Information technology
Telemedicine may work as well as in-person visits for depression | ReutersTreating depression with video conference calls may offer symptom improvement similar to in-person visits, a recent U.S. study suggests.
Excellus pushes telemedicine as alternative to ER for minor illnesses | Syracuse.com
Excellus BlueCross BlueShield kicked off a campaign to promote the use of telemedicine for minor ailments instead of going to hospital emergency rooms. Excellus members will be able to access telemedicine providers through the insurer's website.
Medical devices and equipment
Johnson & Johnson must pay 6 implant patients $1 billion | The New York TimesA federal jury in Dallas on Thursday ordered Johnson & Johnson and its DePuy Orthopaedics unit to pay more than $1 billion to six plaintiffs who said they were injured by Pinnacle hip implants, a lawyer for the plaintiffs said.
Pharmaceuticals
Mylan CEO accepts full responsibility for EpiPen price hikes, but offers little explanation | STATIn a rare appearance since the EpiPen controversy flared this summer, Mylan Pharmaceuticals CEO Heather Bresch accepted “full responsibility” Thursday for the price hikes that caused national outrage.
Valeant’s discussions to sell Salix to Takeda have broken down | The Wall Street Journal
Valeant Pharmaceuticals’ talks to sell a stomach-drug business to Japan’s Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. for roughly $10 billion have broken down amid last-minute disagreements over price and other matters, according to people familiar with the matter.
