Information technology
Will forensics thwart data thieves lurking in hospital EHR corridors? | CIOIn an opinion piece, Dr. Donald Voltz, medical director of the department of anesthesiology at Aultman Hospital in Canton, Ohio, writes that the healthcare data security war can be won by implementing network surveillance that includes behavior analysis. “It is the single best technological defense against the misuse of medical facility systems,” he writes.
Can Kaiser's autism program find 3,800 families before deadline? | The (San Jose, Calif.) Mercury News
Through samples of saliva or blood, Kaiser researchers are collecting the genetic material of each child and his or her biological parents, as well as medical and environmental information for all three members of the family. But to reach their goal of 5,000 families, the researchers need 3,800 more such “trios” to sign up by 2018, when the deadline — and a $4.6 million grant — runs out.
Medical devices and equipment
Teva, Intel to develop wearable technology for Huntington's disease | ReutersTeva Pharmaceutical said on Thursday it was collaborating with Intel Corp. to develop a wearable technology platform to track the progression of disease in patients with Huntington's, a fatal degenerative disorder.
Stryker to acquire Instratek assets | MassDevice.com
Stryker said that it agreed to acquire Instratek for an undisclosed amount at the end of the 4th quarter. The medtech giant will take on the Houston-based company's portfolio of staple and hammertoe implants, as well as its minimally invasive soft tissue recession instrumentation.
Pharmaceuticals
EpiPen maker quietly steers effort that could protect its price | The New York TimesAgainst a growing outcry over the surging price of EpiPens, a chorus of prominent voices has emerged with a smart-sounding solution: Add the EpiPen, the lifesaving allergy treatment, to a federal list of preventive medical services, a move that would eliminate the out-of-pocket costs of the product for millions of families — and mute the protests. A point not mentioned by these advocates is that a big potential beneficiary of the campaign is Mylan, the pharmaceutical giant behind EpiPens.
Candidates decry high drug prices, but they have few options for voters | Kaiser Health News
In this year's presidential campaign, healthcare has taken a back seat. But one issue appears to be breaking through: the rising cost of prescription drugs. The blockbuster drugs to treat hepatitis C as well as dramatic price increases on older drugs, most recently the EpiPen allergy treatment, have combined to put the issue back on the front burner. Here are five reasons why this issue is back — and why it is so difficult to solve.
Novavax shares plummet after unfavorable results of trails | The Wall Street Journal
Novavax shares fell 84% in after-hours trading Thursday after the vaccine company reported unfavorable results from two clinical trials.
Safety, quality and clinical practice
Studies link cancer patients' survival time to insurance status | NPRPrivately insured people with cancer were diagnosed earlier and lived longer than those who were uninsured or were covered by Medicaid, according to two recent studies.
