Month: November 2017

Microfluidic Device for Onco Chemo Testing

Chemotherapy can be very difficult on patients, but finding out that the cancer didn’t respond to the chemo is even more disturbing. Soon there may be a way to try different chemo agents on a patient’s own tumor cells taken during a biopsy. Researchers at Purdue University have developed a microfluidic system inside which tumor […]

AcQMap, Now FDA Cleared, Images Heart from Inside Using Ultrasound, Electrical Dipole Density Mapping

Acutus Medical, a company headquartered in Carlsbad, California, won FDA clearance for its AcQMap High Resolution Imaging and Mapping System, as well as the accompanying AcQMap 3D Imaging and Mapping Catheter. The catheter uses ultrasound and more traditional electrical tissue conduction mapping to create a unique live view inside the heart that combines the physical mechanics […]

OCTANe connects people, resources, capital for medtech ecosystem in Southern California

Bill Carpou
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — In opening remarks at OCTANe’s Medical Technology Innovation Forum, Bill Carpou, CEO of OCTANe, discussed the successes achieved so far and laid out the group’s mission for growth, called Vision 2025.
“Today what we want to accomplish is to provide relevant content, so you leave with new ideas, new relationships and become really integral to elevating our ecosystem here,” Carpou said.
“We drive innovation and growth by connecting people, resources and capital. Everything we do at OCTANe we do with that mission in mind. OCTANe’s

CMS finalizes policies it says will lower drug prices, reduce burdens

CMS recently issued a final rule for the 2018 Physician Fee Schedule and a final rule with comment period for the Quality Payment Program.
The agency said the rules will relieve regulatory burdens for providers and encourage innovation that increases competition, reduces prices, and enhances the relationship between patients and their doctors.
“During my visits with clinicians across the country, I’ve heard many concerns about the impact burdensome regulations have on their ability to care for patients,” CMS administrator Seema Verma, MPH, said in a press release. “These

How Tracing Your Ancestors Could Improve Your Health: Interview with Dr. Ian Zinck, Head of Science and Research at Athletigen

Athletigen is a genetics company with offices in Halifax and Toronto, Canada, that offers advice to athletes and exercise enthusiasts to help maintain and improve their health, based on their genetic data. Customers can get their DNA sequenced, and then based on their unique genetic traits, Athletigen will identify genetic variants that can impact a […]

Modernization of Stark Law promotes value-based care

  Fred Rosenberg
The bipartisan legislation, “The Medicare Care Coordination Improvement Act of 2017,” was recently introduced by the Senate to modernize the Stark Law and eliminate the barriers it poses to care coordination.
A coalition of health care organizations, including the AMA, American Academy of Neurology, American College of Cardiology, American College of Gastroenterology and American College of Rheumatology, sent a letter to members of the Senate strongly supporting the bill.
“Your legislation would substantially improve care coordination for patients, improve

Augmented Reality May Obviate Radioactivity for Lymph Node Removals

Lymph nodes are common pathways for certain cancers to spread, requiring surgical removal. These days lymph nodes are visualized using gamma ray imagers that spot the radioactive Technetium-99m tracer that’s injected near a tumor. This is a slow process that exposes patients to a good deal of radiation, but augmented reality (AR) technology may help overcome […]

Healcerion Receives FDA Clearance for New SONON 300L Wireless, App-based Ultrasound System

Healcerion, based in South Korea, was the first company to receive FDA clearance for their wireless, app-based ultrasound system back in 2015. The groundbreaking work done by South Korean engineers and scientists laid the foundation for the development of an ultrasound transducer that works with most smartphones or tablets. Since introducing the SONON 300C convex […]

Eye Tech Care’s glaucoma treatment approved in China

The China Food and Drug Administration has approved Eye Tech Care’s EyeOP1 glaucoma treatment product, according to a company press release.
EyeOP1 treats glaucoma with high-intensity focused ultrasound technology and is the first noninvasive medical device approved for glaucoma treatment in China, the release said.
The procedure takes less than 3 minutes and has a short learning curve.
“We are convinced that our technology will bring high value to the glaucoma market in China and provide new treatment options to patients,” Dietrich Wolf, PhD, Eye Tech Care CEO, said in the