Court Revives CRISPR Fight That Could Reshape Intellectual Property Law
The Patent Trial and Appeal Board was ordered to review a claim by a UC Berkeley team that gene-editing technology originated in their studies and not with the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT. Also in the news: tinnitus treatment, manufacturing expansion, layoffs, and more.
Stat:
Federal Court Reopens Question Of Who Owns Key CRISPR Patents
The now 13-year-long legal saga over who invented CRISPR took yet another unexpected turn on Monday, in a ruling that could not only change U.S. ownership of patent rights to the groundbreaking gene-editing technology but more broadly redefine how the law determines when an invention has been made. (Molteni, 5/12)
CBS News:
New Device Helps Patients Cope With Tinnitus, Pennsylvania Audiologist Says
A growing number of patients are turning to a new treatment for a condition that causes ringing in the ears. The device tricks the brain with a tickle to the tongue. Silence really is golden for Clara Flores. Her days used to be filled with the constant buzzing and ringing that comes with tinnitus, which affects 25 million Americans. "This ringing that you hate and can't stand ... you cannot turn it off," Flores said. "You get depressed, you get angry. Your relationships suffer." (Stahl and Nau, 5/12)
Modern Healthcare:
Roche To Invest $550M By 2030 In Indianapolis Manufacturing Site
Biotechnology and pharmaceutical company Roche will invest up to $550 million over the next five years to expand its diagnostics manufacturing site in Indianapolis. The site is slated to become a major manufacturer of the company’s continuous glucose monitoring tools, the company said in a Monday news release. (Dubinsky, 5/12)
In other news from the health care industry —
Chicago Tribune:
Carle Health Laying Off 612 Workers
Urbana-based Carle Health is laying off 612 workers as it winds down two of its subsidiary health insurance companies. Carle Health — a system that includes eight hospitals in central Illinois — announced earlier this year that its insurance company subsidiaries Health Alliance and FirstCarolinaCare would cease operating all lines of business, except Medicare Advantage plans. (Schencker, 5/12)
CBS News:
Maryland Rite Aid Distribution Center To Lay Off More Than 300 Workers After Pharmacy Files For Bankruptcy A Second Time
A Rite Aid distribution center in Harford County, Maryland, is expected to lay off more than 300 workers and close its doors after the Pennsylvania-based pharmacy filed for bankruptcy for a second time. The company announced that it filed for Chapter 11 on May 5. (Lockman, 5/12)
CBS News:
Nonprofit Hospitals Are Obligated To Offer Discounted Health Care, But Some Patients Slip Through Cracks
A CBS News analysis of IRS data found some nonprofit hospitals in Philadelphia and across the country attempt to collect hundreds of millions of dollars a year from low-income patients. All the big hospitals in the Philadelphia area are nonprofit, and that means they receive federal, state and local tax breaks. In exchange, nonprofit hospitals are required to provide free or discounted care to those who can't afford to pay. However, our investigation found the law is vague, and some patients may be falling through the cracks. (Crawford, 5/12)
CBS News:
Inside The First U.S. Medical School To Fully Incorporate AI Into Its Doctor Training Program
Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming a part of our daily lives, whether in the office or the classroom, and one medical school is fully embracing the technology. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City has become the first in the nation to incorporate AI into its doctor training program, granting access to OpenAI's ChatGPT Edu to all of its M.D. and graduate students. Faris Gulamali is among the school's future doctors taking full advantage of the AI tool. (Hanson, 5/12)
