Frustrated by scarce supplies and a chaotic marketplace amid the coronavirus outbreak, some U.S. governors are seeking to bolster their home-state production of vital medical and protective equipment to ensure a reliable long-term source for state stockpiles. The efforts come as states have been competing against each other, the federal government, hospitals, emergency responders and even other countries to get items such as N95 masks, gloves, medical gowns and hand sanitizer — often paying higher-than-usual prices because of the high demand. Before the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. got much of its medical supplies from China.

Dr. Anne Zink works from a yurt 40 miles north of Anchorage. She has the ear of the Republican governor and has helped keep the state's COVID-19 deaths the lowest in the nation.

Some hospital trusts have seen a dramatic drop in cancer referrals from GPs in recent weeks

Florida health officials have halted the publication of up-to-the-minute death statistics related to the coronavirus pandemic that have, by law, been compiled by medical examiners in the state.

The Trump administration has issued an intelligence analysis claiming China purposely delayed notifying the World Health Organization about the spread of the coronavirus.

Paul Kelly warns people over 70 and with existing diseases are at high risk from coronavirus as pandemic restrictions ease

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The deputy chief medical officer, Paul Kelly, is warning people to take care if visiting mums on Mother’s Day, as frictions emerge over the lockdown in Victoria.

In some states, authorities are allowing people to pay family visits on Sunday as coronavirus pandemic restrictions are eased, but Kelly has restated warnings that people over 70 and with existing chronic diseases are at high risk from coronavirus.

Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan has tested negative for Covid-19.

Two leading medicine experts share their knowledge of the virus

The brand behind Barbie has released a new line of toys inspired by emergency care workers to honour those fighting coronavirus.

West Ham's medical department have relished the challenge of keeping the squad fit and motivated during the lockdown and has hailed the commitment of the players.

Players should be given yellow cards should they spit on the field when football resumes, says Fifa's medical committee chairman Michel D'Hooghe.

Fifa medical chief Michel D'Hooghe has warned against a return to football before September.

A health economist who has taught on both sides of the border examines the difference between Canada and the United States.

Londoner David Gomoh was on his way to work when he died.

Omada Health founder and CEO Sean Duffy had an a-ha moment about digital health when he saw his mother start asking her doctor for FaceTime appointments. “That’s when I realized we are in a different world right now,” he said.

Broad modifications to current standards for treating acute stroke patients during the COVID-19 pandemic may be needed to preserve health care resources, limit disease spread and ensure optimal care, according to a Loyola Medicine neurologist.

'We have seen this before.' Global health scholars have issued a clarion call about the needless loss of life expected because of a foreseeable prospect of 'slow and inadequate access to supplies' to control COVID-19 in sub-Saharan Africa. They say what is unfolding now is similar to when lifesaving diagnostics and treatments came to the region long after they were available elsewhere.

As interest in the application of plasma medicine -- the use of low-temperature plasma (LTP) created by an electrical discharge to address medical problems -- continues to grow, so does the need for research advancements proving its capabilities and potential impacts on the health care industry. Across the world, many research groups are investigating plasma medicine for applications including cancer treatment and the accelerated healing of chronic wounds, among others.

The funding for services like the RFDS will allow them to evacuate coronavirus patients to larger medical centres and fly in medical workers and equipment for regional respiratory clinics.

From balconies to lounge rooms, songs of joy and sadness are helping us cope and keeping us connected. And if we look to the past, we'll find that our tendency to turn to music during times of crisis is nothing new.

The Canadian military has stripped bases across the country of their uniformed medical personnel to support long-term care homes in Quebec that have been overrun by COVID-19.

It is very unlikely Australian sports fans will be able to pack out stadiums on grand final weekend, even if the plan to lift restrictions is successful, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly says.

There is no baseball being played in the US because of coronavirus, but a manufacturer of the uniforms worn in the Major League is now using the same fabric to make protective clothing in the fight against the pandemic.

Jo Brigden-Jones was planning to retire after the Tokyo Games, but with her Olympic farewell delayed, she is back on the frontline as a paramedic with NSW Ambulance.

The FDA warns that President Trump's much-touted coronavirus drugs could cause deaths. The White House says media 'irresponsibly' reported his words.

Medicaid and other parts of the healthcare safety net get left behind in the Trump administration's plans for distributing aid to battle the coronavirus.

Risk guides much of our medical care system. COVID-19 is showing us, unless we have developed immunity, we are all at risk.

Since early February, custom material solutions provider, Compounding Solutions, has been working hard to meet material demands related to Covid-19.

Ashley Philipp, marketing director, Injectech, explains the importance of considering barb styles when choosing a fitting for your medical device.

Greenlight Guru, a Medical Device Quality Management Software (MDQMS) platform, has teamed up with Emergo by UL, a consulting firm specialising in global medical device regulatory compliance.

Ian Bolland spoke to Chris Risley, CEO at Bastille Networks, about medical devices at risk of being compromised by SweynTooth vulnerabilities, highlighting how hackers can be combatted from targeting devices and healthcare systems.

Olympus highlights two important standards for medical tubing, and explores inspection solutions that can help you meet them.

You can view all of the articles from this issue individually in full here.

Dr Archana Nagarajan, a freelance scientist specialising in medical devices at Kolabtree, the online freelance platform for scientists, explains the changes made to the European medical device market in light of the pandemic.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ) and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) called on the Trump administration to address the lack of financial relief for Medicaid providers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. The two Committee leaders voiced concerns that, to date, roughly $70 billion has been distributed to health care providers under the CARES Act in a way that discriminates against Medicaid-dependent health care providers. “HHS’s continued neglect for the needs of Medicaid-dependent providers struggling to deal with the COVID-19 crisis is unacceptable,” the members wrote. “The country is in the middle of a pandemic. The Medicaid program is a first responder, and the providers it relies on must be treated with equity. At a bare minimum that should include expeditious access to the [provider fund] as intended by Congress.”  The Provider Relief Fund that Congress created as a part of the CARES Act, within the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (PHSSEF), was intended to support health care providers including those who participate in Medicare and Medicaid. However, to date only Medicare-enrolled providers have been able to access funds, and these funds are being allocated according to a methodology that rewards providers with high levels of privately-insured individuals while providers supporting the safety net are left waiting. This imbalance discriminates against critical health care providers that primarily service the Medicaid population, such as frontline hospitals, nursing homes and home-based providers, behavioral health providers, maternal health care providers and pediatricians. In the letter, sent to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar, Pallone and Wyden called on the Trump administration to describe how much funding will go to Medicaid-dependent providers and the steps it has taken to understand the needs of these providers during the pandemic. The full letter is available here. ###

Dr Reshma Kewalramani has been made the new Vertex CEO.

Vertex’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Kewalramani will succeed current CEO Jeffrey Leiden who has is now stepping aside from the role after seven years as Chief executive at the Boston-based firm. In stepping down Leiden will serve as executive chairman until the first quarter of 2023.     

Fourty-six year old Dr Kewalramani, who has been at Vertex since 2017, will thus become the first woman to head the firm. Prior to joining Vertex, Kewalramani spent more than 12 years at Amgen.

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London consultant and public health professor, Chris Whitty, has begun his role as England’s Chief Medical Officer, taking over from Dame Sally Davies, who has now stepped down from the position.

Whitty has served as the Department of Health and Social Care’s Chief Scientific Adviser since 2016 and was announced as Dame Sally Davies successor earlier in June this year.

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Gilead Sciences have announced that Merdad Parsey will join the company as Chief Medical Officer, effective November 1st.

Dr Parsey will be responsible for and oversee the company’s global clinical development and medical affairs organisations – reporting directly to Daniel O’Day, Gilead’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

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Ipsen has named Dr Steven Hildemann as its new Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer, Head of Global Medical Affairs and Pharmacovigilance.

In his new role, which begins on 1 March 2020 and will be based in Paris, he will report directly to Ipsen CEO Aymeric Le Chatelier. His remit will include the provision of medical strategy to the company’s scientific, clinical and business teams, while also working in tandem with its R&D operations to design and direct clinical trials efforts to generation of post-launch data.

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Khondrion has revealed that Dr Rob van Maanen has joined the company as its new Chief Medical Officer (CMO).

Dr van Maanen’s career has spanned more than 20 years and seen him take on roles at major industry names such as Roche, Astellas and Eisai. In the role, he will manage the company’s medical operations and clinical strategy.

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