Say hello to MassDevice +5, a bite-sized view of the top five medtech stories of the day. This feature of MassDevice.com’s coverage highlights our 5 biggest and most influential stories from the day’s news to make sure you’re up to date on the headlines that continue to shape the medical device industry.
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5. SentreHeart logs German reimbursement win for Lariat, Eclipse LAA closure devices
SentreHeart said today that the German Institute for the Hospital Remuneration System granted renewed Status 1 to its Lariat and Eclipse left atrial appendage closure devices.
The coverage will allow 50 hospitals under the NUB1 innovation program to negotiate for reimbursement to cover costs for treating patients with the Lariat for LAAC when such a procedure is a suitable alternative to anticoagulation. The decision is valid for 1 year and can be renewed by application, the Redwood City, Calif.-based company said. Read more
4. Corindus touts 1st commercial use of 2nd-gen CorPath robotic platform
Corindus Vascular Robotics said today that its CorPath GRX 2nd-generation vascular robot-assisted surgery platform was used in its 1st commercial procedures.
The robotic platform was used early this month at the NewYork-Presbyterian hospital, UC San Diego Health and University of Virginia Health System in robotic-assisted PCI procedures, the company said. It began early installations of the systems in January, with a full commercial launch slated for later this month. Read more
3. Hill-Rom plans $300m private offering to fund Mortara acquisition
Hill-Rom today announced a $300 million private placement with net proceeds to fund its acquisition of Mortara Instrument.
The Chicago-based company said it will be selling senior unsecured notes due 2025 during the round, which will be guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by current and future Hill-Rom subsidiaries. Read more
2. Senate confirms Price as HHS chief
The Senate confirmed Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) to head the Health & Humans Services Dept. in a 52-47 vote early this morning. No Democratic senator voted to support the new administration’s nominee, but he was passed through in the Republican-majority Senate.
Democrats spent hours last night protesting his confirmation, pushing the vote until 2 A.M. Senators pushed back against his stance on the Affordable Care Act and Medicare, as well as his involvement with healthcare stocks. Read more
1. GAO flags gaps in FDA’s adverse event system in power morcellator report
Limitations in the FDA’s adverse event reporting system for medical devices helped allow the widespread use of laparoscopic power morcellators for years before the risk that they can spread cancer became known, a government watchdog said this week.
Medical device manufacturers and importers are required to tell the FDA about any device-related adverse events within 30 days. “FDA officials noted, however, the limitations in the current, passive, medical device reporting system, which relies on people to identify that a harm occurred or a risk is present, recognize that the harm or risk is associated with the use of a particular device, and take the time to report it,” the Government Accountability Office found in its report. Read more