The elephant in the room? Oh, that’s plastic surgery. We don’t talk about it much, but its a significant part of the success of the biomaterials market is due to implants and surgical procedures for cosmetic purposes.
For example, last week, Synovis Life Technology reported better than expected earnings, and advanced nearly 15% on the stock market. The St. Paul, MN, company’s top product is a biomaterial buttress used in gastric bypass surgeries.
It’s telling, however, that even though Synovis is (and should be) proud of its achievement, Richard Kramp, the president and chief executive officer, was quick to point out in this interview, that the company also saw revenue increase from a related biomaterial product used in hernia repairs. The author of the article also mentioned that Synovis makes pacemakers and other cardiac rhythm management devices.
Every time I see a company that does well carrying a product for cosmetic surgery, it seems the very next sentence is along the lines of “oh, but we do other stuff too.â€
It’s as though device company’s feel the need to apologize for creating safe and successful devices, simply because these devices may be considered elective or unnecessary.
Why apologize for success?
I won’t deny there some assumed seediness attached to cosmetic procedures. Even when a cosmetic procedure is justified for life-saving, or life-changing reasons, we feel the need for justification. And if daytime talk shows have taught us anything, it’s that plastic surgery is an opportunity for schadenfreude.
There is also what I like to call the “virtue factor†in the medical community. We like to foster the idea that our efforts are for the good of all mankind. Sometimes its hard to see how a breast implant can achieve that lofty goal.
Even deeper is the fear of a loss of reputation. Pharmaceuticals have fallen from grace because of shady processes. There is a distinct fear that the device industry could suffer a similar fate by being associated with anything the media labels disreputable. It is possible that cosmetic surgery could carry such a mark.
Even so, there is something in me (the instigator) that longs for a company to stand up and say, “We make cosmetic implants. And we are good at what we do. Period.” Maybe then we’ll see the end of those terrible reality TV makeover shows. Here’s hoping!
