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Scientists develop microjet device for needle-free vaccine delivery

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Researchers from the University of California Berkeley have developed a needle-free delivery device for vaccines. The team published their work in Science Translational Medicine.  The MucoJet device is a pill that releases its cargo in a microjet when pressed up against the cheek. The pressure generated from pushing the device against the cheek is enough to […]

Nanoengineers 3D-print biomimetic blood vessel networks

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Researchers from the University of California San Diego have developed a 3D-printed, functional blood vessel network that they believe could someday be used in artificial organs and regenerative medicines. The team’s work was published in Biomaterials. Previous work in the field has yielded simple and costly structures, the researchers said, that are not capable of integrating […]

Researchers develop bioink for 3D-printed pills

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Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles have developed a viable bioink made out of hyaluronic acid for 3D-printed pills. In this study, researchers used an inket technique to 3D print the pills, citing the method’s speed and ability to print at room temperature. Its speed is important for scalability and mass production, while […]

Microscopic submarines release drugs depending on acid concentration

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Researchers have developed tiny ‘submarines’ that speed through the stomach using gastric acid for fuel. The proton-driven micromotors have a pH-sensitive polymer coating that can be loaded with drugs and released in the stomach. Gastric acid can be destructive for orally-administered, pH-sensitive pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics. Although some coatings can protect substances from gastric acid, they […]

Acoustic waves used to move fluid through nanoscale channels

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Researchers from the University of California San Diego used acoustic waves to move fluids through small channels, marking the 1st time that surface acoustic waves have been used at the nanoscale. The team’s work was published this week in Advanced Functional Materials.  The findings are an important step towards manufacturing small, portable devices for drug discovery […]

Stanford uses CRISPR to correct sickle cell, human trials planned

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Researchers from the Stanford University School of Medicine have reportedly used CRISPR, a gene-editing tool, to repair the gene that causes sickle cell disease. The team is planning the 1st human clinical trial using this technique to correct cells with sickle cell disease, according to Reuters.  “What we’ve finally shown is that we can do it. It’s […]

University of California pays $9m to settle Medtronic InFuse suits

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The regents governing the University of California reportedly agreed to pony up $8.5 million to settle a pair of lawsuits brought against a former UCLA spine surgeon who used Medtronic‘s (NYSE:MDT) controversial InFuse bone-growth protein in their back surgeries. The lawsuits filed in the Los Angeles County Superior Court accused Dr. Jeffrey Wang of failing to disclose […]

GOP advances a new “doc-fix” to prevent cuts to physician pay | MassDevice.com On Call

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MassDevice On Call

MASSDEVICE ON CALL — House Republicans introduced a new "doc-fix" proposal and submitted legislation to replace a cost-cutting formula for physician reimbursement.

On Jan. 1, 2014, Medicare payments to doctors are slated to be slashed by more than 24%, but the doc-fix would temporarily prevent a reduction in payments. The draft legislation would change the payment model from Medicare’s controversial "sustainable-growth-rate" formula to a mix of fee-for-service and pay-for-performance.