Medical technology association AdvaMed has sent additional comments to the IRS regarding the taxation of certain types of devices including combination products, kits, and rented or leased items. AdvaMed has highlighted reasons that these items should be exempt from the tax to prevent taxing them twice. “These combination products typically are sold for a single price, rather than separately with separate pricing in a sales invoice. In such cases, combination products that combine devices and branded prescription pharmaceuticals present the potential for double taxation of the same item by imposition of both the medical device excise tax and the brand prescription drug fee,” says the association. “However, Congress did not intent that double taxation should result.”
Customer demand for high-strength biocompatible materials designed for use in complex medical device applications have inspired two companies to pool their expertise. High-performance polymers supplier Solvay Specialty Polymers , Chicago, IL, and custom biomedical textile structures manufacturer Secant Medical Perkasie, PA, are partnering to produce implantable biomedical fabric structures
From development and production to marketing and distribution, the collaboration will result in providing medical OEMs with the option to develop custom implantable fabrics made of Solvay’s Zeniva polyetheretherkeytone (PEEK) fiber for therapeutic devices used in orthopedic, cardiovascular, neurological, and general surgery applications, as well as tissue engineering. “This new material solution is being offered in direct response to customer demands and meets their strict performance requirements,” says Shawn Shorrock, global healthcare market manager for Solvay Advanced Polymers.
Medical technology leader Medtronic Inc, Minneapolis, MN, has entered into definitive agreements to acquire two companies that specialize in advanced energy surgical technologies, marking a targeted effort to dominate innovation in this niche of the medical device market. Integrating the proprietary innovations of these two companies will increase Medtronic’s role in advanced energy products, and both companies being acquired expect to leverage Medtronic’s global presence to the advantage of their brand names. Described by Medtronic as an emerging field, advanced energy surgical technology consists of surgical instruments and represents an advancement in radiofrequency surgical technologies, such as the proprietary PlasmaBlade product line from Peak Surgical Inc, Palo Alto, CA. PlasmaBlade is a family of disposable cutting devices with unique insulation technology that provides both the exacting control of a scalpel and the bleeding control of electrosurgery with minimal tissue damage. The products have been cleared for use in ear, nose, and throat, plastic reconstructive, orthopedic, and general surgery applications.
Congress and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences have released a study exploring the issue of pain management in the United States titled Relieving Pain in America: A Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Treatment, and Research. Completed by the IOM Committee on Advancing Pain Research, Care, and Education, the study was originally commissioned by Congress as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. Global leader in medical technology Medtronic Inc, Minneapolis, MN, released a statement expressing hope that the study’s findings will lead to much-needed advances in pain care research, treatment, access, and education for the millions of Americans who suffer with chronic pain.
Designed for motor control and communication applications as well as medical devices such as sleep apnea machines, signal controllers and microcontrollers are offered with USB starter kits and plug-in modules. The 60 MIPS 16-bit dsPIC Digital Signal Controllers (DSCs) and PIC 24 microcontrollers (MCUs) from Microchip Technology , Chandler, AZ, offer an increased Flash memory capacity of 536 KB, I/O capability with 144-pin packages, and real-time embedded-control capabilities over the previous-generation dsPIC DSC/PIC24 MCU core. Full Article
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Responding to increased demand over the past year, a contract manufacturer and custom plastics molder has increased its metal laser-cutting capacity. Acknowledging growth of approximately 20% in the past 12 months, particularly in the medical market, Mack Molding , Arlington, VT, has installed a TRUMPF TruLaser 2030 thin-sheet automated laser in order to meet customer needs.
In response to changes in supplier certifications and increased customer demand, a plastic tube fittings supplier now includes certified animal-free USP Class VI polypropylene as one of its core resin offerings. With the change, any part from Value Plastics , Fort Collins, CO, that is currently offered in standard polypropylene will now also be offered in Flinthills P5M6K-080 resin that comes with the USP Class VI and animal-free certification, which can benefit medical and biopharm product manufacturers. Full Article
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Biocoat, Inc has made available a new informative 8-page technical white paper on product development issues when considering use of hydrophilic coatings. The white paper covers the general properties of hydrophilic coatings and the most commonly used types of medical devices requiring high lubricity.
