Latest news with #PeterFord
CTV News
4 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Tick treatment: N.B. pharmacist explains what to do if you've been bitten
Products used in the prevention and removal of ticks are pictured on a store shelf. Inside Ford's Family Pharmacy & Wellness Centre in Moncton, N.B., there's a shelf dedicate to tick-prevention and removal – items that Pharmacist and Owner, Peter Ford says are becoming more popular as tick bites rise across the Maritimes. 'I think we've done 12 cases so far,' said Ford. 'I think maybe last year we did two, so it's been pretty prevalent and they're even in people's gardens.' Ford says many clients remove the tick before coming into the pharmacy but it's not as simple as just brushing it off your arm or leg. 'Get a nice pair of tweezers or you can get a tick remover which kind of pinches the tick,' he said. 'You want to get the whole body out intact because that's how we evaluate whether or not it's a Lyme tick or not, or a deer tick, and how long it's been feeding by the size of the belly of the tick itself.' Ford says people need to preserve the tick in a jar, bag or vial so that it can be inspected to determine the proper treatment. 'The bullseye rash is not always present,' he said. 'Sometimes it's absent, like of the 12 that we've done I think I've only seen the bullseye rash once, so it's not always that common. Fever and flu-like symptoms are tell-tale signs of infection, said Ford. He said they monitor patients and prescribe dozycycline as necessary. The pharmacy follows up within 24 to 48 hours to make sure no other symptoms arise. 'It's a single dose treatment and that prevents the Lyme but we have to get it within three days of the bite,' said Ford. Ford says it's important for people to do a full inspection if they're near the woods, or even just outside. He says ticks are small enough to miss but people can look for a red dot – like a pimple – and any black colouration surrounding the area. James Donald of Hiking NB and Paddling NB says he tries to get out on the trail or the water at least twice a week. He said he's seen more people with the socks wrapped over their pant legs for protection. Both he and his wife have experience with ticks. 'She went through the whole shots, treatment and everything and then we were actually at a hike summit down in Nova Scotia, which they're actually a lot thicker down there in the southern part of Nova Scotia, and I had my first tick experience there.' Ford said the pants he wears now are treated with the tick repellant permethrin. 'The problem is when you're in long grass and things are touching your legs and stuff that's kind of where they hang out and then they grab on and hold on and try to climb into any nook and cranny they can find on you.' According to the New Brunswick Pharmacists' Association 'your overall risk of developing Lyme disease after a high-risk tick bite is approximately three per cent and the tick needs to be attached to your skin for more than 24 hours to transmit the bacteria.' The Association also says that clothes should be put in the dryer on high heat for at least 10 minutes or in a hot wash cycle to help kill off any ticks. It also recommends having a shower or bath to rinse away any that might not have attached yet. Ford says it's also important to check pets. He says you should check with your pharmacist if you're using preventative sprays or oils to make sure they are safe for every member of the family. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
Courier-Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Courier-Mail
Channel 10 ‘lines up new show to replace The Project in a matter of weeks'
Don't miss out on the headlines from TV. Followed categories will be added to My News. The Project has reportedly been axed by Channel 10 and will be replaced with a brand new show in the coming months. Insiders told TV Blackbox that a brand new current affairs show is being developed by the network to replace it's long-running flagship show. It's claimed that the yet-to-be-revealed new show will usher in both a new format that will transform The Project's current timeslot. The insider claimed that development of the show has been underway for quite some time and that it could be launched as soon as next month. There's currently no official word from Network 10 as to the fate of the show or it's biggest stars such as Waleed Aly. Picture: Channel 10 It will mark a huge shift for the timeslot, with the new show thought to be set to run four times a week for thirty minutes, a big change from The Project's six hour-long shows a week. It's currently unclear what Channel 10 will air during the other half an hour. has reached out to Channel 10 for comment. Once an iconic mainstay of current affairs television Down Under, the show has struggled in recent years to keep hold of its audience as viewing habits have shifted from live free-to-air TV to streaming. Ratings for the beloved panel show, which made its debut in 2009, have halved in recent years and sparked numerous rumours about its demise which Channel 10 have previously denied. The show has struggled to attract viewers in recent years. Picture: Channel 10. Rumours emerged as recently as March when Channel 10's former News Editor said 'shrinking budgets' had left the future of the show in doubt. 'With audiences shrinking across the board and the subsequent cost-cutting, it's hard to be optimistic [about the future of the show],' he told Daily Mail. 'Budgets have always been important. In the old days, they were a starting point – and, if the show was successful, complaints of overspending were often muted. We may even have been extravagant at times, but we could afford to be. But there's no money anymore and very little fun,' he added. On Thursday, entertainment expert Peter Ford told 3AW Breakfast that he believed the show would be gone 'sooner rather than later', and will be replaced by a show based in Sydney. 'I don't think The Project will see the year out,' Ford insisted. Broadcast television has struggled across the board in recent years with the shift to streaming hitting networks hard. Last year alone, Channel 10 quietly removed The Masked Singer, The Bachelor and Gladiators from its schedule. Originally published as Channel 10 'lines up new show to replace The Project in a matter of weeks'
The Australian
01-05-2025
- Business
- The Australian
ASX health stocks deliver March quarter progress
Special Report: ASX quarterly season is upon us again, with listed companies opening a window to their performance and key activities over the three months to March 31. It's a key time for investors to zero in on the finer details of ASX-listed firms and get a sense of what is on the horizon. Here, we wrap up report highlights from four standout stocks in the ASX health sector. Revenue for Control Bionics' US business over six months to end of March highest since FY23 Best quarter of revenue in Australia since 2022, driven by improved NDIS approval times Completes investment in Neuro Elite Athletics, the company behind NeuroBounce program for athletes The assistive technology medical device company reported revenue for its US business over the six months to end of March was the highest since FY23, up 20% over the previous corresponding period (pcp). Control Bionics attributed the growth to a code approval under the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in the US for its key product Neuronode, a watch-like device to assist cognitive people with physical disabilities. The company said it also achieved a $700,000 in cost savings in North America with margin expansion. Control Bionics said two well-established US operators now have its NeuroNode devices with their sales team and were actively marketing in the US. The company also reported its best quarter of revenue in Australia since 2022 with improved NDIS approval times and a strong sales pipeline driving the success. While the backlog continues to be cleared Control Bionics said it has almost $1 million in applications awaiting NDIS approval. During the quarter it completed its investment in Neuro Elite Athletics, which is the company behind the NeuroBounce program for athletes. During the quarter its launch customer Utah Prep Academy in the US delivered strong results, measurably improving explosive power and vertical leap for elite athletes with Control Bionics' NeuroStrip. A new cloud-deployed version of NeuroStrip has been launched, providing access to a new SaaS revenue stream along with hardware sales. Cash receipts for the quarter were the highest in 12 months, exceeding $1.6m and up from $1.4m in Q2 FY25, driven by improved sales in the US and Australia. During the quarter founder Peter Ford stepped down from the board and was replaced by Dr Stephanie Phillips, who has more than three decades of clinical, academic and leadership experience in anaesthesia and critical care. Control Bionics finished the quarter with cash of $1.7m. "We are delivering strong sales, cash collection and meaningful progress on our growth initiatives," CEO Jeremy Steele said. "We've found strong commercial appetite for our core IP, the NeuroNode, through our NeuroNode Only strategy. We've rolled out this technology now to multiple distributors (both in pilot and contract phases) in multiple geographies.' Developer of a nasal spray-mist erectile dysfunction treatment LTR Pharma successfully holds pre-IND meeting with US FDA Chief scientific & clinical adviser Professor Eric Chung receives prestigious award for his presentation on SPONTAN LTR announces in quarter new ED nasal spray targeting the US personalised healthcare sector called ROXUS The developer of a nasal spray-mist erectile dysfunction treatment said it delivered significant progress across its regulatory, commercial and scientific objectives during the March quarter. In March, LTR Pharma held a successful pre-IND meeting with the US Food & Drug Administration. Key outcomes included: Endorsement of its non-clinical (toxicology) and chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) development plans Agreement on a pivotal efficacy/safety study and a multi-dose pharmacokinetic study; and Clear guidance on the pathway to market through the 505(b)(2) regulatory process. Following the meeting LTRPharma has initiated CMC studies with Aptar Pharma, started extractables and leachables studies required for regulatory documentation and developed specific protocols for the upcoming clinical studies. During the quarter the company's novel intranasal formulation of vardenafil for ED SPONTAN was recognised at the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand's (USANZ) Annual Scientific Meeting. Chief scientific and clinical adviser Professor Eric Chung was awarded the BAUS Trophy — the event's highest honour — for his presentation of SPONTAN's clinical results. LTR Pharma said the scientific recognition, voted on by a panel of leading urologists, reinforces SPONTAN as a best-in-class, fast-acting ED therapy, while also attracting strong international interest from urologists and key opinion leaders. During the quarter the company announced a new ED nasal spray targeting the US personalised healthcare sector called ROXUS, representing a expansion of the company's product portfolio. LTR Pharma also continued to expanded its Australian commercial operations during the quarter through several initiatives and partnerships. Key expenditure for the quarter was continued investment in the joint venture with Restorative Sexual Health for a new online healthcare platform, providing comprehensive men's health services through telehealth. The company ended the March quarter with cash position of $32.8m. Lumos revenue of US$3.5 million for Q3 FY25, up 21% compared to the prior quarter Hologic foetal fibronectin project scope of work expansion was signed and forecast to generate additional fee revenue FebriDx CLIA Waiver Study continues with around 351 patients tested to-date, including 37 bacterial-positive patients The developer of rapid point-of-care diagnostic technologies reported revenue of US$3.5m for the quarter, up 21% compared to the prior quarter as it works to build sustainable growth. Revenue generated during the quarter from the services business was US$2.8m. Lumos said its foetal fibronectin (fFN) development agreement with leading women's health company Hologic (NASDAQ: HOLX) and the intellectual property licensing revenue associated with the Hologic IP deal generated the majority of revenue. During the quarter the Hologic fFN project scope of work expansion was signed and is forecast to generate an additional US$600,000 to US$800,000 in fee revenue. Revenue from its products business was US$700,000 for Q3, up 17% on Q2 revenue. Following additional sales in the UK and growing adoption in the US, FebriDx sales continue to grow with revenue increasing 48% on pcp. Additional FebriDx distribution partnership agreements completed in the US with MedPro Associates and the US Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) during the quarter. FebriDx CLIA Waiver Study continues with around 351 patients tested to-date, including 37 bacterial-positive patients. Completion of the the study and an application for CLIA waiver labelling for FebriDx with the FDA is forecast by calendar year end. In late March, Lumos completed and lodged an application with the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care for the inclusion of FebriDx on the Medicare Benefits Schedule. Operating cashflow improved, with an operating cash outflow of US$1.3m, compared with US$3.7m in Q2 FY25. Lumos ended the quarter with a cash balance of US$4m. Post quarter Lumos has made significant progress with US Medicare payor coverage for FebriDx, with reimbursement secured with four of the seven Medicare Administration Contractors, and discussions ongoing with the remaining three. EMvision kicks off pivotal clinical trial for emu bedside brain scanner Trial will support US FDA de novo clearance for emu device EMvision undertakes proof-of-concept testing for First Responder scanner Neuro-diagnostics medical devices company EMvision started its pivotal clinical trial for its first commercial device the emu bedside brain scanner during the March quarter. The trial is designed to support US FDA de novo (new device) clearance for the emu device, with Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) the first of six sites to be activated. The RMH is a world-class comprehensive stroke centre and home to the Melbourne Brain Centre – the largest brain research collaboration in the southern hemisphere. An emu device has also been shipped to the first US site, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Medical School and Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center (TMC). After quarter-end, EMvision shipped an emu to the Mayo Clinic in the US, with site initiation and training set for early May. During the quarter EMvision also undertook proof-of-concept testing of its portable device First Responder to detect strokes and traumatic brain injury. Under an existing ethics approval, the First Responder device wastested in remote locations, in collaboration with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) and the Australian Stroke Alliance (ASA). EMvision plans to attend several leading industry event to showcase its technology. The company finished the quarter with cash reserves of $12.58m with activities over the remainder of FY25 to be supported by $800,000 of payments under a ASA grant program. Control Bionics, LTR Pharma, Lumos Diagnostics and EMvision Medical Devices are Stockhead advertisers at the time of publishing. This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.
