Month: March 2014

(Reuters) – Staar Surgical Co said an independent advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration recommended marketing approval for its implantable lens, bringing it closer to a long-awaited U.S. launch and sending the company’s shares up 27 percent. The lens — Visian Toric implantable lens — can correct both nearsightedness and blurry vision associated with astigmatism. Analysts at Canaccord Genuity said they expect regulatory approval for the lens in the second half of 2014, adding that “the positive FDA panel is the first of several important milestones on the horizon for Staar.” Staar Surgical sought U.S. marketing approval for the lens in April 2006 but had to wait as the agency raised concerns about the integrity of the submitted data. “We have always viewed the Food and Drug Administration panel as more of a wild card than the FDA, and we ultimately expect the FDA to approve the device,” Benchmark analyst Jan Wald said, raising his price target on Staar’s stock to $21 from $15.

By Kathryn Doyle NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Playing a game of Tetris can reduce the strength of food and nicotine cravings, according to a new study. “Craving is a common problem for people trying to quit junk food, smoking or other drugs,” coauthor Jackie Andrade told Reuters Health in an email. “It is unpleasant and makes people feel that they have to wait until the right moment to quit,” said Andrade, from Plymouth University in the UK.

By Andrew Callus PARIS (Reuters) – Paris enforced the most drastic traffic curbs in 20 years on Monday, fining almost 4,000 drivers who tried the dodge them, but stopping at a single day of restrictions as cooler weather brought relief from pollution. French policies to promote the use of diesel is seen as one factor why Paris is hit worse than other cities. "This is a public health problem … we thank everyone who fell into line," Transport Minister Frederic Cuvillier said. President Francois Hollande's ruling Socialists are seen retain control of the French capital.

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, who made global headlines last year after admitting he had smoked crack cocaine, was caught up in fresh controversy on Monday after a new video showed him agitated and apparently swearing outside city hall. The video was taken on Saturday evening by the 13-year-old son of a woman who shared the footage with CTV News. Ford said last year he had smoked crack, probably in a "drunken stupor". CTV News posted a censored version of the short new clip on Sunday, but said it had not confirmed the video was authentic.