US Medical devices news site MedCity News has posted an article in which it ponders who would be sufficiently iconic figures in the world of medical devices to be the industry’s nominations to be carved on its very own Mount Rushmore.
The article can be found here and for anyone thinking Medtech is a global affair, try not to look too surprised that all four nominees are Americans. Honestly, we can’t argue with these (much), but we’re nonetheless keen to gain nominations from outside United States. Sir John Charnley, inventor of the modern day hip prosthesis in the early ’60s gets our vote, (although Marius Nygaard Smith-Peterson might lay claim to the first iteration in 1923).
The suggested carvees in the MedCity article are:
Earl Bakken: Invented Battery operated wearable Pacemaker and founded Medtronic
Royal Copeland: Introduced the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (1938), bringing medical devices under regulatory control for the first time.
Willem Kolff: Original kidney dialysis machine (among others).
Dean Kamen: First wearable pump for diabetics… oh and the Segway two wheeled personal transport.
Source: MedCity News