Latest news with #JCF
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump's anti-DEI push threatens a huge energy bank
Beneficiaries of a $20 billion clean-energy program that the Trump administration wants to claw back might sue to keep the money, a leader of one such group told Semafor. Under the new leadership of Administrator Lee Zeldin, the US Environmental Protection Agency wants to knock down the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, citing concerns that the money — ostensibly to support low-carbon energy projects in disadvantaged communities — is being doled out 'in a rush job with reduced oversight.' 'The days of irresponsibly shoveling boatloads of cash to far-left activist groups in the name of climate justice and environmental equity are over,' Zeldin posted on X last week. But retrieving the money won't be easy, in part because the nonprofits selected to disburse it countrywide could sue to block the effort, said Lenwood Long, Sr., chair of the board of the Justice Climate Fund, a coalition of community development nonprofits that was awarded $940 million from the GGRF. 'It is shameful that such actions are being considered,' he said. 'These are not pork-barrel projects. These are seasoned organizations that have been doing lending and housing for decades.' The GGRF was lauded by many climate advocates as an innovative approach to spurring energy investment in lower-income communities that were less likely to benefit from traditional clean energy tax credits. Its sizable budget made it one of the biggest single initiatives created by the Inflation Reduction Act, and one of the Biden administration's primary vehicles for supporting climate equity. In the Trump administration, it's hard to imagine a more glaring target, so the GGRF was always at risk. But ending the program could also undermine the administration's promise to cut household energy bills. 'I just hate to fathom that this fund would be totally eviscerated,' said Long, who is also CEO of an advocacy group for Black-led community banks. 'It's a sad day in America when we can't recognize that economic systems are not equal for Black America.' Just last week the Justice Climate Fund disbursed its first tranche of funding, giving out about $214 million to projects in mostly minority communities working on things like installing residential or community solar projects, upgrading the energy efficiency of multifamily housing units, and installing EV charging stations. These projects are meant to use the GGRF money, and the technical expertise of groups like JCF, to attract additional private investment. None of the funding has been affected yet, Long said, and JCF is continuing to work on its second tranche of projects. Compared to other caches of federal funding the Trump administration has sought to freeze or claw back, Zeldin faces a tough obstacle in that all $20 billion is already sitting in an account managed by Citibank. Zeldin has said he wants to cancel that contract and get the money back. But former EPA officials told Inside Climate Newsthat under Citibank's arrangement, funds can only be withdrawn if there's evidence of fraud on Citibank's part, which Zeldin was careful to say he has 'zero reason to suspect.' A Citibank spokesperson didn't return a request for comment. Germany's closely-watched weekend election could lead to a significant reversal of climate-friendly policies in Europe's richest economy. The center-right opposition is expected to emerge triumphant in a campaign that has made little mention of environmental issues, DW noted, with the economy and immigration taking greater prominence. Friedrich Merz, the country's likely next chancellor, has spoken disparagingly of wind turbines, and has faced growing pressure from the far-right AfD party, which has sought to curtail wind power. Budgetary constraints have already made Germany's chances of hitting its climate targets appear remote, and green policies look likely to be given short shrift. Federal clean energy lending will also be slowed by mass layoffs last week at the Department of Energy. Up to 2,000 employees were let go from DOE, including from the Loan Programs Office, a grid improvement office, and a nuclear waste management site in Washington.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
CVRx announces new real-world evidence demonstrating significant reductions in healthcare utilization with Barostim
New real-world evidence presented at THT 2025 and published simultaneously in the Journal of Cardiac Failure (JCF) demonstrates large and statistically significant reductions in hospital visits and length of stay in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CVRx, Inc. (NASDAQ: CVRX) ('CVRx'), a commercial-stage medical device company, announced today the presentation of new real-world evidence at the Technology and Heart Failure Therapeutics (THT) conference in Boston. The study demonstrated large and statistically significant reductions in hospital visits (hospitalizations and emergency department visits) and length of stay after Barostim implantation, compared to before. The research was published simultaneously and is available now in the Journal of Cardiac Failure. 'Despite contemporary medications, the clinical and economic burden of heart failure remains unacceptably high. This new study showing significant reductions in real-world healthcare utilization associated with the Barostim implant is critically important for clinicians and payers when considering this device for their patients,' said Jacob Abraham, MD, Section Head of Advanced Heart Failure at Providence Heart Institute in Portland, Ore. 'While we know Barostim plus medications demonstrates long-term improvements in symptoms and quality of life, we now have compelling real-world evidence supporting a significant reduction in healthcare utilization as well.' This analysis was performed using data from the Premier Healthcare Database, a large all-payer database including data from more than 1,300 institutions. Three hundred and six (306) Barostim patients were identified in the data set. Comparisons were performed for the 12 months prior to Barostim implant and for an average of almost two years post-implant (1.92±1.87 years). Length of stay was found to be significantly reduced. Hospital visits (hospitalizations and emergency department visits) were categorized as all-cause, cardiovascular, and heart failure related. The analysis found: 86% reduction in all-cause hospital visits (p<0.0001) 84% reduction in cardiovascular hospital visits (p<0.0001) 85% reduction in heart-failure hospital visits (p<0.0001) 'Congratulations to Dr. Jacob Abraham and co-authors for this important real-world analysis demonstrating remarkable reductions in healthcare utilization with Barostim,' said Dr. Philip Adamson, Chief Medical Officer of CVRx. 'We believe this study adds to the growing and consistent body of evidence supporting the clinical utility of Barostim. This is another example of our commitment to further develop and disseminate a strong pipeline of clinical and economic data supporting the many benefits of this therapy.' About CVRx, is focused on the development and commercialization of the Barostim™ System, the first medical technology approved by FDA that uses neuromodulation to improve the symptoms of heart failure. Barostim is an implantable device that delivers electrical pulses to baroreceptors located in the wall of the carotid artery. Baroreceptors activate the body's baroreflex, which in turn triggers an autonomic response to the heart. The therapy is designed to restore balance to the autonomic nervous system and thereby reduce the symptoms of heart failure. Barostim received the FDA Breakthrough Device designation and is FDA-approved for use in heart failure patients in the U.S. It has also received the CE Mark for heart failure and resistant hypertension in the European Economic Area. To learn more about Barostim, visit Media Contact:Emily Meyers651.338.6204emeyers@ Investor Contact:Mark Klausner or Mike VallieICR Healthcare443.213.0501ir@ in to access your portfolio
