Medical Design and Outsourcing Archives - Page 16 of 154

Why Stryker says GLP-1 weight loss drugs could boost joint replacements

Stryker says weight loss drugs could help obese patients slim down for knee and hip replacements. (Pictured is Stryker’s Triathlon Cementless knee.) [Image courtesy of Stryker]

Executives at Stryker, the world’s largest orthopedic device manufacturer, say they’re not afraid that GLP-1 weight loss drugs could hurt demand for joint replacement implants.

Instead, they see GLP-1 drugs — including Ozempic and Wegovy — as a neutral factor or perhaps even a slight positive. That’s because the drugs could help obese and near-obese patients slim down to qualify for knee and hip replacement surgery.

“We don’t anticipate the weight loss drug having a negative impact,” Lisa Kloes, the GM and VP of Stryker’s knee business, said in an interview with Medical Design & Outsourcing. “Actually, we think it’s going to help with implant volumes. There’s qu…

These 11 medical device inventions are the best of 2023, Time magazine says

Time’s best medical device inventions of 2023 include: (clockwise from top left) ViviStim, Coros, Cala kIQ, InVision. [Images courtesy of the companies]

Time magazine recently named 11 medical device inventions among its best inventions of 2023.

The devices highlighted in the ranking ranged from wearables to treat tremor to leadless pacemakers.

Time magazine says it has identified the most impactful ideas, devices and technologies around the world for more than 20 years. The publication says it compiled the list through nominations from its editors and global correspondents, with special attention to certain categories like medical innovations, accessibility, AR/VR, sustainability, wellness and more.

Time then graded each nominee based on a number of key factors that included originality, efficacy, ambition and impact.

This year’s list included 11 devices from startups and major…

Medline doubles size of Oregon medical device reprocessing plant

The ReNewal medical device reprocessing plant in Redmond, Oregon [Image courtesy of Medline]

Medline announced today that it expanded a facility for its ReNewal medical device reprocessing program.

Northfield, Illinois-based Medline — the fourth largest medical device company in the world, according to Medical Design & Outsourcing’s 2023 Big 100 — said it expanded the Redmond, Oregon, plant by nearly 52,000 square feet.

The expansion doubled the facility’s size and capacity to reprocess medical devices that Medline says would otherwise end up in a landfill.

The Medline ReNewal program has reprocessed nearly 15 million devices since 2014. The reprocessing helped to divert more than 10 million pounds of waste from landfills. In 2022 alone, the company reprocessed 2.3 million medical devices, equating to reducing approximately 1.1 million pounds of waste.

Medline ReNewal Presid…

How to design for connectivity in portable medical devices

An EMT prepares to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). [Image: Adobe Stock]

Connectivity is at the core of the devices transforming healthcare, yet interconnects are often an afterthought. Selecting the right connectors in the initial design process supports better overall performance and functionality.

Medtech designers face some of the toughest design challenges in the electronics industry. Portable medical devices must be compact and lightweight enough to be moved easily, while tolerating the vibration, shock, and impact of frequent transport. Because these products operate within a larger network of connected devices and systems, electromagnetic interference (EMI) and interoperability should also be considered early on in the design process.

In addition to the usual design considerations like size, torque, pin count, and locking mechanism, connectors used in medical devices must withstand …

The Mullings Group acquires M. J. Moore & Associates and names Michael Moore partner

NEWS RELEASE: The Mullings Group acquires M. J. Moore & Associates and names Michael Moore partner

Delray Beach, Florida (Nov. 1, 2023) – The Mullings Group, a leading talent acquisition firm headquartered in the U.S. specializing in medical & health technology, life sciences, and emerging high-tech industries, announces the acquisition of M. J. Moore & Associates. The founder of M. J. Moore & Associates, Michael Moore, will join the TMG team as a partner and continue building companies and careers within our industries.

TMG has over three decades of building companies and careers and is the industry’s largest and most successful search firm in the MedTech/HealthTech market, with offices in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and APAC. The search firm is responsible for more than 8,000 successful searches with over 800+ clients ranging from multi-billion-dollar companies to emerging tech startups worldwide.

Mike has spent the past 25 years working…

Zimmer Biomet’s Liane Teplitsky on the ‘magic’ of data integration

Zimmer Biomet’s Persona IQ smart knee implant has sensors to measure device performance and patient recovery. [Image courtesy of Zimmer Biomet]

Zimmer Biomet’s robotics, technology and data president offers data integration advice, identifies opportunities beyond orthopedics and discusses tech she’s looking for.

Zimmer Biomet is collecting more data than it knows what to do with — and that’s a great opportunity, says Liane Teplitsky.

Teplitsky is the orthopedics developer’s president of global robotics and technology and data solutions. Her domain has expanded rapidly since she joined Zimmer Biomet from Abbott’s cardiac arrhythmia business in 2020.

Back then, Zimmer Biomet’s ZBEdge digital and robotic technology suite consisted of the mymobility patient care app and the Rosa surgical robotics system for brain and total knee procedures. Now, ZBEdge also includ…

Velosity names Rich Patraw as VP of operations

NEWS RELEASE: Velosity Appoints Rich Patraw as Head of Operations, Accelerating Strategic Goals

Strategic Move to Cultivate Excellence and Drive Growth

FOREST LAKE, MN. (October 31, 2023) – Velosity is pleased to announce the appointment of Rich Patraw as Vice President of Operations. In his new role, Rich will provide strategic leadership for our teams located at our multiple sites in Forest Lake, Brooklyn Park, and Becker, MN, as well as oversee our supply chain, procurement, and facilities.

Rich brings a wealth of operations experience to the position, having successfully led the Operations team in Brooklyn Park for the past six years and accumulated 17 years of experience at Boston Scientific in various operational leadership roles. During his tenure at Boston Scientific, he played a pivotal role in executing the manufacturing strategy for a drug-eluting stent, contributing to one of the most successful product launches in their portfolio. His exten…

The best medtech innovations of 2023

Recognize this medtech innovation? It was one of the nominees for the Galien Foundation’s 2023 Prix Galien USA Awards. [Image courtesy of Boston Scientific]

The Galien Foundation’s 2023 Prix Galien USA Awards recognized a first-of-its-kind cancer diagnostic and other medtech innovations.

Announced last week, the Galien Foundation’s annual Prix Galien awards highlight devices, biotechnology and pharmaceutical products designed to improve the human condition.

“The outstanding quality of the submissions is a testament to the promising future of the life sciences industries,” said former Johnson & Johnson CEO and Chair Alex Gorsky — one of the awards jurors — in a news release announcing the nominees.

Last year’s winners included Cala Health, Abbott, Edwards Lifesciences and Roche. (See all of 2022’s nominees here, including many that were nominated again in 2023.)

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Four ways to meet the new FDA guidance for medical device security

The FDA’s 2023 cybersecurity guidance, while demanding, sets the stage for a safer future where medical devices are resilient to evolving cyber threats.

By Curtis Yanko, CodeSecure

The FDA recently issued updated guidance on best practices for medical device cybersecurity, a progressive step forward from its 2014 recommendations. This revision underscores the need for manufacturers to adopt proactive security measures, integrating them into the very design and fabric of devices.

The underlying message of this new guidance is that manufacturers are encouraged to adopt a “security by design” methodology. This represents a significant departure from prevailing manufacturing and design mindsets, and necessitates considerable investments in new technologies and training.

A cornerstone of this new guidance is its focus on software supply chain security. Manufacturers aren’t just expected to produce secure devices; They are mandated to continuously …

9 tips for implementing AI in medical devices from a Medtronic executive

Patients and healthcare providers remain at the core of successful AI implementations in medtech. [piai/Adobe Stock]

It seems like artificial intelligence (AI) is ubiquitous in the healthcare landscape, but the technology remains nascent in the industry. Technologies ranging from machine learning to natural language processing and beyond promise to help make diagnoses and treatment more precise, efficient, and personalized.

But the allure of AI can sometimes overshadow the central goal of addressing tangible clinical problems.

During his talk at DeviceTalks West, Ha Hong, chief AI officer at Medtronic Endoscopy, underscored the importance of putting patients and healthcare providers at the forefront when incorporating AI into medical devices.

With a plethora of AI tools at our disposal — many of which are increasingly user-friendly — the onus is on us to wield them responsibly. Below, you’ll find …

Medtech hubs win Commerce Department designation in funding competition

The Minneapolis-St. Paul metro tech hub is competing for federal funding to advance medtech innovation and jobs. (Photo by Nicole Harrington via Unsplash)

The Biden Administration has designated the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro and Puerto Rico as medtech hubs in a U.S. Department of Commerce competition for $500 million in funding.

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) designated 31 hubs across the country to drive regional innovation and job creation, the agency said this week. All are eligible to apply for $50-$75 million in funding each. EDA will select five to 10 hubs for funding.

The EDA also awarded strategy development grants (SDGs) to fund regional coordination to make them more competitive for future funding. Grant recipients include the Phoenix metro’s Medical Device Manufacturing Multiplier Strategy Development Consortium.

EDA-designated tec…

Nelipak garners recognition for sustainability efforts

Nelipak announced that it received a Silver Medal from EcoVadis in recognition of its sustainability efforts.

According to Cranston, Rhode Island-based Nelipak, EcoVadis is a trusted provider of business sustainability ratings. It built its methodology on international sustainability standards. Those include the Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Global Compact, and the ISO 26000.

The Silver Medal rating achieved by Nelipak comes from the EcoVadis Sustainability Scorecard. That evaluates performance across 21 indicators in four themes: environment, labor and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement.

Nic Hunt, senior director and head of global sustainability at Nelipak, said in a news release that the company now sits in the top 20% of surveyed companies. He expressed pride in the Silver Medal performance, saying the company’s increased focus on sustainability demonstrates its commitment to delivering safe and effective patient…