For years, members of the medical device industry have eyed patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure as a way to prevent strokes. Despite skepticism around the effectiveness of some of the candidate devices proposed for the procedure, St. Jude Medical Inc. is now poised to enter the field, pending approval of its Amplatzer PFO occluder.

Theranos Inc. was back in the news Thursday, this time with word that one of its top executives who has received intense scrutiny is retiring.