Say hello to MassDevice +3, a bite-sized view of the top three medtech 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.
3. EU’s top court opens door to some stem cell patents
Europe’s top court today opened the door to certain stem cell patents in the European Union by ruling that an organism incapable of developing into a human being is not a human embryo and may be patented.
The judgment by the European Court of Justice was made following a case brought in Britain by International Stem Cell Corp. over whether it could patent processes covering the use of human egg cells. Read more
2. Integra launches regenerative burn treatment
Integra LifeSciences said it launched a new regenerative medicine product, a meshed dermal regeneration template for treating 3rd-degree burns and scar contractures that haven’t responded to other therapies.
Integra said it’s planning a nationwide release of the product in January, followed by a presentation at the Boswick Burn & Wound Care Symposium in mid-February. Read more
1. FDA warns on ‘keepsake’ ultrasounds
The FDA wants to dissuade expecting parents from using unregulated fetal ultrasound devices to create “keepsake” images or monitor their babies’ heartbeats at home, warning that the devices pose serious risks in untrained hands.
Because the long-term health effects of the devices are not yet known, the FDA is urging consumers to limit ultrasound use to trained medical professionals only when there is a prescribed need. Read more
