While there is no shortage of innovative ideas for medical applications, bringing such innovations to the market is a whole different story.

“The medical market is slow and steady in terms of innovation,” says Lucian Strong, vice president of CoorsTek Bioceramics (Grand Junction, Colo.). “While new applications or processes may demand new materials, there is a well-defined process that is governed through the regulatory bodies around the globe. There is no simple introduction of a new material that will be implanted into a patient. Clinical data, proven over numerous years and multiple patients, is necessary for any new material to gain acceptance.”