St. Jude continued on what The New York Times described as 'a scorched-earth defense of its policies and products' this week in regards to an escalating controversy surrounding its recalled Riata defibrillator leads. But it may not quite be having the effect the company was hoping for. Results from a MPMN Medtech Pulse poll, for example, show that St. Jude is doing damage to its public image, although Medtronic and a prominent cardiologist/researcher aren't exactly coming out of the ordeal unscathed, either. In other news, our colleagues at MD+DI have been covering the TEDMED conference this week. Read about these and other top stories in our weekly roundup below.

• St. Jude vs. Medtronic: Who's Winning the War Over Defibrillator Leads (MPMN)
• At St. Jude, Firing Back at Critics (New York Times)
• Analysis: Heart Device Troubles Cloud St. Jude's Outlook (Reuters)
• FDA on Hot Seat in Safety (Wall Street Journal)
• Finalists Selected for 2012 Medical Design Excellence Awards (MPMN)
• TEDMED Coverage (MD+DI)
• Software and Medical Devices? It's Complicated (medtechinsider)
• Balancing Innovation and Safety: FDA's Innovation Pathway (MassDevice)