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Medical devices and equipment

Yet another state sues J&J for allegedly hiding vaginal mesh risks | Stat

Kentucky has become the latest state to file a lawsuit accusing Johnson & Johnson of concealing severe risks and falsely marketing its vaginal mesh products. Earlier this year, California and Washington filed identical claims against the healthcare giant.

Pa. medical device firm launches 2nd generation surgical system | Philadelphia Business Journal

Teleflex has officially launched the second generation of a surgical system that makes laparoscopic procedures less invasive than they already are.

Pharmaceuticals

Biosimilar names may affect pharmacist dispensing habits | Stat

A newly released survey suggests variations in how biosimilars are named may affect the willingness of pharmacists to substitute a so-called interchangeable biosimilar for a more expensive biologic. While a biosimilar is supposed to be highly similar to a biologic, interchangeability confers a higher threshold — it's a distinct regulatory description for a biosimilar producing the very same clinical result as a biologic.

New cholesterol drugs could add $120 billion to annual U.S. health costs | USA Today

Promising new cholesterol-lowering drugs, priced at $14,000 a year per person, could add $120 billion annually to the USA's health care costs if taken by all eligible patients, according to an economic analysis published Tuesday in JAMA.

Physicians

Doctors at Catholic hospitals may be unable to refer women for services | Reuters Health

According to interviews with U.S. physicians, some Roman Catholic hospitals not only refuse to provide some women's health services like abortion, but may also prevent doctors from referring women to facilities that would provide them.

Safety, quality and clinical practice

Chance collaboration yields an advance in cancer treatment | Wall Street Journal

A collaboration between an immunologist helping his stepmother fight cancer and the oncologist who treated her led to a discovery that could help many more patients benefit from a transformative new therapy.

U.S. prosecutors dealt setback in medical marijuana cases | Reuters

The U.S. Justice Department cannot spend money to prosecute federal marijuana cases if the defendants comply with state guidelines that permit the drug's sale for medical purposes, a federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday.