You Can't Outrun the Long Arm of the Law

 

It always amazes me when someone tries to scam the federal government in a healthcare setting.  There are entire governmental entities whose existence is solely based on looking for oddities in the billing numbers.  It amazes me even *more* when those numbers are massive... as in $1.2 billion massive!  

It seems that there was a healthcare system in Texas that was running a huge kickback scam between hospitals, labs, and doctors.  The problem is, that when you do that kind of thing and then try and bill federal programs... you are violation of federal laws... and when you violate federal laws, the Department of Justice gets involved.  Two things most of us don't want is either the DOJ or a team from 60 Minutes asking to speak with us.

So I offer today's post as advice to anyone thinking of cooking up some similar scam.  You might get away with it for a while, but when you get that call from the DOJ, things are NOT going to be going your way for 10 or more years; if you get my drift.

The full announcement is here, but this is an interesting part of the indictment.

21 Charged, Including Hospital and Lab CEOs, in Connection with Multistate Healthcare Kickback Conspiracy

$32 Million Paid to Date in Civil Settlements

TYLER, Texas – The Department of Justice announced criminal charges against 36 defendants in 13 federal districts across the United States for more than $1.2 billion in alleged fraudulent telemedicine, cardiovascular and cancer genetic testing, and durable medical equipment (DME) schemes.

In connection with this national effort, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas has charged 21 individuals, including doctors, laboratory executives, hospital executives, and marketers for their involvement in healthcare kickback and money laundering conspiracies.  Former True Health Diagnostics LLC CEO Christopher Grottenthaler, former Boston Heart Diagnostics Corporation Susan L. Hertzberg, former Rockdale Hospital d/b/a Little River Healthcare CEO Jeffrey Paul Madison, and others are defendants in a False Claims Act lawsuit captioned United States ex rel. STF, LLC v. True Health Diagnostics, LLC, et al., No. 4:16-cv-547 (E.D. Tex.).  Additionally, 33 doctors and healthcare executives have agreed to pay over $32 million in order to resolve False Claims Act allegations for their involvement in the scheme.  The criminal and civil cases allege that the defendants unlawfully enriched themselves by paying and receiving illegal kickbacks in exchange for laboratory referrals. 

3M Announces Plans to Create Long Term Value Through Spin-Off of Health Care Business

 

This is a pretty major announcement.  3M, which has a huge position in the dental market, is looking at spinning off that portion of their business into a new company.  All of the divisions that 3M has in the healthcare sector will be spun off & combined into a new company called "Health Care" that currently accounts for $8.6 billion in sales.  What follows the press release provided by 3M.  This is an interesting move...

3M (NYSE: MMM) today announced its intent to spin off its Health Care business, resulting in two world-class public companies well positioned to pursue their respective growth plans.  The New 3M will remain a leading global material science innovator serving customers across a range of industrial and consumer end markets, and Health Care will be a leading global diversified healthcare technology company focused on wound care, healthcare IT, oral care, and biopharma filtration.

"Today's actions advance our ability to create value for customers and shareholders," said 3M chairman and chief executive officer Mike Roman. "Disciplined portfolio management is a hallmark of our growth strategy. Our management team and board continually evaluate the strategic options that will best drive long term sustainable growth and value. The decision to spin off our Health Care business will result in two well-capitalized, world-class companies, well positioned to pursue their respective priorities."

As leading standalone companies, each is expected to benefit from:

• Enhanced agility and focus to better position for long term success;

• Ability to tailor capital allocation strategies and make company-specific investment decisions to drive innovation and growth;

• Compelling investment profiles appealing to different investor bases; and,

• Distinct boards and management teams comprised of world-class leaders with relevant expertise and track records driving value creation.

New 3M: A Leading Global Material Science Innovator

New 3M, with $26.8 billion in sales in 2021, will remain a leading global material science innovator, powered by an operating model rooted in science and technology, manufacturing, global capabilities, and iconic brands. The company will continue to leverage its unique and differentiated innovation to capitalize on customer opportunities aligned with key global megatrends such as electronics, safety, mobility, digitization, home improvement, and sustainability.

New 3M expects to continue to deliver profitable growth, generate robust cash flow, and return capital to shareholders while maintaining a strong balance sheet. New 3M will continue to prioritize strategic opportunities, including investments in growth, productivity, and sustainability while maintaining a proactive approach to portfolio management. 3M anticipates that there will be no changes to the Company's capital allocation priorities through the completion of the separation.

Health Care: A Leading Global Diversified Health Care Technology Company

Health Care, with approximately $8.61 billion in sales in 2021, will be a diversified healthcare technology leader with a deep and diverse portfolio of trusted brands, global capabilities, and leadership in attractive end market segments such as wound care, oral care, healthcare IT, and biopharma filtration. Health Care will be better positioned to deliver industry-leading innovation that enables better, smarter, and safer healthcare for patients worldwide.

Health Care will focus on growth, grounded in its strong track record of profitability. With robust cash flow generation, Health Care will be well positioned to pursue its strategic objectives.

Transaction Details

Health Care is currently expected to be spun off with net leverage of approximately 3.0x – 3.5x EBITDA and to be positioned for rapid deleveraging. Additionally, New 3M expects to retain a stake of 19.9% in Health Care, which will be monetized over time.

The spin-off is intended to be tax-free for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Company expects to complete the transaction by year-end 2023. The transaction is subject to satisfaction of customary conditions, including final approval from the 3M Board of Directors, filing and effectiveness of a Form 10 registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, receipt of a tax opinion, receipt of a private letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service, satisfactory completion of financing, and receipt of other regulatory approvals.

3M will retain responsibility for non-Health Care related litigation, including those related to Combat Arms Earplugs and PFAS.

Advisors

Goldman Sachs & Co and PJT Partners are serving as financial advisors and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz is serving as legal counsel on the spin-off of 3M's Health Care business.

Update on Pending Food Safety Transaction with Neogen

3M intends to complete the transaction through a split-off with a targeted closing date of September 1, 2022, subject to approval by Neogen shareholders, receipt of required regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.

Taking Action to Efficiently and Equitably Resolve Combat Arms Earplugs Litigation

In a separate press release issued today, 3M announced it is taking steps to resolve litigation related to Combat Arms Earplugs. Aearo Technologies and related entities ("Aearo Technologies"), all of which are wholly-owned 3M subsidiaries, have voluntarily initiated chapter 11 proceedings. With this change in strategy, this process is intended to resolve claims related to Combat Arms Earplugs in a manner that is more efficient and equitable to all parties, including plaintiffs with claims that are determined to be entitled to compensation. 3M and its other businesses have not filed for chapter 11 and will continue to operate as usual. Aearo Technologies' operations are also expected to continue operating in the ordinary course.

To access the press release, please visit our press release page here.

Q2 2022 Earnings Results and Conference Call

In a separate press release issued today, 3M announced its second-quarter 2022 results and updated its outlook for the full-year 2022.

3M will conduct an investor teleconference at 9 a.m. EDT (8 a.m. CDT) today. Investors can access this conference via the following:

• Live webcast at http://investors.3M.com.

• Live telephone:

◦ Call 800-762-2596 within the U.S. or +1 212-231-2916 outside the U.S. Please join the call at least 10 minutes before the start time.

• Webcast replay:

◦ Go to 3M's Investor Relations website at http://investors.3M.com and click on "Quarterly Earnings."

• Telephone replay:

◦ Call 800-633-8284 within the U.S. or +1 402-977-9140 outside the U.S. (for both U.S. and outside the U.S., the access code is 21999290). The telephone replay will be available until 11:30 a.m. EDT (10:30 a.m. CDT) on August 1, 2022.

1

Includes Food Safety (~$0.4B), expected to be divested by Sept. 1, 2022, that will no longer be part of the Health Care business.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking information about 3M's financial results and estimates and business prospects that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. You can identify these statements by the use of words such as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "aim," "project," "intend," "plan," "believe," "will," "should," "could," "target," "forecast" and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of future operating or financial performance or business plans or prospects. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are the following: (1) worldwide economic, political, regulatory, capital markets and other external conditions and other factors beyond the Company's control, including natural and other disasters or climate change affecting the operations of the Company or its customers and suppliers; (2) risks related to public health crises such as the global pandemic associated with the coronavirus (COVID-19); (3) foreign currency exchange rates and fluctuations in those rates; (4) liabilities related to certain fluorochemicals, including lawsuits concerning various PFAS-related products and chemistries, and claims and governmental regulatory proceedings and inquiries related to PFAS in a variety of jurisdictions; (5) legal proceedings, including significant developments that could occur in the legal and regulatory proceedings described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2021, as updated by the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K dated April 26, 2022, and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q (the "Reports"); (6) competitive conditions and customer preferences; (7) the timing and market acceptance of new product offerings; (8) the availability and cost of purchased components, compounds, raw materials and energy (including oil and natural gas and their derivatives) due to shortages, increased demand or supply interruptions (including those caused by natural and other disasters and other events); (9) unanticipated problems or delays with the phased implementation of a global enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, or security breaches and other disruptions to the Company's information technology infrastructure; (10) the impact of acquisitions, strategic alliances, divestitures, and other unusual events resulting from portfolio management actions and other evolving business strategies, and possible organizational restructuring; (11) operational execution, including scenarios where the Company generates fewer productivity improvements than estimated; (12) financial market risks that may affect the Company's funding obligations under defined benefit pension and postretirement plans; (13) the Company's credit ratings and its cost of capital; (14) tax-related external conditions, including changes in tax rates, laws or regulations; (15) matters relating to the proposed spin-off of the Company's Health Care business, including whether the transaction will be completed, or if completed, will be on the expected terms; the risk that the expected benefits will not be realized; the risk that the costs or dis-synergies will exceed the anticipated amounts; the ability to satisfy the various closing conditions; potential business disruption; the diversion of management time; the impact of the transaction (or its pendency) on the Company's ability to retain talent; potential impacts on the Company's relationships with its customers, suppliers, employees, regulators and other counterparties; the ability to realize the desired tax treatment (including whether an Internal Revenue Service private letter ruling will be sought or obtained); the risk that any consents or approvals required will not be obtained; risks associated with financings that may be undertaken and indebtedness that may be incurred in connection with the transaction; and (16) matters relating to the voluntary chapter 11 proceedings of the Company's subsidiary Aearo Technologies and certain of its affiliates (the "Aearo Entities"), including legal risks related to the chapter 11 proceedings; potential impacts to the Company's reputation and its relationships with customers, suppliers, employees, regulators and other counterparties and community members; potential impacts to the Company's liquidity or results of operations, including risks related to the amount that will be necessary to fully and finally resolve all of the Company's obligations to make payments to resolve such claims under the terms of its funding and indemnification agreement with the Aearo Entities; and the Aearo Entities' ability to navigate the chapter 11 proceedings to obtain approval and consummation of a plan of reorganization. Changes in such assumptions or factors could produce significantly different results. A further description of these factors is located in the Reports under "Cautionary Note Concerning Factors That May Affect Future Results" and "Risk Factors" in Part I, Items 1 and 1A (Annual Report) and in Part I, Item 2 and Part II, Item 1A (Quarterly Reports). The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements discussed herein as a result of new information or future events or developments.

The Battle Between Smile Direct Club and Invisalign Continues...

 In a reopened case arising from prior NAD decisions, The National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs determined that SmileDirectClub, LLC's claim that its treatment costs "60% less than Invisalign," without further qualification, was overly broad. Therefore, NAD recommended SmileDirectClub (SDC) modify the claim to clearly and conspicuously disclose that SDC aligners do not correct the same range of issues that might be addressed with Invisalign.

The claim at issue, which appeared on several of SDC's webpages, was challenged by Align Technology, Inc., maker of Invisalign clear aligners.

2020 Challenge

In a 2020 challenge brought by Align, NAD had recommended that SDC's "60% less than braces" and "60% less than other brands" claims both be discontinued. Based on NAD's recommendation, SDC agreed to discontinue those claims.

2021 Challenge

In 2021, SDC petitioned to reopen the matter pursuant to NAD/NARB Procedures. NAD granted the petition to re-open based on its review of a new survey of 200 practicing orthodontists conducted by a third-party market research company to address the concerns NAD had expressed in the prior decision.

NAD determined that SDC's survey constituted reliable evidence. However, NAD determined that without additional information, a consumer could take away an overly broad and potentially misleading message from the advertiser's "60% less than braces" claim. Therefore, NAD recommended that the advertising should be modified to:

• Make clear that SDC consumers may not obtain the same results as those that could be obtained from braces.

• Clearly disclose the basis of the price comparison, including that the average typical price was derived from a survey of orthodontists asking the price for treatment of mild-to-moderate malocclusion with braces as well as the additional services included in the average typical price (i.e., costs associated with diagnostics and exams).

• Make clear that the SDC price being compared is its one-time single payment price, not the higher SmilePay monthly payment price, and does not include the cost of any additional services, such as retainers.

Further, NAD recommended that SDC discontinue the claim "60% less than other brands" because its survey did not ask respondents which brand of aligners they prescribe, making it unclear how much of the market is represented by the responses.

In its advertiser statement, SDC agreed to comply with the 2021 decision.

Reopened Proceeding

Subsequently, SDC commissioned a new survey (Second Survey), which was modified to address the concerns raised by Align in the 2021 reopened matter. SDC then launched new advertising claiming "60% less than Invisalign," with a disclosure stating:

"60% less than Invisalign" claim is based on Single pay vs. average fees (including diagnostics and in-person exams) for treatment of mild-to-moderate malocclusion with Invisalign as reported in a national survey of practicing dentists and orthodontists. Price comparison does not include additional costs, such as retainers. As treatment is highly individualized, results may not be the same.

Because of this new advertising, Align initiated a compliance challenge against SDC and SDC responded by petitioning to reopen both the 2020 and 2021 decisions so that NAD may consider its new evidence. NAD agreed to reopen this case to review the new evidence and consider whether SDC can support the express claim that its treatment is "60% less than Invisalign."

NAD determined that the methodology of SDC's Second Survey was reliable. However, NAD found that without further qualification, reasonable consumers can take away an overly broad message from the advertiser's "60% less than Invisalign" claim.

Further, although NAD recognized that SDC's disclosure was intended to follow guidance from the 2021 decision, NAD concluded that the disclosure is inadequate to inform consumers that SDC aligners will not correct the same range of issues that might be addressed by Invisalign. NAD explained that merely stating that treatment is individualized will only alert consumers to the fact that everyone may see different results, not that the 60% less comparison is comparing two services that differ in the malocclusions that they treat.

Therefore, NAD recommended that SDC modify the "60% less than Invisalign" claim to clearly and conspicuously disclose that SDC aligners do not correct the same range of issues that might be addressed with Invisalign.

In its advertiser statement, SmileDirectClub stated that "it will comply with the NAD's recommendations." The advertiser further stated that while it "disagrees that its qualified '60% less than Invisalign' claim sends any overly broad messages . . . as a strong supporter of the self-regulatory system, SDC will modify its disclosure to comply with the NAD's recommendations."

All BBB National Programs case decisions can be found in the case decision library. For the full text of NAD, NARB, and CARU decisions, subscribe to the online archive.

About BBB National Programs: BBB National Programs is where businesses turn to enhance consumer trust and consumers are heard. The non-profit organization creates a fairer playing field for businesses and a better experience for consumers through the development and delivery of effective third-party accountability and dispute resolution programs. Embracing its role as an independent organization since the restructuring of the Council of Better Business Bureaus in June 2019, BBB National Programs today oversees more than a dozen leading national industry self-regulation programs, and continues to evolve its work and grow its impact by providing business guidance and fostering best practices in arenas such as advertising, child-directed marketing, and privacy. To learn more, visit bbbprograms.org.

About the National Advertising Division: The National Advertising Division (NAD) of BBB National Programs provides independent self-regulation and dispute resolution services, guiding the truthfulness of advertising across the U.S. NAD reviews national advertising in all media and its decisions set consistent standards for advertising truth and accuracy, delivering meaningful protection to consumers and leveling the playing field for business.

Impress3D Announces Launch of Commercial Operations

 

Flexible Partials Made Easier

Impress3D announced today the official launch of its commercial operations in North America, offering dentists a new way to treat the 138 million partially edentulous Americans. 

“Impress3D is the only solution that combines digital scanning technology with Valplast® materials, making removable partial dentures more efficient, comfortable, and accessible. 

After receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from the dentists already using Impress3D, we’re excited to now expand our service nationwide,” says CEO Jason Shelton. 

Impress3D’s exclusive partnership with Valplast®, the world’s #1 flexible partial denture material, enables dentists to easily upload a scan of the patient’s mouth via its online platform at impress3d.com or through their preferred scanner’s portal. The partial denture is then precisely fabricated and shipped back to the office within just a few days. The result is a 95% fit rate, leading to fewer visits and better patient comfort. 

For more information, visit the Impress3D website at impress3d.com. 

About Impress3D: As part of Reset Technology Corp., Impress3D was founded in 2020. Co- founder Justin Marks is the inventor of 3D printing using Valplast®, the gold standard in dentistry for removable partial denture materials. CEO Jason Shelton joined in early 2022 and brings over two decades of medical device leadership. 

Statement from NIH and BARDA on the Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine

 What follows for today's post is the lastest statement from the NIH and BARDA about the Covid Vaccine...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine be used as another primary series option for adults in the United States ages 18 years and older. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) previously authorized for emergency use the protein-based vaccine, known as NVX-CoV2373.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health; the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response; the Department of Defense (DoD) Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND); and the Defense Health Agency supported the development of NVX-CoV2373 as part of the U.S. government’s rapid response to develop safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines.

DoD funded the early development of technology used in the NVX-CoV2373 vaccine, and NIAID, BARDA, JPEO-CBRND and DoD provided support for clinical trials evaluating its safety and efficacy. BARDA also provided funding and expertise to support manufacturing and procurement of the vaccine.

NVX-CoV2373 contains a stabilized form of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein—a surface protein that facilitates entry to human cells. The approach for stabilizing the spike protein was invented by NIAID scientists and their collaborators. The spike proteins are organized in tiny protein particles called nanoparticles. The vaccine is formulated with a saponin‐based adjuvant. Saponins are naturally occurring compounds from soapbark trees. Adjuvants are sometimes added to vaccines to enhance immune responses.

The U.S. government supported the Phase 3 clinical trial known as PREVENT-19 that enrolled 29,960 adult participants in the United States and Mexico between Dec. 27, 2020, and Feb. 18, 2021. Participants were randomly assigned to receive two doses of the candidate vaccine 21 days apart or two injections of a saline placebo. Randomization occurred in a 2:1 ratio, with two volunteers receiving NVX-CoV2373 for each one who received placebo. Results published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed the candidate vaccine was 90.4% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 among trial participants and 100% effective in preventing moderate-to-severe COVID-19. The trial was conducted before the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 became dominant.

The PREVENT-19 trial expanded in May 2021 to enroll adolescents ages 12 to 17 years. Novavax has noted that the trial results in adolescents demonstrated comparability to those observed in the adult population. PREVENT-19 also is evaluating a third shot or booster dose in both adult and adolescent participants. In addition, NIAID is studying NVX-CoV2373 in the Phase 1/2 “mix & match” trial, in which adult volunteers who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 receive booster doses of different COVID-19 vaccines to determine the safety and immunogenicity of mixed boosted regimens.

Lawrence A. Tabak, D.D.S., Ph.D., Senior Official Performing the Duties of the NIH Director; Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., NIAID Director; and Gary Disbrow, Ph.D., BARDA Director, released the following statements:

“This is the third COVID-19 vaccine available in the U.S. as a result of the unprecedented government research response to develop safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, for which NIH spearheaded the clinical testing. This collaborative approach involving many public-private partners provides an important blueprint for pandemic preparedness now and into the future.” – Dr. Tabak

“People in the United States now have an additional COVID-19 vaccine available to them that offers protection against severe disease. The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine contains a SARS-CoV-2 protein and an adjuvant to boost the immune response. Other vaccines in routine use in the United States, including the hepatitis B vaccine, use this traditional protein-based platform. I continue to encourage all eligible adults and children to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and to stay up-to-date on boosters.” – Dr. Fauci 

“We are pleased to see this vaccine achieve FDA authorization, giving Americans another option for a vaccine to protect against COVID, particularly with cases on the rise again. Even with other FDA-approved vaccines available, we continue to support development of flexible vaccine technologies like this one so that we can respond more rapidly to future public health emergencies as well as the current health crisis.” – Dr. Disbrow

Lawrence A. Tabak, D.D.S., Ph.D., is performing the duties of the Director of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., is Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health.

Gary Disbrow, Ph.D., is Director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), in the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. 

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

Methodist Hospitals Data Breach $425K Class Action Settlement

 By now, we all know that data breaches can be expensive.  When you factor in the services of experts, potential hardware replacement/reconfiguration, fines, and other costs, a breach can be *so* expensive as to stress the resources of large organization while driving some smaller ones out of business completely.

However, add onto that the potential costs associated with a lawsuit and a company can soon see their expenses spiraling way out of control.  Even if a lawsuit is successfully defended and no loss incurred as a result, there are still the serious expenses incurred by dealing with the litigation.

Recently, lawsuit brought against Gary, Indiana based Methodist Hospitals, Inc was settled for $425,000.  The amount was the announced settlement, but that number fails to include the amount of money spent on legal bills to simply get to the point of a negotiated settlement.

It all stems from a 90 day window in 2019 where Methodist Hospitals had their network compromised before the attackers released Ransomware to encrypt their network.  The attackers, before encryption,  made off with PHI (Protected Health Information) as well as a good deal of demographic information related to those patients.  Forensics point to a successful Phishing Attack on an employee's email account that allowed for the initial network access.  Once the criminals had gained this foothold it appears they siphoned off the data and then encrypted the network.

The lawsuit accused the hospital of failing to properly protect the purloined data.

I haven't been able to find info related to how many patients were affected or what other costs have been associated with this attack, however it is safe to say the costs have been substantial.

Full info on the lawsuit including how to fie a claim if you were affected can be found by following this link.  

New Molecule may Help Reduce and/or Slow Head and Neck Cancer Cell Growth

 First of all, thanks for allowing me to take a few days off last week.  I hope you enjoyed the post on my Roland adventure thus far...

Now we are on to other fascinating and potentially life changing tech topics.  I'm leading off this week with a post on  newly discovered molecule that might have incredible implications for oral and pharyngeal cancers.

It seems that researchers at the University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Dentistry have managed to isolate a molecule that might prevent the growth and spread of squamous cell carcinomas.  These cancers can be horribly devastating to the patient... often the surgery to remove the cancer results in visible scars and/or deformities for those unfortunate enough to be victims.  

Squamous Cell carcinomas can be incredibly invasive and grow incredibly fast.  This means that often by the time they are detected, the tumor is large and may well have undermined soft tissue or bone.  This means more aggressive and invasive surgeries to remove them which can be devastating for the patient.  By slowing or stalling the growth of these cancer cells, it is hoped to allow for more conservative treatment.

It seems that these cancers, especially along their outside, have a gene called CD276 that keeps the body from fighting it with T cells.  The newly discovered molecule blocks the CD276 gene and stops or greatly slows the growth of the cancer cells.

This could be a MAJOR breakthrough for the treatment of cancers in the head and neck.

For the full scientific paper, follow this link.