Digital Health & Technology
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September 26, 2024
HHS Flags Ransomware Rise In New Deal With Wash. Provider
A Washington state-based healthcare provider has agreed to pay $250,000 and boost its data security to resolve the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's enforcement action over a 2017 ransomware attack, amid what the agency said has been a steep rise in reports of such cyberattacks over the past six years.Â
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September 26, 2024
Senate Bill Calls For Stronger Healthcare Cyber Standards
Democratic lawmakers introduced legislation Thursday aiming to better protect patient health information and avoid cyberattacks by strengthening cybersecurity standards, months after a highly publicized data breach earlier this year of a UnitedHealth unit that lacked basic security measures like two-factor authentication.
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September 25, 2024
UpHealth Wins Most Of $115M Award In Glocal Merger Dispute
Bankrupt digital health services company UpHealth can enforce a large part of a $115 million arbitral award against the Indian healthcare services platform Glocal in their feud over an ill-fated merger, an Illinois federal judge has ruled.
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September 25, 2024
Buffalo-Based Cyber Law Pro Joins Pierson Ferdinand
Fast-growing virtual law firm Pierson Ferdinand LLP announced that an experienced cybersecurity attorney with a focus on the healthcare industry joined as a partner based in Buffalo, New York.
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September 24, 2024
Google Can't Ditch Privacy Suit Over Period App Data Sharing
A California federal judge has refused to release Google from a proposed class action alleging the company used a data analytics tool to wrongfully retrieve data from menstruation tracking app Flo, rejecting the tech giant's arguments that the plaintiffs lacked standing and had consented to the disclosures.Â
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September 24, 2024
Philips Must Face Investor Suit Over FDA Compliance Issues
Health technology company Koninklijke Philips and its former CEO cannot escape a suit accusing them of misleading investors about the safety and compliance of its subsidiary's sleep and respiratory care products, which were recalled in 2021, but its chief financial officer and a former CEO of a Philips subsidiary were allowed to exit the case for good.
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September 24, 2024
Healthcare's AI Integration Is In Limbo As Laws Lag Behind
As healthcare organizations look to incorporate artificial intelligence into their systems, they're coming across a unique problem: They're ahead of the rules.
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September 24, 2024
2nd Circ. Partly Revives Suit Over $18.5B Telehealth Deal
The Second Circuit on Tuesday partially revived a suit against telehealth company Teladoc Health Inc. brought by investors who claim they were misled about the status of its integration with Livongo following their $18.5 billion merger.
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September 23, 2024
Medical Records Co. Accused Of Blocking Data Access
A company that helps insurance providers access patient data on Monday accused medical records company Epic Systems Corp. of violating antitrust law by using its monopoly over electronic health records to squash an emerging competitor.
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September 20, 2024
Fla. Judge Trims Health Co. Data Breach MDL
The Florida federal judge overseeing the multidistrict litigation of a health benefits administration company impacted by a data breach dismissed several state consumer law claims but said those who brought lawsuits can sue, saying they've plausibly alleged injuries after their personal information was allegedly stolen by a cybercriminal group.
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September 19, 2024
Outcome Exec Who Flipped Gets 7 Months For $1B Fraud Role
A former Outcome Health sales chief who was charged with helping to carry out a $1 billion fraud, but cooperated early and testified against his co-defendants, received seven months in prison Thursday for his role in the scheme.
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September 17, 2024
HIMSS Legal Chief Reflects On Balancing AI, Legal Risk
As artificial intelligence finds itself taking up a large role in the healthcare industry, experts say they're watching closely to see how potential regulations are set to shape the industry, especially as the technology is expected to outpace legal frameworks.
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September 13, 2024
The 2024 Regional Powerhouses
The law firms on ¼«ËÙÈü³µ's list of 2024 Regional Powerhouses reflected the local peculiarities of their states while often representing clients in deals and cases that captured national attention.
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September 13, 2024
23andMe Inks $30M Data Breach Deal With 6.4M Users In MDL
Personal genomics company 23andMe has reached a $30 million settlement to resolve multidistrict class action litigation on behalf of more than 6 million customers whose personal data was stolen and in some cases leaked onto the dark web, according to a California federal court filing Thursday.
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September 11, 2024
Health Co. Owes $65M For Breach Of Medical Data, Nude Pics
Pennsylvania-based healthcare company Lehigh Valley Health Network will pay $65 million to individuals who had their private information, including cancer patients' nude images, exposed in a data breach, the plaintiffs' lawyers announced Wednesday.
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September 10, 2024
Amazon Must Trim 'Halo' TM For EU Market
Amazon Technologies could not convince the EU's intellectual property office to let it register trademarks for "halo" unscathed, with the office backing a Californian health technology company's bid to trim key protections for medical monitoring devices and health assessment services.
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September 10, 2024
Nelson Mullins Adds Baker Donelson Health Pro In Houston
Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP has continued expanding a Houston shop that opened months ago by bringing on a healthcare attorney from Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz PC whose wide-ranging practice has included representing hospitals and other providers on cybersecurity and related issues.
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September 09, 2024
House OKs Bill To Bar Contracts With Chinese Biotech Cos.
Driven by concerns about U.S. genetic data being shared with the Chinese government, House lawmakers passed a bill on Monday to bar federal agencies from buying certain biotechnology linked to the Chinese government or from contracting with firms that use those products.
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September 06, 2024
Glioblastoma Org. Wants End To Rival's Use Of 'GBM'
The Glioblastoma Foundation has hit a competing nonprofit with a suit alleging that the group's use of the initials "GBM" in its name has ripped off its trademark and sown confusion among donors who can't tell the two organizations apart.
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September 05, 2024
Nvidia, Microsoft Face Patent, Cartel Allegations In Texas Suit
A new lawsuit accuses Nvidia of holding "monopoly power" over the market on graphics processing in the artificial intelligence space and alleges the tech company is colluding with Microsoft and a prominent patent risk management company to squeeze out a small startup that claims to have developed the "fundamental intellectual property" behind that technology.
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September 05, 2024
Lawmakers, AGs Urge Justices To OK Denial Of E-Cig Apps
A coalition of state attorneys general and a group of Democratic Congress members are backing the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in its fight to persuade the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a decision striking down the denials of applications to market flavored vapes.
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September 04, 2024
Ill. Panel Backs Atty's Bid To Litigate Medical Record Fee Suit
An Illinois attorney looking to hold document delivery service Ciox Health LLC liable for charging allegedly illegal fees can pursue those claims in court since there is no evidence he ever agreed to arbitrate disputes with the company, a state appellate panel said Tuesday.
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September 04, 2024
Trade Group Urges Court To Toss FDA Lab-Test Rule
A clinical-lab trade group and an infectious disease laboratory that sued the U.S. Food and Drug Administration over its new final rule on laboratory-developed tests are asking a federal court to vacate it, saying Congress didn't grant the agency such power.Â
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September 03, 2024
Aesthetic Laser Co. Tells Jury Of Rival's 'Corporate Raid'
Medical aesthetic business Cynosure told a Boston federal jury Tuesday that two former employees and an industry rival launched a "calculated corporate raid" by poaching dozens of sales and marketing personnel, violating a host of noncompete and non-solicitation agreements while the departing workers pocketed trade secrets on their way out the door.
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August 30, 2024
Period Tracker App Users Seek Class Cert. In Data-Selling Suit
Users of the menstrual cycle tracking app Flo Health Inc. are seeking class certification in their suit against Flo, Google and Meta, telling a California federal judge the proposed class would include millions of users whose personal health information was sold to the ad giants without consent.
Expert Analysis
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Concerns For 510(k) Sponsors After FDA Proposes Major Shift
While there may be public health benefits from modernizing the 510(k) process for clearing medical devices, recent draft guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Devices and Radiological Health leaves meaningful open questions about the legal and regulatory implications of the new approach, and potential practical challenges, say attorneys at Covington.
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Address The Data Monopoly, Otherwise Tech Giants Control AI
It is likely that we will experience a severe monopoly on artificial intelligence systems and patents by the largest players in the tech industry, so the way we treat data needs to change, whether through the legislature, the courts or tech companies, says Pranav Katti at Barclay Damon.
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Companies Must Dig Up Old Laws To Stay Privacy-Compliant
Despite the recent focus on new privacy and data security laws, companies cannot ignore existing rules that have recently been revived, amended or reinterpreted to address emerging privacy and data security challenges, says Julia Kadish at Sheppard Mullin.
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8 Ways Life Sciences Cos. Can Adapt To The Social Media Era
As pharmaceutical and medical device companies harness the powerful promotion potential of social media, they must navigate legal, regulatory and reputational risks that can be particularly challenging due to the complex framework of rules that apply to the life sciences industry, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.
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HHS Neuromonitoring Advisory May Have Broad Relevance
The Health Department Office of Inspector General's recent advisory opinion rejecting a neuromonitoring service's proposal for a shell arrangement isn't surprising, but it could be a harbinger of more warnings against problematic joint venture arrangements to come, says Mary Kohler at Kohler Health Law.
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For Radiation Oncology Units, Cyber Vigilance Is Crucial
Recent cyberattacks highlight the unique cybersecurity challenges faced by radiation oncology departments and the importance of implementing policies and procedures to safeguard operations and patient data, says Paul Schmeltzer at Clark Hill.
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How Merger Review Overhaul Could Affect Health Industry
For those in the health care industry considering growth and expansion strategies, the antitrust agencies' recent proposals for new Hart-Scott-Rodino rules and more complex merger guidelines will increase deal timelines, the merging parties' burden, and overall uncertainty and potential antitrust risk as to the outcome, say attorneys at Husch Blackwell.
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What Circuit Split May Mean For FCA Kickback Liability
The recent circuit split on the meaning of the resulting-from provision in False Claims Act kickback cases could have significant ramifications for FCA liability, as it could affect the standard of causation that plaintiffs must meet to establish liability, say former federal prosecutors Li Yu, Ellen London and Gregg Shapiro.
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How Health Cos. Can Brace For Tracking Tech Scrutiny
A joint letter sent by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights and Federal Trade Commission last month highlights the agencies' concerns about tracking technologies, and may foreshadow a spike in enforcement actions, say attorneys at Moses Singer.
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Unpacking CMS' Latest Proposals For Telehealth Flexibilities
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' calendar year 2024 proposed rule includes a number of important extensions to telehealth flexibilities, acknowledging the importance of these temporary policies, but permanent certainty will require further legislative action and agency rulemaking, say attorneys at Baker Donelson.
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Wash. Class Actions Are Coming After My Health My Data Act
With its expansive scope and private right of action — including possible class actions — for damages, Washington state’s recently enacted My Health My Data Act will be the basis for a great deal of litigation, and companies should be mindful that plaintiffs will need to prove actual, monetary harm, says Tom Nolan at Quinn Emanuel.
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SEC Cybersecurity Rule Presents Burden For Health Care Cos.
A new rule from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission aims to increase cybersecurity resiliency, but may only force regulated entities — particularly those in the health care space — to face a far more complicated environment with increased strategic and litigation risks, say Bess Hinson and Angad Chopra at Holland & Knight.
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Comparing US And EU Approaches To Health AI Regulation
Victoria Larson and Julia Cotney at Verrill Dana compare current U.S. and EU regulatory frameworks for artificial intelligence and machine learning in the healthcare industry and highlight key principles that providers and developers should be aware of.