It was a busy news week in medtech. Here's what you need to know to bring you up to speed quickly.

MDDI Staff

October 15, 2021

2 Min Read
Medtech news
Graphic by Amanda Pedersen / MD+DI

Medtronic Is Officially Competing in Soft-Tissue Surgical Robotics

Medtronic won a CE mark for Hugo, its long-awaited robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) system. This is the latest in a line of key milestones Medtronic is aiming for in the surgical robotics market. The CE mark covers urologic and gynecologic procedures, which Medtronic said represents half of all robotic procedures performed today.

Philips Recall Triggers Hefty Lawsuit by SoClean

Philips recalled millions of ventilators and sleep apnea machines in June, citing degrading foam used to dampen the machines' sound. But according to a lawsuit filed by SoClean, a company that makes ozone cleaners, Philips also pointed a finger at SoClean to divert attention away from "obvious design flaws," including a poor choice of sound abatement foam. SoClean is seeking damages from Philips in excess of $200 million.

And in case you missed our last Medtech in a Minute report...

Boston Scientific to Acquire Baylis Medical

Boston Scientific plans to acquire Baylis Medical for an upfront payment of $1.75 billion. Boston Scientific would gain Baylis's NRG and VersaCross transseptal platforms as well as a family of guidewires, sheaths, and dilators used to support left heart access.

NIH Director Francis Collins to Step Down by End of 2021

Francis Collins led the National Institutes of Health during the historic COVID-19 pandemic, during which the NIH received almost $4.9 billion to date to fund important COVID-19 research on diagnostic tests, vaccines, and treatments, according to the agency. And during his 12-year stint he established initiatives to tackle some of the most pressing health issues. Collins plans to return to his lab at the National Human Genome Research Institute to study the causes and means of prevention for type 2 diabetes.

Acon Laboratories’s EUA Just in Time for Great Testing Push

FDA granted emergency use authorication (EUA) to Acon Laboratories for the over-the-counter Flowflex COVID-19 antigen home test. The nasal swab test may be used for self-testing by anyone who is 14 years old or older, or with adult-collected nasal swabs for children as young as 2 years old. FDA has now authorized more than 400 COVID-19 tests and sample collection devices since March 2020. And, during an Oct. 6 press conference, the Biden administration said the federal government is investing an additional $1 billion to further mobilize testing manufacturers and keep up with the increased demand for COVID-19-related diagnostics.

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