N.W.T. education minister commits to recommendations after school lead investigation
Cayley Thomas, an alternative dispute resolution lawyer with the firm Thomas ADR, made a number of recommendations after Education Minister Caitlin Cleveland tasked her with investigating what happened.
Her findings were released publicly on Monday, along with a pair of water quality assessment reports by the firm Stantec Consulting Ltd. during a territorial news conference.
One of Thomas's recommendations is that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) oversee the development of a plan to test for lead in drinking water at all N.W.T. schools on a yearly basis, complete with testing protocols, plans for what to do if lead levels were too high, and a communication plan.
"We are committed to, in principle, applying the recommendations," Education Minister Caitlin Cleveland said Tuesday morning on CBC's The Trailbreaker.
Thomas's other recommendations are that:
The office of the chief public health officer prepare an education presentation for the education and infrastructure departments and Yellowknife school boards.
Any issues with human health implications at schools, daycares or educational facilities be flagged to management immediately.
That roles, responsibilities and lines of communication be clarified between the education department and the Yellowknife school boards.
That any outstanding tests be done this fall.
That the chief public health officer and education department officials should meet face to face to talk about best practices for future water testing.
Thomas found that the root cause of delays in communicating and taking action was that staff in both the education and infrastructure departments didn't understand the health implications of lead in drinking water.
Cleveland did not directly answer a question about whether there would be consequences for education staff who were involved.
"This has been very public," Cleveland said, adding that the intent of the project had been positive from the outset.
"There was nothing malicious about this. Everybody who worked on this was, in earnest, feeling like they were coming at this from a place of proactivity, in a place of wanting to do good. So this has been a very big challenge for the public servants that have been involved."
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Associated Press
24 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Measles Cases Increasing Worldwide, Need the New NV-387 Broad-Spectrum Antiviral to Combat, Says NanoViricides
SHELTON, CT / ACCESS Newswire / July 30, 2025 / NanoViricides, Inc., a publicly traded company (NYSE Amer.:NNVC) (the 'Company'), and a clinical stage, leading global pioneer in the development of broad-spectrum antivirals based on host-mimetic nanomedicine technology that viruses cannot escape, announced that its drug candidate NV-387 is the weapon necessary for combatting growing cases of measles worldwide, especially in the industrialized world including, USA, Canada, UK, and European Union. NV-387 is possibly the only drug candidate that has been shown to be effective and safe in animal model studies of Measles virus in humanized h-CD150+ knock-in mice, as reported previously by NanoViricides. NV-387 has completed a Phase I clinical trial with no reported adverse events, indicating excellent safety and tolerability in humans. The development of NV-387 as a treatment for Measles can be accelerated under the US FDA programs. Measles is considered a rare orphan disease in the USA. As such, NV-387 for the treatment of Measles would qualify for an Orphan Drug Designation. Orphan drug designation qualifies sponsors for incentives including tax credits for qualified clinical trials, exemption from user fees, and potential seven years of market exclusivity after approval[1]. The Company also plans to explore a 'Fast Track' designation for the NV-387 Measles indication. If granted, a drug approval can occur on the basis of a successful Phase II clinical trial without requiring a Phase III clinical trial, which significantly reduces the timeline to approval. Measles has become an important disease of concern globally in the recent years for several reasons. Most importantly, Measles disease can wipe out the previously learned immunity of the patient against many infections, including from prior infections, and non-live virus vaccines, making the population vulnerable to viruses that were encountered previously. This is because Measles virus attacks the CD150-bearing immune cells that are responsible for memorizing the prior infections and mounting defenses against them later. Measles is possibly the most communicable diseases, spreading through aerosol, that is known to humans. In patients, it produces severe morbidity with skin rash, pain, fatigue, and other syndromes. Rarely it can cause a brain disease. Measles mostly affects children. There were a total of 1,319 confirmed measles cases reported in the USA as of July 22, breaking the most recent record of 1,274 cases in 2019. Hospitalization rates for measles in the USA are about 13%, and fatalities are rare, although in 2025 there were three deaths to date. Canada is having a much worse Measles season than the USA, with more than 3,800 cases[2] to date in 2025. A Measles holiday warning has been issued in the UK this year[3]. England itself had more than 3,000 cases of Measles in 2024. In the European Region, 127,350 measles cases were reported for 2024, double the number of cases reported for 2023 and the highest number since 1997, according to an analysis by WHO and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)[4] . Worldwide, Measles cases continue to occur every year. Globally, there have been about 108,000 confirmed measles cases in 2025 to date, while in 2024 there were about 360,000 confirmed cases, according to the WHO[5]. A sustained measles vaccination rate of at least 95% is estimated to be required to maintain community immunity ('herd immunity'). Such a high rate is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve even in developed countries where access to vaccination is not an issue. While growing vaccine hesitancy is considered an important reason for the fall in Measles vaccination rates, two other factors are of importance as well: (i) The overall population in the industrialized world, as well as in developing world, has increased frequency of immune dysfunction, obesity, and diabetes. The people with immune dysfunction or immune compromise are less likely to benefit from almost any standard vaccination as compared to healthy people and are likely to result in breakthrough infections. (ii) Additionally, the current vaccine for Measles is a live attenuated vaccine of the 1968 era, and the virus has evolved well past that, although so far the Measles virus strains continue to be susceptible to antibodies produced from the standard vaccine; this can change with continuing circulation of the virus in vaccinated persons and can result in a virus that can substantially defeat the vaccine[6]. Further, vaccine hesitancy itself is not irrational because the standard Measles vaccine is a live attenuated vaccine to be given to infants at early age; it is a virus infection that continues to remain in the subject, which is why it provides lifelong immunity. Measles infection itself also provides lifelong immunity that includes the current strains of the virus. Thus, the Company projects continuing Measles cases worldwide, that require a drug to control the disease in the patient and its spread to others. We believe NV-387 fills this important medical need. There is no approved drug for treatment of Measles at present. ABOUT NANOVIRICIDES NanoViricides, Inc. (the 'Company') ( ) is a publicly traded (NYSE-American, stock symbol NNVC) clinical stage company that is creating special purpose nanomaterials for antiviral therapy. The Company's novel nanoviricide™ class of drug candidates and the nanoviricide™ technology are based on intellectual property, technology and proprietary know-how of TheraCour Pharma, Inc. The Company has a Memorandum of Understanding with TheraCour for the development of drugs based on these technologies for all antiviral infections. The MoU does not include cancer and similar diseases that may have viral origin but require different kinds of treatments. The Company has obtained broad, exclusive, sub-licensable, field licenses to drugs developed in several licensed fields from TheraCour Pharma, Inc. The Company's business model is based on licensing technology from TheraCour Pharma Inc. for specific application verticals of specific viruses, as established at its foundation in 2005. Our lead drug candidate is NV-387, a broad-spectrum antiviral drug that we plan to develop as a treatment of RSV, COVID, Long COVID, Influenza, and other respiratory viral infections, as well as MPOX/Smallpox infections. Our other advanced drug candidate is NV-HHV-1 for the treatment of Shingles. The Company cannot project an exact date for filing an IND for any of its drugs because of dependence on a number of external collaborators and consultants. The Company is currently focused on advancing NV-387 into Phase II human clinical trials. The Company is also developing drugs against a number of viral diseases including oral and genital Herpes, viral diseases of the eye including EKC and herpes keratitis, H1N1 swine flu, H5N1 bird flu, seasonal Influenza, HIV, Hepatitis C, Rabies, Dengue fever, and Ebola virus, among others. NanoViricides' platform technology and programs are based on the TheraCour® nanomedicine technology of TheraCour, which TheraCour licenses from AllExcel. NanoViricides holds a worldwide exclusive perpetual license to this technology for several drugs with specific targeting mechanisms in perpetuity for the treatment of the following human viral diseases: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV/AIDS), Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Hepatitis C Virus (HCV), Rabies, Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV-1 and HSV-2), Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV), Influenza and Asian Bird Flu Virus, Dengue viruses, Japanese Encephalitis virus, West Nile Virus, Ebola/Marburg viruses, and certain Coronaviruses. The Company intends to obtain a license for RSV, Poxviruses, and/or Enteroviruses if the initial research is successful. As is customary, the Company must state the risk factor that the path to typical drug development of any pharmaceutical product is extremely lengthy and requires substantial capital. As with any drug development efforts by any company, there can be no assurance at this time that any of the Company's pharmaceutical candidates would show sufficient effectiveness and safety for human clinical development. Further, there can be no assurance at this time that successful results against coronavirus in our lab will lead to successful clinical trials or a successful pharmaceutical product. This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect the Company's current expectation regarding future events. Actual events could differ materially and substantially from those projected herein and depend on a number of factors. Certain statements in this release, and other written or oral statements made by NanoViricides, Inc. are 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Company's control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the company's expectations include, but are not limited to, those factors that are disclosed under the heading 'Risk Factors' and elsewhere in documents filed by the company from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory authorities. Although it is not possible to predict or identify all such factors, they may include the following: demonstration and proof of principle in preclinical trials that a nanoviricide is safe and effective; successful development of our product candidates; our ability to seek and obtain regulatory approvals, including with respect to the indications we are seeking; the successful commercialization of our product candidates; and market acceptance of our products. The phrases 'safety', 'effectiveness' and equivalent phrases as used in this press release refer to research findings including clinical trials as the customary research usage and do not indicate evaluation of safety or effectiveness by the US FDA. FDA refers to US Food and Drug Administration. IND application refers to 'Investigational New Drug' application. cGMP refers to current Good Manufacturing Practices. CMC refers to 'Chemistry, Manufacture, and Controls'. CHMP refers to the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, which is the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) committee responsible for human medicines. API stands for 'Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient'. WHO is the World Health Organization. R&D refers to Research and Development. Contact: NanoViricides, Inc. [email protected] Public Relations Contact: [email protected] press release
CNN
2 hours ago
- CNN
Food assistance benefits are tied to slower cognitive decline in older adults, new study suggests
For older adults who may otherwise be food-insecure, participating in food assistance benefits may be associated with a slower cognitive decline as they age, according to new research. Compared with eligible people who were not participating in the US Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, SNAP participants showed a slower decline in cognitive function during a 10-year period, essentially maintaining up to three additional years of cognitive health, according to the study presented Wednesday at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Toronto. 'We expected that SNAP might be protective for cognitive health based on prior research linking food insecurity to faster cognitive decline. But what did surprise us was the persistence of the effect over a decade — and the fact that the benefit was equivalent to preserving two to three extra years of cognitive health,' Linlin Da, lead author of the study and a Ph.D. candidate in health services research at the University of Georgia, said in an email. 'This study is important because it shows that supporting basic needs like food access can have long-term benefits for brain health, something not widely recognized,' Da said. 'In a time when we're seeking ways to delay or prevent Alzheimer's disease and related dementia, this suggests that public health and social policy can play a role alongside medical approaches.' It's estimated that nearly 37% of SNAP participants are in households with older adults or people with disabilities, and on average, SNAP participants may receive an estimated $6.16 per day per person in benefits. SNAP, known previously as the Food Stamp Program, helped an average of more than 41 million low-income people in the United States in a typical month last year, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Now, President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act makes the largest cuts to food stamps in the program's 86-year history, jeopardizing assistance for millions of people. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the law will reduce federal spending on SNAP by almost $187 billion over the next decade. Some public health experts worry that while cuts to SNAP would lead to budgetary savings, it also could produce higher rates of food insecurity and poorer health outcomes in the long run, according to the nonprofit KFF, formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation. And some Democratic state leaders are warning about potential consequences. 'During a time when many American families are already struggling, food assistance programs such as SNAP are more essential than ever,' Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said in a news release Tuesday. 'Under the veneer of 'cost savings,' the Trump Administration is slashing benefits and threatening the well-being of hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans, putting their health and welfare at risk. Our state deserves better.' The researchers on the new study, from the University of Georgia, analyzed data on more than 2,000 adults 50 and older across the United States. About half of them were enrolled in SNAP in 2010, and the other half were eligible for SNAP but did not participate in the program. Every two years between 2010 and 2020, the researchers interviewed the study participants to assess their cognition, memory and executive function, including their ability to carry out tasks or to plan. Each person was given a cognitive score based on the assessments. The assessments, which have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, showed that those enrolled in SNAP had a slower rate of cognitive decline in cognition, memory and executive function during the 10-year period. 'The decline in global cognitive function was 0.10 points slower per year for SNAP participants compared to nonparticipants,' Da said. 'While that may sound small, over a 10-year period, this adds up to about one full point of preserved cognition. To put it in clinical terms, this slower decline could delay the onset of mild cognitive impairment by nearly a decade for someone starting at a healthy cognitive baseline.' When the researchers analyzed their data by race and ethnicity, they found that there was a slightly faster decline in cognition and memory among Black and Hispanic adults compared with White adults, but no significant racial differences were observed for executive function. However, SNAP participation was linked with much stronger cognitive benefits and slower decline among the White adults. As a 10-year study, the new research covers 'a good length of time' to determine the benefits of diet and SNAP as associated with cognitive health, Dr. Shae Datta, a neurologist at NYU Langone Health and brand partner for the supplement company Qunol, said in an email. 'Having the means to buy nutritious food is important for preventing cognitive decline,' said Datta, who was not involved in the new study. 'This study suggested that SNAP participation, or any nutritional support program can delay the onset of cognitive impairment or dementia. Translating in a greater ability to manage their activities of daily living and remain independent longer.' While the new study suggests only an association between SNAP participation and cognitive decline, rather than a causal relationship, the researchers emphasized that not having adequate access to food can negatively affect cognitive function. SNAP participation may help improve someone's nutritional intake, thus potentially slowing cognitive decline. 'When people don't have access to healthy nutrition programs, they may have inadequate intake of, for example, brain healthy fats, omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in fish, fish like lake trout, mackerel, herring, albacore tuna, sardines and wild salmon,' said preventive neurologist Dr. Richard Isaacson, director of research at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Florida, who was not involved in the new study. 'Having a balanced diet can neutralize a lot of the risk elements related to developing cognitive decline. The way that I would think about this is, the Mediterranean-style diet is by far the most evidence-based when it comes to reducing the risk of cognitive decline,' Isaacson said. 'But a Mediterranean-style diet is rich in green, leafy vegetables. Vegetables are expensive. Fatty fish are expensive. So nutrition assistance programs can really fill the gap.' A Mediterranean-style diet includes mostly vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, lentils, whole grains and healthy fats, such as extra virgin olive oil and avocados. The diet may include a moderate amount of natural cheese and yogurt, but it is low in red meat and sugar. Overall, the potential health benefits of participating in a food assistance program for an older adult who otherwise would be food-insecure are based on whether that adult uses the program to access brain healthy foods while taking other steps to maintain cognitive health, said Isaacson, who established one of the first Alzheimer's prevention clinics in the United States. 'You can't eat a magic blueberry and think you're going to prevent Alzheimer's disease,' he said. 'Healthy nutrition, exercising on a regular basis, seeing a doctor regularly to control blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, vascular risk factors – you need to do all of these different things to have the most benefit.' CNN's Nathaniel Meyersohn contributed to this report.
Wall Street Journal
3 hours ago
- Wall Street Journal
A Canadian Ostrich Culling Sparks an International Storm
Edgewood, British Columbia is normally a sleepy settlement of retirees. Lately, it's become the front line in a battle between the Canadian government and a coalition of animal rights activists, Christian evangelists and populists who have recruited U.S. health officials Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Mehmet Oz to their cause. It's all because of Universal Ostrich Farm, located on the edge of this remote 235-person community northeast of Vancouver. The Canadian government is trying to euthanize roughly 400 ostriches that are penned here, after 69 of the flightless birds died in December and January and two tested positive for a variant of H5N1 avian flu virus. The owners of the flock and a group of activists are rallying to stop the cull.
