Ambu Talks Future of Single-Use Endoscopy on Popular Med-Tech Podcast

Ambu CEO Juan Jose Gonzalez and U.S. President Steven Block are featured on DeviceTalks, a popular weekly podcast devoted to news, commentary and insights from med-tech industry leaders. 

Gonzalez and Block shared the company’s growth story and discussed the single-use endoscopy market with host Tom Salemi, who’s also a writer for the publication Mass Device.

Technology improvements make single-use endoscopes as effective as reusable devices but without the expensive price tag and infection risk, Gonzalez said.

“Technology is moving so fast,” he added. “And I’m talking about technology that powers single-use – sensors, image-enhancement software, artificial intelligence, monitors, lighting, material science. Every year, all the trends to move to single-use become stronger.”

“There is just no reason to use a reusable product,” said Block, who predicted that over the next decade single-use scopes will account for most of the endoscopes sold.

The interview with Juan Jose Gonzalez and Steven Block starts at 07:31.

The episode also features Dr. Brian Dunkin, chief medical officer of Boston Scientific Endoscopy, and Dave Pierce, president of Boston Scientific’s endoscopy business.

Dunkin acknowledged the familiarity clinicians have with reusable scopes can make single-use a challenging sell. Once doctors use the device, however, they’re sold.

“If you’ve never seen the scope, you meet it with skepticism,” he added. “There is this skepticism until they get it in their hands and they use it, and then that skepticism goes away.”

In recent weeks, DeviceTalks has explored everything from venture capital in med-tech to regulatory news out of the FDA and the ongoing impact of COVID-19. Its guests have included many big names in healthcare, including Stryker CEO Kevin Lobo and Renee Ryan, chief executive of bioelectronic medicine startup Cala health.

Earlier this year, DeviceTalks was named one of the top 10 medical device podcasts to follow and boasts a sizable social media presence, with 15,300 Facebook followers and 19,000 Twitter followers. 

DeviceTalks – which launched in 2013 – is part of a multiplatform media company that produces a variety of print and digital content and also organizes events and webinars. The podcast is distributed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular platforms.