Apr 5, 2010 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Consumer products giant acquires 100% ownership of concierge medicine company
Clinical laboratories and pathology groups may soon be serving physician practices owned by Procter & Gamble (P&G) (NYSE:PG). That’s because the consumer products giant now owns 100% of MDVIP, a nationwide concierge practice of 350 doctors in 28 states.
The deal is noteworthy because it further expands Procter & Gamble’s presence in healthcare. In 2006, P&G invested $325 million in a joint venture with Inverness Medical (NYSE:IMA). The joint venture announced its intention to develop and market diagnostic test kits for use by consumers that can be sold in retail outlets. At the time, The Dark Report wrote that, “P&G’s interest in consumer self testing is based on its belief that consumer demand for health services and healthcare products will soar in the coming decades.” (See The Dark Report, June 4, 2007, “ Inverness Buys Biosite, Has New Venture with P&G” )
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Mar 12, 2010 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Australian patients are using an American clinical pathology laboratory for their genetic testing needs
It’s a half-price sale of genetic clinical laboratory tests for 5,000 customers of Australian health insurer NIB. NIB wants to encourage its beneficiaries to screen themselves to identify their genetic tendencies for such conditions as heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, and other diseases with a known genetic component.
NIB has arranged for California-based Navigenics to conduct the genetic tests for a price of US $499. That’s a 50% discount from Navigenics’ usual retail price of US $999.
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May 11, 2009 | Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Nation’s largest public health district wants to promote personalized medicine
Here’s an unusual development in genetic testing that shows clinical laboratory managers how fast the lab testing marketplace is changing. Two-hospital Palomar Pomerado Health (PPH), California’s largest public health district, recently partnered with 23andMe to introduce a personalized medicine service in North San Diego County.
PPH now sells 23andMe genetic test kits for $399 at express care centers in two grocery stores and an outpatient center. The test kit, Time magazine’s 2008 pick for Invention of the Year, comes with a 30-minute education session by a nurse practitioner.
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