For more than 30 years, Boston Scientific has advanced the practice of less-invasive medicine by providing a broad and deep portfolio of innovative products, technologies and services across a wide range of medical specialties. These less-invasive medical technologies provide alternatives to major surgery and other medical procedures that are typically traumatic to the body. In less-invasive procedures, devices are usually inserted into the body through natural openings or small incisions and can be guided to most areas of the anatomy to diagnose and treat a wide range of medical problems.

A History of Innovation

What does it mean to be an innovator? It starts with a mission. Since its founding, Boston Scientific has been motivated by the belief that less-invasive medicine could help clinicians improve patient care by reducing risk, trauma, cost, procedure time and the need for aftercare. That mission began in the late 1960s, when co-founder John Abele acquired an equity interest in Medi-tech Inc., a research and development company focused on developing alternatives to traditional surgery. Medi-tech’s first products, a family of steerable catheters, were introduced in 1969 and were used in some of the first less-invasive procedures. Versions of these steerable catheters are still used today. In 1979, Abele and Pete Nicholas partnered to buy Medi-tech and together formed Boston Scientific Corporation.

Boston Scientific Today

Today, with approximately 23,000 employees and 18 manufacturing facilities worldwide, Boston Scientific remains true to its original mission. As the world’s largest medical device company dedicated to less-invasive medicine, Boston Scientific believes each innovative product is the outcome of strong research and development, intelligent acquisitions, close collaboration with clinicians, outstanding operational and quality processes and a powerful global distribution channel. As a market leader in less-invasive medical devices delivering products to clinicians in 100 countries, Boston Scientific works every day to build the knowledge, processes and infrastructure it needs to identify opportunities, address new disease areas and support clinicians in advancing the practice of health care around the world.