Highlights of the important and the interesting from the world of healthcare:
Massachusetts nurses strike on tap? After a near-miss of a lengthy nurses strike in Minnesota, some nurses in Massachusetts are close to getting into the act. The union representing North Adams Regional Hospital has voted in favor of going on strike, though negotiations are scheduled through August so nothing appears imminent. But based on this statement from the nurses, things could get ugly soon: “We didn’t ask for a wage increase and since then have dropped any proposal that would cost the hospital money. They have responded to this olive branch with a hammer.”
Harvard Med School cracks down on pharma gifts … or does it? Harvard Medical School is the latest to crack down on industry funding to faculty, prohibiting its 11,000 faculty from giving promotional talks for drug and medical device makers and accepting personal gifts, travel, or meals. But they can still be paid for consulting and research, and the policy on speeches shows what a fine line the school is drawing. Doctors can no longer belong to the roster of speakers drugmakers call upon to give company-crafted promotional talks to other doctors, but it’s OK to take industry money for talks whose content is developed independently.
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.
Republicans blast “meaningful use”: Republicans argue that federal requirements surrounding “meaningful use” of electronic health records are too weak. These standards are important because they will determine whether doctors and hospitals qualify for federal subsidies for their EHR systems. “The final regulations … represent a missed opportunity to improve patient care and reduce waste,” said one House Republican.
The “lost decade” for startups: If you want to build a big company that endures, rather than sell to the highest bidder, you’re about a decade late, says entrepreneur Steve Blank.
More bad news for Avandia: Less than a week after an FDA advisory panel voted to allow the controversial Avandia diabetes pill to remain on the market, the agency says new patients should not be enrolled in a trial designed to compare the drug with the rival Actos pill.
Dealflow: California’s Tethys Biosciences raises $33 million for a diabetes test, Massachusetts’ Cara Therapeutics grabs $15 million for a pain drug, Massachusetts-based Euthymics takes in a $24 million Series A for a depression drug.
