Supply Chain

Managing supplies is a crucial part of moving medical products from the manufacturer to patient’s bedside. Efficient supply chains can reduce healthcare costs and make medical devices more affordable for patients and health systems. This news page includes content on supply shortages, inventory management, and procurement practices.

Foreign national accused of operating fake company that billed Medicare for $90M—and now he’s on the run
A federal grand jury indicted Anar Rustamov, 38, of Azerbaijan on 14 counts of healthcare fraud. The complex conspiracy allegedly involved billing Medicare Advantage for medical equipment that providers never ordered. Rustamov is currently a fugitive from justice.
FDA issues emergency alert on surgical stapler reloads after 1 death, 4 injuries
The problem is limited to surgical stapler reloads used by the da Vinci robot, specifically those manufactured by Intuitive Surgical. The FDA said it’s currently investigating why the reloads are leaving incomplete line formations. For now, they need to be pulled from all patient care settings.
FDA merges all adverse event reporting systems into new AEMS platform
Adverse event reports for food, drugs, vaccines, dietary supplements and medical devices will soon be available in one place. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said the change will simplify reporting for consumers and allow it to react in real-time to FOIA requests.
Medical device manufacturer hit by cyberattack, possibly from Iranian-backed hackers
Stryker, a Michigan-based company that manufactures surgical implants, confirmed it was experiencing a global network outage. Employee devices reportedly displayed the logo of a pro-Iran cybercrime cell.
FDA issues emergency alert after reports of 5 serious injuries connected to exploding cryoprobes
The devices are manufactured by Erbe USA. They’re used to deliver pressurized cold therapy to tumors, blood clots, and more. A manufacturing defect can cause a rupture, exposing anyone in the vicinity to a dangerous blast and deafening sound.

Helene damage to bridge Baxter North Cove facility in North Carolina.

Baxter cuts 90 jobs from IV solutions site once devastated by Hurricane Helene

The facility near Asheville, North Carolina, was shut down after floodwater from the 2024 hurricane left its production lines inoperable. It took the company roughly five months to resume normal operations—and now it’s seeing a slowdown in demand in wake of the supply chain disruption.

Rich Fabian, Medical Imaging Technology at AdvaMed Imaging chair of board, a medtech industry group made up of medical imaging companies to address higher level trends and public policy concerns, said tariffs are having a major impact for all vendors due to diverse supply chains that cannot be changed overnight. He said the U.S. tariffs and counter tariffs from, various countries will raise costs for U.S. health systems at a time where margins for them are already razor thin. #RSNA

Medical imaging industry group shares tariff concerns

AdvaMed, a medtech industry group made up of medical imaging companies, says tariffs are having a major impact for all vendors.

TrumpRx launches with 40 brand-name medications available, including popular weight-loss drugs

Discounts represent out-of-pocket costs and come in the form of direct-to-consumer sales through manufacturer websites or via a coupon. AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, EMD Serono, Novo Nordisk and Pfizer have all listed some of their most popular drugs on the TrumpRx.gov portal.

FTC settles lawsuit against Express Scripts in deal that includes TrumpRx support

The Federal Trade Commission was suing the pharmacy benefit manager over allegations it was deliberately inflating the price of insulin. Per the agreement, Express Scripts has agreed to end business practices that involved taking manufacturer rebates on wholesale drug costs without passing them on to patients.

artificial intelligence healthcare industry

Lawsuits filed over allegations of dirty surgical tools, patient infections and defamation

A surgeon and a medical device representative accuse Portneuf Medical Center of failing to address an ongoing problem with contaminated surgical tools that left patients with serious infections.

Express Scripts considering settlement with FTC to resolve insulin pricing dispute, filing reveals

The Federal Trade Commission said it's seeking a resolution with Cigna, the parent company of the pharmacy benefit manager. The agency filed an antitrust complaint against Express Scripts, Optum Rx and CVS Caremark in 2024, alleging the "Big Three" PBMs use anticompetitive tactics to control the insulin supply chain within their vertical.

CMS announces 15 drugs targeted for third round of Medicare price negotiations

The third round of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program includes treatments for HIV and diabetes, among other conditions. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services also released a list of the top 50 medications it deems strong candidates for future negotiations based on current prices and patient utilization.

Missouri state house capitol Jefferson City

Missouri becomes latest plaintiff in lawsuits against PBMs, drug companies over skyrocketing insulin prices

The Missouri complaint mirrors those brought by the Federal Trade Commission, the state of Texas and Philadelphia-based Jefferson Health, among others, in that it’s focused on alleged collusion between pharmacy benefit managers and drug companies to control the price of insulin.

Supply Chain

Foreign national accused of operating fake company that billed Medicare for $90M—and now he’s on the run

FDA issues emergency alert on surgical stapler reloads after 1 death, 4 injuries

FDA merges all adverse event reporting systems into new AEMS platform

Medical device manufacturer hit by cyberattack, possibly from Iranian-backed hackers

FDA issues emergency alert after reports of 5 serious injuries connected to exploding cryoprobes