Information technology
Analysis: Digital health companies aren’t solving the right problems | KQED ScienceIn this age of the Fitbit, digital health companies are focused on monitoring the consequences of our notoriously sedentary lifestyles. But what is really called for from innovators is to stop treating symptoms and start remedying the roots of the problem, said Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Stephen Downs at the recent Stanford Medicine X conference.
Medical devices and equipment
FDA approves the first automated insulin system for Type 1 Diabetes | NPRThe Food and Drug Administration's approval of a new insulin delivery system for people with Type 1 diabetes is a big deal. The device, Medtronic's MiniMed 670G hybrid closed loop system, is made up of an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor, both of which are already on the market separately. The new part involves the communication between the two devices.
Pharmaceuticals
Ex-Insys sales manager arrested in U.S. fentanyl-kickback case | ReutersA former Insys Therapeutics district sales manager was arrested on Thursday on charges he participated in a scheme to pay kickbacks to doctors to prescribe a drug containing the opioid fentanyl, U.S. prosecutors said.
Despite the hype over gene therapy, few drugs are close to approval | MIT Technology Review
Despite 30 years of research and a bigger pipeline than ever, only a small number of gene therapy trials have completed late-stage testing or are currently in late-stage trials.
Safety, quality and clinical practice
Most hospital palliative care programs are understaffed | Kaiser Health NewsMost hospitals offer palliative care services that help people with serious illnesses manage their pain and other symptoms and make decisions about their treatment, while providing emotional support and assistance in navigating the health system. But hospital programs vary widely, and the majority fail to provide adequate staff to meet national guidelines, a recent study found.
