Latest news with #DRDC
Cision Canada
03-06-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
PeerOnCall: Making peer support more accessible in workplaces everywhere
TORONTO, June 3, 2025 /CNW/ - Stress, burnout and mental health challenges can affect employees in any field—whether on the front lines of healthcare and emergency response or managing teams in various high-pressure industries, including sectors like education and social services. But finding the right support at the right time isn't always easy. PeerOnCall, a digital peer support application created to enhance mental health and wellness in the workplace, is helping to change that. Now owned and operated by Stepped Care Solutions (SCS), the platform has been redesigned to integrate into a broader range of workforces–offering timely, relatable support by connecting employees with trained peers from within their own organization and meeting people where they are, when they need it most. "PeerOnCall represents a significant shift in how workplaces approach mental health," said AnnMarie Churchill, President and Lead Executive Officer of Stepped Care Solutions. "By facilitating peer connections in an anonymous, secure, easy-to-use platform, we are helping organizations build a culture of psychological safety and early support." Through its focus on accessible mental health information and peer connection, PeerOnCall enables employees to navigate work-related stress and mental health challenges in a confidential, secure and supportive space. Users can connect with trained peers who understand their experiences, offering a safe alternative to conventional mental health services. Key features of PeerOnCall Applicable across sectors: Can be adopted by workplaces in a variety of industries, but with customized content and resources to ensure relevance. Peer support matching: Personalized connection options based on job roles, experiences, and language. Flexible wellness tracking: Allows employees to log their wellbeing and track progress over time. Security Features: Ensures private, anonymous peer communication via text or phone. Workplace Insights: Enables administrators to monitor activity levels and identify potential workplace issues early via usage trends. Research-informed and purpose-driven PeerOnCall was initially co-designed and researched by Dr. Sandra Moll at McMaster University, in collaboration with organizational leaders, frontline service providers and leading researchers in the Canadian public safety community, including Drs. Nicholas Carleton, Joy MacDermid, Stephen Czarnuch, Renée MacPhee and Rose Ricciardelli. This collaborative co-design and testing process also involved the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment, and Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) with input from Public Safety Canada. Funding support came from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, DRDC, Movember, and the Public Health Agency of Canada. Today, Stepped Care Solutions leads the platform's implementation and future development using a cost-recovery model. Researchers—including those at McMaster University—will continue to use PeerOnCall to explore the value of mobile health technology and peer support within the public safety community. Building on its expertise in mental health and substance use health system transformation and the Stepped Care 2.0® model, SCS is expanding PeerOnCall's capabilities to serve a broader workforce, while maintaining its strong, evidence-based foundation. "We are excited to keep studying the implementation and impact of PeerOnCall as an innovative tool to address workplace mental health," said Sandra Moll, Professor, School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University. "Building on the learning to date about peer support in public safety will inform expansion into a broader range of workplace settings. It also provides an opportunity for ongoing systematic evaluation regarding the role of mobile technology in fostering healthier work environments." "Expanding peer support into more diverse organizational settings is a critical part of building healthier, more responsive workplaces," said Maggie Inrig – Senior Director of Population Mental Health Innovation at Stepped Care Solutions. "As we continue to develop PeerOnCall, we're guided by data-informed insights and the understanding that every organization is unique. Our goal is to support scalable, tailored peer support programs that make a real impact on workplace wellness." Stepped Care Solutions (SCS) is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization, and the creators of Stepped Care 2.0 (SC2.0®)—an innovative and transformative model that leverages collaboration and technology to enhance mental health and substance use health systems. SCS exists to help organizations and communities reframe, rethink, and redesign mental health service delivery for better access and outcomes.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Revive Therapeutics Provides Update on Research Study Evaluating Bucillamine for Nerve Agent Exposure
TORONTO, May 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Revive Therapeutics Ltd. ('Revive' or the 'Company') (OTCQB: RVVTF) (CSE: RVV) (FRANKFURT:31R), a specialty life sciences company focused on the research and development of therapeutics for infectious diseases and medical countermeasures, announced today an update on the research study evaluating Bucillamine as a potential treatment for nerve agent exposure. This study is conducted in partnership with Defence R&D Canada – Suffield Research Centre ('DRDC'), an agency of the Canadian Department of National Defence, which brings a wealth of expertise and resources to the project. The DRDC is investigating pharmacological compounds, including Bucillamine, that can mitigate nerve agent induced brain injury. After recent discussions with the DRDC, the research study on Bucillamine is now set to conclude by June 2025, focusing on GABA receptor antibodies and data confirmation for effect size. Positive outcomes may accelerate human clinical trials in the second half of 2025, aiming for FDA and Health Canada approvals for treating nerve agent or organophosphate pesticide poisoning. Additionally, Bucillamine's potential in traumatic brain injury from concussive/explosive forces and viral infections is under agents are chemicals that affect the nervous system. Nerve agents are highly toxic regardless of the route of exposure. The main chemical nerve agents that are man-made and manufactured for use in chemical warfare are sarin, soman, tabun and VX. These nerve agents are known to be present in military stockpiles. Exposure to nerve agents can occur due to chemical warfare or accidental release from a military storage facility. Exposure to nerve agents can cause tightness of the chest, excessive salivation, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, blurred vision, tremors, and death. Recent studies have shown that antioxidant compounds such as n-acetylcysteine ('NAC') could be beneficial in limiting seizure activity and improving the anticonvulsant efficacy of GABA-mediating drugs such as diazepam. Bucillamine is a significantly more effective antioxidant than NAC and has the potential to provide increased efficacy against seizure activity while limiting the anticoagulant and bleeding event liability observed with NAC. The overall objective of the research project is to investigate pharmacological means for neuroprotection of GABA(A) receptors, which are required for the effectiveness of currently fielded anticonvulsant therapies. Bucillamine and NAC will be evaluated to determine the effect on GABA(A) receptor endocytosis and the effect on diazepam effectiveness in terminating seizures. Any additional antioxidant effects on seizure activity and survival will also be assessed. About Revive Therapeutics Therapeutics is a life sciences company focused on the research and development of therapeutics for infectious diseases and medical countermeasures. Revive prioritizes its drug development efforts to take advantage of several regulatory incentives awarded by the FDA, such as Emergency Use Authorization, Orphan Drug, Fast Track, and Breakthrough Therapy designations. Currently, the Company is exploring the use of Bucillamine for the potential treatment of nerve agent exposure and long COVID. Revive is also advancing the development of Psilocybin and molecular hydrogen therapeutics through various programs. For more information, visit For more information, please contact: Michael FrankChief Executive OfficerRevive Therapeutics 1 888 901 0036Email: mfrank@ Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statement This press release contains 'forward-looking information' within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words 'may', 'could', 'intend', 'expect', 'believe', 'will', 'projected', 'estimated' and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on Revive's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Forward looking information in this press release includes information with respect to the Company's cannabinoids, psychedelics and infectious diseases programs. Forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions that have been made by Revive at the date of the information and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking information. Given these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, you should not unduly rely on these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is made as of the date hereof, and Revive is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. Reference is made to the risk factors disclosed under the heading 'Risk Factors' in the Company's management's discussion and analysis for the three and six months ended December 31, 2024 ("MD&A"), dated February 24, 2025, which is available on the Company's profile at
