Morning Rounds: Have regulations on digital trackers in health care gone too far?

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Good morning. Today we have Andrew Joseph’s dispatch from a Barcelona hospital that developed its own CAR-T, an intriguing clue to how obesity drugs work in the (mouse) brain, and a win for toothbrushing vs. pneumonia.

Apple pauses sales of latest watches in patent battle

If you had an Apple Watch on your wish list for the holidays this year, you may need to reconsider. To comply with an import ban from the International Trade Commission imposed in October, Apple is pulling Apple Watches with blood oxygen-measuring capabilities — that is, Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 — from its website Thursday and from its stores Sunday. The ITC has ruled that Apple infringed on the patents of pulse oximeter company Masimo. President Biden has until Dec. 25 to approve or veto the import ban, but Apple decided to pause sales first. Older versions of the Apple Watch that track heart rate and physical activity will still be available.

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