Best U.S. Cities For Health and Quality of Life
Want to know where the best cities to live are in the U.S.? Well, if a move is in mind, AARP recently launched a new online, easy-to-use tool that checks the “livability score”—which translates to quality of life—of any location in the country. An initiative of the Public Policy Institute, the online index measures the quality of life in different American cities.
The livability index identifies the best cities in terms of housing, transportation, neighborhood characteristics, environment, opportunity, and of course, health. For instance, when it comes to personal health concerns, the interactive website can indicate the relative rates of obesity and smoking in any city. It can also check for neighborhoods that offer fresh foods through farmer’s markets or groceries. The idea is to help people of all ages find a quality community that meets their personal requirements.
Eisai to Eliminate 200 U.S. Jobs
During the first nine months of Easai Inc.’s 2014 fiscal year, revenue declined 8% and profits fell 47% compared to the same period a year ago. The company decided to realign operations in the U.S., in an effort to create a more efficient and focused organization. As part of the realignment, Easai announced that it will cut 200 jobs in the U.S.
“This decision was difficult,” said Shaji Procida, President and COO of Eisai Inc., in a statement. “We are grateful to our colleagues, each of whom has played an important role in helping us fulfill our human healthcare mission to bring important new medicines to patients. We are aware of the impact that our reorganization will have on some employees, and will work with them to ensure that their transition is as smooth as possible.”
Russia is Home to Novo Nordisk’s Newest Facility
In an effort to meet the unmet needs of people with diabetes in Russia, Novo Nordisk, the world’s leading provider in insulin and diabetes care, recently opened a new insulin manufacturing facility in Russia. Based in Kaluga, this is the first and only greenfield facility to manufacture modern insulin in Russia and will produce PenFill cartridges and FlexPen prefilled insulin injection pens. Lars Rebien Sørensen, CEO of Novo Nordisk said in a statement, “The manufacturing facility in Kaluga is a sign of our long-term commitment to people with diabetes in Russia.”
Amgen Opens Bio-Manufacturing Facility in Singapore
In a little less than two years, Amgen built and opened a new next-generation manufacturing facility in Singapore. The start up of the facility is meant to signal a new stage in Amgen’s push to efficiently manufacture innovative clinical and commercial drugs to treat serious diseases.
“We are reinventing what it means to manufacture biologic medicines,” Robert A. Bradway, Amgen’s Chairman and CEO, said in a statement. “Singapore is an ideal place to invest in such a pioneering facility because of its talented workforce and commitment to the biotechnology industry.” The next-generation bio-manufacturing facility employs, among other technologies, single-use bioreactors, continuous purification processing and real-time quality analysis—all aimed at increasing production efficiency.
