NORTH HAVEN, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Covidien (NYSE: COV, BSX: COV), a leading global provider of healthcare products, today launched an industry-leading Women in Surgery initiative at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) meeting in San Francisco. The Covidien Women in Surgery program will champion and support current and future female surgeons at all stages of their careers to help address the growing need for surgeons in the United States.