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February 6, 2013

News for nuclear medicine and molecular imaging professionals

The news summaries appearing in SNMMI SmartBrief are based on original information from multiple internet sources and are produced by SmartBrief, Inc., an independent e-mail newsletter publisher. The items below are not selected or reviewed by SNMMI prior to publication. Questions and comments may be directed to SmartBrief at snmmi@smartbrief.com.

Top Story

Obama eyes sequester delay through short-term budget deal
President Barack Obama urged Congress to pass a smaller set of tax reforms and spending cuts if lawmakers can't reach a bigger deal by March 1. The move would further postpone sequestration cuts, including up to 2% across-the-board cuts in Medicare reimbursement. Obama's 10-year deficit reduction plan would cut mandatory health care spending, mainly in Medicare, by around $400 billion and raise tax revenue by approximately $600 billion to $700 billion, according to the administration. The Huffington Post/The Associated Press (2/5) , Modern Healthcare (subscription required) (2/5) , The Washington Post (2/5)

Clinical News & Research

Researchers develop method for delivering alpha particles to tumors
Researchers have developed a technique that allows a gold nanoparticle to securely carry actinium, an emitter of alpha particles that can target and destroy cancer cells at close range. "With our nanoparticle design, we are able to keep more than 80 percent of the element inside the nanoparticle 24 hours after it is created," said researcher J. David Robertson from the University of Missouri. More studies are needed before human drug development can be started, researchers said. The study was published in PLOS ONE. News-Medical.Net/News release (2/5)

Industry Report

Mallinckrodt moves toward separation from Covidien
Covidien unit Mallinckrodt has filed documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission that put it closer to becoming its own company. The split is set to be finalized by the middle of the year. "As independent, publicly owned companies, Covidien and Mallinckrodt each will be able to pursue and focus on its own strategic and operational plans, including setting an optimal level of investment in research and development projects and in the operation and expansion of its businesses and creating a business-appropriate capital structure," said Jose Almeida, Covidien's president, chairman and CEO. American City Business Journals/St. Louis/St. Louis BizTalk blog (2/4)

News from the Field

Low awareness impedes clinical trial enrollment
Research institutions need to do a better job of publicizing clinical trials to recruit more adults and children, researchers say. Only 11% of U.S. adults and 5% of children have ever participated in a clinical trial, while 64% of adults know about opportunities to participate and 12% of parents are aware of clinical trials for their children, a survey of 2,150 households found. Study results are published in the journal Clinical and Translational Science. HealthDay News (2/4)

International Developments

Withdrawal of EU medtech symbols standard leaves regulatory gap
The removal of the harmonized symbols medtech standard in Europe, known as EN 980, has created a gap in the European regulatory standards framework. EN 980 was expected to be replaced by the global standard ISO 15223-1 of 2012; however, that standard hasn't been harmonized for application in Europe. An official said the regulatory vacuum "was unintentional and will be put right at the next harmonized standard listing publication." Clinica (subscription required) (2/5)

Health Policy

Paulsen: Congress must move to repeal device tax this year
Congress should take swift action on the 2.3% medical device tax, said Rep. Erik Paulsen, R-Minn., who sees opportunities for repeal amid corporate tax reform talks. "This is about keeping good, domestic manufacturing jobs here in the U.S., not shipping them overseas, and that's a part of the larger tax conversation that needs to happen," he said. MassDevice.com (Boston) (2/4)

Advancing Health Care

White House expands Presidential Innovation Fellows program
The Obama administration is accepting applications for Round 2 of the Presidential Innovation Fellows program, which recruits top private-sector entrepreneurs and innovators to work with the federal government for six to 12 months on open data initiatives, personal health records, disaster response and other projects. The second round has five new projects, as well as continuing work on projects from the first round of the program. Applications are being accepted through March 17. InformationWeek (2/5) , The White House Blog (2/5)

From SNMMI

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SmartQuote

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

--Maya Angelou,
American author and poet

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