Local Teens Stand Up to Deadly In-Store Cigarette Advertising

WE’VE SEEN ENOUGH! WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY

This World No Tobacco Day, when it comes to in-store tobacco advertising, Buffalo-area youth want to send a clear message to cigarette makers: “We’ve seen enough!”

Recruiting “replacement smokers,” also known as kids, is a building block for big tobacco’s marketing strategy. Recent surveys have shown that kids are consistently targeted by flashy cigarette advertising in local stores. On May 31, local teens joined together at Clarence High School to raise awareness about this deadly influence.

“Teens are tired of turning a blind eye to deadly in-store advertising,” said Anthony Billoni, Director of the Erie-Niagara Tobacco-Free Coalition, which is based at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI). “This is about standing up to these giant, cancer-causing corporations and letting them know young people aren’t going to be pushed into a lifelong tobacco addiction.”

As part of World No Tobacco Day, more than 30 students from Clarence High School along with young people from Kenmore West High School, the Amherst Youth Consortium and Reality Check gathered for the event. The students wanted to send a message that dangerous tobacco marketing should be removed from stores where kids shop.

“We were honored to host this year’s event and give the students of Clarence High the opportunity to demonstrate positive community involvement,” said Kenneth Smith, Principal of Clarence High School. “It is also imperative that, as educators and parents, we too become aware and understand the impact that tobacco products promotion has on our youth.”

Across New York State, a virtual demonstration was held online as teens posted photos on a special Facebook page set up for the effort. Buffalo-area youth groups that participated in the online conversation included the University at Buffalo and Buffalo State College chapters of Colleges Against Cancer and the Yroswell Street Team. An online petition urging people to take a stand against in-store advertising is posted at TobaccoFreeNYS.org.

Research in the U.S. and abroad suggests that exposure to in-store tobacco promotions is a primary cause of youth smoking. Very few adult smokers begin after high school, with 90 percent of adult smokers starting at or before age 18.

“We should not have to cover our eyes. There are too many stores with too much tobacco marketing. Today, we stand up and send a message that it is time to change the way tobacco products are promoted in our stores,” said Kasheef Moore, Youth Advocate for Reality Check.

Researchers recently evaluated support for tobacco control policies in a telephone survey of Erie and Niagara county residents. Results found that 67% of adults and 80% of youth see tobacco advertising inside and outside of stores. Nearly 80% of adults think tobacco product displays increases the chance that a child will start smoking. Rules that would require tobacco products in stores to be hidden from display are favored by 60% of residents.

As a result of the recent Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (FDA law) and the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA), retail stores are one of the last places where tobacco companies can expose kids to their advertising. Consequently, tobacco companies spend billions of dollars each year marketing their deadly products at the point of sale. This is done by controlling dominant display space in retail stores and through in-store advertising. Both are typically found around the cash register, sometimes referred to as the “goal post” because it is the one place in the store where everyone must go. Tobacco companies invest a lot at these locations in creating so-called “power walls,” large, visually appealing displays of products intended to attract the interest of customers.

About ACS:
The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

About the ENTFC:
The Erie-Niagara Tobacco-Free Coalition is funded by the New York State Tobacco Control Program. The goal is to educate community leaders and the public about the dangers and social costs of tobacco use, engage local stakeholders to adopt policies that restrict the tobacco industry’s presence in our communities, seek to de-normalize tobacco use and eliminate secondhand smoke. For more information, visit www.tobaccofreewny.com or www.tobaccofreenys.org.

Free Canning Program at the Lancaster Market

The Lancaster Market has been selected to participate in the "Discover You Can Summer" by Jarden Home Brand, makers of Ball Brand Fresh Preserving Products, to educate and create meaningful connections with the local farmers and the community. This selection was one of two in New York State and one of fifty in the country. The program is to encourage the canning of local produced fruits and vegetable. This educational program will be held at the Lancaster Market the Save I lot parking lot on Broadway and Aurora Streets. Saturdays and Sundays 7am till 1 pm people can start to pick up coupons and begin to plan their canning projects with the market instructor. Program will include canning contests, recipe exchange, demonstrations on techniques and free canning product. Call Ann Jordan at 481-2961 or lancastervillagemarket@gmail.com and visit www.lancastervillagemarket.com.

Online Health Promotion Programs Educate Prevention for Adults and Children

Adults and children have access to new health and wellness learning opportunities through the launch of online programs this month by BWI Health Promotions and BWI National Health Promotion Training Institute.The training institute, housed at the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, was established to offer web-based learning certificate programs to employers, professionals and individuals interested in enhancing their knowledge in the health promotion field. The following courses are now available:

· BWI Health Promotion Coordinator Certification: provides education, support and tools to begin and maintain a successful worksite health promotion program; ideal for human resource professionals and wellness managers/team members

· BWI Personal Health Certification: educates individuals in how to make true lifestyle and behavior changes needed for living a healthier life; ideal for organizations to offer to their employees and/or tied to incentive programs

· BWI "Be Fit Kids" Instructor Certification: trains facilitators to lead, implement and instruct students from kindergarten through sixth grade in a behavior modification program that empowers children and families to take responsibility for their health; ideal for educators and recreation staff members

Continuing education units have been approved by IACET, NYS-PT and BOC through Learning Partners, as well as the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) in association with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) national chapter.

BWI will also soon release an interactive and educational computer game that excites children about making healthy choices and incorporates New York State Learning Standards. BWI’s “Be Fit Kids-Online,” which complements BWI’s after-school program of the same name, is being added to Master Guru’s learning tool used in schools throughout New York. The program is also ideal for recreation programs and families.

“Be Fit Kids-Online” incorporates a learning management system of customized reports that detail learning gaps, as well as references to interactive websites, lesson plans and activities that can help address individual needs. In addition to the primary version geared toward grades 3 through 5, programs are offered for two other age groups: “Be Fit Little Kids” for pre-K through grade 2 and “Be Fit Tweens” for grades 6 through 8.

For more information on any of the above programs, visit www.bwihp.com or call 1-800-606-7422.

Neuronetics Receives TiE50 Award for Technology Entrepreneurship

New Treatment for Depression Recognized in Life Sciences Category MALVERN, Penn. - May 9, 2011 - Neuronetics, Inc., maker of the NeuroStar Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Therapy® System, has been selected by TiE Silicon Valley as a 2011 recipient of the TiE 50 Award. Neuronetics' NeuroStar TMS Therapy System is the first and only non-systemic and non-invasive TMS device cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD).* More than 1,600 technology startups worldwide are screened for the 50 awards in five categories of the TiE50, TiE's premier annual awards program. Awards are presented at TiEcon, the world's largest entrepreneur's conference. An awards ceremony will take place on May 13 in Santa Clara, Calif. "It is a great honor to be a 2011 TiE50 Award winner," said Neuronetics' President and CEO, Bruce Shook. "Everyone at Neuronetics has worked incredibly hard to make our NeuroStar® TMS system widely available to people suffering from depression. Thousands have benefited from the entrepreneurial spirit and focused effort that made NeuroStar TMS Therapy a reality. It is a privilege to have our hard work recognized by TiE." TiE is a global, not-for-profit network dedicated to the advancement of entrepreneurship. It provides a platform for mentoring, networking and education to entrepreneurs with more than 13,000 members in 56 chapters across 13 countries. About NeuroStar TMS Therapy NeuroStar TMS Therapy was cleared by the FDA in October 2008 for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder in adult patients who have failed to achieve satisfactory improvement from one prior antidepressant medication at or above the minimal effective dose and duration in the current episode. NeuroStar TMS Therapy is a non-systemic (does not circulate in the bloodstream throughout the body) and non-invasive (does not involve surgery) form of neuromodulation. It stimulates nerve cells in an area of the brain that has been linked to depression, by delivering highly focused MRI-strength magnetic field pulses. The treatment is typically administered daily for four to six weeks. In clinical trials, patients treated with active NeuroStar TMS Therapy experienced an average reduction in their depression symptom score of 22.1 percent compared to a 9 percent reduction in patients receiving inactive treatment.[1] In an open-label clinical trial, which is most like real world clinical practice, approximately one in two patients experienced significant improvement in symptoms, and one in three experienced complete symptom resolution.[2] There were no systemic side effects such as those experienced with some antidepressant medications. The most common adverse events related to treatment were scalp pain or discomfort at the treatment area during active treatments.[3] There is a rare risk of seizure with TMS Therapy (0.1 percent of patients under general clinical use). NeuroStar TMS Therapy is contraindicated in patients with non-removable metallic objects in or around the head. NeuroStar TMS Therapy is not indicated or effective for all patients with depression; it is available only upon the prescription of a psychiatrist. For full safety and prescribing information, visit www.NeuroStarTMS.com. Availability of NeuroStar TMS Therapy Treatment with NeuroStar TMS Therapy is available at more than 300 treatment centers throughout the United States. For information on specific treatment locations that offer NeuroStar TMS Therapy, please visit www.NeuroStar.com or call the Neuronetics Customer Service Center at (877) 600-7555. About Neuronetics Neuronetics, Inc., is a privately held medical device company focused on developing non-invasive therapies for psychiatric and neurological disorders using MRI-strength magnetic-field pulses. Based in Malvern, PA, Neuronetics is the leader in the development of TMS Therapy, a non-invasive form of neuromodulation. For more information, please visit www.neuronetics.com. About Depression Depression affects at least 14 million American adults each year. Of those suffering from depression, 6.8 million do not even seek treatment. [4]Often a debilitating disorder, depression results in a persistent state of sadness that interferes with an individual's thoughts, behavior, mood, and physical health. It is important to recognize the symptoms and seek treatment as soon as possible. NeuroStar®, NeuroStar TMS Therapy®, and TMS Therapy® are registered trademarks of Neuronetics, Inc. ### [1] Data on file, Neuronetics, Inc. [2] Demitrack, M. A. and M. Thase (2009). "Clinical Significance of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) in the Treatment of Pharmacoresistant Depression: Synthesis of Recent Data."Psychopharmacology Bulletin 42(2): 5 - 38. [3] Janicak, P., J. P. O'Reardon, et al. (2008). "Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder: A Comprehensive Summary of Safety Experience from Acute Exposure, Extended Exposure, and During Reintroduction Treatment." Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 69(2): 222 - 232. [4] Kessler, R., P. Berglund, et al. (2003). "The Epidemiology of Major Depressive Disorder: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication (NCS-R)." (JAMA) Journal of the American Medical Association 289(23): 3095-3105.

Buffalo Medical Group’s My BMG Chart Available on iPhones

WILLIAMSVILLE, NY - Buffalo Medical Group patients can now view their MyBMGChart medical information on their iPhone! The secure application enables patients to access many of the features available on MyBMGChart such as test results, upcoming and past appointments, and messages and health reminders sent from their providers. The app is available from the iPhone app store free of charge and can be accessed by clicking on the “App Store” icon, searching for “MyChart”, and clicking on the iconà. Once the app is downloaded, patients should click the information button to find Buffalo Medical Group, and proceed to log in with the user ID and password they created when they signed up for MyBMGChart. Buffalo Medical Group patients must have an active MyBMGChart account to use this app. If they do not have an account, they should contact their physician’s office to request an access code. The app requires an Apple iOperating system version 3.1.3 or later. As in the case of MyBMGChart, the iPhone app is secure and uses the highest standards to protect patient information. More than 23,000 Buffalo Medical Group patients are now enrolled in MyBMGChart, the patient portal in BMG’s electronic medical record system. It was unveiled in 2008 to enable the Group’s patients to access their own health information from anywhere in the world using a password protected and secure internet connection. Additional information about MyBMGChart is available on the Buffalo Medical Group web site at www.buffalomedicalgroup.com. Interested BMG patients also may call 630-1087.

Treatment with Oral Lenalidomide After Stem-Cell Transplant

MAINTENANCE TREATMENT WITH ORAL LENALIDOMIDE AFTER STEM-CELL TRANSPLANT IMPROVES MULTIPLE MYELOMA SURVIVAL, REDUCES RISK OF DISEASE PROGRESSION
Roswell Park Investigator Dr. Philip McCarthy Presents Data at the 13^th International Myeloma Workshop

BUFFALO, NY — Updated data from a National Cancer Institute-sponsored clinical trial conducted by the Cancer and Leukemia Group (CALGB) was presented May 5 at the 13^th International Myeloma Workshop in Paris, France. The phase III study evaluated the benefits of continuous, or maintenance, treatment with lenalidomide (Revlimid) following an autologous stem-cell transplant in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients and found that lenalidomide delays time to disease progression and improves overall survival compared to placebo. Maintenance therapy is an ongoing treatment given after patients achieve response with initial therapy to try to prolong that response. As of April 2011, patients receiving continuous lenalidomide therapy demonstrated an overall survival rate of 90% at more than two years following transplant, compared to 83% for patients receiving placebo (unadjusted p<0.018). The updated results also further demonstrated that lenalidomide maintenance therapy resulted in longer remissions, delaying disease progression to a median of four years. “This study answers the important question regarding continuous therapy, and the new survival data further validate long-term maintenance with lenalidomide as an important, and effective, treatment option for patients with multiple myeloma,” said Principal Investigator Philip McCarthy, Jr., MD, Professor of Oncology and Director of the Blood & Marrow Transplant Program at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI). “The updated results from the CALGB trial are important and welcome news for patients, especially because so many will relapse or have progressive disease even after a stem-cell transplant.” Lenalidomide is an oral drug that is already used to treat myeloma that recurs or persists despite prior therapy. Multiple myeloma occurs when a type of immune cell, called a plasma cell, becomes too numerous and crowds out healthy blood cells in the bone marrow, causing pain, and gradually damaging the bones and other body organs. An estimated 20,580 people were diagnosed with multiple myeloma in the United States in 2010. Multiple myeloma is treated with high-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem-cell transplantation — a procedure in which some of a patient’s stem cells are removed before therapy and returned after treatment to rebuild the patient’s immune system. However, more than 90 percent of patients eventually experience a cancer relapse. Newly diagnosed patients will find state-of-the-art care and promising new therapies at RPCI.

New Team Leader at VA

The Buffalo Vet Center announced Paul J. Harrigan, Ph.D., as the new Team Leader joining the counseling staff located at 2372 Sweet Home Road, Suite 1, Buffalo 14228. Dr. Harrigan brings military and counseling experience to the Buffalo Vet Center serving as a Supervisory Psychologist/Team Leader responsible for the effective management of the clinic to deliver the highest quality outreach and counseling services for combat Veterans and those who experience Military Sexual Trauma (MST).

During 2008-2011, Dr. Harrigan worked at VA Western New York Healthcare System Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Clinic in Batavia, specializing in the treatment of co-occurring PTSD and Substance Abuse Disorders for outpatient and inpatient Veterans.

Dr. Harrigan’s military experience began with active duty in the United States Marine Corps (USMC) between 1988 and 1992, serving in Operation Sharpe Edge, Monrovia, Liberia and in support of Operation Desert Shield, with the 22^nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, 1990-1991. Upon release from active duty he completed undergraduate studies at Niagara County Community College (NCCC) and earned Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology, Summa Cum Laude, Niagara University, 1997. Dr. Harrigan then earned his Master of Arts (MA) in Psychology at Columbia University, 1999. He worked as a counselor in community mental health in New York City for a year and then moved to Florida where he earned his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Counseling Psychology from the University of Miami, 2007. While attending University of Miami, Dr. Harrigan completed practicum and was hired at the Miami Vet Center where he worked between 2001 and 2005. He completed his Psychology Internship at the Miami Veteran’s Hospital in 2004. In 2007 Dr. Harrigan relocated back to New York State and served as Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) Psychologist at the Bath, VA medical center for one year. In 2010 he re-enlisted and is currently serving as a Psychologist with the United States Army Reserve.

Dr. Harrigan and the counseling staff at The Department of Veteran Affairs, Buffalo Vet Center can be reached at (716) 862-7350.

Cigarette Packaging Needs To Change

BUFFALO, NY — The messages that cigarette pack labels convey to smokers and nonsmokers have been evaluated by Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) researchers in three studies published in the June 2011 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The conclusion from these studies is that manufacturers have deceived consumers about the risks of their products for years and that remedial actions are needed so consumers can make informed decisions about the products that they purchase.

“Tobacco companies have used attractive packaging and persuasive images to market their products for decades. These studies support efforts by the FDA to regulate cigarette pack labeling,” said lead author Maansi Bansal-Travers, PhD, Behavioral Research Scientist at RPCI.

Tobacco manufacturers have effectively used cigarette pack design, colors and descriptive terms to create the illusion that filtered and so-called light/mild cigarettes are safer than unfiltered and full-flavor cigarettes, when this is not the case. Beginning in June 2010, regulations contained in the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act have prohibited tobacco companies from using descriptive terms such as “light,” “mild” or “low” in advertising and on cigarette packaging. “While the removal of these obviously misleading terms was a good first step, we discovered that cigarette manufacturers have circumvented the regulation by using different terms such as ‘gold’ and ‘silver’ and changing the colors on packs to continue to mislead consumers about their products,” said Dr. Bansal-Travers.

The paper titled “What Do Cigarette Pack Colors Communicate to Smokers in the U.S.?” found that both colors and descriptors are perceived by smokers to communicate health-risk information. The authors recommend that color-coding be restricted in the same way that descriptors have been to reduce consumer misperceptions.

The paper titled “The Impact of Cigarette Pack Design, Descriptor, and Warning Labels on Risk Perception in the U.S.” found that larger graphic health warnings that convey negative messages are the most effective in communicating health risks to adults and that packs with descriptors such as “smooth” or “silver,” or in specific colors, misleadingly conveyed lower health risks to consumers. The authors concluded that manufacturers should be barred from using any labeling that might be misperceived by consumers and that all cigarettes be sold in standardized plain packs.

The third paper, titled “Correcting Over 50 Years of Tobacco Industry Misinformation,” analyzed proposed corrective statements required by U.S. federal court in the Department of Justice case against cigarette manufacturers. The study found that the proposed corrective statements were effective in correcting false beliefs about smoking and health. The authors also recommended that these statements be printed on cigarette packs and at the point of sale.

K. Michael Cummings, PhD, MPH, Chair of the Department of Health Behavior at RPCI, added, “These studies reveal how consumers are likely to respond to government-mandated changes in package labeling and offer insights and recommendations about how to correct decades of misleading product marketing, so that consumers can make more informed choices about the products they purchase.”

The paper abstracts are available at http://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797%2811%2900161-9/abstract, http://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797%2811%2900166-8/abstract and http://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797%2811%2900163-2/abstract.

Learn more at http://www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or email askrpci@roswellpark.org.

Univera Names New Chief Medical Officer

Richard Vienne, D.O., promoted vice president

and chief medical officer of Univera Healthcare

Dr. Richard Vienne has been appointed vice president and chief medical officer of Univera Healthcare, a Buffalo-based nonprofit health insurer. Vienne will hold the same position with Univera Community Health, a separate nonprofit company that offers government-funded Child Health Plus, Family Health Plus and Plus Med to the uninsured and underinsured in Western New York. He previously served as Regional Medical Director for the health plan.

Vienne resides in Clarence, N.Y. with his wife Melissa and their children Kaitlin, Alex and Andrew.

Breast Cancer Facts and Mammography Screening

Breast cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death (behind lung cancer) among American women, claimed the lives of more than 14,000 New York state women from 2003 through 2007, and a total of 70,000 new cases were diagnosed statewide from 2002 through 2006, according to a new report released by Univera Healthcare. To view the complete fact sheet, go towww.univerahealthcare.com/factsheets.

UM School of Medicine Center for Celiac Research Finds Rate of Celiac Disease is Growing

UM SCHOOL OF MEDICINE CENTER FOR CELIAC RESEARCH

FINDS RATE OF CELIAC DISEASE IS GROWING

Working to solve the puzzle of when people develop celiac disease has led researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine Center for Celiac Research to some surprising findings. Read more here.

15,000 Older Upstate Adults Injured Due to Falls

UNIVERA REPORTS CLOSE TO 15,000 OLDER UPSTATE NY ADULTS INJURED AND HOSPITALIZED DUE TO FALLS

Each year, 15,000 older adults in upstate New York are hospitalized as a result of injuries due to falls, according to a new Univera Healthcare report. The falls, which often occur in the home and are preventable, can trigger a chain of events, including long-term rehabilitation, nursing home care and even death. Annual hospitalization costs in upstate New York related to falls average $370 million. Read more here.

Eat Well Live Well Challenge

SPRING 2011 EAT WELL LIVE WELL CHALLENGE. The “eat well live well” Challenge is a results focused eight-week employee wellness program, designed and shared by Wegmans Food Markets (Visit www.eatwelllivewell.org for more info) for employers and community organizations in WNY. The Challenge uses 4 key principles to help put employees on the path to better health and support employer’s efforts to manage health related costs. These principles include “Strive for 5 cups of fruits and vegetables; Get moving; Calories count so watch your portions; and Measure your progress”. This unique nationally recognized employee wellness program creates teamwork, builds camaraderie, and gives guidance to those striving to make lifestyle changes! For more information, please contact The Wellness Institute at (716) 851-4052 or email:BeActive@city-buffalo.org

Need for a Diverse Health System

Former HHS Secretary and Morehouse Medicine Dean Keynotes Annual Eva M. Noles Recognition Program -- A commitment to understanding and addressing disparities in health care and professional opportunities underscored the annual Eva M. Noles Recognition Program at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI). The event, held at RPCI Friday, November 19, featured a keynote address by a former U.S. Secretary of Health & Human Services (HHS) who is also founding President of Morehouse School of Medicine.For more information, visit RPCI’s website at http://www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or email askrpci@roswellpark.org.

Roswell Top Hospitals List

Roswell Park Named To Leapfrog Group's Annual Top Hospitals List- Only 5% of Eligible Hospitals Achieved this Prestigious National Designation for 2010. The Leapfrog Group’s annual class of Top Hospitals — 65 from a field of nearly 1,200 — was announced December 1 in Washington, D.C., and included Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) in Buffalo, NY, for the first time. The announcement came at Leapfrog’s 10th anniversary meeting. The Leapfrog Group is a coalition of public and private purchasers of employee health coverage founded a decade ago to work for improvements in healthcare safety, quality and affordability. Initially organized by the Business Roundtable, it is now an independent advocacy group working with a broad range of partners, including hospitals and insurers. The annual survey is the only voluntary effort of its kind. For more information, visit RPCI’s website athttp://www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or email askrpci@roswellpark.org.

Nearly 2 million NYS Adults are Caregivers

UNIVERA REPORT Reveals Nearly 2 million NYS Adults are Caregivers and devote an average of 13 hours of care per week at an estimated annual economic value of about $20 billion. Nearly 2 million New York state adults provide informal care to family members, neighbors or friends who need assistance with everyday or health-related activities due to chronic physical or mental impairments. These caregivers, who usually are unpaid, devote an average of 13 hours of care per week at an estimated annual economic value of about $20 billion, according to a new report issued by Univera Healthcare. To view the complete fact sheet on informal caregiving in upstate New York, go towww.univerahealthcare.com/factsheets. Additional information on caregiving is available from www.CompassionAndSupport.org..

Roswell First in US To Be Accredited As Training Institute for Robot-Assisted Surgery

Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) has become the first institution in the United States to be accredited as a Training Institute in Robot-Assisted Surgery by the Société Internationale d’Urologie (SIU). The accreditation allows RPCI to participate in the SIU scholarship program for young urologists, a cornerstone of the association’s educational mission. These highly regarded awards provide three-month Robot-assisted Mini-fellowships including laparoscopic and robot-assisted skills development and case observership to promising physicians early in their careers.For more information, visit RPCI’s website at http://www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or email askrpci@roswellpark.org.

ECMC Provides African American Women Free Cancer Screenings

ECMC and the Witness Project will collaborate to provide African-American women breast cancer screenings to reduce their mortality and morbidity from cancer. The Witness Program educates women regarding the benefits of early detection by providing a free education program that features breast cancer survivors and by going door-to-door to meet women and share the alarming statistics. After interfacing with the Witness Project, women complete a one page needs assessment and if they have indicated that they have not received a mammogram or clinical breast examination (CBE) in the past 12 months and are 40 years of age or older, they are encouraged to receive and schedule a mammogram. The Witness Project staff schedules the examination for them and actually arranges for transportation to and from examinations as well as childcare. African American women are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages of the disease and are more likely to die from it. For more information about Breast Cancer education and/or to schedule mammography screenings, those interested in better health and wellness should call the Witness Project at 845-3383.

Seniors Risk Falling With More Medications

The More Medications Seniors Take, the Greater Their Risk of Falling. Seniors can take precautions to avoid the risk of falling, such as asking their health care provider to review their medications. A major risk factor for falls among older adults may be lurking in their medicine cabinets. Taking four or more medications, or taking a prescription with side effects that include dizziness and drowsiness, can greatly increase an older adults’ risk of falling. The risk for medication side effects increases with age. To access the Univera Healthcare report on falling, Fall incidence and costs among older adults in upstate New York,go towww.univerahealthcare.com/factsheets .

VA Implements Final Rule for Caregivers

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) published the interim final rule for implementing the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act 2010. The new rule will provide additional support to eligible post-9/11 Veterans who elect to receive their care in a home setting from a primary Family Caregiver. Additional services for primary Family Caregivers of eligible post-9/11 Veterans and Service members include a stipend, mental health services, and access to health care insurance, if they are not already entitled to care or services under a health care plan. Comprehensive Caregiver training and medical support are other key components of this program. Veterans and their Family Caregivers can apply for the new services starting May 9 at www.caregiver.va.gov. Veterans and Caregivers with questions about the new program can contact Skibinski at 716-862-8541.

BWI Health Promotions Drugs or No Drugs Program

Christina Zogaria of Cheektowaga has been promoted as School Wellness Coordinator at BWI Health Promotions. BWI’s onsite school programming involves interactive learning for students in grades kindergarten through 12 and includes much of the New York State health curriculum content delivered in an engaging and fun format. Programs include healthy school assemblies and “Drugs or No Drugs” Reality Show for Teens), after-school and recreation programs (BWI’s “Be Fit Kids,” “Common Sense Nutrition for Kids”), and staff development (keynote presenters, workshops and wellness day events). She will also coordinate the new “Be Fit Kids-Online” educational computer game, which motivates children to make healthy choices, incorporates New York State Learning Standards, and complements the after-school program of the same name or may be used as a stand-alone piece in the classroom or at home.

42 Brand-Name Drugs Becoming Generic

Upstate New York could see nearly $900 million in annualized savings as a result of 42 brand-name prescription drugs becoming available in their generic form during 2011 and 2012 led by blockbuster drugs Lipitor®, Plavix®, and Singulair® according to a report issued by Univera Healthcare. Lipitor has 154,000 users in upstate New York, Plavix has 80,000 upstate users and Singulair has 102,000 users. Access the report online atwww.univerahealthcare.com/factsheets. In the report, “The Fact About Opportunities for Generic Savings in 2011 and 2012”, brands that become available as generics are listed by the conditions they treat in the order of the estimated month that the generic becomes available. In 2011, the largest potential long-term savings will come from Lipitor, which has 154,000 users in upstate New York. In 2012, the largest potential long-term savings will come from Plavix with its 80,000 upstate users and Singulair with 102,000 users. Once their generics become widely available, potential annual savings could total $376 million from these three drugs alone.Other drugs with patents scheduled to expire in 2011 and 2012 include Xalatan®, Nasacort AQ®, Levaquin®, Lexapro®, Actos®, Avalide®, Avapro®, Diovan® and Diovan HCT®. Since October 2005, measurable increases in the use of generic drugs as alternatives to higher-priced brand-name drugs have resulted in savings of more than $1 billion for upstate New Yorkers, according to analyses by Univera Healthcare. Univera Healthcare has a number of educational materials and resources available on its Web site, including a consumer reference guide that lists available generic drug options for a variety of common conditions. The reference guide is available atwww.univerahealthcare.com/generics under “Tools and Resources.”’

RPCI Faculty Receive $8.5 Million From Federal Agencies To Fund Disparities Research

The grants include awards to fund the following research projects:

Christine Ambrosone, PhD, Chair, Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, and Michael Higgins, PhD, Associate Member, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, have received a $3.89 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study breast cancer in African-American women. They will investigate a potential reason why African-American women are more likely to get breast cancer at a younger age and have more aggressive and difficult-to-treat tumors, compared to white women — despite having a lower incidence of breast cancer than white women. One path they will explore is looking at gene methylation to determine whether methylation patterns are associated with high-grade or aggressive tumors and whether patterns are different between African-American and white women.

Willie Underwood III, MD, MPH, MSci, Associate Professor, Department of Urology at RPCI, and Heather Orom, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions, have received a $3.1 million award from the National Cancer Institute. This multicenter R01 grant is aimed at identifying the underlying causes of racial differences in prostate-cancer treatment and post-treatment regret. “Black men are more than twice as likely to die from prostate cancer than white men,” says Dr. Underwood, “and much of this difference is attributable to differences between the two groups in receiving definitive or potentially curative care.” Dr. Underwood plans to identify the factors that influence the treatment decisions for both white men and black men and assess the differences in the distress and regret they experience over their treatment decisions. “Little is known about the factors that lead to the breakdown in the treatment decision-making process for black men,” he says. “This knowledge is needed to design and implement interventions to reduce the racial gaps in prostate-cancer mortality.”

James Mohler, MD, Professor of Oncology and Chair, Department of Urology at RPCI, has been awarded an $818,878 grant from the Department of Defense Prostate Cancer Research Program (DoD PCRP) to explore the role of androgen receptor and androgen-regulated genes in prostate cancer. His work aims to quantify the differences in androgenic stimulation of prostate cancer in African-Americans compared to Caucasian Americans and whether these differences could explain the 2.4-fold greater mortality among African-American men with prostate cancer. This award provides for additional analysis of biospecimens collected over the last eight years during the largest population-based study ever performed of men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer — the North Carolina-Louisiana Prostate Cancer Project, which was also funded by DoD PCRP and led by Dr. Mohler.

Levi Ross, PhD, MPH, Assistant Member, Department of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences and faculty member of the Office of Cancer Health Disparities Research at RPCI, has been awarded a five-year, $690,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to explore ways to improve treatment decision-making support for African-American men with prostate cancer. African-American men are more likely to develop prostate cancer, and they develop the disease earlier in life, so they face treatment decisions at a higher proportion and younger age than men from other racial or ethnic groups. “Making decisions about which type of treatment to undergo, if any, is complex because most men are eligible for more than one treatment and there’s no best choice for all patients,” says Dr. Ross. “Because survival is high, regretting decisions can cause mental and emotional suffering, but being satisfied with treatment choices can greatly enhance quality of life.” For more information, visit RPCI’s website at http://www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or email askrpci@roswellpark.org.