HealthCare Industry News

Consumer Information on: Therapy Cool Path Duo? Ablation Catheter, Safire BLU Duo? Ablation Catheter, and IBI1500T9-CP V1.6 Cardiac Ablation Generator - P110016

Date: Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

The Therapy Cool Path Duo? Ablation Catheter or the Safire BLU Duo? Ablation Catheter is a steerable, deflectable, irrigated catheter (a long, thin, flexible tube) used to treat a certain kind of abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia2) called typical atrial..

FDA and industry reach agreement in principle on medical device user fees

Date: Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:48:00 +0000

The FDA and representatives from the medical device industry have reached an agreement in principle on proposed recommendations for the third reauthorization of a medical device user fee program. The recommendations would authorize the FDA to collect $595 million in user fees over five years, plus adjustments for inflation. Details of the agreement, such as the fee structure, are expected to be finalized soon.

FDA approves Gleevec for expanded use in patients with rare gastrointestinal cancer

Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:29:00 +0000

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today granted Gleevec (imatinib) regular approval for use in adult patients following surgical removal of CD117-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). Today’s action also highlights an increase in overall patient survival when the drug is taken for 36 months rather than the standard 12 months of treatment.

FDA approves Kalydeco to treat rare form of cystic fibrosis

Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:59:00 +0000

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Kalydeco (ivacaftor) for the treatment of a rare form of cystic fibrosis (CF) in patients ages 6 years and older who have the specific G551D mutation in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator (CFTR) gene.

FDA takes action against New York cheese manufacturer

Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:13:00 +0000

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is asking a federal court to prevent a New York cheese manufacturer from operating because of a history of unsanitary conditions and producing cheese in a facility contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

FDA approves new treatment for most common type of skin cancer

Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:58:00 +0000

Today, Erivedge (vismodegib) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat adult patients with basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer. The drug is intended for use in patients with locally advanced basal cell cancer who are not candidates for surgery or radiation and for patients whose cancer has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic).

FDA approves Inlyta to treat patients with a type of advanced kidney cancer

Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:09:00 +0000

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Inlyta (axitinib) to treat patients with advanced kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma) who have not responded to another drug for this type of cancer.

Consumer Information on: M-Vu Algorithm Engine - P100005

Date: Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

The M-Vu Algorithm Engine is a software application designed to process digitized film images of the breast. The software analyzes the images and marks suspicious areas consistent with breast cancer for review by a radiologist. The results are displayed o

Department of Justice files Consent Decree of Permanent injunction against Ranbaxy

Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:59:00 +0000

Generic drug manufacturer agrees to remedy deviations from the current good manufacturing practice requirements and to correct data integrity problems at numerous facilities

Maine company holds cold smoked salmon product after FDA order

Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:04:00 +0000

A Maine food processing and storage company destroyed its cold smoked salmon product under the supervision of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration after inspectors found Listeria monocytogenes within the firm’s facility and on processing equipment

Consumer Information on: ADVIA® Centaur Anti-HBs2 (aHBs2) Assay and ADVIA® Centaur Anti-HBs2 (aHBs2) Quality Control Material for use on the ADVIA® Centaur and ADVIA® Centaur XP Systems - P100039

Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

ADVIA Centaur Anti-HBs2 (aHBs2) assay is a laboratory test used to detect antibodies associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

FDA permits marketing of first test for risk of rare brain infection in some people treated with Tysabri

Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:21:00 +0000

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allowed marketing of the first test to help determine the risk for a rare brain infection called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in people using the drug Tysabri (natalizumab) to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) or Crohn’s disease (CD).

Consumer Information on: GORE TAG Thoracic Endoprosthesis - P040043/S040

Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

The GORE TAG Thoracic Endoprosthesis is an artificial endovascular stent graft and is used to treat isolated lesions, excluding dissections, of the descending thoracic aorta during endovascular repair. Some of the complex isolated lesions include...

FDA approves Voraxaze to treat patients with toxic methotrexate levels

Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:58:00 +0000

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Voraxaze (glucarpidase) to treat patients with toxic levels of methotrexate in their blood due to kidney failure. Methotrexate is a commonly used cancer chemotherapy drug normally eliminated from the body by the kidneys. However, patients receiving high doses of methotrexate may develop kidney failure.

FDA expands use of endovascular graft to treat aortic tears

Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:59:00 +0000

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today expanded the approved usage for an endovascular graft manufactured by W.L. Gore and Associates Inc. to include treatment of life-threatening tears or ruptures of the aorta (thoracic aortic transection). (MB)