Weekend FDA Purge Hits Device Center Hard, Many AI And Digital Health Staffers Gone

 

A flurry of firings as part of the Trump administration’s pledge to shrink the federal government hit the FDA over the weekend. While the exact number of staff let go is unclear, the agency’s device center took the brunt of it.

Digostics At-Home Type 1 Diabetes Test Trialed In Children For Routine UK NHS Use

 

Researchers from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Oxford Biomedical Research Center are testing Digostics’ GTT@home test in children to assess if it offers a better alternative to the clinical gold-standard oral glucose tolerance test.

Boston Scientific Sets ‘New Clinical Innovation Standard’ For Pulsed Field Ablation

 

Boston Scientific has integrated cardiac mapping and pulsed field ablation into a single catheter with the newly EU-approved Farawave Nav Ablation Catheter. Faraview Software also receives CE marking, allowing for visualization of catheter placement when delivering therapy.

ARPA-H Announces Grants To Advance Rural Care

 
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The 12 initial awards, which total almost $100m, are part of an ongoing program to develop a high-tech mobile hospital that can reach patients with limited access to health care.


More Patients Free From Atrial Fibrillation With AI-Guided Pulmonary Vein Isolation Treatment

 

Volta Medical’s TAILORED-AF clinical trial demonstrates that AI can achieve "superior efficacy" in interventional cardiology. The study examined the use of AI-driven Volta AF-Xplorer in addition to pulmonary vein isolation in treating patient with persistent atrial fibrillation.

Glucotrack Announces Successful First Human Clinical Study For Implanted CGM Device

 

Glucotrack is a step closer to marketing its implantable continuous blood glucose monitor, which met primary safety endpoints in its first human trial and is pitched as a potential alternative to existing CGM systems.

Oxford BioDynamics' CRC Diagnostic Test Could Reduce Unnecessary Patient Follow-Ups

 

Oxford BioDynamics' blood-based colorectal cancer diagnostic test EpiSwitch NST has shown high accuracy (81-85%) and positive predictive values (57-87%) for colorectal cancer and polyps. By reducing false positives, the test could minimize unnecessary follow-up procedures.

‘Fear And Anxiety’ As Rare Disease Community Confronts US Government Actions

 
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The sudden halt to grants and health agency communications is causing stress for the rare disease advocacy community, speakers said at a recent rare disease symposium.


Angle Shares Up After New Research Released In Partnership With Illumina

 

Stock prices for liquid biopsy firm Angle Plc are up since 28 January after the release of new research. The study used Angle’s technology to detect clinically relevant mutations in circulating tumor cells that were not found in traditional circulating DNA, allowing for further insights into cancer progression, Andrew Newland, Angle CEO, told Medtech Insight.

AI-Powered Patient Alert System Can Save Time, And Lives

 

An innovative patient monitoring system developed by Danish physicians sends vital signs data directly to nurses, allowing them to keep tabs on patients without being in the room.

UK Expects Digital Healthcare And AI Boost From New Centers Of Regulatory Excellence   

 

Seven new Centers of Excellence for Regulatory Science and Innovation have been funded by the UK with a brief to investigate smart regulation of AI and digital health innovations, among other areas. Medtech Insight asked Alastair Denniston, leader of the CERSI in AI and Digital Health Technologies, to explain the significance and the goals of his center.

Analysts Call Stryker’s Spinal Implant Business Spin Off To Viscogliosi Brothers ‘Smart Spine Deal’

 
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Stryker is selling its $700m spinal implants business to Viscogliosi Brothers, forming a new entity VB Spine, which will maintain a strong partnership with Stryker. The company also reported strong Q4 financials and announced a CFO transition.


Trump’s Spending Freeze On Ice, But Medtech Funding Reviews Loom

 
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President Trump's proposed federal spending freeze could have cut $8bn in medtech research funds. Although the proposal has been rescinded, the White House plans to review and cut spending could still affect key health research programs at CDC and NIH.

Avandra CEO Expects White House AI Czar David Sacks Will Usher In ‘Golden Age Of Innovation And Medicine’

 
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Avandra CEO says the company has created the world’s largest federated network for de-identified imaging data, providing researchers access to medical images that will accelerate the advancement of clinical trials, precision medicine and AI applications.

EU Public-Private Partnership Invests €66.8M To ‘Transform Clinical Studies’ By Boosting Diversity

 

A six-year project aiming to establish a “less fragmented and more democratic” approach to clinical studies has commenced in the EU.

RWE Meeting Pulled From Calendar As Trump Changes Continue

 
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A January 30 public meeting on real-world-evidence from the US FDA's device center has been pulled from the calendar as a freeze on public communications continues.


Are Downed DEI Pages Part Of Trump Executive Order Sweep, Or Just The Result Of Routine Transition?

 

Several pages on the US FDA website related to diversity and inclusion are down, which aligns with Trump’s recent executive order on diversity, equity, and inclusion. However, the Department of Health says there's been a “short pause” in communications to allow the incoming team to get in place.

CES 2025: Neurotech Thought Leaders, Innovators Discuss Future Of AI-Driven EEG Headphones, Neural Earbuds To Monitor Brain Health, Diagnose Disease

 
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Medtech Insight brings you the highlights from two panel discussions at CES 2025 featuring innovators in the neurotech space discussing opportunities, challenges and ethical considerations in developing AI-driven solutions for the brain, and what lies ahead.

Digital Health Roundup: 2025 Will See More AI/GenAI Adoption In Medtech, FDA’s Digital Health Push, UK Pilots

In this week’s Digital Health Roundup, Medtech Insight’s Marion Webb brings highlights from Deloitte’s 2025 Life Sciences Outlook Report with medtech leaders’ forecasting significant investments in AI/GenAI. Brian Bossetta talks about the US FDA’s newly formed Digital Health Advisory Committee. Elizabeth Orr highlights the pros and cons of penetration testing for cybersecurity and talks about the US FDA’s final guidance on pre-determined change control plans. Natasha Barrow highlights UK MHRA's AI Airlock Pilot program and MANIFEST.

When It Comes To Spine, Incumbents Are ‘Not Listening To Surgeons,’ Says Spineart CEO Jerome Trividic

 

Jerome Trividic, CEO of Swiss company Spineart, believes that by solving pain points felt by orthopedic surgeons performing spinal procedures, it can improve patient outcomes. He thinks the firm’s innovative approach, which focuses on partnership deals as well as developing its own products, will give it a competitive edge in the spinal surgery market.