Orrin Hatch: “yesterday morning I had the honor of addressing the National Medical Device Coalition, an association of far-thinking…”

“yesterday morning I had the honor of addressing the National Medical Device Coalition, an association of far-thinking medical device manufacturing executives who have come to Washington to press for meaningful Food and Drug Administration reform. In their visits with Senators and Representatives this week, NMDC members will be offering the most compelling case I know for FDA reform, and, specifically, reform of medical device regulation. Indeed, they urge that reform of the medical device regulatory process should be a top priority of this Congress, and I couldn't agree more. As the NMDC points out, there are severe problems facing the medical device industry in our country--problems which impede the ability of manufacturers to maintain our world class competitive edge and continue to produce products which have so many public health benefits. I think that Wayne K. Barlow, president of the NMDC summed it up the best in his March 11 address to the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. Mr. Barlow, who happens to also be president of Wescor, Inc., a small medical device manufacturer in Logan, UT, said: The U.S. Medical Device industry is severely challenged. Its survival beyond the 20th century has been case in doubt. The innovative fervor that once characterized our industry is evaporating. We are seeing an alarming exodus of companies, technologies, and jobs to other countries.…”