Boston Scientific Corporation Rolls Eyes, Yawns Dramatically After Medtronic, Inc. Touts New Device

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Medical-device company announcements about new FDA approvals and the like can often be pretty dry affairs. But occasionally companies start sniping at each other and things pick up. The Star Tribune reports on an unexpected flareup between Fridley-based Medtronic Inc. and rival Boston Scientific Corp. It began after yesterday's announcement by Medtronic that the FDA had approved its Viva cardiac device, which targets patients suffering from heart failure; Boston Scientific sent an ad to doctors asking why they would ever implant one of the things in a patient. “Medtronic just launched their new high-voltage platform," the ad read. "We just have one question... Why another sub 5-year CRT-D?” (The copy refers to the lifespan of the device; Boston Scientific says its similar product lasts for 7.7 years, while Medtronic's lasts for 4.6 years.)

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