Seven U.S. states have formed an interstate compact with the Rockefeller Foundation to expand the use of rapid point-of-care antigen tests to better manage the COVID-19 pandemic. The compact — announced yesterday by a bipartisan group of governors leading the states — includes Louisiana, Ohio, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina and Virginia. The idea is that […]
Dems seek to force EPA action on ethylene oxide monitoring
Democrats in both houses of Congress have introduced legislation that would force the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to better monitor emissions of ethylene oxide (EtO) from plants that manufacture the toxic gas or use it to sterilize medical devices. The Public Health Air Quality Act of 2020, sponsored by Sen. Tammy Duckworth (Ill.) and Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester […]
The top 5 medtech stories of the week — July 24, 2020
COVID-19 is surging back in the U.S., new jobless claims are up, but MassDevice’s most-read stories this week were mostly optimistic. That’s the takeaway from our inaugural MassDevice Top Five — a weekly recap of the most-read stories on MassDevice, the online business journal of the medical device industry. Want to hear more about the […]
U.S. investing $42m to boost BD syringe and needle production
HHS’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority is helping BD expand operations and manufacturing capacity in Nebraska to boost syringe and needle supplies for an eventual COVID-19 vaccine. Becton Dickinson (NYSE:BDX) said today that the total project will cost $70 million, with BARDA providing $42 million. The company expects the new capacity to be online within […]
BD launches COVID-19 antigen test that can produce results in 15 minutes
Becton Dickinson (NYSE:BDX) announced today that it’s received an FDA emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 antigen test, which the company will start shipping this week. BD plans to ramp-up manufacturing capacity to 2 million tests per week by the end of September, with 10 million tests produced by the end of September. The tests run […]
7 ways the coronavirus is affecting medtech
Medtech companies face some tough times as the deadly coronavirus pandemic gains steam. But could this be the medical device industry’s Dunkirk, too? Just days ago, MassMEDIC president Brian Johnson made a call-out on LinkedIn for people to send ideas about how Massachusetts medical device companies could help fight COVID-19. He drew an analogy to […]
Medical device company stocks aren’t immune from coronavirus
Major U.S. medical device company stocks have generally performed as poorly as others over the past two weeks as the global coronavirus outbreak drive markets down. Among 20 of the largest U.S. companies on Medical Design & Outsourcing and MassDevice‘s annual Big 100 list, both the average and median decline in price was roughly 17% […]
BD beats The Street on Q4 results
Becton Dickinson (NYSE:BDX) today reported fourth-quarter results that beat Wall Street analysts’ expectations. The Franklin Lakes, N.J.–based medtech company reported profits of $150 million, or $0.41 per share, on sales of $4.58 billion for the three months ended Sept. 20, 2019. BD lost -$135 million off $4.40 billion in revenue during the same quarter a year […]
Georgia seeks temporary halt to BD sterilization operation
The state of Georgia has asked a court to temporarily shutter a Becton Dickinson (NYSE:BDX) medtech sterilization plant until it complies with state environmental regulations. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) filed a motion yesterday with Newton County Superior Court for a temporary restraining order to halt operations at BD’s Covington, Ga. plant, which uses ethylene oxide […]
Georgia to investigate BD medtech sterilization plant
The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has opened an investigation into Becton Dickinson’s (NYSE:BDX) medical device sterilization plant in Covington, Ga. following an eight-day leak of the sterilant gas ethylene oxide (EO). The EPD notified BD this week that it was dissatisfied with the company’s reporting of the valve leak that released 54 lbs. of ethylene oxide […]
Georgia mayor wants BD sterilization plant shuttered for now
The mayor of Covington, Ga. has asked Becton Dickinson (NYSE:BDX) to temporarily shut down a plant there following a weeklong leak of the gas it uses to sterilize medical devices. A letter from Mayor Ronnie Johnston says that independent air quality tests performed for the city from Sept. 17 to Sept. 24 revealed “particularly high levels of […]
