As we celebrate more women becoming medtech leaders and paving the way for innovation, it’s important to remember the many accomplishments women have already made when it comes to the advancement of health and medicine. X-rays on the battlefield, the American Red Cross, leprosy treatment and more — these advances happened because of women. As […]
Healthcare Reform
Controversial “right to try” bill fails in the House
A controversial bill that would grant terminal patients access to experimental therapies failed yesterday in the House. Although the “right to try” effort didn’t muster up enough votes to send it to the Senate, majority leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said in a statement that the fight wasn’t over. “We will try again, pass legislation, […]
Medtech’s existential crisis and how it can survive
Executives in medtech and other life sciences companies view digital health startups and high tech giants as an existential threat. To compete, they’re going to have to invest in or acquire customer engagement and personalization skills usually associated with online retailers and social networking sites, according to a new report out today from EY. The […]
Medtronic thinks these clinics could be the future of diabetes care – here’s why
Managing a chronic illness can feel like a full-time job. Between juggling multiple appointments with an array of specialists and following a meticulous care plan, patients dealing with conditions like diabetes have a lot on their plate. Medtech titan Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) wants to help change that. The company’s CEO, Omar Ishrak, placed his faith in value-based care as the […]
Health insurance stocks slide on Amazon-Berkshire Hathaway-JPMorgan Chase non-profit self-insurance venture
Shares in major health insurers UnitedHealth and Anthem fell today after online retail giant Amazon (NSDQ:AMZN), major holding company Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase announced a collaborative, independent non-profit looking to provide their employees with healthcare. The three companies said they will look to “bring their scale and complimentary expertise” to the long-term project, which will […]
Report: Advocacy groups urge Congress to fund diabetes research program
Advocacy groups have reportedly warned Congress that if lawmakers don’t find permanent funding solutions for diabetes research programs, it could jeopardize important work being done around the country to help people living with diabetes. Politicians on Capitol Hill have provided funding that will support the Special Diabetes Program and the Special Diabetes Program for Indians through […]
How conversations with virtual people could help mitigate the opioid crisis
It often starts in the doctor’s office or the emergency room. A patient has broken their leg and will be in pain for weeks. Another patient has had back surgery and is on their way home, but it will take time before they’re fully recovered. A third patient has returned for a consult about the […]
Senate confirms former pharma exec Azar as Trump’s HHS chief
The Senate voted 55-43 today to approve president Donald Trump’s nominee for chief of the Dept. of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar. Azar is succeeding Tom Price, who was forced out after reports from Politico revealed he often used pricey charter jets on the taxpayer’s dime. Senate Republicans have argued that Azar, who previously worked as president of Eli […]
Senate panel approves HHS nominee Azar
The Senate finance committee has approved president Donald Trump’s nominee for chief of the Dept. of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar. The former drug company executive is expected to be confirmed by the full Senate. If confirmed, Azar will succeed Tom Price, who was forced out after reports from Politico revealed he often used pricey charter […]
Rebelling against high prices, hospitals form nonprofit generic drug company
A consortium made up of 300 hospitals – and counting – are taking a bold step to address high drug prices and shortages of essential medicines: they’re cutting out the pharma middleman and starting their own non-profit generic drug company. The move is a first of its kind, according to a report from The New York […]
Is tax reform good or bad for medical device companies?
Medical device companies and others in the healthcare sector stand to benefit from the tax reform Congress passed at the end of 2017, but the picture isn’t entirely rosy, according to a new report from S&P Global Ratings. In many ways, the report offers a corrective to the bullish statements coming from corporate CEOs such […]