Medical News

Last week the FDA announced it would increase post market analysis of drugs and devices that are already approved for use.

The New York Times ran a recent article about Squeaky Hip joints.

The New York Times highlighted the whistle blower lawsuit against the device maker Medtronic today. The article articulates improper relations between manufactures and surgeons.

Manufactures have been paying and providing vacations to surgeons who use (or companies hope use) their products at high volumes. No party has been found guilty for any illegal activity, though the ethical concerns are clear. The article can be read at NYTIMES.COM.

Guidant acknowledged it may have more problems than previously recognized concerning their pacemakers. The Guidant news story has been busy in the news because of it's pending sale and bidding between J&J and Boston Scientific. Last year Guidant issued a recall on some of its pacemakers, but cast a wider net on which ones may need to be replaced since a different batch of devices may also be faulty. The release letter from guidant can be downloaded here. Read about it in the Chicago Tribune.

New chemotherapy technique is reported to prolong survival for ovarian cancer patients. The treatment involves high doses of drugs delivered through the stomach. The research is published in the New England Journal and a review can be found through the National Cancer Institute.

Genetic Testing is available for ovarian cancer. For more information on Genetic Testing of Hereditary Cancers, look for issues 6 & 7 of the Biomedical Review Letter.

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