Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
FDA OKs Dissolving Stent -- With A Caveat
The Associated Press: FDA Approves First Dissolving Stent For US Patients
A medical implant that slowly dissolves into the body could be the answer to long-standing safety concerns with devices used to treat clogged arteries. But not so fast, say experts. Abbott Laboratories’ newly-approved Absorb stent comes with one important caveat: it hasn’t yet been shown to be safer than older metal implants. (Perrone, 7/5)
Modern Healthcare: Abbott Gains Approval For First Fully Dissolving Artery Stent
The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first fully absorbable stent used to treat coronary artery disease. The plastic stent, already available in Europe and manufactured by Abbott Park, Ill.-based Abbott Vascular, is a scaffold that is implanted with a catheter to widen the artery to allow blood to pass through. But unlike conventional metallic stents, Abbott's new, biodegradable stent is gradually absorbed by the body over roughly three years, leaving little foreign material in the body. (Rubenfire, 7/5)
In other news, a Georgia company is working on a device that could potentially save limbs on the battlefield —
The Columbia Dispatch: Battelle Developing Wrap To Save Limbs On Battlefield
On the battlefield, a wound can go from bad to worse in seconds. Stopping the bleeding and keeping the wound clean are paramount. Away from the action, Battelle is working with Halyard Health, a Georgia-based medical-technology company, to develop a wrap that they hope will help preserve severely injured limbs. The Office of Naval Research has signed a four-year, $14.4 million deal with Battelle and Halyard to help troops survive catastrophic injuries. (Tate, 7/6)
