Earlier this month it was announced that Pfizer Inc. purchased Hospira Inc. for a reported 15 billion with the goal of boosting its offering of select injectable and other medications.
The focus for Pfizer has always been on very specific oral medications with brands such as Viagra and Aricept, the question in the room for many infusion providers will continue to be what will they do with the Sapphire pump and the IV market?
In looking at the current state of the ambulatory pump market across the country, many hospitals, clinics, and infusion providers know that Hospira’s history of marketing a device for longevity is not a specialty. Having Pfizer behind this market segment could make things very interesting. The questions that have risen are:
- Is Pfizer committed to the Infusion market?
- Does Pfizer understand what it means to develop pump technology?
- Do they see value in the continuation of this particular market segment if the purchase of Hospira was driven by the injectable product offering?
- How will they handle the current Gemstar customers looking to potentially convert to smart pump technology?
- What about the manufacturing of ambulatory infusion pump sets?
While the integration of this acquisition commences it is important to remember that you have choices based upon your specific IV needs. Purchases as large as this can really put the development and longevity of a specific product line at risk, especially if the buyer has no direct experience in a specific market segment.
Manufacturers such as Smith’s Medical, MOOG Medical, WalkMed Infusion, and CME America all offer choices in the ambulatory pump market. Always know that there are other options to your needs even in times of consolidation.
Right Way Medical is committed to providing our customers the ideal experience in acquiring healthcare related products and services. Contact Right Way Medical to learn more about how we may assist you with our market knowledge on all IV related products and services.