In a show of bipartisan solidarity, members of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging voiced their support Oct. 26 for a new regulatory pathway to quicken access to new drugs for rare diseases that have no approved treatments.
Left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion procedures are designed to reduce the risk of thromboembolism in patients who have non-valvular atrial fibrillation, but a study presented at the 2023 Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics annual meeting in San Francisco demonstrated that about half of patients continue to have LAA leaks – and potentially the risk of dangerous blood clots and stroke – a year after the procedure.
The EU approved the first drug-coated balloon for treatment of in-stent restenosis nearly a decade ago, but U.S. physicians continue to have their hands tied in treating the fairly common problem. Results from Boston Scientific Corp.’s investigational device exemption trial for its Agent paclitaxel-coated balloon presented in San Francisco at Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics could finally put the tool in the hands of cardiologists. The device demonstrated a nearly 50% reduction in the risk of target lesion revascularization and target vessel myocardial infarction compared to conventional balloon angioplasty.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has struggled to devise a final rule regarding regulation of ethylene oxide (EtO) after several years, a regulatory activity that has device makers concerned about domestic capacity for sterilization.
After nearly two years with an unconfirmed acting director at its helm, the U.S. NIH is one step closer to finally having Senate-confirmed leadership to steer the agency in a time pressed with political agendas, pandemic concerns and the potential for what could be life-altering innovations. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee voted 15-6 Oct. 25 to favorably report Monica Bertagnolli’s nomination to the full Senate for a confirmation vote as the next NIH director.
Anteris Technologies Ltd. presented multiple sessions at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) 2023 annual meeting in San Francisco this week on its novel Duravr biomimetic heart valve, a balloon-expandable, single-piece transcatheter aortic valve designed to closely replicate the shape and performance of a human aortic valve. The device was used for the first time earlier this year in a valve-in-valve replacement procedure and began its early feasibility study, both of which were reviewed at the cardiology meeting.
Exagen Diagnostics Inc., of Vista, Calif., has agreed to pay slightly more than $653,000 to resolve allegations that it had paid specimen processing fees to physicians to induce those physicians to use Exagen’s lab tests.
Vuno Inc. gained a U.S. FDA’s 510(k) clearance for its artificial intelligence (AI)-powered brain quantification device, Vuno Med-Deepbrain, to diagnose possible dementia in patients “even before mild cognitive impairment.”
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is calling for an investigation into the NIH’s proposed grant of an exclusive patent license for a late-stage cervical cancer drug to a small company linked to a former NIH researcher.
The U.S. FDA recently released a guidance for non-invasive remote monitoring devices, which were granted tremendous leniency during the COVID-19 pandemic as a means of reducing the demands on hospitals and doctor’s offices. That policy has been extended for the non-COVID era as part of the agency’s strategic plan to improve health equity by ensuring that access to digital health technologies is enjoyed by diverse American populations in a variety of health care access-challenged geographical areas.
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