Latest news with #MCI
Medscape
3 days ago
- Business
- Medscape
New Data: Wide Disparities in Access to Lecanemab
Access to lecanemab among Medicare beneficiaries with Alzheimer's disease (AD) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) was marked by racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities, a new study suggested, with early use significantly higher in men than in women, and in non-Hispanic White individuals than in Asian or Pacific Islander, Black, and Hispanic patients. METHODOLOGY: Researchers performed a cross-sectional analysis and examined early trends in lecanemab use among 842,192 US Medicare beneficiaries with at least 11 months of coverage. In all, 1725 Medicare beneficiaries who received at least one lecanemab infusion between 2023 and 2024 were identified (mean age at initiation, 75.7 years). The researchers identified beneficiaries with AD and MCI using claims in the previous year. The analysis included age, sex, race/ethnicity, urban-rural status, and socioeconomic status. TAKEAWAY: Of those who received lecanemab, 51.5% were women; 90.5% were White, 1.3% Asian or Pacific Islander, 1.2% Black, and 2% Hispanic individuals; 1.3% were socioeconomically disadvantaged; and 88% resided in urban areas. Among all patients with AD or MCI, lecanemab use was significantly higher in men than in women (0.27% vs 0.17%; P < .01), in urban residents than in rural patients (0.22% vs 0.14%; P < .01), and in socioeconomically advantaged patients than in those who were socioeconomically disadvantaged (0.27% vs 0.01%; P < .001). < .01), in urban residents than in rural patients (0.22% vs 0.14%; < .01), and in socioeconomically advantaged patients than in those who were socioeconomically disadvantaged (0.27% vs 0.01%; < .001). Lecanemab use was significantly higher among non-Hispanic White patients (0.23%) than among Asian or Pacific Islander (0.09%), Black (0.04%), and Hispanic (0.07%) patients ( P < .001 for all). < .001 for all). By the end of the study, 407 patients (23.6%) had discontinued lecanemab treatment, indicating substantial early discontinuation rates. IN PRACTICE: 'Even among beneficiaries who meet initial Medicare coverage requirements for lecanemab by having documented MCI or AD, early uptake of lecanemab still appears to be marked by racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities. This dynamic is consistent with a recurring historical pattern of inequitable access to breakthrough therapies administered by specialized centers, and underscores how a costly and likely low-value treatment, which contributes to higher Medicare spending, is seemingly being disproportionately utilized by advantaged populations,' the study authors wrote. SOURCE: This study was led by Frank F. Zhou, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). It was published online on May 15 in JAMA Network Open . LIMITATIONS: Data for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries were not available. The use of diagnosis codes to identify patients with AD or MCI underestimated MCI prevalence, misdiagnosed AD, did not consider additional lecanemab eligibility criteria, and could not distinguish between mild and moderate or severe AD, where only mild cases are eligible for lecanemab treatment. DISCLOSURES: This study received funding from the National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, US Deprescribing Research Network, UCLA Resource for Minority Aging Research/Center for Healthcare Improvement of Minority Elders, and National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. Three investigators reported receiving grants from or having other ties with various sources. Details are provided in the original article.
Scoop
6 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Cook Islands Questions Removal From Global Shipping Database
Article – RNZ Maritime Cook Islands was told in May that it was removed from the Registry Information Sharing Compact due to a 'potential violation'. Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific Journalist The Cook Islands is seeking clarification on why it was removed from an international shipping database aimed at combating illicit shipping activities. Maritime Cook Islands (MCI) staff were told in May that it was removed from the Registry Information Sharing Compact (RISC) due to a 'potential violation of the Terms and Conditions that was agreed upon at the time of registration'. 'MCI reached out to the founding members of RISC on 8 May 2025 and again on 13 May and again on 21 May. MCI has not had a response from any of them,' a statement from MCI said. 'MCI is at a loss to understand what possible violation has been committed.' The Cook Islands ejection from the information-sharing database was first reported by shipping media Lloyd's List on 20 May. However, the Cook Islans maintains that it does not allow any sanctioned vessels to remain on its register, and has not registered vessels that had been flagged by a RISC member. 'There were no 'terms and conditions' discussed or agreed to at the time that MCI joined RISC.' RISC was formed in 2019 by the world's three largest ship registries: Liberia, the Marshal Islands and Panama. The membership now includes Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Honduras, Vanuatu, Dominica, Belize, Moldova and Antigua and Barbuda. The database allows registries to share details about vessels and avoid clamp down on 'flag hopping' – where a vessel jumps from one registry to another to avoid international sanctions. MCI's statement said the Cook Islands registry was among the first to join after the founding members in May 2020. 'MCI supports the aims and objectives of RISC,' the statement said. It said that in March, during the Cook Islands International Maritime Organisation Legal Committee, the country 'highlighted the RISC compact as an industry best practice'. The Cook Islands-registered ship, Eagle S, was seized on Christmas Day 2024 in the Baltic Sea by Finnish authorities, who believed the vessel severed the Estlink 2 submarine cable that carries electricity from Finland to Estonia. Eagle S is also thought to be linked to Russia's shadow fleet, which seeks to evade sanctions on the sale of Russian oil. Last month, both the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Cook Islands said that the ship has never been under sanctions.
Finextra
6 days ago
- Business
- Finextra
Tradu chooses Salt Edge for PSD2 compliance
Tradu, a London-based multi-asset trading platform designed for active traders and investors, partnered with Salt Edge, a global leader in open banking solutions, to strengthen its security infrastructure, ensure seamless PSD2 compliance, and enhance user experience across its growing European customer base. 0 With a mission to make sophisticated trading simple and rewarding, Tradu provides access to thousands of tradable assets, including equities, commodities, forex, treasuries, and indices. A key part of delivering on that objective is full compliance with open banking regulations across the UK and EU markets. 'Security and compliance are at the core of our financial services. Our collaboration with Salt Edge enhances user trust, ensuring a seamless and protected financial experience.' Tomasz Stupnicki, Product Director and Founding Employee at Tradu The partnership with Salt Edge enables Tradu to address critical challenges in the financial sector, including regulatory compliance, fraud prevention, and user authentication, particularly in light of PSD2 regulations. Salt Edge's full-stack open banking compliance solution enables Tradu to: Ensure full PSD2 alignment with minimal internal development effort Streamline user authentication using secure, SCA-ready flows Prevent fraud while maintaining a frictionless customer experience Access optional services like the MCI exemption and a custom TPP portal 'Secure and compliant access to financial data is no longer optional; it's essential. Collaborations like the one between Salt Edge and Tradu are crucial for enabling innovative platforms to scale confidently while meeting strict PSD2 requirements. By providing seamless SCA and compliance tools, we're helping Tradu focus on what matters most: delivering a trustworthy and efficient trading experience to its users.' Dan Martalog, Senior Open Banking Solutions Expert at Salt Edge Future focus: Unlocking Open Banking-powered payments In addition to compliance and authentication services, Tradu is now in the final stages of adopting Salt Edge's Open Banking Gateway for Payment Initiation Services (PIS). This will allow Tradu users to top up accounts directly from their bank accounts in both the UK and EU, delivering a fast, secure, low-friction funding experience. As Tradu prepares to expand its wallet services across Europe, the partnership will support connections to over 500 financial institutions across more than 20 countries, simplifying both integration and compliance efforts
Scoop
6 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Cook Islands Questions Removal From Global Shipping Database
Maritime Cook Islands was told in May that it was removed from the Registry Information Sharing Compact due to a 'potential violation'. Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific Journalist The Cook Islands is seeking clarification on why it was removed from an international shipping database aimed at combating illicit shipping activities. Maritime Cook Islands (MCI) staff were told in May that it was removed from the Registry Information Sharing Compact (RISC) due to a 'potential violation of the Terms and Conditions that was agreed upon at the time of registration'. 'MCI reached out to the founding members of RISC on 8 May 2025 and again on 13 May and again on 21 May. MCI has not had a response from any of them,' a statement from MCI said. 'MCI is at a loss to understand what possible violation has been committed.' The Cook Islands ejection from the information-sharing database was first reported by shipping media Lloyd's List on 20 May. However, the Cook Islans maintains that it does not allow any sanctioned vessels to remain on its register, and has not registered vessels that had been flagged by a RISC member. 'There were no 'terms and conditions' discussed or agreed to at the time that MCI joined RISC.' RISC was formed in 2019 by the world's three largest ship registries: Liberia, the Marshal Islands and Panama. The membership now includes Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Honduras, Vanuatu, Dominica, Belize, Moldova and Antigua and Barbuda. The database allows registries to share details about vessels and avoid clamp down on 'flag hopping' – where a vessel jumps from one registry to another to avoid international sanctions. MCI's statement said the Cook Islands registry was among the first to join after the founding members in May 2020. 'MCI supports the aims and objectives of RISC,' the statement said. It said that in March, during the Cook Islands International Maritime Organisation Legal Committee, the country 'highlighted the RISC compact as an industry best practice'. The Cook Islands-registered ship, Eagle S, was seized on Christmas Day 2024 in the Baltic Sea by Finnish authorities, who believed the vessel severed the Estlink 2 submarine cable that carries electricity from Finland to Estonia. Eagle S is also thought to be linked to Russia's shadow fleet, which seeks to evade sanctions on the sale of Russian oil. Last month, both the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Cook Islands said that the ship has never been under sanctions.
Scoop
6 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Cook Islands Questions Removal From Global Shipping Database
Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific Journalist The Cook Islands is seeking clarification on why it was removed from an international shipping database aimed at combating illicit shipping activities. Maritime Cook Islands (MCI) staff were told in May that it was removed from the Registry Information Sharing Compact (RISC) due to a "potential violation of the Terms and Conditions that was agreed upon at the time of registration". "MCI reached out to the founding members of RISC on 8 May 2025 and again on 13 May and again on 21 May. MCI has not had a response from any of them," a statement from MCI said. "MCI is at a loss to understand what possible violation has been committed." The Cook Islands ejection from the information-sharing database was first reported by shipping media Lloyd's List on 20 May. However, the Cook Islans maintains that it does not allow any sanctioned vessels to remain on its register, and has not registered vessels that had been flagged by a RISC member. "There were no 'terms and conditions' discussed or agreed to at the time that MCI joined RISC." RISC was formed in 2019 by the world's three largest ship registries: Liberia, the Marshal Islands and Panama. The membership now includes Palau, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Honduras, Vanuatu, Dominica, Belize, Moldova and Antigua and Barbuda. The database allows registries to share details about vessels and avoid clamp down on "flag hopping" - where a vessel jumps from one registry to another to avoid international sanctions. MCI's statement said the Cook Islands registry was among the first to join after the founding members in May 2020. "MCI supports the aims and objectives of RISC," the statement said. It said that in March, during the Cook Islands International Maritime Organisation Legal Committee, the country "highlighted the RISC compact as an industry best practice". The Cook Islands-registered ship, Eagle S, was seized on Christmas Day 2024 in the Baltic Sea by Finnish authorities, who believed the vessel severed the Estlink 2 submarine cable that carries electricity from Finland to Estonia. Eagle S is also thought to be linked to Russia's shadow fleet, which seeks to evade sanctions on the sale of Russian oil. Last month, both the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Cook Islands said that the ship has never been under sanctions.
