Information technology
Arizona's new telemedicine law expands coverage but has limits | The National Law ReviewArizona's new telemedicine law requires private health insurers to cover telemedicine services across the entire state, not just in rural areas. The law expands coverage opportunities but it only includes a limited set of telemedicine services and the law also allows health plans to limit telemedicine coverage.
SIU HealthCare grows telehealth services | The State Journal-Register
SIU HealthCare in Springfield, Ill., plans to expand its telehealth services in the next two years to approximately 50 telemedicine sites for 1,000 patients. More than 100 SIU Health employees have been trained so far to carry out telehealth services. SIU Telehealth provides care for those in living in rural Illinois.
Medical devices and equipment
Medical device company acquires neuro services firm | Dayton Daily NewsNuVasive, a San Diego-based medical device company, has bought Biotronic NeuroNetwork, a neurophysiologic monitoring service, for $98 million. The acquisition will allow NuVasive to expand its spine surgery efforts. NuVasive reported $811 million in revenue in 2015, and employs 1,600.
Pharmaceuticals
Judge sides with Gilead in drug-patient dispute | The Wall Street JournalA federal judge overturned a jury's verdict that Gilead Sciences should pay $200 million to Merck & Co., concluding Merck engaged in misconduct to obtain patients to try its Hepatitis C drugs. The judge ruled “Merck is guilty of unclean hands” and does not have a case to sue Gilead. Merck claimed it was entitled to a portion of Gilead's sales of its Hepatitis C drugs because of its two patents.
Biogen stock falls after multiple sclerosis drug failed | The Wall Street Journal
Biotechnology company Biogen announced its experimental multiple sclerosis drug failed to improve the health of patients in a mid-stage study, contributing to a decline in biotechnology shares. The drug also failed to slow patients' disability progressions, a second goal of the study. Shares of the Cambridge, Mass.-based company fell 12.8% Tuesday to $252.81.
