Donation is part of five-year, $25 million Eagles donation to University of Iowa

September 20, 2011

Iowa City, Iowa - The peel of an apple has long been inconsequential. A tasteless buffer between the hungry human and the deliciously healthy interior, few ever gave the waxy exterior a second thought. Thanks to The Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center, things are about to change.

A recent study done by researchers at the University of Iowa with funding from the Diabetes Research Center has found that ursolic acid, a substance found in apple peel, reduced fat, blood sugar levels, cholesterol and triglycerides in mice and may be useful in treating diabetes.

The research was made possible by a five-year, $25 million commitment made by The Fraternal Order of Eagles (F.O.E.). A $5 million check presentation will be made Saturday, Sept. 24, at Kinnick Stadium as part of the football game between the University of Iowa and Louisiana-Monroe (Noon EST, 11 a.m. CST). This will bring the F.O.E. donation total to $15 million.

Though the John and Mary Pappajohn Biomedical Discovery Building, future home of the Diabetes Research Center, is currently little more than dirt and steel, the center is already making significant medical breakthroughs.

Endocrinologist Christopher Adams, M.D., Ph. D., led the study which found that ursolic acid helped insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) and insulin, hormones that help to build muscle and prevent muscle atrophy. Unexpectedly, the study also found that the substance reduced body fat in mice and lowered blood sugar levels and cholesterol - a key to preventing type-II diabetes.

Following his work, Adams was named the Diabetes Research Center's first Faculty Scholar, an honor which will award him $250,000 over the next five years to help further his research.

The Fraternal Order of Eagles is also funding the future of diabetes research as four promising young doctors have received $50,000 research grants to develop studies related to diabetes. Recipients include Anne Kwitek, PhD; Andrew Norris, MD, PhD; Kamai Rahmouni, PhD; and Leonid Zingman, MD. Leading doctors and researchers in the field will join the staff of the Diabetes Research Center in the coming months as the Eagles and the University of Iowa begin to fill a roster with medical talent equipped to make even more significant strides.

These steps are further pieces in the puzzle that has been coming together since members of The Fraternal Order of Eagles voted to make the five-year, $25 million commitment in August of 2008 at the organization's International Convention in Louisville, Ky. In the years since, the nearly 850,000 Eagles across the United States and Canada have worked tirelessly to meet each year's goal and make their dream a reality.

Eagle dignitaries scheduled to attend the presentation include Grand Aerie Chairman of the Board Mike Lagervall, Sr., Past Grand Madam President and DRC co-director Jean Kerr, DRC co-director Tom McGrath and Grand Trustee Chuck Lang. University of Iowa President Sally Mason will also be on hand for the event.

To learn more about The Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center, visit http://www.foe.com/charities/diabetes.aspx.

About the Fraternal Order of Eagles
The Fraternal Order of Eagles, an international non-profit organization, unites fraternally in the spirit of liberty, truth, justice, and equality, to make human life more desirable by lessening its ills, and by promoting peace, prosperity, gladness and hope. Founded in 1898, the Eagles fund research in areas such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease and cancer, and raise money for neglected and abused children and the aged, as well as work for social and civic change.

About the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center
The Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center will be housed at the John and Mary Pappajohn Biomedical Discovery Building on the campus of The University of Iowa in Iowa City. The state-of-the-art center will host leaders in the field of diabetes research in an effort to find a cure for the disease. The F.O.E. has pledged to donate $25 million over a five-year period to help with research efforts.

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today made the following comment on the report from the Securities and Exchange Commission inspector general on the agency's former general counsel's actions in the Bernard Madoff fraud case.  Grassley, a long-time watchdog of making sure the agency does its job, earlier this year urged the agency to account for its actions in this matter.

"First, the SEC missed the Madoff scam.  Then, the SEC was tone-deaf to Madoff victims.  It let a top SEC employee who profited from a Madoff account craft the commission's position on how to treat Madoff victims.  It's hard to see how the agency could have let such a major conflict of interest slide.  The SEC needs to reform its ethics polices top to bottom.  The consequences of a haphazard approach are clear.  Public confidence in the agency's ability to do its job of protecting investors is undermined by slipshod work.  The SEC needs to make sure nothing like this happens again."

PLATTEVILLE, WI (09/20/2011)(readMedia)-- Tyler Fisher of Rock Island, IL has been selected to be a resident assistant for Brockert Hall at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville for the 2011-12 academic year.

It is the job of an RA to help residents in adjusting to university life. The RA informs students of university resources and programs, works with different parts of hall government, gives and receives personal feedback, promotes an educational atmosphere, encourages involvement in campus functions and responds to personal and disciplinary concerns. RAs also work to provide students with a sense of identity, growth experiences and the feeling of responsibility toward others.

UW-Platteville is located in the southwest corner of Wisconsin. The school reached a record-breaking enrollment with 7,212 students in 2011-12 and looks to surpass that record this year. UW-Platteville provides 41 majors and 70 minors to students, as well as the Tri-State Initiative program, a tuition savings program offered only at UW-Platteville. This program offers competitive pricing for students in Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa when annual tuition, fees, room, board and books are included.

WASHINGTON, DC - The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) is encouraging consumers to get immunized against influenza and to speak with their pharmacist about the options available at their local pharmacy. Pharmacists are authorized to give flu vaccinations in all 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico, and more than 150,000 U.S. pharmacists have been trained in the practice of immunization administration. The CDC estimates that approximately 20% of the seasonal flu vaccinations given to adults during the 2010-2011 season were administered by pharmacists.

"APhA encourages consumers to be proactive and talk to their pharmacist about their vaccination needs and the immunization process at the pharmacy," said APhA CEO and Executive Vice President Thomas Menighan.  "A pharmacist goes through six years or more of school, depending on his/her area of specialization. In addition to their specialized training as medication experts, pharmacists can go through a formal training program to gain the skill set and knowledge to administer immunizations. This formal training helps ensure reliable and consistent immunization care for patients. "

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 5 to 20 percent of the US population is infected with influenza every year, and over the past 31 years, annual influenza related deaths have ranged from 3,000 to 49,000. Consistent with the recommendations by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), APhA recommends that all persons six months of age and older be vaccinated each year.

"The local pharmacy is a convenient and easily accessible place to get your flu shot," stated Vincent Hartzell, Owner and Director of Patient Care Services, Hartzell's Pharmacy. "Your pharmacist is readily available to discuss vaccines and how they can help keep your family healthy. Many pharmacies have year-round walk-in hours and immunization clinics during the peak season. In most cases, a patient can get vaccinated in the time it takes to wait for their prescriptions."

The flu vaccine administered in the local pharmacy is supplied by the same major manufacturers who supply the vaccines to doctors and other healthcare providers. The 2011-2012 vaccine is now available and health care providers should begin vaccinating patients as soon as they receive their supply. Consumers are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated early in the season, but immunizations can be received as long as vaccine supply is available. There are several methods of flu vaccination available, depending upon the patient's age and health conditions.  Make sure to ask your pharmacist or other health care provider about which is right for you.

In many states, pharmacists are able to administer other important immunizations. Check with your local pharmacist to determine which vaccines they administer. Immunizations may include :

• Pneumococcal (Pneumonia)
• Meningococcal (Meningitis)
• Hepatitis B
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)
• Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis)
• Zoster (Shingles)

Consumers should hold a conversation with their pharmacist and their other healthcare providers about their vaccination needs. Pharmacists work in conjunction with doctors and other health care providers to optimize care, improve medication use and to prevent disease. APhA encourages consumers to fill all their prescriptions with one pharmacy to get to know their pharmacist on a first name basis, to carry an up-date medication and vaccination list and to share all medical information with each of their health care providers.

About the American Pharmacists Association
The American Pharmacists Association, founded in 1852 as the American Pharmaceutical Association, is a 501 (c)(6) organization, representing more than 62,000 practicing pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, student pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and others interested in advancing the profession. APhA, dedicated to helping all pharmacists improve medication use and advance patient care, is the first-established and largest association of pharmacists in the United States.

This press release is part of a multi-media educational campaign by the American Pharmacists Association to generate awareness among consumers about pharmacist training in immunization administration, the importance of getting a flu shot every year and the convenience of getting a flu shot at the pharmacy.  The campaign is sponsored in part by Novartis Vaccines.

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