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The deluge of uses for Apple’s ResearchKit and HealthKit development tools seems to be starting in earnest.  The latest entrants are a couple of apps aimed at chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.  One, from the non-profit COPD Foundation, hopes to enroll more than 75,000 COPD patients in a lung health research study, while the other is intended to offer the means for patients to better monitor and manage COPD.

As scientists develop next-generation sensors to facilitate patient monitoring, researchers in New Zealand are rolling out a sensor device that can detect estrogen levels without some of the setbacks of current technology.

The European Union (EU) has offered a new proposal that would further harmonize the pharmaceutical regulations between the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which could speed new drug approvals and manufacturing inspections in both regions.

The FDA is alerting the public that rare cases of underactive thyroid were reported in babies who were given iodine-containing contrast agents for X-rays and other medical imaging procedures.

FDA is calling for more oversight of lab-developed tests (LDTs) in the wake of a congressional hearing about the agency’s ability to regulate the products, pointing to a new internal report that says certain LDTs “may have caused or have caused” harm to patients by producing incorrect results.

Companies are developing innovative devices for medical marijuana, rolling out everything from palm-sized inhalers to metered products that deliver drugs through the inner cheek.  Massachusetts startup CannaKorp is taking a different approach, creating a Keurig-like medical marijuana vaporizer device to compete for its share in a growing market.

The FDA is cracking down on direct-to-consumer testing companies including DNA4Life and Interleukin Genetics for selling their tests without proper approval, a few weeks after the Agency cleared the way for 23andMe to proceed with its DTC genetic reporting service.

As scientists search for lighter, low-cost alternatives to traditional imaging tools such as MRI or CT scans, engineers at Stanford University are developing a device that uses microwaves and ultrasound to pinpoint targets without touch, potentially improving tumor detection.

In a sure sign of recovery from a famous setback dealt by the FDA, Anne Wojcicki promised she will not sell her once again trendy diagnostics company 23andMe.

Apple has dealt with setbacks for its Apple Watch since rolling out the product earlier in 2015, shelving certain health features prior to launch and facing complaints over the accuracy of the device’s heart rate monitor. With its med tech aspirations for the watch on the back burner, some analysts think the company could turn to corporate markets to boost sales for the product.