Year: 2017

Regenerative therapy using millions of nerve cells, derived from human embryonic stem cells, restored two or more motor levels on at least one side, in four out of six patients with paralyzing spinal cord injuries, according to researchers at the…

The American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association and the American Podiatric Medical Association have penned a joint letter to CMS urging it to reconsider a recent coding clarification regarding custom-fabricated diabetic inserts. To bill Medicare for a custom-fabricated diabetic insert using…

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has announced it will award up to $8 million in grants to adaptive sports programs across the country that benefit disabled military service members and veterans. According to a press release, the Department of…

The U.S. Office of Naval Research has partnered with Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the Naval Research Laboratory and multiple universities to develop a “smart leg,” which will be equipped with sensors to monitor walking gait, as well as…

The FDA has approved an expanded indication for the Indego exoskeleton, developed by Parker Hannifin, to include patients at rehabilitation facilities with spinal cord injury at C7 and lower injury levels, as well as patients in home and community settings…

The board of directors for the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists has approved $14,000 in funding for O&P education initiatives, spearheaded by the National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education. According to a press release, the funds will support…

Among children with cerebral palsy, 42% have not received any common spasticity management therapies, including orthotics, casting or orthopedic surgery, according to a press release from Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. The study was presented by Hank Chambers, MD, a professor of…

The Board of Certification/Accreditation is accepting applications for a new compounding accreditation program for pharmacies, according to a press release. The new program will solely focus on non-sterile compounding and will be available only in conjunction with the Board of…

Össur and Italian automation company Comau have announced a joint investment in IUVO, a spin-off group of the BioRobotics Institute that focuses on wearable technologies, including exoskeletons, according to a press release. Founded in 2015 by professors and researchers from…

The National Science Foundation has bestowed its CAREER award to Zheng Chen, PhD, an engineer and Bill D. Cook assistant professor at the University of Houston, to develop artificial muscle and tendons for prostheses. According to a press release, Chen…