TOP STORIES
Pharmaceutical and medical device companies coughed up nearly $6.5 billion to doctors and hospitals last year. That bill includes consulting, research, promotional speeches on drugs, and the value meals provided to doctors by sales reps. The disclosure is part of an Affordable Care Act “Open Payments” provision. Research accounted for about half of the total. — The Wall Street Journal
The global market for self-monitoring devices reached $3.2 billion last year. Self-monitoring health technologies include wristbands, smartwatches, smartphone apps, and smartphones that aggregate data from health monitoring devices. — MobiHealthNews
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.
LIFE SCIENCE
Eolas Therapeutics agreed to a $145 million partnership and licensing deal with AstraZeneca for its smoking cessation therapy called Eolas Orexin-1 — BioSpace
PAYERS-PROVIDERS
MedStar Health has joined the AARP’s Project Catalyst program to give digital health developers insight into how Americans 50 years and older use technology, to figure out ways to improve the devices for seniors. — MedStar
A Loyola University Medical Center sports medicine physician has drawn attention to the hazards of overhydration, especially for high school athletes. Dr. James Winger study on exercise-associated hyponatremia was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. — BioSpace
TECH
A mobile app designed to diagnose early stages of pneumonia won a University of California, Berkley Big Ideas competition. It makes a detailed analysis and preliminary diagnosis of crackling in the lungs with digitized audio recordings from a patient’s chest. — Forbes
Elsevier acquired clinical decision support technology company Infermed — PR Newswire
POLITICS
California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a vaccine bill into law that bars personal exemptions to childhood vaccinations. — Contra Costa Times
A LITTLE EXTRA
Horror movie The Host offered a worst case scenario of the spread of a disease but actually offers some insight into the outbreak of MERS in South Korea. — Discovery
The Morning Read provides a 24-hour wrap up of everything else healthcare’s innovators need to know about the business of medicine (and beyond). The author of The Read published it but all full-time MedCity News journalists contribute to its content.
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