The National Advisory Council for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) will meet on Friday to provide advice to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the director of the AHRQ on matters related to AHRQ.

The meeting will begin with an update on the status of the agency's current research, programs, and initiatives. The Council will discuss such topics as AHRQ's National Healthcare Quality Report and National Healthcare Disparities Report and employer engagement in healthcare.

The meeting will be held from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at AHRQ's Eisenberg Conference Center, Rockville, Maryland.

FzioMed disagrees with FDA recommendation

FzioMed (San Luis Obispo, California) said that it strongly disagrees with the recommendation made July 15 by the FDA Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Devices Advisory Panel, that the company's pre-market approval application for Oxiplex gel was not approvable (Medical Device Daily; July 17, 2008).

"We are in the process of scheduling a meeting with FDA to discuss the advisory panel's comments and the steps necessary to resolve the questions that were raised by the panel," said President/CEO John Krelle.

Oxiplex is an absorbable gel used during lumbar laminectomy, laminotomy and discectomy surgical procedures.

FzioMed is a privately held medical device company that makes absorbable, surgical biomaterials.

MDS reports corporate restructuring

MDS (Toronto), a maker of products and services to the life sciences markets, reported a restructuring plan to drive improved profitability at MDS Pharma Services and MDS Analytical Technologies.

These restructuring actions are expected to yield annual pre-tax savings of approximately $20 million and result in a net reduction of approximately 210 employees. Cumulative pre-tax restructuring charges associated with these actions are anticipated to be about $18 million, with the majority of the charges recorded in Q308. The company also expects to record a pre-tax facility-related asset impairment charge of roughly $10 million related to its MDS Pharma Services Montreal site.

Dynatronics gets Nasdaq notification

Dynatronics (Salt Lake City) said the company has received a letter from Nasdaq stating that for the last 30 consecutive business days, the bid price of its common stock has closed below the minimum $1 a share requirement for continued inclusion under Nasdaq's marketplace rules.

The company will be given 180 calendar days, until Dec. 22, to regain compliance. If, at anytime before Dec. 22 the bid price of the common stock closes at $1 a share or more for a minimum of 10 consecutive business days, Nasdaq will provide written notification that compliance has been regained.

Dynatronics makes medical devices and orthopedic soft goods and supplies.