Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar was peppered with questions about the Trump administration’s budget proposal for fiscal 2021 during a Feb. 13 Senate hearing. However, another theme that resonated during the hearing was Senate legislation addressing drug prices. Azar addressed the issue of price caps, while noting that the bill “leaves plenty of room” for both ample profit margins and innovation in drug development.

Guilford, Conn.-based Hyperfine Research Inc. has received the U.S. FDA’s nod for a bedside magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system and is eyeing this summer for shipments. The portable system can be wheeled directly to the patient’s bedside and plugs into a standard electrical wall outlet.

The latest mutation to the coronavirus, dubbed COVID-19, has sparked a reaction by many national governments, but the expense associated with development of vaccines and diagnostics is considerable. Ron Klain, who served as the Obama administration’s coordinator for the response to the Ebola virus, said during an Aspen Institute seminar that drug makers took a hit in their efforts to develop a vaccine for the Ebola virus, and thus there is a need to de-risk these and other development efforts in the private sector.

Palo Alto, Calif.-based Varian Medical Systems Inc. has won the U.S. FDA’s nod for its Ethos therapy, an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven holistic solution that is aiming to transform cancer care. This solution is designed to deliver an entire adaptive treatment in a typical 15-minute slot and is intended to put the patient at the center of care, noted Chris Toth, president of Varian Oncology Systems.

Brisbane, Calif.-based Caption Health Inc. received good news from the U.S. FDA, which has given a thumbs up to Caption Guidance. This software aims to assist medical professionals in the acquisition of cardiac ultrasound images and uses artificial intelligence (AI) to provide real-time guidance.