Google Health is being dismantled as chief David Feinberg departs for Cerner

Hello, and welcome to Insider Healthcare. I'm Megan Hernbroth, the startups and venture capital reporter on the healthcare team.

First: The US Food and Drug Administration could approve the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine as early as today, The New York Times reported on Friday. That could help encourage people to get vaccinated, and also open the door to more vaccine requirements.

Today in healthcare news:

New to this newsletter? Sign up here. Tips, scoops, dog pics? Send them to mhernbroth@insider.com. Now, let's get to it.

Google is dismantling its Google Health division, Insider has learned from a leaked memo, and the group will have its units scattered throughout Google.
Its chief, Dr. David Feinberg, will depart the company for the CEO role at Cerner, the electronic-medical-records behemoth.
In 2012, Google shuttered its first serious healthcare project, a service to let people store their medical records online. It was also named Google Health.

Oura CEO Harpreet Singh Rai said smart-ring sales have increased among companies buying them for employees ahead of office reopenings.
Before the pandemic, Oura rings were mostly bought by individuals.
Singh Rai predicted that more companies would begin purchasing wearables for their employees as a way to cut healthcare costs and mitigate outbreaks of COVID-19 or other infectious diseases.

Noted scientist David Sabatini has been placed on administrative leave following an investigation into sexual harassment at his lab.
Sabatini has helped create multiple biotech companies like Navitor and KSQ Therapeutics.
"The report raises very serious concerns about sexual and workplace harassment," according to an email sent out Friday.

COVID-19 New Corona