Latest Stories

The UK has finally left the EU: what does this mean for medtech?
21 January 2021Four tumultuous years on from the 2016 referendum, the UK has finally left the EU, governed by the terms of a deal reached just one week before the Brexit transition period ended on 31 December.
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French medtechs Carmat, CorWave advance heart failure device plans
19 January 2021The two French companies are targeting different populations of the heart failure market. CorWave is developing a twist on the LVADs sold by companies including Abbott and Medtronic.
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UK authorises 30 minute self-test kit to detect asymptomatic Covid-19 cases
14 January 2021The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued exceptional use authorisation for an NHS Test and Trace Covid-19 Self-Test device.
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IBM links with Salesforce to offer digital COVID-19 vaccine passports
12 January 2021In the final act of the 2011 film “Contagion,” people wore bar-coded wristbands to prove they had been inoculated against the deadly, pandemic virus.
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Pathology AI developer Paige scores CE marks in breast, prostate cancers
07 January 2021Digital pathology developer Paige has received two European approvals for its artificial-intelligence-powered diagnostic platforms in breast and prostate cancers.
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Challenges of fusing robotics and neuroscience
05 January 2021Combining neuroscience and robotic research has gained impressive results in the rehabilitation of paraplegic patients. A research team led by Prof. Gordon Cheng from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) was able to show
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NOWDiagnostics Covid-19 antibody fingerstick test obtains CE Mark
30 December 2020NOWDiagnostics has received Conformité Européene (CE) Mark approval for its ADEXUSDx COVID-19 ‘antibody fingerstick’ Test, a rapid serology, self-contained assay.
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Acutus Medical expands heart treatment portfolio in Europe with new CE marks
28 December 2020Acutus Medical has received two CE marks this week for heart treatment devices and access tools and has begun their European commercial launch.
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LivaNova to exit heart valve business via €60M carve-out deal
22 December 2020After restructuring its heart valve operations and culling one of its programs last year, LivaNova has decided to sell off
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iRhythm gains UK support for EKG system while awaiting key final rule from CMS
17 December 2020iRhythm has capitalized on the increased demand for remote patient monitoring technologies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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My first month at… Ovizio
15 December 2020The “My first month at…” column will elaborate on the experiences of professionals who recently started their new job in the Medical Devices industry.
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Virtual reality helps measure vulnerability to stress
11 December 2020We all react to stress in different ways. A sudden loud noise or flash of light can elicit different degrees of response from people, which indicates that some of us are more susceptible to the impact of stress than others.
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ICR scientists announce molecular clock test to track breast cancer spread
09 December 2020Scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in the UK and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust have announced a new blood test to watch breast cancer’s ‘molecular clock’.
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Bayer signs AI imaging platform pact with Blackford Analysis
07 December 2020Bayer strengthened its ties with Scottish artificial intelligence developer Blackford Analysis to build a one-stop shop for applications in medical imaging.
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Queen Mary partner with healthtech startup Living With to help Rheumatoid Arthritis patients
04 December 2020The project will develop an AI driven product to help clinicians optimise treatment of RA patients based on health data they have submitted via Living With’s remote monitoring app.
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MedTech Europe backs proposed EU Health Union but flags potential hangups
02 December 2020The early weeks of the coronavirus outbreak exposed a lack of unity in the European Union. When Italy, the first EU country to suffer a major COVID-19 outbreak,
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GE Healthcare acquires Swedish developer of CT image-boosting photon detectors
30 November 2020GE Healthcare has moved to acquire a Swedish startup and its next-generation photon-counting technology, which the medtech manufacturer says could help expand the clinical reach of its CT scanners.
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Novocure nets European approval for its Tumor Treating Fields therapy in mesothelioma, raises cash for commercial expansion
27 November 2020About a year and a half after receiving approval from the FDA as a first-line treatment for mesothelioma, Novocure has secured a CE mark for its Tumor Treating Fields therapy in Europe.
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Qiagen unveils multiplex test for SARS-CoV-2 in Europe
25 November 2020Netherlands-based Qiagen has launched NeuMoDx Flu A-B/RSV/SARS-CoV-2 Vantage Test in Europe to identify and differentiate between common seasonal respiratory infections and Covid-19.
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Glympse Bio clears first-in-human safety study of its injectable biosensors
23 November 2020Diagnosing nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)—the excessive buildup of fats in the liver that can lead to liver cancer, failure and the need for a transplant—has always been a difficult prospect.
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Deep Genomics nabs a CBO from Synlogics as it looks to ramp up partnering
20 November 2020It’s been a busy year for Deep Genomics. Since scoring $40 million in January, the Toronto-based biotech has been identifying new drug targets across multiple disease areas, turning up many more prospects than it could pursue on its own.
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BD nets Dutch government contract for over 9M rapid antigen tests for COVID-19
18 November 2020BD has secured a purchase order from the Netherlands to provide millions of rapid COVID-19 antigen tests to the country, marking its first government contract in Europe since the diagnostic received a CE mark in September.
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Digital stethoscope maker Eko nets $65M to develop home telehealth offerings
16 November 2020As the use of telehealth continues to surge—promising a way to deliver distanced care in spite of the coronavirus, and potentially a new normal in a post-pandemic world
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Could a language test diagnose Alzheimer’s? IBM is laying the groundwork
13 November 2020Doctors use brain scans and spinal taps to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, but these methods can be expensive, invasive and usually aren’t done until after a person has shown signs of cognitive decline—at which point it can be difficult to head off the progression of the disease.
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Scottish server to allow cross-border contact-tracing
11 November 2020A Scottish federated server will now allow the various UK Covid-19 contact-tracing apps to become interoperable, tackling one of the key criticisms levelled at the technologies since they began to launch.
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Exact Sciences snaps up liquid biopsy company Thrive in $2.15B deal
09 November 2020Exact Sciences is adding early cancer detection to its pipeline through its buyout of Thrive Earlier Detection for up to $2.15 billion in cash and stock. The deal comes just three months after Thrive raised $257 million in venture dollars to push its liquid biopsy test into a registrational trial.
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How technology is giving ICU patients a voice
06 November 2020For physically weak, voiceless and ventilated patients, communication can be extremely difficult. To help such patients overcome this barrier, a team of specialists developed myICUvoice – a symptom management and communication tool for ICU patients. We take a look at how this technology and others are changing ICU experience for patients.
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Fibroids treatment without the fuss
04 November 2020Designed to provide a less invasive alternative to hysterectomies and myomectomies, Gynesonics’s Sonata System uses radiofrequency energy to remove fibroids. Natalie Healey speaks to Gynesonics’ medical director David Toub about what the tech could mean for women who experience heavy menstrual bleeding.
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Debate: will Covid-19 bring a return to single-use medical devices?
02 November 2020In a pre-Covid-19 world, medical device manufacturers had begun to explore the potential of multi-use medical devices in a bid to boost sustainability efforts and reduce unnecessary waste in the sector. But, as the medical industry grapples to find ways to prevent the spread of contaminants, will single-use products regain favour? Chris Lo and Chloe Kent debate the issue of single use products amid global efforts to reduce virus transmission.
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Neocis raises $72M from DFJ, Fred Moll, others for its dental surgery robot
30 October 2020Neocis has raised $72 million in funding to help support its groundbreaking robotic surgery system for use in dental implant procedures.
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Wearable wonderland: how tech is tackling Covid-19
28 October 2020From symptom signalling and social distancing, to contact tracing and controlling face-touching, wearable devices are being harnessed in all sorts of novel fashions to help combat the Covid-19 pandemic. Chloe Kent rounds up the best and brightest.
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Olympus to roll out colonoscopy AI for spotting lesions, polyps in real time
26 October 2020Olympus has begun rolling out an artificial-intelligence-powered platform for its new endoscope, designed to automatically spot suspicious lesions and polyps during a colonoscopy in real time.
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LivaNova study shows safer outcomes from its sutureless aortic heart valve
23 October 2020LivaNova delivered new data from its sutureless aortic heart valve, showing fewer complications and stronger clinical outcomes compared to traditional implants built on a stent frame.
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Cambridge researchers use VR software to take a tour inside of their own cells
21 October 2020Researchers at the University of Cambridge have developed software that takes super-resolution microscope scans and transforms them into a virtual, 3D worlds, allowing scientists to don a virtual reality headset and take an interactive tour of individual cells and proteins.
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Portable sequencing is reshaping genetics research
19 October 2020Portable sequencing is making it possible for biologists to perform DNA analysis anywhere in the world. How is this technology reshaping the way they work?
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Abbott nets European approval for new FreeStyle Libre glucose sensor
16 October 2020Abbott has secured a European approval for the newest generation of its FreeStyle Libre continuous glucose monitor—which the company describes as the world’s smallest and thinnest diabetes sensor, with a disc about the size of two pennies.
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Medtronic to expand dialysis access position with Avenu Medical buyout
14 October 2020Although peripheral and venous technologies have historically been among the smallest contributors to Medtronic Cardiac and Vascular Group, produccts for ESRD patients are on the rise as prevalence and government attention to the disease grows.
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LabCorp receives FDA green light for a new type of COVID-19 test using fewer reagents
12 October 2020LabCorp has received a new emergency authorization from the FDA for a COVID-19 test that does not require the use of chemical reagents to free the coronavirus’s RNA from a sample.
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Salvia Bioelectronics migraine therapy may offer alternative to drugs
09 October 2020Dutch medtech startup Salvia Bioelectronics has raised €26m in a Series A funding round toward the development of its neurostimulation treatment for chronic migraine. As the demand for chronic migraine treatments grows, a new generation of therapies could end up in high demand.
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Smith+Nephew to acquire Integra LifeSciences’ Extremity Orthopedics
07 October 2020British medical technology company Smith+Nephew has agreed to acquire the Extremity Orthopaedics business of Integra LifeSciences in a deal valued at $240m.
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Power up: self-charging medical devices could be on the way
05 October 2020Self-powered technologies could transform medical devices, making them safer and more convenient for patients. We speak to Peter Harrop from IDTechEx about energy-generating technologies that could make changing a battery a thing of the past.
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CardieX secures patent in Europe for blood pressure technology
02 October 2020CardieX subsidiary ATCOR has secured a new patent by the European Patent Office (EPO) for its SphygmoCor technology used in cuff-based blood pressure devices.
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ReSound One: getting an earful
30 September 2020The majority of hearing aids on the market come equipped with a microphone situated inside an earpiece behind the ear, meaning the wearer’s experience of sound can be quite different to ‘natural’ hearing. The newly-launched ReSound One attempts to bypass this by placing the microphone inside the ear instead, using the shape of the ear to create a more familiar acoustic. Medical Device Network takes a closer look.
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Fitbit to launch first ECG app in U.S., Europe next month
28 September 2020Fitbit’s latest smartwatch has now secured medical device clearances in the U.S. and Europe, unlocking the full use of its ECG app to help identify cases of the irregular heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation.
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Could this portable MRI operate safely in patient rooms?
25 September 2020Research by scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital has led to the development of a portable MRI machine designed to safely and accurately operate at a patient’s bedside.
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Working artificial iris could reduce light sensitivity from migraines, say Imec, Ghent University
23 September 2020A smart contact lens with an actively working artificial iris could become a solution for people with chronic migraines, dry eyes and oversensitivity to light, according to researchers in Belgium.
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Cala Health’s wrist-worn stimulator improves tremor control in real-world study
21 September 2020Cala Health presented new real-world data showing that its watch-like wearable electric stimulation device could be effective in improving hand control in people with essential tremor.
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LabCorp to launch single home swab test spanning COVID-19, the flu & RSV
18 September 2020LabCorp announced plans to launch a new at-home COVID-19 diagnostic that allows people to also get tested for the flu and respiratory syncytial virus from a single sample.
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U.K. outlines post-Brexit medical device regime starting January
16 September 2020The U.K. left the EU earlier this year but has remained subject to its rules under the terms of the transition period agreed to smooth the Brexit process. That transition period stops at the end of the year.
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OrthoPediatrics Corp. announces 1,000th procedure utilizing its innovative Pediatric Nailing Platform | FEMUR (“PNP | FEMUR”) System
14 September 2020OrthoPediatrics Corp., a company focused exclusively on advancing the field of pediatric orthopedics, today announced completion of the 1,000th surgery utilizing its Pediatric Nailing Platform
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Smartwatch EKGs could speed diagnosis of deadly heart syndrome, small study suggests
11 September 2020Apple has generated some data that its smartwatch can help detect atrial fibrillation, per a study last year involving 419,000 people, and found a low likelihood of patients receiving an irregular pulse notification. Among its rivals, Verily has received 510(k) clearance for the EKG feature of its watch, and Fitbit is also studying use of its devices in detecting arrhythmias.
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FDA approves Medtronic’s Bluetooth-controlled insulin pump for children ages 2 and up
09 September 2020The FDA has approved the latest automated artificial pancreas system from Medtronic, the MiniMed 770G, for adults and children with Type 1 diabetes as young as 2 years old.
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Philips relaunches its Azurion image-guided therapy platform, with automated 3D scanning
07 September 2020Philips has launched the new version of its Azurion image-guided therapy platform, integrating multiple systems and tools for several minimally invasive procedures into a single footprint.
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Nanox raises $190m for compact X-ray technology
03 September 2020Nanox has spent eight years developing the Nanox.ARC, a commercial-grade digital X-ray machine designed to be much cheaper and more compact than traditional technology.
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The future for telemedicine in a post-Covid world
01 September 2020The arrival of Covid-19 meant health systems around the world had to adapt rapidly. But the pandemic had a particular impact on the way patients receive care from their doctors
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Medtronic to buy Companion Medical
27 August 2020Medtronic, the global leader in medical technology, today announced the planned acquisition of privately-held Companion Medical, manufacturer of InPen
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FDA approves Masimo’s Pleth variability index (PVi)
25 August 2020The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Masimo’s Pleth variability index (PVi) as a continuous, noninvasive, dynamic indicator of fluid responsiveness in select populations of mechanically ventilated adult patients.
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How COVID-19 will cause a long-term shift in healthcare provisions
20 August 2020Since the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared that the outbreak of a new Coronavirus (COVID-19) was a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in January 2020, more than three million confirmed cases have been recorded around the world.
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Health industry responds to Partnership proposal
18 August 2020Leaders from across the health sector released a joint statement underlining the potential of the recently-published draft proposal for a European Partnership for Health Innovation
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FDA approves Medtronic devices
13 August 2020Medtronic has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the InterStim Micro neurostimulator and InterStim SureScan MRI leads for the treatment of bladder and bowel control conditions.
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Siemens Healthineers to acquire Varian Medical
11 August 2020Germany-based medical device company Siemens Healthineers has signed an agreement to acquire US-based radiation oncology treatment solutions provider Varian Medical Systems in a $16.4bn deal.
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Potential method for early identification of Alzheimer’s
06 August 2020C2N Diagnostics is set to develop blood biomarkers for the early identification of Alzheimer’s disease.
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Another $59M for Nanox’s ‘digital X-ray’ device
04 August 2020Israeli “digital X-ray” startup Nanox has secured another $59 million from unnamed “global investors.”
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Researchers 3D print a working heart pump with real human cells
30 July 2020In a groundbreaking new study, researchers at the University of Minnesota have 3D printed a functioning centimeter-scale human heart pump in the lab.
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Researchers develop way to power implants with photonic wireless system
28 July 2020Medical implants, such as pacemakers, serve various functions in patients and help to improve their quality of life. But, to power these devices, re-implants and invasive surgery are often required, which may lead to a risk of surgical complications.
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Terumo Acquires Quirem Medical to Enhance its Interventional Oncology Field
23 July 2020Terumo Corporation (TSE: 4543) announced it has completed the acquisition of Quirem Medical B.V.
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Medical AI in 2020: Europe lags behind, Covid-19 steams ahead
21 July 2020Medical artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), much like almost every other facet of modern technology, have been drastically sidetracked by Covid-19.
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New country on European regulatory affairs map ll
15 July 2020Blog by Nickolay Romanok, CEO and founder of Archimed Medical
This is the second blog written by Nickolay Romanok.
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Ukraine – new country on European regulatory affairs map
13 July 2020Blog by Nickolay Romanok, CEO and founder of Archimed Medical
The historical association with the Soviet Union gives believes that Ukraine belongs to the list of countries with a specific and incomprehensible regulatory system.

8 tips for telehealth regarding providers & patients
10 July 2020Over the past several months, providers and their patients have had to ramp up telehealth in a hurry. Although reviews are early, usage is on the rise and both clearly acknowledge the potential for telehealth in everyday practice.
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The SEMI Virtual Healthtech Summit solutions
08 July 2020BERLIN, Germany ─ July 8, 2020 ─ The latest healthtech innovations driven by microelectronics will be presented at the SEMI Virtual Healthtech Summit, Europe’s first online event to explore the critical role of semiconductors in solving the world’s most pressing healthcare challenges including COVID-19. Registration is open for the July 16, 2020, summit.
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A Virtual Experience of Medical Device Trials
06 July 2020London – Join us on 16 July for a virtual experience of Medical Device Trials conference.
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MedPhab: Medical pilot line for European SMEs
03 July 2020MedPhab, is an open-access medical pilot line that enables researchers, SMEs and businesses to turn their diagnostic and treatment devices that use photonics into industrially-relevant demonstrators.
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Telehealth and next big hurdles: integration and payment
01 July 2020Four experts with the VA, Providence St. Joseph Health, Microsoft and One Medical shared what is needed for continued adoption of telehealth. Most pointed to better integration with clinical workflows and new payment models as future drivers for growth.
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A Virtual Experience of Clinical Operations in Oncology Trials
29 June 2020London – Join us on 15 July for a virtual experience of Clinical Operations in Oncology Trials conference (www.arena-international.com/oncologyvirtual/).
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Research centre medical devices launched in Scotland
26 June 2020A new research centre to develop and manufacture medical devices in Scotland has been launched.
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From hospital to….. Training and Education Specialist
24 June 2020Marco de Ruijter is a Dutch Training and Education Specialist. During his career, he experienced memorable moments at some of the most well-known medical devices companies.
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Interview with Medtronic CEO: Geoff Martha
22 June 2020As MD+DI reported in April, Medtronic was already bracing for its fiscal fourth quarter to reflect significant revenue declines, thanks to COVID-19. But CEO Geoff Martha said the company is focused on emerging from this pandemic even stronger.
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Community member on the spot: Dušan Popov-Čeleketić
19 June 2020In the ‘Community member on the spot’ column, we take a dive into the career, challenges and professional passion of one of our community members active in the medical devices sector.
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Medtronic’s Resolute Onyx receives one-month DAPT
17 June 2020Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT), the global leader in medical technology, today announced it has received CE (Conformité Européenne) Mark for a one-month dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) indication for high bleeding risk (HBR) patients implanted with the Resolute Onyx™ Drug-Eluting Stent (DES).
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SightGlass Vision nets European approval
15 June 2020SightGlass Vision received a CE mark allowing its first suite of lenses—for eyeglasses specially designed to slow the progression of nearsightedness in children—to be sold throughout Europe.
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Feedback receives CE mark for Bleepa
12 June 2020Feedback has received the CE Mark for Bleepa, its imaging-based communication platform for clinicians to access medical grade images through smartphones, tablets and desktops.
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Medtronic makes ‘artificial lung’ therapy available
10 June 2020Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) is temporarily modifying product indications so that health providers can use its extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) technology to treat people with severe cases of COVID-19. ECMO could be described as a type of “artificial lung” technology that pumps blood from a person’s body to an oxygenator that provides long-term oxygen and carbon-dioxide transfer.
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EU group sets path for pre-MDR notified body renewal
08 June 2020The Medical Device Regulation, a more stringent replacement to the existing Medical Devices Directive, would have taken force this week if not for a one-year delay finalised at the end of April given the “extraordinary circumstances” caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Philips’ biosensor for clinical surveillance
05 June 2020The company touts its next-generation device as being able to enhance clinical surveillance to help clinicians detect risks so they can intervene earlier and help improve care in lower acuity care areas.
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ResMed, Medtronic embrace remote tech amid crisis
03 June 2020Spurred by regulatory flexibility from FDA, companies like GE Healthcare, Medtronic, and ResMed have developed and rapidly deployed remote programming and monitoring capabilities for their devices to help frontline providers reduce exposure to the deadly virus.
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Global Medical Devices Packaging Market value – 2025
02 June 2020The “Global Medical Devices Packaging Market: Growth, Trends and Forecast (2020-2025)” report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering.
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Nevro receives CE marking for SCS system
29 May 2020Nevro has received CE mark approval for the Senza Omnia spinal cord stimulation (SCS) system for the treatment of chronic pain.
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DigitalHealth.London opens apps for accelerator plan
27 May 2020DigitalHealth.London has opened applications for its flagship accelerator programme for the next generation of digital health companies to transform health and care.
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Clinical trial safety reporting, Eudamed start dates
25 May 2020The European Commission’s Medical Device Coordination Group published guidance Wednesday on reporting safety events involving investigational devices under the incoming regulations.
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EU signs contract with Philips on ventilators
22 May 2020BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Dutch electronics giant Philips signed a contract with the European Commission to supply medical ventilators to EU hospitals, the company and EU officials said, in a deal that comes as most EU countries reached the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak.
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Community member on the spot: Maria Isabel Castellanos Arboleda
20 May 2020In this first community member on the spot, we take a dive into the career, challenges and professional passion of one of our community members active in the medical devices sector.
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Digital health passport: deal for integrating technologies
18 May 2020International Digital Health Technology firm Circle Pass Enterprises (CPE) has signed a deal with VST Enterprises (VSTE), the British cybersecurity company, to integrate its VCode & VPlatform technologies into the COVI-PASS Digital Health Passport.
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Thinklabs produces advanced electronic stethoscope
15 May 2020Electronic stethoscope company Thinklabs, has developed technological advances aimed to help keep healthcare workers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic by allowing Safe Distance Auscultation.
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Seoul institute looks at technology to prevent COVID-19 transmission
13 May 2020The Seoul Institute of Technology is working with open innovation firm InnoCentive to try and prevent the transmission of COVID-19.
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Outsourcing in Clinical Trials Conference
11 May 2020London – Arena International announced that the Outsourcing in Clinical Trials Conference will be held as a Virtual Experience on Wednesday, 27 May 2020, providing the ideal platform to talk about the impact of crisis on the pharma industry and discovering best approaches to CRO, Sponsor and Patient relationships.
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VR surgery technology given AAOS accreditation
08 May 2020Surgical training tech provider FundamentalVR, has announced that all the orthopaedic education simulations available on the Fundamental Surgery platform have been reviewed by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and awarded accreditation status.
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EU finalises 1-year Medical Device Regulation delay
06 May 2020A 13th notified body has been designated under the EU Medical Device Regulation, per a listing published in the European Commission’s NANDO database on Saturday.
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NHS Trust to use combined imaging & messaging tool
04 May 2020Medical imaging company Feedback Medical has announced that Bleepa will be rolled-out across the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust with immediate effect as a key patient management tool to assist its Coronavirus response.
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Novartis to acquire digital therapeutics maker Amblyotech
30 April 2020Financial terms of the deal were kept confidential. Novartis will work with Ubisoft and McGill University to accelerate development of a digital therapeutic for amblyopia, also known as lazy eye.
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European COVID-19 data platform
28 April 2020Today, the European Commission together with several partners launched a European COVID-19 Data Platform to enable the rapid collection and sharing of available research data.
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Clinical trial seeks to find ventilator alternatives
24 April 2020Researchers will deliver a clinical trial that aims to recruit approximately 4,000 patients in order to find effective alternative solutions for patients with COVID-19 to reduce the need for treatment with a ventilator and improve patient outcomes.
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How Abbott became a leader for COVID-19 testing
22 April 2020Diagnostic companies across the world have stepped up over the past couple months to bring much-needed testing to the COVID-19 frontlines. But Abbott has emerged as a leading test maker in this battle as the company has launched three COVID-19 tests and has a fourth test on the way.
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Apple and Google building Covid-19 contact tracing tool
20 April 2020Apple and Google revealed on Friday that the two tech rivals are collaborating to launch a contact-tracing app for Covid-19. The system would use a Bluetooth signal that would bounce between users’ mobile phones to trace who they had been in contact with recently.
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Medical imaging services expanded through alliance
17 April 2020Nanox is onboarding key players in the artificial intelligence space to help improve the accessibility and affordability of early-detection services. The latest collaboration is with Qure.ai. Nanox Imaging has struck a partnership with Qure.ai that could have an impact on medical imaging.
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Xerox partners with Vortran to make portable ventilators
15 April 2020Xerox (NYSE:XRX) and Vortran Medical Technology announced that they are collaborating to speed and scale production of Vortran’s GO2Vent ventilator and related APM-Plus airway pressure monitor in the fight against COVID-19.
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Shortage of medical devices an extreme concern during COVID-19
13 April 2020Verdict has found that there’s an extreme concern over the shortage of medical devices such as ventilators during the COVID-19 outbreak.
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Do hospitals have an adequate patient safety system?
10 April 2020Notwithstanding their entrance into the healthcare world and lexicon 15 years ago, Patient Safety Organizations continue to represent a source of uncertainty, confusion and frustration with respect to their promise of sweeping confidentiality protection for provider efforts to analyze system errors.
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ZOLL Medical receives FDA approval for TherOx System
08 April 2020ZOLL Medical has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its TherOx System that delivers SuperSaturated Oxygen (SSO2) Therapy and reduces heart muscle damage in ‘widowmaker’ heart attack patients.
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COVID-19: Thermoformer develops face shields
06 April 2020Prent Corp., a thermoformer of custom plastic medical device packaging, has designed a new face shield for healthcare workers and dedicated a new line to producing the shields, in just 48 hours. As of March 30, the company had produced and donated
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MedTech Europe calls for delay of MDR until coronavirus crisis passes
03 April 2020The COVID-19 pandemic is placing particular strains on medtech companies, which are dealing with the effects of the outbreak on their organizations while trying to meet unprecedented demand for personal protective equipment, diagnostics,
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FDA authorizes hand-held COVID-19 diagnostic test
01 April 2020In response to the coronavirus crisis, we’ve seen COVID-19 diagnostics quickly evolve from early, multistep kits to high-throughput versions to fast point-of-care tests, all in just a few weeks.
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Johns Hopkins uses Emocha’s tool to monitor Covid-19
30 March 2020Johns Hopkins Medicine is using digital health startup Emocha’s telehealth tool to monitor healthcare providers for Covid-19 symptoms. The health system had previously used Emocha’s software for other infectious diseases.
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Roche urges international collaboration to tackle Covid-19 pandemic
27 March 2020Pharmaceutical giant Roche has called on governments around the world to work closely with the life sciences industry to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Roche ships 400K coronavirus test kits in the U.S.
25 March 2020Roche Diagnostics said that it has begun deploying its newly authorised cobas coronavirus diagnostic to hospitals and reference laboratories, with a wave of 400,000 swab-testing kits expected to arrive this week.
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Biggest threat to medtech revenue growth
23 March 2020In a new report, Needham & Co.’s Mike Matson says he doesn’t expect an economic slowdown to weigh directly on medtech revenue growth, but that doesn’t mean the industry will be unaffected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
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Handheld 3D printer could be game changer in burn&trauma care
20 March 2020A new handheld 3D printer that looks sort of like a packing tape dispenser can apply sheets of skin to cover large burn wounds, and its “bio ink” can accelerate the healing process, according to researchers from University of Toronto Engineering and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto.
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FDA bans shock devices against aggressive behaviours
18 March 2020The FDA has exercised a rarely used authority to completely ban a product from the market: the use of electric shock devices for conditioning a person against self-harm or aggressive behaviours.
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Covid-19 patients: Chest CTs reveal nature and extent of damage
16 March 2020A multi-centre study has used computed tomography (CT) scans to gain insights into the nature and extent of the lung damage caused by novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pneumonia.
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Device introduced to manage in-flight medical events
13 March 2020Aberdeen University spinout MIME Technologies has unveiled a smart device called Aiber, which could completely alter how medical emergencies are managed on flights.
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Can AI really distinguish between back pain?
11 March 2020Researchers from Mount Sinai have developed an artificial intelligence model that has the ability to tell the difference between acute or chronic lower back pain.
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Pricing watchdog ICER taps Aetion’s real-world evidence platform for value assessments
09 March 2020The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, also known as drug-pricing watchdog ICER, has partnered with medical data firm Aetion to help analyse the real-world performance of different treatments as it scrutinises their broader value.
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My first month at… Frencken Europe
06 March 2020The “My first month at…” column will elaborate on the experiences of professionals who recently started their new job in the medical devices industry.
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Could an Apple Watch app reduce stroke risks?
04 March 2020Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) and Apple (NSDQ:AAPL) announced today that they’ve opened enrollment for the Heartline Study, which will look at the ability of Apple Watch heart health features to reduce stroke risks.
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Robotics could assist surgeons with real-time training
02 March 2020Teaching surgical residents has been a practice that is relatively unchanged over the course of decades and even, perhaps, centuries. Instruction by observation and eventual supervised hands-on practice forms the basis of the transfer of knowledge and skill between an experienced surgeon and a beginner.
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ADHD: initial success in treating adult with deep magnetic stimulation
28 February 2020Magnetic treatment developer BrainsWay—which previously received clearances for deep, magnetic stimulation aimed at recalcitrant depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder—has delivered new clinical results examining the feasibility of its non-invasive device on adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD).
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Three questions every healthcare company should ask
26 February 2020As health care goes digital, and technology becomes an inseparable part of its delivery, companies should ask three questions to help them evaluate when to invest and when to pass. Investor interest in health care technology soared in 2019 and remains strong for 2020, reflecting excitement about its potential – and the deep need for integrated solutions.
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Antimicrobial touchscreens for hospital computers unveiled by Cybernet
24 February 2020Cybernet Manufacturing, maker of medical-grade computers, tablets and monitors, has unveiled a new, large touchscreen designed to resist the growth of infection-causing (antimicrobial) organisms and limit their spread throughout a hospital.
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Startup uses fine retinal movements as window into neurological health
21 February 2020By measuring the minuscule motions of the human eye—and tracking the movements of the retina on a cellular level—a startup hopes to open new windows into a person’s neurological health.
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Medtronic to boost AI & robotic surgery work with Digital Surgery
19 February 2020Medtronic is looking to augment not only its work in robotic surgery, but efforts across all of its procedural offerings through the acquisition of Digital Surgery, the London-based makers of data analytics, artificial intelligence and training programs for the operating room.
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Oxford VR secures $12.5m investment for VR therapy tech
17 February 2020UK-based virtual reality (VR) therapy company Oxford VR has announced the completion of a $12.5m Series A funding round led by Optum Ventures and supported by Luminous Ventures. The capital will fund the firm’s efforts to increase the US presence of its automated VR therapy solution for behavioural health issues, as well as continuing the expansion of its treatment pipeline into conditions such as anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
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Senseonics, Companion Medical to integrate sensor glucose and insulin data
14 February 2020Senseonics (NYSE:SENS) will integrate its Eversense continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system’s real-time glucose data with Companion Medical‘s InPen smart insulin delivery system.
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Serenno introduces device for kidney monitoring
12 February 2020Serenno Medical, a portfolio company of Alon Medtech Ventures, has introduced a new automatic device, dubbed Sentinel, for continuous monitoring of kidney function. For use within the hospital, the Sentinel device works by continuously measuring urine output and volume to help identify cases of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI). Sentinel device is compatible with existing catheters, as well as urine bags and needs a short and simple, non-invasive installation.
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MDR looms. Three key questions on medtech’s future in Europe
10 February 2020The U.K. has left the European Union. However, while U.K. politicians sought to frame that outcome as getting Brexit done, in practice the divorce process is ongoing and many questions critical to the future of medtech remain unanswered. Here, we look at the current understanding on three key questions for medtech, starting with the status of the Medical Device Regulation (MDR) and its in vitro diagnostic sibling.
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FDA clears surgery video-sharing platform of Sony
07 February 2020Multinational conglomerate Sony has received a clearance from the FDA for its digital workflow collaboration platform for hospital operating rooms and catheter labs. The company’s NUCLeUS software is designed to provide imaging management at 4K resolution as well as still images and patient data, plus it has the ability to capture and share live or archived surgical videos for teaching purposes.
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Olympus Announces FDA Clearance of Duodenoscope
05 February 2020Olympus, a global technology leader in designing and delivering innovative solutions for medical and surgical procedures, announced today the FDA clearance of its TJF-Q190V duodenoscope with a sterile, disposable distal endcap.
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Medtronic acquires Stimgenics to buy spinal cord tech
31 January 2020Medtronic announced it acquired Stimgenics, a Bloomington, Illinois-based startup that’s developed a novel spinal cord stimulation waveform Medtronic plans to deliver via its Intellis implantable neurostimulator to treat chronic pain. Medtronic expects the deal to be neutral to fiscal 2020 earnings and did not disclose other financial terms.
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FDA clears new AI system to spot stroke
29 January 2020The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted 501(k) clearance to radiology company Aidoc’s AI based system for the detection of large-vessel occlusion (LVO), ischaemic strokes that result from a blockage in one of the major arteries of the brain.
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Virtual Incision raises $20 million for mini surgical robots
27 January 2020Virtual Incision raised $20 million for the development of its miniaturized surgical robot to help support its regulatory programs and clinical testing. The company recently submitted its initial filings with the FDA, seeking an investigational device exemption that will allow it to begin confirmatory studies in colon resection surgeries at a number of U.S. sites.
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Innovation for Health 2020 focuses on Brain and AI
22 January 2020Innovation for Health is a conference where the most relevant persons from the life-science industry come together. On 13 February 2020 the seventh edition of the conference will take place in De Doelen ICC, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Innovation for Health is Netherlands’ premier conference for innovators in Health and Life Sciences.
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Zap Surgical raises $81M for RadioSurgical Robot
20 January 2020US-based medical technology company ZAP Surgical Systems has raised $81m in the recently completed equity financing round led by Primavera Capital. Established in 2014, ZAP Surgical Systems is engaged in the design and manufacturing of the ZAP-X radiosurgery platform.
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Abbott’s new designation helps advance LVAD market
17 January 2020Abbott Laboratories has won a nod from FDA for a new alternative surgical technique for the HeartMate 3 Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD). This technique will not only allow more advanced heart failure patients the opportunity to avoid open-heart surgery, but it will help advance the firm’s position in the LVAD market.
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Using imaging for early intervention after a heart attack
15 January 2020Insights into how the heart recovers after myocardial infarction (heart attack) can be obtained with a new radiotracer that targets fibroblast activity prior to it causing permanent damage. According to research published in the December issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, 68Ga-FAPI-04 positron emission tomography (PET) can effectively image fibroblast activation after myocardial infarction, identifying a time window during which cardiac fibrosis can be prevented and the disease course altered.
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Allurion raises $34M for swallowable weight-loss balloon
13 January 2020Gastric weight-loss balloon manufacturer Allurion Technologies has raised $34 million in new funding to boost its commercialization efforts and entry into the U.S. market, pending FDA approval. Through a securities financing and a growth capital term loan, the round was led by Novalis LifeSciences and Romulus Capital, with additional backing from IDO Investments and former Covidien CEO Jose Almeida. The loan was provided by Bridge Bank.
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Researchers develop device for swallowing disorders
10 January 2020A wearable monitoring device could make treatment of swallowing disorders easier and more affordable. Researchers from Purdue University have created a skin-mountable sensor sticker that attaches firmly to the neck and is connected with small cables to a wireless transmitter unit.
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My first month at… Ormco
08 January 2020The “My first month at…” column will elaborate on the experiences of professionals who recently started their new job in the medical devices industry.
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Johnson & Johnson fires up the surgical robotics market
06 January 2020The New Brunswick, N.J.-based company said it would acquire the remaining stake in Verb Surgical, a joint venture the company has with Verily. Earlier, MD+DI asked if Johnson & Johnson was becoming a surgical robotics powerhouse.
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Roche launches Zika blood screening test
03 January 2020Roche is launching its in vitro diagnostic test for the Zika virus in countries accepting the CE mark, intended to help screen and protect the global supply of blood donations. For use on the company’s cobas 6800/8800 automated molecular testing systems, the test detects RNA strands that can be traced back to the Zika virus in human plasma samples.
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The biggest medtech deals stories of 2019
30 December 2019Medtech has seen some major funding rounds, mergers and acquisitions in 2019. Chloe Kent rounds up some of the most influential digital health deals of 2019.
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Dexcom CEO apologizes for remote monitoring outage
27 December 2019Dexcom CEO Kevin Sayer on Friday issued a public apology to the company’s customers for the outage two weeks ago of an app-based service that enables caregivers to remotely monitor diabetes patients’ blood sugar readings taken by a continuous glucose monitor (CGM).
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Dekra NL notified body gains EU MDR designation
23 December 2019Dekra Certification B.V., the Netherlands-based notified body of the worldwide product certification firm, is now designated to review products under the European Medical Device Regulation (MDR), per an official listing Saturday in a European Commission database.
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Beta Bionics gets FDA breakthrough device status
20 December 2019Boston-based medtech Beta Bionics said Tuesday it received priority review from FDA as part of the Breakthrough Devices Program for its iLet system, which uses mathematical dosing algorithms to automatically control blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
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CMR Surgical to bring on new CEO
18 December 2019U.K.-based robotics developer CMR Surgical plans to bring on a new chief executive at the top of the year, not long after kicking off the global commercialization of its modular, minimally invasive Versius system following a £195 million ($240 million) funding round.
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Enzyre and Takeda to develop home haemophilia device
16 December 2019Enzyre has entered into a research collaboration with the Takeda Pharmaceutical Company to develop a device for haemophilia patients to quickly determine their coagulation status at home.
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ViewRay investors inks deal with Elekta and Medtronic
13 December 2019Radiation therapy player ViewRay plans to collaborate with Medtronic and Swedish medtech Elekta, the company said Monday, moves it hopes will bolster clinical understanding of its image-guided radiation technology and significantly strengthen its cash position.
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Medical device failures brought to light now bolster lawsuit and research
11 December 2019Lorraine Bonner felt as though she was the only one. The surgical staples used to seal her colon after surgery had leaked, she has alleged in a lawsuit, spurring additional surgeries and a long, difficult recovery.
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EU Parliament panel adopts MDR delay
09 December 2019A European Parliament committee voted to adopt changes to the EU Medical Device Regulation that would push back the compliance deadline for certain Class I medical devices by four years.
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FDA takes action to reduce EtO use
06 December 2019FDA is moving forward on recommendations from a public advisory committee meeting earlier this month regarding ethylene oxide (EtO) sterilization concerns and facility closures.
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DePuy Synthes launches new cervical spine system
04 December 2019Johnson & Johnson’s (NYSE:JNJ) DePuy Synthes said it has launched its Symphony occipito-cervico-thoracic system to expand its portfolio of surgical treatments for the neck and upper back.
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Medtronic’s IN.PACT AV DCB receives FDA approval
02 December 2019Medtronic has secured the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its IN.PACT AV drug-coated balloon (DCB), a paclitaxel-coated balloon to treat failing arteriovenous (AV) access in patients suffering from end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing dialysis.
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EU MDR: the challenge of compliance by may 2020
29 November 2019Medical device manufacturers are less mature in their labeling management compared to peers in other regulated industries, because until now regulatory measures around traceability and reporting have been less pronounced. But with EU MDR (Medical Device Regulations) due to go live in just a few months, how will device manufacturers cope with the numerous implications for patient-facing content?
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MyVal transcatheter heart valve reports positive trial
27 November 2019Indian medtech company Meril’s MyVal 1 transcatheter heart valve (THV) has demonstrated a high procedural success rate in a one-month clinical trial.
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Sera Prognostics raises $36m to market its PreTRM test
25 November 2019Health diagnostics company Sera Prognostics has secured $36m funds to advance the commercialisation of its PreTRM test. The PreTRM test is a clinically-validated blood test, which offers an early and individual risk prediction for spontaneous preterm birth in asymptomatic and singleton pregnancies.
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Invitae to buy DNA-counseling chatbot developer
22 November 2019The genetic testing firm Invitae aims to scale up its ability to provide personal guidance alongside its DNA test results—through the planned, $50 million acquisition of Clear Genetics, developers of digital counseling software.
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Exact Sciences closed its acquisition of Genomic Health
20 November 2019Molecular diagnostics firm Exact Sciences has closed its approximately $2.8bn acquisition of genomic diagnostics maker Genomic Health. In July, Exact Sciences signed a definitive agreement to acquire genomic diagnostics maker Genomic Health in a cash-and-stock deal.
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World’s first robot-assisted brain aneurysm surgery
18 November 2019A team of Toronto doctors has completed the world’s first brain aneurysm surgery using robotics, leading to hope of better treatment for aneurysm and stroke patients, especially in areas where specialized surgical expertise isn’t available.
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Abbott circulatory support system Class I recall
15 November 2019The FDA recently labeled two device recalls as Class I, the most serious, after they were launched by Philips and Abbott earlier this year—including the latter’s CentriMag cardiac support system for open-heart surgeries following the death of a patient.
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Breakthrough tag for tackling biofilm infections
13 November 2019FDA has awarded breakthrough device status to Garwood Medical Devices’ technology for tackling biofilm infections on prosthetic knee implants, the company said.
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Medical device maker Stryker to buy Wright Medical
11 November 2019Medical device maker Stryker Corp (SYK.N) said on Monday it would buy smaller rival Wright Medical Group (WMGI.O) for about $4 billion in cash, expanding into the fast-growing business of implants for shoulders and wrists.
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FDA pitches black box warning for breast implants
08 November 2019FDA on Wednesday proposed that manufacturers add a black box warning to breast implant products, a move the agency teased earlier this year after convening an advisory panel on a form of cancer some believe is linked to textured versions of the products.
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2 companies apply Google AI to patient monitoring
06 November 2019Google has been no stranger to the industry’s rush to bring artificial intelligence (AI) software to healthcare—with programs in diabetic retinopathy, electronic patient records and cancer-seeking CT scans—but now they’re looking to supply the hardware, too.
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Fresenius gets breakthrough tag
04 November 2019Fresenius Medical Care North America (NYSE:FMS) said that it won breakthrough device designation from the FDA for the new hemodialysis system it’s developing.
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Fitbit partners up on early atrial fibrillation detection
01 November 2019Fitbit is teaming up with Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer to help bring atrial fibrillation detection capabilities to its line of wearable fitness trackers as part of a larger campaign toward earlier diagnoses among those at higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
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Blood-cleaning machine eliminates carbon monoxide
30 October 2019Hemoglobin in the body’s red blood cells binds carbon monoxide 200 times more tightly than it does oxygen, which explains why exposure to the gas can be so deadly.
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Research questions safety benefit of robotic colectomies
28 October 2019The use of robotics in colectomies has shot up in recent years but research published in JAMA Surgery questions the value of the high-tech approach over open and laparoscopic procedures.
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3M completes $6.7B deal Acelity
25 October 20193M Co. said Friday it has completed its acquisition of San Antonio medical technology company Acelity Inc. in a transaction valued at about $6.7 billion.
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Sandoz drops out of partnership with Pear Therapeutics
23 October 2019Sandoz pulled the plug on its commercialization partnership with Pear Therapeutics, ending its experiment with digital treatments for substance use disorders that first kicked off in April 2018.
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Brexit: UK floats device contingency
21 October 2019The U.K. government has described a proposed Medicines and Medical Devices Bill to support the life sciences sector after Brexit, roughly two weeks before a key deadline that could see the country exiting the European Union.
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Medtronic stent graft system wins breakthrough designation
16 October 2019A stent graft system being developed by Medtronic for minimally invasive repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) received breakthrough device designation from FDA, the company announced Tuesday.
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Qiagen and Illumina sign 15-year deal for IVD tests
16 October 2019Diagnostic solutions providers Qiagen and Illumina have collaborated to boost the availability and use of next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based in-vitro diagnostic (IVD) tests, including companion diagnostics, for clinical patient management.
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Paralysed man moves in mind-reading exoskeleton
14 October 2019A man has been able to move all four of his paralysed limbs with a mind-controlled exoskeleton suit, French researchers report.
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BD to appoint new as the medtech’s CEO
11 October 2019BD COO Thomas Polen, 46, will take over as the medtech’s CEO on Jan. 28, 2020, per a unanimous vote by the company’s board of directors announced in a leadership succession plan Thursday.
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Australia enforces new regs on all breast implant makers
11 October 2019The Therapeutic Goods Administration is following through on plans to temporarily or permanently remove certain textured breast implants and tissue expanders from the Australian market after concluding a safety review of the devices it initiated in May.
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New drug-eluting stent data in patients at high risk for bleeds
09 October 2019In late-breaking clinical data, Medtronic showed that its Resolute Onyx drug-eluting stent showed success in patients at a high risk for bleeding, a group that is often excluded from stent and drug studies.
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Virtual reality could improve surgical outcomes
07 October 2019A new study led by UCLA Health in the US has shown that three-dimensional (3D) virtual reality models could improve surgical outcomes by enabling better visualisation of a patient’s anatomy. When tested in preparation for kidney tumour surgeries, the models led to shorter operating times, less blood loss during surgery, and a shorter hospital stay following the procedure.
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CMR Surgical raises £195m in Series C round
04 October 2019UK-based medical robotics company CMR Surgical has raised £195m in its Series C funding round, pushing the company value to over £1bn before the launch of its first product.
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A swifter way towards 3D-printed organs
02 October 201920 people die every day waiting for an organ transplant in the United States, and while more than 30,000 transplants are now performed annually, there are over 113,000 patients currently on organ waitlists.
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Omron’s HeartGuide: blood pressure monitoring for the modern age
30 September 2019High blood pressure is often managed through at-home self-monitoring, a routine which can be difficult to manage for patients with hectic lifestyles. Now, Japanese medtech giant Omron may have the solution.
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Brexit threatens U.K. robotic surgery innovation
27 September 2019The United Kingdom robotic surgery sector is likely to suffer if a U.K. hard split from the European Union hinders cross-border collaborations, according to a study published in BMJ Open on Tuesday. According to the analysis, the U.K. has become one of the most innovative places for robotic surgery on the strength of its collaborations with other EU member states. If the U.K. can replace EU partners with top-performing United States collaborators, Brexit could boost the robotic surgery sector but the researchers said that will likely be very difficult and expensive to achieve.
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Hope is not a strategy – Insights from the MedTech Summit
25 September 2019Written by Angela Leek – Medical Devices Community
From 17 until 21 June 2019, the MedTech Summit took place in Brussels. Over 150 expert speakers came together at the Crowne Plaza Hotel to navigate professionals from the industry through current challenges by giving presentations, holding discussions and in-depth case studies. On behalf of the Medical Devices Community, I was present to get insights on the most recent developments.
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Biotronik obtains the world’s first MDR certification
23 September 2019The First Class III Medical Device is Certified Under the New European Medical Device Regulation
BIOTRONIK announced that it is the world’s first manufacturer to receive European Medical Device Regulation (MDR) certification for a Class III (highest risk) medical device. Following a successful conformity assessment, BIOTRONIK also obtained MDR certification for its quality management system.
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Studying heart cells with nanovolcanoes
20 September 2019Researchers at EPFL and the University of Bern have developed a groundbreaking method for studying the electrical signals of cardiac muscle cells. The technology has numerous potential applications in basic and applied research – such as improving the search for mechanisms underlying cardiac arrhythmias.
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iRhythm links with Verily to help diagnose ‘silent’ afib
18 September 2019Wearable electrocardiogram maker iRhythm Technologies has begun working with Verily Life Sciences to develop ways to better screen, diagnose and manage patients living with so-called “silent” atrial fibrillation.
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Abbott launches trial of its tricuspid valve repair device
16 September 2019Abbott has begun its first randomized, pivotal trial to test a new method of fixing leaky tricuspid heart valves, where there are currently no approved minimally invasive repair therapies available.
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5G meets medicine: separating fact from fiction
13 September 20195G has been hailed as the next frontier for medicine, introducing new remote surgery capabilities and expanding patient access to the internet in hospitals. But not everyone is convinced. We take a look at the realistic impact that 5G could have on the industry.
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Urine test shows promise for cancer detection
11 September 2019A laboratory study in mice demonstrates that a colour-change urine test based on nanosensors could help detect colon cancer / bowel cancer. Researchers at Imperial College London, UK and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US developed the new technology to enable early cancer identification.
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Elekta fortifies treatment planning offering with acquisition of ProKnow
09 September 2019STOCKHOLM, August 29, 2019 – Elekta (EKTA-B.ST) announced that it has acquired ProKnow Systems, LLC, in order to expand its offering of cloud-based solutions for advanced radiation therapy. With ProKnow’s products, such as ProKnow DS, Elekta’s customers will have access to high-quality, cloud-based, treatment planning analytics to standardize their practices.
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FDA approves first spinal tether implant for correcting childhood scoliosis
06 September 2019The FDA approved the first spinal tether medical device to correct the most common form of scoliosis in children and adolescents—a ropelike implant that pulls the vertebrae into shape as the child grows, following the failure of treatments like external braces. Zimmer Biomet’s new tethering system for idiopathic scoliosis is intended for children whose sideways curvature of the spine has become so severe that surgery such as a bone fusion procedure may be necessary.
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Researchers develop 3D printing for heart valves
04 September 2019Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University recently developed a method to rebuild components of the human heart using 3D printing. The team of researchers made an advanced version of Freeform Reversible Embedding of Suspended Hydrogels (FRESH) technology in order to 3D print collagen with complexity to construct components of the human heart. The method spans from small blood vessel to valves and beating ventricles. The FRESH technology was recently awarded a U.S. patent and is being licensed to FluidForm.
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Tiny lensless endoscope captures 3D images of objects smaller than a cell
02 September 2019Researchers have developed a new self-calibrating endoscope that produces 3D images of objects smaller than a single cell. Without a lens or any optical, electrical or mechanical components, the tip of the endoscope measures just 200 microns across, about the width of a few human hairs twisted together.
As a minimally invasive tool for imaging features inside living tissues, the extremely thin endoscope could enable a variety of research and medical applications. The research will be presented at the Frontiers in Optics + Laser Science (FIO + LS) conference, held September 15-19 in Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
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Trump administration delays law to curb unneeded MRIs
30 August 2019Five years after Congress passed a law to reduce unnecessary MRIs, CT scans and other expensive diagnostic imaging tests that could harm patients and waste money, federal officials have yet to implement it. The law requires that doctors consult clinical guidelines set by the medical industry before Medicare will pay for many common exams for enrollees. Health care providers who go way beyond clinical guidelines in ordering these scans (the 5% who order the most tests that are inappropriate) will, under the law, be required after that to get prior approval from Medicare for their diagnostic imaging.
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ZipLine’s wound closure alternative outperforms staples
28 August 2019Two recent clinical studies from ZipLine Medical showed that its surgical wound closure system demonstrated improvements in both patient outcomes and overall costs compared to surgical staples. The company’s Zip device is used to help close and hold together the outer skin after deeper layers of sutures are applied within a surgical incision. Its non-invasive, flexible design aims to minimize scarring compared to staples, sutures or glue, while the wound heals following a procedure.
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Ethylene oxide sterilization for medical devices
26 August 2019Why Is Ethylene Oxide Used to Sterilize Medical Devices?
Medical devices are sterilized in a variety of ways including using moist heat (steam), dry heat, radiation, ethylene oxide gas, vaporized hydrogen peroxide, and other sterilization methods (for example, chlorine dioxide gas, vaporized peracetic acid, and nitrogen dioxide). Ethylene oxide sterilization is an important sterilization method that manufacturers widely use to keep medical devices safe.
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UBS surgeon poll points to neuromodulation market slowdown
23 August 2019Analysts at UBS said the worldwide neuromodulation spinal cord stimulation market appears to be slowing and will likely be down year over year, based on feedback from the bank’s survey of surgeons. Significant deceleration in growth over the past two quarters is due to a lack of new product launches, price discounting, turnover among sales representatives, and use of alternative pain treatments, UBS said. Among device makers, Boston Scientific and Abbott reported weaker spinal cord stimulation growth rates in the second quarter, while Medtronic appeared to be gaining market share, the bank said. Fewer surgeons were using devices from Nevro in the latest survey, compared to the third quarter of 2018, UBS said.
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Born in space? The shift in the mission’s program
21 August 2019A follow-up interview with Dr. Egbert Edelbroek – CEO & Founder of SpaceBorn United
In the previous article, we spoke Dr. Edelbroek about the ambitious space missions that his organisation SpaceBorn United is preparing. SpaceBorn United is a biotech and space mission development company. The company wants to contribute to the learning process of human reproduction in space. Currently, when humans are exposed to the many challenges of space, it leaves them unable to reproduce. The mission program is divided into three missions, Ark, Lotus and Cradle. In this article we will dive a little deeper into these missions.
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AI improves efficiency and accuracy of digital breast tomosynthesis
19 August 2019Artificial intelligence (AI) helps improve the efficiency and accuracy of an advanced imaging technology used to screen for breast cancer, according to a new study published in the journal Radiology: Artificial Intelligence.
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Blood pressure monitoring much easier in the future
16 August 2019Blood pressure monitoring might one day become as easy as taking a video selfie, according to new research in Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging, an American Heart Association journal.
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Two health tech startups among European funding competition winners
14 August 2019Xploro, a digital therapeutics platform developed in Manchester, and Triple Tread, a high-performance tricycle manufacturer based in Congleton, were both winners in the final round of the European Institute of Technology’s (EIT) Health Headstart Awards.
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Worrisome increase in some medical scans during pregnancy
12 August 2019Use of medical imaging during pregnancy increased significantly in the United States, a new study has found, with nearly a four-fold rise over the last two decades in the number of women undergoing computed tomography (CT) scans, which expose mothers and fetuses to radiation. Pregnant women are warned to minimize radiation exposure.
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Prosthetic arm can sense touch, move with your thoughts
09 August 2019Keven Walgamott had a good “feeling” about picking up the egg without crushing it. What seems simple for nearly everyone else can be more of a Herculean task for Walgamott, who lost his left hand and part of his arm in an electrical accident 17 years ago. But he was testing out the prototype of a high-tech prosthetic arm with fingers that not only can move, they can move with his thoughts. And thanks to a biomedical engineering team at the University of Utah, he “felt” the egg well enough so his brain could tell the prosthetic hand not to squeeze too hard.
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Mobile app tests impact of mental health on cognitive performance
07 August 2019Researchers at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and University College London (UCL) have developed a mobile app which allows users to track how their mood and emotions impact their cognitive performance.
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Australia on watch for EU notified bodies shortage
05 August 2019Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said it is aware of industry concern about whether a sufficient number of notified bodies will be designated under the new European Union Medical Device Regulation in time for the May 2020 effective date. The Australian regulator said it is monitoring the situation and will consider the impact on manufacturers seeking certification for new products or looking to maintain existing certification. The agency also said it has expanded the range of assessments and approvals from overseas regulators that medical device makers can use when submitting applications for inclusion in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods.
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Ultrasound-assisted optical imaging to replace endoscopy
02 August 2019Carnegie Mellon University’s Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Maysam Chamanzar and ECE Ph.D. student Matteo Giuseppe Scopelliti today published research that introduces a novel technique which uses ultrasound to noninvasively take optical imaging through a turbid medium such as biological tissue to image body’s organs. This new method has the potential to eliminate the need for invasive visual exams using endoscopic cameras.
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My first month at… Esaote Europe
31 July 2019The “My first month at…” column will elaborate on the experiences of professionals who recently started their new job in the medical devices industry.
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Nanowear to launch trial of heart failure-monitoring underwear
29 July 2019Nanowear said today that it has launched a heart failure management and alert diagnostic validation study of its medical-grade, cloth-based nanosensor technology.
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Medtronic to distribute Viz.ai’s stroke-spotting AI imaging software
25 July 2019Medtronic is tapping Viz.ai, a developer of artificial intelligence programs to help spot strokes, for a distribution partnership to bring its technology to more hospitals and centers.
Viz.ai’s software links with CT scanners to identify and triage potential large vessel occlusion strokes, or LVOs, and can automatically notify specialists while providing the radiological images to their smartphones.
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New implant uses microcurrent to strengthen heart muscle
23 July 2019A clinical study by the Medical University of Vienna and Vienna General Hospital has demonstrated that Berlin Heals’ electroceutical device can exercise and strengthen the heart muscle in people with cardiomyopathy. The implant delivers a microcurrent to stimulate cell regeneration in the affected heart muscle. This is expected to help patients avoid or delay heart transplant surgery.
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3D body mapping device improves post-chemo cell therapy success
19 July 2019Purdue University researchers have developed a 3D mapping technology to monitor and track the behaviour of engineered tissues and cells.
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Low-cost retinal scanner could help prevent blindness worldwide
17 July 2019Biomedical engineers at Duke University have developed a low-cost, portable optical coherence tomography (OCT) scanner that promises to bring the vision-saving technology to underserved regions throughout the United States and abroad.
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Wearable body patch allows early detection of sepsis
15 July 2019A body-worn monitoring system developed by UK-based Isansys Lifecare has the potential to speed up sepsis diagnosis in hospitals.
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Google Doodle honours pioneering heart surgeon René Favaloro
12 July 2019“‘We’ is more important than ‘I.’ In medicine, the advances are always the result of many efforts accumulated over the years,” wrote Dr. René Favaloro, the Argentinian surgeon who introduced coronary artery bypass surgery into clinical practice and is celebrated in today’s Doodle.
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GDPR: Study highlights data protection challenges for research
12 July 2019The introduction of laws like the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) can complicate the operations of scientific journals and funding bodies, according an Uppsala University-led study presented at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics.
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AI tool for smart speakers could save lives
10 July 2019Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a new contactless artificial intelligence (AI) tool to monitor at-risk patients for cardiac arrest, even when they’re asleep.
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Scientists discover new medical imaging method
08 July 2019In an advance for medical imaging, scientists from University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center have discovered a method for creating radioactive tracers to better track pharmaceuticals in the body as well as image diseases, such as cancer, and other medical conditions.
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Parkinson’s disease new discovery could lead to new screening tools
05 July 2019Changes to the serotonin system of the brain could act as a crucial early warning signal for Parkinson’s disease and may lead to the development of new screening tools for the chronic condition.
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Music-based therapeutic for stroke survivors
03 July 2019What if the steady beats of music, coupled with personalized neuroscience, could help stroke survivors regain their ability to walk?
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AI in ultrasound, threat or chance?
01 July 2019Blog by Stevan Stuit – Former diagnostic radiographer and diagnostic medical sonographer
It is everywhere in the news nowadays; the pros and cons of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The influence of AI on economics, labour and our position.
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Autonomous brain-computer interface to enable robotic prosthetics
26 June 2019Engineers at the University of Houston in the US have found that a brain-computer interface (BCI) could allow the development of robotic prosthetics with a more natural performance.
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‘Virtual biopsy’ device to detect skin tumours
24 June 2019Using sound vibrations and pulses of near-infrared light, a Rutgers University scientist has developed a new “virtual biopsy” device that can quickly determine a skin lesion’s depth and potential malignancy without using a scalpel.
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Ultrasound to enable targeted drug delivery for brain diseases
21 June 2019Columbia Engineering researchers have devised an ultrasound-based technique to restore dopaminergic pathway in the brain of patients with Parkinson’s disease.
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Trial stem cell heart patches for damage repair
19 June 2019Researchers from Imperial College London have devised an approach to grow heart patches made of up to 50 million human stem cells as part of a project funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
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MedFit 2019
17 June 2019Held on the 25th and 26th of June 2019 in Lille – France, and gathering 700 international participants from over 25 countries, MedFit is the leading European business convention dedicated to innovation partnerships in the fields of medical technology, diagnostics and digital health sector.
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Thermo Fisher agrees to terminate $925m Gatan acquisition
14 June 2019Thermo Fisher Scientific has agreed to abandon the proposed acquisition of Gatan from software developer Roper Technologies.
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Home-based brain stimulation treatment for depression launches in UK
12 June 2019An at-home, medical-grade brain stimulation headset has launched in the UK, and claims to offer an alternative to pharmacological treatment for depression. The system is used in conjunction with a therapy app.
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Born in space in 2028
07 June 2019Interview with Dr. Egbert Edelbroek – CEO & Founder SpaceBorn United
SpaceBorn United is determined to become the first company that will enable childbirth in space by 2028. Says CEO & Founder, Dr. Egbert Edelbroek: “It is not going to be an easy journey. Space is a hostile environment for living organisms.”
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UK researchers test virtual reality technology to detect Alzheimer’s
05 June 2019Researchers at University of Cambridge in the UK have found that virtual reality (VR) could detect early Alzheimer’s disease more accurately compared to existing ‘gold standard’ cognitive tests.
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Thinking outside the box: ‘Seeing’ clearer and deeper into live organs
03 June 2019Scientists using a unique approach have developed a new biomedical imaging contrast agent. They say the breakthrough overcomes a major challenge to “seeing” deeper into live tissue, and opens the way for significant improvements in optical imaging technology.
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My first month at… Illumina
31 May 2019The “My first month…” column will elaborate on the experiences of professionals who recently started their new job in the medical devices industry.
This article is about the experiences of Arthur Jacobs (51) who recently started as a Trade Compliance Specialist at Illumina. We asked him a few questions about his first month at Illumina. If you want to know more about the company, Arthur and his experiences working at Illumina. Then keep on reading.
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The cold facts about the cold chain in medical devices
29 May 2019Blog by Tim Broekhuizen – Regional Manager, Centre of Excellence, Supply Chain Management (APAC) at DKSH
Tim Broekhuizen is a Dutch national, currently stationed in Asia as Regional Manager, Center of Excellence, Supply Chain Management (APAC) at DKSH.
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AI surpasses humans in predicting heart attack and death
27 May 2019An algorithm has learned how to identify imaging patterns correlating to heart attack and death in cardiac patients and can predict the occurrence of these events with superior accuracy to human doctors, according to a study presented at 2019’s International Conference on Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiac CT (ICNC) in Lisbon, Portugal.
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All you want to know about risk management and medical devices
24 May 2019Interview with Bijan Elahi – Global Product Risk-Management Consultant and Educator at Medtronic
Bijan Elahi is an engineer, a teacher and an author with one goal: helping people to produce the safest medical products.
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CMR surgical’s versius completes initial surgical procedures in humans
22 May 2019UK-based medical equipment maker CMR Surgical has announced the completion of the first series of human surgical procedures using its Versius surgical robotic system as part of a clinical study in India.
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Train your brain to eat less sugar
20 May 2019More than half of American adults consume excess added sugars, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Major dietary guidelines recommend limiting foods high in added sugars.
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Lundbeck strikes $250M Abide buyout, bagging Tourette’s drug
17 May 2019Lundbeck is set to pay $250 million (€223 million) upfront to buy Abide Therapeutics. The deal will give Lundbeck a phase 2a Tourette’s syndrome program, a central nervous system drug discovery platform and a West Coast research hub.
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Medtronic introduces new revascularisation device in US
15 May 2019Irish medical device company Medtronic has launched Solitaire X, a revascularisation device intended to treat patients with acute ischemic stroke, in the US.
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Study finds Abbott’s Troponin-I blood test predict heart disease risks
13 May 2019Abbott’s new study has found that its High Sensitive Troponin-I blood test is capable of predicting heart disease risks in people with no symptoms.
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Scientists develop swallowable self-inflating capsule to help tackle obesity
10 May 2019A team from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and the National University Health System (NUHS) has developed a self-inflating weight management capsule that could be used to treat obese patients.
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Ready for a challenge?
08 May 2019Are you looking for an entry-level job or do you want to change positions in the medical devices sector?
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US court orders J&J to pay $120m in damages over pelvic mesh implant
06 May 2019Johnson & Johnson (J&J) subsidiary Ethicon has been ordered to pay $120m in damages by a Philadelphia court after it ruled that its negligently designed pelvic mesh implant caused a Pennsylvania woman to suffer from incontinence and chronic pain, Law360 has reported.
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Four ways virtual, augmented reality could change radiology forever
03 May 2019Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies have the potential to dramatically change healthcare and could impact the practice of radiology in a number of ways.
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AI-driven voice analysis used to diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder
01 May 2019A study published in Depression and Anxiety has revealed that a specially designed artificial intelligence (AI) can diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through vocal biomarkers.
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Making digital tissue imaging better
29 April 2019There’s a low-tech problem troubling the high-tech world of digital pathology imaging.The issue: Even as digital pathology makes rapid advances worldwide
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New MRI technology could measure brain function in milliseconds
26 April 2019Scientists have developed a new technique to measure brain function in milliseconds using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
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Researchers build 3D-printed heart out of patient’s donor cells
24 April 2019Researchers in Israel have printed a three-dimensional human heart using bioinks developed from a patient’s own cells, which they say makes it completely biocompatible with the donor.
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New PET imaging biomarker could better predict progression of Alzheimer’s disease
22 April 2019Researchers have discovered a way to better predict progression of Alzheimer’s disease. By imaging microglial activation levels with positron emission tomography (PET), researchers were able to better predict progression of the disease than with beta-amyloid PET imaging, according to a study published in the April issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
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J&J concludes $3.4bn Auris Health acquisition
19 April 2019Johnson & Johnson (J&J) subsidiary Ethicon has closed a $3.4bn acquisition of surgical robotics developer Auris Health.
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Laser technology helps researchers scrutinize cancer cells
17 April 2019Devising the best treatment for a patient with cancer requires doctors to know something about the traits of the cancer from which the patient is suffering. But one of the greatest difficulties in treating cancer is that cancer cells are not all the same.
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Ultrasound aligns living cells in bioprinted tissues
15 April 2019North Carolina State University researchers have developed a technique to improve the characteristics of engineered tissues by using ultrasound to align living cells during the biofabrication process.
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Total Quality Management for Cold Chain: A-SMART and 5C method
12 April 2019In an article on cold chain vaccine delivery, Matthias, D.M. (et al)* state that in developing countries 22% of the healthcare cold chain products are prone to damage during storage. Although Asia is developing, it is yet to be fully matured in various aspects, especially when it comes to cold chain management.
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AI improves contouring accuracy for radiation oncology
08 April 2019An artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm can provide accurate, fast, and automated contouring of primary tumor volumes on multiparametric MR images of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients, potentially improving outcomes from radiation therapy, according to research.
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Diattenuation imaging: Promising imaging technique for brain research
01 April 2019A new imaging method provides structural information about brain tissue that was previously difficult to access. Diattenuation Imaging (DI), developed by scientists at Forschungszentrum Jülich and the University of Groningen, allows researchers to differentiate, e.g., regions with many thin nerve fibres from regions with few thick nerve fibres.
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Total quality management for cold chain at DKSH
29 March 2019Watch this video to learn more about cold chain management.
At DKSH we understand that cold chain management is about process, assets and people. Learn more about our unique research-based method called: “Total quality management for cold-chain” which ensures that every step in the cold chain is secured across our network of regional distribution centers.
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Cancer imaging technology can help reveal life-threatening pregnancy disorder
27 March 2019An imaging technique used to detect some forms of cancer can also help detect preeclampsia in pregnancy before it becomes a life-threatening condition, a new Tulane study says.
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Hydrogel contact lens to treat serious eye disease
25 March 2019Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have created a hydrogel that could one day be made into a contact lens to more effectively treat corneal melting, a condition that is a significant cause for blindness worldwide.
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New optical imaging system could be deployed to find tiny tumors
22 March 2019Many types of cancer could be more easily treated if they were detected at an earlier stage. MIT researchers have now developed an imaging system, named “DOLPHIN,” which could enable them to find tiny tumors, as small as a couple of hundred cells, deep within the body.
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New Medical Devices Regulation – “Notified Bodies face a huge workload”
20 March 2019Blog by Catherinea Jones – Quality Assurance Specialist
On April 5th, 2017, the EU adopted the new Medical Devices Regulation (MDR), replacing the two existing directives: the Medical Devices Directive (MDD) and Active Implantable Medical Devices Directives (AIMD). What does this change mean for the industry? We spoke to Catherinea Jones, who works as a Quality Assurance Specialist. “This is a massive operation.”
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Fresenius Medical Care closes $2bn NxStage Medical acquisition
15 March 2019German dialysis products and services company Fresenius Medical Care has completed the $2bn acquisition of US-based medical devices maker NxStage Medical, after receiving clearance from the US antitrust authorities.
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Philips unveils new EPIQ Elite ultrasound line, with vascular imaging capabilities
08 March 2019Philips has launched its new EPIQ Elite ultrasound system, offering a range of diagnostic solutions for different medical specialties, including the company’s first for vascular assessments.
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New pill can deliver insulin
25 February 2019An MIT-led research team has developed a drug capsule that could be used to deliver oral doses of insulin, potentially replacing the injections that people with type 1 diabetes have to give themselves every day.
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UCI biomedical engineers develop wearable respiration monitor with children’s toy
18 February 2019Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have developed a wearable, disposable respiration monitor that provides high-fidelity readings on a continuous basis. It’s designed to help children with asthma and cystic fibrosis and others with chronic pulmonary conditions.
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Ultra ultrasound to transform new tech
15 February 2019A new and extremely sensitive method of measuring ultrasound could revolutionise everything from medical devices to unmanned vehicles.
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J&J launches new intraocular lens for cataract patients in Europe
13 February 2019Johnson & Johnson Vision has launched its TECNIS Eyhance intraocular lens for the treatment of cataracts in European commercial markets.
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Going for an MRI scan with tattoos?
11 February 2019According to Weiskopf, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig (MPI CBS), .” ..the most important questions for us were: Can we conduct our studies with tattooed subjects without hesitation?
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Physics can show us the inside of tumors
07 February 2019A team of physicists at the Institut Lumière Matière (CNRS/Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1), in collaboration with the Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CNRS/INSERM/ Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1//Centre Léon Bérard/Hospices civils de Lyon), has demonstrated the potential, for oncology, of an imaging technique based only on the physical properties of tumors.
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Empatica secures FDA clearance for paediatric use of epilepsy smartband
04 February 2019Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab spin-off, Empatica, has received the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for the use of its Embrace epilepsy smartband for children.
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Ares Genetics gains funds to advance AI-based diagnostic
31 January 2019Ares Genetics, a unit of molecular diagnostics developer Curetis, has secured funding from the Vienna Business Agency to support the development of an artificial intelligence (AI)-based diagnostic test called ARESupa.
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Surgeons successfully implant rib produced by 3D printer
28 January 2019The patient had a tumour formation in the fifth right rib accompanied by swelling and pain. It was thought to be a congenital disease that could lead to weakening of the chest and problems associated with physical strain, including difficulty breathing.
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Physics can show us the inside of tumors
25 January 2019A team of physicists at the Institut Lumière Matière (CNRS/Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1), in collaboration with the Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CNRS/INSERM/ Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1//Centre Léon Bérard/Hospices civils de Lyon), has demonstrated the potential, for oncology, of an imaging technique based only on the physical properties of tumors.
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Swedish researchers develop ‘painless’ glucose monitoring system
23 January 2019A research team at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden is developing a glucose monitoring device that is said to be 50 times smaller than the needles used in existing continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems.
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Generex to buy Pantheon Medical
21 January 2019Integrated healthcare company Generex Biotechnology has signed a letter of intent (LOI) to acquire surgical devices firm Pantheon Medical – Foot & Ankle. The deal covers all assets, including business operations, accounts receivable and inventory, contracts, and a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) letter for balanced plating system.
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Engineers create an inhalable form of messenger RNA
17 January 2019Messenger RNA, which can induce cells to produce therapeutic proteins, holds great promise for treating a variety of diseases. The biggest obstacle to this approach so far has been finding safe and efficient ways to deliver mRNA molecules to the target cells.
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AI predicts cancer patients’ symptoms
14 January 2019Doctors could get a head start treating cancer thanks to new AI developed at the University of Surrey that is able to predict symptoms and their severity throughout the course of a patient’s treatment.
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US researchers develop neurostimulator to treat brain disorders
11 January 2019University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) researchers in the US have developed a neurostimulator called WAND to help treat neurological disorders such as epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease.
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Living in a Wheelchair
09 January 2019Blog by Jim Ryan – A Quadriplegic
It has been a while since I have added to the blog. I had a very busy November coupled with 10 days of being sick. In December I had a few calm weeks, but the during the Christmas holiday it was quite hectic again. In this blog I will tell you more about my wheelchair, and how I am able to move with it.
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Novel imaging technique brings diagnostic potential into operating room
04 January 2019A team of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign researchers led by Professor Stephen Boppart has successfully visualised the tumor microenvironment of human breast tissue shortly after it was surgically removed from a patient in the operating room. The researchers achieved this using a new portable optical imaging system developed in Boppart’s lab.
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Implantable device aids weight loss
02 January 2019More than 700 million adults and children worldwide are obese, according to a 2017 study that called the growing number and weight-related health problems a “rising pandemic.
New battery-free, easily implantable weight-loss devices developed by engineers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison could offer a promising new weapon for battling the bulge.

Academic takes aim at plastics use in medtech
28 December 2018Dr Simon Werrett, a science historian and professor at University College London has researched the use of plastic in the medical industry and how it may be reduced.
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We would like to wish you a merry Christmas!
25 December 2018On behalf of the Medical Devices Community, we would like to wish you a merry Christmas!
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Management of medical device files with ISO 13485:2016
24 December 2018Blog by S.M. Waqas Imam, Industrial Engineer, Certified Lead Auditor, Blog Writer and Ambassador of the Medical Devices Community
ISO Technical Committee (TC 210) mandates the requirements of medical device files in the latest version of ISO 13485:2016 in order to make a consistent work flow for manufacturers and suppliers in the medical devices industry.
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Supply Chain: Systems and People
21 December 2018Blog by Marc Baggen, Supply Chain Consultant.
In my previous blog, I explained the importance of process understanding within your company. Supply chain has multiple processes as the base.
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Trade Secrets
17 December 2018Blog written by Guy Breitenstein, Senior IP Attorney – Contracting, Trade Secrets and Data
One of the biggest challenges for companies in the medical devices industry is to protect their innovative work. These innovations relate to all aspects of medical devices, all the way from the chemistry to the device design to the software. Innovations are often the result of years of research and development and represent a significant investment.
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By patients for patients
14 December 2018Interview with Geert Dewulf , The Vice President Sales of Andaman7
Currently, access to personal medical data from patients in the healthcare industry is difficult. Although it is accepted that the most accurate information is needed to help patients, to improve the quality of clinical trials or the production of new drugs, getting this information is becoming more and more difficult because of legitimate hurdles linked with privacy and GDPR.
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Hospital Trust begins using virtual reality to treat visual vertigo
12 December 2018Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has installed a virtual reality computer gaming suite at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital and could be used in the home of the patients over time.
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FDA proposes more transparent de novo pathway
10 December 2018The US Food and drug Administration (FDA) has proposed revisions to the de novo pathway in order to make medical device classification more efficient and transparent.
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Human images from world’s first total-body scanner unveiled
07 December 2018EXPLORER, the world’s first medical imaging scanner that can capture a 3-D picture of the whole human body at once, has produced its first scans.
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MRI scans show promise in predicting dementia
05 December 2018One day, MRI brain scans may help predict whether older people will develop dementia, new research suggests.
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Medical device regulation: Is a national database the right solution to unsafe devices?
03 December 2018An investigation led by International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) has found that many patients could have been fitted with devices such as pacemakers and hip replacements that are unsafe due to weak medical device regulation.
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From an ICU ventilator to fully automatic ventilation
28 November 2018Blog written by Dick van Ginkel, Technician
Over the years there have been multiple impacts on ICU ventilators, due to the development of automatisation. ICU ventilators are breathing machines meant to temporally take over the complete breathing of people or partly support the breathing process.
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AI in Healthcare: 5 Real-World Examples
26 November 2018The examples of AI and its applications in healthcare potentially offer affordable healthcare, efficient clinical trials, improved success rates, and a better quality of life.
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What does the Brexit draft agreement mean for medical devices
23 November 2018The UK government has released a draft agreement regarding the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union along with a joint statement and outline of a political declaration on the future relationship between the UK and the EU.
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Digital Radiology Advantages
21 November 2018Digital radiography (DR) is increasingly used in radiology practice, as the trend towards paperless and filmless radiography advances. DR is based on the use of X-rays for data acquisition with direct or indirect conversion to electrical charge using various detection-charge conversion systems.
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AI algorithm outperformed majority of Cardiologists
19 November 2018At the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2018, Eko, a cardiac monitoring company that combines non-invasive sensors with machine learning, presented a clinical study abstract revealing the first murmur detection algorithm to outperform the majority of participating cardiologists in a clinical study.
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Unique brain activity pattern may help detect schizophrenia early
16 November 2018Neuroscientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have found a correlation between a brain activity pattern and the development of schizophrenia.
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UK to open five new AI medical centres to boost disease diagnosis
14 November 2018The UK Government has announced plans to open five new centres of excellence focussed on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for digital pathology and medical imaging.
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Detecting E.coli Strains Using Molecular Electronics
12 November 2018Finding a fast and inexpensive way to detect specific strains of bacteria and viruses is critical to food safety, water quality, environmental protection and human health. However, current methods for detecting illness-causing strains of bacteria such as E. coli require either time-intensive biological cell cultures or DNA amplification approaches that rely on expensive laboratory equipment.
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Quadriplegic Cruising
09 November 2018Blog by Jim Ryan – A Quadriplegic
This month my wife, my son Daniel and myself had the opportunity of a lifetime and enjoyed the 22-day Panama Canal cruise from Vancouver, BC, Canada to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This is the culmination of one of my life long dreams.
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A no-deal Brexit: What will it mean for the Medical Devices Industry?
07 November 2018The Home Affairs Sub-Committee of The Select Committee on the European Union met in the House of Lords today to discuss how the UK’s access to medicines and medical devices could be affected in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
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Tiny, pain-free vaccinations: microneedles and nanoparticles
04 November 2018If it’s up to PhD student Guangsheng Du, patients don’t need to worry about big needles anymore. At the Leiden Academic Center for Drug Research (LACDR), he studied the use of microneedles and nanoparticles as a new vaccination system. ‘I want to create a more patient-friendly delivery method.’ He defends his PhD on 30 October.
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UK researchers discover early detection of cancer approach
02 November 2018Researchers at Edinburgh University in the UK have discovered a new approach that leverages mathematical methods devised by Second World War codebreaker Alan Turing for detecting a variety of diseases, including cancer, in advance.
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3D printed medical devices: a tough trial for regulation?
01 November 2018The use of 3D printing in the medical industry is revolutionary and has huge potential. However, it also causes many issues for regulating bodies as theoretically anyone with a 3D printer and a blueprint could print their own devices, not just registered companies.
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Supply Chain: An easy job?
28 October 2018Blog by Marc Baggen
In the industry I sometimes hear people say: “Supply chain, that is easy. Do some planning and send out the goods to the customers.’’ Yes, this is a good starting point, but far from complete. In a modern supply chain there is much more, especially in the Medical Devices Industry.
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Could AI ‘Audrey’ be the future first response assistant?
24 October 2018Imagine a first responder answering the call to a natural disaster, a house fire, or an active shooter incident where there may be multiple injuries and unknown casualties. The information the responder needs to fulfill the mission is immeasurable.
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University of Bremen launches new study in Medical Computing
22 October 2018The Fraunhofer MEVIS Institute for Medical Image Computing – in short: Fraunhofer MEVIS – is one of the world’s leading research centers in digital medicine. In order to prepare computer science students for challenges in this area, the institute and the University of Bremen are now cooperating even more closely in teaching. This winter semester saw the introduction of a new study area called Medical Computing in the Faculty of Mathematics / Computer Science.
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Do people fear smart devices for data hacks?
19 October 2018Recent research carried out by medical device developer and manufacturer Bespak, has suggested that data security concerns could be delaying a rollout of potentially lifesaving smart inhaler products. These smart inhaler products could be utilised by users and result in the prevention of around 800 asthma deaths a year in the UK alone.
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A look at technical advancements in the medical devices industry
17 October 2018We spoke to Peter Tacken, Supply Chain Manager at Bausch & Lomb, about the biggest technical advancements in Supply Chain development, how they currently are, and could possibly influence the medical devices industry in the future. These technological changes are also known as the fourth industrial revolution. We asked Peter about his thoughts and opinions on these changes, as well as their pros and cons.
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RightEye Eye-Tracking System Receives FDA 510(k) Clearance
15 October 2018RightEye LLC, an award-winning health technology company that uses eye tracking to revolutionize patient care and improve vision performance, today announced that the company’s vision system has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA has cleared the RightEye™ system for recording, viewing, and analyzing eye movements in support of identifying visual tracking impairment in patients.
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Needle-Free Diabetes Care: 7 Devices that Painlessly Measure Blood Glucose
12 October 2018Will the daily routine of finger pricking to monitor blood glucose levels finally come to an end for the millions living with diabetes?
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”My accident and my ceiling lift”
10 October 2018Blog by Jim Ryan, a quadriplegic
As I mentioned in my previous blog, I will talk about my accident, some about my recovery and I will start with the lift my health care workers use to move me from my wheelchair to my bed and back again.
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New Study Finds Nanoparticles Show Promise in Therapy for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
08 October 2018Approximately 10-20 percent of diagnosed breast cancers are found to be triple-negative, meaning the breast cancer cells test negative for estrogen and progesterone receptors as well as HER2 receptors, genes that can play a role in the development of breast cancer. Triple-negative breast cancer can be more aggressive and difficult to treat as the cancer cells do not respond to hormonal therapies or therapies that target HER2 receptors.
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Boston Scientific’s Eluvia Peripheral Long Term Drug Eluting Stent FDA Approved
05 October 2018Boston Scientific won FDA regulatory approval to introduce the Eluvia drug-eluting vascular stent to the U.S. market. The device is the first peripheral stent to offer sustained release of an antiproliferative drug (paclitaxel) for as long as a full year. The drug prevents restenosis, a common condition caused by native tissue growing over the stent.
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University of Glasgow unveils Star Trek-inspired diagnostic device
03 October 2018A Star Trek-inspired handheld device based on a silicon chip could help make rapid, sophisticated medical diagnostics more accessible to people around the world, scientists say.
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This is why Quality Training is so important!
01 October 2018Blog by Ruud Lans, Quality and Regulatory Affairs Consultant
In the world of Medical Devices, most people are familiair with quality assurance and the regulatory requirements. But not everyone is known with the ins and outs of quality assurance, and that is why Quality Training is important. Below you can find which quality topics are important and§ which techniques are useful for employers and employees.
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Medtronic set to acquire Mazor Robotics
28 September 2018On September 20, Medtronic announced a definitive agreement to acquire Israel-based Mazor Robotics for $1.6bn, with the acquisition expected to close in Q3 of Medtronic’s FY2019. This deal is the culmination of a nearly two-and-a-half-year partnership for the two companies.
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Google’s AI tool can determine lung cancer type from images
26 September 2018A new study by a New York University (NYU) School of Medicine research team has found that a type of artificial intelligence (AI) tool called Inception v3 from Google can determine lung cancer types by analysing images of tumours.
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iPhone app to monitor blood pressure
24 September 2018A research team at Michigan State University (MSU) has developed a proof-of-concept iPhone app that can deliver accurate blood pressure readings.
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Researchers develop new testing device to better diagnose dizziness
21 September 2018Half of over-65s suffer from dizziness and problems with balance. But some tests to identify the causes of such problems are painful and can risk hearing damage. Now, researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have developed a new testing device using bone conduction technology, that offers significant advantages over the current tests.
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Louis Meessen: Steps and regulations to follow when releasing a medical device
19 September 2018August 2018, Louis Meessen, Project Manager product innovation hi-tech. In my role as Project Manager in product innovation, I had to follow the procedures as we had defined in our Product Creation Procedur to fulfil regulations needed for a medical device release.
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How close are 3D printed organs to reality?
17 September 2018The financial year of 2017/18 saw the highest number of organs ever donated in the UK. However, as organ donation figures continue to rise so too does the demand for transplants. By 2020 a new opt-out system for organ donation could be put in place across England if parliament approves “Max’s Law”.
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A Tiny Neural Implants Even Your Brain Can Love
14 September 2018At Draper, medical implants are slimming down and getting connected, too. Draper’s latest system is tiny in size, but is poised to make a big impact in treating disease through its networked abilities.
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What is it like being a Quadriplegic?
12 September 2018My name is Jim Ryan, I am from Canada and I am a full quadriplegic. Many people suffer from quadriplegia which means the partial or complete paralysis of all four limbs. A lot of quadriplegics will be mistaken as paraplegics as they have enough upper body strength to push themselves in their wheelchair, feed themselves and get around on their own.
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Inside Costa Rica’s super-sized medical device sector
10 September 2018In 2017, medical devices became Costa Rica’s top export, surpassing the agricultural sector for the first time in the country’s history. With more than 70 medical device companies operating in Costa Rica, how has this small nation managed to develop such a successful and fast-growing medical technology sector?
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A novel approach to cardiac surgery
07 September 2018Second-year medical student Kevin Cyr is part of a team of Stanford researchers investigating new ways to survey electricity in the heart. The research has led to the development of cardiac surgical devices that could one day help patients who suffer from a common heart ailment. “I’m using 3D-printed tools to design cardiac-mapping catheters, devices used by surgeons to map the electrical activity of the heart and find disturbances,” says Cyr.
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How to Manage Non-Conformances?
05 September 2018Blog by Ruud Lans, Quality and Regulatory Affairs Consultant
Almost every company will have to deal with non-conformances at one point, whether relatively minor or potentially major. In the Medical Devices Industry, these non-conformances can cause serious problems, and there for the way of handling such problems is important. Here are a few tips for dealing with them, or being proactive to mitigate them:

Facebook and NYU School of Medicine launch research collaboration to improve MRI
31 August 2018Facebook and NYU School of Medicine’s Department of Radiology are excited to announce fastMRI, a new collaborative research project that will investigate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to make magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans up to 10 times faster. If this effort is successful, it will make MRI technology available to more people, expanding access to this key diagnostic tool.
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Imaging technique can spot tuberculosis infection in an hour
29 August 2018A research team led by a Stanford University School of Medicine professor has developed an imaging technique that can diagnose live tuberculosis (TB) in an hour and help monitor the efficacy of treatments.
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OHSU professor conducts clinical trial with artificial pancreas using Xeris’ liquid glucagon
24 August 2018Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company leveraging its novel technology platforms to develop and commercialize ready-to-use injectable and infusible drug formulations, announced today that Jessica Castle, M.D., an associate professor of medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine and OHSU Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center in Portland, Oregon, is conducting a clinical trial with a dual-hormone artificial pancreas using Xeris’ ready-to-use liquid glucagon to evaluate a new closed-loop algorithm.
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Artificial Intelligence: The Game Changer of Medtech
20 August 2018The year 2018 has seen a good influx of innovative medical devices. Artificial intelligence (AI) serves as a critical component in most of these novel devices.
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Clinical Innovations expands into China with new subsidiary
15 August 2018Clinical Innovations continued its march toward global expansion, launching a new subsidiary in Shanghai to grow the company’s presence in the Chinese labor and delivery market.
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Evidation raises $30M alongside launch of new big data platform
10 August 2018Health data company Evidation Health raised $30 million in a series C round, bringing its total funding to $61 million, alongside the launch of a new platform built to digest large-scale sensor and behavioral data from real-world settings.
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Growing a surgical robot
08 August 2018Following the success of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for a number of indications and surgical specialities, medical device companies have turned to surgical robotics as the next big innovation.
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3D printing in the medical field: four major applications revolutionising the industry
07 August 20183D printing has many functions in a variety of industries, however, in the medical field it has four main applications.
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To incorporate wearable tech into total knee replacements
30 July 2018Johnson & Johnson’s DePuy Synthes is linking up with 360 Knee Systems, an Australian developer of digital solutions for personalizing total knee replacements, including the construction of 3D models for virtual surgery planning, wearable devices and mapping patients’ kinetic movement.
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Radiation from CT scans can increase risk brain cancer
26 July 2018A study led by Netherlands Cancer Institute has revealed an increased risk of brain cancer in children that receive computed tomography (CT) head scans. High doses of ionising radiation are emitted during a CT scan, which may cause the DNA mutations that lead to cancer.
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Senseonics’ recently approved implantable glucose monitor wins real-world accuracy study
11 July 2018A three-way comparison of continuous glucose monitoring devices found that Senseonics’ recently approved Eversense implantable monitor was significantly more accurate than the Dexcom G5 and the Abbott Freestyle Libre Pro.
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Thermo Fisher Scientific to buy Gatan for $925m
06 July 2018Diagnostic products maker Thermo Fisher Scientific has signed a definitive agreement to acquire software developer Roper Technologies’ wholly owned subsidiary Gatan for about $925m.
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HKBU unveils new device to enable safe growth of neural stem cells
27 June 2018Researchers from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) have developed a device containing a specific nanotechnology layer to enable the in vitro proliferation of neural stem cells(NSCs). The research team was jointly led by Department of Biology professor Ken Yung Kin-lam and Department of Physics associate professor Dr Jeffery Huang Zhifeng.
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‘Smart stent’ detects narrowing of arteries
21 June 2018A research team from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada has developed a ‘smart stent’ that can monitor even subtle changes in the blood flow of arteries, allowing the detection of narrowing in its earliest stages and making early diagnosis and treatment possible.
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This robot is able to perform surgery
25 May 2018This robot, created by researchers at the Max Planck Intitute, is able to perform surgery. Isn’t medical technology amazing?
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Imaging method reveals effects of treatment for mutant IDH1 gliomas
24 May 2018Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in the US have used magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) imaging to investigate the mechanisms behind a potential targeted treatment for gliomas.
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Algorithm creates reliable sensory feedback for prosthetic arm users
18 May 2018Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a control algorithm that regulates current so that prosthetic arm users can feel a steady sensation of touch, even if electrodes begin to peel off or sweat builds up.
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Classification of Medical Devices
17 May 2018A medical device is designed to contribute on improving patient’s health through diagnosis, therapy or surgery which are monitored and under strict regulations by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA has established the classification of medical devices for 1700 different generic types of devices within its industry. How are these types of devices classified, and which devices belongs to what class? The classification of medical devices is explained in this article.
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Starting your R&D project
17 May 2018R&D in the medical industry is one of the most, if not the most, important things. With the world being as innovative as it is right now, it is no strange thing that R&D spendings within the medical industry are rising. Not only the big corporations are accountable for this rise in spendings, more and more startups are trying to enter the market. Entering this market can be tricky for startups, especially with all the regulations and the high costs of research and development. A good preparation for starting your R&D project is key, and a few points are mentioned below that can help you with process.
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The Medical Devices Regulation in Europe
14 May 2018In 2008, a conference was initiated by the European Commission on the medical devices regulation, which resulted in more than 200 remarks and suggestions for revision of the regulation. Therefore, the European Commission proposed a plan in 2012, of revising the medical devices regulation framework, where the existing directives were going to be replaced.
Read here what these modifications consist of.

The Future of Medical Devices
14 May 2018With the world becoming more and more technological every day, the medical device industry cannot stay behind. And luckily, it doesn’t. The possibilities are endless, and below you can find five technological innovations that could play a massive part of the future of medical devices.
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Working in the Research & Development sector
13 May 2018We had an interview with Luke D. Burke, PhD- Senior Research and Development Engineer, about his experiences within the medical devices industry.
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Everything must be better, safer and more sustainable
13 May 2018Blog by Bert van Boxtel – QA Consultant
During the 80’s, I joined the medical devices industry as a young guy. I chose to work with medical techniques because of idealistic reasons: by creating medical devices I am helping to create a better world. That idea suited me much more than creating luxury products for our consuming behaviour.
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The revision of Medical Devices Regulation in Europe
13 May 2018From pregnancy tests and HIV blood tests to contact lenses and machines in optometry to breast implants and hip replacements. Medical devices include a wide range of products used by patients and doctors. Medical devices are necessary to our health and quality of life. In May 2017, the European Commission decided to do a revision on the medical devices regulation due to an incident that have taken place, and wrong interpretations of these regulations. Read here why this is important.
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10 Groundbreaking Medical Technology Inventions
13 May 2018Nowadays, we consider most of the medical technology as normal. However, throughout the history of mankind these devices were invented, and these should still be seen as extremely special. These medical devices are still saving lives and making day-to-day life for many people a lot easier. Here are 10 historical inventions that are worth mentioning.
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Functional connectivity MRI could help detect brain disorders and diseases
12 May 2018There are no laboratory tests to diagnose migraines, depression, bipolar disorder and many other ailments of the brain. Doctors typically gauge such illnesses based on self-reported symptoms and behavior.
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Will medtech drive the next Southeastern U.S. industrial revolution?
12 May 2018One South Carolina startup relies on the Southeastern U.S. history of engineering innovation, new infrastructure and quality of life to drive drug delivery innovation through nanoparticles.
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Wearable system continuously monitors stomach activity
11 May 2018California researchers have created an electrocardiogram-like system for the gastrointestinal tract that monitors electrical activity in the stomach over a 24-hour period.
The system is a wearable, non-invasive system that provides GI activity monitoring outside of clinical settings while increasing the chance of identifying abnormal activity. It is a 3D printed portable box that is connected to 10 small wearable electrodes.
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Why medtech needs innovations in the law department to protect intellectual property
11 May 2018Here’s the scenario: after investing millions of dollars and years of resources in R&D, your company has received approval to market your cutting-edge medical device. If your flagship device does not establish a strong foothold on the market, the enterprise will likely be doomed and your investors will lose most, if not all, of their capital.
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FDA grants clearance for first contact lens with light-adaptive technology
10 May 2018The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today cleared the first contact lens to incorporate an additive that automatically darkens the lens when exposed to bright light. The Acuvue Oasys Contact Lenses with Transitions Light Intelligent Technology are soft contact lenses indicated for daily use to correct the vision of people with non-diseased eyes who are nearsighted (myopia) or farsighted (hyperopia).
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Why partnerships between medtech companies and doctors are so important
10 May 2018As new devices and technologies are being developed in the medtech industry, doctors and physicians have to learn about the devices on platforms that are different from what they know. One way to help make the healthcare provider’s transition into using new devices easier is to forge a partnership between the industry and the physician, according to Laura Dietch, CEO of BioTrace Medical(Menlo Park, Calif.).
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This visor-like device could be a defibrillator for stroke
10 May 2018A portable, visor-like device has shown potential for detecting emergent large-vessel occlusion with 92% accuracy in patients who may have had a stroke. The researchers suggest that the diagnostic device could be readily accessible to emergency personnel and in public spaces in the same way a defibrillator is available for treating heart attacks.
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Study: Laser lead extraction may raise mortality rate
09 May 2018Laser-based extraction of pacemaker or defibrillator leads could pose a higher risk of death than cutting sheath systems, according to a new meta-analysis study reported by Medscape. In the analysis, researchers found a ninefold increase in mortality associated with the procedures when they were performed using a popular excimer laser lead-extraction sheath when compared against sheaths that use a metal blade.
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German team develops new blood test for Alzheimer’s diagnosis
09 May 2018Researchers from Ruhr University Bochum in Germany have developed a new blood test that can identify indicators of Alzheimer’s disease much earlier than the appearance of initial symptoms.Published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, the results of the research indicated a potential to detect at-risk individuals and allow new drug discovery opportunities.
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Researchers propose new approach to look deeper into brain function
16 April 2018To uncover connections between brain regions and specific cognitive functions, neuroscientists have long made extensive use of techniques like functional resonance imaging (fMRI). First introduced in the 1990’s, the method allows tracking the brain’s activity while a test subject performs a task or responds to stimuli in the MRI scanner.
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FDA releases top 3 medical device regulation goals
08 April 2018FDA medical device regulators’ top priorities over the next three years include improving employee engagement, increasing simplicity and building collaborative communities, according to a new Strategic Priorities paper that FDA’s CDRH released today. The agency said the priorities further its overall goal of providing Americans with more timely access to the latest high-quality, safe and effective medical devices.
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Artificially-produced diamonds could improve brain imaging
05 April 2018Researchers have optimised the design of laboratory-grown artificial diamonds for use in biosensing applications such as magnetic brain imaging.In ‘Designing Diamonds for Medical Imaging Technologies’, published in Applied Physics Letters, the researchers from Osaka University, the Tokyo University of Science, the Tokyo Institute of Technology and Kyoto University reported they have developed diamonds with nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centres that can detect changes in magnetic fields.
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Home genetic tests may have negative implications finds study
03 April 2018Widespread access to personal genetic interpretation tools has potentially negative implications on users’ understanding of their health, according to a new study by Boston University School of Public Health. The study is the first to examine the challenges that can arise when consumers contact healthcare providers because they have concerns about their DNA interpretation results.
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Taxes on Pacemakers, Medical Devices Returning in 2018
02 April 2018The new year will bring lower tax rates to a bevy of U.S. industries and corporations as details of the GOP’s tax overhaul begin to take effect.
But 2018 will also see the return of an excise tax on medical device manufacturers that will raise the costs of production – and likely the costs to consumers – for crucial medical items like artificial joints and pacemakers.

Expect high acquisitions, possible bidding wars in 2018
30 March 2018Look for another strong year for medtech acquisitions in 2018 — and even potential bidding wars — predicts patent attorney David Dykeman.The wave of mergers and acquisitions in the medical device industry should continue this year, both in terms of value and volume, according to patent attorney David Dykeman.
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New 3D tissue model of developing heart could be used to test safety of drugs during pregnancy
29 March 2018The heart is the first organ to develop in the womb and the first cause of concern for many parents.
For expecting mothers, the excitement of pregnancy is often offset by anxiety over medication they require. Parents and doctors often have to consider the mother’s health as well as the potential risk regarding how medication could affect their baby.

Traumatic brain injury associated with higher risk of dementia
28 March 2018The risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s, was significantly higher in people who had experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI) than with people who had no history of TBI, according to one of the largest studies to date on that association.Findings from a review of nearly 2.8 million patient cases in Denmark were published April 10 in The Lancet Psychiatry.
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