Top Device Companies

J&J Draws On Other Device Sales To Overcome Defibrillator Problems

Johnson & Johnson’s medical devices helped to offset an otherwise disappointing quarterly report for the company. The firm said its orthopedic-products unit faced pricing pressures in the United States and Europe, particularly for its spinal devices. J&J also expects its surgical-procedure products to lead some of the favorable trends it sees for the device sector. The DePuy subsidiary was considered especially vulnerable to hospital cost-cutting, leading to tougher negotiations for lower prices for devices. (Click here for more)

“J&J Sends Mixed Signals About Medical-Device Sector Trends” – Nasdaq (Dow Jones) (7/20/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

DePuy Sued By Three More Patients Alledging Defective Hip Implants

DePuy Orthopaedics is being sued by an additional three patients over allegedly faulty hip implants. Three people in California filed suits similar to others filed elsewhere claiming the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary’s ASR acetabular cup was defective and that the company failed to warn doctors and patients of the problem. Many other suits are expected to be filed over the since-discontinued device by patients who had additional surgeries to have the implants replaced. The last of the DePuy devices left the company by March and the firm followed with letters to doctors advising them of a report of failure rates. (Click here for more)

“Lawsuits Pile Up Over DePuy Hip Implant” – Mass Device (6/30/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

J&J’s DePuy Sued In Florida Over Hip Replacement System

Johnson & Johnson’s DePuy Orthopedics Unit has been named in a lawsuit alleging it knowingly sold a defective hip replacement system. The suit by a Florida woman said the product involved wasDePuy’s ASR metal-on-metal hip, which was implanted in her in March, 2008. The suit said DePuy failed to warn physicians the device was defective and that it was subject to a high rate of failure. (Click here for more)

“Florida Woman Sues DePuy Orthopedics Over Hip Implant” – Mass Device (6/15/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

J&J Says Medical Devices 38 Percent Of Sales, Led By Depuy, Ethicon

Johnson & Johnson says its medical-device business now accounts for more than a third of the vast health-care products company’s annual sales. Medical devices and diagnostics are produced by seven companies owned by J&J, and together they account for 43 percent of profits, 38 percent of sales. The leading unit in terms of sales for the first quarter of this year was DePuy with $1.5 billion, followed by Ethicon Endo-Surgery with $1.2 billion, Ethicon at $1.12 billion, andCordis and Vision Care, each with $700 million in sales. (Click here for more)

“Johnson & Johnson Showcases Its Medical Devices” – MedCity News (6/7/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

Smith & Nephew, DePuy, Wright Eye Coming Changes In U.K. Device Rules

Smith & Nephew, DePuy Orthopaedics and Wright Medical Group are among medical-device makers that could be affected by a U.K. plan to begin monitoring patients with implants on May 21, with protocols to follow by June 17. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency took the action after issuing a medical-device alert about metal-on-metal hip replacements. MHRA said some patients had adverse soft tissue reactions because of shards caused by wear. Patients with the implants are to be monitored for five years after implant, during which they are to be tested annually. (Click here for more)

“Orthopedic Firms Defend Metal-On-Metal Hip Devices” – Memphis Daily (5/7/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

Zimmer, S&N, DePuy, Biomet Doctor Payments Nets Second Plea Deal

Zimmer Holdings, Smith & Nephew,DePuy and Biomet payments to physicians led to a federal probe that has secured a plea agreement with a Florida doctor. An orthopedic surgeon agreed to settle with the federal government for $650,000 as one of two physicians charged with taking payments from one or more of the four device makers. The companies have reached a deal and a fifth firm, Stryker Orthopedics, was let off because it cooperated in the federal probe. A second surgeon already settled for $65,000 and a three-year banishment from the Medicare program. (Click here for more)

“Swept Up In Major Medical Device Case, Physician Pays $650,000 To Settle Kickback Charges” – AIS Health Business Daily (5/3/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

Medtronic, DePuy, Stryker Drive Big Increase In Spinal-Surgery Rate

Medtronic, Stryker and Johnson & Johnson’s DePuy led a drive to a large increase in the rate of spinal surgeries for the U.S. elderly in recent years. A study of Medicare records showed reimbursements for the surgeries between 2002 and 2007 were 15 times the rate of the previous five years. The lead researcher said the increase was due to marketing efforts as well as the availability of new technology. He said the complex spinal-fusion surgery has been shown to have little benefit over more simple procedures. (Click here for more)

“Complex Spinal Surgery Jumps In U.S. Elderly: Study” – Reuters (4/6/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

Zimmer, DePuy Benefit From Making Products Without Warrants

Zimmer Holdings and DePuy Orthopaedics are among six leading makers of orthopedic implants that do not offer warranties on their products, unlike makers of other medical devices. Zimmer said it does not do so because the longevity of a hip-implant depends on factors it cannot control. DePuy, a unit of Johnson & Johnson, said it makes judgments on a case-by-case basis. The business of making artificial hips and knees is estimated to generate $6.7 billion in sales a year and one of the device industry’s highest profit margins. Makers of implantable heart defibrillators, by contrast, have issued warranties on their products for more than 30 years or at least discounted replacements.” (Click here for more)

“Lacking Warranties, Implants Cost Health System And Patients” – New York Times (4/2/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

DePuy Warns About Own Hip Implant Two Years After Failure Reports

DePuy Orthopaedics, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, has issued a warning to physicians that its ASR artificial hip implant appears to have a high failure rate. The company recently announced it was phasing out the implant because of a sales decline, but after two years of reports, it has acknowledged problems. The failures noted occurred within a few years of being implanted, considered early by most standards and requiring expensive new operations to replace them. (Click here for more)

“With Warning, A Hip Device Is Withdrawn” – New York Times (3/9/10)

Medical device manufacturers facing many challenges: from the rising clout of group purchasing organizations (GPOs) to payment bundling and physicians' growing allegiance with hospitals in product price negotiations. Get all the answers now in new Medtech Insight's new 24-page Special Report: Medical Device Landscape: How regulatory changes and cost control measures are reshaping the industry. Available for purchase now!

Zimmer, DePuy, Stryker Seen Key To Orthopedic-Device Turnaround

Zimmer Holdings, Johnson & Johnson’s DePuy unit and Stryker are seen as bellwethers for an improved sales year for makers of orthopedic devices. Analysts said the three companies should be the first to demonstrate increased demand because of their hip and knee replacements. The slow economy last year caused patients to cut back on elective and other expensive surgeries. The patient response ran counter to expectations hip and knee replacements were not considered elective. (Click here for more)

“Shaky Orthopedic Device Market Set To Rebound” – Reuters (1/25/10)

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