Fresenius Inventors' Fair: 20 select innovators and researchers showcase their ideas during MEDICA

The ninth Fresenius Inventors' Fair will give 20 hand-picked researchers, developers and inventors the opportunity to present their ideas to a broad audience during the MEDICA medical trade show in Dusseldorf from November 15 to 18, 2006. The top three entries will be selected by the Health Care Group Fresenius for the € 10,000 Inventors' Prize. The winning entries are picked on the first day of the MEDICA trade show by a jury of medical and business specialists. Entrants this year include doctors, scientists, engineers, technicians, business people, students and care personnel. Their inventions cover a wide medical spectrum from communication aids for handicapped people to a test for activities of steroid hormones. Innovations at this year's fair even include new methods for finding vascular access in newborns, new injection pumps and updated walkers.

Professor Jürgen Kempf from the technical college of Regensburg is among the 20 entries selected for the fair. Professor Kempf has installed sensors in a pen to record the movements of the hand. The pen can aid in research on diseases such as Parkinson's, schizophrenia and apnea as well as on drug use or side-effects from anti-psychotic medications or antidepressants. Orthopedic doctor Michael Arnhold from Eisenburg developed two orthopedic surgical instruments that allow easier removal of worn prostheses. The Dusseldorf scientist Dr. Christoph Viktor Suschek will present a process for manufacturing nitrogen monoxide with a high degree of purity more easily, economically and efficiently. Nitrate monoxide is used in the treatment of severe lung failure.

The Fresenius Inventors' Fair offers exhibitors the chance to present their innovations to industry representatives and doctors. Fresenius hopes to help link inventors with companies that will further develop or market their innovations – ground-breaking ideas all too often land in archives rather than lending a hand in the treatment of the ill. Past fairs have proven to be useful platforms for inventors to network with industry companies. MEDICA has had more than 137,000 local and foreign visitors in past years.

The Fresenius Inventors' Fair can be found during MEDICA in Hall 7, Level 1 (stand numbers D50 to E60). The awards ceremony will be held on Wednesday, November 15 at 3:00 p.m. MEDICA is open from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. from November 15 to November 17 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on November 18.

Further information on the Inventors' Fair and MEDICA can be found on the Internet at www.fresenius-erfindermesse.de  and www.medica.de.

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Fresenius is a health care group with international operations, providing products and services for dialysis, hospital and the ambulatory medical care of patients. In 2006 group sales are expected to increase to more than € 10.7 billion. On September 30, 2006 the Fresenius Group had 104,179 employees worldwide.