WSJ: Fetal ultrasound procedures are often not medically justified
As fetal-ultrasound procedures continue to increase in the U.S., medical experts are cautioning against running frequent scans with the devices.
Month: October 2015
‘Cures’ bill, designed to speed drug approvals, could be too much of a good thing, dissenters say
For years, the FDA faced criticism that its one-size-fits-all approach to evaluating new drugs and devices was ill-conceived and failed to take into account a changing healthcare environment. The agency has since made strides in shortening review times and accelerating the path for breakthrough treatments; however, a new bill designed to break down even more regulatory barriers has attracted a chorus of critics worried that it could go too far at the expense of patients.
Implanting a titanium tube inside damaged bones improves procedure to ward off amputations
A titanium rod implanted inside a bone can improve limb-lengthening procedures that are used to prevent the need for limb amputation, a study in the journal Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research co-published by Loyola University orthopedic surgeon Dr. Mitchell Bernstein found.
JAMA: Noninvasive prenatal tests can pinpoint cancer in mothers
Amid increased demand for noninvasive prenatal genetic tests, a new study shows that the tools can do more than pinpoint fetal abnormalities, turning up previously undiagnosed cancer in mothers.
Medical Device Interoperability among FDA Priorities in 2015
The FDA has an ambitious plan to publish guidance on a number of topics, including medical device interoperability and unique device identifiers.
India moving closer to implementing price controls on medical devices
The Indian government is forging ahead with its plan to put price controls on medical devices, the most controversial element of an array of reforms designed to bolster the use and manufacture of devices in India.
U.S. House passes provision to keep tabs on medical devices used on patients
The amendment of the medical research bill was inspired by controversy over power morcellators.
Magic material: Graphene protects chemotherapy, but silver-lined catheters break it down
Catheters designed to deliver chemotherapy are often coated in silver to provide an antibacterial coating. However, scientists at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found that this silver actually breaks down chemotherapy drugs and can release a harmful gas, hydrogen fluoride in the process. The researchers expect that graphene, which is a nonreactive substance, might be a better catheter coating.
Feds sentence woman to 97 months in prison for fraudulently billing Medicare for wheelchairs
The former owner of a medical supply company was sentenced to 97 months in prison for fraudulently billing more than $3.5 million to Medicare and Medi-Cal for unnecessary power wheelchairs.