It's possible to transmit life-threatening signals to implanted medical devices with no prior knowledge of how the devices work, researchers in Belgium and the U.K. have demonstrated.

A new procurement framework focuses on speed and expertise to help scientists fight public health emergencies such as an outbreak of Ebola or Zika. The new public health microbiology diagnostic framework will enable flexibility, speed and innovation in the development of cutting edge diagnostics and treatment tools, according to Public Health England (PHE), the statutory body that exists to improve the nation's health. PHE also expects it to generate savings on regular spend.

Amcor Rigid Plastics, a division of Australia-based packaging company Amcor, has announced the release of an RFID-integrated pill-dispensing solution. The battery-powered system, known as the S.M.R.T bottle (the initials stand for separate, monitor, release and track), has a clock-calendar function that registers and stores the time, date and number of each dose taken. Smartphones equipped with near field communication (NFC) functionality can then read, display and transmit the information

The quality of any healthcare laboratory - whether it's servicing the biomedical, clinical trial and research, diagnostic or pharmaceutical community - depends on its ability to provide accurate, precise and timely results. In recent years, some labs say they have begun using RFID to automate manual processes to track human specimens and other samples, preventing loss and misidentification, assuring chain of custody, enabling quick retrieval when needed and facilitating compliance with government regulations.

UPS has entered into a definitive purchase agreement to acquire Marken, a global provider of supply chain solutions to the life sciences industry. The transaction, which provides UPS with growth opportunities across the life sciences customer base, is expected to close by Dec. 31, UPS said. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.