Earnhardt shares how Abbott shifted gears to counter pandemic; Grail still looks to upend oncology

This week, we’ll talk with Lisa Earnhardt, executive vice president, medical devices at Abbott about how the life sciences giant pivoted during the pandemic. Earnhardt shares what programs were given greater priority when the impact of the lockdown became clear and why the company performed so well in one of its key businesses. We also explore this week’s news that the FTC will oppose Illumina’s acquisition of Grail. First, we talk with Dr. Christopher Keir, vice president of medical affairs at Grail, about the great potential of the company’s diagnostic technologies. The interview was recorded last month prior to the FTC’s decision. Then we talk to Vijay Kumar, senior managing director at Evercore ISI, about why the FTC is making a strong case to block the deal. And, of course, Chris Newmarker, executive editor of Mass Device, delivers this week’s Newmarker’s Newsmakers including news from Illumina, Grail, Corindus, Zimmer Biomet, BD, Medtronic and Abbott. Finally, don’t forget to join us on Clubhouse for DeviceTalks Weekly Live at 1 pm ET on Wed.