In a new wave of crackdowns on compliance in the pharma sector in China, 10 medical meetings have been cancelled in short order, while sector-wide stock prices have plunged and 100 hospital officials placed under investigation, shocking the industry.

Among the biggest challenges in medical technology is the search for therapies to help patients regain body function after suffering a paralyzing spinal cord injury. Research in this area is producing some very promising theories and applications that eventually could lead to substantial breakthroughs. Teams of doctors and scientists continue to work diligently in what can be described as a dedicated, niche market, where the driving force is tied to the very basic medical goal of improving these patients' quality of life.

The medical device industry is undergoing a crisis of funding, but not of confidence, according to a panel of investors convened at Windhover's recent medtech conference, In3 West,. The conference panel sought to explore how the medical device investment community is operating in these troubled times, how they will invest going forward, and how they will support their companies if things don't improve. We were especially curious to know if the funding challenges that start-ups face are really due to the overall dire economy, or if that dark cloud merely masks changing fundamentals in the medical device industry that are making it more difficult for companies to find funding, gain FDA approval, and enjoy a healthy exit. Our panel weighs in on the matter.

This article first appeared in the March 2009 issue of Start-Up. The current economic crisis is hard on everyone, including investors and start-ups. But the news isn't all bad for medical device VCs. Those with capital will find the prices to be right in today's depressed economy. On the flip side, those venture firms without new funds or sufficient reserve capital will get penalized by declining valuations and punitive terms offered up by some new investors in their companies. Medical device companies, meanwhile, face tougher scrutiny from investors. During all this, both VCs and start-ups must answer new questions being posed by regulatory bodies, public investors, corporate acquirers, and potential customers.