SonoSite Lambasts GE for Ad Claim
The Wall Street Journal reports (paid sub. required) a spat between SonoSite and General Electric. GE has been running ads for its portable ultrasound devices, asserting its Vivid I product was “the world’s first miniaturized cardiovascular ultrasound system.” This claim has been challenged by SonoSite which stated it was false advertising, as SonoSite has marketed portable ultrasound machines since 1999, while GE’s got started that market in 2004. This market segment weights about $400 million a year and is growing fast. According to consultant Harvey Klein of Klein Biomedical Consultants (KBC), SonoSite comes first with about 53% of the market while GE follows at 31%.
Portable devices could disrupt demand for traditional, bulkier ultrasound workstations. Not only do they cost $15,000-$70,000 or less than a quarter of their heavier console counterparts, but they’re fast to boot up and could allow many new use case scenarios. Cardiologists can carry them around and use them as a beefed-up stethoscope.
May 12, 2006 Related topics: New Technology & Innovation, Ethics & Scandals, Imaging, Diagnostic, Cardiology, Cost savings