Say hello to MassDevice +7, a bite-sized view of the top seven med-tech stories of the week. This latest feature of MassDevice.com’s coverage highlights our seven biggest and most influential stories from the week’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 this weekend, make sure you’re still in the know with MassDevice +7.
7. Hacking Healthcare: “There’s really no excuse for designing crappy, insecure systems”
Cybersecurity experts decry the lax security in medical devices and warn that the information stored in the machines – not to mention their ability to affect someone’s health – may draw a dangerous crowd.
6. California probes hospital accused of secret clinical trials with Stryker bone products
The California Health Dept. investigates a local hospital accused of using patients as "unwitting guinea pigs" for experimental Stryker bone-growth products.
5. Knees: Could a better knee brace prevent replacement surgery?
DJO Global hopes its new OA Nano knee brace, which weighs in at 14.2 ounces, can help patients with knee pain stave off total knee replacement surgeries for years.
4. Taming the tsunami of clinical data: Can speech recognition change the way medicine is practiced?
It can if Dr. Nick van Terheyden, chief medical information officer for Nuance Communications, has anything to say about it.
3. TAVI backlash: Edwards responds to British Medical Journal analysis
The negative claims in a British Medical Journal analysis of the Sapien heart valve are largely groundless, according to Edwards Lifesciences.
2. St. Jude Medical recalls Eon, Eon Mini pain management implants on battery, charging issues
St. Jude Medical is recalling some of its Eon and Eon Mini pain management implants after receiving 100s of reports that the devices had to be taken out after their batteries failed early or because they overheated during recharging – including 3 cases in which patients received 1st- or 2nd-degree burns.
1. Twitter: Medtronic CEO Ishrak’s mission in 140 characters or less
Medtronic CEO Omar Ishrak takes to Twitter in answering the call to protect and spread company founder Earl Bakken’s message of corporate citizenship and public good around the world.
