Regulatory/Legislative News

Despite a global increase in the rate of investment in medical research between 2004 and 2012, the rate of research investment has decreased in the United States, according to recent data published in JAMA.

The Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System has been approved by Health Canada to treat patients with severe to profound outer retinal degeneration, according to a press release from Second Sight Medical Products.

For many years, a standard question in my optometric history has been: “How’s your general health?” This always prompted a discussion about diabetes and blood pressure, as well as a host of general health maladies.

MANF, an investigational drug, has received orphan drug designation for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Amarantus BioScience Holdings announced in a press release.

The Rescan 700 intraoperative optical coherence tomography system has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to a press release from Carl Zeiss Meditec.

The European Commission has granted Travatan eye drop solution an additional indication to treat pediatric patients with ocular hypertension or pediatric glaucoma, Alcon announced in a Novartis press release.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Lannett Company’s abbreviated new drug application for dorzolamide hydrochloride and timolol maleate ophthalmic solution 2%/0.5%.

Founding member and president of the Optometric Society, Lisa Shin OD, announced that she has submitted her resignation and is leaving the organization.

As part of my traditional December activity, I review the work of 2014 and try to make plans for the New Year. Looking forward, I see a number of clouds over the road to health care reform. A road that seemed like a clear path to the future last summer now may be facing some bumps and detours. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared the Eidon true-color confocal scanner, according to a press release from CenterVue.