From the “Letter from the Editor” (Dona Watson) in the January 2007 MedMarkets:
The January 2007 issue of MedMarkets (subscribers: PDF or HTML) includes an article detailing new controversies in the battle for which patients do or do not need an ICD (see “Drivers”). On one hand, researchers have found that up to one-third of ICD patients did not need to receive the implant. On the other hand, Medtronic has launched a landmark advertising campaign to inform patients of the dangers of cardiac arrest—and the benefits of receiving an ICD.
These contradictory reports only further stir up the muddy waters created in 2005 when: (1) Medicare expanded its coverage benefits to include patients at risk of cardiac arrest (as opposed to only those who had already suffered one or more cardiac arrests), and (2) the recall of Guidant ICDs brought an understandable but unfortunate slump in sales for all manufacturers of ICDs.
In the end, all of these developments combined are indicative of the barriers faced by all medical device manufacturers in getting their products to market. No longer is it enough to simply launch a product, but reimbursement coverage must be obtained early in the game and now, as the pharmaceutical giants have proven, potential patients must be reached to maximize sales potential. C’est la guerre.
Dona Watson
Managing Editor
Tags: medtech, cardiology, defibrillator
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