Science ministers from 13 countries in Europe are calling on the European Union to offer a home to researchers affected by the Trump Administration’s cuts. They have written to EU research and innovation commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva asking her to organize a welcome “for brilliant talents from abroad who might suffer from research interference and ill-motivated and brutal funding cuts.”
The U.S. Medicare program took several bites out of rates paid for radiation oncology services under the physician fee schedule, but stakeholders are again gaining traction on Capitol Hill with a plea for intervention.
Med-tech happenings, including deals and partnerships, grants, preclinical data and other news in brief: Abbott, Aira Matrix, Gestalt Diagnostics, Ibex Medical, Pathai, Royal Philips.
Regulatory snapshots, including global submissions and approvals, clinical trial approvals and other regulatory decisions and designations: Avatar Medical, FX Shoulder Solutions, Imperative Care, Newronika.
Alcon AG plans to acquire Lensar Inc. for up to $430 million in a transaction expected to close in the latter half of the year. The acquisition will add Lensar’s Ally robotic cataract laser treatment system, Streamline software technology and Lensar legacy laser system to Alcon’s cataract surgery portfolio and expand global access to Lensar’s femtosecond laser technology.
Third-party litigation funding (TPLF) has a checkered reputation in the U.S. med-tech industry and the practice has now raised hackles in the European Union as well. The European Commission recently posted a document explaining how EU-wide legislation would map onto member state law, the results of which suggest that any pan-EU legislation would be at best a tricky exercise in policymaking.