Republicans aren’t ready to back down from efforts to strike the medical device tax, even as insiders say that there’s no way a repeal measure will make it into a tax credit extension bill taking shape now in the Senate.
U.S. Senate
Medical device tax repeal won’t make it into tax cut extenders bill | MassDevice.com On Call
MASSDEVICE ON CALL — There will be no bid to repeal or postpone the medical device tax in the legislation under debate in Washington to extend certain tax cuts, according to the Connect public policy blog.
GOPers want answers on draft guidances | Medtech regulatory news for the week of May 12, 2014
DOJ probes St. Jude | Medtech legal news for the week of May 12, 2014
Senate Republicans want answers from FDA commish Hamburg on draft guidances
Four Republican senators are asking FDA commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg for some answers on the federal watchdog agency’s practice of issuing draft guidances to cover medical device and drug review policies.
More secret human studies uncovered in Myxo ring inquiry
Boxer: Curbing medical errors will save thousands of lives, billions of dollars per year
Preventable hospital injuries claim as many as 440,000 patients’ lives each year, representing a woefully under-met area of clinical need, according to a new report released by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.).
Sen. Boxer called on hospitals and clinics to devise and share ways to minimize common hospital injuries, such as infections and adverse drug events, in order to prevent needless deaths.
Medtech tax: Indiana Senator solicits new Finance chair’s support in anti-tax fight
Senator Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) is hoping to garner the support of new Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) in efforts to repeal the medical device tax.
In an open letter issued yesterday, Donnelly congratulated Wyden on his new role and voiced concerns that the medtech tax is hurting American innovation.
Hatch bill to repeal medical device tax gains 2 more sponsors
A bipartisan bill that would repeal the medical device tax sponsored by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) gained 2 more Republican sponsors in recent weeks.
Sens. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) each signed on to the "Medical Device Access and Innovation Protection Act," which would do away with the 2.3% excise tax levied on U.S. sales of medical devices as part of the Affordable Care Act.
Tenn. Sen. Alexander decries the medtech tax | MassDevice.com On Call
MASSDEVICE ON CALL — Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) is ramping up his opposition to the medical device tax, spending some time with his medtech stakeholders to renew his call to repeal the tax.
mHealth: Senate sextet wants more info on mobile medical regs | MassDevice.com On Call
MASSDEVICE ON CALL — A group of Senators is looking for more information on the FDA’s plans for mobile medical applications, querying federal official in attempts to "clarify any uncertainty with respect to assigning risk level of medical software."