Abbott today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the Masters HP™ 15mm rotatable mechanical heart valve, the world’s smallest mechanical heart valve, that will allow doctors to treat babies and toddlers in need of a mitral or aortic valve replacement. Until today, surgeons could only use a range of larger-sized valves to replace a pediatric heart valve that could not be repaired, and larger valves are often not suitable given the smaller size of children’s hearts. This dime-sized new valve is the first and only pediatric mechanical heart valve developed for newborns and infants, and offers hope for pediatric patients in urgent need of treatment who have no other approved options.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8280551-abbott-pediatric-heart-valve-fda-approval/
Don’t trust us, trust Science: Abbott is among the best science-based companies to work for in the world.
For the 13th consecutive year, the journal Science today recognized Abbott on its Top Employers list, evaluated on 23 characteristics including financial strength, easy adaptation to change and a having a research-driven environment.
”Abbott is unique in that we’ve been adding to our reservoir of scientific knowledge for 128 years,“ said John Frels, Ph.D., chair of Abbott’s Scientific Governing Board, which oversees the company’s senior scientific career track. ”We strive to bring in the best and brightest scientists and engineers to work on some of the biggest problems in healthcare today. This helps us to create new, breakthrough innovations that change people’s lives.“
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7962251-science-names-abbott-2016-top-employer/
Abbott announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Tecnis Symfony® Intraocular Lenses for the treatment of cataracts. The first in a new category of intraocular lenses (IOLs), the Tecnis Symfony lenses are the only lenses in the United States that provide a full range of continuous high-quality vision following cataract surgery, while also mitigating the effects of presbyopia by helping people focus on near objects. The FDA approval includes a version of the lens for people with astigmatism, the Tecnis Symfony Toric IOL.
Cataracts are a common condition, with almost 4 million cataract surgeries performed each year, and that number is expected to increase.1 By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery.2 However, cataracts do not just impact seniors. In 2016 it is estimated that nearly one in four cataract surgeries will be performed on people younger than 65.1 Many people who have cataracts experience other problems with their vision, such as presbyopia and astigmatism, which the Symfony lenses also address. Presbyopia, which affects most people over age 40, means people have lost the ability to focus on objects up close and often require glasses to perform near visual tasks. Astigmatism is when the cornea is misshapen, which causes blurry or distorted vision.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7870151-abbott-intraocular-lenses/
Abbott announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the company’s Absorb bioresorbable heart stent, making the first-of-its-kind medical device commercially available to treat people with coronary artery disease in the United States.
Absorb is the only fully dissolving stent approved for the treatment of coronary artery disease, which affects 15 million people in the United States and remains a leading cause of death worldwide, despite decades of therapeutic advances. While stents are traditionally made of metal, Abbott’s Absorb stent is made of a naturally dissolving material, similar to dissolving sutures. Absorb disappears completely in approximately three years, after it has done its job of keeping a clogged artery open and promoting healing of the treated artery segment. By contrast, metal stents are permanent implants that restrict vessel motion for the life of the person treated.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7826651-abbott-fda-approval-stent/
Blood is an essential component for life, but many people do not think about it until the need is critical. Each year 234 million major operations are performed worldwide, many involving blood transfusions or treatments resulting in a continuous need for donations.
That’s why Abbott (NYSE: ABT) and Real Madrid soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo are partnering to bring even more attention to this important cause. Regarded as one of the top soccer players in the world, Ronaldo will serve as the first global ambassador for the BE THE 1™ movement – developed to inspire young people around the world to regularly donate blood.
“We can all make a difference by donating blood. Each donation can benefit up to three people in emergency situations and for long-term medical treatments,” said Cristiano Ronaldo, forward for Real Madrid and Captain for Portugal National Football. “That’s why I am enthusiastic to be partnering with Abbott to bring awareness to the importance of blood donation and to encourage people around the world to become lifelong blood donors and help save lives.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7668251-abbott-cristiano-ronaldo-donate-blood/
What does it look like to really live a full life – one that enriches and satisfies, that provides happiness and enables achievement? Abbott is talking to one million people worldwide to find out. And the answers aren’t as simple as you would think.
Does living fully look the same to an accountant in Shanghai as it does to an architect in New Delhi or a street artist in São Paulo? What about a factory worker in Detroit or a new mother in Berlin? In today’s hyperconnected world that is pulling us together in so many ways, how do our cultural differences, life experiences and personalities influence what it means to live a full life?
Early in this quest we’re seeing preliminary trends, like the role health plays in a full life in Shanghai and the importance of family in New York. We’ll have to see if this is confirmed as we go global with our research. The one thing that is becoming apparent is just how personal it gets when we talk to people about life.
This global quest is at the heart of what our company does—finding answers that have helped people live healthier, better lives for more than 125 years.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7611051-abbott-live-fully/
Abbott announced today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval and launch of the iDesign Advanced WaveScan Studio System. The system acts as the "brain" of the LASIK procedure, generating a high-definition scan that measures and maps irregularities of the eye that may impact vision. From these measurements, the iDesign System creates an accurate and personalized LASIK treatment plan based on the unique "blueprint" of each person’s eyes.
The iDesign System captures more than 1,200 micro readings of the eye, as well as identifying the shape of the cornea, its curvature, how light passes through the eye and pupil diameter under different lighting conditions – all in one, three-second scan that can be used to precisely correct vision.
The development of the sensor technology within the iDesign System was the result of an earlier discovery by Abbott scientists, which NASA used to accurately measure and shape the mirrors in the James Webb Space Telescope to ensure it will transmit high resolution images of deep space back to earth. The telescope is scheduled to launch in 2018.
To view the Multimedia News Release, please go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7571951-abbott-idesign-system-3-d-eye-map/
Abbott and the United States Department of Defense today announced a collaboration with the intent to develop portable blood tests to help evaluate potential concussions, also called mild traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). As part of a multi–phased approach, the tests would be developed for Abbott’s i–STAT® System, a handheld, diagnostic analyzer that is currently used for other point-of-care testing, including among military service members. Concussions are a significant health concern for military service members.1 With the development of new tests, physicians could use the information to positively impact the care of people with a suspected concussion.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7293951-abbott-u-s-department-of-defense-develop-portable-blood-tests-concussions/
With the introduction of Abbott's iDesign Dx system, U.S. ophthalmologists now have a diagnostic tool that can capture five optical measurements in one three-second scan to determine the patient's visual abnormalities. This highly advanced diagnostic tool measures the internal optics and surface of the eye more precisely than conventional methods, allowing doctors to fully evaluate imperfections that result in poor vision. Obtaining these measurements in one three-second scan enables ophthalmologists to screen patients more efficiently to determine if they are eligible for LASIK or other refractive surgery and to assist in diagnosis of other conditions.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/64467-abbott-idesign-dx-system-available-for-opthalmologists-and-patients
Abbott has selected 40 undergraduate and graduate students living with cystic fibrosis (CF) to each receive a $2,500 CFCareForward Scholarship for use during the 2012-2013 academic year. Recipients were chosen based on their impressive academic merits, community involvement and creativity, and will now compete for two additional scholarships for a total award of $20,000 each – in honor of the 20th anniversary of the program. From now until Sept. 11, 2012, the public is invited to vote at www.CFCareForwardScholarship.com to help determine this year’s Thriving Undergraduate and Graduate Student winners.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/56750-2012-cfcareforward-scholarships-announced-voting-open
Abbott today announced the winners of the CFChef Challenge, a recipe contest to launch CFChef, an online resource developed to help meet the unique nutritional needs of people living with cystic fibrosis (CF). Four winners were selected from a pool of original recipes and traditional recipes adapted for a CF-focused diet.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/52460-cfchef-recipe-challenge-winners
As any do-it-yourselfer knows, a good home improvement project has both style and substance, adding functionality with aesthetic appeal. For people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who may face difficulties around the house, adaptable options around the home are particularly important. To celebrate National Arthritis Awareness Month, Abbott is highlighting an interactive “RA Home Makeover” tool on ra.com (Living with RA section) that gives people home makeover tips to help make living with RA easier.
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/ra/43757/
