Obesity has become an epidemic, with 30% of the U.S. population obese and an additional 35% overweight, including children and adolescents. Bariatric surgical procedures have skyrocketed in recent years, with hospital costs exceeding $1.2 billion, and good success rates. However, for certain groups, such as patients over 65, the risks of bariatric surgery may outweigh the benefits. Much needs to be done to address this troubling and growing public health problem.

EnteroMedics recently earned the distinction of closing the second-largest financing for a private medical device company in 2006. Its success was undoubtedly due to the company's attractive position at the junction of two of the device industry's hottest markets: obesity and neuromodulation. EnteroMedics is developing an implantable impulse generator that it hopes will address multiple mechanisms in obesity.

Work related to the European Commission’s promise to assess the impact of the Medical Device Regulation, including its impact on innovation, is starting to take shape.