> Rep. Erik Paulsen (MN-03) introduced the Protect Medical Innovation Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation that would immediately repeal the job-destroying medical device tax that was passed last year as part of the new health care law. Paulsen introduced the Protect Medical Innovation Act in the U.S. House of Representatives with 41 bipartisan original cosponsors. Companion legislation has also been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT). Paulsen release
> St. Jude Medical's fourth-quarter earnings rose 8.9 percent, topping the medical-device maker's own guidance, as revenue growth more than offset declining margins. Story
> Echo Therapeutics has launched a corporate Twitter account and corporate Facebook page. Twitter users can now follow Echo at http://www.twitter.com/echotx and Facebook users can visit Echo at http://www.facebook.com/echotx. Echo release
> Federal officials have warned AngioDynamics, a medical-device manufacturer, about marketing claims the company is making. AngioDynamics said Jan. 25 that it had received warnings from the FDA about its NanoKnife system. The device is used in the U.S. for surgical removal of soft tissue. Item
> Small Bone Innovations has received 510(k) pre-market clearance notification from the FDA for the radial Head (rHead) extended stem to be used in the correction of complex elbow instabilities and/or elbow reconstruction. SBi release
> St. Jude Medical's new manufacturing facility in Penang Island, Malaysia has received European CE Mark approval for production of pacemakers and leads. The first products have already been shipped to the company's distribution center in Veddesta, Sweden. St. Jude release
> Milestone Scientific has signed an agreement through a distributor to provide Towncare Dental Partnership with STA Single Tooth Anesthesia System instruments. The agreement covers all of Towncare's dental offices in Florida. The instruments will be rolled out to Towncare's offices over the next four months, and Milestone will provide training and support to each office. Milestone Scientific release
And Finally... Dr. Noel Fitzpatrick is a workaholic. He sleeps in his office, works hours on end and his social life is pretty much non-existent. Why does he do it? For animals like Mitzi, Oscar and Yogi. Fitzpatrick, who runs Fitzpatrick Referrals in Surrey, England, is the world's first vet to use prosthetics that give animals a new--pain-free--lease on life. The neuro-orthopedic surgeon has pioneered biotechnology in animals, giving dogs and cats artificial limbs thanks to a blend of science, technology and art. Report