Medical Edge Newsletter Archive
Medical Edge March 9, 2010
The first-ever Medical Silicone Conference (MSC), set for April 6-7 in Minneapolis, promises to be a stellar event as 18 key materials, equipment, molders/processors, and service companies will be on hand as event sponsors...
Medical Edge February 23, 2010
Test your knowledge against that of other engineers when our Design Engineering Group launches its new interactive, Internet-based game show The World’s Smartest Design Engineer...
Medical Edge, Feb. 18, 2010
If you have anything to do with the materials world, you’ll want to be in Minneapolis, April 6-7, for the first-ever Medical Silicone Conference...
Medical Edge, Feb. 9, 2010
As we all know, the search for reliable vendors can be a daunting task. Finding a test vendor is no exception...
Medical Edge Jan 19, 2010
A recent Reuters report listed medical device makers among “the winners” in the Senate bill because it, like the House version, includes a $20 billion industry tax – just half of the originally proposed $40 billion...
Medical Edge Jan 6, 2010
Modeling, designing, materials and manufacturing were the most sought-after topics on the Medical Design website in 2009 according to our Top 10 articles for most clicks....
Medical Edge Jan 12, 2010
This issue of Medical Edge focues on the design of efficient medical devices and related topics....
Medical Edge Dec 15, 2009
Following a drop in jobless claims to their lowest level since January, last month’s online poll asked Medical Edge and Medical Design readers if they expect their companies’ workforces to increase, decrease, or remain the same in 2010. ...
Medical Edge Dec 8, 2009
One way to gain a foothold in growing markets is to create high-level partnerships and give stuff away for free. Case in point is the new partnership just announced between Autodesk, a major U.S. developer of CAD engineering design software, and The People’s Republic of China Ministry of Education...
Medical Edge November 17, 2009
An article in our sister magazine Machine Design about medical device manufacturing in China prompted a reply from the Singapore Economic Development Board....
Medical Edge Nov 10, 2009
Last month’s online poll asked Medical Edge and Medical Design readers how they feel about the proposed bill calling for medical device makers to collectively pay $4 billion in annual fees (based on market share) for 10 years to help pay for healthcare reform...
Medical Edge Nov 3, 2009
Best of the medical tweets: No surprise, there is a flourishing community of medical twitter users. Here are some of the best of the recent tweets. ...
Medical Edge October 21, 2009
When it comes to personalized medicine, Big Blue gets it as shown by an IBM research effort to develop a nanoscale DNA sequencer to help drive down the cost of personalized genetic analysis. ...
Medical Edge Oct 6, 2009
Last month’s online poll asked Medical Edge and Medical Design readers if they are for or against healthcare reform. The results show that 43% answered in the affirmative, while 37% are opposed...
Medical Edge Sept 22, 2009
Machine Design magazine, our sister publication, recently published an article on the future of technology...
Medical Edge Sept 15, 2009: Obesity is big opportunity
Cleveland Clinic CEO Delos "Toby" Cosgrove recently made headlines for his remarks about obesity when he told a reporter that if it were up to him, and if there weren’t legal issues, he would not only stop hiring smokers, he would also stop hiring obese people...
Medical Edge Sept 8, 2009
All kinds of virtual simulations are showing up on Second Life, with the medical industry near the forefront. One example comes from the Dept. of Biosurgery and Surgical Technology at Imperial College London which develops online interactive clinical environments....
Medical Edge August 25, 2009
The CBS Evening News recently aired a report on the role Toyota has played in controlling healthcare costs at the Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle. That’s right, the segment told viewers that the hospital practices medicine based on how Toyota builds cars. ...
Medical Edge Aug 18, 2009
A reader sends interesting feedback on "China takes "wait and see" attitude?," published in the July 21 issue of this newsletter. Matt Kopecky, Director of Sales Support, Asia-Pacific, Sparta Systems says......
Medical Edge Aug 11, 2009
Last month’s online poll asked readers if they would recommend their companies as enjoyable places to work. The results showed that a slight majority – 53% – would not. ...
Medical Edge July 28, 2009
You shouldn’t miss the Cleveland Clinic Medical Innovation Summit -- that’s my unsolicited, unbiased opinion. ...
Medical Edge July 21, 2009
Like many Chinese medical-device manufacturers, Mindray Medical International had a long-term plan to penetrate the U.S. market. To this end, the company, which makes products such as operating tables and patient-monitoring machines, recently bought Datascope, a U.S. company with a good brand name and a well-structured distribution channel....
Medical Edge July 15, 2009
Last month’s online poll asked readers to indicate whether their companies are applying Six Sigma tools and methods. A slight majority (52%) reported their companies are not practicing Six Sigma while 48% are applying Six Sigma tools and methods. ...
Medical Edge June 23, 2009
Medical devices and drugs are usually thought of as "safe when used as directed." However, this statement turns a bit ironic when it comes to the recent passage of regulations giving the FDA authority over the advertising, marketing, and manufacturing of tobacco products...
Medical Edge June 16, 2009
Among the greatest advancements in rapid prototyping is that of desktop 3D printing. Objet Geometries, Billerica, MA, recently introduced the Alaris, a desktop 3D printer that uses layered PolyJet Technology to deliver high-quality, low-cost parts...
Medical Edge June 09, 2009
The term "direct digital manufacturing (DDM)" covers several relatively new manufacturing techniques that build-up 3D plastic or metal parts, layer-by-layer, directly from CAD data......
Medical Edge May 28, 2009
Medical Edge May 28, 2009...
Medical Edge May 20, 2009
China will likely reach its goal of becoming a major player in the global medical manufacturing market if the recent China International Medical Equipment Fair (CMEF) is any indication. Exhibitors at CMEF, which was co-located with the International Component Manufacturing & Design Show at the Schenzen Convention & Exhibition Center, featured companies from all over the world with products and services for the entire medical supply chain, from concept and design to manufacturing and distribution...
Medical Edge May 15, 2009
Eric Clapton was part of this year’s Rapid 2009, or at least his Grammy-winning “Layla” was. During one of the opening sessions, Boris Fritz, founder and past chairman of the Society of Manufacturing Engineer’s Nanomanufacturing Technical Group, shared some of the latest nano-innovations. Among them a nanoradio made from a single carbon nanotube one ten-thousandth the diameter of a human hair (10 nm), and 1 µm long....
Medical Edge May 05, 2009
The advantages of using additive fabrication technology for medical applications have long been evident. To date, the number of machines sold for the development of medical devices or medical modeling has been limited. However, new innovations are rapidly impacting the acceptance and usability of 3D printing in the medical market....
Medical Edge April 30, 2009
Last month’s online poll asked readers to indicate whether their companies are applying lean manufacturing tools and methods. The results show that while the majority (79%) is practicing lean manufacturing, a significant portion (21%) is not......
Medical Edge April 24, 2009
When it comes to surface treatments for medical devices made of polymers, there are two main processing objectives: stickability and wettability...
Medical Edge April 9, 2009
When GE, the world’s 12th-largest company by revenue ($176.6 billion in 2008) according to Fortune magazine, announced it is joining with the world’s largest chip maker, Intel, to develop home-based health technologies, it signaled the continued transformation of an American icon. The financial commitment by both companies is big. So is the market potential. ...
Medical Edge March 26, 2009
MD addresses changing safety standards on power supplies | Changing safety and environmental standards must be factored into an already long list of criteria when device designers select power supplies. More on the topic is in the current issue of Medical Design magazine. Other topics in this month’s issue......
Medical Edge March 17, 2009
President Obama announced his choice as the new FDA commissioner. What would you say to her? What would you ask of her? ...
Medical Edge March 10, 2009
Last month’s online poll asked readers to indicate whether their companies’ workforces will increase, decrease, or remain the same in 2009. The results show Medical Design companies expect their labor situations to remain stable, relatively speaking...
Medical Edge February 26, 2009
I don’t play video games for the most part. I never owned a Playstation or a Gamebox. Heck, I wasn’t even smitten with Ms. Pac-Man back in the day. So when I learned of a study published last month that concludes video games may lead to poor relationships, I was quick to concur. However, I admit that some gaming technology can be used to enhance relationships and even personal fitness. ...
Medical Edge February 19, 2009
The $787 billion economic stimulus bill signed into law this week by President Obama will, for the first time, provide money -- $1.1 billion -- for the federal government to compare the effectiveness of different treatments for the same illness. What this will mean for the medical-device industry remains to be seen. ...
Medical Edge February 10, 2009
According to the January online Reader Poll question, which asked, For 2009, will your company’s research and development expenditures increase, decrease, or remain the same?...
Medical Edge January 21, 2009
The National Venture Capital Association released its 2009 Predictions Survey. At first glance, some may wish it never had...
Medical Edge January 14, 2009
Our question of the month is intended to gain a feel for how economic conditions are impacting research and development funds throughout the medical-device community. Read how you can weigh in with your opinion....
Medical Edge January 6, 2009
Chances are, you're among the tens of thousands of visitors who frequent the Medical Design website each month. We're paying close attention to what you’re clicking because we want to know what interests you most...
Medical Edge December 10, 2008
Last week’s “Wanted: Women” editorial prompted several thought-provoking responses from Medical Edge readers. One, in particular, was... well... amusing....
Medical Edge December 3, 2008
Women Wanted, Engineers, that is. Why? Consider this......
Medical Edge November 18, 2008
A bad-news-good-news message for medical device manufacturers was delivered by Boston Scientific President and CEO Jim Tobin during a luncheon at last week’s Innovations Summit at the Cleveland Clinic....
Medical Edge November 14, 2008
Technology is evolving the brain even as you read this while texting, “Googling”, and thinking about whom to phone next before you get back to a PowerPoint presentation. Like it or not, we are part of a global community of multitaskers, and how we spend our days is actually contributing to the evolutionary process...
Medical Edge November 4, 2008
Oilman-turned-wind-crusader, T. Boone Pickens, has an escape plan for our nation's energy mess. It involves natural gas, wind turbines and lots of them, and a commitment to invest in clean-tech innovations. If you caught "60 Minutes" on Oct. 26, you must admit that it made for good TV and good blogging, even conversation....
Medical Edge October 21, 2008
While considering the two main candidates running for President of the U.S., entertain this question: Which will be better for the U.S. economy, or more to the point, best for the medical- device community? To answer that question, it is useful to review the candidates' positions on medical-device development and manufacturing, especially because both candidates profess to be interested in implementing some form of national health care, or in my mind, a one-purchaser program. ...
Medical Edge October 15, 2008
Recent cancer therapies may give regulators headaches trying to figure out to approve it because the technology is so new. Is it a device or is it part pharmaceutical because something is injected? The “device” was described in presentation at a recent Comsol FEA conference and showed how fast technology is changing and how devices can do the work of some pharmaceuticals. ...
Medical Edge October 7, 2008
Medical Edge for October 7, 2008...
