The rash of firings at agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services has provoked a Feb. 28 letter from Reps. Dianna DeGette (D-Colo.) and Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), blasting the dismissals and insinuating that the dismissals were politically motivated.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has reversed a 2022 agency memorandum on discretionary denials of patent procedures, such as inter partes reviews.

Precision Neuroscience Inc. recently partnered with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center to test its brain computer interface, the Layer 7 Cortical Interface, during craniotomy procedures.

The Apple Watch may be able to alert wearers to heart palpitations, but Google LLC’s Pixel Watch 3 can now detect when a user’s heart stops – and call emergency services. The pulse detection featured received clearance from the U.S. FDA on Feb. 26 and Google plans to make it available on its Pixel Watch 3 starting in March. Pulse detection is already available for watches sold in the U.K. and EU.

Royal Philips NV recently secured EU MDR certification for the remote scanning capabilities on its Radiology Operations Command Center Console. The solution allows radiologists to remotely assist technologists in real-time by controlling scans to acquire images needed for improved diagnostic confidence and patient outcomes.

Nick Decker, directory of global regulatory policy for Roch Holding AG’s Roche Diagnostics division, said the FDA is moving carefully into the PCCP space, and industry, too, is taking a measured approach in adopting the PCCP concept.

To increase diagnosis across Australia, the partnership will see Compumedics Ltd. of Melbourne supply its Somfit devices and electrodes to Philips’ pharmacy-based sleep programs in pharmacies across Australia.