My Father-Son Relationship interview with the BBC
I was contacted recently by BBC World Services and asked to be part of a report they were doing about the relationships between fathers and sons. I want to thank reporter Nastaran Tavakoli-Far for using some of what I shared in her piece. It was incredibly interesting to listen while not knowing how much, if any, of what I shared would be used. The report is about 25 minutes long and features a number of fathers from all walks of life. Enjoy!
Molly Fichtner named Head Coach at the University of Louisiana
Congratulations to former Alabama catcher (and former Juicebox Podcast guest) Molly Fichtner on being named the Head Coach of the softball program at the University of Louisiana!
“Molly has an incredible passion for the game and is a tremendous leader. I look forward to seeing her impact and elevate the ULM softball program and having her in Louisiana.
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Molly Fichtner, who has seen success at the highest levels of the game, has been named ULM's seventh head softball coach, as announced by interim athletics director Scott McDonald on Friday, Sept. 21. The Houston, Texas, native has spent the last year as an assistant coach at East Carolina University. The appointment is pending approval by the University of Louisiana system's Board of Supervisors.
"Molly is highly-respected within the coaching community and her academic achievements garnered as a student-athlete have transferred over into her coaching career, leading her to great heights, and thankfully ULM," ULM Interim Athletics Director Scott McDonald said. "She has an outstanding reputation for player development and proven success in promoting the importance of academics with student-athletes. We are elated to have Molly join us at ULM, and we are thrilled about the impact she's going to have on the softball program and the community."
Fichtner makes the transition to ULM from Greenville where she was an assistant coach for the ECU softball program. Before her time with the Pirates, Fichtner spent two seasons in the same role at Dartmouth College.
After her honor-filled collegiate career, Fichtner remained at Alabama as a volunteer coach while pursuing her master's degree. After finishing her master's degree in 2015, she played one season in the National Fastpitch (NPF) league with the Dallas Charge.
You can read the rest of the article here.
Watch Molly’s press conference and listen to her appearance on the Juicebox Podcast.
Rule change for T1Ds and operating commercial motor vehicles
Federal motor carrier safety administration (FMCSA), DOT rule change…
FMCSA revises its regulations to permit individuals with a stable insulin regimen and properly controlled insulin-treated diabetes mellitus to be qualified to operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in interstate commerce!
from the American Diabetes Association:
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) applauds the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) for its new rule permitting individuals with insulin-treated diabetes to be certified to operate commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce. The new rule, published in the Federal Register yesterday, is the culmination of more than two decades of advocacy by the ADA to change the rules that govern commercial drivers with diabetes.
Since the 1990s, when Congress and FMCSA began studying the feasibility of licensing people who use insulin through waiver and exemption programs, ADA has been pushing for a medically-appropriate system to individually assess people with diabetes. Recognizing the discrimination that results when people are deemed unsafe simply because of how they treat their diabetes, ADA insisted on better, more fair rules. ADA celebrates the achievement of that goal today with FMCSA’s final rule.
FMCSA rules apply to most people who operate commercial motor vehicles – trucks, buses, construction vehicles, delivery vehicles, airport shuttles, etc. – in interstate commerce. In addition, many employers adopted the rule for their own use in evaluating workers, even if those workers were not directly subject to the rule itself. As a result, a rule that categorically excludes people who use insulin means people with diabetes are kept out of many jobs they are otherwise qualified to perform. The old rule contained a blanket exclusion against insulin use regardless of how well a person managed his or her diabetes. In 2003, FMCSA began granting exemptions to individuals who could satisfy safety criteria and wait out a long and cumbersome application process. The application process involved a period of many months during which the individual could not drive a commercial vehicle, often resulting in loss of income.
The new rule allows individuals on a stable insulin regimen to operate commercial vehicles without needing to obtain an exemption from the government. It provides for an appropriate assessment of diabetes by the individual’s treating clinician, followed by examination and certification from a certified medical examiner. “This rule eliminates a longstanding barrier that prevented people with diabetes from fully realizing their potential in the workforce,” said Katie Hathaway, JD, Vice President of Legal Advocacy for the American Diabetes Association. “I’m proud of ADA’s commitment to this issue and to leading the fight for what’s right for people with diabetes. We are so pleased to celebrate this victory alongside those affected by the outdated rule.”
Read the rest of the ADA’s statement here
Dancing For Diabetes
I'm proud to introduce Dancing for Diabetes as the newest sponsor of the Juicebox Podcast and I am absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to tell you about this amazing diabetes charity.
Dancing for Diabetes has been spreading awareness through the art of dance to better educate the community, raise funds to find a cure, and inspire those with diabetes to live healthy and active lives for the past 18 years and will continue to do so until a cure is found!
Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 10 years old in 1999, Elizabeth Forrest was determined to not let diabetes negatively impact her life. As a direct result, Elizabeth created nonprofit organization, “Dancing for Diabetes.”
As a student in a middle school dance program in Sanford, Florida, Elizabeth was inspired to host a show to raise funds but more importantly, spread awareness. What started as a small neighborhood event quickly transformed into a large annual production and then further into a year round 501c3 nonprofit organization. In the fall of 2018, Dancing for Diabetes will produce its 18th annual show.
Year round, Dancing for Diabetes provides free dance class for kids and teens with type 1 diabetes, hosts several outreach events and programs for kids, teens and adults, and produces Touched by Type 1 – an educational and empowering conference in Orlando, Florida. To learn more, please visit: www.dancing4diabetes.com.
Amazon Buys Online Pharmacy
This could have a huge and positive impact on insulin pricing... Watch this space
Amazon could start selling discounted meds to cash payers as soon as the PillPack deal closes
- Amazon bought internet pharmacy start-up PillPack last week for around $1 billion.
- Consumers could get access to prescription meds sooner than you might expect.
- Drug supply chain experts suggest that the company could target the growing niche of people who pay out-of-pocket for their meds.
Now that Amazon has snapped up internet pharmacy PillPack for around $1 billion in cash, how long will it take before consumers can rely on the e-commerce giant for their medicines, as they do for groceries, clothing, books and pretty much everything else?
And what will Amazon's strategy be once the deal closes this year?
CNBC spoke to a half-dozen drug supply chain experts to find out.
It'll happen faster than you think
When Amazon bought Whole Foods, shoppers were able to access discounts the day the deal closed. It all started with a few items, but expanded to a much broader array of groceries.
Some experts believe Amazon will take a similar approach with prescription medicines to show value right off the bat. The companies said the deal would close in the second half of the year, which means it could happen any time.
"Amazon could rename PillPack as 'Amazon Pharmacy,' and start right away," said Talha Sattar, CEO of internet pharmacy start-up Nimble. "The bigger question is about the form that the offering will take."
Amazon could start by targeting those who pay cash for their meds, either for generic drugs or branded drugs with coupons from companies like GoodRx.
“Day 1, Amazon will likely focus on cash purchases of both generic and brand medicines — all they need to do so is [get] a board of pharmacy license in all 50 states, and dispensing capacity," said Jonathan Schwartz, CEO of another internet pharmacy start-up, CareZone.
story reposted from CNBC
Christina Farr| @chrissyfarr
Published 9:25 AM ET Tue, 3 July 2018 Updated 12:31 PM ET Tue, 3 July 2018
That's a chunk of a $450 billion market, or about 6 percent of the U.S. population, which includes the noninsured and those with high-deductible plans. It also doesn't require working with the largest pharmacy benefits managers, like Express Scripts, which are gatekeepers of sorts for those who opt to use their health insurance.
Amazon's biggest rival, Walmart, already offers a service like this. It's essentially a list of generic medicines with a $4 price for 30-day prescriptions — no insurance required. Some experts believe Amazon could do its own version of this quickly, and with even lower prices to attract users away from its competitor.
"A company like Amazon could capture $10 [billion] or $20 billion in revenue by doing that well," said Sattar.
But not a complete offering
Pharmacy experts disagree on whether Amazon will have success forging relationships with pharmacy benefits managers.
An Express Scripts spokesperson said Friday that its agreement with PillPack is expiring in July and that the two companies haven't yet reached an agreement on rates. The company did not say whether a change in ownership would affect the discussions.
Other pharmacy benefits managers might shy away from maintaining an agreement with PillPack if they see it as a threat.
For that reason, it might take some time before the company is able to offer cheaper, in-network prices on prescription medicines.
Stephen Buck, who previously worked at drug distributor McKesson, suspects that it would be more than a year before that happens because he believes Amazon will be slow and deliberate with its rollout. Amazon might pick a small market, like a single state, to pilot the offering before expanding to others. PillPack operates in 49 states.
The ABC factor
Amazon is also a partner with J.P. Morgan and Berkshire Hathaway in a program to fix heath care for their employees.
The PillPack offering might come in handy as the partners look to distribute affordable medicines to their 1.2 million combined workforce. Atul Gawande, the group's recently named CEO, recently spoke about his plans to target waste in the health-care system, including high prices associated with things like administrative costs and prescription medicines.
But it's possible that Amazon will work more quickly on its own. Gawande has made clear that disrupting the health industry could take decades — and Amazon typically works far more quickly than that. "Amazon is not known for doing things slowly," Sattar said.