Latest news with #CraigThompson
Globe and Mail
01-07-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Esperion Appoints Craig Thompson to Board of Directors
ANN ARBOR, Mich., July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Esperion (NASDAQ: ESPR) today announced it has appointed Craig Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of Cerevance, to its Board of Directors. Mr. Thompson will serve as an independent director. With Mr. Thompson's appointment, Esperion's Board of Directors now comprises eight members. 'We are thrilled to welcome Craig to our Board of Directors. With more than two decades of biopharmaceutical industry leadership and a proven track record advancing innovative therapies, Craig brings a wealth of strategic insight and operational expertise that will be invaluable as we continue to expand our impact in cardiovascular and cardiometabolic drug development. His deep understanding of pharmaceutical commercialization and clinical development aligns perfectly with our mission to deliver life-saving solutions to patients worldwide. We look forward to his contributions as we enter our next phase of growth and innovation,' stated Sheldon Koenig, President and CEO of Esperion. "I am honored to join the Board of Esperion, a company at the forefront of transforming cardiovascular disease prevention. With cardiovascular conditions remaining the leading cause of death globally, the need for innovative, proactive solutions has never been greater. I look forward to working alongside this exceptional team to help guide strategic decisions and accelerate the development of impactful, science-driven approaches that can improve and extend lives," said Mr. Thompson. Mr. Thompson has been the Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors at Cerevance, a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on neurodegenerative, psychiatric, and CNS-controlled metabolic disorders, since April 2022. Mr. Thompson is also currently a member of the board of directors of NervGen Pharma Corp, a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on developing therapies for neurotrauma and neurologic diseases. Mr. Thompson was previously President & Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors of Neurana Pharmaceuticals from June 2018 to April 2022. Prior to Neurana, Mr. Thompson was President & CEO of Anthera Pharmaceuticals Inc. Prior to Neurana, Mr. Thompson's biotechnology leadership experience included serving as Chief Operating Officer for Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals Inc. and as Chief Commercial Officer for Trius Therapeutics, Inc. where he was involved in the $700+ million acquisition of Trius Therapeutics by Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and led a partnership with Bayer Pharma AG. Before that, Mr. Thompson served in various global and U.S. leadership roles at Pfizer Inc., including Therapeutic Group Leader of Allergy, Respiratory, Pulmonary Vascular Disease and Inflammation; and he ultimately served as Vice President of Marketing for Pfizer's Specialty Care Business Unit. Previous to Pfizer, Mr. Thompson served in positions of increasing responsibility in global marketing at Merck & Co., where he was in product management for Zocor ®, including leading the rollout of the landmark Heart Protection Study. He also was instrumental in the pre-launch planning for Vytorin ® and Zetia ® as part of the European partnership between Merck and Schering-Plough. Mr. Thompson holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from McMaster University and an MBA from the University of Notre Dame. About Esperion Therapeutics Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. is a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company focused on bringing new medicines to market that address unmet needs of patients and healthcare professionals. The Company developed and is commercializing the only U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved oral, once-daily, non-statin medicines for patients who are at risk for cardiovascular disease and are struggling with elevated low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). These medications are supported by the nearly 14,000 patient CLEAR Cardiovascular Outcomes Trial. Esperion continues to build on its success with its next generation program which is focused on developing ATP citrate lyase inhibitors (ACLYi). New insights into the structure and function of ACLYi fully enables rational drug design and the opportunity to develop highly potent and specific inhibitors with allosteric mechanisms. Esperion continues to evolve into a leading global biopharmaceutical company through commercial execution, international partnerships and collaborations and advancement of its pre-clinical pipeline. For more information, visit and follow Esperion on LinkedIn and X. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding marketing strategy and commercialization plans, current and planned operational expenses, future operations, commercial products, clinical development, including the timing, designs and plans for the CLEAR Outcomes study and its results, plans for potential future product candidates, financial condition and outlook, including expected cash runway, and other statements containing the words 'anticipate,' 'believe,' 'estimate,' 'expect,' 'intend,' 'may,' 'plan,' 'predict,' 'project,' 'suggest,' 'target,' 'potential,' 'will,' 'would,' 'could,' 'should,' 'continue,' and similar expressions. Any express or implied statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause Esperion's actual results to differ significantly from those projected, including, without limitation, the net sales, profitability, and growth of Esperion's commercial products, clinical activities and results, supply chain, commercial development and launch plans, the outcomes and anticipated benefits of legal proceedings and settlements, and the risks detailed in Esperion's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and Esperion disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, other than to the extent required by law.
CBC
12-06-2025
- Health
- CBC
Obstetrical, gynecological care patient complaints on the rise in Ontario, says patient ombudsman
New data shows more people are filing complaints about obstetrical and gynecological care in Ontario, with insensitivity, poor communication and lack of trauma awareness among the most common grievances. Ontario's Patient Ombudsman Craig Thompson says his office received 168 complaints between April 2024 and March 2025, compared to 130 over the same period the previous year — a 29 per cent increase. Complainants also detailed experiencing a lack of responsive care to factors such as history of sexual assault, pregnancy complications, miscarriages, and difficult births. Many complaints were related to pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal care provided in hospitals, he said. There's also been an increase in complaints regarding services at community surgical and diagnostic centres that do ultrasounds, X-rays and surgical procedures. Complaints are filed online, by email, fax or mail, and then reviewed by the ombudsman, who engages with both parties to reach a resolution. National data from the Canadian Medical Protective Association suggests patient complaints across medical disciplines are on the rise, with more than 4,045 in 2020, up from 3,379 in 2016. They said many complaints showed communication was an underlying issue. The Ontario ombudsman's data will be published later this year in an annual report on the overall number and themes of health-system complaints, but Thompson shared the ob-gyn numbers with The Canadian Press in the wake of an investigation published last week that included several patients alleging neglectful care going back almost a decade by the same Toronto doctor. The patients described traumatic experiences while under the care of ob-gyn Dr. Esther Park, with some alleging they were not adequately informed about certain procedures performed at her clinic and the hospital she worked at for 25 years. Dr. Park stopped practising medicine in April. Attempts to reach her for comment were unsuccessful. WATCH | Toronto gynecologist linked to hepatitis, HIV exposure resigns: Toronto gynecologist linked to hepatitis, HIV exposure resigns 1 month ago Duration 2:55 In the ombudsman's last annual report released in March, the number of obstetrical and gynecological-related complaints in the province was described as an "emerging concern" that Thompson said he would continue to monitor. No confirmation of broader investigation of ob-gyn complaints While Thompson said the way women's health is delivered in Ontario has been an issue for many years, he said what's new is the number of grievances about obstetrics and gynecology, and the nature of the complaints. "We are in that role of a bit of the canary in the coal mine. We identify early signals of a problem," he said, explaining that annual reports are shared with the province's ministries of health, long-term care, and relevant health agencies. The patient ombudsman's role was created by the provincial government in 2016 to help resolve complaints and conduct investigations on issues of public interest. Thompson calls his office the "last resort" for patients who are not satisfied with a hospital's response to a complaint, and who need help reaching a resolution. But he also tries to pinpoint if a broader issue needs to be investigated and what can be done. Thompson said he tries to determine: "Where's the breakdown? Is this a breakdown in policy? Is this a breakdown in education or training of our team? Is this a breakdown in practice? Is the practice that we've adopted not meeting the mark?" He would not disclose if he's conducting a broader investigation of obstetrical and gynecological care complaints. His last report included two pages on the practice, identifying "broader organizational issues, including a lack of trauma-informed care approaches that, if addressed, could improve the experiences of patients and their families." Doctor helping integrate trauma-informed approach in hospitals Dr. Heather Millar, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Women's College Hospital and Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, says a trauma-informed approach begins with an awareness of how common painful childhood memories, sexual assaults and triggering medical encounters are. It also includes strategies to avoid traumatizing or retraumatizing a patient. She said she first came across the method in 2015. "I was working with a physician at the time who used trauma-informed care principles and I realized that this was something that we should all be doing and that really should be implemented across our specialty," Millar said. The premise is to treat each patient as though they have a trauma history, for instance asking permission before touching them and covering their bodies during an exam to facilitate an environment that feels safe. Since then, Millar has been helping integrate the approach at hospitals, including within Mount Sinai's obstetric emergency training, and she teaches trauma-informed care to residents at the University of Toronto. She's also working on national guidelines with the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) to formally implement this approach as a standard of care. "We're much more conscious now of how common trauma is in the general population … and also how the encounters and procedures in our specialty can be traumatic for people," she said, referencing vaginal exams that can feel invasive, and emergencies during deliveries, which may trigger painful memories. Trauma-informed care was not talked about Dr. Glenn Posner, vice chair of education for the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Ottawa, said when he was a resident more than 20 years ago, trauma-informed care was not talked about. But now, he sees residents bring this sensitive approach to their patients, for instance asking for permission multiple times before an exam, or showing them how a speculum feels on their leg before using it. But the stressful demands of the job and sheer volume of patients can at times hinder sensitive communication, and can translate into body language that patients will pick up on, he said. "Having a conversation with somebody with your hand on the door knob is perceived as you're rushing them. But you can spend the same amount of time or even less if you come in, pull up a chair, sit down." Similarly, Millar said there are small changes that can make patients feel more in control, such as raising the head of a hospital bed so that the physician can make eye-contact with them throughout an exam. Ministry of health responds to complaints In response to an email from The Canadian Press containing the ombudsman's new data, the ministry of health said it expects every hospital and health-care partner to uphold the highest standard of patient care. They referenced existing patient safety legislation and regulation, but did not say what they would do about the increase in obstetrical and gynecological complaints. "One complaint about the safety of care is too many," a spokesperson for the ministry of health said in a statement. The SOGC said it would not comment on the data since it has not seen the full report. The head of an advocacy group that speaks out on behalf of patients says she's seen similar reports for years without any investment in changes. "I am not surprised that there are more complaints that are coming in this particular area of practice," said Kathleen Finlay, chief executive officer of the Center for Patient Protection. Finlay, who has worked as a patient advocate for almost 20 years, said she often hears ob-gyn patients say, "They didn't listen to me. I had a lot of concerns and I felt I was just being rushed through the process. My questions weren't being answered." She said not enough is being done at the regulatory level to make changes to improve patient experience. "There are many issues that are, from a woman's perspective, very traumatic and so much of it is about not being treated with the respect that they deserve."
CTV News
12-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
OB/GYN patient complaints up 29% over previous year: Ontario's patient ombudsman
A pregnant woman is examined as she waits to give birth at a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday, July 25, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Felipe Dana TORONTO — New data shows more people are filing complaints about obstetrical and gynecological care in Ontario, with insensitivity, poor communication and lack of trauma awareness among the most common grievances. Ontario's Patient Ombudsman Craig Thompson says his office received 168 complaints between April 2024 and March 2025, compared to 130 over the same period the previous year — a 29 per cent increase. Complainants also detailed experiencing a lack of responsive care to factors such as history of sexual assault, pregnancy complications, miscarriages, and difficult births. Many complaints were related to pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal care provided in hospitals, he said. There's also been an increase in complaints regarding services at community surgical and diagnostic centres that do ultrasounds, X-rays and surgical procedures. Complaints are filed online, by email, fax or mail, and then reviewed by the ombudsman, who engages with both parties to reach a resolution. National data from the Canadian Medical Protective Association suggests patient complaints across medical disciplines are on the rise, with more than 4,045 in 2020, up from 3,379 in 2016. They said many complaints showed communication was an underlying issue. The Ontario ombudsman's data will be published later this year in an annual report on the overall number and themes of health-system complaints, but Thompson shared the OB/GYN numbers with The Canadian Press in the wake of an investigation published last week that included several patients alleging neglectful care going back almost a decade by the same Toronto doctor. The patients described traumatic experiences while under the care of OB/GYN Dr. Esther Park, with some alleging they were not adequately informed about certain procedures performed at her clinic and the hospital she worked at for 25 years. Dr. Park stopped practising medicine in April. Attempts to reach her for comment were unsuccessful. In the ombudsman's last annual report released in March, the number of obstetrical and gynecological-related complaints in the province was described as an 'emerging concern' that Thompson said he would continue to monitor. While Thompson said the way women's health is delivered in Ontario has been an issue for many years, he said what's new is the number of grievances about obstetrics and gynecology, and the nature of the complaints. 'We are in that role of a bit of the canary in the coal mine. We identify early signals of a problem,' he said, explaining that annual reports are shared with the province's ministries of health, long-term care, and relevant health agencies. The patient ombudsman's role was created by the provincial government in 2016 to help resolve complaints and conduct investigations on issues of public interest. Thompson calls his office the 'last resort' for patients who are not satisfied with a hospital's response to a complaint, and who need help reaching a resolution. But he also tries to pinpoint if a broader issue needs to be investigated and what can be done. Thompson said he tries to determine: 'Where's the breakdown? Is this a breakdown in policy? Is this a breakdown in education or training of our team? Is this a breakdown in practice? Is the practice that we've adopted not meeting the mark?' He would not disclose if he's conducting a broader investigation of obstetrical and gynecological care complaints. His last report included two pages on the practice, identifying 'broader organizational issues, including a lack of trauma-informed care approaches that, if addressed, could improve the experiences of patients and their families.' Dr. Heather Millar, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Women's College Hospital and Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, says a trauma-informed approach begins with an awareness of how common painful childhood memories, sexual assaults and triggering medical encounters are. It also includes strategies to avoid traumatizing or retraumatizing a patient. She said she first came across the method in 2015. 'I was working with a physician at the time who used trauma-informed care principles and I realized that this was something that we should all be doing and that really should be implemented across our specialty,' Millar said. The premise is to treat each patient as though they have a trauma history, for instance asking permission before touching them and covering their bodies during an exam to facilitate an environment that feels safe. Since then, Millar has been helping integrate the approach at hospitals, including within Mount Sinai's obstetric emergency training, and she teaches trauma-informed care to residents at the University of Toronto. She's also working on national guidelines with the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) to formally implement this approach as a standard of care. 'We're much more conscious now of how common trauma is in the general population … and also how the encounters and procedures in our specialty can be traumatic for people,' she said, referencing vaginal exams that can feel invasive, and emergencies during deliveries, which may trigger painful memories. Dr. Glenn Posner, vice chair of education for the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Ottawa, said when he was a resident more than 20 years ago, trauma-informed care was not talked about. But now, he sees residents bring this sensitive approach to their patients, for instance asking for permission multiple times before an exam, or showing them how a speculum feels on their leg before using it. But the stressful demands of the job and sheer volume of patients can at times hinder sensitive communication, and can translate into body language that patients will pick up on, he said. 'Having a conversation with somebody with your hand on the door knob is perceived as you're rushing them. But you can spend the same amount of time or even less if you come in, pull up a chair, sit down.' Similarly, Millar said there are small changes that can make patients feel more in control, such as raising the head of a hospital bed so that the physician can make eye-contact with them throughout an exam. In response to an email from The Canadian Press containing the ombudsman's new data, the ministry of health said it expects every hospital and health-care partner to uphold the highest standard of patient care. They referenced existing patient safety legislation and regulation, but did not say what they would do about the increase in obstetrical and gynecological complaints. 'One complaint about the safety of care is too many,' a spokesperson for the ministry of health said in a statement. The SOGC said it would not comment on the data since it has not seen the full report. The head of an advocacy group that speaks out on behalf of patients says she's seen similar reports for years without any investment in changes. 'I am not surprised that there are more complaints that are coming in this particular area of practice,' said Kathleen Finlay, chief executive officer of the Center for Patient Protection. Finlay, who has worked as a patient advocate for almost 20 years, said she often hears OB/GYN patients say, 'They didn't listen to me. I had a lot of concerns and I felt I was just being rushed through the process. My questions weren't being answered.' She said not enough is being done at the regulatory level to make changes to improve patient experience. 'There are many issues that are, from a woman's perspective, very traumatic and so much of it is about not being treated with the respect that they deserve.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 12, 2025. Canadian Press health coverage receives support through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content. Hannah Alberga, The Canadian Press
Edmonton Journal
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Edmonton Journal
Lorne Gunter: Schools have a duty to remove, or strictly control, sexually graphic content in books
Article content The four in question are Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, Blankets by Craig Thompson, Fun Home by Alison Bechdel and Flamer by Mike Curato. Before you make up you mind about whether these are appropriate for school kids, check out their contents on the website set up by the Alberta government. (
Globe and Mail
30-05-2025
- General
- Globe and Mail
Alberta Insider: New fronts in the culture wars
Good morning. Alberta is no stranger to some of the culture wars that have been fought in the United States and abroad in recent years. This week, two new fronts were opened in the province. First, on Monday, the Alberta government announced plans to hold public consultations so it can set new regulations for school libraries, creating rules around books that the province deems age-inappropriate because of what it qualifies as sexually explicit content. 'School libraries spark imagination and foster a lifelong love of learning within our children,' Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides told reporters in Calgary. 'Yet, unfortunately, through investigations conducted by my office, we have found books in K-12 schools that show extremely age-inappropriate content.' The province said it found 'multiple books with explicit sexual content' as part of an investigation conducted by Nicolaides's office. Only four examples were provided on Monday, each of which are graphic novels and depict LGBTQ or coming-of-age subjects: Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, Fun Home by Alison Bechdel, Blankets by Craig Thompson and Flamer by Mike Curato. The Globe's Temur Durrani reached out to the four authors, who all said they were not consulted after their books were flagged and that the content is being taken out of context. Thompson, an Oregon-based graphic novelist, said his book is a coming-of-age autobiography based on his own childhood in an evangelical Christian family. Curato, a Massachusetts-based illustrator, also defended his work. 'Protecting the right to read is protecting the right to exist,' he told The Globe. The issue of determining what books are age appropriate has led to numerous political disputes and legal challenges. The fight reached the U.S. Supreme Court last month, when a children's picture book by a Vancouver Island author about a puppy at a Pride parade was among several works at the centre of a court challenge over whether parents have the constitutional right to opt their children out of lessons involving works with LGBTQ characters. Alberta's new policies, when implemented, will apply to public, separate, francophone, charter and independent schools. The second battle of the week came on Wednesday, when the Canadian Medical Association filed a constitutional challenge alongside three Alberta doctors against the province's legislation that limits access to medical treatment for transgender youth. The CMA says it is compelled to step in to guard the relationship between patients, doctors and families in making treatment decisions. Alberta's Bill 26, which became law last December, prohibits doctors from prescribing puberty blockers and hormone therapies for those under 16. It also bans doctors from performing gender-reassignment surgeries on minors (those under 18) – an already rare occurrence in the province. CMA president Joss Reimer said the law has created a 'moral crisis' for physicians, saying an 'ideological influence' does not help the patient. 'When governments get involved and start restricting medical decisions, that means that doctors are then put into a position where they have to choose between following their ethical standards, following what they feel is best for their patients or following the law,' Dr. Reimer told The Globe. At the time of the filing, the Alberta government had not commented on the CMA's legal challenge. The United Conservative government has previously declined to comment on legal action launched against the bill last year by advocacy groups Egale Canada and Skipping Stone Foundation, citing it was before the courts. This is the weekly Alberta newsletter written by Alberta Bureau Chief Mark Iype. If you're reading this on the web, or it was forwarded to you from someone else, you can sign up for it and all Globe newsletters here.
