The Medtech Mandate, a scheme that seeks to better match NICE guidance with adoption and use of medtech innovations in the UK, is preparing for launch in April.

US FDA cleared the gammaCore Sapphire non-invasive vagus nerve stimulator for the acute treatment of pain associated with migraine and episodic cluster headache. Electrocore also recently signed a deal with UpScript to provide a direct-to-patient sales channel for gammaCore.

While demand for spinal cord stimulation (SCS) devices used in pain management continues to expand at double-digit rates, a small but growing number of highly innovative companies that develop stimulators to specifically target peripheral nerve pain is creating excitement among pain doctors looking for better options to treat an intractable population that's seen little success with standard therapy. With millions of people worldwide suffering from low back pain, severe headaches and migraines, neck pain and other chronic pain, the demand for safe, effective, percutaneously-placed devices remains high. In this article, we'll highlight emerging companies working on PNS devices and provide insights from pain physicians on the pros and cons of these devices.

As rheumatoid arthritis treatment improves in the biologics era, patients need fewer joint replacements. Instead, they now require more closely monitored, agile care, in the face of a growing shortage of qualified rheumatologists. These demands help propel digital health applications, bioelectronic devices and novel imaging modalities into the medtech spotlight.