Doctors Without Borders Successful in Treating Hepatitis C in Cambodia

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An MBA graduate of the University of Utah, Gary Teran has served as president and CEO of First Western Advisors since 1984. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Gary Teran supports a number of charitable organizations, including Doctors Without Borders. 

Doctors Without Borders provides medical care and emergency assistance across national boundaries, especially in conflict zones. In a July 2019 post published a few days before World Hepatitis Day, the international medical humanitarian organization shared that it has achieved outstanding results in treating Cambodians with hepatitis C. 

Doctors Without Borders owes these results to a collaboration with the Cambodian Ministry of Health. Through this partnership, the two organizations have implemented a more efficient screening and treatment process using direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) -- new hepatitis C drugs that are less toxic but just as effective in curing the disease. DAAs can be prescribed to patients with various stages of hepatitis, thereby eliminating the lengthy testing and pre-treatment analysis that usually takes four to five months.

Since Doctors Without Borders implemented the project in 2016, more than 13,000 patients have received treatment in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh. In the last three months alone, 97 percent of those undergoing treatment have been cured.

American Cancer Society Highlights Pain Associated with Treatment

Person lying on CT Scan machine
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Since 1984, Gary Teran has served as CEO and president of First Western Advisors. Gary Teran gives back to the community by supporting nonprofit organizations across the state, including the American Cancer Society (ACS).

The organization works in a variety of research capacities and has recently unveiled the results of a study focused on chronic pain among cancer survivors. The study, which was done in conjunction with the University of Virginia, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and Mount Sinai, revealed that survivors are 34.6 percent more likely to live with chronic pain than the general population.

This pain has been linked to many cancer treatments and reduces a patient’s quality of life long-term. In the study, the researchers defined two types of pain: chronic pain, which was limited to pain felt on most days in the past six months; and high impact chronic pain, which is so severe that it limits daily activities.

Another study that surveyed 2,487 patients with breast or colorectal cancer across the United States showed a significant portion who are unlikely to receive treatment for their pain. Out of the 61 percent of patients who experienced pain only 58 percent received adequate treatment while the remaining 42 percent did not get the help they need. For patients who experienced fatigue and distress, only 40 percent and 46 percent received guidance, respectively.

Utah-Based Fraud College Educates Investors to Combat Fraud

A federally registered investment advisor and broker-dealer with nearly 40 years of professional experience, Gary Teran functions as the president and CEO of First Western Advisors. In addition to leading an investment firm valued at $500 million, Gary Teran serves as a panel member for an anti-fraud education event called Fraud College.

A non-profit organization based in Utah, Fraud College combats investment fraud by raising awareness about the common tricks fraudsters use to steal people’s money. In addition to an annual conference in Utah, Fraud College educates the public and potential investors on avoiding investment fraud by holding webinars, publishing an alert blog, and communicating with a corporate council of advisors.

In recent years, Utah has gained a reputation as a hotspot for “affinity fraud.” In 2010, Utah officials uncovered a case where thousands of people were defrauded of over $1.4 billion. The following year, reported fraud in the state increased more than 30 percent over the prior year. Focused on exposing the fraudsters behind schemes like these, Fraud College soon aims to expand the reach of its live education programs beyond Utah.