January 6, 2011 - Healthcare spending in the United States grew 4 percent in 2009, to $2.5 trillion, or $8,086 per person, the slowest rate of growth in the 50-year history of the National Health Expenditure Accounts (NHEA). This was due in great part to the economic recession.

January 4, 2010 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released an update of what medical devices it expects to be developed and brought to market within the next 10 years.

January 3, 2011 – Two new classes — “Advanced Computed Tomography (CT) Imaging for Technologists” and “Advanced Non-Contrast Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA)” — are being offered to educate technologists on the latest applications available with their Toshiba technology. They are offered by Toshiba America Medical Systems Inc.’s Education Center in Irvine, Calif.

January 3, 2011 – Arrow International, a division of Teleflex Medical, issued a class I recall, advising customers to immediately discontinue use of its Ultra 8 French intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) catheters.

December 29, 2010 – A new cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) has been used in Canada for the first time. The Unify CRT-D, from St. Jude Medical, offers the smallest available device footprint in the industry. The devices’ narrower shape allows for shorter incision, leading to less time spent closing the incision and a smaller scar for the patient.