Item 1. Business
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
First person pronouns used in this Report, such as “we,” “us,” and “our,” refer to ICU Medical, Inc. ("ICU") and its subsidiaries unless context requires otherwise.
Changes from Prior Periodic Reports
In this report we have complied with the disclosures required by the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") release No. 33-10890 "Management's Discussion and Analysis, Selected Financial Data, Supplementary Financial Information."
Management’s Discussion and Analysis, Selected Financial Data, and Supplementary Financial Information
In November 2020, the SEC issued Release No. 33-10890, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis, Selected Financial Data, and Supplementary Financial Information” which became fully effective on August 9, 2021. This release was adopted to modernize, simplify, and enhance certain financial disclosure requirements in Regulation S-K. Specifically, the SEC eliminated the requirement for selected financial data, only requiring quarterly disclosure when there are retrospective changes affecting comprehensive income, and amending the matters required to be presented under Management’s Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) to, among other things, eliminate the requirement of the contractual obligations table.
We have eliminated from this document the items discussed above that are no longer required. Information on our contractual obligations is still disclosed in a narrative within the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Item 7 of Part II of this report.
Company Background and Overview of Business
ICU is one of the world's leading pure-play infusion therapy companies with global operations and a wide-ranging product portfolio that includes IV solutions, IV smart pumps with pain management and safety software technology, dedicated and non-dedicated IV sets and needlefree connectors designed to help meet clinical, safety and workflow goals. In addition, ICU manufactures automated pharmacy IV compounding systems with workflow technology, closed system transfer devices for preparing and administering hazardous IV drugs and cardiac monitoring systems for critically ill patients.
Headquartered in San Clemente, California, ICU was founded in 1984. In 1992, we had our initial public offering and reincorporated under Delaware law. Our primary customers are acute care hospitals, wholesalers, ambulatory clinics and alternate site facilities, such as outpatient clinics, home health care providers, and long-term care facilities. Since our inception we have grown organically and through acquisition, and we currently serve customers in more than 90 countries throughout the world.
In February 2017, we acquired Pfizer Inc.'s ("Pfizer") Hospira Infusion Systems ("HIS") business. The HIS acquisition complemented our legacy non-dedicated infusion sets and oncology business by expanding our product portfolio to include a complete intravenous infusion therapy product-line from IV solutions to IV pumps to non-dedicated infusion sets.
In November 2019, we acquired Pursuit Vascular, Inc. ("Pursuit"). Pursuit was a privately-held medical device company with a primary focus on innovative catheter disinfecting products and technologies to reduce costly bloodstream infections and lower healthcare costs. Pursuit’s primary product is the ClearGuard ® HD cap, which is used for the maintenance of hemodialysis catheters.
In September 2021, we entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Smiths Medical 2020 Limited ("Smiths Medical"), the holding company of Smiths Group plc's global medical device business and, on January 6, 2022, the acquisition closed. The Smiths Medical acquisition complements and broadens our existing product portfolio to include syringe and ambulatory infusion devices, vascular access, and vital care products, and significantly strengthens and expands our global market reach. The following business discussion is as of December 31, 2021 and as such does not incorporate the Smiths Medical acquisition.
Products
As of December 31, 2021, our primary product offerings are listed below, which we present in four product lines as follows:
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Infusion Consumables
Infusion therapy sets, used in hospitals and ambulatory clinics, consist of a tube running from a bottle or plastic bag containing a solution to a catheter inserted in a patient’s vein, that may or may not be used with an IV pump. Our primary Infusion Consumable products are:
• Clave™ needlefree products , including the MicroClave, MicroClave Clear, and NanoClave™ brand of connectors, accessories, extension and administration sets used for the administration of IV fluids and medications and the Neutron catheter patency device, used to help maintain patency of central venous catheters;
• SwabCap and SwabTip disinfecting caps, used to protect and disinfect any needlefree connector, including competitive brands of connectors, and male luers;
• ClearGuard HD antimicrobial barrier caps for hemodialysis catheters; and
• Tego TM hemodialysis connector used to cap and protect hemodialysis central venous catheter hubs.
Closed System Transfer Devices ("CSTD") and hazardous drug compounding systems are used to prepare and deliver hazardous IV medications such as those used in chemotherapy, which, if released, can have harmful effects to the healthcare worker and environment. Our products are:
• ChemoLock TM CSTD, which utilizes a proprietary needlefree connection method, is used for the preparation and administration of hazardous drugs. ChemoLock is used to limit the escape of hazardous drug or vapor concentrations, block the transfer of environmental contaminants into the system, and eliminates the risk of needlestick injury;
• ChemoClave TM , an ISO Connection standard and universally compatible CSTD used for the preparation and administration of hazardous drugs. ChemoClave utilizes standard ISO luer locking connections, making it compatible with all brands of needlefree connectors and pump delivery systems. ChemoClave also is used to limit the escape of hazardous drug or vapor concentrations, block the transfer of environmental contaminants into the system, and eliminate the risk of needlestick injury; and
• Diana TM hazardous drug compounding system, an automated sterile compounding system that incorporates ChemoClave and ChemoLock CSTD consumables and IV workflow technology for the accurate, safe, and efficient preparation of hazardous drugs. It is a user-controlled automated system that provides repeatable accuracy of drug mixes and minimizes clinician exposure to hazardous drugs while helping to maintain the sterility of the drugs being mixed.
The preparation of hazardous drugs typically takes place in a pharmacy where drugs are removed from vials and prepared for delivery to a patient. Those prepared drugs are then transferred to a nursing unit where the chemotherapy is administered via an infusion pump set to a patient. Components of the ChemoClave and ChemoLock product lines are used both in pharmacies and on the nursing floors for the preparation and administration of hazardous drugs.
Infusion Systems
We offer a wide range of infusion pumps, dedicated IV sets, software and professional services. Our primary Infusion System products are dedicated IV sets and the following:
Infusion Pump Hardware:
• Plum 360™ : The Plum 360™ infusion pump is an ICU Medical MedNet™ ready large volume infusion pump with an extensive drug library and wireless capability. Plum 360 was named the 2018, 2019 and 2020 Best in KLAS winner as top-performing IV smart pump and was the first medical device to be awarded UL Cybersecurity Assurance Program Certification. Also, in 2021 and 2022, the Plum 360 won the award as the top-performing Smart Pump EMR-Integrated; and
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• LifeCare PCA™ : The LifeCare PCA infusion pump is an ICU Medical MedNet™ ready patient-controlled analgesia pump ("PCA"), providing complete IV Electronic Health Records ("IV-EHR") interoperability since 2016.
IV Medication Safety Software:
• ICU Medical MedNet ™: ICU Medical MedNet is an enterprise-class medication management platform for any sized healthcare system that can help reduce medication errors, improve quality of care, streamline workflows and maximize revenue capture. ICU Medical MedNet connects our industry-leading smart pumps to a hospital’s EHR, asset tracking systems, and alarm notification platforms with the largest array of integration partners.
Professional Services:
• In addition to the products above, our teams of clinical, information technology, and professional services experts work with customers to develop and deliver safe and efficient infusion systems, providing customized and personalized configuration, implementation, and data analytics services to complement our infusion hardware and software.
IV Solutions
We provide a broad portfolio of IV solutions to meet our customers’ clinical needs, providing a consistent supply of IV solutions, irrigation, and nutritionals to help provide safe and effective patient care. Our primary IV Solutions products are:
IV Therapy and Diluents:
• Including Sodium Chloride, Dextrose, Balanced Electrolyte Solutions, Lactated Ringer's, Ringer's, Mannitol, Sodium Chloride/Dextrose and Sterile Water.
Irrigation:
• Including Sodium Chloride Irrigation, Sterile Water Irrigation, Physiologic Solutions, Ringer's Irrigation, Acetic Acid Irrigation, Glycine Irrigation, Sorbitol-Mannitol Irrigation, Flexible Containers and Pour Bottle Options.
Critical Care
Our Critical Care products help clinicians get accurate real-time access to patients’ hemodynamic and cardiac status with an extensive portfolio of monitoring systems and advanced sensors & catheters. Measurements provided by our systems help clinicians determine how well the heart is pumping blood and how efficiently oxygen from the blood is being used by the tissues. Our primary Critical Care products are:
• Cogent™ 2-in-1 hemodynamic monitoring system;
• CardioFlo™ hemodynamic monitoring system;
• TDQ™ and OptiQ™ cardiac output monitoring catheters;
• TriOx TM venous oximetry catheters;
• Transpac™ blood pressure transducers; and
• SafeSet™ closed blood sampling and conservation system.
Financial information relating to our reporting segment and primary product lines is set forth in Part II, Item 7. "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and is incorporated herein by reference.
Manufacturing
As of December 31, 2021, we operate four primary manufacturing facilities globally, which are discussed in Part I, Item 2 of this report. We operate four main service centers globally. We also rely on certain outside manufacturers for certain product lines in Infusion Systems and IV Solutions.
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Our four primary manufacturing sites are:
• La Aurora de Heredia, Costa Rica, which manufactures most of our infusion pumps and dedicated disposables, as well as a portion of our non-dedicated infusion consumables products;
• Ensenada, Mexico, which manufactures infusion consumables products;
• Salt Lake City, Utah, which produces primarily our proprietary brands of connector and CSTD components, and sends those products to Costa Rica or Mexico for finished goods assembly; and
• Austin, Texas, which produces our IV Solutions products.
Additionally, we leverage a long-term supply agreement with Pfizer (described below) to provide additional IV Solution products to us.
We have four main regional device service centers in Sligo, Ireland; San Laurent, Quebec, Canada; Taipei, Taiwan and Rydalmere, Australia.
In 2017, we entered into two Manufacturing and Supply Agreements ("MSAs") with Pfizer under which, (i) Pfizer manufactures and supplies us with certain agreed upon products for an initial five-year term with a one-time two-year option to extend and (ii) we manufacture and supply Pfizer certain agreed upon products for a term of five or ten years depending on the product, with a one-time two-year option to extend. The initial supply price will be annually updated and is in full consideration for all costs associated with the manufacture, documentation, packaging and certification of the products. In January 2021, we amended our MSA with Pfizer, whereby we manufacture and supply certain agreed upon products to Pfizer. The amendments include a change to the term of the agreement to end on December 31, 2024 with Pfizer's unilateral election to extend through December 31, 2025. Other changes to the terms of the MSA include (i) amendments to our level of supply of products to Pfizer, (ii) certain changes to our manufacturing lines, (iii) updates to our supply price with added volume price tiers for annual periods and (iv) certain minimum purchase requirements for certain products. On February 1, 2022, effective as of January 1, 2022, upon our request, Pfizer executed a Product Addendum (the "Product Addendum") to our MSA agreement, whereby Pfizer manufactures and supplies to us certain agreed upon products. The Product Addendum includes the supply of additional product to us subject to certain time and pricing terms and conditions. The Product Addendum expires on November 30, 2022.
We purchase many of the components and raw materials used in manufacturing our products from numerous suppliers in various countries. Certain components and raw materials are available only from a sole supplier. We work closely with our suppliers to ensure continuity of supply while maintaining high quality and reliability. We have generally been able to obtain adequate supplies of such raw materials and components.
Sales, Marketing and Administration
We ship around the world with the majority of our sales denominated in United States ("U.S.") dollars, Euro and Canadian dollars. We are not dependent on any single customer.
Distribution
Our products are marketed to medical product manufacturers, independent distributors and directly to end users.
The U.S. distribution of solutions, IV sets and accessories is supported by a network of two owned and one leased distribution centers, which include King of Prussia, Pennsylvania; Los Angeles, California; and Dallas, Texas. We also utilize a number of public warehouses as part of our supply chain.
Internationally, we manage distribution by utilizing international regional hubs and through independent distributors.
Government Regulation
Our products and operations are subject to extensive and rigorous regulation by the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") and other federal, state and local authorities, as well as foreign regulatory authorities. The FDA regulates, among other things, the research, development, testing, manufacturing, approval, labeling, storage, recordkeeping, advertising, promotion and marketing, distribution, post-approval monitoring and reporting and import and export of drug products, medical devices and combination drug/device products in the U.S. to assure the safety and effectiveness of such medical products for their
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intended uses and otherwise meet the applicable requirements of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (“FDC Act”). The Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") also regulates the advertising of our products. Further, we are subject to laws directed at preventing fraud and abuse, which subject our sales and marketing, training and other practices to government scrutiny.
Medical Device Regulation in the U.S.
The majority of our products are regulated by the FDA as medical devices in the U.S. Unless an exemption applies, each new or significantly modified medical device we seek to commercially distribute in the U.S. will require either a pre-market notification to the FDA requesting permission for commercial distribution under Section 510(k) of the FDC Act, also referred to as a 510(k) clearance, or approval from the FDA of a pre-market approval ("PMA") application. Under the FDC Act, medical devices are classified into one of three classes—Class I, Class II or Class III—depending on the degree of risk associated with each medical device and the extent of manufacturer and regulatory control needed to ensure its safety and effectiveness. Class I devices are those that pose the lowest risk to the patient and are those for which safety and effectiveness can be assured by adherence to the FDA's General Controls for medical devices, which include compliance with the applicable portions of current good manufacturing practices ("cGMPs") for medical devices known as the Quality System Regulation ("QSR"), facility registration and product listing, reporting of adverse medical events, and truthful and non-misleading labeling, advertising, and promotional materials. Class II devices are subject to the FDA's General Controls, and special controls as deemed necessary by the FDA to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the device. Devices deemed by the FDA to pose the greatest risks, such as life sustaining, life supporting or some implantable devices, or devices that have a new intended use, or use advanced technology that is not substantially equivalent to that of a legally marketed device, are placed into Class III.
Manufacturers of most Class II devices are required to obtain from the FDA a 510(k) clearance for permission to commercially distribute the device. Class III devices require approval of a PMA application evidencing safety and effectiveness of the device.
Under the 510(k) process, applicants must demonstrate to the FDA that the device is as safe and effective as, or substantially equivalent to, a legally marketed device, the "predicate" device. A predicate device is a legally marketed device that is not subject to pre-market approval, i.e., a device that was legally marketed prior to May 28, 1976 (pre-amendments device) and for which a PMA is not required, a device that has been reclassified from Class III to Class II or I, or a device that was found substantially equivalent through the 510(k) process. Applicants must submit performance data to establish substantial equivalence. In some instances, data from human clinical trials must also be submitted in support of a 510(k) pre-market notification. If so, these data must be collected in a manner that conforms to the applicable Investigational Device Exemption ("IDE") regulations. If the FDA agrees that the device is substantially equivalent to a lawfully marketed predicate device, it will grant 510(k) clearance to authorize the device for commercialization. If the FDA determines that the device is "not substantially equivalent," the device is automatically designated as a Class III device. The device sponsor must then fulfill more rigorous PMA requirements, or can request a risk-based classification determination for the device in accordance with the de novo classification process, which is a route to market for novel medical devices that are low to moderate risk and are not substantially equivalent to a predicate device.
After a device receives 510(k) clearance, any modification that could significantly affect its safety or effectiveness, or that would constitute a major change or modification in its intended use, will require a new 510(k) clearance or, depending on the modification, PMA approval or de novo classification. The FDA requires each manufacturer to determine whether the proposed change requires submission of a 510(k), de novo classification request or a PMA in the first instance, but the FDA can review any such decision and disagree with a manufacturer’s determination. If the FDA disagrees with a manufacturer’s determination not to seek a new 510(k) or other form of marketing authorization for the modification to the 510(k)-cleared product, the FDA can require the manufacturer to cease marketing and/or request the recall of the modified device until 510(k) clearance or PMA approval is obtained or a de novo classification is granted.
In the PMA application process, the applicant must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the FDA that the device is safe and effective for its intended use. This approval process applies to most Class III devices, and generally requires clinical data to support the safety and effectiveness of the device, obtained in adherence with IDE requirements. Following receipt of a PMA application, the FDA determines whether the application is sufficiently complete to permit a substantive review. If FDA accepts the application for review, it has 180 days under the FDC Act to complete its review of a PMA, although in practice, the FDA's review often takes significantly longer, and can take up to several years. An advisory panel of experts from outside the FDA may be convened to review and evaluate the application and provide recommendations to the FDA as to the approvability of the device. The FDA may or may not accept the panel's recommendation. In addition, the FDA will generally conduct a pre-approval inspection of the applicant or its third-party manufacturers' or suppliers' facilities to ensure compliance with the QSR. The FDA will approve the new device for commercial distribution if it determines that the data and information in the PMA constitute valid scientific evidence and that there is reasonable assurance that the device is safe and effective for its intended
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use(s). The FDA may approve a PMA with post-approval conditions intended to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the device, including, among other things, restrictions on labeling, promotion, sale and distribution, and collection of long-term follow-up data from patients in the clinical study that supported PMA approval or requirements to conduct additional clinical studies post-approval. Certain changes to an approved device, such as changes in manufacturing facilities, methods, or quality control procedures, or changes in the design performance specifications, which affect the safety or effectiveness of the device, require submission of a PMA supplement, or in some cases a new PMA.
After a device is cleared or approved or otherwise authorized for marketing, numerous pervasive regulatory requirements continue to apply unless explicitly exempt. These include:
• establishment registration and device listing with the FDA;
• QSR requirements, which require manufacturers, including third-party manufacturers, to follow stringent design, testing, control, documentation and other quality assurance procedures during all aspects of the design and manufacturing process;
• clearance or approval of product modifications to 510(k)-cleared devices that could significantly affect safety or effectiveness or that would constitute a major change in intended use of cleared devices;
• medical device reporting regulations, which require that a manufacturer report to the FDA if a device it markets may have caused or contributed to a death or serious injury, or has malfunctioned and the device or a similar device that it markets would be likely to cause or contribute to a death or serious injury, if the malfunction were to recur;
• correction, removal and recall reporting regulations, which require that manufacturers report to the FDA field corrections and product recalls or removals if undertaken to reduce a risk to health posed by the device or to remedy a violation of the FDC Act that may present a risk to health;
• complying with requirements governing Unique Device Identifiers on devices and also requiring the submission of certain information about each device to the FDA's Global Unique Device Identification Database;
• the FDA's recall authority, whereby the agency can order device manufacturers to recall from the market a product that is in violation of governing laws and regulations; and
• post-market surveillance activities and regulations, which apply when deemed by the FDA to be necessary to protect public health or to provide additional safety and effectiveness data for the device.
Drug Regulation in the U.S.
Certain of our IV solutions products are regulated by the FDA as drugs. In the U.S., the FDA regulates drugs under the FDC Act, and its implementing regulations, and biologics under the FDC Act and its implementing regulations. The process required by the FDA before a drug may be marketed in the U.S. generally involves the following:
• completion of preclinical laboratory tests and animal studies performed in accordance with the FDA's Good Laboratory Practice requirements;
• submission to the FDA of an investigational new drug application ("IND"), which must become effective before clinical trials may begin;
• approval by an institutional review board ("IRB") or ethics committee at each clinical site before the trial is commenced;
• performance of adequate and well-controlled human clinical trials to establish the safety and efficacy of the proposed product candidate for its intended purpose;
• preparation of and submission to the FDA of a New Drug Application ("NDA") or abbreviated new drug application ("ANDA") after completion of all required clinical trials;
• satisfactory completion of an FDA Advisory Committee review, if applicable;
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• a determination by the FDA within 60 days of its receipt of an NDA to file the application for review;
• satisfactory completion of an FDA pre-approval inspection of the manufacturing facility or facilities at which the proposed product is produced to assess compliance with cGMPs and to assure that the facilities, methods and controls are adequate to preserve the product's continued safety, purity and potency, and of selected clinical investigation sites to assess compliance with Good Clinical Practices ("GCPs"); and
• FDA review and approval of the NDA to permit commercial marketing of the product for particular indications for use in the U.S.
Prior to beginning clinical trials of a drug product in the U.S., an IND must be submitted to the FDA. An IND is a request for authorization from the FDA to administer an investigational new drug product to humans. An IND must become effective before human clinical trials may begin. Assuming successful completion of all required testing in accordance with all applicable regulatory requirements, the results of product development, nonclinical studies and clinical trials are submitted to the FDA as part of an NDA requesting approval to market the product for one or more indications. The NDA must include all relevant data available from preclinical and clinical studies, including negative or ambiguous results as well as positive findings, together with detailed information relating to the product’s chemistry, manufacturing, controls, and proposed labeling, among other things. The submission of an NDA requires payment of a substantial application user fee to the FDA, unless a waiver or exemption applies.
After the FDA evaluates an NDA and conducts inspections of manufacturing facilities where the investigational product and/or its drug substance will be produced and of select clinical trial sites, the FDA may issue an approval letter or a Complete Response Letter ("CRL"). An approval letter authorizes commercial marketing of the product with specific prescribing information for specific indications. A CRL will generally describe all of the deficiencies that the FDA has identified in the NDA. In issuing the CRL, the FDA may recommend actions that the applicant might take to place the NDA in condition for approval, including requests for additional information or clarification. The FDA may delay or refuse approval of an NDA if applicable regulatory criteria are not satisfied, require additional testing or information and/or require post-marketing testing and surveillance to monitor safety or efficacy of a product.
If regulatory approval of a drug is granted, such approval will be granted for particular indications and may include limitations on the indicated uses for which such drug may be marketed. The FDA also may condition approval on, among other things, changes to proposed labeling or the development of adequate controls and specifications. Once approved, the FDA may withdraw the approval if compliance with pre- and post-marketing requirements is not maintained or if problems occur after the product reaches the marketplace. The FDA may require one or more post-market studies and surveillance to further assess and monitor the drug’s safety and effectiveness after commercialization, and may limit further marketing of the drug based on the results of these post-marketing studies.
Any drugs manufactured or distributed pursuant to FDA approvals are subject to pervasive and continuing regulation by the FDA, including, among other things, requirements relating to record-keeping, reporting of adverse experiences, periodic reporting, product sampling and distribution, and advertising and promotion of the product. After approval, most changes to the approved product, such as adding new indications or other labeling claims, are subject to prior FDA review and approval. There also are continuing, annual program fees for any marketed products. Drug manufacturers and their subcontractors are required to register their establishments with the FDA and certain state agencies, and are subject to periodic unannounced inspections by the FDA and certain state agencies for compliance with cGMP, which impose certain procedural and documentation requirements upon us and our third-party manufacturers. FDA regulations also require investigation and correction of any deviations from cGMP and impose reporting requirements upon us and any third-party manufacturers that we may decide to use. Accordingly, manufacturers must continue to expend time, money and effort in the area of production and quality control to maintain compliance with cGMP and other aspects of regulatory compliance.
Post-Market Enforcement
The FDA may withdraw marketing authorizations for drugs or medical devices if compliance with regulatory requirements and standards is not maintained or if problems occur after the product reaches the market. Later discovery of previously unknown problems with a product, including adverse events of unanticipated severity or frequency, or with manufacturing processes, or failure to comply with regulatory requirements, may result in revisions to the approved labeling to add new safety information, imposition of post-market studies or clinical studies to assess new safety risks, or imposition of distribution restrictions or other restrictions. Other potential consequences include, among other things: complete withdrawal of the product from the market, product recalls, fines, warning letters, untitled letters, clinical holds on clinical studies, refusal of the FDA to approve pending applications or supplements to approved applications, product seizures or detention, refusal to
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permit the import or export of products, consent decrees, corporate integrity agreements, debarment or exclusion from federal healthcare programs, the issuance of corrective information, injunctions, or the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.
In addition, the FDA closely regulates the marketing, labeling, advertising and promotion of drugs and medical devices. A company can make only those claims relating to safety and efficacy, purity and potency that are cleared or approved by the FDA and in accordance with the provisions of the authorized label. The FDA and other agencies actively enforce the laws and regulations prohibiting the promotion of off-label uses. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in, among other things, adverse publicity, warning letters, corrective advertising and potential civil and criminal penalties.
Regulation of Medical Devices in the European Union
The European Union ("EU") has adopted specific directives and regulations regulating the design, manufacture, clinical investigation, conformity assessment, labeling and adverse event reporting for medical devices.
Until May 25, 2021, medical devices were regulated by Council Directive 93/42/EEC (the "EU Medical Devices Directive") which has been repealed and replaced by Regulation (EU) No 2017/745 (the "EU Medical Devices Regulation"). Our current certificates have been granted under the EU Medical Devices Directive whose regime is described below. However, as of May 26, 2021, some of the EU Medical Devices Regulation requirements apply in place of the corresponding requirements of the EU Medical Devices Directive with regard to registration of economic operators and of devices, post-market surveillance and vigilance requirements. Pursuing marketing of medical devices in the EU will notably require that our devices be certified under the new regime set forth in the EU Medical Devices Regulation when our current certificates expire.
Medical Devices Directive
Under the EU Medical Devices Directive, all medical devices placed on the market in the EU must meet the relevant essential requirements laid down in Annex I to the EU Medical Devices Directive, including the requirement that a medical device must be designed and manufactured in such a way that it will not compromise the clinical condition or safety of patients, or the safety and health of users and others. In addition, the device must achieve the performance intended by the manufacturer and be designed, manufactured, and packaged in a suitable manner. The European Commission has adopted various standards applicable to medical devices. These include standards governing common requirements, such as sterilization and safety of medical electrical equipment and product standards for certain types of medical devices. There are also harmonized standards relating to design and manufacture. While not mandatory, compliance with these standards is viewed as the easiest way to satisfy the essential requirements as a practical matter as it creates a rebuttable presumption that the device satisfies that essential requirement.
To demonstrate compliance with the essential requirements laid down in Annex I to the EU Medical Devices Directive, medical device manufacturers must undergo a conformity assessment procedure, which varies according to the type of medical device and its (risk) classification. As a general rule, demonstration of conformity of medical devices and their manufacturers with the essential requirements must be based, among other things, on the evaluation of clinical data supporting the safety and performance of the products during normal conditions of use. Specifically, a manufacturer must demonstrate that the device achieves its intended performance during normal conditions of use, that the known and foreseeable risks, and any adverse events, are minimized and acceptable when weighed against the benefits of its intended performance, and that any claims made about the performance and safety of the device are supported by suitable evidence. Except for low-risk medical devices (Class I non-sterile, non-measuring devices), where the manufacturer can self-declare the conformity of its products with the essential requirements (except for any parts which relate to sterility or metrology), a conformity assessment procedure requires the intervention of a notified body. Notified bodies are independent organizations designated by EU member states to assess the conformity of devices before being placed on the market. A notified body would typically audit and examine a product's technical dossiers and the manufacturers' quality system (the notified body must presume that quality systems which implement the relevant harmonized standards – which is ISO 13485:2016 for Medical Devices Quality Management Systems – conform to these requirements). If satisfied that the relevant product conforms to the relevant essential requirements, the notified body issues a certificate of conformity, which the manufacturer uses as a basis for its own declaration of conformity. The manufacturer may then apply the European Conformity ("CE") mark to the device, which allows the device to be placed on the market throughout the EU.
Throughout the term of the certificate of conformity, the manufacturer will be subject to periodic surveillance audits to verify continued compliance with the applicable requirements. In particular, there will be a new audit by the notified body before it will renew the relevant certificate(s).
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Medical Devices Regulation
The regulatory landscape related to medical devices in the EU recently evolved. On April 5, 2017, the EU Medical Devices Regulation was adopted with the aim of ensuring better protection of public health and patient safety. The EU Medical Devices Regulation establishes a uniform, transparent, predictable and sustainable regulatory framework across the EU for medical devices and ensure a high level of safety and health while supporting innovation. Unlike the EU Medical Devices Directive, the EU Medical Devices Regulation is directly applicable in EU member states without the need for member states to implement into national law. This aims to increase harmonization across the EU.
The EU Medical Devices Regulation became effective on May 26, 2021. The new Regulation among other things:
• strengthens the rules on placing devices on the market (e.g. reclassification of certain devices and wider scope than the EU Medical Devices Directive) and reinforces surveillance once they are available;
• establishes explicit provisions on manufacturers' responsibilities for the follow-up of the quality, performance and safety of devices placed on the market;
• establishes explicit provisions on importers' and distributors' obligations and responsibilities;
• imposes an obligation to identify a responsible person who is ultimately responsible for all aspects of compliance with the requirements of the new regulation;
• improves the traceability of medical devices throughout the supply chain to the end-user or patient through the introduction of a unique identification number, to increase the ability of manufacturers and regulatory authorities to trace specific devices through the supply chain and to facilitate the prompt and efficient recall of medical devices that have been found to present a safety risk;
• sets up a central database (Eudamed) to provide patients, healthcare professionals and the public with comprehensive information on products available in the EU; and
• strengthens rules for the assessment of certain high-risk devices, such as implants, which may have to undergo a clinical evaluation consultation procedure by experts before they are placed on the market.
Devices lawfully placed on the market pursuant to the EU Medical Devices Directive prior to May 26, 2021 may generally continue to be made available on the market or put into service until May 26, 2025, provided that the requirements of the transitional provisions are fulfilled. In particular, the certificate in question must still be valid. However, even in this case, manufacturers must comply with a number of new or reinforced requirements set forth in the EU Medical Devices Regulation, in particular the obligations described below.
The EU Medical Devices Regulation requires that before placing a device, other than a custom-made device, on the market, manufacturers (as well as other economic operators such as authorized representatives and importers) must register by submitting identification information to the electronic system (Eudamed), unless they have already registered. The information to be submitted by manufacturers (and authorized representatives) also includes the name, address and contact details of the person or persons responsible for regulatory compliance. The new Regulation also requires that before placing a device, other than a custom-made device, on the market, manufacturers must assign a unique identifier to the device and provide it along with other core data to the unique device identifier ("UDI") database. These new requirements aim at ensuring better identification and traceability of the devices. Each device – and as applicable, each package – will have a UDI composed of two parts: a device identifier ("UDI-DI") specific to a device, and a production identifier ("UDI-PI") to identify the unit producing the device. Manufacturers are also notably responsible for entering the necessary data on Eudamed, which includes the UDI database, and for keeping it up to date. The obligations for registration in Eudamed will become applicable at a later date (as Eudamed is not yet fully functional). Until Eudamed is fully functional, the corresponding provisions of the EU Medical Devices Directive continue to apply for the purpose of meeting the obligations laid down in the provisions regarding exchange of information, including, and in particular, information regarding registration of devices and economic operators.
All manufacturers placing medical devices on the market in the EU must comply with the EU medical device vigilance system which has been reinforced by the EU Medical Devices Regulation. Under this system, serious incidents and Field Safety Corrective Actions ("FSCAs") must be reported to the relevant authorities of the EU member states. These reports will have to be submitted through Eudamed – once functional – and aim to ensure that, in addition to reporting to the relevant authorities of the EU member states, other actors such as the economic operators in the supply chain will also be informed. Until Eudamed is
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fully functional, the corresponding provisions of the EU Medical Devices Directive continue to apply. A serious incident is defined as any malfunction or deterioration in the characteristics or performance of a device made available on the market, including use-error due to ergonomic features, as well as any inadequacy in the information supplied by the manufacturer and any undesirable side-effect, which, directly or indirectly, might have led or might lead to the death of a patient or user or of other persons or to a temporary or permanent serious deterioration of a patient's, user's or other person's state of health or a serious public health threat. Manufacturers are required to take FSCAs defined as any corrective action for technical or medical reasons to prevent or reduce a risk of a serious incident associated with the use of a medical device that is made available on the market. An FSCA may include the recall, modification, exchange, destruction or retrofitting of the device. FSCAs must be communicated by the manufacturer or its legal representative to its customers and/or to the end users of the device through Field Safety Notices. For similar serious incidents that occur with the same device or device type and for which the root cause has been identified or a FSCA implemented or where the incidents are common and well documented, manufacturers may provide periodic summary reports instead of individual serious incident reports.
The advertising and promotion of medical devices is subject to some general principles set forth in EU legislation. According to the EU Medical Devices Regulation, only devices that are CE marked may be marketed and advertised in the EU in accordance with their intended purpose. Directive 2006/114/EC concerning misleading and comparative advertising and Directive 2005/29/EC on unfair commercial practices, while not specific to the advertising of medical devices, also apply to the advertising thereof and contain general rules, for example, requiring that advertisements are evidenced, balanced and not misleading. Specific requirements are defined at a national level. EU member states' laws related to the advertising and promotion of medical devices, which vary between jurisdictions, may limit or restrict the advertising and promotion of products to the general public and may impose limitations on promotional activities with healthcare professionals.
Many EU member states have adopted specific anti-gift statutes that further limit commercial practices for medical devices, in particular vis-à-vis healthcare professionals and organizations. Additionally, there has been a recent trend of increased regulation of payments and transfers of value provided to healthcare professionals or entities and many EU member states have adopted national "Sunshine Acts" which impose reporting and transparency requirements (often on an annual basis), similar to the requirements in the U.S., on medical device manufacturers. Certain countries also mandate implementation of commercial compliance programs.
The aforementioned EU rules are generally applicable in the European Economic Area ("EEA") which consists of the 27 EU member states plus Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland.
Brexit
Since January 1, 2021, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency ("MHRA") has become the sovereign regulatory authority responsible for Great Britain (i.e. England, Wales and Scotland) medical device market according to the requirements provided in the Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (SI 2002 No 618, as amended) that sought to give effect to the three pre-existing EU directives governing active implantable medical devices, general medical devices and in vitro diagnostic medical devices whereas Northern Ireland continues to be governed by EU rules according to the Northern Ireland Protocol. Following the end of the United Kingdom's ("UK's") withdrawal from the EU ("Brexit") transitional period on January 1, 2021, new regulations require medical devices to be registered with the MHRA (but manufacturers were given a grace period of four to 12 months, depending on the classification of the device, to comply with the new registration process) before being placed on the Great Britain market. The MHRA only registers devices where the manufacturer or their UK responsible person has a registered place of business in the UK. Manufacturers based outside the UK need to appoint a UK responsible person that has a registered place of business in the UK to register devices with the MHRA in line with the grace periods. By July 1, 2023, in Great Britain, all medical devices will require a UK Conformity Assessed ("UKCA") mark but CE marks issued by EU notified bodies will remain valid until this time. Manufacturers may choose to use the UKCA mark on a voluntary basis until June 30, 2023. However, UKCA marking will not be recognized in the EU. The rules for placing medical devices on the market in Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK, differ from those in the rest of the UK. Compliance with this legislation is a prerequisite to be able to affix the UKCA mark to our products, without which they cannot be sold or marketed in Great Britain.
An MHRA public consultation was opened until end of November 2021 on the post-Brexit regulatory framework for medical devices and diagnostics. MHRA seeks to amend the UK Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (which are based on EU legislation, primarily the EU Medical Devices Directive and the EU In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Directive 98/79/EC), in particular to create a new access pathway to support innovation, create an innovative framework for regulating software and artificial intelligence as medical devices, reform IVD regulation and foster sustainability through the reuse and remanufacture of medical devices. The regime is expected to come into force in July 2023, coinciding with the end of the acceptance period for EU CE marks in Great Britain, subject to appropriate transitional arrangements. The consultation indicated that the MHRA
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will publish guidance in relation to the changes to the regulatory framework and may rely more heavily on guidance to add flexibility to the regime.
In addition, the trade deal between the UK and the EU generally provides for cooperation and exchange of information between the parties in the areas of product safety and compliance, including market surveillance, enforcement activities and measures, standardization-related activities, exchanges of officials, and coordinated product recalls. As such, processes for compliance and reporting should reflect requirements from regulatory authorities.
Under the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol, Northern Ireland follows EU rules on medical devices and devices marketed in Northern Ireland require assessment according to the EU regulatory regime. Such assessment may be conducted by an EU notified body, in which case a CE mark is required before placing the device on the market in the EU or Northern Ireland. Alternatively, if a UK notified body conducts such assessment, a 'UKNI' mark is applied and the device may only be placed on the market in Northern Ireland and not the EU.
Manufacturing Regulation
We must also comply with FDA and International Organization for Standardization ("ISO") governing medical device manufacturing practices. The FDA, state, foreign agencies and ISO require manufacturers to register and subject manufacturers to periodic FDA, state, foreign agencies and notified bodies and ISO inspections and audits of their manufacturing facilities. We are a FDA and ISO registered medical device manufacturer, and must demonstrate that we and our contract manufacturers comply with the FDA's QSR, cGMPs and similar foreign requirements. The FDA, other regulatory agencies and notified bodies outside the U.S. monitor compliance with these requirements through inspections and audits of manufacturing facilities. If an inspector observes conditions that might be violative, the manufacturer must correct those conditions or explain them satisfactorily, or face potential regulatory action that might include physical removal of the product from the marketplace.
Other Healthcare Laws
We are subject to additional healthcare regulation and enforcement by the federal government and by authorities in the states and foreign jurisdictions in which we conduct our business. These laws include:
• the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, which prohibits, among other things, persons from knowingly and willfully soliciting, receiving, offering or paying remuneration, directly or indirectly, in exchange for or to induce either the referral of an individual for, or the purchase, order or recommendation of, any good or service for which payment may be made under federal healthcare programs, such as the Medicare and Medicaid programs. A person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute or specific intent to violate it to have committed a violation;
• federal false claims laws which prohibit, among other things, individuals or entities from knowingly presenting, or causing to be presented, claims for payment from Medicare, Medicaid or other federal third-party payors that are false or fraudulent. In addition, the government may assert that a claim including items or services resulting from a violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the False Claims Act;
• the federal Civil Monetary Penalties Law, which prohibits, among other things, offering or transferring remuneration to a federal healthcare beneficiary that a person knows or should know is likely to influence the beneficiary’s decision to order or receive items or services reimbursable by the government from a particular provider or supplier;
• federal criminal laws that prohibit executing a scheme to defraud any federal healthcare benefit program or making false statements relating to healthcare matters. Similar to the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, a person or entity does not need to have actual knowledge of the statute or specific intent to violate it to have committed a violation;
• the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, which governs the conduct of certain electronic healthcare transactions and protects the security and privacy of protected health information;
• the federal Physician Payment Sunshine Act, which requires manufacturers of drugs, devices, biologics and medical supplies for which payment is available under Medicare, Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (with certain exceptions) to report annually to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ("CMS") information related to payments or other "transfers of value" made to physicians (defined to include doctors, dentists, optometrists, podiatrists and chiropractors), certain health care professionals (physician assistants, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse
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specialists, anesthesiologist assistants, certified registered nurse anesthetists, anesthesiology assistants and certified nurse midwives), and teaching hospitals and ownership and investment interests held by the physicians described above and their immediate family members; and
• analogous state and foreign law equivalents of each of the above federal laws, such as anti-kickback and false claims laws which may apply to items or services reimbursed by any third-party payor, including commercial insurers; state laws that require pharmaceutical and device companies to comply with the industry's voluntary compliance guidelines and the applicable compliance guidance promulgated by the federal government or otherwise restrict payments that may be made to healthcare providers and other potential referral sources; state laws that require device manufacturers to track and report information related to payments and other "transfers of value" to physicians and other healthcare providers or pricing, marketing expenditures and information.
Violations of any of the laws described above include civil and criminal penalties, damages, fines, the curtailment or restructuring of an entity’s operations, the debarment, suspension or exclusion from federal and state healthcare programs and/or imprisonment.
Coverage and Reimbursement
Our profitability and operations are subject to changes in legislative, regulatory and reimbursement policies and decisions as well as changes in private payer reimbursement coverage and payment decisions and policies. Our products are purchased by hospitals, physicians and other healthcare providers that typically bill various third-party payors, such as governmental programs, private insurance plans and managed care plans, for the healthcare services and products provided to their patients. The ability of our customers to obtain appropriate coverage and reimbursement for healthcare services and products from third-party payors is critical because it affects which products customer purchase and the prices they are willing to pay since our products are not separately reimbursed by any third-party payor. Third-party payors are increasingly reducing coverage and reimbursement for certain healthcare services and products and challenging prices charged for healthcare services and products.
Health Care Reform
In the U.S., there have been, and we expect that there will continue to be, a number of federal and state proposals to limit payments by governmental payors for medical devices, and the procedures in which medical devices are used. For example, in March 2010, comprehensive healthcare reform legislation was enacted through the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education and Reconciliation Act (the "ACA"), which, among other things, provided incentives to programs that increase the federal government’s comparative effectiveness research, and implemented payment system reforms including a national pilot program on payment bundling to encourage hospitals, physicians and other providers to improve the coordination, quality and efficiency of certain healthcare services through bundled payment models.
Since its enactment, there have been judicial, executive and Congressional challenges to certain aspects of the ACA. On June 17, 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed the most recent judicial challenge to the ACA brought by several states without specifically ruling on the constitutionality of the ACA. Prior to the Supreme Court's decision, President Biden issued an executive order to initiate a special enrollment period for purposes of obtaining health insurance coverage through the ACA marketplace from February 15, 2021 through August 15, 2021. The executive order also instructed certain governmental agencies to review and reconsider their existing policies and rules that limit access to healthcare, including among others, reexamining Medicaid demonstration projects and waiver programs that include work requirements, and policies that create unnecessary barriers to obtaining access to health insurance coverage through Medicaid or the ACA.
In addition, other legislative changes have been proposed and adopted since the Affordable Care Act was enacted. On August 2, 2011, the Budget Control Act of 2011 was signed into law, which, among other things, included reductions to Medicare payments to providers of 2% per fiscal year, which went into effect on April 1, 2013, and will stay in effect through 2030, with the exception of a temporary suspension from May 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021 unless additional Congressional action is taken. On January 2, 2013, the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, was signed into law, which, among other things, further reduced Medicare payments to several providers, including hospitals. We cannot predict whether future healthcare initiatives will be implemented at the federal or state level or internationally, or the effect any future legislation or regulation will have on us. Such legislation and regulation of healthcare costs may, however, result in decreased lower reimbursements by governmental and private payors to our customers, which may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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Data Privacy and Security
Medical device companies may be subject to U.S. federal and state and foreign data privacy, security and data breach notification laws governing the collection, use, disclosure and protection of health-related and other personal information. In the U.S., numerous federal and state laws and regulations, including data breach notification laws, health information privacy and security laws and consumer protection laws and regulations govern the collection, use, disclosure, and protection of health-related and other personal information. In addition, certain foreign laws govern the privacy and security of personal data, including health-related data. For example, the General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR") imposes strict requirements for processing the personal data of individuals within the EEA. Further, from January 1, 2021, companies have had to comply with the GDPR and also the UK GDPR, which, together with the amended UK Data Protection Act 2018, retains the GDPR in UK national law. The UK GDPR mirrors the fines under the GDPR, i.e., fines up to the greater of €20 million (£17.5 million) or 4% of global turnover. Privacy and security laws, regulations, and other obligations are constantly evolving, may conflict with each other to complicate compliance efforts, and can result in investigations, proceedings, or actions that lead to significant civil and/or criminal penalties and restrictions on data processing.
In the EU, the GDPR went into effect in May 2018 and imposes stringent data protection requirements for controllers and processors of personal data of persons within the EEA. The GDPR applies to any company established in the EEA as well as to those outside the EEA if they collect and use personal data in connection with the offering of goods or services to individuals in the EEA or the monitoring of their behavior. Companies that must comply with the GDPR face increased compliance obligations and risk, including more robust regulatory enforcement of data protection requirements and potential fines for noncompliance of up to €20 million or 4% of the annual global revenues of the noncompliant company, whichever is greater. Data privacy laws in the EU and the EEA are developing rapidly and, in July 2020, the Court of Justice of the European Union ("CJEU") limited how organizations could lawfully transfer personal data from the EEA to the U.S. by invalidating the Privacy Shield for purposes of international transfers and imposing further restrictions on use of the standard contractual clauses ("SCCs"). While the CJEU upheld the adequacy of the SCCs, it made clear that reliance on them alone may not necessarily be sufficient in all circumstances. Use of the SCCs must now be assessed on a case-by-case basis taking into account the legal regime applicable in the destination country, in particular applicable surveillance laws and rights of individuals and additional measures and/or contractual provisions may need to be put in place, however, the nature of these additional measures is currently uncertain. The CJEU went on to state that if a competent supervisory authority believes that the SCCs cannot be complied with in the destination country and the required level of protection cannot be secured by other means, such supervisory authority is under an obligation to suspend or prohibit that transfer. The European Commission issued revised SCCs on June 4, 2021 to account for the decision of the CJEU and recommendations made by the European Data Protection Board. The revised SCCs must be used for relevant new data transfers from September 27, 2021; existing standard contractual clauses arrangements must be migrated to the revised clauses by December 27, 2022. There is some uncertainty around whether the revised clauses can be used for all types of data transfers, particularly whether they can be relied on for data transfers to non-EEA entities subject to the GDPR. The revised SCCs apply only to the transfer of personal data outside of the EEA and not the UK; the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office launched a public consultation on its draft revised data transfers mechanisms in August 2021.
Since January 2021, companies have to comply with the GDPR and also the UK GDPR. The relationship between the UK and the EU in relation to certain aspects of data protection law remains uncertain, and it is unclear how UK data protection laws and regulations will develop in the medium to longer term. The European Commission has adopted an adequacy decision in favor of the UK, enabling data transfers from EU member states to the UK without additional safeguards. However, the UK adequacy decision will automatically expire in June 2025 unless the European Commission re-assesses and renews/extends that decision, and remains under review by the Commission during this period. In September 2021, the UK government launched a consultation on its proposals for wide-ranging reform of UK data protection laws following Brexit. There is a risk that any material changes which are made to the UK data protection regime could result in the European Commission reviewing the UK adequacy decision, and the UK losing its adequacy decision if the European Commission deems the UK to no longer provide adequate protection for personal data.
Competition
Our industry is highly competitive. We believe our ability to effectively compete in this industry will be determined by our ability to provide a wide breadth of cost-effective, high quality products. We believe the added breadth of our acquired product portfolios have increased our competitiveness as we can now provide a one-stop shop for customers and offer more flexible competitive pricing. We also believe our acquired infusion pump product offering will enable us to pull through a larger volume of higher margin infusion consumables, and we believe we have a wider customer reach through our unified distribution channels.
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Infusion Consumables
We believe that our ability to effectively compete in the Infusion Consumables market depends upon our ability to differentiate our products based on continued innovation, safety, quality, convenience, reliability, patent protection, ease of use and the pricing of our products, in addition to access to distribution channels. We encounter significant competition in this market both from global, large, established medical device manufacturers and from smaller companies. We compete with products and systems marketed by Becton Dickinson ("BD"), Baxter International ("Baxter"), and B. Braun Medical, Inc. ("B. Braun"). Our CSTD used for the preparation and safe handling of oncology drugs, compete with similar products from BD, and EquaShield. We believe that our current CSTD product offering provides benefits over these competing systems in several areas related to safety, ease of use, quality, and cost; however, ongoing innovation in this market space will be required.
Infusion Systems
We face strong global competitors in the Infusion Systems market. In the United States ("U.S.") our competitors include BD, Baxter, and to a lesser extent B. Braun. Outside of the U.S., our primary competitors are BD, B. Braun, Fresenius Kabi, a division of Fresenius Group and a large number of local market pump manufacturers. These competitors benefit from greater financial, research and development and marketing resources than we have. The smart pump market in recent years has been troubled with security concerns and product recalls. We believe our ability to effectively compete in this market segment will be determined by our ability to build our brand strength using the development of technological advancements aimed at increasing the quality, reliability, safety and security of our pumps while at the same time focusing on manufacturing efficiency and cost-effectiveness, which are operationally challenging with evolving product lines.
IV Solutions
We participate in the IV solutions market only in the U.S. and Canada. Our primary competitors in the U.S. include Baxter and B. Braun. Demand for IV solutions is typically high and raw materials required to produce IV solutions are readily available. Our ability to compete will depend on our ability to maximize production, develop innovations in our product line, focus on cost-effectiveness and our ability to maintain the appropriate quality infrastructure.
Critical Care
Our primary competitor in Critical Care is Edwards Lifesciences.
Patents
We have U.S. and/or certain foreign patents and/or pending patent applications relating to the technologies found in the Clave / MicroClave connector, MicroClave Clear connector, Neutron connector, Tego connector, ChemoClave system, ChemoLock connector, SwabCap disinfecting cap, Diana hazardous drug compounding system, ClearGuard antimicrobial barrier cap, Cogent hemodynamic monitoring system, and other products.
With the acquisition of HIS, we acquired rights, title and interest to a substantial number of patents and patent applications and related provisionals, divisionals, continuations, continuations-in-part, reissues, reexaminations, extensions, and substitutions of any of the foregoing (“Patent Rights”), that were primarily used or held for use by Pfizer in the HIS business. There is however, no single patent or group of patents that we acquired that we believe is material in relation to our business as a whole. Since the acquisition, we have filed additional patent applications on technologies relating to infusion pumps, software for operating infusion pumps, and software for communicating information to and from infusion pumps.
Our success may depend in part on our ability to obtain patent protection for our products and to operate without infringing the proprietary rights of third parties. While we have obtained certain patents and applied for additional U.S. and foreign patents covering certain of our products, there is no assurance that any additional patents will be issued, that the scope of any patent protection will prevent competitors from introducing similar devices or that any of our patents will be held valid if subsequently challenged. Our patents are important in preventing others from introducing competing products that are as effective as our products. The loss of patent protection on the Clave / MicroClave connector, Neutron connector, Tego connector, Swabcap disinfecting cap, Clearguard antimicrobial barrier cap, ChemoClave system, and ChemoLock connector could adversely affect our ability to exclude other manufacturers from producing effective competitive products and could have an adverse impact on our financial results.
The fact that a patent is issued to us does not eliminate the possibility that patents owned by others may contain claims that are infringed by our products.
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There has been substantial litigation regarding patent and other intellectual property rights in the medical device industry. Litigation, which would result in substantial cost to us and in diversion of our resources, may be necessary to defend us against claimed infringement of the rights of others and to determine the scope and validity of the proprietary rights of others. Adverse determinations in such litigation could subject us to significant liabilities to third parties or could require us to seek licenses from third parties and could prevent us from manufacturing, selling or using our products, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business. In addition, we have initiated litigation, and may continue to initiate litigation in the future, to enforce our intellectual property rights against those we believe to be infringing on our patents. Such litigation could result in substantial cost and diversion of resources.
Seasonality/Quarterly Results
There are no significant seasonal aspects to our business. We can experience fluctuations in net sales as a result of variations in the ordering patterns of our largest customers, which may be driven more by COVID-19 pandemic surges and its impact on hospital admissions and procedure volumes along with production scheduling and customer inventory levels, and less by seasonality. Our expenses often do not fluctuate in the same manner as net sales, which may cause fluctuations in operating income that are disproportionate to fluctuations in our revenue.
Research and Development
Our research and development costs include personnel costs and expenses related to the development of new products. Research and development costs were $47.5 million in 2021, $42.9 million in 2020 and $48.6 million in 2019.
Human Capital Management
We believe our employees are the foundation of our business and are key to executing our strategy globally. The knowledge, skills and abilities of our diverse workforce is paramount in upholding our mission of connecting patients and caregivers through safe, life-saving, life enhancing IV therapy products, systems, and services.
We believe the health and well-being of our employees are cornerstones for our successful operations. Whether you are a machine operator in one of our four manufacturing locations, a material handler in a distribution center, a service technician supporting our products in the field, or a clinician training the use of our products in a hospital, we strive to prioritize the safety of our team members. This includes designing our work environments with a safety first mindset, providing personal protective equipment and safety training beginning day one.
Our ability to attract and retain talented individuals globally begins with our commitment to offer a career that gives people a unique opportunity to work in an exhilarating, fast-paced, inspiring, and collaborative environment where what they do makes a difference. We offer competitive salaries and participation to all employees in incentive plans based on individual and company performance.
We believe the development of our workforce is critical for personal growth and the success of our company as well. We reinforce this with challenging, yet rewarding assignments, continued learning and training programs through our global iLearning platform, and support continued education globally through tuition reimbursement programs. Our team believes in diversity, collaboration, and removing barriers to communication—all to create an environment where innovation and creativity can flourish. This is principal for us in attracting, developing, retaining and rewarding talent on a global scale.
Finally, our leadership team, with its broad, and deep category knowledge and averaging approximately 17 years of experience in IV therapy has the necessary experience to effectively lead the execution of our strategy.
At December 31, 2021, we had approximately 8,500 employees located in over 20 countries.
Geographic Data
Information regarding financial data by geography is set forth in Part II, Item 8. "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data" of this Annual Report on Form 10-K in Notes 4 and 13 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, and is incorporated herein by reference.
COVID-19 Pandemic
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In March 2020, the World Health Organization characterized a novel strain of coronavirus ("COVID-19") as a global pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have widespread and unpredictable impact on global economies, financial markets, and business practices, and continues to impact our business operations, including our employees, customers and suppliers. See “Part II. Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” for discussion regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our financial results. Also, see “Part I. Item 1A. Risk Factors” for discussion of the risks and uncertainties associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Available Information
Our website address is http://www.icumed.com. We make available our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, and amendments to those reports free of charge on our website as soon as reasonably practicable after filing them with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). We also have our code of ethics posted on our website (http://www.icumed.com). The information on our website is not incorporated into this Annual Report.
The SEC maintains an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC on its website (http://www.sec.gov).