To be fair and full disclosure, what I've posted about the potential for federal contracts is a level of highly speculative as can be obtained. I`ll break it back down.
Vanderbilt is referred to as the Yale of the south. Vanderbilt University Medical hospital looks like a place to get life flighted in when a smaller less qualified hospital doesn't cut it. The medical professors work in line with the Giant VA across the street. The First C+CSC went in in this geographical region. It was not reported on what hospital. The Dr. that put it in had some kind of professor role or lesser within the University at least at one time. That VA runs an Ortho dept.
Pretty speculative and loose.
Now CTL has reported contracts to distribute their spinal equipment through a company that receives gov. contracts to the VA. from a cursory glance CTL and Amedica meet a bunch of the requirements for consideration for gov. contracts such as manufacturing within the US.
Ceramatec was working closely hand in hand with the DOE at one point before being absorbed by Coorstek. The way they absorbed was a bit off for my taste. They where working on R&D, then "couldn't grow into manufacturing" and there are loose postings on coorstek where the parent company all along. In my opinion, they probably had no intention of developing manufacturing and where specifically working on R&D.
The VA should be interested in this. Unlike normal hospitals that operate for profit. The VA operates with a mission statement under the federal government. Their sole goal is the health and welfare of the patient. No sketchy business that is laced through out the normal medical implant sales commercial market such as financial kickbacks from device companies.
The armed forces break you. Humping gear across uneven terrain. Speeding in uneven terrain in vehicles etc. Does a number on these guys hips backs and knees. The contract is They will break you then do their best to fix you at the VA. This is a "sports medicine" like environment and after you receive an implant, I expect a higher level of wear than in a civilian.
The effects of metallosis. This is a spectrum that limits key abilities that are needed for the armed forces to achieve optimal performance such as cognition, hearing, eyesight and motor function. This could have an effect on the battle field looking at the macrocosm.
The level of PTSD within veterans. metallosis has effects on mood and motor function and generates parkinson like symptoms. Since world war 1 they have noticed the comparison to shell shock symptoms and parkinsons symptoms. Eat a lead bullet and leave it in and you have a lead implant generating metallosis. This logic train deserves some looking into.
Grants for R&D? possibly. I've seen something on Sonny's CV that points in that direction. My focus on speculation in that area was more along the lines of products that could be developed and utilized outside of the core Amedica product goals that utilize the antibacterial and antiviral aspects, such as biological warfare and rampant disease out breaks we have to come in and mop up, federally funded, like ebola outbreaks.
