Other Articles

Selling Yourself: Career Advancement for Sales Reps
Are you considering becoming a distributor or do you plan to advance within a company? Either way, you need to be ready. You will want to know how to make product line choices, hire a sales force, and lead others, among other things.

Mission Unaccomplished: Are the Wheels Coming Off at the FDA?
The FDA is no longer able to fulfill its mission and its wheels are coming off. So says the FDA’s own Science Board in a scathing report. We looked under the hood of the report and here’s what we found.

“Back” to the Future Part II: Technology and the Vertebral Compression Fracture Market
In Part I, our inquiring analyst, Matt Menze, highlighted opportunities for spinal implant manufacturers in the vertebral compression fracture (VCF) market. Now he tackles the thorny issue of new and emerging VCF technologies. What’s on the horizon? Read on.

Second Careers for Orthopedic Surgeons
How should you plan for a change in focus later during your career? You may want to continue utilizing your research, managerial, or presentation skills. Find out what Drs. Ray Linovitz and Stephen Hochschuler have to say about how to stay involved in the field at any stage of one’s career.

Finally, Consolidation in the Allograft Industry
So, where’s Adam Smith’s enlightened self interest when you need it? For about the length of the average U.S. Presidency it’s been clear to anyone who could read an income statement that one important market sector was in need of consolidation. That sector is allograft. With RTI and Tutogen merging, it may finally be happening. Read on.

The Smell of Favoritism, Political Interference, and Back-Room Dealing Alleged in Ortho Deferred Prosecution Deal in Jersey
Amid charges of political favoritism, New Jersey Congressmen call for investigation of ortho deferred prosecution agreements. It’s Jersey and the fur’s flying, read about it here.

The Match Process: Let the Courtship Begin
In the first of three articles, two medical students describe their experiences of the residency match process. Learn their thoughts on interviewing, letters of recommendation, and of course, the pressure to match.

A New “Wave” of Extremity Treatment?
Addressing a market of more than a quarter of a million patients annually with a $5-8,000 treatment sounds like the next multi-billion market. FDA approved, but controversial. What is Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy and why should we care? Read on.

Avoiding the Perp Walk, or How to Keep the Justice Department From Knocking on Your Door
We’ve all seen the “Perp Walk” on TV. The defendant cuffed and trying to hide his or her face from the cameras. Will Justice Department and congressional investigations of industry and physician relationships result in a doc taking that walk? Read what a federal prosecutor says about avoiding that indignity.

Direct Consumer Marketing—Big Bucks Sure, But Is There an ROI?
Direct-to-consumer advertising by implant manufacturers is increasing. Playing with the big boys, however, is pricey. Think $300,000 for a 30 second spot – plus the cost of creating the ad. Smith & Nephew asks “What Moves You?”. Our question is more basic, is any product moving? Read on.

Stress in Orthopedic Practices: Take Your Preventive Medicine
Says Wayne Sotile, Ph.D., “Many doctors have never thought of this, but what makes one successful as an orthopedic surgeon is not necessarily what is going to make you a successful leader or team member.” Learn how to reduce your stress and build trust within your practice and professional relationships.

Good news for DePuy Spine's Charité Disc.

Shortly after having a major lawsuit dismissed in a California court over the device, the company announced on July 25 that CIGNA, one of the nation's largest health insurers, will now cover artificial disc replacement for single-level degenerative disc disease in a select group of individuals.

Who needs CMS coverage? Clearly CIGNA decided that paying for the device for some of its customers made financial sense. As we reported last week in OTW, the link between CMS coverage and private payers was not as cut and dried as many in the industry believed.

CIGNA insures about 47 million people and joins Aetna, Kaiser Permanente, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, and dozens of regional insurers in covering the Charité Disc for low back pain and disability from degenerative disc disease.

“Initially, some insurers were reluctant to cover artificial disc replacement until more clinical evidence became available,” said Gary Fischetti, president, DePuy Spine. “CIGNA’s decision, at this time, signals the body of evidence continues to grow to make more informed coverage decisions that benefit patients, and we continue to gather more clinical data about the product.”

According to CIGNA’s new policy published on its website, evidence in peer-reviewed scientific literature shows artificial disc replacement to be safe and effective in the treatment of degenerative disc disease in a select group of individuals. The policy states that while the long-term safety and efficacy of artificial discs continue to be monitored, the short-term results have shown that these devices can improve the maintenance of range of motion within the lumbar spine and provide stabilization to the intervertebral disc space.

The company says that several studies about the safety and effectiveness of the Charité Disc have appeared in the peer-reviewed journal Spine since it received FDA approval in 2004. Five-year Charité Disc data is expected to be published later this year. This will be the first five-year data available on an artificial disc in the U.S.

We like data and so do private payers.