News, Analysis, Trends, Management Innovations for
Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Groups

Hosted by Robert Michel

News, Analysis, Trends, Management Innovations for
Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Groups

Hosted by Robert Michel
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Innovative Glasses Enable Clinical Laboratory Phlebotomists to See Vasculature Through the Skin

New eyewear technology could make venipuncture easier for phlebotomists and increase patient satisfaction with that medical laboratory service

New technology now makes it possible for the wearer of a special pair of glasses to detect hidden vasculature and changes in the blood through the skin. Some experts predict that this innovative technology might be used by medical laboratory phlebotomists to improve the collection of blood—thus raising patient satisfaction with phlebotomy services.

Eyewear Technology Shows Serious Potential for Medical Use

Developed by 2AI Labs, a company based in Boise, Idaho, the glasses amplify fluctuations of oxygen levels in hemoglobin just beneath the skin. The story was reported in Technology Review. (more…)

Thomas Grogan, M.D., of Roche Ventana Medical Systems Provides Pathologist with Predictions about Anatomic Pathology

More multiplex and multi-analyte testing lies ahead for clinical pathology laboratories.

Several experts predict that clinical pathology laboratories will see the use of multiplex assays and multi-analyte diagnoses increase significantly in the near future. As this happens, both the science and the operations of clinical laboratories and pathology practices will grow in sophistication and complexity.

This week at the Executive War College on Laboratory and Pathology Management in New Orleans, Louisiana, almost 600 pathology and laboratory leaders gathered from 12 nations across the globe. During Wednesday’s general session, Thomas M. Grogan, M.D., Founder and Chief Scientific Advisor of Roche Ventana Medical Systems laid out his vision of how surgical pathology will evolve in the future.
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Pathology Companies Leica and Omnyx Beef Up Their Access to Digital Pathology Technology

Leica Microsystem acquires Genetix while Omnyx licenses patents from Olympus

More pathology laboratories are acquiring and deploying digital scanners and digital pathology systems. In response to the growing demand for digital pathology solutions, several prominent companies are extending their capabilities in virtual microscope slide technology. Over recent months, an acquisition and a licensing deal provide examples of the intense activity in the digital pathology marketplace.

The acquisition was done by Leica Microsystem, Inc., of Wetzlar, Germany. On March 10th, it announced its acquisition of Genetix, Ltd., based in New Milton, UK. The licensing deal involved Omnyx, LLC, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in an agreement that gives it access to certain patents held by Olympus Corporation. Both of these transactions occurred in March. Each was motivated by initiating the company’s need to further develop its technologies in support of whole slide imaging (WSI) and digital pathology systems.

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Felder Predicts Clinical Laboratory Automation to Become Faster, More Efficient

Laboratory automation technology is ready and about to move into production

Most large clinical pathology laboratories in the United States and other developed nations now have a decade or more of experience with laboratory automation. In response to what is now a substantial market for laboratory automation, in vitro diagnostics (IVD) manufacturers are preparing to introduce the next generation of laboratory automation.

“Lab automation is a market, particularly in Asia, that has reached what we call mid-level maturity. It is no longer unusual to have an automated laboratory, it’s almost routine. Today, the question is ‘what’s next?’” observed Robin A. Felder, Ph.D. , publisher of Medical Automation and Professor of Pathology and Associate Director of Clinical Chemistry at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia.

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Thermo Fisher Trumped by Merck KGaA’s $7.2 Billion Bid to Acquire Millipore

Clinical Pathology Laboratory Customers of Millipore Not Likely to See Many Changes

It only took a few days for Millipore Corporation (NYSE: MIL) to find a buyer willing to outbid Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO). Millipore agreed to be acquired by Merck KGaA (FWB: MRK) of Darmstadt, Germany. Merck will pay about $7.2 billion for Millipore, which tops a reported bid of $6 billion made by Thermo Fisher last week.

Because many clinical pathology laboratories use Millipore’s water purification systems and other products, the pending acquisition of Millipore by Merck represents more consolidation among vendors serving the clinical laboratory industry. The acquisition is expected to close during the second half of 2010.
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