Current medical news and unique business news for anyone who cares about the healthcare industry.
What can’t Watson do? After kicking butt on Jeopardy it looks like the artificial intelligence Watson may have a chance to change healthcare. “You’re never going to replace a trained doctor or nurse, but certainly a system like Watson could be a physician’s assistant,” said Dr. Joseph Jasinski from IBM Research’s Healthcare and Life Sciences section.
When Investment Rhymes with Canada
Canada has a proud history of achievement in the areas of science and technology, and the field of biomanufacturing and life sciences is no exception.
An Obamacare waiver. Four states — Florida, New Jersey, Ohio and Tennessee — have received a waiver that lets health insurance companies offer a decreased amount of benefits than outlined in the new healthcare reform law. More states are likely to follow. Meanwhile, healthcare reform supporters say the waivers will allow for a smoother transition to 2014 when irrevocable standards begin.
The best markets for wellness startup are… the South and Appalachia.
The CDC analyzed all counties in the country and found that in many regions, more than 29% of adults reported getting no physical activity or exercise at all, other than what they might get on the job.
States where residents are least likely to be physically active in leisure time are Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. In those states, physical inactivity rates are 29.2% or greater for more than 70% of counties.
States where residents are most likely to be active in their free time are California, Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.
Doctors and lawyers – living together. The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the University of Baltimore School of Law have launched a $1 million law center that is “part think tank aimed at influencing health care policy.”
Pharma boss: Yes to inspection. Mylan President Heather Bresch embaces some of the major change and involvement proposed by President Obama.
Bresch wants the agency to start inspecting drug facilities located overseas — for branded companies as well as generic makers — on the same two-year cycle is uses to review most plants in the U.S.
About half the drugs in America, both branded and generic, are imported, and many are coming in from foreign plants that may never have been inspected, Bresch says. “You’re giving those drugs to your children,” she says. “Don’t you want to know that they were made in safe conditions?”
Hospitals’ leadership gap.30 percent of health systems wouldn’t be ready to deal with a sudden loss of key members of their management teams.
Dealflow and more. Michigan is considering an angel investment tax credit; diagnostics business Great Basin Corp. raised $12.1 million; diabetes drugmaker Versartis has raised $21 million; and emphysema medical device company PneumRx raised $33 million.
The CDC analyzed all counties in the country and found that in many regions, more than 29% of adults reported getting no physical activity or exercise at all, other than what they might get on the job.
States where residents are least likely to be physically active in leisure time are Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. In those states, physical inactivity rates are 29.2% or greater for more than 70% of counties.
States where residents are most likely to be active in their free time are California, Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington.
