All posts by medical

Immunology

Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Market is Expected to Grow Due to Increasing Demand Says QYResearch | Top Players: Janssen Biotech, Inc.,…

LOS ANGELES, United States: QY Research has recently published a research report titled, Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Market Research Report 2020. This report has been prepared by experienced and knowledgeable market analysts and researchers. It is a phenomenal compilation of important studies that explore the competitive landscape, segmentation, geographical expansion, and revenue, production, and consumption growth of the global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs market. Players can use the accurate market facts and figures and statistical studies provided in the report to understand the current and future growth of the global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs market.

The report includes CAGR, market shares, sales, gross margin, value, volume, and other vital market figures that give an exact picture of the growth of the global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs market.

Competitive Landscape

Competitor analysis is one of the best sections of the report that compares the progress of leading players based on crucial parameters, including market share, new developments, global reach, local competition, price, and production. From the nature of competition to future changes in the vendor landscape, the report provides in-depth analysis of the competition in the global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs market.

Key questions answered in the report:

TOC

1 Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs1.2 Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Segment by Type1.2.1 Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales Growth Rate Comparison by Type (2021-2026)1.2.2 Adalimumab1.2.3 Certolizumab Pegol1.2.4 Tofacitinib1.2.5 Etanercept1.2.6 Golimumab1.2.7 Abatacept1.2.8 Infliximab1.2.9 Others1.3 Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Segment by Application1.3.1 Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales Comparison by Application: 2020 VS 20261.3.2 Rheumatoid Arthritis1.3.3 Crohns Disease(CD)1.3.4 Ankylosing Spondylitis(AS)1.3.5 Psoriasis(Ps)1.3.6 Ulcerative Colitis(UC)1.4 Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Market Size Estimates and Forecasts1.4.1 Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Revenue 2015-20261.4.2 Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales 2015-20261.4.3 Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Market Size by Region: 2020 Versus 20261.5 Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Industry1.6 Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Market Trends 2 Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales Market Share by Manufacturers (2015-2020)2.2 Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Revenue Share by Manufacturers (2015-2020)2.3 Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Average Price by Manufacturers (2015-2020)2.4 Manufacturers Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Manufacturing Sites, Area Served, Product Type2.5 Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Global Top 5 and Top 10 Players Market Share by Revenue2.5.3 Market Share by Company Type (Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3)2.6 Manufacturers Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion Plans2.7 Primary Interviews with Key Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Players (Opinion Leaders) 3 Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Retrospective Market Scenario by Region3.1 Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Retrospective Market Scenario in Sales by Region: 2015-20203.2 Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Retrospective Market Scenario in Revenue by Region: 2015-20203.3 North America Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Market Facts & Figures by Country3.3.1 North America Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales by Country3.3.2 North America Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales by Country3.3.3 U.S.3.3.4 Canada3.4 Europe Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Market Facts & Figures by Country3.4.1 Europe Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales by Country3.4.2 Europe Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales by Country3.4.3 Germany3.4.4 France3.4.5 U.K.3.4.6 Italy3.4.7 Russia3.5 Asia Pacific Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Market Facts & Figures by Region3.5.1 Asia Pacific Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales by Region3.5.2 Asia Pacific Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales by Region3.5.3 China3.5.4 Japan3.5.5 South Korea3.5.6 India3.5.7 Australia3.5.8 Taiwan3.5.9 Indonesia3.5.10 Thailand3.5.11 Malaysia3.5.12 Philippines3.5.13 Vietnam3.6 Latin America Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Market Facts & Figures by Country3.6.1 Latin America Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales by Country3.6.2 Latin America Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales by Country3.6.3 Mexico3.6.3 Brazil3.6.3 Argentina3.7 Middle East and Africa Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Market Facts & Figures by Country3.7.1 Middle East and Africa Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales by Country3.7.2 Middle East and Africa Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales by Country3.7.3 Turkey3.7.4 Saudi Arabia3.7.5 U.A.E 4 Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Historic Market Analysis by Type4.1 Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales Market Share by Type (2015-2020)4.2 Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Revenue Market Share by Type (2015-2020)4.3 Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Price Market Share by Type (2015-2020)4.4 Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Market Share by Price Tier (2015-2020): Low-End, Mid-Range and High-End 5 Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Historic Market Analysis by Application5.1 Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales Market Share by Application (2015-2020)5.2 Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Revenue Market Share by Application (2015-2020)5.3 Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Price by Application (2015-2020) 6 Company Profiles and Key Figures in Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Business6.1 Janssen Biotech, Inc.6.1.1 Corporation Information6.1.2 Janssen Biotech, Inc. Description, Business Overview and Total Revenue6.1.3 Janssen Biotech, Inc. Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)6.1.4 Janssen Biotech, Inc. Products Offered6.1.5 Janssen Biotech, Inc. Recent Development6.2 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company6.2.1 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Corporation Information6.2.2 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Description, Business Overview and Total Revenue6.2.3 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)6.2.4 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Products Offered6.2.5 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Recent Development6.3 AbbVie Inc.6.3.1 AbbVie Inc. Corporation Information6.3.2 AbbVie Inc. Description, Business Overview and Total Revenue6.3.3 AbbVie Inc. Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)6.3.4 AbbVie Inc. Products Offered6.3.5 AbbVie Inc. Recent Development6.4 UCBCares6.4.1 UCBCares Corporation Information6.4.2 UCBCares Description, Business Overview and Total Revenue6.4.3 UCBCares Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)6.4.4 UCBCares Products Offered6.4.5 UCBCares Recent Development6.5 AMGEN6.5.1 AMGEN Corporation Information6.5.2 AMGEN Description, Business Overview and Total Revenue6.5.3 AMGEN Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)6.5.4 AMGEN Products Offered6.5.5 AMGEN Recent Development6.6 Celltrion Healthcare6.6.1 Celltrion Healthcare Corporation Information6.6.2 Celltrion Healthcare Description, Business Overview and Total Revenue6.6.3 Celltrion Healthcare Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)6.6.4 Celltrion Healthcare Products Offered6.6.5 Celltrion Healthcare Recent Development6.7 Biogen6.6.1 Biogen Corporation Information6.6.2 Biogen Description, Business Overview and Total Revenue6.6.3 Biogen Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)6.4.4 Biogen Products Offered6.7.5 Biogen Recent Development6.8 Genentech USA, Inc.6.8.1 Genentech USA, Inc. Corporation Information6.8.2 Genentech USA, Inc. Description, Business Overview and Total Revenue6.8.3 Genentech USA, Inc. Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)6.8.4 Genentech USA, Inc. Products Offered6.8.5 Genentech USA, Inc. Recent Development6.9 ROCHE6.9.1 ROCHE Corporation Information6.9.2 ROCHE Description, Business Overview and Total Revenue6.9.3 ROCHE Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)6.9.4 ROCHE Products Offered6.9.5 ROCHE Recent Development6.10 Pfizer Inc.6.10.1 Pfizer Inc. Corporation Information6.10.2 Pfizer Inc. Description, Business Overview and Total Revenue6.10.3 Pfizer Inc. Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)6.10.4 Pfizer Inc. Products Offered6.10.5 Pfizer Inc. Recent Development 7 Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Manufacturing Cost Analysis7.1 Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Key Raw Materials Analysis7.1.1 Key Raw Materials7.1.2 Key Raw Materials Price Trend7.1.3 Key Suppliers of Raw Materials7.2 Proportion of Manufacturing Cost Structure7.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs7.4 Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Industrial Chain Analysis 8 Marketing Channel, Distributors and Customers8.1 Marketing Channel8.2 Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Distributors List8.3 Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Customers 9 Market Dynamics9.1 Market Trends9.2 Opportunities and Drivers9.3 Challenges9.4 Porters Five Forces Analysis 10 Global Market Forecast10.1 Global Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Market Estimates and Projections by Type10.1.1 Global Forecasted Sales of Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs by Type (2021-2026)10.1.2 Global Forecasted Revenue of Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs by Type (2021-2026)10.2 Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Market Estimates and Projections by Application10.2.1 Global Forecasted Sales of Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs by Application (2021-2026)10.2.2 Global Forecasted Revenue of Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs by Application (2021-2026)10.3 Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Market Estimates and Projections by Region10.3.1 Global Forecasted Sales of Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs by Region (2021-2026)10.3.2 Global Forecasted Revenue of Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs by Region (2021-2026)10.4 North America Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Estimates and Projections (2021-2026)10.5 Europe Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Estimates and Projections (2021-2026)10.6 Asia Pacific Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Estimates and Projections (2021-2026)10.7 Latin America Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Estimates and Projections (2021-2026)10.8 Middle East and Africa Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Estimates and Projections (2021-2026) 11 Research Finding and Conclusion 12 Methodology and Data Source12.1 Methodology/Research Approach12.1.1 Research Programs/Design12.1.2 Market Size Estimation12.1.3 Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation12.2 Data Source12.2.1 Secondary Sources12.2.2 Primary Sources12.3 Author List12.4 Disclaimer

About Us:

QYResearch always pursuits high product quality with the belief that quality is the soul of business. Through years of effort and supports from huge number of customer supports, QYResearch consulting group has accumulated creative design methods on many high-quality markets investigation and research team with rich experience. Today, QYResearch has become the brand of quality assurance in consulting industry.

Read the original here:
Ulcerative Colitis Immunology Drugs Market is Expected to Grow Due to Increasing Demand Says QYResearch | Top Players: Janssen Biotech, Inc.,...

Embryology

It’s time to remove the ten-year limit on social egg freezing – BioNews

26 October 2020

According toUK law (theHuman Fertilisation and Embryology Act1990, as amended2008; henceforth 'the Act'), human eggs can only be frozen for a maximum of ten years for social reasons. However, if a woman has medical reasons (eg, being at risk of premature infertility), then they can extend the freezing of their eggs for as long as 55 years. While there are good reasons to challenge the basis of the regulatory dichotomy between 'medical' and 'social' reasons for egg freezing, I'm going to leave this aside for another discussion and ask instead if this ten-year social egg freezing limit should be maintained by regulators. This is a particularly timely question because it is something the UK government is currently reviewing.

A recent Briefing Note on 'Egg Freezing in the UK', by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, has highlighted the ethical complexities surrounding egg freezing. The Briefing Note emphasised the importance of reviewing the time limit on frozen eggs, especially considering there is an increasing interest and use of egg freezing in the UK. The Council accurately points out that '[t]here appear to be few arguments against increasing this limit.' In this article, I aim to provide three reasons why it is time to remove the ten-year limit on social egg freezing. These reasons are drawn from my own research; however, they also reinforce and expand upon the points made in the Briefing Note itself.

Why is there a ten-year limit?

The ten-year limit on social egg freezing was a recommendation from the Committee of Inquiry into Human Fertilisation and Embryology, also known as the Warnock Committee. According to the recent 2020 consultation document published by the UK Department of Health and Social Care on 'gamete (egg, sperm and embryo) storage limits', in 1984 the Warnock Committee recommended the ten-year limit in response to the following concerns: a) 'it would be unreasonable and impractical to expect those responsible for storage to maintain all eggs and sperm stored indefinitely'; b) 'the risk of the use of frozen embryos was unknown'; and c) 'the legal and ethical complications that might arise over disposal of the embryos where the couple died, divorced or otherwise separated'.

No explanation is given for the period of ten years. Nevertheless, the ten-year limit made its way into the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill (that was subsequently passed) and we still have it today as part of the Act. While this restrictive ten-year limit may have helped to allay some concerns about egg freezing at the time it was introduced, it has nevertheless created a new set of problems.

Why we should remove the ten-year limit

I want to highlight three important arguments for removing the current limit, although there are many more.

First, egg freezing is expensive and physically demanding. However, there is nothing morally significant or medically special about the timespan of 'ten years' when it comes to freezing eggs. Perhaps this point is best highlighted by the fact that if a woman has appropriate medical reasons, the government will allow her to freeze her eggs for up to an additional 45 years. It is unethical to maintain this arbitrary time limit that creates a harmful asymmetry between the treatment of women who freeze their eggs for social reasons versus medical reasons.

This arbitrary ten-year limit also demonstrates a serious disregard for individuals' reproductive projects and everything that has been invested in them. The ten-year limit amounts to a major restriction on the reproductive liberty of individuals and the burden should rest on regulators to provide compelling reasons for retaining this limit, if they wish to do so (as part of the UK government's current review of the law). So far, no compelling reasons have been provided for retaining this specific restriction. Removing the ten-year limit on egg freezing is an important part of the reproductive medicine industry (including both clinics and regulators) treating women with dignity and respect.

Second, the ten-year limit is a blunt legal tool that papers over the many decisions clinics and patients have to make when deciding the fate of frozen eggs. As mentioned above, one of the reasons for the ten-year limit is that it creates an administratively convenient cut-off point in time to help clinics avoid having to negotiate tricky situations involving the disposal of eggs (eg, if a client dies or simply falls out of touch with the clinic). The fear is that without a ten-year limit on freezing the clinic could be stuck with the frozen eggs indefinitely.

I do not want to diminish the seriousness that such problems may create for clinics. I also recognise that some individuals with frozen eggs may also prefer having the ten-year limit because it takes the decision out of their hands if they no longer want to use the eggs but can't bring themselves to request their destruction. However, the UK needs better legal provisions to more specifically and appropriately address the practical concerns of clinics. Clinics also need to be providing appropriate counselling and support to their customers so that they feel informed and empowered to make decisions about the fate of their frozen eggs. This would be preferable to leaving some customers to rely on a provision in the law that takes this decision out of their hands after ten years.

Third, it is entirely possible that a woman may freeze her eggs and then remain uncertain about whether she wishes to use them to have children. In some instances, women may be approaching the ten-year mark but may wish to keep their eggs frozen so that they can continue thinking about donating them to help others have children or donating them to research. Donating eggs is a big decision, and one that might change over time. For example, someone who freezes their eggs at 23 years old may change their views considerably after ten or 15 years.

It is possible that if given more time (beyond ten years) more people might donate their frozen eggs later. However, the ten-year limit extinguishes this possibility. The fact of the matter is that in the absence of any compelling reasons otherwise, women with frozen eggs should be free to make decisions about how and when to use their eggs. It is unethical to maintain an arbitrary and unforgiving ten-year limit that restricts the time that individuals have to exercise such important aspects of their reproductive liberty.

These are only a few of the reasons why the UK government should abandon the ten-year limit for social egg freezing. It is crucial that the UK government recognises this need, for change and follows through by amending the Act.

PET's #ExtendTheLimit petition at http://www.change.org/extendthelimit calls on the UK Government to extend the ten-year storage limit for eggs frozen for non-medical (social) reasons.

The petition has amassed more than 1200 signatures to date. Help the petition reach 1500 signatures by reading, signing and sharing it.

Read the original post:
It's time to remove the ten-year limit on social egg freezing - BioNews

Embryology

Malawi First Lady Joins Merck Foundation First Ladies Summit via Videoconference to Discuss Healthcare Capacity and COVID-19 Response in Africa -…

(Eds: Disclaimer: The following press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire India. PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India &Lilongwe, Malawi Business Wire India Merck Foundation appoints Malawi First Lady as the Ambassador of Merck More Than a Mother to empower infertile women Merck Foundation in partnership with Malawi First Lady and Minister of Health to provide speciality training to Malawian doctors in various fields such as; Oncology, Diabetes, Fertility, Embryology, Respiratory Care, Acute Medicines, Sexual and Reproductive Medicines to transform public healthcare sector in Malawi. Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany announced their long-term partnership with The First Lady of Malawi, during their first Video Conference Summit of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI). The MFFLI VC Summit was attended by 13 African First Ladies to discuss their joint efforts to build healthcare capacity and strengthen the response to COVID-19 in the country and Africa at large. Appreciating the programs of Merck Foundation, H.E. Mrs. MONICA CHAKWERA, The First Lady of Malawi emphasized, I am very happy to be appointed as Ambassador of Merck More Than a Mother. I will be fully supporting this campaign as The First Lady of Malawi, as a woman, this cause is very close to my heart. I will work in collaboration with our ministries to sensitize our communities, particularly in rural areas to better understand infertility hence to break the stigma around infertile women and to empower them through access to information, education, health, and change of mindset. Moreover, I am looking forward to building healthcare capacity in the country, through the programs of Merck Foundation, as it will contribute to the social and economic development of Malawi.Dr. RashaKelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President, Merck More Than a Mother expressed, We are very happy to partner with The First Lady of Malawi, and underscore our long term commitment to build healthcare capacity, empower girls in education and break the stigma of infertility in Malawi. We are also very proud to appoint The First Lady of Malawi as the Ambassador of Merck More Than a Mother. We are going to work very closely with her and the Government of Malawi to make history together by providing training for the First Specialists in many fields such as; Fertility, Sexual and Reproductive Medicines, Oncology, Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Respiratory and Acute Medicines with the aim to improve access to quality and equitable health care in the country. Merck Foundation will continue their important program Educating Linda together with Malawi First Lady to sponsor the education of 20 best performing girls in their secondary schools till they graduate. I truly believe that Education is Power and educating girls is empowering them to make their own decisions, stand up for their rights, and help them to access economic opportunities, added Dr. RashaKelej, One of 100 Most Influential Africans (2019, 2020). Merck Foundation will enroll the selected Malawian doctors by the First Lady office and Ministry of Health to their various training programs for the next 10 years. Moreover, Merck Foundation also celebrated three winners from Malawi for their Stay at Home Media Recognition Awards from Southern African Countries to raise awareness about COVID 19 in the country. About Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative Summit MFFLI Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany conducted their first Video Conference Summit of Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative (MFFLI) to define and follow up on different joint programs that aims to advance public healthcare sector capacity and strengthen the response to COVID 19 in their countries. The MFFLI VC Summit 2020 was hosted by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg Haverkamp, Chairman of the Executive Board of E. Merck KG and the Chairman of Merck Foundation Board of Trustees and Dr. RashaKelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and President, Merck More Than a Mother and One of 100 Most Influential African (2019 & 2020) and attended by 13 African First Ladies, who are Ambassadors of Merck More than a Mother; H.E. AUXILLIA MNANGAGWA, The First Lady of Zimbabwe; H.E. ESTHER LUNGU, The First Lady of Zambia; H.E. FATIMA MAADA BIO, The First Lady of Sierra Leone; H.E. ASSATA ISSOUFOU MAHAMADOU, The First Lady of Niger; H.E. MONICA GEINGOS, The First Lady of Namibia; H.E. ISAURA FERRO NYUSI, The First Lady of Mozambique; H.E. MONICA CHAKWERA, The First Lady of Malawi; H.E. REBECCA AKUFO-ADDO, The First Lady of Ghana; H. E. FATOUMATTA BAHBARROW, The First Lady of The Gambia; H.E. BRIGITTE TOUADERA, The First Lady of Central African Republic; H.E. ANGELINE NDAYISHIMIYE, The First Lady of Burundi; H.E. NEO JANE MASISI, The First Lady of Botswana; H.E. ANA DIAS LOURENO, The First Lady of Angola. The MFFLI VC Summit, special edition aims to share experiences, discuss challenges, and define solutions to further strengthen healthcare capacity to better respond to this global pandemic in Africa. Download the Merck Foundation App nowhttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.merck.foundation&hl=en Join the conversation on our social media platforms below and let your voice be heard Facebook: Merck FoundationTwitter: @MerckfoundationYouTube: MerckFoundationInstagram: Merck FoundationFlickr: Merck FoundationWebsite: http://www.merck-foundation.com About Merck Foundation The Merck Foundation, established in 2017, is the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people and advance their lives through science and technology. Our efforts are primarily focused on improving access to quality & equitable healthcare solutions in underserved communities, building healthcare and scientific research capacity and empowering people in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) with a special focus on women and youth. All Merck Foundation press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck Foundation Website. Please visit http://www.merck-foundation.com to read more. To know more, reach out to our social media: Merck Foundation; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Flickr. To View the Video Click on the Link Below: H.E. Mrs. MONICA CHAKWERA, The First Lady of Malawi speaking during MFFLI VC Summit PWRPWR

Disclaimer :- This story has not been edited by Outlook staff and is auto-generated from news agency feeds. Source: PTI

Originally posted here:
Malawi First Lady Joins Merck Foundation First Ladies Summit via Videoconference to Discuss Healthcare Capacity and COVID-19 Response in Africa -...

Embryology

Sperm Donor Sues Over Use Of His Sperm With LGBTQ And Single Parents – Above the Law

The United States receives considerable criticism over its lack of regulations when it comes to assisted reproductive technology, especially sperm donation. Asa small break from reflecting on our own flaws, today we focus on a peculiarcaserevealing that other countries, too, have issues.

Donating For Discounts

Neil Gaskell and his wife endured 14 years of trying to conceive before finding success with IVF in Australia. When the British couple moved back to the United Kingdom, they sought out additional fertility treatments, hoping to conceive a second child. Gaskells sperm must have caught the attention of someone at their IVF clinic because, after a first failed round of IVF, Gaskell was approached by the clinic to become a sperm donor and told his sperm had superman strength. In exchange, the clinic would reduce the fees for the couples next round of IVF to 1,200 from 3,500.

Wait. What?! In the United States, most donors are paid $50 to $100 per donation. By contrast, Gaskell was offered a discount of 2,300 throw in the exchange rate, and youre at about $3,000. Ironically, it is illegal to pay sperm donors in the United Kingdom more than their expenses. However, clinics are permitted to offer discounts on treatment in exchange for donations. Im not sure I understand the policy underpinnings of this system. If we are worried about money being coercive, offering discounts to couples in the especially vulnerable position of needing fertility treatment would seem even more coercive than the American system advertising to college kids who are looking to upgrade their ramen for a few nights. Maybe U.K. sperm clinics are desperate for good product?

But that isnt even one of the legal issue in this case.

Not For Same-Sex Couples

Gaskell agreed to donate in exchange for the discount. However, when donating, he specifically noted that he required that his donations not be given to same-sex couples. Gaskell made the clinic staff write that down. And he later explained that he also did not want his sperm going to single women, but didnt think he had to explicitly state that, since the clinic described his sperm as going to families (which, to him, evidently did not include single women).

Apparently, the clinic did not say something like oh you know what, we actually have all the sperm we need now so never mind. Instead, they didnt object. This was not an illegal requirement, after all, at that moment. However, a mere few months later, the Equality Act came into law inEngland, which prohibited discrimination against same-sex couples.

How Many Families?

Gaskell recounted how the clinic assured him that his donation would be used for only two or three families. And, anyway, the regulations prevented the donations from being used with more than 10 families. Spoiler alert: the clinic was really trying to really get its moneys worth from Gaskell.

Moreover, as frequently happens in these cases, the donors wishes were not exactly followed. An official audit of the clinic by the UKs fertility regulator the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority revealed that Gaskells sperm had helped three same-sex couples have five children, and three single women have four children. An additional four children were conceived with Gaskells sperm by heterosexual couples, resulting in a total of 13 children.

The clinic disclosed the findings to Gaskell. And Gaskell sued.

Not A Bigot

Gaskell has publicly explained his strenuous objections to his sperm being used to help same-sex couples, and that his lawsuit is not an indicator that he is homophobic or a bigot. He asserts that such accusations couldnt be further from the truth. (Oh?) He says: This wasnt about discriminating against same-sex couples but you cant argue with biology. It takes a man and a woman to create a child, and its my view that if children are being born with my sperm, they must have a mother and a father. After a four-year legal battle, the clinic recently settled with Gaskell, with Gaskell walking away with a five-figure out-of-court settlement.

(Non-)Informed Consent

I spoke with U.S. assisted reproductive technology legal expert Catherine Tucker on the case for perspective. She was more sympathetic to Gaskells cause. What we have here is the intersection of two important medico-legal concepts informed consent and nondiscrimination. Informed consent simply means that a patient knows what he or she is getting into when agreeing to donate a body part, whether it be sperm, eggs, blood, a uterus, or something else, and the patient voluntarily chooses to participate. A key component of informed consent, Tucker explained, is understanding what your bodily donation will be used for whether that be research, education/training, or for another patient. So here we have a situation where informed consent and nondiscrimination concepts conflict. And informed consent trumps nondiscrimination every time. With proper informed consent, this patient could have chosen not to participate in this arrangement.

I am hopeful that improvements in technology and, like, people will lead to less and less of these cases. Or, if nothing else, maybe the fear that all errors will be caught as a result of prolific home DNA testing will act as a strong-enough deterrent for strict self-regulation. In the meantime, lets hope that all of Gaskells kids have a better outlook on parenting than he does.

Ellen Trachman is the Managing Attorney ofTrachman Law Center, LLC, a Denver-based law firm specializing in assisted reproductive technology law, and co-host of the podcastI Want To Put A Baby In You. You can reach her atbabies@abovethelaw.com.

Read the rest here:
Sperm Donor Sues Over Use Of His Sperm With LGBTQ And Single Parents - Above the Law

Embryology

The Sperm Bank market to be under the gambit of growth curve in the next decade – Eurowire

on of sperms, donated by sperm donors, to the needy women, who, due to various reasons, such as, physiological problems, widow, age and others, are not able to achieve pregnancy. Sperm bank forms the formal contract with sperm donors, usually for the period of 6-24 months, during which he has to produce sperms and donate to the bank. Usually, monetary compensation will be offered to sperm donors. Although, a donor can donate his sperms for more than two years, but, due to laws and regulations of various countries and a potential threat of consanguinity, a contract is made for maximum two years only. A donor produces his sperms in a specialized room, called mens production room. From this, the semen fluid is washed, in order to extract the sperms from other materials present in the semen. In case of frozen storage, a cryoprotectant semen extender is added in the sample. Usually, around 20 vials can be extracted from one sample of semen, collected from a sperm donor. These vials are stored in cryogenically preserved condition, in the liquid nitrogen (N2) tanks. Usually, sperms are stored for the period of around 6 months. However, it can be stored for a longer period of time.

To remain ahead of your competitors, request for a sample[emailprotected]

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/5330

The services offered by sperm bank includes provision of sperms, donors selection, guiding recipient for selection of donor, sex selection of baby, and sales of sperms. Although, sperm banks play a major role in the women who are not able to achieve pregnancy, due to some controversial issues, such as, use of sperms by lesbian couples and others, government healthcare bodies of various countries imposed strict regulations on the sperm bank. In the U.S., sperm banks are regulated by FDA, and treated as Human Cell or Human Tissue or Human Cell and Tissue (HCT/Ps), in the European Union, it is been regulated by EU Tissue Directive, whereas, in the U.K., it is regulated by Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority.

To receive extensive list of important regions, Request Methodology here @

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/5330

The global market for sperm banks is expected to increase in steady manner in the forecast period, due to market growth propellers, such as, increased prevalence of women miscarriage, technological innovations in the sperm storage industry, and growing awareness towards this type of pregnancy. Increased miscarriage rate is one of the major drivers that fuels market growth. According to the study report published by HopeXchange, out of 4.4 million pregnancies carried every year in the U.S., around 1 million pregnancies result into miscarriage. Similarly, due to growing concerns towards such pregnancy that achieved without sexual intercourse is also an important market growth propeller. On the other hand, various governmental regulations, negative mindset towards sperm banks and donor, high cost associated with the operating of sperm bank and limited spread across the various regions of the world are some of the major hurdles in the market growth.

Major players operating in the market includes Cryos International Sperm Bank, FairFax Cryobank, Androcryos, New England Cryogenic Center, Inc. and others.

You Can Request for TOC Here @https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/5330

Explore Extensive Coverage of PMR`s

Life Sciences & Transformational HealthLandscape

About us:

Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics andmarket research methodologyto help businesses achieve optimal performance.

To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.

Our client success stories feature a range of clients from Fortune 500 companies to fast-growing startups. PMRs collaborative environment is committed to building industry-specific solutions by transforming data from multiple streams into a strategic asset.

Contact us:

Naved BegPersistence Market ResearchAddress 305 Broadway, 7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007 United StatesU.S. Ph. +1-646-568-7751USA-Canada Toll-free +1 800-961-0353Sales[emailprotected]Websitehttps://www.persistencemarketresearch.com

More here:
The Sperm Bank market to be under the gambit of growth curve in the next decade - Eurowire

Embryology

Disputes over when life begins may block cutting-edge reproductive technologies like mitochondrial replacement therapies – The Conversation US

The nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court has once again pushed the debate over when life begins into the headlines, which could have far-reaching effects on access to both current and emerging reproductive technologies. In 2006, Judge Barrett was one of the signatories on a newspaper ad sponsored by an anti-abortion group that not only believes life begins at fertilization but also hopes to criminalize discarding extra embryos created during in vitro fertilization.

As legal scholars, we are closely watching how jurisdictions regulate emerging reproductive technologies, including a set of techniques called mitochrondial replacement therapies which can prevent some heritable diseases. But because they use IVF methods, and some (but not all) of the techniques require discarding an embryo, law codifying the belief that life starts at fertilization could restrict access to mitochondrial replacement therapies and derail productive conversations about how to regulate them properly.

Last week, the medical journal Fertility & Sterility ran an editorial arguing that confirming Judge Barrett could result in restrictions not only on reproductive rights to contraception and abortion, but also on IVF. One concern is that future legal decisions could forbid IVF clinics from discarding extra embryos even ones unlikely to start a pregnancy or limit the number of embryos which can be formed. That could raise treatment costs or make efforts to start a healthy pregnancy with IVF much harder.

The nomination of Judge Barrett also comes just as new technologies look almost ready to help parents have children free of certain heritable diseases. Children can inherit mitochondrial diseases from their biological mother (and possibly their father) caused by dysfunctional mitochondria which generate energy molecules for the cell. These tiny structures in the cell carry their own special DNA; but those that carry mutations can cause disease. A new type of reproductive technology called mitochondrial replacement therapies offers the possibility of preventing children from inheriting these diseases.

Estimates suggest 1,000-4,000 children in the U.S. alone are born each year with a heritable mitochondrial disease.

These complex diseases can affect many different organs especially those with high energy needs like the brain, eyes or heart. There are no cures and few treatment options exist, so children often die in severe cases. Having a child with mitochondrial diseases can place huge emotional and financial tolls on families, with significant economic costs for health care systems.

With limited treatment options, some experts place more hope in preventing children from inheriting mitochondrial diseases altogether. Sometimes called three parent IVF, mitochondrial replacement therapies make this possible by replacing the unhealthy mitochondria in an egg cell or embryo with healthy ones from a donor woman. Using this technique, couples at high risk of having children with mitochondrial diseases can then have a healthy child who is biologically related to them.

Mitochondrial replacement therapies do, however, raise a few concerns. Health problems could arise from molecular mismatches between the parents nucleus and donor mitochondria or from a treated embryo reverting to an unhealthy state, though these risks are hypothetical for now. And female children born through mitochondrial replacement therapies could, theoretically, pass these conditions to their children.

Because mitochondria carry 37 of their own genes, children born from mitochondrial replacement therapies technically have DNA from three people the couple and the woman who donated her healthy mitochondria. The donor contributes a minuscule amount of DNA less than 1% but this does raise questions about their parenthood. Another concern is that swapping out mitochondria (and their DNA) in embryos makes for a slippery slope to designer babies, especially now that three births have occurred after gene editing.

These safety and ethical concerns call for policy to investigate and minimize risks, while answering questions like what the legal status of the third parent should be.

In 2015, the United Kingdom became the first jurisdiction in the world to expressly legalize and regulate mitochondrial replacement therapies, creating a system to license clinics for this service. This move came after an extensive public engagement process. Regulation is overseen by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, which governs all human fertility treatments and research within the U.K. Two other countries, Australia and Singapore, are considering legislative amendments to follow in the U.K.s footsteps.

While brand-new regulatory systems for mitochondrial replacement therapies may seem ideal, lessons learned from other emerging technologies suggest most countries probably wont adopt this approach since existing rules often apply already, though maybe not in an ideal way. The trick then becomes making sure existing rules can still cover concerns with the new technology. However, this reality has led to critics raising the alarm about unregulated mitochondrial replacement therapies, especially since medical tourism is already happening.

Even if most countries dont enact new laws, many already have rules which should apply to mitochondrial replacement therapies. For example, the U.S. wont need a new regulatory system if it removes its current ban on the technology. The Food and Drug Administration already plans on regulating mitochondrial replacement therapies with the same tools it uses for biologics, a broad category of medical products ranging from vaccines to gene therapy.

Mexico got a bad reputation for having no rules after a child was born there via mitochondrial replacement therapies, but legal scholars have pointed out that Mexicos regulations on health research likely prohibit this use of mitochondrial replacement therapies. However, these rules werent triggered because doctors modified the embryos in the U.S., before sending them to Guadalajara for the treatment. Instead, the U.S. FDA intervened, informing the clinic that they had violated U.S. law in several ways.

In Greece, regulators already approved a clinical trial for mitochondrial replacement therapies using their existing rules for fertility treatments although the trial addresses the success of fertility treatments instead of preventing mitochondrial diseases. And in Ukraine, though the details are murky, health officials appear to have similarly approved a clinical trial for mitochondrial replacement therapies.

Reproductive technologies have allowed millions of families around the world to conceive healthy children over the last 42 years. For the first time, recent advances in mitochondrial replacement therapies could allow families who otherwise couldnt have a healthy child of their own to do so. But changes in law that restrict access to IVF could have profound social and medical impacts that would ripple across the country.

[Deep knowledge, daily. Sign up for The Conversations newsletter.]

Rather than making reproductive technologies like mitochondrial replacement therapies more difficult to access especially for those with a medical reason for doing so we believe regulators and governments should be looking for ways to provide individuals access to these technologies in a way that promotes safety and efficacy for everyone involved. That includes those living in the U.S. who wish to access mitochondrial replacement therapies in their own country.

See original here:
Disputes over when life begins may block cutting-edge reproductive technologies like mitochondrial replacement therapies - The Conversation US

Neuroscience

A Social Affective Neuroscience Model of Risk and Resilience in Adolescent Depression: Preliminary Evidence and Application to Sexual and Gender…

This article was originally published here

Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging. 2020 Aug 8:S2451-9022(20)30211-1. doi: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.07.020. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Depression is a disorder of dysregulated affective and social functioning, with attenuated response to reward, heightened response to threat (perhaps especially social threat), excessive focus on negative aspects of the self, ineffective engagement with other people, and difficulty modulating all of these responses. Known risk factors provide a starting point for a model of developmental pathways to resilience, and we propose that the interplay of social threat experiences and neural social-affective systems is critical to those pathways. We describe a model of risk and resilience, review supporting evidence, and apply the model to sexual and gender minority adolescents, a population with high disparities in depression and unique social risk factors. This approach illustrates the fundamental role of a socially and developmentally informed clinical neuroscience model for understanding a population disproportionately affected by risk factors and psychopathology outcomes. We consider it a public health imperative to apply conceptual models to high-need populations to elucidate targets for effective interventions to promote healthy development and enhance resilience.

PMID:33097468 | DOI:10.1016/j.bpsc.2020.07.020

More:
A Social Affective Neuroscience Model of Risk and Resilience in Adolescent Depression: Preliminary Evidence and Application to Sexual and Gender...

Neuroscience

Rodent fathers suggest dopamine is key to an neuroscience of parenting – Massive Science

Dieting is notoriously difficult. Thanks in part to evolution, we love foods that are high in calories. Not only that, but once we have experienced the kind of high-calorie foods that surround us in the modern world, more nutritionally-balanced foods become much less attractive. But why?

To understand how the brain makes dieting so difficult, and high-calorie foods so tempting, the authors of a recent study turned to mice, where they could record and manipulate the activity of specific neurons involved in energy balance and reward. They asked how exposing mice to high-calorie foods affected their consumption of, and neural responses to, regular foods.

When researchers gave the mice access to both high-fat (HFD) and standard (SD) diets, mice completely stopped eating the SD almost immediately, and preferred the HFD. They then removed the HFD, and saw that mice still ate very little SD, and so lost substantial weight. This devaluation of regular food was so strong that even fasting mice presented with an SD ate very little they would only eat a lot if the HFD was available. Just experiencing the HFD for 24 hours was enough time to make the SD less tasty.

Suzanne Beaky

To see how HFD exposure affects the brains response to food, the scientists recorded the activity of AgRP neurons, a population of neurons that is active during hunger and controls energy balance, and midbrain dopamine neurons, which release dopamine as a signal of reward. Exposure to the HFD greatly reduced the response of both groups of neurons to the SD: afterward, these neurons would only respond strongly to the HFD. Regular food became less rewarding, and less satiating, than high-calorie food.

Under normal conditions, AgRP neurons would only respond to food when a mouse is hungry. But after HFD withdrawal (mimicking dieting), the AgRP neurons became so sensitive to HFD that they would respond even if the mouse was not hungry. This could explain why when we diet, high-calorie foods are so hard to resist these foods become rewarding even when we arent hungry.

This study suggests that exposure to a HFD alters the brains response to food so that only high-calorie foods are rewarding and satiating, while more nutritionally-balanced foods become less valuable. And, abstaining from high-fat foods might just make our brains' hunger centers responsive to these foods even when were not hungry, making it difficult to resist the urge to binge. Research on the circuits that regulate food intake will potentially lead to therapies that allow us to manipulate these biological urges and control the obesity epidemic.

View post:
Rodent fathers suggest dopamine is key to an neuroscience of parenting - Massive Science

Neuroscience

The neuroscience of Navratri – The New Indian Express

When Rishi Markandeya sat up in the valleys of Yamunotri composing the Puranas named after him, little did he realise that his epic representation of Chandi or Ma Durga would thousands of years later become one of the best handbooks for rewiring our brains and boosting positive psychology. You could say he was one of Indias first and greatest neuroscientist-psychologists.

In the Devi Mahatmya or Chandi Path, derived from chapters 81-93 in the Markandeya Purana, the scientist-sage describes an epic battle over nine nights when the supreme mother Adi Shakti or Parvati has to descend to the mortal dimension as Chandi or Durga to vanquish nine Asuric or dark demonic forces that hold humanity back from harmony and dharma.

In each stage of the epic battle, she takes on an aspect of the Universal Mother and becomes Maha Kali, Maha Lakshmi, and Maha Saraswati in turn, all to vanquish the Asuras and bring light back to humanity. And finally, after nine nights of intense battle, she returns victorious to the cosmic sea from where she came, waiting for darkness to befall humanity again.

Seen purely as a psychological narrative, the Chandi Path is an inner battle we all face every day in trying to live a spiritual, dharmic, and righteous life where Ma Durga comes once a year to cleanse and liberate us from the nine Asuric aspects of the Maha Maya or great illusion of life and our egos.

If we go deeper and look at the esoteric and neuroscientific significance behind this story, we realise that what he was describing is the difficulty we all face when trying to meditate or pray or live a good life. The state of divine nothingness of Turiya, the fourth state of consciousness, or Samadhi, requires us to be free of our egos and distractions.

This state is called activating the Default Mode Network (DMN) in neuroscience. Recent studies of deep meditators have shown that those who can activate this area, in particular affecting areas of the brain like the Anterior Cingulate and the Caudate Nucleus, the horn-shaped part of the brain that surrounds the pineal gland, and let us go deep into a no-thought, no-mind state that seems to rise above our normal states of consciousness beyond space, time, ego and attachments. In that state we experience divine bliss and harmony with everything.

Now, what gets in the way is a great battle that occurs internally along our spinal cord between the Parasympathetic Nervous System, which controls our feelings and emotions, and the Sympathetic Nervous System or the flight-fight network that harks back to our animal or reptilian origins.

Think Devas and Devis versus Asuras here. If these two can be brought into harmony then something magical happens as the full brain begins to function perfectly well and the DMN is activated and the whole system becomes balanced by the Central Nervous System within the spinal cord.

For those of you in the know, I am describing the Neuroscience of Kundalini Shakti and our Chakra system. We then are balanced again and become light as feathers. No chattering brain, no reptilian cravings, and no ego to hold us back.

In the great battle of Navratri, Maha Maya as Maha Kali first destroys the Asuras Madhu or honey and Kartavya, the housefly that sticks to everything. Both represent our Tamasic nature in the sexual organs, stomach, liver, kidneys, and adrenal glands, all the stuff that controls the 4 F's - Fear, Food, Flight and the unspoken F-Word.

Then Chandi as Maha Lakshmi destroys the shape-shifting Mahishasura who represents the vanity and power of the Rajasic nature in us. We want to control everything and we think we are in charge. Here the heart, stomach, and lungs dominate, and all the glands that release the feel-good hormones - dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin - are released when this comes under our control. Maha Lakshmi brings bliss and harmony.

And then finally Ma Durga destroys the final six Asuras, which represent our over-analytical mind. First, she destroys Chanda and Munda - the chattering neocortex and the aimless organs that feed chemicals and information into it. Then she destroys Raktabija, the endless cycle of addiction and stupidity that keeps us making the same mistakes over and over again.

And then as Maha Saraswati, she destroys Dhumralochana, the Asura of foggy unclear thinking. And then as Ma Durga, she destroys Sumbha and Nisumbha, the final barrier of I and Mine; the last obstacle in your ego attachment - the "Me" and "My" identity, which relates to the prefrontal cortex.

Once all the Asuras are destroyed, we sing Ya Devi Sarva Bhuteshu! I praise Devi, the destroyer of all my dark egos. Now I am free! And then if we are lucky through deep meditation, singing, chanting, drumming, dancing, selfless giving, sharing, and loving we enter the DMN or the Turiya state, and we find clarity, bliss, harmony, and peace. The great battle is won. The Mother returns to thebase of your spine until she is needed again.

The nine nights of Navratri are the beginning of a great psychological and neuroscientific adventure into healing yourself of the mental blocks that cloak your life as ego attachments in the illusory Maha Maya that brings out Karma or the fruits of ignorant action. It is a wonderful path to becoming Karma-free and to dissolve into the non-dual DMN of the Universes infinite stillness, love, and bliss.

Ya Devi Sarva Bhuteshu!

(The writer is a globalconsciousness teacher, National Film Award-winning documentary filmmaker, TED speaker, digital media producer)

Visit link:
The neuroscience of Navratri - The New Indian Express

Neuroscience

COVID-19: BYU professor expresses her big concern of pandemic isolation – Deseret News

PROVO Heres some irony for you: The stress caused by isolating from the coronavirus increases your chances of catching the coronavirus.

Going outside can make you sick, then. But so can not going outside.

The issue behind this paradox is loneliness, a pandemic in its own right that is being more fully exposed and increased by the pandemic.

A number of studies conducted over the past several months suggest that there has been a 20% to 30% rise in loneliness due to COVID-19-mandated social distancing.

Although Julianne Holt-Lunstad would prefer calling it physical distancing instead.

We want to be physically distant but stay socially connected, she says.

Holt-Lunstad is an expert in the field of loneliness. She is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University, where her research over the past decade has, among other things, helped quantify the significant damage loneliness can have on our physical health and, in turn, our lifespan.

The statistics say that a person who is chronically lonely has a 26% greater risk of dying. Thats roughly the same mortality forecast for someone who is clinically obese, drinks alcohol to excess, or smokes 15 cigarettes a day.

And loneliness isnt an isolated problem. Further studies show that an estimated third of U.S. adults age 45 and older report feeling lonely, while the percentage for younger social media-obsessed Americans may be even worse. (In one survey, 70% of young adults reported sometimes or always feeling alone.)

Professor Holt-Lunstad just finished participating in a virtual action forum with her colleagues at the Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness, a national organization whose mission is spelled out in its title. She is the chairwoman of the groups Scientific Advisory Council and moderated a panel discussion at the event.

We talked about what we can do as individuals, as a community, as a larger society, that might have an impact on this critical issue, particularly at this important time, she says.

Its not difficult to make the case that the need to stay connected has never been greater, or more complicated, that it is now that were being told to stay apart.

If youre feeling alone in 2020, youre not alone.

Our bodies and our brain expect the proximity of others, says Holt-Lunstad. When we dont have that proximity, when we feel like we have to face everything on our own, it makes it all so much harder.

The professor cites a really interesting study that had participants rate the steepness of a hill they climbed while wearing a heavy backpack. What the researchers found was that not only did participants rate the hill steeper than it really was when they hiked it alone, but when they were in the presence of others they rated it as less steep.

Neuroscience evidence suggests that loneliness is a biological cue much like hunger and thirst. But in the current atmosphere where its seen as unpleasant to seek social connection, its as if were all incredibly thirsty but were being told the waters not safe to drink.

That dilemma, she says, spells out her biggest concern: How do we stay connected while at a distance?

On one hand, she worries that people will use my research as an excuse to disregard many of the safety precautions that have been recommended.

On the other hand, I worry that we will isolate even more.

The challenge is: how do we not put ourselves in a situation where we are trading one risk for another? How can we meet both goals?

She does see a possible silver lining among all these questions.

My hope is that what we are going through will help people recognize just how important our relationships are, not only for our emotional well-being but for our physical well-being, she says. The pandemic has given everyone a small glimpse into what its like for a small percentage of the population that was already chronically isolated, that was already homebound. Hopefully we can not only gain greater empathy, but recognize the urgency for solutions.

Link:
COVID-19: BYU professor expresses her big concern of pandemic isolation - Deseret News