Panel critical of device maker; Medtronic may release data

Following a day long meeting of leading cardiologists in Washington sponsored by the Heart Rhythm Society, Medtronic announced that it is considering making public the performance data on its defibrillators. No other major announcements came out of the meeting, but insiders say reporting rules changes are likely given concerns about the recent increase in defibrillator defects. A government study released at the conference found that the number of problems has risen sharply over the last decade. 

- see this story from The New York Times  

PLUS: Meanwhile, this morning Guidant announced FDA approval for its new wireless "patient management system", the Latitude Communicator. The device allows physicians to remotely monitor patients for signs of heart failure. Release