GT Metabolic Solutions Inc. received U.S. FDA clearance for its Magdi bariatric surgery system. The system uses magnets to create side-to-side duodeno-ileal anastomosis without cutting intestinal tissue or leaving foreign materials in the body permanently.

The U.S. FDA cleared Paragonix Technologies Inc.’s Kidneyvault portable renal perfusion system, which combines digital monitoring capabilities and hypothermic perfusion technology to preserve donor kidneys during transportation.

Medtronic plc added a second U.S. FDA pulsed field ablation (PFA) device approval to its scorecard with the agency’s greenlight for its Affera mapping and ablation system with the Sphere-9 catheter. Affera brings the first radiofrequency/PFA device to the cardiac ablation market and ups the ante in the PFA competition.

The Medical Information Working Group again took up a question regarding U.S. FDA-regulated speech, citing the agency’s new misinformation draft guidance as an example of a piecemeal approach to regulated speech.

The U.S. FDA declared that Michelle Tarver is the permanent replacement for Jeff Shuren as the director of the agency’s device center. The news is hardly a surprise as Shuren confirmed the appointment in an October 2024 public meeting.

Baxter International Inc., whose North Cove manufacturing site in Marion, North Carolina, was significantly impacted by the rain and storm surge from Hurricane Helene – including flooding of the facility – in September, reported that restoring the physical facilities has exceeded its expectations, with meaningful advances in site cleanup and remediation.

The U.S. FDA urged doctors and patients to use CT imaging if possible, when the MRI compatibility of any electronic implanted devices is unknown because problems with CT imaging are "extremely low" in these circumstances.

Boston Scientific Corp. racked up a two-fer from the U.S. FDA with approval of its navigation-enabled Farawave Nav ablation catheter and 510(k) clearance for the Faraview software for use with its Farapulse pulsed field ablation (PFA) system.

The speculation as to the status of Michelle Tarver, the acting director of the U.S. FDA’s device center, is officially over despite disclaimers at. The outgoing director, Jeff Shuren, said Tarver “will make a great center director” in remarks during an Oct. 17 public appearance, thus cementing Tarver’s role at FDA.

Nowdiagnostics Inc. established an exclusive agreement with Labcorp Holdings Inc. for distribution of its First To Know syphilis test in the U.S. The test provides results in 15 minutes with as little as a single drop of blood. The test will be available to hospitals and clinicians by the end of 2024 and offered to patients directly through Labcorp Ondemand in 2025.