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Let’s Dive lands US$1.7m to make remote working more human, tackling concerns of worker isolation

Stockwood Strategy

Let’s Dive a platform for remote employee engagement and building team culture has today announced it has raised US$1.7 million in funding led by Sequoia Capital India’s Surge. The funding round also saw participation from Village Global and several angel investors*. Let’s Dive will use the funding to further build experiences on the platform to help remote teams tackle isolation, distribute the product to thousands of companies around the world and build a cross-border product team. The on-going global pandemic has upended traditional ways of working, forcing businesses all around the world to set themselves up remotely. Let’s Dive’s founders, who have been building solutions for remote teams for over five years, know from experience that isolation and the lack of team bonding are the biggest obstacles to successfully sustaining a remote work culture. Let’s Dive is a platform that eliminates isolation by bringing teams together and recreating a social space where participants can connect through a range of exciting activities. This creates deeper bonds amongst remote teams who lack the advantage of personal connections. Teams can play games like poker, pictionary, icebreakers, trivias, chess, card games and organise YouTube watch parties. Let’s Dive has already attracted over 100 teams from 28 countries to its platform. Businesses currently using the platform include teams from Silicon Valley giants like Facebook, Airtable, and in India, some of the biggest tech companies like Swiggy and Hike. Currently, Let’s Dive is an invite-only experience. Companies can apply for access on www.letsdive.io. “Having founded and run one of the first 100% remote working businesses, I have personally seen the importance of togetherness and team camaraderie as core pillars of company culture. Remote working poses a significant challenge for businesses trying to maintain this. With Let’s Dive, we set out to solve this problem and drive real engagement and interaction amongst colleagues online,” said Nitesh Agrawal, Co-Founder, Let’s Dive. “Let’s Dive has already gained strong traction and attracted hundreds of teams to our platform - without any marketing. The product’s experience is so unique that teams feel connected within a few hours of usage. With the funding and partnership from Sequoia Capital India’s Surge, as well as investors such as Village Global, we look forward to rolling out Let’s Dive to businesses globally to help them create the best possible remote team culture.” added Nitesh. The company was founded in July 2020 by Nitesh Agrawal and Om Prakash. Both have had previous experience with building and scaling startups and have worked with startups like Housing.com, Ola, Mykarma, Fitzoo. Before Let’s Dive, Nitesh led Indiez as founder and CEO, where he built a community of 10,000+ engineers from 50+ countries and was one of the first 100% remote organisations. Ends *Along with the marquee investors, top tier angels such as Utsav Somani from iSeed, Akhil Paul, Anand Chandrasekharan (Former Snapdeal CPO and Facebook Director of Messenger), Zvi Band (Founder, Contactually), Job Van (Founder, Remote.com), Ravish Naresh (Founder, Khatabook), Sai (Founder, Mobile Premier League), Cecilia Stallsmith, Sunita Mohanty (Facebook), OnDeck community and Kamir Kothari (SVB) also participated in the round. About Let’s Dive Let’s Dive is on a mission to build togetherness for businesses with remote working teams. The SaaS platform provides a social space for remote teams, and aims to help companies build their culture through fostering better human connections. Let’s Dive users can hang out, play games, or watch videos, all while sharing their audio and video with their colleagues. For more information, visit: https://www.letsdive.io/ About Surge Surge is Sequoia Capital India’s rapid scale-up program for startups in India and Southeast Asia. Surge combines $1 million to $2 million of seed capital with company-building workshops, a global curriculum and support from a community of exceptional mentors and founders. The program’s goal is to supercharge early-stage startups and give founders an unfair advantage, right out of the gate. For more information on Surge, visit www.surgeahead.com. Contact Details Bilal Mahmood +44 7714 007257 b.mahmood@stockwoodstrategy.com Company Website https://www.letsdive.io/

December 01, 2020 07:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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SullivanCotter Partners with Ntracts to Integrate Health Care Contract Management Solution Into Growing Suite of Technology Products

SullivanCotter

SullivanCotter, the nation’s leading independent consulting firm in the assessment and development of total rewards programs, workforce solutions, and technology and data products for the health care industry and not-for-profit sector, has partnered with Ntracts, a premier health care contract management solution, to incorporate full-scale contract lifecycle management as part of its comprehensive Provider Performance Management Technology™ (PPMT) platform. PPMT™ is an industry-first, cloud-based solution that enables engagement and alignment of the clinical workforce through the automation of performance-based compensation administration, analytical and reporting capabilities. Ntracts allows organizations to mitigate contract compliance risk and streamline the contracting process across the entire enterprise. Designed to address a spectrum of physician, leadership and other key administrative needs, PPMT™ delivers centralized and actionable data tailored to the unique needs of each stakeholder. It combines years of health care compensation insight and expertise with an intuitive, automated technology platform, and serves as a single source of truth that helps empower physicians to drive desired outcomes and enhance organizational performance. Ensuring that physician employment agreements align with system-wide compensation terms and payments remains a challenge for health care organizations nationwide. With the addition of Ntracts, PPMT™ will include a cutting-edge contract lifecycle management component that will provide hospitals and health systems with an accurate and comprehensive view of clinical employment contracts across the organization in real-time. By effectively integrating the compensation, performance and contract lifecycle management process into one centralized platform, PPMT™ will help to drive results through greater alignment, transparency and insight. “Health care continues to evolve at a rapid pace, and there are number of complex moving parts to navigate as it relates to physician compensation and performance. By adding critical contract management capabilities to help health care organizations reduce risk, maintain compliance with changing regulatory requirements, and improve operational efficiency, PPMT™ will be a full-scale solution designed to support the transition from volume to value-based care,” said David Schwietz, Chief Information Officer, SullivanCotter. David Paschall, Chief Executive Officer of Ntracts, adds, “SullivanCotter shares our commitment to quality and we are proud to combine our industry-leading contract lifecycle management solution with SullivanCotter’s expertise in physician compensation and performance. Together we can offer an unmatched, end-to-end technology solution to support health care organizations as they work to drive change and deliver long-term, sustainable results in this quickly evolving environment.” For more information on Provider Performance Management Technology™, visit our website at www.sullivancotter.com/PPMT or contact us at 888.739.7039. About SullivanCotter SullivanCotter partners with health care and other not-for-profit organizations to understand what drives performance and improve outcomes through the development and implementation of integrated workforce strategies. Using our time-tested methodologies and industry-leading research and information, we provide data-driven insights, expertise, data and technology products to help organizations align business strategy and performance objectives – enabling our clients to deliver on their mission, vision and values. About Ntracts Ntracts, Inc. offers a software-as-a-service application that enables users to originate, search for and report on contracts. The application also accelerates the contract review and approval process by automatically notifying responsible parties of contract requests, approaching expiration dates and other critical performance milestones, saving clients both time and money. Ntracts, Inc. is based in Indianapolis, Indiana, and was founded by Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman, the nation's leading health care law firm. Contact Details Becky Lorentz +1 314-414-3719 beckylorentz@sullivancotter.com Company Website https://sullivancotter.com/

November 30, 2020 07:55 AM Eastern Standard Time

Travelling More Safely During the Holidays: Steps You Can Take to Reduce Your Risk

D S Simon Media

While the CDC recommends that you reduce your risk of contracting or spreading COVID by avoiding travel, there is recognition that many families will be gathering during Thanksgiving and the holiday season. What are some things they can do to reduce their risk? Emmy-Award winning medical journalist Dr. Bob Arnot conducted a nationwide media tour with AIrQueen.com to discuss tips, advice and resources to help increase safety. During the nationwide media tour Dr. Bob Arnot highlighted: The latest recommendations from the CDC to reduce risk when traveling Tips for proper mask wearing including when to change them and what you need to know to protect yourself in addition to protecting others Proper methods for staying sanitized Gift ideas to help keep your family safe during the holidays The AirQueen is made with a highly advanced nano-fiber material to provide extreme protection with a minimum of 95% protection and an average in excess of 97% particle filtration (see the Nelson Labs reports on the website for more details). The nano-filter allows extreme breathability and comfort which, in addition to the excellent protection provided, is one of its strong value propositions. Another major advantage of the AirQueen mask is that it can be cleaned up to 10 times with a simple 75% ethanol spray wash (also available on AirQueen.com) making it the most protective mask available which is also affordable. Even better is that the AirQueen is allowed to be sold to the general public which means you can provide the highest level protection for you and your family and loved ones. Lastly there is also a highly protective kids version, the Airbon mask, which is made from the same filter and manufacturing process as the AirQueen making it one of the safest masks for children on the market. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Media Contact: Michael O’Donnell D S Simon Media 212-736-2727 modonnell@dssimon.com Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

November 24, 2020 10:05 AM Eastern Standard Time

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How to Avoid Leaving Benefits on the Table

D S Simon Media

Navigating health plan offerings can be challenging, so it’s important for consumers to understand whether they qualify for more benefits that may help save money and improve health, which can help provide for a more secure and active future as a person ages. Recently, Dr. Stephen Cha, the Chief Medical Officer at UnitedHealthcare Community & State, teamed with YourUpdateTV on a satellite media tour to explain how people can qualify for a dual complete plan. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/MpNGLmYGmnA People who have Medicare and find that money is tight may qualify for a UnitedHealthcare Dual Complete plan – a dual special needs health plan, which may allow them to get better benefits, including dental, hearing and vision coverage at no extra charge. It can also include credits to buy healthy food and help purchase approved health items. Although requirements vary from state to state and by circumstances, if you are a family of one making less than $16,000 a year or a family of 2 making less than $21,000 a year, you may qualify. You will also have someone to help you manage and coordinate your care to help manage through health concerns, which is so important during this pandemic. Putting off care, especially annual wellness visits, can leave health risks undiagnosed and untreated. People eligible for a dual plan can usually enroll for no monthly premium, which may make it an affordable option. These plans are designed for people with low income who could use some extra help because of disabilities, health conditions or age. To learn if you are eligible and getting the most of your benefits, visit http://www.getdual.com or call 1-855-799-3199. About Dr. Stephen Cha Dr. Stephen Cha is Chief Medical Officer of UnitedHealthcare Community & State, where he oversees clinical strategies and programs while acting as the liaison for critical clinical initiatives. He also plays a key role in clinical thought leadership and serves as a subject matter expert in care decisions throughout Community & State. Prior to joining UnitedHealthcare, Dr. Cha served as the Group Director in the State Innovation Group at the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI). He has also served as the Chief Medical Officer at the Center for Medicaid & CHIP Services (CMCS), and is a practicing physician. Dr. Cha has a strong background in dynamic health policy thought leadership, health care transformation, and quality reporting. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

November 24, 2020 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

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Supporting Doctors on the Frontlines: How to Become an “Ally of Doctors”

D S Simon Media

2020 has been a tough year, and doctors and healthcare professionals have been working hard on the front lines – more than ever before. While the coronavirus pandemic has upended life for nearly everyone, healthcare workers and doctors have had to face more risks than most. So many of us are in awe of how these professionals still care for patients despite tremendous challenges. Mucinex is rallying Americans coast to coast to become an “Ally of Doctors” to show health care professionals and frontline heroes how much we support, appreciate, and trust them. With only 16% of consumers having reviewed their doctor in the past 12 months, Mucinex is making a nationwide call to action for patients to give back to those who have helped them get better by advocating for their doctors and health care professionals. Consumers are encouraged to review and recommend their own trusted doctors and health care professionals, providing them with the admiration and support they are deserving of, and helping them build a more robust patient network. For every new doctor review left on Healthgrades.com, Mucinex will donate $20 to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), with the goal of donating $20,000 to the next generation of frontline heroes by the end of 2020. This is in addition to Mucinex parent company, RB’s larger pledge of donating 100 scholarships to UNCF – the nation’s most successful minority higher education organization. This support will benefit the organization’s hard-working students who aspire to become the next generation of frontline heroes. Consumers can visit Mucinex.com for more information and Healthgrades.com to review their doctor. About YourUpdateTV: YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content. It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology. Media Contact: Michael O’Donnell D S Simon Media 212-736-2727 modonnell@dssimon.com Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

November 23, 2020 01:16 PM Eastern Standard Time

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CIPIO.ai completes a $1.25M pre-seed round in stealth mode to accelerate R&D for AI-Infused Customer Intelligence Platform

CIPIO.ai

CIPIO co-founders Growson Edwards (Ex-MicroPact CCO), Manoj Kumar Goyal ( Ex-Marketo CPO and Ex-Oracle GVP), and Dharm esh Trivedi ( Ex-Motionsoft SVP ) announced the completion of their pre-seed round of $1.25M, led by DX.Partners, a pre-seed Venture Studio, with participation from the co-founders and other angel investors. DX.Partners Founder & Managing Partner, Sundeep Sanghavi (ex-CEO & Founder of DataRPM, acquired by Progress Software (NASDAQ: PRGS)) is very bullish on the founders’ vision and focus on the B2C member/subscriber intelligence. “COVID-19 has accelerated the unprecedented changes in consumer behavior, causing massive disruption in the traditional brick & mortar industries like fitness, faith & spirituality, restaurants, live event venues, who now must transform digitally at an exponential pace,” said Sanghavi. Mr. Trivedi has scaled multiple startups from zero to $100M in revenue with two exits, Razorsight acquired by Synchronoss (NASDAQ: SNCR) and MotionSoft acquired by Daxco. “We have been heads down since the pandemic working on a minimum valuable product and have made tremendous progress,” said Trivedi. With our insights and industry expertise, early adopters like Crunch Fitness, World’s Gym, and the Xponential Fitness streaming platform called GO, which operates brands like Pure Barre, Club Pilates, AKT, YogaSix, Cyclebar, Row House, Stretch Lab, and Stride have seen significant ROI.” Mr. Trivedi reached out to Growson Edwards, an advisor at that time, to methodically launch CIPIO out of stealth mode. Mr. Edwards led MicroPact’s growth from $1M to $84M in revenue and has a knack for customer success resulting in a 106% net dollar retention. “I have launched and scaled five SaaS products across multiple markets. As an early advisor, I saw immense value in CIPIO’s IP, inspiring me to join Dharmesh and invest in the pre-seed round,” said Edwards. He quickly sought out San Francisco Bay area veteran MarTech platform executive Manoj Kumar Goyal to lead CIPIO’s R&D team. Mr. Goyal previously led Oracle’s Customer Data Platform (CDP) team and launched the platform in a record time of 12 months. Before Oracle, Mr. Goyal served as Marketo’s Chief Product Officer, meeting the performance and scalability needs of the most demanding CMOs (such as Google, AWS, and Microsoft), and driving annual revenue growth at a 25% pace to $300m+ revenue for 5000+ customers. “Whether you are a massive franchisor or the operator of a neighborhood corner gym, a church, a restaurant, or venue, the pandemic has impacted one and all like never before. All the idling forced by the novel coronavirus has necessitated that brick & mortar businesses go digital at warp speed. What’s lost in this rapid digital transformation is understanding the customer beyond the 360-degree intelligence that traditional CDPs provide. To understand the customer journey in this new hybrid world will require unparalleled intelligence that can only be produced by combining the power of AI & domain expertise,” said Mr. Goyal. “It’s very rare for a startup at a stealth stage to have such a strong customer validation along with a killer team,” said Sanghavi. CIPIO expects to launch commercially in Q1 of 2021 and expects to raise additional capital at that time. Contact Details Jennifer Isaac +1 315-398-9541 Jennifer@CIPIO.ai Company Website https://cipio.ai/

November 19, 2020 12:30 PM Eastern Standard Time

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Quidel Corporation Hosts Upcoming Webinar to Help Health Professionals Distinguish Lyme Disease, Flu and COVID-19 During Frightening Respiratory Season

Quidel Corporation

With the common symptoms of flu, COVID-19 and Lyme disease all converging to form a frightening respiratory season, health care professionals nationwide will converge themselves to join an important webinar on Dec. 3 focused on how to correctly diagnose and treat these look-alike conditions. The webinar is being sponsored by Quidel, the California-based diagnostic health care manufacturer known for successfully developing rapid diagnostic health solutions. As reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the trio of Lyme disease, flu and COVID-19 share the common symptoms of fever/chills, fatigue, muscle aches and headaches. That makes it both challenging and critical for health care professionals to properly distinguish one from the other so that they can correctly treat their patients for the corresponding ailment. “In particular, physicians need to have their radar up for Lyme disease, which is known as ‘The Great Imitator’ because its symptoms often mimic those of flu and, most recently, COVID-19 infections,” said Roxanne Carfora, D.O., who will be conducting the webinar. “Early diagnosis of Lyme disease is critical because if not caught early or if misdiagnosed, Lyme disease can have long-term debilitating consequences. With Lyme disease afflicting as many as 400,000 Americans each year, we view this as an epidemic within the pandemic.” A recovering Lyme disease patient herself, Dr. Carfora is board certified in anti-aging and functional medicine and has been practicing family medicine on Long Island for more than 25 years. She is the founder of New York-based Ageless MD, which combines family medicine, anti-aging medicine and aesthetics in one patient-friendly environment. Dr. Carfora is a graduate of New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, host of the radio program “Getting You Healthy, Naturally” and co-author of “Ageless Adventures,” which provides tips on how to live a more active, healthy lifestyle. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is spread when people are bitten by an infected deer tick. It can strike anyone at any age and can lead to a number of serious, life-threatening problems if not caught early. Leading the way in Lyme disease testing is Quidel’s innovative Sofia® 2 Lyme FIA test. This test provides a patient as well as his or her physician with indicative results within minutes as opposed to days, which has historically been the norm. Performed in the privacy of a doctor’s office or local clinic, it is also the only test that can get results from a simple finger prick of blood. With appropriate antibiotic treatment, most people with Lyme disease recover completely; but the key is catching it early, and that means not hesitating to get tested. Among those expected to attend the free Dec. 3 webinar are physicians; allied health professionals; health researchers; and representatives of physician offices, laboratories, urgent care centers and others interested in the subject. The webinar, titled, “Doctor, I’m exhausted and have a fever. Do I have COVID? Could it be the flu or even Lyme disease?” will take place from noon-1 p.m. (EDT). To register, visit quidel.com/webinars. About Quidel Corporation Quidel Corporation (Nasdaq: QDEL) is a leading manufacturer of diagnostic solutions at the point of care, delivering a continuum of rapid testing technologies that further improve the quality of health care throughout the globe. An innovator for over 40 years in the medical device industry, Quidel pioneered the first FDA-cleared point-of-care test for influenza in 1999 and was the first to market a rapid SARS-CoV-2 antigen test in the U.S. Under trusted brand names, Sofia®, Solana®, Lyra®, Triage® and QuickVue®, Quidel’s comprehensive product portfolio includes tests for a wide range of infectious diseases, cardiac and autoimmune biomarkers, as well as a host of products to detect COVID-19. With products made in America, Quidel’s mission is to provide patients with immediate and frequent access to highly accurate, affordable testing for the good of our families, our communities and the world. For more information about Quidel, visit quidel.com. Contact Details Jim Yeager +1 424-644-0225 jim@breakwhitelight.com Company Website http://Quidel.com

November 19, 2020 07:00 AM Pacific Standard Time

Cyvatar Adds Starter Subscription to CSaaS Offering

Cyvatar

Cyvatar today announced the availability of its starter subscription, a fast and cost-effective introduction to the company’s revolutionary all-in-one cybersecurity-as-a-service (CSaaS) offering. Cyvatar delivers outcomes-based solutions to organizations that cannot hire in-house security teams, do not have the runway to experiment with multiple security tools as they scale, or cannot compete against larger firms for the scarce number of skilled resources available. Its starter subscription offers businesses the quickest route to remediation--the process of identifying and closing gaps or vulnerabilities in a security environment--by bundling expert practitioners, proven technologies, and a strategic long-term roadmap into a fixed monthly price. The starter subscription also enables companies trying to maintain standards including SOC 2, CMMC, NIST, ISO, HIPAA, and PCI to achieve complete and continuous compliance even as regulations change. “Companies often don’t realize the hidden costs of maintaining compliance,” said Cyvatar Founder and Chief Experience Officer Corey White. “They think if they purchase a compliance tool or managed service, they’ll be covered--but that’s rarely the case. Too often, such solutions uncover more problems that require remediation without providing the capabilities to patch vulnerabilities and keep an organization’s data both safe and compliant. Our experts provide solutions across the entire security lifecycle as part of an inclusive all-in-one subscription model.” Cyvatar’s starter subscription covers incident response services, IT asset inventory, continuous vulnerability scanning security gap analysis, and a strategic roadmap to ensure that once an organization achieves remediation it preserves that solved state over time while maintaining all applicable compliance requirements. Rather than simply sending alerts, Cyvatar’s seasoned cyber veterans manage the entire security process, from assessment to continuous remediation and maintenance. “You can spend a small fortune investing in a series of pen tests, assessments, or other costly activities that don’t bring you any closer to remediation,” said Craig Goodwin, founder and chief product and strategy officer at Cyvatar. “Historically, companies had good security or full compliance, but not both. We’re revolutionizing the industry by ensuring both goals are met simultaneously so customers no longer have to sacrifice one to achieve the other.” The Cyvatar starter subscription delivers guaranteed cybersecurity and compliance outcomes at a fraction of the cost of legacy approaches: What security challenges are you trying to solve? What barriers do you face? Click HERE to get started with Cyvatar’s cybersecurity-as-a-service (CSaaS) subscription and register for the Subscription Launch Party on December 8th. About Cyvatar Cyvatar.ai is a transformative cybersecurity company that operates at the intersection of our customers and technology to define what a cybersecurity solution should be: guaranteed business outcomes that are measurable. We break down barriers to create positive experiences for passionate companies globally. Cyvatar is headquartered in Irvine, California. Learn more at https://cyvatar.ai/ and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Contact Details KC Higgins +1 303-434-8163 kc@cyvatar.ai Company Website https://cyvatar.ai/

November 19, 2020 08:22 AM Eastern Standard Time

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DAVID KESSLER, CO-CHAIR OF BIDEN’S COVID TASK FORCE AND POSSIBLE HHS SECRETARY, HAS HISTORY OF OVERCHARGING TAXPAYERS FOR HIS TRAVEL EXPENSES AS UNCOVERED BY ETHICS WATCHDOG GROUP

National Legal & Policy Center

David Kessler, co-chair of Biden’s COVID-19 task force and a leading candidate to be his Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, resigned as President Clinton’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner in late November 1996 (after Clinton’s re-election) amid controversy for overbilling his travel expenses during his tenure and shortly after a court upheld a subpoena for his deposition in a major FDA case. The National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) which led the investigation into Kessler’s travel expenses when Kessler was FDA Commissioner, is calling upon Joe Biden to dismiss Kessler from his COVID task force and remove him from consideration for HHS Secretary. NLPC’s investigation included hundreds of FOIA requests for Kessler’s travel vouchers and itineraries over a five-year period that were turned over to the House of Representatives Oversight Subcommittee of the Commerce Committee at the time, which launched an investigation, including a referral to the General Accounting Office. Reports about NLPC’s investigation stated, “A hotel room here. Dozens of excessive cab fares there. A government-discount plane ticket for the wife. For five years, Food and Drug Administration chief David Kessler submitted expense accounts riddled with nickel-and-dime overcharges in his favor, a review of records shows.” Kessler’s travel records showed that he was reimbursed for $5,732 for cab fares for which he had no receipts. Many of the fares were far in excess of actual costs - in some cases two or three times. For example, Kessler billed taxpayers $25 for a cab ride from his hotel (where a conference took place) to the airport across the street even though the hotel offered free shuttle service. Kessler also misused his government credit card to purchase his wife a government-discounted plane ticket to join him for a night at New York's luxury Waldorf-Astoria Hotel during an official trip in December 1992. In all of these cases, Kessler conveniently blamed his staff for the errors, but his explanations don’t add up. For example, Jim O’Hara, his spokesman at the time, said Kessler “was told by his staff that he did not need receipts for cab fares of more than $25, even though they were actually required.” [1] But why would Kessler think that receipts for cab fares over $25 were not required, but fares under $25 were required? In his 2002 memoir, A Question of Intent: A Great American Battle With A Deadly Industry Kessler gave yet another explanation of his travel overbilling. On pages 343-344 he claims he gave blank receipts to his staff and they estimated the taxi fare and blaming NLPC for questioning his integrity, which he wrote “ brought me as close to despair as I had ever been.” On his way out the door at the end of 1996, Kessler reimbursed the government $850 for excessive cab fares, although a full investigation and audit by the House Oversight Committee was not completed. The timing of his departure also allowed Kessler to escape a subpoena to sit for a deposition in a major FDA case that he vigorously fought on appeal but lost. Kessler’s preference to use the heavy hand of government was on display when, as one of his first acts as FDA head, he ordered the seizure of 12,000 of gallons of perfectly good orange juice because “Citrus Hill Fresh Choice” used the word “fresh” in its name, allegedly misleading consumers to think it was freshly squeezed even though the label said it was made from concentrate. “It’s clear that David Kessler’s effort to stage a come-back in government should be opposed because of his questionable past and his vain ambition to have government overregulate American society,” said Peter Flaherty, Chair of NLPC. “If he were in charge of the FDA, President Trump's Project Warp Speed to develop the coronavirus vaccine would have come to a bureaucratic snail’s pace, while a nationwide shutdown would be ordered,” added Paul Kamenar, NLPC’s counsel, who is familiar with Kessler’s overbilling abuses and the successful legal challenge to his unlawful off-label regulations of FDA approved drugs. Founded in 1991, NLPC promotes ethics in public life and government accountability through research, investigation, education and legal action. www.nlpc.org. Contact Details Dan Rene +1 202-329-8357 danrenejr@gmail.com Company Website http://www.nlpc.org

November 18, 2020 11:45 AM Eastern Standard Time

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