Just to take a break from the topic of pending changes in medical device regulations and the 510(k) process, this post is an opportunity to show the humanitarian efforts being made by many of the members of the Medical Device community.
The devastating earthquake in Haiti has taken an unprecedented toll of lives, which experts feared could reach 200,000 or more. Also, groups providing aid have cautioned that if more medical supplies do not arrive soon, thousands more will die from injuries. Amidst the devastation, companies who produce these Medical Device are stepping up efforts to send cash and medical equipment to the region. Associated Press reports over $48 million in aid has been pledged so far by the industry since the earthquake first hit. According to the The Partnership for Quality Medical Donations “10 members had pledged a total of $7.3 million worth of products and $4.6 million in cash.”
Among some of the companies that have provided donations, Amgen Inc. has pledged $2 million in cash. Becton, Dickinson & Co. is donating $550,000 in cash in addition to another $500,000 worth of medical equipment. GE Healthcare got on-board just last week with a commitment of $2.5 million. Medical supplier Henry Schein is donating $1 million in products, and Drug/device maker Abbott Laboratories is pledging $1 million in cash, pharmaceutical, and nutritional supplies to the region.
There is still a long road to restoring Haiti. Much work still needs to be done in continuing to support relief and recovery efforts in the country. That said, it is still very encouraging to see what has been done so far. With all of the negative press that medical device companies have received lately, it is great to see the humanitarian response that many of the business leaders are putting forth. These companies should be applauded for their efforts, and serve as an example in our industry.
(Note: if your Medical Device company has made some contributions to aid the recovery efforts in Haiti, please feel free to add them to the comments section.)
Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (KCI) in San Antonio, TX, USA, has donated two million dollars worth of devices from their Active Healing Solutions and Therapeutic Support Systems product lines to relief efforts in Haiti, according to an internal memo released yesterday.
According to the same memo, KCI is also planning to start a company-matched donation plan for employees.
This statement is solely the poster’s opinion, not an official statement of KCI, and it is not endorsed by KCI in any way. For an official statement, please contact KCI via their Press link on http://www.kci1.com