Say hello to MassDevice +3, a bite-sized view of the top three med-tech stories of the day. This feature of MassDevice.com’s coverage highlights our 3 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.
If you read nothing else today, make sure you’re still in the know with MassDevice +3.
3. ASR hip implants, rejected in U.S., still sold overseas
Johnson & Johnson’s (NYSE:JNJ) metal-on-metal hip implants stayed on the market in Europe and other countries after they were rejected for the U.S. market, according to a report from the New York Times.
The implants were sold to patients overseas for a year after they were prohibited for U.S. patients, until they were recalled in August 2010 amid concerns about high failure rates.
2. Ortho market growth stable but low
The market for hip and knee implants is stable but mired in a low-growth stage, according to analysts who attended the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons conference in San Francisco last week.
Although the abrupt departure of Stryker CEO Steve MacMillan drew the lion’s share of attention at the AAOS event, analysts from Barclays Capital and Leerink Swann agreed that the sector’s outlook calls for low-single-digit growth.
1. Consumer groups, medical device makers spar during MDUFMA III hearings
Consumer advocacy groups urged the U.S. House of Representatives to take a stronger hand in promoting safety in medical devices during a hearing today on the re-authorization of the medical device user fee act.
Industry officials and venture capitalists highlighted the role the med-tech sector plays in creating high-paying jobs and generating innovative, life-saving products. Consumer advocates were having none of that, chiding the user fee negotiations for putting safety on the back burner under pressure for faster review times.
