TOP STORIES
What used to be science fiction is getting closer to reality. Advances predictably come with hordes of ethical questions to ponder. “Cyborg brains,” in the form of brain implants, are in development at the University of Southern California. — Financial Times
With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
Over in the UK, Pfizer is funding a trial of embryonic stem-cell implantation to stave off blindness by reversing age-related macular degeneration. — BioPharma Dive
A lab in South Korea that clones dogs predictably has its share of critics. — NPR
LIFE SCIENCES
Cancer vaccine Neon Therapeutics has launched with a $55 million round from Third Rock Ventures. – Xconomy
A Personalized Approach to Medication Nonadherence
At the Abarca Forward conference earlier this year, George Van Antwerp, managing director at Deloitte, discussed how social determinants of health and a personalized member experience can improve medication adherence and health outcomes.
Merck KGaA is giving back Kuvan, which treats the rare genetic disorder PKU, to BioMarin Pharmaceutical. – Reuters
DeuteRx closed a $2.8 million seed round to fund clinicla trials of it treatment of adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD).- Business Wire
Nanotechnology, bloodless lab tests, telemedicine and genomics will significantly disrupt healthcare in the next 5-10 years, according to The Doctor Weighs In host Dr. Patricia Salber. — The Doctor Weighs In
Germany’s Vetter Pharma International will spend 300 million euros over the next five years to expand and upgrade its manufacturing facilities. — B3C Newswire
Avita Medical won a $53.9 million contract from the HHS Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority to test and stockpile the company’s ReCell autologous cell harvesting device for mass-casualty preparedness. — Marketwired
Karen Bernstein, who co-founded BioCentury Publications, has joined the board of Ovid Therapeutics. – Business Wire
PAYERS-PROVIDERS
Thursday is the day providers must complete the long-delayed switch to ICD-10 coding. — InformationWeek
CVS Health is partnering with tech accelerators MassChallenge and Rock Health in a quest for innovation. — Boston Business Journal
The Department of Veterans Affairs said that its IT department blocked 235 million attempted cyber-intrusions in August alone, and that’s actually down from earlier in the year. — Healthcare IT News
Humana is offering talking prescription labels. – Business Wire
TECHNOLOGY
It’s safe to say a lot of American Medical Association members hate their EHR vendors. — Politico
Healthcare communications platform PerfectServe closed a $21 million round. – Business Wire
Roche Pharma France is teaming with app developer Voluntis to create a mobile therapy system for breast cancer. — MobiHealthNews
Digital house call developer MedZed raised $3.2 million just ahead of a large project launch in California. – PRNewswire
Research presented at the American Health Information Management Association’s annual conference in New Orleans Wednesday showed how claims data can inform development of mobile health apps to improve disease management. — AHIMA (PDF)
NaviNet’s new system, All-Payer Access, is intended to give providers a single point of access to multiple payer portals, streamlining patient eligibility and benefits checking. — NaviNet
For some reason, Airbnb has acquired a Russian startup that makes mobile sensors, including a smartphone-linked breathalyzer. — MobiHealthNews
POLITICS
The Department of Health and Human Services will spend $685 million to help providers deliver more patient-centric care. — Healthcare IT News
Among the powerful statements in this report on reforming the VA: “VHA is experiencing a crisis in leadership because of an organizational environment that’s perceived as disempowering, frustrating, and occasionally toxic. ” – New England Journal of Medicine
Nursing homes overbilled Medicare by $1.1 billion in fiscal years 2012 and 2013, according to an internal government audit. — The New York Times
The second phase of the HHS Office for Civil Rights’ HIPAA audits will start early next year and will include business associates as well as covered entities. — Healthcare Dive
A LITTLE BIT EXTRA
A New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene employee has been suspended 30 days by an administrative law judge for repeatedly answering calls to a help desk in a robotic voice. The man claimed he did so to compensate for his Brooklyn accent, “which is sometimes difficult to understand,” according to reports. Difficult for New Yorkers to understand? Fuhgettaboutit. The same worker was suspended for 20 days last year for the same reason. — New York Daily News
Photo: Flickr user Allan Ajifo
