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Most Clicked AdvaMed SmartBrief Stories


1. J&J to cut thousands of jobs as part of restructuring

AdvaMed SmartBrief | Nov 04, 2009

Johnson & Johnson will streamline operations and lay off as many as 8,000 employees, or 6% to 7% of its global workforce, to position the firm for long-term growth, said Chairman and CEO William Weldon. The company expects the restructuring to generate as much as $1.7 billion in annual savings. Los Angeles Times (11/04)


2. Senate panel's sunshine provisions to shed light on doctor-industry ties

AdvaMed SmartBrief | Nov 04, 2009

The Senate Finance Committee has included in its health reform bill sunshine provisions that would promote transparency among drug and medical device makers that work with doctors for consultations and speeches. AdvaMed backs the sunshine initiative, saying doctor-industry relationships "are the ones the public has the keenest interest in understanding." New York Times, The (11/03)


3. California forum to attract more than 650 device industry execs

AdvaMed SmartBrief | Nov 06, 2009

OCTANe's California Medical Device & Investor Forum that will start on Monday in Irvine, Calif., is expected to attract more than 650 executives to tackle trends and opportunities for investment in the medical-device industry. The event will start with a discussion on the acquisition of CoreValve by Medtronic for more than $700 million and other recent industry deals in Orange County, Calif. OC Metro (Newport Beach, Calif.) (11/05)


4. Hospitals raise concerns over confidentiality of device prices

AdvaMed SmartBrief | Nov 03, 2009

Some hospitals find it hard to negotiate prices for medical technologies because device firms sometimes require confidentiality requirements that prevent hospitals from disclosing the prices of products to companies that sell data to help analyze market conditions. The device sector recognizes its confidentiality practices, saying price disclosure could result in higher prices and might lead to collusion. "The evidence is strong that the competitive forces in our industry work extremely well," AdvaMed Senior Executive Vice President David Nexon said. Wall Street Journal, The (11/02)


5. Doctor cites hospital execs' financial ties with device firm in lawsuit

AdvaMed SmartBrief | Nov 03, 2009

David Gossman, an interventional cardiologist formerly with Lahey Clinic hospitals in Boston, has filed a lawsuit claiming that he was dismissed after complaining about the financial ties of hospital executives with Medtronic. Gossman also claims that the officials pushed other physicians to use more products from the company. A spokesman for Medtronic said he wasn't able to verify the link between the firm and hospital officials and noted that the company's code of conduct would not permit such a behavior by the executives. Wall Street Journal, The (11/02)


6. Lake Region contributes to success of Minnesota device industry

AdvaMed SmartBrief | Nov 02, 2009

The success of Minnesota's medical device sector has been driven partly by Lake Region Medical, one of the world's largest original equipment makers of medical devices, said David Rhees, an industry historian and Bakken Museum's executive director. The company supplies devices to large device firms such as Medtronic and St. Jude Medical and posts an annual revenue of roughly $169 million. Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.) (10/29)


7. Synthes issues recall over spinal implants

AdvaMed SmartBrief | Nov 05, 2009

Synthes voluntarily recalled Synex II Central Body components after it received six reports of adverse events, a move classified by the FDA as a Class I recall. The company has told surgeons and hospitals to stop using the spinal implants immediately. Philadelphia Inquirer, The (11/04) Reuters (11/04)


8. Device firms in Tennessee, Georgia oppose device tax

AdvaMed SmartBrief | Nov 02, 2009

A provision in the House health reform bill that would impose a $20 billion tax on medical device firms over a decade is drawing criticism from manufacturers and vendors in Tennessee and Georgia because they say the proposal would still result in job cuts and a reduction in research spending. "It's bad news in Georgia and Tennessee, as we're trying to catch up and develop a medical device industry along the lines of some of the other states," said Rick Haury, the Southeastern Medical Device Association's founder. Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tenn.) (11/01)


9. FDA says Zimmer's spinal implant meets study goal

AdvaMed SmartBrief | Nov 03, 2009

FDA reviewers said Zimmer Holdings' Dynesys implant is as effective as the company's Silhouette implant in treating spinal problems, but raised questions about possible influence on the study. A company spokesman did not immediately comment on the issue. An FDA panel is set to meet Wednesday to discuss the product. Google (11/02)


10. Zimmer fails to get FDA panel's support for Dynesys implant

AdvaMed SmartBrief | Nov 05, 2009

An FDA panel voted against recommending Zimmer Holdings' Dynesys implant because studies failed to clearly demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the device in treating a spinal problem. A company official said Zimmer's data "demonstrated a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness" of the titanium implant. Times-Picayune (New Orleans), The (11/04)




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