November 21, 2019 In two (2) studies published in the journal Circulation, scientists at Boston Children’s built what could be the first human tissue model of catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT), a potentially lethal form of arrhythmia that’s triggered by exercise or sudden emotional stress. Using that model, they developed a gene therapy procedure that … Read more
November 19, 2019 After the researchers blocked ghrelin signaling in rats, they observed that the animals showed signs of impaired memory, they reported at the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior. That led the USC team to hypothesize that ghrelin may also help control memory. Ghrelin is produced mainly in the … Read more
November 14, 2019 Working as part of the Yale University-Mayo Clinic Center of Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation (CERSI), the FDA has identified the need for alternative heart failure endpoints. Improving mortality and reducing hospitalizations are gold-standard endpoints for clinical trials; however, attempts to demonstrate the efficacy of drugs against those yardsticks are confounded … Read more
November 13, 2019 Merck initiated the idea, and a collection of players coordinated by humanitarian aid organization Direct Relief have now moved to proof-of-concept missions. They developed and flew a drone with a temperature-controlled payload over the waters around the Bahamas. “This successful pilot demonstrates the potential of innovative unmanned aerial vehicles technology to aid … Read more
November 07, 2019 Wearing a T-shirt that said “Encrypt Everything,” Vogels urged companies to think of security as an enterprise-wide responsibility. Yet, in the last year, there were 15,000 data breaches, he said. “As technologists, we should be embarrassed and we need to take responsibility for this,” Vogels said. “Security needs to become everyone’s job, … Read more
November 05, 2019 Amazon’s algorithm will automatically search the NHS website for answers to queries such as “Alexa, how do I treat a migraine?” or “Alexa, what are the symptoms of flu?” Using a voice assistant is obviously more efficient than typing one’s symptoms into a search engine. However, the offering also eliminates the need … Read more
October 31, 2019 The order also aims to create new payment models for transplants, and hopes to encourage the development of artificial organs — with the goal of doubling the total number of available kidneys by 2030. Currently, more than 100,000 people are waiting for a potential kidney transplant. Shares of DaVita and Fresenius Medicare … Read more
October 29, 2019 A move that capped residents’ work hours at 80 hours a week in 2003 did not make a difference in terms of patient mortality within 30 days of being hospitalized, readmissions or inpatient spending, according to the study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). In 2003, the Accreditation Council for Graduate … Read more
October 24, 2019 “The current wording of the draft guidance…provides FDA with so much flexibility to deviate from these processes and standards that they are rendered meaningless,” writes AdvaMed Senior Executive Vice President for Technology and Regulatory Affairs Janet Trunzo. The group seeks revisions that address “this shortcoming” and align with least burdensome principles. AdvaMed … Read more
October 22, 2019 Regulation is complex, to say the least; however, U.S. and European biotech companies know China is an increasingly important area not just to sell medicines, but to discover and develop them as well. China, too, has been making a big push in the direction of innovation, and is looking to spend considerable … Read more