Aug 2, 2013 | Digital Pathology, Instruments & Equipment, Laboratory Instruments & Laboratory Equipment, Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Sales and Marketing
Many IVD vendors are cautiously optimistic about the “state of the medical lab industry,” but recognize that declining reimbursement for lab tests is now harming many lab organizations
DATELINE: Houston, Texas—Once again, the American Association of Clinical Chemistry (AACC) and the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) attracted a large crowd for their joint annual meeting. And, as is true every year, the activity on the exhibit floor provides valuable insights about the state of the clinical laboratory.
Your Dark Daily editorial team was here all week and had conversations with many executives from in vitro diagnostic (IVD) manufacturers, laboratory informatics vendors, and specialty test companies.
Nation’s Largest Trade Show for Medical Laboratory Vendors (more…)
Jul 19, 2013 | Digital Pathology, Instruments & Equipment, Laboratory Instruments & Laboratory Equipment, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology, Management & Operations
Smaller, more affordable sequencers and genome sequence interpretation computers are catching the interest of pathologists and medical laboratory scientists
In the field of whole human genome sequencing, the technology continues to improve at a remarkable pace. Products now entering the research and clinical marketplace offer speedier, more accurate gene sequencing capabilities at prices that are within the budget reach of many clinical laboratories and anatomic pathology group practices.
Miniaturization and lower cost is driving genomic medicine ever closer to the routine clinical setting. The combination of next generation gene sequencers with a smaller footprint and advances in genomic data analysis technology mean that genomic testing will increasingly migrate to smaller lab settings. Dark Daily offers its readers a look at some of the latest gene sequencing products and what their manufacturers say about the capabilities of these gene-sequencing systems. (more…)
Jul 1, 2013 | Compliance, Legal, and Malpractice, Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology, Management & Operations
Pathologists and clinical laboratory managers can expect to see an expansion of genetic testing in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in the Myriad case
Pathologists and clinical laboratory professionals got a major victory on June 13. That’s when the United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruled 9-0 to end the 30-year-old practice of awarding patents on human genes. The unanimous decision invalidates certain hotly contested patents held by Myriad Genetics, Inc., (NASDAQ: MYGN) on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.
Moreover, this Supreme Court decision also opens the doors to other medical laboratories to develop their own diagnostics around the BRCA genes and compete for breast-cancer testing market share. (more…)
Apr 17, 2013 | Laboratory Hiring & Human Resources, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology, Laboratory Sales and Marketing, Management & Operations
Multi-billion-dollar mega-deal positions Thermo Fisher to offer a broader spectrum of gene sequencing systems to clinical laboratories and pathology groups
Earlier this week, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., (NYSE: TMO) of Waltham, Massachusetts, announced a deal that will shake up the market for next-generation gene sequencing and genetic testing. It will acquire Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) of Carlsbad, California.
More IVD Industry Consolidation That Affects Clinical Laboratories
It is another example of consolidation involving two companies that sell products to the clinical laboratory and anatomic pathology sectors of the lab medicine marketplace. It is also a multi-billion dollar transaction. Thermo Fisher will pay $13.6 billion for Life Technologies, or $76 per share, according to a Reuters report. This amount represents an 11.7% premium over the $68 price per share of Life Technologies’ stock when trading began Monday morning. (more…)
Mar 20, 2013 | Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology, Laboratory Sales and Marketing, Management & Operations
Never before has a major LIS vendor boldly acquired a lab equipment manufacturer with an intent to integrate and sell both products as a bundle to medical laboratories
In an unexpected move, healthcare informatics giant Cerner Corporation (NASDAQ: CERN) purchased a clinical laboratory automation company. On Monday, Cerner announced that it acquired Labotix Automation Inc., of Peterborough, Ontario.
Cerner Gains Foothold in Market for Medical Laboratory Automation
The acquisition gives Cerner an interesting foothold in the clinical laboratory automation market. For many pathologists and medical laboratory managers, the deal raises interesting questions, since Cerner—primarily known among labs for its laboratory information system (LIS) and its anatomic pathology laboratory information system (PLIS)—now is the owner of a company that manufactures hardware. (more…)
