Originally Published MX November/December 2002

EDITOR'S PAGE

While finance activities in many sectors of the economy have fallen off over the past year, medtech and other healthcare-related sectors have been extraordinarily active.

According to the Health Care M&A Report, healthcare ranks first among all sectors of the mergers and acquisitions market for 2002, with nearly 660 deals valued at some $92 billion through the end of the third quarter. The medical device industry played a strong role in increasing the healthcare total, posting 104 deals in the first three quarters of the year.

Stephen M. Monroe, a partner with the research firm of Irving Levin Associates Inc. (New Canaan, CT) predicts that "2002 will close with approximately $100 billion funding nearly 850 deals in the healthcare industry. The dollar value of the deals announced will be one of the highest for healthcare in the past 10 years."