WORLD NEWS FLASH
EUROPE
If you thought the swath of heat cooking the greater NJ / NY area was hot, trying taking a trip across the pond.
The chances of seeing unprecedented temperatures of 40 degree Celsius (40°C) or more in the UK could be up to 10 times more likely in the current climate than under a “natural climate unaffected by human influence,” the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) declared.
In a statement, the WMO noted that the UK’s Met Office has, for the first time, issued a “Red Warning” for exceptional heat, and forecast temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) on July 18-19.
The current record high temperature in the UK is 38.7 degrees Celsius (101.66 Fahrenheit), which was reached just three years ago.
“Nights are also likely to be exceptionally warm, especially in urban areas”, said Met Office Chief Meteorologist Paul Gundersen. “This is likely to lead to widespread impacts on people and infrastructure. Therefore, it is important people plan for the heat and consider changing their routines. This level of heat can have adverse health effects.”
The heatwave is also acting as a lid, trapping atmospheric pollutants, including particulate matter, resulting in a degradation of air quality and adverse health effects, particularly to vulnerable people, explained Lorenzo Labrador, Scientific Officer at WMO’s Global Atmosphere Watch Program.
“Likewise, the abundant sunshine, high concentrations of certain atmospheric pollutants and stable atmosphere is conducive to episodes of ozone formation near the surface, which has detrimental effects on people and plants,” he continued.
Dr. Nikos Christidis, climate attribution scientist at the Met Office, added that a recent study has found that the likelihood of extremely hot days in the UK has been increasing and will continue to do so during the course of the century.
“Climate change has already influenced the likelihood of temperature extremes in the UK”, said Dr. Christidis. “The likelihood of exceeding 40 degrees Celsius anywhere in the UK in a given year has also been rapidly increasing, and, even with current pledges on emissions reductions, such extremes could be taking place every 15 years in the climate of 2100.”
Extreme heat events do occur within natural climate variation due to changes in global weather patterns. However, the WMO points out that the increase in the frequency, duration, and intensity of these events over recent decades is clearly linked to the observed warming of the planet and can be attributed to human activity.
News of the exceptional highs expected in the northern European country broke amid huge wildfires across the southwest of the continent, which have caused hundreds of deaths, and seen thousands of people evacuated from their homes.
In Portugal, temperatures have reached highs up to around 46°C (114.8 Fahrenheit), and red warnings are in effect for much of the country, as hot conditions increase the risk of wildfires.
More than 13,000 hectares of land were on fire in the French Gironde region, and 15 of France’s 96 departments were listed on Red alert and 51 on Orange alert, with residents of those areas urged to be vigilant. Fires have also broken out in London.
UNITED STATES
DOZENS CHARGED IN $1.2 BILLION HEALTH FRAUD
The Department of Justice announced on July 20 criminal charges against 36 defendants in 13 federal districts across the United States for more than $1.2 billion in alleged fraudulent telemedicine, cardiovascular and cancer genetic testing, and durable medical equipment (DME) schemes.
The nationwide coordinated law enforcement action includes criminal charges against a telemedicine company executive, owners and executives of clinical laboratories, durable medical equipment companies, marketing organizations, and medical professionals.
Additionally, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Center for Program Integrity (CPI) announced today that it took adverse administrative actions against 52 providers involved in similar schemes. In connection with the enforcement action, the department seized over $8 million in cash, luxury vehicles, and other fraud proceeds.
The coordinated federal investigations announced primarily targeted alleged schemes involving the payment of illegal kickbacks and bribes by laboratory owners and operators in exchange for the referral of patients by medical professionals working with fraudulent telemedicine and digital medical technology companies. Telemedicine schemes account for more than $1 billion of the total alleged intended losses associated with the enforcement action.
These charges include some of the first prosecutions in the nation related to fraudulent cardiovascular genetic testing, a burgeoning scheme. As alleged in court documents, medical professionals made referrals for expensive and medically unnecessary cardiovascular and cancer genetic tests, as well as durable medical equipment. For example, cardiovascular genetic testing was not a method of diagnosing whether an individual presently had a cardiac condition and was not approved by Medicare for use as a general screening test for indicating an increased risk of developing cardiovascular conditions in the future.
One particular case charged involved the operator of several clinical laboratories, who was charged in connection with a scheme to pay over $16 million in kickbacks to marketers who, in turn, paid kickbacks to telemedicine companies and call centers in exchange for doctors’ orders. As alleged in court documents, orders for cardiovascular and cancer genetic testing were used by the defendant and others to submit over $174 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare – but the results of the testing were not used in treatment of patients. The defendant allegedly laundered the proceeds of the fraudulent scheme through a complex network of bank accounts and entities, including to purchase luxury vehicles, a yacht, and real estate. The indictment seeks forfeiture of over $7 million in United States currency, three properties, the yacht, and a Tesla and other vehicles.
Some of the defendants charged in this enforcement action allegedly controlled a telemarketing network, based both domestically and overseas, that lured thousands of elderly and/or disabled patients into a criminal scheme. The owners of marketing organizations allegedly had telemarketers use deceptive techniques to induce Medicare beneficiaries to agree to cardiovascular genetic testing, and other genetic testing and equipment.
The charges announced allege that the telemedicine companies arranged for medical professionals to order these expensive genetic tests and durable medical equipment regardless of whether the patients needed them, and that they were ordered without any patient interaction or with only a brief telephonic conversation. Often, these test results or durable medical equipment were not provided to the patients or were worthless to their primary care doctors.
A complaint, information or indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Any patients who believe that they have been contacted as part of a fraudulent telemedicine, clinical laboratory, or DME scheme should call to report this conduct to HHS-OIG at 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
WORLD
NELSON MANDELA REMEMBERED
UN Member States gathered in the General Assembly Hall on July 18 to observe Nelson Mandela International Day, a celebration for everyone to take action and inspire change in their communities.
The first democratically-elected President of South Africa, and the country’s first Black leader, died in December 2013 at age 95. The annual commemoration on July 18, his birthday, recognizes his contribution to the culture of peace and freedom.
Mr. Mandela – affectionately known as “Madiba”, his Xhosa clan name – fought against the racist apartheid system in his homeland, and for equality and freedom for all people.
Abdulla Shahid, President of the UN General Assembly, recalled that he also advocated for democracy, gender equality, the rights of children and young people, and for protecting the environment.
“Madiba’s fight against apartheid, was in fact a fight for a better world, in which the freedom, justice and dignity of all were respected. He called for peace, social justice, equality and human understanding throughout his life,” he said.
At the ceremony, a Greek philanthropist who fights to end childhood cancer, and a Guinean senior official working to stamp out violence against women and girls in Africa, were honored for their service to humanity.
Marianna Vardinoyannis and Dr. Morissanda Kouyaté are the recipients of the 2020 United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize.
The Prize is awarded every five years to one man and one woman, but presentation was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ms. Vardinoyannis is founder and president of an eponymous foundation dedicated to children, and the ELPIDA Friends’ Association of Children with cancer. She has been a Goodwill Ambassador of the UN education and cultural organization, UNESCO, since 1999.
Dr. Kouyaté, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guinea, is Executive Director of the Inter-African Committee on Harmful Traditional Practices (IAC). He is a leading figure in efforts on ending violence against women, including Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
