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News & Analysis 2008 p1:

• 3M's Lava Chairside Oral Scanner wins IDEA design award
  July 24, 2008 -- The Lava Chairside Oral Scanner, by 3M ESPE, has won a bronze award in the 2008 IDEA competition, sponsored by the Industrial Designers Society of America and BusinessWeek magazine. The system incorporates high-speed image processing and real-time modeling so dentists can confidently and immediately assess whether enough information has been captured for a complete digital impression.
• MedSolutions supports GAO recommendation for medical imaging prior authorization
  July 23, 2008 -- MedSolutions, a company that manages radiology services for national and regional health plans, says the Government Accountability Office (GAO) is correct to recommend prior authorization under Medicare Part B for high-tech imaging services. The GAO's report specifically commented on radiology benefit management (RBM) for cost containment.
• FDA approves trial for Exalenz's spectroscopy-based liver-assessment system
  July 23, 2008 -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given Exalenz Bioscience Ltd. (Modiin, Israel) approval to begin Phase III clinical trials for its BreathID diagnostic system. BreathID, which incorporates proprietary technologies such as MCS (Molecular Correlation Spectroscopy), enables assessment of liver function and gastric emptying, and detection of the Helicobacter pylori bacteria. Exalenz will begin the trial in next month and conclude in March 2009.
• Study validates laser assisted scar healing, sets stage for Ekkyo's Ekkylite intro
  July 22, 2008 -- Ekkyo (Meyreuil, France) a photomedicine company that develops laser-based systems for skin scar prevention and reduction, has reported the results of a pilot study on cutaneous scar prevention. The company's Ekkylite system, forecasted for release this year in France and next year in Europe and the U.S. is the "very first laser assisted scar healing (LASH) system."
• Podiatric association says hyperspectral imaging improves diabetic ulcer treatment
  July 21, 2008 -- The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) says that Hyperspectral Transcutaneous Oxygen Montitoring (HTcOM) effectively measures real-time oxygen levels surrounding foot ulcerations, and thus could help to "significantly reduce diabetic amputation rates." Results of a National Institutes of Health study on the subject are being presented this week; HyperMed's OxyVu is being highlighted as the only FDA-approved system for such applications.
• GAO report ignores key data, says Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance
  July, 19, 2008 -- The recently released Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on the growth of imaging services does not provide Congress with suitable recommendations to address medical imaging utilization, claims the Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA). The report "failed to use the most recent data, reference medical guidelines or look at trends in which providers and payers are adopting appropriateness and accreditation criteria," said MITA VP Andrew Whitman.
• GAO recommends prior authorization to contain Medicare costs for medical imaging services
  July 19, 2008 -- The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is recommending that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) contain future costs related to "high tech medical imaging" by requiring authorization for heretofore routine services. The report was issued following an investigation that found Medicare spending for high-tech imaging services paid for under the physician fee schedule more than doubled between 2000 and 2006.
• NSF Career Award hails Blanchard's cell biology achievements
  July 17, 2008 -- The National Science Foundation has given its prestigious Career Award to Dr. Scott Blanchard in recognition of his groundbreaking work in cell biology. Blanchard is perhaps best known for advancing fluorescence technologies that allow scientists to observe the activities of single-molecules in real-time; his work aims to revolutionize cellular biology and drug discovery.
• Technology4Medicine wins exclusive distribution of MedX lasers to U.S. dental, dermatology, plastic surgery, anti-aging markets
  July 15, 2008 -- MedX Health Corp. (Mississauga, Ontario) has made an exclusive distribution agreement with Technology4Medicine (San Clemente, CA), for the U.S. dental, dermatology, plastic surgery and anti-aging markets. Technology4Medicine will sell MedX's new Oralase immediately upon clearances from the FDA. Oralase is a low level laser therapy (LLLT) designed to alleviate pain and accelerate tissue repair following dental procedures.
• Sales of STAAR's implantable collamer lens increase 38%
  July 15, 2008 -- STAAR Surgical Company says U.S. sales of its Visian ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens), a flexible lens implanted in the eye to correct refractive errors, grew 38% in Q2 over the prior year period. "The recent media attention to the complications of LASIK . . . has led to more patients asking more questions about the procedure and more seriously considering alternative procedures like the Visian ICL," notes company president and CEO Barry G. Caldwell.

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