Top Device Companies

St. Jude, Zimmer Weather Hospital-Equipment Cuts When Others Do Not

St. Jude Medical and Zimmer Holdings appear to be weathering the effort by hospitals to cut costs by paying lower prices for medical devices. Both companies indicated in quarterly reports they were well-positioned to survive the current down economy. Their reports were significant in a market that saw rivals Johnson & Johnson and Stryker already hit by lowered orthopedic sales to hospitals. (Click here for more)

“Zimmer, St. Jude Beat Street; Fight Price Pressure” – Reuters (7/22/10)

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, Stryker Most Affected By 510(k) Changes, St. Jude, Edwards Less

Zimmer Holdings, Stryker and similar device makers of innovative products not as complex as heart devices have the most to lose later this year when the FDA begins changing its 510(k) approval process. The head of the Center For Devices and Radiological Health attempted in an interview to settle some of the confusion surrounding vows to strengthen regulations. Director Jeffrey Shuren said an agency report on the subject would be issued in a few weeks to clarify the 510(k) updating process, adding some changes would precede the Institute of Medicine’s own report on the issue set for the middle of next year. St. Jude Medical, Edward Lifesciences and other makers of complex heart devices already face tougher reviews of their devices and would be less-affected by 510(k) changes. (Click here for more – a subscription may be required)

“FDA Devices Chief Aims For Clarity Soon On Potential Changes” – Wall Street Journal (7/6/10)

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!

Stryker, Wright Move To Have 10-Year Patent Dispute Dismissed

Stryker and Wright Medical have joined in a court motion to drop the 10-year-old patent suit filed by Stryker subsidiary Howmedica Osteonics. Howmedica sued Wright after it developed its Advance knee implant, which Howmedica said violated its own patent. A federal court in New Jersey ruled the Howmedica patent invalid and Wright countered the parent company failed to disclose patent was invalid, keeping the case open. Both companies asked the judge to dismiss the case subject to licensing and settlement agreements they intended to work out. (Click here for more)

“Stryker, Wright Medical Move To Kill 10-Year-Old Patent Spat” – Mass Device (5/28/10)

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!

Stryker Absolved Of Alabama Trident Hip-Implant Damage Claim

Stryker has been absolved of product liability in a federal court case in Alabama involving its Trident hip implant. The U.S. District Court judge said the patient who brought the suit missed a deadline to provide support for the claims. The judge then dismissed the four-count suit against Stryker and its Howmedica Osteonics subsidiary. Stryker has since pulled the device from the market in the face of FDA criticisms about its handling. The judge acknowledged the hip implant failed, but said the plaintiff failed to show why it did. (Click here for more)

“Federal Judge Tosses Alabama Lawsuit Over Stryker Artificial Hip” – Mass Device (5/19/10)

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!

Stryker’s Howmedica Unit Freed From Suit Over Duracon Knee Implant

Stryker and its Howmedica Osteonics subsidiary have been freed from a lawsuit over the Duracon knee implant. The suit was filed by a patient charging the firm with making a defective device after it was removed and replaced with the Genesis II model made by Smith & Nephew. A New York federal judge dismissed the suit, saying the plaintiff failed to demonstrate the Duracon device was defective or that it lacked adequate safetywarnings. The Howmedica device contained more nickel than the Smith & Nephew version. (Click here for more)

“Stryker’s Howmedica Osteonics Won’t Face Suit Over Knee Implant” – Mass Device (5/13/10)

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!

Stryker Kickback Case Tossed By Federal Judge Pending Revisions

Stryker has been freed temporarily from a whistleblower suit in Michigan after a federal judge dismissed the case. The U.S. District Court judge in Western Michigan said the U.S. government, which brings such cases on behalf of whistleblowers, failed to prove sales representatives for Stryker began a kickback scheme with a hospital orthopedic surgeon. The case is based on an allegation made by a sales rep for Zimmer Deptula, a distributor for rival Zimmer Holdings, who said a doctor told him he did not use Zimmer products because of favors from Stryker for using its competing devices. The judge gave plaintiffs 21 days to return to court with an amended complaint. (Click here for more)

“Kickbacks Case Against Stryker Dismissed” – MassDevice (5/6/10)

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, 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!

Stryker, Howmedica Unit Exonerated In Hip-Implant Suit

Stryker and its Howmedica Osteonics were saved from a lawsuit over their hip implants when a U.S. judge in Texas threw out a suit against the device makers. The court ruling said federal law blocks suits against device makers in state courts if they have received FDA clearance for their products. At issue in the case was an allegedly defective hip implant. The judge had dismissed the case in February as it pertained to Stryker, based on a previous U.S. Supreme Court judgment, but it was not until the latest ruling that the Texas court ruled in favor of the remaining defendant, Howmedica. (Click here for more)

“Texas Judge Rules Preemption In Hip Implant Suit Against Stryker” – Mass Device (4/21/10)

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, St. Jude, Zimmer, Stryker To Benefit From Medicare Change

Medtronic, St. Jude Medical, Zimmer Holdings, Stryker and other large device makers stand to gain from a proposed change in Medicare reimbursements for in-hospital treatments. The payments do not affect the prices of devices directly, but the level of reimbursement determines the price a hospital can pay for devices used in the inpatient hospital treatments. Zimmer and Stryker, makers of orthopedic devices are expected to be the main beneficiaries. Medtronic, maker of heart and spine implants, and St. Jude, maker of heart devices, also are viewed as big winners. (Click here for more – a subscription may be required)

“Medicare Hospital Payment Proposal Could Benefit Devices” – Wall Street Journal (Dow Jones) (4/20/10)

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!

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!