Current medical news and unique business news for anyone who cares about healthcare.
Michael Jackson’s doc Conrad Murray the latest controversial cardiologist. Cardiologists can’t seem to catch a break this year as overstenting and ethical issues have been brought to the forefront. In July, a Maryland cardiologist had his license pulled due to allegations of unnecessary stenting in more than 360 patients. In August, a Maryland hospital paid $1.8 million to settle similar allegations against Dr. John McLean. A Tennessee cardiologist was under investigation for fraud in June. Now, Michael Jackson’s cardiologist gets the maximum four-year sentence for involuntary manslaughter of the late pop singer after being convicted Nov. 7, although Sheriff’s officials say he will serve less than two years because of overcrowding in California prisons.
Drugs to watch in 2012. As investors know, biotech and drug stocks are particularly volatile in the wake of FDA approval decisions. Adam Feuerstein has compiled a list of 22 drugs anticipating FDA approval or panel decisions in the first half of 2012.
Yeah, there’s definitely an app for that. The rise of connected wearable devices will boost the market for sports and fitness apps to $400 million in 2016, according to a new report from ABI Research, which predicts there will be more than 1 billion such apps available for download within four years.
AZN dives deeper into venture capital. AstraZeneca has committed $100 million more to its venture capital arm, bringing its total raised to $400 million.
Eliquis gets priority review. Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb’s anti-clotting drug Eliquis was granted priority review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for prevention of strokes and systemic embolism in afib patients. A decision is set to be made by March 28.
