Medical Technologies

Medical devices, digital health, medical artificial intelligence, surgical robots, and diagnostic technologies.

107 Articles

Trump’s FDA Nominee Pledges to Follow the Law in Vaccine and Abortion Drug Decisions

Heidi Overton, Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, told the Senate that she would follow the law in decisions involving vaccines and the drug mifepristone, and pledged to accelerate early drug research and confront the rise of China’s biotechnology sector.

2026-09-24

Medical Technologies

FDA Advisory Committee Supports Grail’s Test for Detecting Multiple Cancers

An independent expert committee voted that the potential benefits of Grail’s Galleri test outweigh its risks, paving the way for an FDA decision while emphasizing that it does not replace recommended cancer screenings.

2026-09-24

Medical Technologies

Google’s MedGemma Supports Local Health Tools in India, Africa, and Asia

Google says its open-weight MedGemma models are being used to build tools for medical triage, diagnostic screening, and decision support in clinics and health institutions worldwide. Applications include screening for cervical cancer, tuberculosis, and eye diseases, with the models able to run locally to keep patient data private.

2026-09-23

Medical Technologies

Oura Seeks to Raise $2.2 Billion Through IPO Amid Expansion of Smart Rings in Digital Health

Oura filed for an initial public offering that could be worth up to $2.2 billion, offering 50 million shares at an estimated price of between $40 and $44 per share. The offering comes as the company expands its health features, while facing regulatory questions and a proposed lawsuit concerning the accuracy of sleep tracking.

2026-09-21

Medical Technologies

FDA Funds Test of Using Language Models to Evaluate AI-Generated Radiology Reports

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration awarded Cognita Imaging a $1.29 million research contract to test the ability of a group of large language models to evaluate radiology reports produced by artificial intelligence systems. The project aims to measure hallucinations and omissions and identify cases requiring review by a radiologist.

2026-09-18

Medical Technologies

FDA Clears Use of LigaSure Tool with Medtronic’s Hugo Surgical Robot in the United States

Medtronic received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to use the LigaSure vessel-sealing tool with the Hugo robotic surgery system. The decision adds a technology used in more than 45 million procedures to a platform seeking to compete with Intuitive’s presence in robotic surgery.

2026-09-17

Medical Technologies

Canadian Company smartARM Develops a Prosthetic Arm That Selects Its Grip Using Vision and AI

smartARM is testing a bionic prosthetic arm that uses an integrated camera and the DINOv2 model to recognize objects and automatically select the appropriate grip pattern, rather than requiring the user to manually switch between patterns. Meta AI glasses, as an optional add-on, can provide an additional perspective from the user’s point of view and facilitate customization of the objects the system recognizes.

2026-09-16

Medical Technologies

CMS Expands ACCESS Program to Make Digital Health Technologies Available for Additional Chronic Conditions

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is expanding the ACCESS program to include heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, substance use disorders, and smoking cessation, while extending support for certain musculoskeletal conditions. The program combines outcome-linked payments with a regulatory pathway for collecting real-world data on certain digital health technologies.

2026-09-16

Medical Technologies

CHOP Turns Pediatric Heart Modeling into an Open-Source AI Clinical Tool

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia uses MONAI and SlicerHeart tools to build three-dimensional models of children’s hearts within seconds instead of hours, while developing physics simulations that help test device fit before surgery. The approach is being expanded to include valve simulations and open-source collaboration tools among children’s hospitals.

2026-09-15

Medical Technologies

Evvy Raises $40 Million to Expand Vaginal Microbiome Research and Women’s Health

Evvy announced that it raised $40 million in a Series B round led by Catalio Capital Management, as it plans to expand its vaginal microbiome analysis platform and enter the fertility field. The company is building a database linking biomarkers with symptoms, treatments, and health outcomes, but most new applications remain under study.

2026-09-15

Medical Technologies

Intuitive’s Single-Port Surgical System Receives CE Mark for New Gynecological Uses

Intuitive expanded the use of the da Vinci SP system in Europe after receiving a CE mark for performing transvaginal gynecological surgeries. The update adds a new access route to the device’s approved uses, although the single-port robot still represents a limited share of the company’s installed systems.

2026-09-15

Medical Technologies

U.S. Inspector General Calls for Stricter Oversight of Medical Equipment Suppliers in Medicare Advantage

A report by the Office of Inspector General concluded that Medicare Advantage plans do not sufficiently vet medical equipment suppliers, particularly out-of-network suppliers and those not enrolled in Medicare. The report called on plans and CMS to strengthen screening and use fraud-prevention tools regularly.

2026-09-15

Medical Technologies

FDA Advisory Committee to Examine the Use of Pathogen-Agnostic Sequencing in Emergency Response

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will hold a public meeting on November 19, 2026, to examine the scientific, clinical, and public health dimensions of using sequencing technologies capable of detecting known or unknown pathogens. The meeting will discuss test design and the bioinformatics systems needed to address ongoing changes in genetic sequences.

2026-09-14

Medical Technologies

New FDA Requirements in eSTAR Move Usability Factors from the Testing Box to the Risk File

The FDA’s 2026 guidance, incorporated into the eSTAR v7.0 form, states that companies are required to demonstrate the acceptability of use-related risks associated with medical devices, not merely submit a human factors testing report. The level of risk and whether use tasks are critical determine the amount of evidence and documentation required in the submission file.

2026-09-14

Medical Technologies

Medtronic Begins Final Phase of MiniMed Spin-Off as Independent Company

Medtronic has launched a share-exchange offer that enables the separation of up to 80.1% of MiniMed, after the diabetes technology company went public in March. The offer could lead Medtronic to relinquish its remaining stake, while the parent company focuses its investments on cardiovascular care, neuroscience, and surgery.

2026-09-14

Medical Technologies

U.S. Food and Drug Administration Clears Beta Bionics to Launch the Mint Wearable Insulin Pump

Beta Bionics has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance for the Mint wearable insulin pump, which is worn for three days and holds 200 units of insulin. The company plans to launch it in the United States during the first quarter of 2027 through pharmacy channels, opening direct competition with Insulet.

2026-09-14

Medical Technologies

FDA Explains How Regulatory Authorities Rely on Its Decisions in the Medical Device Field

CDRH has launched a reference portal explaining regulatory reliance programs for assessments and decisions by other regulatory authorities, focusing on using FDA data without transferring decision-making responsibility or reducing safety requirements. The portal provides guidance on verifying the identity of devices and their manufacturing sites and monitoring post-market safety.

2026-09-13

Medical Technologies

Vibrating Bracelet from Sakarya Teknokent to Support Parkinson’s Patients

B O Elektronik Yazılım Teknoloji in Turkey has developed a wearable bracelet called Signal Life that uses mechanical vibrations to help Parkinson’s patients reduce the impact of tremors in their daily lives. The device operates without Bluetooth or Wi‑Fi, but claims regarding its effectiveness are still presented in the source as usage results and experiences, not as a published clinical study.

2026-09-11