I “invented” a heat sensitive tape that could be applied to the forearm and would reveal underlying veins. I was really excited and just to be safe, had my attorney do a patent search. Sure enough, it had been invented about 10 yrs earlier but had not been commercialized. I suggest you go for it. I recommend you have a good patent search done before you get too far along.

Medical inventions are VERY VERY VERY hard to get to “go through”. I have a medical invention and it is as clear as day the medical benefits but I needed medical approvals to even enter the market at the tiniest of scales.

I am still held back with people looking for medical experts’ approval which is impossible for me to get unless I get years of users statistics! The answer is only a company like Johnson & Johnson or if a breakthrough comes out of a medical college…could it be possible clear sailing towards acceptance in the medical field.

Then…if you don’t have the medical credentials…like me…I’m not a doctor…so chiropractors, orthopedic doctors etc. will not even give me and my product the time of day until I am well proven (which I am now)

My advice to anyone with a medical idea. Try to go with another idea…a product that does not need such approval…and then don’t forget medical products need insurance company’s approval!!!!

If you must move forward with a medical product try and license with a big medical company but it will be VERY hard and risky, they could change and keep the idea for themselves…or…get a college to back you up in research…EVEN IF IT’S A NEW BAND-AID LIKE THING…you still need the backup. Good luck.

Ron Komorowski
Inventor of Handi-Straps
www.handi-straps.com

Thanks for the replies. The degree of difficulty that I expected to face to get approved/patented was the reason that I’m trying to get my friend to go in with me. He has all the right people! One friend of his IS with Johnson and Johnson….another with Kodak in R&D and then, he has the patent attorney, docs as sons, a son that’s biomedical engineer. I have had this idea for quite some while. I’ve been a nurse for 21 years and I know what is missing as far this piece of equipment goes. This piece of equipment could literally save lives and I believe that it would be mandated to be used by insurance companies….it has that potential. And, I’m being realistic. I’ve seen what the need is, I’ve taken care of numerous patients that would have not been in the hospital if they’d have had this piece of equipment at home. I am saying my prayers and keeping after my friend! I guess I just need to kidnap him and hold him hostage until he agrees to help! Ha…

Cheryl…you have a chance since you have a career in the field. Many that have medical ideas are not in the field, like me, and it’s almost impossible. The reason why I was able to do it is because I am the expert in lifting things after a career building houses and 20 years being a very serious weightlifter. I know what hurts the body when lifting or pulling as much as anyone.

There are many improvements necessary in the medical field because there will never be enough money to keep up with research and try everything. Innovation in the medical field will always be behind so there will always be opportunity but the “doors” are mot open to all.

As far as J & J I’ve dealt with them. I knew the VP of marketing and others as I live down the road and in the same town. They are VERY difficult to find the right person and will only talk to you if you have an issued patent…if you are an inventor from “outside”

The good thing about J & J as they are a very generous caring company that will work with you if you pick the right door. They dumped 100 million in research into the inventor Dean Kamen’s Ibot, a spinoff of his Segway invention and then J & J dropped the project. That is ALOT to invest and then walk away. Shows me they are willing to try with inventors.

I will be talking to them again for my therapeutic/ergonomic writing/art system which the patent has issued.