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Unlike FY2009, we don’t have fiscal and monetary ammunition to revive the economy quickly: Sanjeev Prasad – Economic Times

Posted: October 30, 2019 at 12:46 am

Sanjeev Prasad, managing director of Kotak Institutional Equities, believes that the governments investment-led growth model may be a slightly longer-term and a riskier route, but a much more sustainable one. In an interview with ETMarkets.com, he said the governments move to cut corporate tax rate to kick-start investment cycle was a necessary condition but not a sufficient one. He is of the view that the government should exit all PSU companies over time, barring a handful of strategic ones. Edited excerpts:

Government has made some efforts to boost the economy in tranches. Are these measures enough or could they have done more?The government seems to be making a pivot to an investment-led growth model versus the traditional consumption-led growth model, which we have seen for the past 3-4 years. The government understands the importance of investment and job creation and the need to kick-start the investment cycle, which will create jobs and in turn, will lead to consumption demand revival. This is a slightly longer-term and riskier route, which the government has adopted in my view but it is also a much more sustainable one. Having said that, corporate tax cut is only the first of several steps which the government needs to take to really kick-start the investment cycle. I call it a necessary condition but not a sufficient condition.

Along with corporate tax cut, we need four other things to kick-start investment in two broad areas - manufacturing and infrastructure. For manufacturing, we need reforms in factors of production. First, we need simpler labour laws in the country.

Second, India can do with easier land acquisition policies. The current land acquisition act is somewhat complicated but having said that, I have never understood why land acquisition is such a big problem in India. Ultimately, agriculture is not a viable proposition when one looks at the amount of money an average farmer makes in India.

Third, the approval mechanism in India has to be a lot simpler and automatic with limited role for the state bureaucracy.

Fourth, sanctity of contracts should be maintained except in exceptional circumstances. Of late we have seen certain states wanting to reopen contracts, which have been awarded by a previous government. Any investor would not like to deal with such uncertainty. These are the four other steps in my view that India needs to implement to attract a lot more investment in manufacturing.

When do you think the economy will start to recover and how?It is very hard to say because this is not entirely a cyclical slowdown. The current slowdown is also due to certain structural challenges in the economy, which were masked by strong consumption growth until recently. The slowdown is more visible now because of sharp decline in auto sales and general consumption over the past 6-12 months.

Look at real estate sales which have been down for the past 5-6 years. The peak was reached sometime in FY2011-12. It is not a new phenomenon in that sense and in the last 3-4 years, overall growth was held up because consumption was holding up reasonably well, but at the cost of household savings. Households were consuming more and more but saving less and less. In other words, consumption was growing faster than income. We believe income growth had slowed down over the past few years and the trend of higher consumption and lower savings was not sustainable beyond a point.

At the same time, the government was spending aggressively, particularly on revenue expenditure. However, that was at the cost of running very high fiscal deficits. Both the drivers of economic growthprivate consumption and government spendinghave challenges in my view. Among the other drivers of an economy, investment was anyway weak in India over the past few years and net exports is not really material for India.

The fundamental problem is of low growth in household incomes, which in turn points to a more fundamental issue of weak job situation in the economy. Three things may have worsened in my view in the last 3-4 years from an income standpoint. First, India is probably not creating as many jobs in the formal economy as what we thought earlier or what is required. Second, the informal economy may have seen some job losses, although this is based on anecdotal evidence. Third, farm incomes have stagnated as farm prices have been largely flat-to-down over the past 3-4 years. So, it would appear that household incomes have not been growing fast enough to sustain consumption at the previous high rate. This is a fundamental issue, which is not easy to reverse immediately. Lastly, India already runs very high fiscal deficit and thus, there is limited scope to support consumption through tax cuts etc.

In light of all of this, what is the outlook for the market for the next one year? A lot will depend on global developments and the measures the government takes to address the ongoing slowdown. If you look at the history of slowdowns in India, you can draw some parallels and some lessons from the same. For example, if one was to look at FY2001-03 slowdown, this was a period of very low investment by the private sector. The then (NDA) government opened up several sectors for private sector investment including upstream oil & gas, power generation, roads/highways, and addressed the policy challenges in telecom.

As a result, private sector investment as a proportion to GDP, which used to be 5-6% of GDP before the deregulation of the sectors for private sector investment, shot up to 14% of GDP by FY2008. There was a big investment boom in FY2004-08. Also, global commodity prices were high at that time and companies were willing to invest in metals & mining and downstream oil too. The strong growth in investment led to massive growth in the economy.

If one was to look at the FY2009 slowdown, which was immediately after the global financial crisis, the economy had a lot of capacity for appropriate fiscal and monetary responses due to low fiscal deficit and high repo rates at that time; the RBI had been progressively raising repo rates in line with economic expansion. The government cut excise duty by 400 bps and the RBI reduced repo rate by 425 bps between October 2008 and April 2019. So, the economy bounced back very quickly due to the combined fiscal and monetary stimulus from 3.1% GDP growth in FY2009 to around 8% in both FY2010 and FY2011.

The third period of slowdown was over FY2012-14 when GDP growth was in the region of 5-6%. Indias external situation was quite bad, inflation was very high at over 9%. current account deficit was also very high at over 4% and thus, the then (UPA-2) government struggled to deliver the required response to revive the economy given the macro-economic constraints.

I do not think it is a FY2009 kind of a slowdown. We just do not have the fiscal and monetary ammunition to revive the economy quickly. The question is, is it a FY2001-03 situation when the then NDA government took a number of bold steps and deregulated several sectors for private sector investment or is it a FY 2012-14 muddle-through situation? I would like to believe that the government will take the necessary steps to revive the economy. The governments decision to cut corporate tax rate is a very bold step and I would like to believe that it will follow up with the 3-4other reforms, which I talked about earlier.

Private sector capex is not on an upswing for seven-eight years now. When do you think it will recover?Private sector investment has held up at about 11-12% of GDP for the past few years and has grown in line with nominal GDP. However, the challenge is that the private sector is highly leveraged and we could see a decline in private sector investment instead of a pickup in investment. Currently, the private sector faces several challenges(1) the ability to invest is simply not there, given balance sheet issues; and (2) the willingness to invest is also limited given the past bad experience of investment in infrastructure sectors for many companies. Lastly, current ownership and pricing policies will restrict investment in basic infrastructure sectors such as electricity (distribution and transmission), mobility (urban transportation) and water (including sanitation and sewage) to government companies and entities.What are FIIs telling you? Are they willing to put in more money at these levels or would they still be on the sidelines?FIIs are very clear in their investment approach. Their portfolios, by choice or by accident, have become very concentrated towards quality stocks in the consumption sectors. They have large exposure to consumer staples and discretionary companies and private financials with moderate weights in IT and pharma sectors. Reliance Industries would be one of the few non-consumption stocks with a decent weight in the portfolios of FIIs. Most FIIs have very little interest in owning public sector or commodity stocks in India.

FIIs are grappling with the super-expensive valuations of the consumption stocks. However, they are unwilling to invest beyond the high-quality stocks in the consumption sectors, given their concerns around either the business models of other companies or their governance practices.

What is your take on the divestment process for the privatisation layout?It makes a lot of sense. The government should exit all PSU companies over time, barring a handful of strategic (defence-related) ones over time. This will help the government achieve several objectives. First, the bulk of investment in infrastructure will be done by the government and not by the private sector over the next few years and privatisation of PSUs is one way to raise sufficient funds to overcome Indias infrastructure deficit.

When I say infrastructure, it is basically a combination of electricity, mobility and water. In most of these areas, the private sector cannot even invest or the pricing of the services is controlled by the government. Thus, the private sector is unlikely to invest in these areas without market pricing of basic utilities. The government will have to do most of the investment and it would need funds to do so.

Second, many of the PSU companies have capable managements that can run the companies under the oversight of independent boards without any government ownership. The government can privatise such PSU companies by selling its stake to retail and institutional investors. There is no need of a strategic divestment in certain cases.

Third, government ownership in many PSU companies has already fallen to around 51% and the government has no option but to explore privatisation to raise additional funds to meet its fiscal targets and strategic objectives.

When do you think corporate report cards will really look better from here on? We have been talking of an elusive earnings revival for many quarters now, is it still elusive?No. Earnings revival will come because of two factors. First, banks have already created sufficient loan-loss provisions against their NPAs, which should result in a big increase in their reported profits over FY2020 and FY2021. I would assume that loan-loss provisions would come down because (a) banks have recognised the bulk of their NPAs and (b) created significant loan-loss provision with reasonably high provision coverage ratios.

Second, several companies in the consumer staples and discretionary and commodity sectors and even banks and NBFCs will benefit from the lower corporate tax rate announced by the government recently. We are currently looking at 17% growth in net profits of the Nifty-50 Index for FY2020 and 21% for FY2021.

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Unlike FY2009, we don't have fiscal and monetary ammunition to revive the economy quickly: Sanjeev Prasad - Economic Times

Happy National Cat Day! Here are seven reasons to keep your cat indoors – Florida Today

Posted: October 30, 2019 at 12:44 am

Titusville firefighters gingerly extricated a cat named Suba Mae from the engine compartment of a Mercedes-Benz on Sept. 27, 2019 Titusville Fire Department

Cats are predators, which means theyre naturally adventurous. But did you know your cats outdoor adventures can be harmful to the ecosystem and could even shorten her life? While we all want our pets to live their best lives, there are a lot of reasons to keep your cat indoors.

Cats are prolific hunters. While thats sometimes a good thing they do a great job as rodent exterminatorsa cats hunting habits can disrupt natural ecosystems by depleting native wildlife populations.

According to the American Bird Conservancy, Predation by domestic cats is the number-one direct, human-caused threat to birds in the United States and Canada. Cats kill a staggering 2.4 billion birds every year, and even a well-fed pet cat will hunt.

Birds arent the only species suffering from over-hunting by domestic cats. In the Florida panhandle, the Perdido Key mouse has been classified as endangered, largely due to human development and predation by cats.

Keeping your cat indoors goes a long way toward protecting the native wildlife around your home.

More: Florida's least wanted: 10 invasive animal species that are wrecking native ecosystems

Because cats hunt and eat rodents and other animals, they risk ingesting toxic substances. Poisons used to control rat and mouse populations can be passed on to a cat if she catches and eats an animal that has been in contact with rodenticides. This can lead to a costly vet bill or worse.

Cats can also be poisoned just by coming into contact with toxic substances. International Cat Care warns that a cat that has simply walked through a garden that was recently treated with weed killer could be at risk of poisoning if the chemical is on her fur when she grooms herself.

More: County commissioners seek changes in rules affecting pet store sales of dogs, cats

Its very important to have your cat vaccinated, even if she lives indoors. Vaccination protects cats from the deadliest communicable diseases like feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukemia and rabies, but other contagious ailments arent so easily controlled.

Much like the common cold in humans, upper respiratory infections spread easily between cats. According to the ASPCA, cats can develop secondary bacterial infections, like eye or ear infections or pneumonia, after contracting a viral upper respiratory infection.

Outdoor cats risk picking up parasites, too. Roundworm, hookworm and tapeworm larvae are lurking in practically every outdoor setting. A cat can be exposed by being around soil where an infected animal has defecated, or by munching on prey thats carrying live worms or larvae. A parasitic infection can cause a variety of health issues, including weight loss, diarrhea and vomiting. And yes, these worms can live in human bodies, too.

Other parasites like fleas and ticks, or fungal infections like ringworm are frequent problems for outdoor cats and their owners. Prevent an itchy, ugly or potentially dangerous situation in your home by keeping Kitty in the house.

More: Stray cats boosting rabies risk in Brevard. 16 rabid cats reported statewide in 2018

4. Stop the violence!

Cats are territorial hunters, and while they can sometimes make friends with other cats, they prefer to be the only hunters on their turf. And theyre all too happy to fight for it.

Catfights can lead to a whole host of problems for the contenders. Bites can spread disease and cause bacterial infections, leading to painful abscesses under the skin. Claws can mangle eyes and ears, resulting in permanent disability or disfigurement. Whats worse, cats in the heat of battle often lose situational awareness and can dart into traffic.

Indoor cats make happy neighbors, too. No one wants to wake up in the middle of the night to the screeching, hissing and growling of a kitty confrontation outside the bedroom window.

Cats are adept predators, but they can also become prey. Roaming dogs, coyotes and even large birds of prey have been known to attack and kill domestic cats.

Coyotes are slowly migrating into Florida, where they have been attacking pet dogs and cats in some communities. In 2017, as coyotes started appearing around Satellite Beach, pet owners were warned to keep their cats indoors. One coyote went so far as to snatch a beloved pet cat from his owners screened porch.

More: Coyotes spotted in Indian Harbour Beach, police say. If you see one, don't feed it

Coyotes tend to be shy and elusive, but are known to attack pets when on the hunt for food. Discourage coyotes with these tips. Ginny Beagan, TCPALM

Even a clever cat can run into trouble outside. Cats are known to climb trees and sunbathe on roofs, but with their fondness for heights comes the risk of a bad fall. While cats do have an innate ability to rotate midair and usually land on their feet, this doesnt prevent all injuries.

Even more dangerous than a fall is the risk of being hit by a car. A UK study concluded young male cats are most prone to injury or death from road traffic accidents. Being hit by a car is often fatal for cats.

The easiest way to prevent every pet owners worst nightmare is to keep your cat safely inside and off the streets.

Not everyone loves cats. Some people think outdoor cats are nuisance animals and will harm them. Other people see a small, unsupervised animal as an easy target for cruelty and violence.

A Florida law that took effect in 2018 increased penalties for animal cruelty, but its not enough to assume everyone will follow the law. You cant predict what kinds of people your cat might encounter while roaming the neighborhood, but you can control who enters your home.

A cats drive to hunt means she will likely roam all over the neighborhood. Sometimes, the cat doesnt come back. This might be because some well-meaning human a few streets over thought your cat was a stray and brought her inside. Or your cat might find her way into the back of a delivery truck, stuck in someones garage or simply lose her bearings.

Whatever the reason, data published by Lost Pet Research and Recovery showed only 1.5 to 4.5 percent of cats that end up in shelters are returned to their owners. While indoor-only cats are more likely to get lost if they get out, the majority of missing cats are those that have access to the outdoors.

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Happy National Cat Day! Here are seven reasons to keep your cat indoors - Florida Today

Love horror movies? Learn what happens to your body when you watch one – The Indian Express

Posted: October 30, 2019 at 12:44 am

While you are not actually at risk, a horror movie may make you feel like you are. (Source: Getty/Thinkstock)

You are finally watching the horror movie that you have wanted to watch for a while now. It is everything you imagined, blood and gore, and jump scares and shrieks. And while you are enjoying every bit of this experience, your body is reacting to the situation in ways you havent imagined. And regardless of whether you are in a movie threatre or tucked safely under the covers, there are some typical responses that come about when you are immersed in the genre. Want to find out what they are? Read on.

ALSO READ |Want to lose some weight? Watch a horror movie today

Your heart rate goes up

This is a basic response to when you feel threatened. And while you are not actually at risk, a horror movie may make you feel like you are. Besides, it is easiest to associate yourself with the protagonist of a horror film, so much so that you start feeling similar fight-or-flight responses. There is a cascading effect to this. According to a study conducted by the University of Westminster, watching a horror film can burn calories and subsequently help in weight loss as well given the increase in heart rate.

Your muscles contract

Lets just say the scarier the movie, the more difficult it is for you to relax. As mentioned before, your fight-or-flight responses are triggered. So, you are naturally on edge, ready for whatever is in store (in the film, of course). This is why you get startled easy when you watch a scary film. You tend to clench your fists tight. It is similar to experiencing a roller coaster ride.

Horror movies can help with anxiety

This might read as counter-intuitive, but watching a horror film can help you, particularly if you struggle with anxiety. While the common belief is that those who have had any kind of trauma could be triggered by the genre, it might not always be the case. Experts believe that a horror film can also calm you down by giving you a strange reassuring feeling that you are not being subjected to whatever is shown on screen, and that you are in a safe environment. Additionally, it gives people an outlet to redirect their personal anxiety into something else, something that is not real.

The brain shifts gears

When you watch films belonging to other genres, the brain is in a relaxed state, because thats what films are supposed to do relax you. Horror films, obviously, dont abide by this rule. The brain, therefore, gets fully sucked in and its central focus increases. This means, you are in a state wherein its just you and the film. The slightest distractions, therefore, may alarm you and give you goosebumps.

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Love horror movies? Learn what happens to your body when you watch one - The Indian Express

Verastem Oncology Reports Third Quarter 2019 Financial Results and Recent Company Progress – Business Wire

Posted: October 30, 2019 at 12:44 am

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Verastem, Inc. (Nasdaq: VSTM), operating as Verastem Oncology (or the Company), focused on developing and commercializing medicines seeking to improve the survival and quality of life of cancer patients, today reported financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2019, and provided an overview of recent accomplishments and clinical development progress for duvelisib (COPIKTRA).

In the third quarter, we achieved $9.0 million in revenue, including $4.0 million in net product revenue from COPIKTRA, a 33% increase over the prior quarter, and we remain on track to achieve the revenue that we have guided for this year. We continue to make progress with COPIKTRA sales as the intent to prescribe and new prescriber base grows week over week due to solid progress across our commercial efforts, including physician education and contracting. We also believe in the long-term potential for our current COPIKTRA indications, said Brian Stuglik, Chief Executive Officer of Verastem Oncology. We are deeply committed to our long-term strategy to achieve sustainable growth and progress our mission on behalf of patients. In order to achieve these ambitious goals and provide us with greater financial flexibility going forward, we are streamlining our organization and reducing operating expenses, which will result in approximately $25 million in annualized cost savings next year.

Key Third Quarter 2019 and Recent Accomplishments

Corporate and Financial

COPIKTRA (duvelisib)

Third Quarter 2019 Financial Results

Total revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2019 (2019 Quarter) was $9.0 million. Net product revenue for the 2019 Quarter was $4.0 million, compared to $0.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2018 (2018 Quarter), following the FDAs approval of COPIKTRA on September 24, 2018. License and collaboration revenue for the 2019 Quarter was $5.0 million, compared to $15.0 million for the 2018 Quarter. The 2018 Quarter included license revenue of $15.0 million related to an upfront payment pursuant to a license and collaboration agreement executed between Verastem Oncology and CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Limited in September 2018. The 2019 Quarter includes a $5.0 million upfront payment received pursuant to a license and collaboration agreement executed between Verastem Oncology and Sanofi in July 2019.

Total operating expenses for the 2019 Quarter were $35.1 million, compared to $41.4 million for the second quarter of 2019 and compared to $37.1 million for the 2018 Quarter.

Research and development (R&D) expense for the 2019 Quarter was $12.2 million, compared to $11.6 million for the 2018 Quarter. The increase of $0.6 million, or 5.2%, was primarily related to an increase of $0.4 million in contract research organizations (CRO) costs and an increase of $0.3 million related to personnel costs, including non-cash stock-based compensation, partially offset by a decrease of $0.1 million in consulting costs. The $0.4 million increase in CRO costs is primarily related to an increase of $1.5 million for the Companys planned DUETTO and TEMPO studies, partially offset by a decrease of $1.0 million resulting from site closures for the Phase 3 DUO and Phase 2 DYNAMO studies as patients continue to complete treatment.

Selling, general and administrative expense for the 2019 Quarter was $22.2 million, compared to $25.4 million for the 2018 Quarter. The decrease of $3.2 million, or 12.6%, was primarily due to a decrease of $2.3 million in consulting and professional fees, primarily related to the support of commercial launch preparation activities in the 2018 Quarter and a decrease of $0.9 million in personnel related costs, including non-cash stock-based compensation.

Net loss for the 2019 Quarter was $30.1 million, or $0.41 per share (basic and diluted), compared to $21.7 million, or $0.29 per share (basic and diluted), for the 2018 Quarter.

For the 2019 Quarter, non-GAAP adjusted net loss was $26.2 million, or $0.35 per share, compared to non-GAAP adjusted net loss of $19.4 million, or $0.26 per share, for the 2018 Quarter. Please refer to the GAAP to Non-GAAP Reconciliation attached to this press release.

As of September 30, 2019, Verastem Oncology had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $160.2 million.

Financial Guidance for Fiscal 2019

Verastem Oncology is reiterating its full-year 2019 guidance and expects net product revenue for COPIKTRA to be in the range of $12-14 million. This guidance is based on product revenue to date, current run rates and near-term expectations.

Conference Call and Webcast Information

The Verastem Oncology management team will host a conference call and webcast today, Tuesday, October 29, 2019, at 4:30 PM (ET). The call can be accessed by dialing (877) 341-5660 (U.S. and Canada) or (315) 625-3226 (international), five minutes prior to the start of the call and providing the passcode 5785818.

The live, listen-only webcast of the conference call can be accessed by visiting the investors section of the Company's website at http://www.verastem.com. A replay of the webcast will be archived on the Company's website for 90 days following the call.

About Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) are cancers that affect lymphocytes and are essentially the same disease, with the only difference being the location where the cancer primarily occurs. When most of the cancer cells are located in the bloodstream and the bone marrow, the disease is referred to as CLL, although the lymph nodes and spleen are often involved. When the cancer cells are located mostly in the lymph nodes, the disease is called SLL. The symptoms of CLL/SLL include a tender, swollen abdomen and feeling full even after eating only a small amount. Other symptoms can include fatigue, shortness of breath, anemia, bruising easily, night sweats, weight loss, and frequent infections. However, many patients with CLL/SLL will live for years without symptoms. In 2018, there were approximately 200,000 patients in the United States affected by CLL/SLL with nearly 20,000 new diagnoses. While there are therapies currently available, real-world data reveals that a significant number of patients either relapse following treatment, become refractory to current agents, or are unable to tolerate treatment, representing a significant medical need. The potential of additional oral agents, particularly as a monotherapy that can be used in the general community physicians armamentarium, may hold significant value in the treatment of patients with CLL/SLL.

About Follicular Lymphoma

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is typically a slow-growing or indolent form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that arises from B-lymphocytes, making it a B-cell lymphoma. In 2018, this lymphoma subtype accounted for 20 to 30 percent of all NHL cases, with more than 140,000 people in the United States with FL and more than 13,000 newly diagnosed patients. Common symptoms of FL include enlargement of the lymph nodes in the neck, underarms, abdomen, or groin, as well as fatigue, shortness of breath, night sweats, and weight loss. Often, patients with FL have no obvious symptoms of the disease at diagnosis. Follicular lymphoma is usually not considered to be curable, but more of a chronic disease, with patients living for many years with this form of lymphoma. The potential of additional oral agents, particularly as a monotherapy that can be used in the general community physicians armamentarium, may hold significant value in the treatment of patients with FL.

About Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma

Peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) is an aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that develops in mature white blood cells called T cells and natural killer (NK) cells1 which circulate with the lymphatic system.2 PTCL accounts for between 10-15% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs) and generally affects people aged 60 years and older.1 Although there are many different subtypes of peripheral T-cell lymphoma, they often present in a similar way, with widespread, enlarged, painless lymph nodes in the neck, armpit or groin.2 There is currently no established standard of care for patients with relapsed or refractory disease.1

About COPIKTRA (duvelisib)

COPIKTRA is an oral inhibitor of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), and the first approved dual inhibitor of PI3K-delta and PI3K-gamma, two enzymes known to help support the growth and survival of malignant B-cells. PI3K signaling may lead to the proliferation of malignant B-cells and is thought to play a role in the formation and maintenance of the supportive tumor microenvironment.3,4,5 COPIKTRA is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) after at least two prior therapies and relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL) after at least two prior systemic therapies. COPIKTRA is also being developed by Verastem Oncology for the treatment of peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), for which it has received Fast Track status, and is being investigated in combination with other agents through investigator-sponsored studies.6 For more information on COPIKTRA, please visit http://www.COPIKTRA.com. Information about duvelisib clinical trials can be found on http://www.clinicaltrials.gov.

About Verastem Oncology

Verastem Oncology (Nasdaq: VSTM) is a commercial biopharmaceutical company committed to the development and commercialization of medicines to improve the lives of patients diagnosed with cancer. We are driven by the strength, tenacity and courage of those battling cancer single-minded in our resolve to deliver new therapies that not only keep cancer at bay but improve the lives of patients diagnosed with cancer. Because for us, its personal.

Our first FDA approved product is now available for the treatment of patients with certain types of indolent non-Hodgkins lymphoma (iNHL). Our pipeline comprises product candidates that seek to treat cancer by modulating the local tumor microenvironment. For more information, please visit http://www.verastem.com.

COPIKTRA includes a Boxed Warning for fatal and serious toxicities including infections, diarrhea or colitis, cutaneous reactions and pneumonitis. See full Prescribing Information for complete Boxed Warning and other important safety information.

SELECT IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

This does not include all information needed to use COPIKTRA (duvelisib) safely and effectively. See full Prescribing Information.

WARNING: FATAL AND SERIOUS TOXICITIES: INFECTIONS, DIARRHEA OR COLITIS, CUTANEOUS REACTIONS, and PNEUMONITIS

See full Prescribing Information for complete boxed warning

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

COPIKTRA is a kinase inhibitor indicated for the treatment of adult patients with:

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

ADVERSE REACTIONS

The most common adverse reactions (20%) are diarrhea or colitis, neutropenia, rash, fatigue, pyrexia, cough, nausea, upper respiratory infection, pneumonia, musculoskeletal pain, and anemia.

To report Adverse Reactions, contact FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088) or http://www.fda.gov/medwatch and Verastem Oncology at 1-877-7RXVSTM (1-877-779-8786).

DRUG INTERACTIONS

USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

Lactation: Advise women not to breastfeed.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement Verastem Oncologys condensed consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP), the Company uses the following non-GAAP financial measures in this press release: non-GAAP adjusted net loss and non-GAAP net loss per share. These non-GAAP financial measures exclude certain amounts or expenses from the corresponding financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP. Management believes this non-GAAP information is useful for investors, taken in conjunction with the Companys GAAP financial statements, because it provides greater transparency and period-over-period comparability with respect to the Companys operating performance and can enhance investors ability to identify operating trends in the Companys business. Management uses these measures, among other factors, to assess and analyze operational results and trends and to make financial and operational decisions. Non-GAAP information is not prepared under a comprehensive set of accounting rules and should only be used to supplement an understanding of the Companys operating results as reported under GAAP, not in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. In addition, these non-GAAP financial measures are unlikely to be comparable with non-GAAP information provided by other companies. The determination of the amounts that are excluded from non-GAAP financial measures is a matter of management judgment and depends upon, among other factors, the nature of the underlying expense or income amounts. Reconciliations between these non-GAAP financial measures and the most comparable GAAP financial measures for the three and six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018 are included in the tables accompanying this press release after the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

Forward looking statements notice

This press release and the commentary in the conference call to be held today each include forward-looking statements about Verastem Oncologys strategy, future plans and prospects, including statements regarding the development and activity of Verastem Oncologys lead product COPIKTRA, and Verastem Oncologys PI3K program generally, its commercialization of COPIKTRA, the potential commercial success of COPIKTRA, including financial guidance and patient population estimates, the anticipated adoption of COPIKTRA by patients and physicians, the structure of its planned and pending clinical trials and the timeline and indications for clinical development, regulatory submissions and commercialization activities. The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "predict," "project," "target," "potential," "will," "would," "could," "should," "continue," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Each forward-looking statement is subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statement.

Applicable risks and uncertainties include the risks and uncertainties, among other things, regarding: the commercial success of COPIKTRA in the United States; physician and patient adoption of COPIKTRA, including those related to the safety and efficacy of COPIKTRA; the uncertainties inherent in research and development of COPIKTRA, such as negative or unexpected results of clinical trials; whether and when any applications for COPIKTRA may be filed with regulatory authorities in any other jurisdictions; whether and when regulatory authorities in any other jurisdictions may approve any such other applications that may be filed for COPIKTRA, which will depend on the assessment by such regulatory authorities of the benefit-risk profile suggested by the totality of the efficacy and safety information submitted and, if approved, whether COPIKTRA will be commercially successful in such jurisdictions; our ability to obtain, maintain and enforce patent and other intellectual property protection for COPIKTRA and our other product candidates; the scope, timing, and outcome of any legal proceedings; decisions by regulatory authorities regarding labeling and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of COPIKTRA; the fact that regulatory authorities in the U.S. or other jurisdictions, if approved, could withdraw approval; whether preclinical testing of our product candidates and preliminary or interim data from clinical trials will be predictive of the results or success of ongoing or later clinical trials; that the timing, scope and rate of reimbursement for our product candidates is uncertain; that third-party payors (including government agencies) may not reimburse for COPIKTRA; that there may be competitive developments affecting our product candidates; that data may not be available when expected; that enrollment of clinical trials may take longer than expected; that COPIKTRA or our other product candidates will cause unexpected safety events, experience manufacturing or supply interruptions or failures, or result in unmanageable safety profiles as compared to their levels of efficacy; that COPIKTRA will be ineffective at treating patients with lymphoid malignancies; that we will be unable to successfully initiate or complete the clinical development and eventual commercialization of our product candidates; that the development and commercialization of our product candidates will take longer or cost more than planned; that we may not have sufficient cash to fund our contemplated operations; that we, CSPC Pharmaceutical Group, Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd., Sanofi or Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. will fail to fully perform under the duvelisib license agreements; that we may be unable to make additional draws under our debt facility or obtain adequate financing in the future through product licensing, co-promotional arrangements, public or private equity, debt financing or otherwise; that we will not pursue or submit regulatory filings for our product candidates, including for duvelisib in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL/SLL) or indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (iNHL) in other jurisdictions; and that our product candidates will not receive regulatory approval, become commercially successful products, or result in new treatment options being offered to patients.

Other risks and uncertainties include those identified under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 as filed with the SEC on March 12, 2019 and in any subsequent filings with the SEC. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release reflect Verastem Oncologys views as of the date hereof, and the Company does not assume and specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

References

1 The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma Facts. July 2014.

2 Leukemia Foundation. http://www.leukaemia.org.au/blood-cancers/lymphomas/non-hodgkin-lymphoma-nhl/peripheral-t-cell-lymphoma

3 Winkler D.G., Faia K.L., DiNitto J.P. et al. PI3K-delta and PI3K-gamma inhibition by IPI-145 abrogates immune responses and suppresses activity in autoimmune and inflammatory disease models. Chem Biol 2013; 20:1-11.

4 Reif K et al. Cutting Edge: Differential Roles for Phosphoinositide 3 kinases, p110-gamma and p110-delta, in lymphocyte chemotaxis and homing. J Immunol 2004:173:2236-2240.

5 Schmid M et al. Receptor Tyrosine Kinases and TLR/IL1Rs Unexpectedly activate myeloid cell PI3K, a single convergent point promoting tumor inflammation and progression. Cancer Cell 2011; 19:715-727.

6 http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03372057

Verastem, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(in thousands)

(unaudited)

September 30,

December 31,

2019

2018

Cash, cash equivalents and investments

$

160,228

$

249,653

Accounts receivable, net

2,203

306

Inventory

478

327

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

4,049

2,973

Property and equipment, net

1,041

1,369

Intangible assets, net

20,400

21,577

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Verastem Oncology Reports Third Quarter 2019 Financial Results and Recent Company Progress - Business Wire

The Time I Confronted Another Mom to Protect My Child – Yahoo Lifestyle

Posted: October 30, 2019 at 12:44 am

Last week my family headed out to the park for a picnic. My husband and I packed sweet potatoes, vegan cheese and ham for our daughter Olivia. She ran around the grass at full speed for a solid 30 minutes, only stopping at the picnic blanket for a quick bite and sip of water. She gave the trees more hugs than I could keep track of and chased Dan to the lake and back. After she finished lunch, we headed over to the playground so she could play on the swing and slide. The playground is one of our go-to activities. The park was packed with families enjoying this glimpse of fall weather. Olivia was having the best time when all of a sudden a new family entered the playground.

The kids from the family ran onto the train with two dripping, soft serve ice cream cones. And when I say dripping, I mean the ice cream was leaving a path behind the kids as they walked around. To make matters worse, the kids dropped their cones on the playscape and rather than cleaning them up and putting them in the garbage, their mom kicked the cones to the side and left them there on the ground.

Related: Why Oral Immunotherapy Was the Right Choice for My Son With a Food Allergy

We are already cautious at the park and wipe down surfaces when we need to. But seeing the actual food that could killOlivia all over the equipment meant it was time for us to head out. So we abruptly packed Olivia up, ignoring her requests for one more time on the slide, and we walked to the car.

I am one mama bear when it comes to my baby and food allergies. I couldnt let this go! Not because the other family was in trouble but because maybe that parent just didnt know! Maybe the other mom didnt realize her child smearing the ice cream everywhere had repercussions on other people. So I strapped Olivia into her car seat to hang out with her daddy and headed back to the playscape to talk with the parents. I was so nervous Im usually not comfortable with confrontation. But to be honest, not one ounce of me believed this type of conversation could escalate. I assumed this mom just didnt know. Before I had a child with food allergies, I certainly didnt realize the magnitude or how serious they were. My mission now is to spread awareness and I figured, lets start with this mama! Boy was I wrong.

Related: We Need Better Food Allergy Labeling

I walked up to the mom and said, Hi, did your kids bring those ice creams onto the playscape?

Yes. she responded.

Oh, OK! I said with a smile. I was wondering if you wouldnt mind just grabbing the cones and throwing them in the garbage. My daughter has life-threatening food allergies, and foods like ice cream containing dairy are very dangerous for her and other children using the playscape.

The birds will get it, she responded.

Imagine saying the word what thats what my face looked like.

Oh yeah, well we unfortunately had to leave the playscape because the ice cream went all over the train and walkways, I told her.

Thats not my problem, and its not my kids problem, she said to my surprise.

Now my heart was pumping. I responded, If my daughter were to touch that ice cream, and it got anywhere near her face, it could kill her. She could die. One in 13 kids have life-threatening food allergies. Not just my daughter.

Related: Stop Making Fun of Food Allergies

Listen, if your daughter cant safely play at the park then you should just keep her home. Carry her around the playground, I dont care. Its not my problem she has so many issues. Its just food.

She yelled this at me in front of a dozen other parents at the park. Everyone stared at us.

At this point, I smiled at her, turned and walked away. When I went to talk to this mom, my only goal was to hopefully get her to clean up the ice cream and explain to her why. Unfortunately, she did not take it that way. She got defensive and mean. Sadly, this sort of reaction centered around food allergies is something Ive read all too much about.

Under her breath as she walked away, the mom said, Ill put the ice cream into the garbage.

I replied, Thats all I ask.

Did this encounter go as I hoped? No. But at the end of the day, the mom decided to do the right thing and pick up after her kids. Im proud of myself for standing up for my daughter and others like her. In this case, it paid off.

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The Time I Confronted Another Mom to Protect My Child - Yahoo Lifestyle

Who is Jenny B? Letters mailed to unsuspecting women are raising concerns – Yahoo Food

Posted: October 30, 2019 at 12:44 am

The Better Business Bureau is alerting consumers to be critical of mail congratulating them onpregnanciesand providing various gift cards and coupons to motherhood websites after connecting the letters signed Jenny B to a company calledMothers Lounge.

Thousands of women across America and Canada have reported receiving the seemingly handwritten cards which offer congratulations on expecting a baby.

Im so excited for you. I hope you like these, the cards all read, with a signature from someone named Jenny B. But many of the recipients of the notes have taken to social media to share that they dont know who Jenny B is, and arent even pregnant.

Kadie Humphreys, a 26-year-old mother-of-two from Florida, is one of the latest recipients of the letter after receiving it on Saturday. She tells Yahoo Lifestyle that since shes not expecting, she figured it might have been sent to her by mistake and took toTwitterto clarify.

There is a community called mom twitter where I assumed other moms may have received the same mailing, maybe one of them sent to me, or maybe they wanted the coupons, Humphreys writes via Twitter direct message. Nobody I know has received it but some people replied to my tweet saying they saw an article posted on Facebook.

According to theBBBs alert, it has been notified of identical letters and gift cards that it warns are being sent out from a Utah-based company, Mothers Lounge LLC., owned by a woman named Jeanette Pierce, who is likely Jenny B.

To date, BBB serving Northern Nevada and Utah has found fifteen affiliate businesses, including Thoughtful Gift Cards and Canopy Couture. These gift cards are sent all over the U.S. and Canada in an envelope which appears to have lost its return label when it never had one in the first place, the BBB alert reads. This is likely a marketing tactic meant to make the envelope look more like mail from a friend.

Consumers have even complained that the $245 worth of gift cards provided in the mailing seem to only increase the shipping cost on orders that theyve attempted to complete on any of the affiliate sites, nearly to the same price as the card itself. The many complaints which date back to February 2019 have led the BBB to give the Mothers Lounge anF ratingand even reach out to the company with concerns about their advertising practices.

On March 7th, we reviewed their advertising practices and reached out to them, Britta Clark, Director of Communications at the BBB Serving Northern Nevada and Utah, tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Even though we have not yet heard back from Mother's Lounge regarding BBB's concerns with their mailed advertising, we still hope the business will resolve the issue and answer the people that have complained about their marketing strategies.

Scott Anderson of the Mothers Lounge marketing team sent the following statement to Yahoo Lifestyle:

We are a proud Utah company that has been in operation since 2005. Millions of families in the US have ordered from our brands throughout the years. Mothers Lounge has mailed a heartfelt note which includes gift cards with proof of activation, and coupons to new mothers. The qualified recipients for this mailer have, at one point, subscribed to an opt-in list for maternity deals and coupons through a third party marketing company. All information from third party companies is only used internally for Mothers Lounge and is not sold or used for anything else other than the direct marketing of Mothers Lounge. We are very grateful for all our customers! Thank you for your continued support!

And although Anderson explained that qualified recipients had opted-in for maternity deals through a third party company at one point, Humphreys explains why the marketing tactic is insensitive.

Even though I found it a bit funny, Im fortunate to not have suffered infant loss or miscarriage. It wouldnt be the same response if so, Humphreys writes. I feel for those who may have opened it and had a possibly heartbreaking reaction.

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Who is Jenny B? Letters mailed to unsuspecting women are raising concerns - Yahoo Food

Patrick Kennedy Urges for Plan to Address the Mental Health Crisis in Wake of Cousin Saoirse’s Death – Yahoo Lifestyle

Posted: October 30, 2019 at 12:44 am

Patrick J. Kennedy is emphasizing a need for more attention to mental health in the wake of Saoirse Kennedy Hills death.

Nearly three months after his cousin, who spoke candidly about her battle with depression, died from an apparent overdose, Patrick, 52, appeared on Mondays episode of The Dr. Oz Show,where he urged for a comprehensive plan to address the nation-wide mental health crisis.

The former Rhode Island Congressman made the demand as he was discussing the emotionally-raw essay Saoirse wrote for her high schools student newspaper, where the then 19-year-old candidly described her own mental health struggles, including her time in a treatment facility after a suicide attempt.

She was speaking to her friends in high school, Patrick told Dr. Oz of the importance of Saoirses essay. Were seeing a giant leap in the number of suicide attempts and rates of depression and anxiety amongst kids and amongst college-age, young people.

So this is not a crisis thats going to go away simply after Purdue Pharma stopped selling oxycodone, he continued. We have an underlying disease of addiction and we have an underlying mental health crisis in this country that we need to address and its not as simple as cutting off the supply of Pharma, it has to be more comprehensive than that.

Patrick Kennedy and Saoirse Kennedy Hill | Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images; Kerry Kennedy/Twitter

RELATED:Saoirse Kennedy Hill Opened Up About Her Battle with Depression 3 Years Before Her Death

One of the ways that Patrick felt progress could be made was through an idea called check-up from the neck-up, which calls on the nations doctors to consider other hereditary illnesses during their annual examinations.

When you go to your physicians office and they take a family history of whether youve had stroke or cancer in the family, they ought to take a family history of whether you have alcoholism, or addiction, or mental illness in your family, Patrick explained.

Because the chances are, youre going to be at high risk yourself if any other family members also suffer from one of those illnesses, he added.

Patrick Kennedy | Aaron Davidson/Getty Images

RELATED: Patrick Kennedy Calls for More Attention on Mental Health Issues After Cousin Saoirses Death

Saoirse, 22, was found dead on Aug. 1 at her grandmother Ethel Kennedys home in Hyannis Port after an apparent overdose. Her cause and manner of death are still pending the toxicology report, according to the Cape and Islands District Attorneys Office.

In a statement to PEOPLE, the famous political family confirmed the news of Saoirses untimely death.

Our hearts are shattered by the loss of our beloved Saoirse. Her life was filled with hope, promise, and love, the family said. She cared deeply about friends and family, especially her mother Courtney, her father Paul, her stepmother Stephanie, and her grandmother Ethel.

Shortly after the tragedy, Patrick, who is the son of Ted Kennedy, posted a photo of his younger cousin and wrote on Twitter, Saoirse will always remain in our hearts. She is loved and will be deeply missed.

RELATED: Fearless, Fierce, Troubled, Gone: Inside the Short Life and Sudden Death of Saoirse Kennedy Hill, RFKs Granddaughter

He followed up his tweet by sharing a link to Saoirses essay and encouraging his followers to read her words, while also urging for the nationwide stigma about mental health to end.

Saoirses sincere account of her depression is a powerful reminder of how so many people suffer alone and feel isolated, he wrote. I am proud Saoirse was able to be open and tell her story. I encourage everyone to read her words.

Feel what she felt. Do whatever you can from your position in life to stop the isolation, the stigma, and the devastating lack of acknowledgment that often leads to tragedy,he continued.

Families across the nation, including ours, are suffering, Patrick finished. We must come out of the shadows.

Saoirse Kennedy Hill | Saoirse Kennedy

Later that day, Patrick spoke out on NBC Nightly News and praised Saoirse as a hero for being open about her struggles, continuing to push the conversation forward, and getting professional help when she needed it.

She opened the door for her peers to also come out and not feel shamed by this illness and she is a real hero in my family, Patrick told the outlet. She broke the silence.

And we mourn her loss but her memory will live on as someone who wasnt going to keep silent and wasnt going to be feeling as if she had something shameful, but rather something medical that she sought treatment for, he continued.

This affects every single family in America, Patrick added. Its way past time that we deal with this in a way that we would deal with any other public health crisis.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text STRENGTH to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

If you are struggling with addiction issues, please contact the SAMHSA substance abuse helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.

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Patrick Kennedy Urges for Plan to Address the Mental Health Crisis in Wake of Cousin Saoirse's Death - Yahoo Lifestyle

Everything You Need to Know About Going to a Weight Loss Clinic – msnNOW

Posted: October 30, 2019 at 12:44 am

Jose Luis Pelaez Inc The term "weight loss clinic" can mean almost anything. Here's what obesity experts say to look for to lose weight safely, and avoid getting scammed.

Losing weight is easy for no one, and there is zero shame in deciding you need help.

The problem is, between commercial plans, storefront medi-spas, fad diets, wellness influencers hawking unproven supplements, and other kinds of get-thin-quick schemes (some with doctors associated with them), its hard to know where to begin.

And for a country as populous as ourswith more than 70% of U.S. adults considered overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventionthere are relatively few stand-alone, one-stop shopping clinics that allow you to get the multi-disciplinary approach to healthy weight loss that works the best, says Rehka Kumar, M.D., medical director of the American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM) and an assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City.

Why do you want a team? Because carrying too much body weight can lead to or worsen other health issues, so depending on your complicating factors, your pit crew might include a cardiologist, a gastroenterologist, a nutritionist, an exercise physiologist and a behavioral therapist, she says. If we are all working on different things related to a patients weight together, thats a more comprehensive approach, says Dr. Kumar, who is also an endocrinologist at the Comprehensive Weight Control Center, part of Weill Cornell Medicine.

Major universities like Cornell often have full-service weight loss programsBoston University, New York University, and UCLA are just a fewso a university-affiliated research hospital in the nearby city is a good place to start. Geisinger Weight Loss and Bariatric Surgery in Danville, Pa., was mentioned by a few of Preventions experts, as was The UT Center for Obesity Medicine and Metabolic Performance in Austin; The Vanderbilt Weight Loss Center in Nashville; The Emory Bariatric Center in Atlanta, and others. The Obesity Medicine Fellowship Council also has a list of universities around the country that offer fellowship programs, which indicates the institution has physicians experienced enough in treating obesity that they are training others.

But if you dont live close to one of those, you may need to piece it together on your own. Heres how to get started:

Your primary care physician is a great person to ask, says Dr. Kumar. Your doc may be certified already (there are currently around 3,000 diplomates in obesity medicine) or able to refer you to someone who is. You can also try the provider locator at the Obesity Medicine Association. This site will specifically mention doctors that are board-certified in obesity medicine, which means they passed an example and have some minimal competency in this field, she says.

Obesity Action, an advocacy group that raises awareness about and improves access to the prevention and treatment of obesity, also has a locator for screened providers, and includes input from ABOM and other professional organizations such as the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and the Obesity Society, says James Zervios, the groups VP of marketing and communications. While only physicians can be board-certified, this listing features nurse practitioners, dietitians, and mental health pros as well.

If a certified doctor does not have a team in her practice, she will likely have other providers to refer you to, say, an endocrinologist or physical therapist if your weight has caused arthritis or if your hormones are out of balance. They can then communicate to make sure youre getting a personalized approach.

A good facility should sit you down for free in a low-pressure setting and explain their approach, says Craig Primack, M.D., ABOMs board president and co-founder of the Scottsdale Weight Loss Center in Scottsdale, Ariz.. That conversation should cover what kinds of diets they put together for patients, what sort of exercise counseling they offer, behavior modification (classes or individual nutritional counseling), and what medications they have seen success with. You should expect to be charged for a medical consultation, says Dr. Primack, but not to walk in the door. If you feel like youre being given a hard sales pitch, youre likely in the wrong place.

If you dont live near an academic center or a comprehensive facility, making an initial visit to one, and then doing your follow-up remotely with a doctor near you is an option. There are parts of the Midwest where you may not have people within 100 to 200 miles, says Dr. Kumar. Telemedicine uses computer and video technology to allow access to specialists when none are nearby.

Just because the sign says 'medical weight loss' doesnt mean theyre practicing medicine, says Dr. Primack. Dr. Kumar advises asking if what youre getting is an FDA-approved treatment or medication. Another sign of a reputable place: they accept and bill insurance. Some doctors, of course, are out of network, but insurance tends to cover therapies that are approved for the treatment of obesity.

Does the waiting room have furniture thats designed for bigger people? Is the staff sensitive and nonjudgmental? Is this a place where you feel safe talking about your body? You might have a very attractive weight loss clinic, but it might not actually be comfortable for patients of a certain size, says Dr. Kumar.

All weight loss facilities are for people who want to lose a weight, but theyre not all equipped to treat major obesity. Dr. Primack says some of his patients are there to lose a relatively little weight, and some a lot more. Do they have a scale that goes up to at least 600 pounds? he asks. And they should have the current technology to measure body fat composition, not a simple scale.

You want to know what the odds are youre going to benefit from a program, says Steve Heymsfield, M.D., president of the Obesity Society and a professor at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in New Orleans. Good programs offer real information. Thats not the same as promising a specific amount of weight loss, he emphasizes. Be wary of promises, like a guarantee to lose 30 pounds in a month, says Dr. Kumar. Not everyone responds the same way to treatment.

Even if youre doing well on your program, you want to be in regular touch with your doctors, says Dr. Primack. Are they continuing to monitor your body fat composition, and are they doing blood work to make sure what youre doing isnt harming you? he asks. Some of his patients come in every month or two, whereas some longer-term patients come in every six months. Obesity is not curedits treated, he says. Its better to know you have a place that you can go back to.

Slideshow: These 40 fit celebrities over 40 will inspire you to hit the gym (Provided by Prevention)

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Everything You Need to Know About Going to a Weight Loss Clinic - msnNOW

Chelsea Clinton not happy with Jay-Z’s response to Beyonc’s weight loss after twins – Page Six

Posted: October 30, 2019 at 12:44 am

Chelsea Clinton thinks Jay-Zs reaction to Beyoncs post-pregnancy weight loss was underwhelming.

Clinton, 39, recalled being pregnant with her third child while watching Beyoncs Netflix documentary, Homecoming, with her husband, Marc Mezvinksy.

In the film, Beyonc is seen FaceTiming her rapper husband about how excited she is about fitting into a costume after giving birth to twins.

Clinton was less than pleased with Jay-Zs reaction. I said, Marc, if thats ever me, you better have more enthusiasm, she told The Cut in a recent interview. It wasnt the Im so proud of you. Thats amazing that I arguably think any woman deserves, particularly someone who has clearly worked herself body, mind, heart, soul, and spirit to get to that place.

Clinton added, Marc was like, Duly noted.

The former first daughter was sure that any woman would agree with her.

I was like, I bet every woman watching this has this sense of she deserves more enthusiasm,' she said. Marc was like, I got it. Can we go back to watching it, please? Weve talked about it three times in the last 90 seconds.

Clinton and Mezvinsky welcomed their third child, son Jasper, in July.

We are overflowing with love and gratitude and cant wait to introduce him to his big sister and brother, she tweeted at the time.

They also share 3-year-old son Aidan and 5-year-old daughter Charlotte.

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Chelsea Clinton not happy with Jay-Z's response to Beyonc's weight loss after twins - Page Six

Tim McGraw Reveals the Comment That Led to His 40-Pound Weight Loss – E! NEWS

Posted: October 30, 2019 at 12:44 am

Arturo Olmos for Mens Health

A little sweat is good for the swole... err, soul!

At least, that's how Tim McGraw feels after whipping himself into shape and losing 40 pounds. Speaking to Men's Health, the 52-year-old country legend opened up about his weight-loss, body transformation and the person who kick-startedhis fitness journey with one comment.

"I don't really get tired of training," he told the publication about his intense 90-minute workout that he created himself. "There's such a feeling of accomplishment that comes from the feeling of being my age and still being at the top of my game."

He later shared, "This workout is my meditation. It frees things up in your head so you can get the trash out for a little while."

In fact, his exercise routine is not only good for his health, but he explained it's helped hisvocal chords. "I use my whole body to singmy legs, my butt. And having more control over those things makes my voice stronger."

Whenhe's finished withhis workoutwhich entails a yoga flow that he calls Infinity, squats that he's named Cheyennes and the sumo-stance squats that strengthen his legs are dubbed Beyoncshefeels more than accomplished.

McGraw's head is clear and free of the stress when he's done exercising, and he likes it that way. "This workout is my meditation," he explained. "It frees things up in your head so you can get the trash out for a little while."

Arturo Olmos for Mens Health

However, when he wants to indulge in his favorite meal, he'll put in the "extra work" for it. "A cheeseburger is my all-time favorite," the country icon confessed. "Now I try to earn it, and I'll do a little extra work."

So what inspired the 52-year-old star's fitness journey? Well, it was his daughter Gracie McGraw who ignited the fire in him. According to Men's Health, Tim realized he'd lost control of his fitness when he starred in the 2008 dramedy, Four Christmases.

At the time, he was at 215 pounds, and his daughter noticed he looked "big on the screen."

"I got out of it for a while," he expressed. "I was in the prime of my career, and I wasn't capitalizing on it."He slowly began walking in the morning, then increased that to a 20-minute run and now he's at the point where he's designed his own workout routine!

For the country singer, he creditsfitness for "improving" almost everything in his life.

"Focusing on my physical health hasn't just made my body healthier, it's made me healthier at every level," he recently shared on Instagram. "Moving daily and exercising regularly was a pebble that set off a ripple effect, improving the way I eat, sleep, relate to others, and show up both personally and professionally. It made me a better person to be around."

All in all, the 52-year-old star is loving his health and lifestyle journey, so much so that herecently built awellness brand, TRUMAV.

When it comes to McGraw's new chapter, welike it, we love and we want some more of it!

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Tim McGraw Reveals the Comment That Led to His 40-Pound Weight Loss - E! NEWS


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