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 Of U.S. Seeks Takeover Of China’s Beijing Montagne

Zimmer Holdings, a U.S.-based maker of orthopedic products, plans to acquire Beijing Montagne Medical Device, according to a newspaper report. The acquisition price was put at nearly $52 million. The purchase is believed intended to give Zimmer a greater presence in China for its orthopedic products. Beijing Montagne, a joint venture with a French firm, is a leading supplier of artificial joints in China. (Click here for more)

“Zimmer To Take Over Beijing Montagne To Expand China Market” – China Knowledge (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!

Zimmer Wins Procedural Victory In Patent Suit Filed By MedIdea

Zimmer Holdings won a procedural victory in a patent-infringement case when a court admonished plaintiff MedIdea for court-shopping its suit. MedIdea, based in Michigan with an office in Texas, sued Zimmer of Michigan on grounds Zimmer infringed on two MedIdea patents for hip implants. A district federal court in Texas accepted the suit, but Zimmer appealed and the appellate court reversed that decision, saying the case must be tried in an Indiana federal court. (Click here for more)

“Company Refused Local Court Venue” – Longview News-Journal (6/28/10)

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!

Zimmer, Biomet, Cook Lead Indiana Device Maker Fight Against New Tax

Zimmer Holdings, Biomet and Cook Group are among Indiana-based device makers who vow to continue challenging a health-care law placing new taxes on the industry in three years. The industry plans to press its opposition during the federal government’s effort to draft regulations to carry out the law. Some device makers expect to use the fall federal elections to gain a reduction or repeal of the tax. Kem Hawkins, president of Cook Medical, said the new law would cost his firm as much as $20 million a year. Cook makes stents and catheters among its many medical devices. (Click here for more)

“Indiana Medical Device Makers Say Fight Isn’t Over” – Indianapolis Star (6/27/10)

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, Doctor Behind Products Split In Knee-Device Dispute

A Zimmer Holding artificial knee has led to a public split between the company and the physician who designed it. Dr. Richard Berger, associated with Zimmer for years and from which he reaped more than $8 million over a 10-year period, has openly complained a Zimmer knee model has been failing prematurely. The doctor issued his own study showing problems with the device, and Zimmer responded with criticism of Berger’s technique. Zimmer dropped Berger’s contract when it came up for renewal last year, and Berger continues to fight the firm. (Click here for more)

“Surgeon Vs. Knee Maker: Who’s Rejecting Whom? – New York Times (6/18/10)

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!

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!

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!