasad, 'How did this Trump-hating Bernie Bro get into the Trump admin???' Prasad did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday morning. He joined the FDA in May after years as an academic researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, where he frequently criticized the FDA's approach to drug approvals and COVID-19 vaccines. Loomer was also vocal in opposition to Trump's first choice for surgeon general, whose selection was ultimately withdrawn. Trump pulled the nomination of former Fox News medical contributor Janette Nesheiwat just before Senate confirmation hearings in May. Loomer had posted on X that 'we can't have a pro-COVID vaccine nepo appointee who is currently embroiled in a medical malpractice case and who didn't go to medical school in the US' as the surgeon general. Prompting departures at the National Security Council On April 3, Loomer presented 'research findings' to Trump, Vice President JD Vance, chief of staff Susie Wiles and others including then-national security adviser Mike Waltz, during an Oval Office meeting, according to people speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel matters. A day later, Trump said he had fired 'some' White House National Security Council officials, downplaying Loomer's influence on the moves. The departures included the director of the National Security Agency, Air Force Gen. Tim Haugh, who also oversaw the Pentagon's Cyber Command, along with Haugh's civilian deputy at the NSA, Wendy Noble. When reached for comment, Loomer referred The Associated Press to an X post, saying she was not going to divulge any details about her Oval Office meeting with Trump 'out of respect' for the president. In a subsequent X post, Loomer appeared to take credit for the firings, writing, 'You know how you know the NSC officials I reported to President Trump are disloyal people who have played a role in sabotaging Donald Trump?' She noted, 'the fired officials' were being defended by Trump critics on CNN and MSNBC. Loomer called for Waltz's ouster in the weeks following revelations he had mistakenly added The Atlantic's editor-in-chief to a Signal chat being used to discuss military plans. As reports began to circulate that Waltz could be leaving the administration — he was ultimately nominated as United Nations ambassador — she appeared to take credit, writing 'SCALP' in an X post. A 'pressure campaign' targeting the Justice Department Adam Schleifer, an assistant U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, received an email in March saying he was being terminated 'on behalf of President Donald J. Trump,' according to a person familiar with the matter. The email came exactly an hour after Loomer called for him to be fired in a social media post that highlighted Schleifer's past critical comments about Trump while Schleifer was running in a Democratic primary for a congressional seat in New York. Earlier this month, Loomer took a victory lap after the Justice Department fired Maurene Comey, the daughter of former FBI director James Comey and a federal prosecutor in Manhattan who worked on the cases against Sean 'Diddy' Combs and Jeffrey Epstein, three people familiar with the matter told The AP. Comey's ouster, Loomer said on X, followed her two-month 'pressure campaign.' Has Loomer spoken out about others? Yes, chief among them Attorney General Pam Bondi. Loomer has called for Bondi's resignation over failure to keep promises to release more files from the Justice Department's sex trafficking investigation of Epstein, branding her a 'total liar.' Earlier this month, following DOJ's revelations that no Epstein 'client list' existed and no more files would be released, Loomer posted on X that she was told that FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino was 'seriously thinking about resigning' amid his ongoing clashes with Bondi over the case. Weeks later, both Bondi and Bongino were still on the job. What has Trump said about Loomer's role? In April, Trump denied that Loomer had anything to do with aides being ousted from their jobs at the National Security Council, calling her a 'very good patriot and a very strong person' who only made recommendations. 'Sometimes I listen to those recommendations, like I do with everybody,' Trump said then, adding: 'She's usually very constructive. She recommended certain people for jobs.' Loomer was seen traveling with Trump during last year's campaign, accompanying him on a trip to New York and Pennsylvania as he commemorated the 9/11 attacks. She also traveled with Trump to Philadelphia for a debate against then-Vice President Kamala Harris. Loomer said she never officially joined the campaign after Trump's allies preferred he would keep his distance. After a Harris-related post on X in which Loomer played on racist stereotypes, Trump called Loomer 'a supporter of mine' with 'strong opinions,' but denied knowledge of her comments. He later posted on his Truth Social account that he disagreed with what she had said. ___ Kinnard can be reached at
