FDA Confirms Non-Exempt Status of Medical Device but No Plans to Inform the Patients as Confirmed by Dr. Rajamannan in Press Conference at Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Cardiology and Valvular Institute

SHEBOYGAN, Wis., Jan. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Following recent reporting by Kaiser Health News that the FDA has lifted their exemption laws, Dr. Nalini Rajamannan a specialist for patients with valvular heart disease in Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Cardiology, during her press conference today in Sheboygan, confirms FDA statements during the press conference at the Valvular Institute located in Downtown Sheboygan. Dr. Rajamannan revealed the confirmation FDA letter to Congressman Glenn Grothman that the Food and Drug Deputy Commissioner on policy for the FDA will not inform the patients regarding the status of a heart device implanted in 667 patients across the United States of America. 

Senator Ron Johnson of WI contacted the Inspector General for HHS OIG and confirmed in a letter, no plan to provide any further information for these patients. 

The surgical placement for these devices began in 2006. In 2007, the device manufacturer confirmed the "exempt status" in a two-line email to the hospital. The saga related to the heart device is outlined by Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal's new book "An American Sickness" highlights the issues related to exempt medical devices in the chapter, "How to get into a Patient's Heart? Follow the Money." The chapter outlines the events summarized by eye-witness Dr. Nalini M. Rajamannan in the series "The Myxo Files a XXIV: A Tale of Three Rings" as published by Kindle Publishing on Amazon.com. Dr. Rajamannan reviewed the FDA letter to the Senate Finance Committee's Chairman Grassley after several years of investigations, classifying the device as not exempt from reporting the device to the FDA, and that the device manufacturer needs to submit a new approval application. (See Linked PDF of the FDA Congressional Letter.)

Summation points from the press conference:

1) FDA report to Senate Finance Committee confirms the Myxo ETlogix Device is not exempt and needed an approval from the FDA.

2) FDA letter to Senator Lugar confirms 667+ patients received the non-exempt device which needed an approval.

3) FDA report to the House committee on Government oversight confirms that the FDA does not plan to inform the patients.

4) Congressman Grothman is still waiting for a response as to why the FDA is not planning to inform the patients.

5) HHS Inspector General Daniel Levinson is not planning to inform the patients of the non-exempt status of the heart device after requests for information by Senator Ron Johnson.

6) Senators Amy Klobuchar and Senator Dick Durbin on behalf of then President Obama, who have met with Dr. Rajamannan are also involved in the investigation from the Senate Judiciary Committee and is waiting for a response.

The information will help the 667+ patients to finally may get answers about whether medical devices placed in their bodies are tested and safe, as the Food and Drug Administration begins to allow access to volumes of previously shielded data from consumers as written to then Senator Richard Lugar(IN). and Congressman Glenn Grothman(WI).The Senate Finance committee is involved in these investigations on behalf of Medicare and Medicaid because government dollars fund the use of medical devices in patients' health. More importantly, the new changes to the FDA reporting laws as outlined by Kaiser Health News will help patients know more about medical devices implanted into their bodies.

Dr. Nalini Rajamannan is a heart valve expert in the field of cardiovascular medicine. She earned her undergraduate science pre-professional degree from the University of Notre Dame, her Medical Doctorate from Mayo Medical School and her post-graduate training in Internal Medicine and Cardiology at the Mayo Clinic and Research Fellowship on the NIH training Grant. She also worked at the Mayo Clinic as a staff consultant in Internal Medicine and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Northwestern University and the Lakeside and Westside VA. Currently, she practices consultative valvular medicine and Osteocardiology at Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Cardiology and Valvular Institute, WI.

Press Contact
Oscar Delgado

Press Officer for Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Cardiology and Valvular Institute

Former NBC Bureau Chief Latin America
773-573-6890
[email protected]

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SOURCE Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Cardiology and Valvular Institute