Optical Sensors (Minneapolis) has reported it has changed its name to Vasamed . "Since early 2004, Optical Sensors Incorporated has been doing business as "Vasamed," a name that underscores our mission to provide noninvasive diagnostic tools for a variety of peripheral vascular and cardio vascular conditions," said Paulita LaPlante, president and CEO. "In the course of bringing the SensiLase and AcQtrac diagnostic systems to market, our company has become known in the medical community as Vasmed and we have concluded that our corporate name should be changed to reflect this acceptance by our customers."

Vasamed develops noninvasive peripheral and cardiovascular diagnostic systems for hemodynamic assessment and monitoring.

AMA sets strategies for cost containment

The American Medical Association (AMA: Chicago) said that the nation's physicians voted to approve a set of strategies for containing healthcare costs and achieving even greater value for health spending. Physicians at the AMA Annual Meeting asserted that successful cost-containment must focus on balancing costs and benefits.

"Health care spending has yielded substantial clinical, economic and quality of life benefits, but the overall growth in health care costs has outpaced general inflation," said AMA board member Peter Carmel, MD. "While physicians play a key role in efforts to contain costs, problems like obesity, tobacco use, alcohol and substance abuse and violence will require action from coalitions of stakeholders from within and outside the healthcare system to drive major societal change.

The strategies and specific interventions adopted by the AMA today recommend shifting resources toward preventive services and public health interventions, increasing the availability of both clinical and cost information needed to make cost-effective decisions, and employing incentives for patients, physicians, and others to make value-based decisions.

Cytori to leave Frankfurt Stock Exchange

Cytori Therapeutics (San Diego) has voluntarily delisted from the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE). The move is primarily in response to the significant shift in trading volume since December 2005 from the FSE toward the NASDAQ Global Market, where Cytori will maintain its primary listing. Cytori's last day of trading on the FSE will be Sept. 25. Following this date, shares owned in Germany, the U.S., or elsewhere may continue to be traded through the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol CYTX.

"This is an opportunity to consolidate trading on one of the most efficient international stock markets, the NASDAQ Global Market, where the vast majority of our shares now trade, while simultaneously reducing redundant fees and expenses associated with a dual listing," said Mark Saad, CFO for Cytori. "All our shareholders will be optimally supported by the single listing and the European investment community will continue to be a priority for us, given our global reach as a regenerative medicine company."