Digital Health & Technology

  • October 30, 2024

    Doc Review Site Must Face Suit Over Criminal Profile Mix-Up

    The owners of physician review website Healthgrades on Wednesday lost their bid to toss allegations they defamed a surgeon in mixing up his profile with a doctor by a similar name who was convicted on federal opioid-related charges.

  • October 29, 2024

    NY Health Provider To Boost Data Security To End AG's Probe

    An Albany-based healthcare provider has agreed to pay $2.75 million in penalties and data security enhancements to resolve the New York attorney general's claims it failed to protect private medical data that was exposed in a pair of 2023 cyberattacks, the regulator said Tuesday. 

  • October 29, 2024

    Planned Parenthood Innovation Head On Digital Health Future

    Planned Parenthood isn't the name that comes immediately to mind when you think of digital health. But for Ambreen Molitor, the organization's national director of product innovation, tech can play a key role in easing core "frictions" as organizations look to ease access to accurate — and potentially sensitive — sexual and reproductive health information.

  • October 28, 2024

    Judge Leaves Patent Case After Fed. Circ. Undoes Ruling

    A Minnesota federal judge has recused himself from a patent dispute between Teleflex and Medtronic he has handled since 2019, saying he was "at a loss" on how to proceed after the Federal Circuit faulted his interpretation of terms in Teleflex's catheter patents.

  • October 28, 2024

    Conn. Healthcare Co.'s $1.5M Data Breach Deal Gets Final OK

    A Connecticut federal judge has given his final approval to a class action settlement that requires Merritt Healthcare Advisors to pay thousands of people whose personal information was exposed in a data breach.

  • October 25, 2024

    Glocal, UpHealth May Settle $115M Award Feud

    Indian healthcare services platform Glocal and bankrupt digital health services company UpHealth may be on the verge of resolving their bitter dispute over an ill-fated merger that resulted in a $115 million arbitral award, Glocal has informed an Illinois federal court in a recent request to stay enforcement proceedings. 

  • October 24, 2024

    Del. Co. Tells 3rd Circ. €4.2M Award Was Properly Denied

    A Delaware investment company wants the Third Circuit to affirm a lower court ruling that refused to enforce an approximately €4.2 million arbitral award issued in a dispute over failed plans for a French medical equipment company to expand into Colombia.

  • October 22, 2024

    Talkiatry CEO On How Digital Healthcare Has 'Matured'

    Digital health has come a long way in recent years, but it's still got plenty of growing up to do. That's according to Robert Krayn, co-founder and CEO of virtual psychiatry platform Talkiatry.

  • October 21, 2024

    Apple Tells Del. Jury It Wants Smartwatch Infringing To Stop

    An Apple attorney told a federal jury in Delaware on Monday that the company is willing to accept only a token damage award from Masimo Corp. for the health tech company's infringement of Apple's smartwatch, but wants the alleged copying barred.

  • October 21, 2024

    Google, Meta Want Out Of GoodRx Health Data Sharing Suit

    Google, Meta Platforms and Criteo have asked a California federal court to cut them loose from litigation alleging that GoodRx improperly shared patients' protected health information with the tech companies, saying the claims are "fundamentally flawed."

  • October 21, 2024

    McGuireWoods Adds Healthcare Atty From Cooley In NY

    McGuireWoods LLP has added a digital health expert from Cooley LLP, aiming to boost its offerings for clients in the space combining healthcare services with information and communications technology, the firm announced Monday.

  • October 18, 2024

    Law360 MVP Awards Go To Top Attys From 74 Firms

    The attorneys chosen as Law360's 2024 MVPs have distinguished themselves from their peers by securing hard-earned successes in high-stakes litigation, complex global matters and record-breaking deals.

  • October 16, 2024

    BetterHelp Can't Ax Suit Over Sharing Data With Advertisers

    A California federal judge has trimmed but refused to completely toss a consolidated putative class action accusing online counseling platform BetterHelp Inc. of unlawfully disclosing consumers' confidential information to third parties for advertising purposes, finding that newly added details boosted several of the plaintiffs' claims. 

  • October 15, 2024

    LabCorp Gets Google Health Info Suit Sent To Arbitration

    Laboratory Corporation of America succeeded in its bid to have a patient privacy lawsuit handled by arbitration, after a Pennsylvania federal judge ruled that users of the company's website who sued it for allegedly sharing sensitive information with Google agreed to arbitration by using the patient portal.

  • October 15, 2024

    The 2024 Law360 Pulse Social Impact Leaders

    Check out our Social Impact Leaders ranking, analysis and interactive graphics to see which firms stand out for their engagement with social responsibility and commitment to pro bono service.

  • October 15, 2024

    Law Firms Diverge As Anti-ESG Pushback Continues

    A continuing onslaught of legislation and litigation opposing corporate environmental, social and governance actions has created a fork in the road for law firms, with some choosing to scale back efforts and others pushing ahead with their internal ESG and diversity, equity and inclusion goals.

  • October 09, 2024

    Judge OKs $9M Data Hack Deal, Asks How Public Views Fees

    A Washington federal judge on Wednesday approved an $8.8 million settlement that ended a consolidated data breach class action against a Hearst Health unit, but not before pondering how the public might perceive the deal, in which one-third of the money is going toward legal costs.

  • October 09, 2024

    Philips Preserves Lanham Act Counterclaim In CPAP Cleaner MDL

    A Pennsylvania federal judge has trimmed some counterclaims by Koninklijke Philips NV and its American affiliates against SoClean Inc., whose cleaning products they say are responsible for damage to Philips' CPAP machines.

  • October 08, 2024

    Apple Loses Bid For Jury Trial In Masimo Trade Secrets Fight

    A California federal judge on Monday granted Masimo's request for a bench trial to address its trade secrets claims against Apple, noting that bench trials are almost always granted in situations where the plaintiff is seeking only equitable relief, and Apple hasn't convinced the court to deviate from that norm.

  • October 08, 2024

    Abridge GC Talks AI's Future In Healthcare Industry

    Interfacing with artificial intelligence at your doctor's office is going to eventually feel as natural as turning on a tap to get running water. Tim Hwang, general counsel at generative AI company Abridge, shares his thoughts on the technology's future in healthcare.

  • October 07, 2024

    Mednax Gets Final OK For $6M Data Breach Settlement

    A Florida federal judge on Friday gave the green light to Mednax's $6 million settlement putting to rest a proposed class action accusing the medical provider of failing to adequately protect patients' personal information from a 2020 phishing attack, calling the deal "fair, reasonable and adequate."

  • October 03, 2024

    Dental Laser Co. Can Tap $5M DIP For Swift Ch. 11 Sale Plans

    Biolase Inc., which makes laser systems used by dentists, received a Delaware bankruptcy judge's approval Thursday to access $1.4 million of an up to $5 million debtor-in-possession package as it plans for a quick sale in Chapter 11.

  • October 02, 2024

    Colo. Judge Sees No Injuries In Health Data Breach Class Suit

    A Colorado federal judge has dismissed a proposed class action alleging a software company waited nearly three months to tell data breach victims about hackers accessing personal and medical information for more than 250,000 people, concluding the plaintiffs' allegations weren't enough to give them standing.

  • October 02, 2024

    Dental Laser Maker Biolase Hits Ch. 11 With $33M In Debt

    Biolase, a manufacturer of lasers used in dental procedures, is seeking bankruptcy protection in Delaware, and has disclosed roughly $33 million in debt and a $14 million stalking horse offer for its assets, citing financial challenges that it said stemmed from slow market adoption of new technology and economic headwinds.

  • October 02, 2024

    ExecuPharm Agrees To Pay Ransomware Victims $10K Each

    U.S. pharmaceutical giant ExecuPharm will pay victims of a data breach up to $10,000 in reimbursements, compensation for lost time, three years of credit monitoring, and $675,000 in attorney fees after a Pennsylvania federal judge gave his final approval to a class action settlement.

Expert Analysis

  • Scope Of FTC's Health Info Enforcement May Expand

    Author Photo

    The Federal Trade Commission's proposed amendments to the Health Breach Notification Rule signal the agency's mounting efforts to regulate consumer health information beyond the reaches of the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act, which does not cover many recent health apps and technologies, say Jodi Daniel and Brandon Ge at Crowell & Moring.

  • How Attys Can Avoid Exposing Their Firms To Cyberattacks

    Author Photo

    Attorneys are the weakest link in their firms' cyberdefenses because hackers often exploit the gap between individuals’ work and personal cybersecurity habits, but there are some steps lawyers can take to reduce the risks they create for their employers, say Mark Hurley and Carmine Cicalese at Digital Privacy & Protection.

  • Rare FDA Move Shows Stance On Remote Monitoring Devices

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's recent warning letter to iRhythm Technologies represents a relatively unprecedented degree of scrutiny to the remote monitoring device industry, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Tips For In-House Legal Leaders In A Challenging Economy

    Author Photo

    Amid today's economic and geopolitical uncertainty, in-house legal teams are running lean and facing increased scrutiny and unique issues, but can step up and find innovative ways to manage outcomes and capitalize on good business opportunities, says Tim Parilla at LinkSquares.

  • Health Providers Must Beware FCA Risks When Using AI

    Author Photo

    Though recent innovations in artificial intelligence can potentially bring increased productivity, greater efficiency and reduced costs to the healthcare industry, providers must take appropriate precautions to avoid risks and potential False Claims Act liability, says Sara Lord at Arnall Golden.

  • New Considerations In Med Device Cybersecurity Compliance

    Author Photo

    Recent guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration clarifies premarket submission procedures related to medical device cybersecurity, and indicates a significant expansion in the agency's expectations surrounding risk management practices for both manufacturers and providers, says Meghna Parikh at Buchalter.

  • Federal Oversight Of AI In Healthcare Is Taking Shape

    Author Photo

    A recent proposed rule from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides early insights into how the federal government intends to oversee artificial intelligence and machine learning in healthcare, highlighting priorities like transparency, equity and potential kickback implications, say attorneys at Hooper Lundy.

  • A Close Look At Pennsylvania's Data Breach Law Changes

    Author Photo

    New amendments to Pennsylvania's Breach of Personal Information Notification Act will hold state agencies to stricter notification requirements more in line with those in other states, and will allow entities to determine a breach has occurred before their notification obligations take effect, says Lauren Godfrey at Constangy.

  • Abortion Pill Rulings Will Hinder FDA Authority

    Author Photo

    Although the Fifth Circuit recently stayed a Texas federal court's ruling that invalidated the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval of a commonly used abortion medication, several points made by the courts are worth considering for their potentially chilling effect on FDA authority and the challenges they may create for the life sciences industry, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

  • Key Guidelines For Conducting Clinical Trials Overseas

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
    Author Photo

    Conducting clinical trials outside the U.S. offers many benefits to researchers, but these benefits come with countervailing ethical and legal challenges that must be carefully addressed, say attorneys at Bass Berry.

  • Recent Growth Factors Driving Life Sciences Transactions

    Author Photo

    In view of challenges posed by last year's economic downturn, life sciences companies have increasingly turned to collaboration and licensing arrangements, with a focus on deal activity in artificial intelligence, digital health and gene therapy, say attorneys at Ropes & Gray.

  • How Cannabis Cos. Can Keep Up With Privacy Compliance

    Author Photo

    With the cannabis industry's rapid growth and access to sensitive consumer information, and the ever-changing patchwork of state data privacy laws, it is becoming increasingly important for marijuana businesses to treat cybersecurity as a significant risk and management priority, say attorneys at Goodwin.

  • FTC's Health Privacy Actions Offer 5 Advertising Takeaways

    Author Photo

    The Federal Trade Commission's recent enforcement actions against GoodRx and BetterHelp highlight the need for any company engaging in common online advertising practices to pay close attention to the personal information they collect and share with third parties, say Kate Black and Sam Castic at Hintze Law.