Technology
Report: Biotech, med device wages climb 18% over five years | Boston GlobeThe latest Massachusetts Technology Collaborative Innovation Economy Index report showed salaries for state workers in the biotech, pharmaceutical, and medical device sectors climbed by 18.3% between 2009 and 2014, to an average of $131,949. The report weighs the health of industries that contribute to new technologies and companies.
Pharmaceuticals
Bacteria or virus? New tests may identify what's causing infection | Wall Street JournalDuke University researchers are working on a test to help physicians determine whether their patients' infections are viral or bacterial in origin. The test, which has an 8-10 hour turnaround time, is currently only used as a research tool. The efforts come amid warnings over growing antimicrobial resistance due to antibiotic overuse. Around three-quarters of patients presenting with acute respiratory infections are prescribed antibiotics even though most such infections are viral.
Walgreens looks to cut ties with Theranos | Financial Times
Pharmacy chain Walgreens has asked its lawyers to seek a way out of its contract with blood-testing startup Theranos, unnamed sources told the Financial Times. Walgreens, which has Theranos testing centers in about 40 of its Arizona stores, in January stopped sending tests to a California Theranos facility which failed CMS inspection. Some speculate that contractual obligation may be the only reason Walgreens has not severed ties with the testing company.
Americans are wasting $3 billion a year on discarded cancer drugs | Washington Post
A new cancer drug study published in the journal BMJ finds that the waste is caused by single-dose vials that contains more of the cancer drugs than is needed because dosages are administered based on body weight. The researchers argue that pharmaceutical companies are inflating profits using these oversized packages, but drugmakers say vial sizes are approved by the FDA during the drug application process.
Physicians
The stethoscope: Timeless tool or outdated relic? | Kaiser Health News/WHYY (Philadelphia)It has been around for 200 years, and is one of the most recognizable symbols of medicine. While some physicians say it's still a valuable tool, others argue that with advances in ultrasound technology, it may be time to hang up the stethoscope.
Patients get mixed reactions from docs over mail-ordered genetic tests | Reuters
Patients who've ordered direct-to-consumer personal genomic tests got mixed reactions when they presented results to their primary-care providers, according to a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. While 63% of patients planned to share results with their PCPs, only 27% actually did so. Of those who did share results, a significant portion--22%--were not at all satisfied with the outcome of the conversation.
