Monday, September 21, 2009

The Food and Drug Administration is awarding $2 million to spur the development of medical devices for children, who face increased risks during surgery because so few implants are designed for their smaller frames.

The FDA is distributing the grants among three researchers in Michigan, Massachusetts and California.

Most medical devices are designed for adults, forcing pediatric surgeons to often jury-rig adult-sized devices for smaller patients.

While the U.S. market for medical devices is estimated at more than $90 billion, the demand for pediatric devices is minuscule, creating little financial incentive for companies like Medtronic and Boston Scientific to invest in the space.