James Wason, Ph.D., executive vice president of Medical Device Consultants Inc., agrees. "Absolutely, combination products will continue to grow," he predicts. "Think of it logically as the combination of different branches of science. We're going to have products that overcome problems and the unmet needs of surgeons and physicians. If you think a stent was revolutionary in propping up arteries, now we have the drug-eluting stent to resolve [stenosis] problems. Products are pricey, but the concept here is that they add so much value and are able to do things that we haven't been able to do before."
Hal Miller, industry consultant and president of PACE Solutions LLC says, "Many of the drugs that have already demonstrated a therapeutic effect with a particular medical device will be employed with broader categories of devices for the same purpose, such as coated stents for both cardiovascular and endovascular use."
"The advanced technology of combination products bodes well for their future use," believes Rolando Gonzalez, manager of pharmaceutical and packaging development at medical device maker Cordis Corp., a Miami Lakes, FL-based Johnson & Johnson company. That translates into greater packaging opportunities.
"Absolutely there will be growth," he says. "It's the market to be in because combination products will offer a much higher scientific answer to some diseases, with technology able to address these diseases in a more direct way. They will help extend life. Physicians are all for it, not only because the quality of life is improved, but because procedures are diminished. In the long run, combination products can have a positive economic impact for both insurance [companies] and patients." [HCP]
By Jim Butschli, Editor
Hal Miller, industry consultant and president of PACE Solutions LLC says, "Many of the drugs that have already demonstrated a therapeutic effect with a particular medical device will be employed with broader categories of devices for the same purpose, such as coated stents for both cardiovascular and endovascular use."
"The advanced technology of combination products bodes well for their future use," believes Rolando Gonzalez, manager of pharmaceutical and packaging development at medical device maker Cordis Corp., a Miami Lakes, FL-based Johnson & Johnson company. That translates into greater packaging opportunities.
"Absolutely there will be growth," he says. "It's the market to be in because combination products will offer a much higher scientific answer to some diseases, with technology able to address these diseases in a more direct way. They will help extend life. Physicians are all for it, not only because the quality of life is improved, but because procedures are diminished. In the long run, combination products can have a positive economic impact for both insurance [companies] and patients." [HCP]
By Jim Butschli, Editor
