VA receives awards for innovation in health IT
For the second year, nine U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) programs were recognized for innovations in federal health technology during an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. Initiatives ranging from text messages to remind Veterans of their appointments to...
VA increases contracting with Service-Disabled and Veteran-Owned Small Businesses
Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) Robert Wilkie today announced an increase to the department’s goals for contracting with Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) and Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSB). For fiscal year (FY) 2019, VA seeks to award...
President’s Budget Confirms Plans for Drastic Reduction in Military Medical Positions
Sometimes, you have to play detective. For example, combing through the fine print of the president’s annual budget submission, poring over budget tables (lots of numbers), spotting subtle nuances buried within the explanatory statements … and then attempting to...
Medical Device Industry Revenues Should Outpace Healthcare Field
The U.S. markets are bullish on the future of the medical device markets. In addition to projections that postulate that: “In 2024, the total medical technology revenue globally is expected be nearly $600 billion U.S. dollars.” and that the: “… U.S....
VA offers $15 million in grant funding to support adaptive sports for disabled Veterans
Today, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced the availability of up to approximately $15 million in grants for community organizations that provide adaptive sports, including therapeutic recreational opportunities for disabled Veterans and disabled...
DoD testing secure cloud to help small contractors protect data
The Pentagon still has deep concerns about thefts of sensitive Defense data from contractor systems. But it’s concluded that simply using contract terms to order firms to improve their security isn’t going to do the job. So the department is testing ways to extend its...
FDA outlines new device priorities in budget justification report
Dive Brief: FDA identified new regulatory priorities for medical devices in its fiscal 2020 budget justification document, including proposals to safeguard against shortages of essential devices and to compel manufacturers to address cybersecurity. The document offers...
FDA ramps up scrutiny of materials in medical devices
The FDA said today it has begun more closely scrutinizing the roles of certain materials associated with harm to patients who have breast implants, nitinol-containing devices, metal-on-metal hip implants and devices made from animal-derived substances. It’s the latest...
VA strengthens care and benefits for Veterans with $220 billion budget
President Donald J. Trump is proposing a total of $220.2 billion in his fiscal year (FY) 2020 budget for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), a 9.6 percent increase above fiscal 2019. “The budget request will ensure the nation’s Veterans receive high-quality...
FDA Regulations Allow Medical Devices Clinical Trials to Differ From Pharmaceutical Trials
Clinical trials are the pathway for new drugs or devices to enter the U.S. and other worldwide markets. However, not all clinical trials are the same. A recent article by a 20+ year insider in the clinical trial industry said: “While clinical trials for medical...