A Medical Device Daily

The National Institutes of Health has reported that it will the fold Division of Bioengineering and Physical Science (DBEPS) into an intramural research program at the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB).

Formerly part of the NIH Office of Research Services, DBEPS' work was already geared toward support of the NIBIB mission in that the branch "specializes in the development and application of new technologies, based on engineering, mathematics, and the physical sciences, for the solution of problems in biology and medicine," according to the Oct. 4 statement. These efforts should mesh well with NIBIB's emphasis on "cutting-edge technologies operating at scales ranging from near-atomic resolution to intact organisms."

Rod Pettigrew, PhD, director of NIBIB, said that his institute is "excited about the transfer of this exceptional cadre of researchers to the NIBIB Intramural Research Program," due to the "exceptional fit with the mission of the institute, which is to improve health by leading the development and accelerating the application of biomedical technologies."

The shift will involve 26 employees and roughly 14,000 square feet of office space. However, organization of DBEPS will not be altered meaningfully.

The NIH said that collaborative work with its other branches "will continue to be the main focus of this group's work." Among the items on DBEPS' agenda are research into new ways to determine the 3D structure of cells, measurement of interactions between large molecules, computer models of drug delivery systems, and performance of nanoscale diagnostics.

Richard Leapman, PhD, scientific director of NIBIB, said in the statement that the incorporation of DBEPS "will also provide an ideal setting for the new trans-NIH initiative in Imaging Molecules to Cells." The intramural work is expected to boost a project for enhanced biomedical imaging using positron-emission tomography (PET) and offer more resources for the joint Laboratory for the Assessment of Medical Imaging Systems at FDA.

Von Eschenbach meets with China FDA

FDA chief Andrew von Eschenbach, MD, met last week with officials from China's State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) as part of an ongoing series of meetings for the exchange of views on product safety.

The FDA said in a statement that the meetings, conducted at the prompting of Michael Leavitt, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, involved von Eschenbach meeting with Chen Zhu, MD, the minister of health of the People's Republic of China. Von Eschenbach also met with the SFDA commissioner, Shao Mingli, and vice minister Chuanzhong Wei of the Chinese General Administration of Quality, Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

With the 2008 Summer Olympics just around the corner, the move is seen by some as vital to Beijing's efforts to ensure that travel to the world's most populous nation is not discouraged by the rash of recent reports of tainted products.

According to the FDA statement, von Eschenbach said that his discussions with the Chinese officials were "very productive," adding that the Beijing contingent's members "are, like me, dedicated to enhancing the health of the men, women, and children we each serve, and to protecting the safety of our food supply and chain of medical and pharmaceutical products."

Halloween lenses need Rx

The Federal Trade Commission is urging that anyone thinking about using contact lenses as part of his or her Halloween costume should remain mindful that any lens that goes into the eye requires a prescription, even those of only theatrical intent.

FTC posted a publication on its site last week titled "Avoiding an Eyesore: What to Know Before You Buy Cosmetic Contacts" that reminds trick-or-treaters of all ages that any lenses sold minus an Rx are in violation of the law and that bad lenses can scratch the cornea and can induce pink-eye, also known as conjunctivitis.

Congress inked a bill in 2003 dubbed the Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act, which was amended two years later to mandate a prescription for non-corrective use of contact lenses.