Medical device manufacturers, who may already be seeing the effects of lessened demand stemming from a slow-down of elective procedures outside of the United States, should be aware of recent guidance the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued to health care providers urging limitations on elective surgeries and nonessential procedures. As an example, nonurgent spine and orthopedic implants (such as hip and knee replacements and elective spine surgeries) in healthy patients were included among the types of procedures CMS recommends that providers consider postponing.

For further information on the guidance, please see this recent client alert by Reed Smith partner Lesley Reynolds and associate Janine Tougas.