What is KCI’s position on competitive bidding in NPWT?

We strongly believe that CMS should never have included the NPWT category in its competitive bidding process, as the clinical comparability among the products in this category has not been established. The patient outcomes achieved with V.A.C.® Therapy using KCI’s patented foam-based system are well documented in:

• 15 randomized controlled trials published in peer-reviewed scientific journals
• 440 peer-reviewed articles
• 572 abstracts
• 62 textbook references

The evidence for V.A.C.® Therapy is unmatched by any other product in the NPWT category.  Since June 2007, a number of surgical societies and professional wound care organizations have formally expressed concern to legislators and/or CMS that until the different products within the NPWT category are proven clinically comparable, due to the lack of evidence they should not be considered clinically equal.  To date, approximately 3 million patients have been treated with V.A.C.® Therapy, and there is currently no clinically-proven alternative to the proprietary foam-based V.A.C.® Therapy system.