You’ve heard of generic drugs. How about generic orthopedic implants? The growing push to lower healthcare costs, coupled with a changing landscape in which surgeons are increasingly moving under hospital employment, has created room for start-up orthopedic device companies to offer more affordable versions of pricey implants, reports the Wall Street Journal. Companies like Emerge Medical, run by a former Synthes sales consultant, and The Orthopaedic Implant Company, run by a former Smith & Nephew rep, are able to sell “generic” screws, plates, drill bits and other devices at a lower cost by cutting back on expensive sales tactics, like placing reps in operating rooms.
