Medtronic sued for allegedly sharing ‘treasure trove’ of diabetes patient data with Google by Nick Paul Taylor for MedTechDive.com, 5 September 2023.
The case centers on the app that accompanies Medtronic’s smart insulin pen. Medtronic created the app to help patients record their insulin doses, receive reminders and share data with their healthcare team. The use of the data is covered by Medtronic’s notice of privacy practices. According to the lawsuit, the company has used the data in ways that are beyond the terms covered in the notice.
“Despite its unquestionable obligation to protect the confidentiality and security of Patients’ Private Information, MiniMed made the conscious decision to use Tracking Tools on its Digital Platforms to acquire very sensitive, personal information and data about Plaintiff’s and Class Members’ medical conditions and communications, which was disseminated to third parties, including Google, for marketing and analytics purposes and, ultimately, to increase revenue and profits,” the lawsuit states.
According to the lawsuit, Medtronic’s use of tracking tools violates HIPAA and industry standards and “enriched” the company. The plaintiff is seeking relief and damages from Medtronic.
Read more: Medtronic sued for allegedly sharing ‘treasure trove’ of diabetes patient data with Google
Insulet, Tandem Diabetes drop as weight loss drugs impact insulin use by Dulan Lokuwithana for SeekingAlpha.com, 7 September 2023.
Insulet Corporation and Tandem Diabetes were among the notable decliners on Thursday (9/7/23) after data indicated that popular weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy can cut the need for insulin injections in people with diabetes. The findings come at a time when investigators are pursuing clinical trials to see if the blockbuster drugs, known as GLP-1 agonists, marketed by Novo Nordisk, can bring health benefits other than weight loss.
According to results from a small study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the treatments, also known as semaglutide in generic terms, sharply reduced or even eliminated the need for insulin injections in patients with type 1 diabetes. “If these findings are borne out in larger studies over extended follow-up periods, it could possibly be the most dramatic change in treating Type 1 diabetes since the discovery of insulin in 1921,” lead investigator Paresh Dandona, MD, said.
Read more: Insulet, Tandem Diabetes drop as weight loss drugs impact insulin use
In Type 1 diabetes, verapamil prevents decline of IGF-1 and promotes beta-cell IGF-1 signaling by Jef Hansen for UAB.edu, 25 August 2023.
In 2012, University of Alabama at Birmingham researcher Anath Shalev, M.D., reported that a decades-old blood pressure medication called verapamil completely reversed diabetes in animal models. In 2018, the team translated these findings into a randomized, controlled, clinical trial, demonstrating significantly improved beta cell function for one year in human subjects with recent onset Type 1 diabetes. By last year, in a small follow-up study, Shalev and colleagues had found that adult Type 1 diabetes patients taking oral verapamil required less daily insulin and showed evidence of beneficial immune modulation for as long as two years after first diagnosis.
Now UAB researchers, led by Guanlan Xu, Ph.D., and Shalev drilled down further into the mechanism underlying verapamil’s beneficial effect. In a paper published in Diabetes, they show that, in Type 1 diabetes patients, verapamil prevented the decline of the hormone insulin-like growth factor 1, or IGF-1, as compared to controls who did not take verapamil. They also found that verapamil promotes IGF-1 signaling in pancreatic beta cells.
Read more: In T1D, verapamil prevents decline of IGF-1 and promotes beta-cell IGF-1 signaling
Shared by Beta Bionics, the makers of the iLet Bionic Pancreas, here is a fun iLet Simulator App! It’s a great way to quickly explore the technology!
iLet Bionic Pancreas Simulator
AMA is leading a movement to fight the system-level drivers of physician burnout, shared by the AMA, focused on removing administrative burdens, providing real-world solutions and helping physicians rediscover the joy in health care.
Is your healthcare physician experiencing BURNOUT? I’ve noticed a very distinct change in attitude, availability and compassion among my own HCPs. Not all … but definitely some seem affected.
Have you noticed changes in the service and attention you receive now? You might want to chat with your care team … show an interest and mention these AMA programs.
Read more: 6 ways to take your organization’s physician burnout temperature
State of the Science 2021 #6: Prevention of T1D: Remission or Cure? with Monica Westley of TheSugarScience.org, 9 August 2021.
With Anchors: Francisco Leon PhD (Provention), Antoon Van Oosterhaut PhD (Imcyse), Douglas Melton PhD (HSCI), Mark Atkinson PhD (UF). Panel participants are: Jeff Millman PhD (WashU), Michael McAuliffe, MD (Captixbio), Jessica Kenison PhD (AnTolRx), Matthias Von Herrath PhD (LJI/Novonordisk).
I only know what I have heard second to fourth hand about the Medtronic lawsuit. However, I do not see much here if they disclosed the share in the TOS.
Sorry I have been away, school work is killing me.
See, we forget how hard learning is!!! I’m sure you are the BEST student!!! Make sure you get enough sleep!