More bad news for Theranos: 5 must-read stories from MedCity News this week

Also, we talked about conference sexism again - this time at HIMSS - ponder the next Shark Tank episode, and Mass Challenge launches a new Israeli outpost.

RECIFE, BRAZIL - JANUARY 26:  Aedes aegypti mosquitos are seen in a lab at the Fiocruz institute on January 26, 2016 in Recife, Pernambuco state, Brazil. The mosquito transmits the Zika virus and is being studied at the institute. In the last four months, authorities have recorded close to 4,000 cases in Brazil in which the mosquito-borne Zika virus may have led to microcephaly in infants. The ailment results in an abnormally small head in newborns and is associated with various disorders including decreased brain development. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Zika virus outbreak is likely to spread throughout nearly all the Americas. At least twelve cases in the United States have now been confirmed by the CDC.  (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

The Zika virus has unquestionably dominated headlines in the world of healthcare this week – as pregnant women the world over are considering their risk of having a child with microcephaly.

But some of the week’s broader healthcare business news also included Theranos, and how its lab practices “pose immediate jeopardy to patient safety” according to a letter from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Merck received regulatory approval for its Hepatitis C treatment, which undercuts Gilead’s and adds a level of competition to the market.

And here are some MedCity News stories that resonated with our readers this week:

1. At HIMSS16, the booth babe just won’t go away

Yep, some vendors still apparently think that filling their displays with attractive women will result in increased sales. This may have been true in the past, when health IT was mostly male, but it’s been my experience in recent years that the HIMSS audience has diversified, and now the attendance pool is at least 40 percent female, if not more.

2. SnapMD raises $5.3M to support sales pipeline for telemedicine

Telemedicine startup SnapMD has raised a fresh round of capital from Shea Ventures, TYLT Labs and Whittier Ventures to accelerate business development in direct sales and through channel partners, according to a company statement.

3. Neurotrack announces release of its eye-tracking test for Alzheimer’s and $6.5M in funding from Khosla Ventures

California-based digital health company Neurotrack has a few very notable announcements out Wednesday.

First, the availability of its cognitive assessment test, the Neurotrack Imprint. The webcam-based test is aimed to help those with diseases like Alzheimer’s track recognition memory in order to detect risks before behavioral symptoms show up — and it only takes five minutes. The test, which uses eye-tracking technology to detect hippocampal impairment, will now be available to be administered by select physicians this year.

4. Will Shark Tank investors like what consumer wellness startup Fitly serves up?

Fitly, a Philadelphia-based consumer wellness startup, is appearing on ABC’s Shark Tank TV show next month. Healthcare startups have had a mixed performance on the program, so it will be interesting to see how the startup’s smart plate to provide nutritional info on food choices goes over with the sharks.

5. Mass Challenge launches Israeli outpost; plans to foster 100 startups over next two years

MassChallenge launched its Israeli outpost this week, The Jerusalem Post reports. The lauded, Boston-based accelerator aims to guide 100 startups in its first two years in the new Jerusalem offices – offering work space, mentorship and non-equity funding to the fledgling tech companies that make the cut.

 

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