Top Device Companies

Siemens, Philips, Toshiba, GE PET Scans Grow By Third Per Year

Siemens, Royal Philips,Toshiba and General Electric are benefiting from a 30 percent-per-year increase in the use of imaging tests such as PET scans for elderly people with cancer. The four companies make the devices, including PET imagers that are charged at the rate of $2,000 per test. Despite the costs, use of the scans rose by one-third a year between 1999 to 2006. The report of the increase in the use of the scans for Medicare patients was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. (Click here for more)

“Cancer Imaging Tests Increase More Than 30 Percent Each Year In Study” – Bloomberg (4/27/10)

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Siemens, Toshiba, GE To Create Excess CT Radiation Warning System

Siemens, Toshiba and General Electric, all makers of CT imaging equipment, joined in creating a new system designed to protect patients against excessive dosages of radiation. The changes were made after the FDA raised concerns about a lack of safeguards to prevent overdoses. The head of the Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance said makers of the equipment agreed to update software used on the devices to alert operators when dose levels reach dangerous levels. (Click here for more – a subscription may be required)

“Device Companies Unveil System To Avoid Overexposing Patients To Radiation” – Wall Street Journal (2/25/10)

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!

Siemens, Philips, Toshiba, GE Low-Dose CT Scans To Benefit From Study

Siemens, Philips, Toshiba and GE Healthcare could get a boost from a new study that estimated nearly 15,000 Americans given CT scans in 2007 would die as a result. Another 29,000 would suffer cancers because of the diagnostic tests with CT scans discovered to emit more radiation that previously believed, the study said. Siemens, Philips, Toshiba and GE are developing low-dose CT scanners that could replace the current CT scans. Meanwhile, researchers suggest tests be given only when necessary and that doses be reduced and standardized. (Click here for more)

“Radiation From CT Scans May Raise Cancer Risks” – Reuters (12/14/09)

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GE, Toshiba CT Scanners Probed For Excessive Radiation Levels

General Electric and Toshiba are being investigated by the FDA, which received reports from California hospitals about CT scans with dangerous radiation levels. Three hospitals together reported at least 10 incidents of dangerous levels emitted by GE and Toshiba devices used to diagnose strokes. The incidents were among 260 reported to have excessive levels that led to reddened skin and hair loss. GE said it is cooperating with the FDA even though no malfunctions or defects were found in any of its equipment. (Click here for more)

“FDA Investigating More Dangerous Brain Scans” – New York Times (12/7/09)

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Start-Up News

Article preview reprinted from Medtech Insight - June 2009

Noteworthy news from medtech start-ups. This month we profile Silere Medical, which is developing neurostimulation technology to suppress tinnitus, OrthoData, which makes an implantable diagnostic device to monitor spinal fusion, and ProTip, which is developing porous titanium devices for ear, nose and throat applications.

Siemens AG Survey Shows Device Makers Not Immune To Money Crisis

Siemens: Although the health care industry usually is considered recession-proof, a Siemens AG survey suggests that is not so. The main problem, according to the survey, is that buyers of their devices, primarily hospitals, are suffering their own budget constraints. The survey showed 35 percent of institutions that buy medical devices are operating under spending freezes, affecting not only Siemens AG of Germany, but also makers such as Beckman Coulter and Toshiba America Medical Systems that operate in the United States. (Click here for more)

“Recession-Proof?” – Orange County Business Journal (2/2/09)

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