ATLANTA - With a substantially strong turnout the Southeastern Medical Device Association (SEMDA) kicked off its 2013 conference earlier today. Hosted at the Georgia Institute of Technology Global Learning Center, the organization's annual conference featured speakers ranging from Medical Device Manufacturers Association President/CEO Mark Leahey to Jeff Shuren, MD, director of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (even though he was speaking from an offsite location). SEMDA seemed to have its finger on the pulse of med-tech firms' concerns even more so than last year. As in past years the themes seemed to center around dealing with strained funding...

Estimates show that nearly 1 in a 1,000 people suffer from cluster headaches – a highly disabling chronic neurological condition characterized by intense stabbing pain in the area of one eye, often accompanied by swelling, tears and nasal congestion. The pain inflicted by the condition is recognized as among the most severe known to humans. Sufferers can have headache attacks multiple times per day, each lasting 15 to minutes to three hours.

Fifteen years ago, a patient's understanding and grasp of the importance of brain health wasn't at the level that it is now, according to SharpBrains (San Francisco), an independent market research firm and think tank helping organizations and individuals navigate the emerging brain fitness and applied neuro-science field.

Covidien (Dublin, Ireland) reported the release of the results from the Solitaire FR Thrombectomy for Acute Revascularization (STAR) study. The two-year study evaluated the safety and efficacy of the Solitaire FR revascularization device in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

In October of last year, Medtronic made headlines when it reported that it was going to acquire Changzhou holdings, a China-based company that is a provider of orthopedic devices, for $816 million. Now the acquisition, in my opinion was perhaps the loudest shot fired in the battle to maintain a dominant presence in China one of the fastest growing emerging markets. Last month, Stryker responded in kind with its plan to acquire Trauson Holdings, a China-based firm that specializes in products for the spine for $764 million. After listening to a webinar from Millinneum Research Group, about the Top 10...

The last two years for the medical device market could be summed up as difficult for the industry – as it adjusted to economic turmoil that started in years prior. During a webinar hosted by Millennium Research Group (MRG; Toronto), Adrienne Lovink, vice president of consulting and business development at MRG, gave listener

NeuroSigma (Los Angeles), a company with a focus on neurotechnology, reported positive Phase II Clinical study results for the use of external Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation (eTNS) for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy. Results of the study were published online in the Jan. 30th issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology (Minneapolis).