Pharmacy chain will open its first MinuteClinic at locations in Minneapolis, Minn. and Annapolis, Md. in June, CVS says April 28. The health centers offer basic diagnostic and screening services and are staffed by nurse practitioners or physician assistants. CVS CEO Tom Ryan called the partnership with the Minneapolis-based clinic chain "a natural extension of our overall mission," citing MinuteClinic's "proven ability to work collaboratively with physicians in the prompt diagnosis, treatment or referral of patients." MinuteClinic CEO Linda Whitman expressed the firm's intention to roll out nationally at the CHPA annual meeting in March (1"The Tan Sheet" March 21, 2005, p. 11)...

While it was not as affected as some other countries, Japan still had the pandemic to deal with and regulators responded while managing to keep up regular product review work, including several world-first approvals. Coronavirus vaccine roll-outs and the first general annual reimbursement price cut are on the cards for this year. 

The recently US FDA-cleared Velys robotic-assisted system from DePuy Synthes has distinct features. It also has a small footprint that makes it well-suited for ambulatory surgery centers. See what Larry Biegelsen, an analyst with Wells Fargo, said about it here.