A new American Society for Quality (ASQ) survey asked medical device manufacturers about industry trends and challenges, with 67% saying healthcare legislation will have a negative impact on the industry in the year ahead. Companies said the biggest challenge will be in complying with FDA regulations. Other challanges cited included cutting costs while maintaining quality and not knowing the effects of a proposed innovation tax.

Manufacturers said they think the hottest trends will be in neurological, cardiovascular, and orthopedics. As for ecomonic growth, 56.9% of the respondents said their organization will have more economic growth than in 2009. A little more than 27% said things will stay the same, and 10.3% said there will be less growth. "While it's clear that the growing senior population will contribute to manufacturers' economic growth, pending healthcare legislation has most major equipment-purchasing organizations on a wait-and-see approach," says ASQ medical device expert Dan Brown.

ASQ, 600 North Plankinton Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53203, (800) 935-2231, asq.org