Leading medical device manufacturer Medtronic has issued its second recall in as many weeks involving recently developed technology. Coming off of the European recall of its MiniMed 640 insulin pump last week, which is scheduled for a Pre-Market Approval (PMA) review in the U.S. later this year, the company has recalled nearly 7,000 EnVeo R
In the wake of a buying and selling frenzy, Irish drugmaker Allergan has been subpoenaed by the Department of Justice (DOJ) over antitrust concerns regarding the pricing of its generic drugs. Last week, the company announced a $40.5 billion selloff of its generics unit to the global generic market leader, Israeli-based Teva Pharmaceuticals. That deal
A hyperbolic attempt by Republicans to defund Planned Parenthood was blocked in the Senate on Tuesday after a series of sting videos showed the agency selling aborted fetal tissue to fake medical researchers causing outrage among the social conservative wing of the party. The anti-abortion group, the Center for Medical Progress, released four videos in
The New York Times paid tribute yesterday to a man whose death nearly went unnoticed in a national sense, but whose life needs to be celebrated. Dr. Donald L. Rasmussen died on July 23rd in Beckley, West Virginia at the age of 87. According to his stepdaughter, Julia Holliday, Dr. Rasmussen died from complications following
7/31/2015 The U.S.’s fundamental national healthcare program Medicare, as well as Medicaid officially turned 50 years-old on Thursday. President Lyndon Johnson signed an amendment to the Social Security Act which set the programs into law on July 30th, 1965. Medicare, the landmark program for seniors, now enrolls 55.2 million Americans. While a recent Kaiser Family
7/29/2015 Minnesota-based device giant Medtronic has issued letters to nearly 2,000 owners of the MiniMed 640 and 620 insulin pumps in Europe, warning them of a potential glitch in the reading mechanism. According to the letter, there is an error with the Bolus Wizard screen, causing it to not time-out and instead giving an outdated
7/29/2015 Mexican food has certainly been known to wreak havoc on weak stomachs, but for some consumers of cilantro, it may be more than just the spices that has caused indigestion. The Food and Drug Administration issued an import ban on cilantro yesterday from the Mexican state of Puebla after U.S. and Mexican authorities investigated
7/28/2015 The global pharmaceutical landscape was significantly altered on Monday as Israeli drugmaker Teva announced that it will purchase the generic drug business of Dublin-based Allergan. The move will put a stranglehold on Teva’s top sales position in the generic drug market, acquiring its third-largest competitor. Teva will purchase the generics unit for $40.5 billion,
7/27/2015 In a move opposed by many food and drink manufacturers, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a proposal on Friday to requiring the industry to include detailed added sugar consumption levels in their products. The proposal is an update to the FDA’s 2014 proposed mandate requiring companies to list the amount of added
7/24/2015 The U.S. Probation Office has recommended that the former owner of Peanut Corporation of America, Stewart Parnell, be sentenced to life in prison for allowing several shipments of peanuts from facilities infected with salmonella. The peanuts led to the deadliest food outbreak in U.S. history from 2008-2009, causing nine deaths and over 700 illnesses