Varian Medical Systems (VAR) of Palo Alto, California, USA, is a radiation oncology treatments and software maker. Their medical devices include linear accelerators and software for treating cancer and other medical conditions with radiotherapy, radiosurgery, proton therapy, and brachytherapy. The company supplies software for managing cancer clinics, radiotherapy centers, and medical oncology practices. Varian is a supplier of tubes and digital detectors for X-ray imaging in medical diagnostics, dentistry, veterinary care, scientific, security, industrial inspection including high-energy X-ray technology for cargo screening. Varian Medical Systems employs more than 6,600 people at manufacturing sites in North America, Europe, and China and approximately 70 sales globally.
Video Varian Medical Systems
History
Varian was founded in 1948 as Varian Associates by Russell H. Varian, Sigurd F. Varian, William Webster Hansen, and Edward Ginzton to sell the Klystron, the first tube which could generate electromagnetic waves at microwave frequencies, and other electromagnetic equipment.
By 1999, Varian Associates had branched into semiconductor, vacuum tube, and medical device fields. On April 2, 1999 these divisions split to become Varian Semiconductor, Varian, Inc. and Varian Medical Systems.
Acquired companies
Varian Medical Systems has acquired other companies including Pan-Pacific Enterprises, ACCEL Instruments, Bio-Imaging Research, Inc. Sigma Micro Informatique Conseil, Argus Software, Velocity Medical Solutions. and MeVis Medical Solutions AG
In January 2018, the company announced the acquisition of Sirtex Medical for $1.3 billion.
Spin-off companies
30.01.2017 spin-off of Varex Imaging Corporation (manufacturing of X-ray imaging products) from Varian Medical Systems had been successfully completed.
Maps Varian Medical Systems
Products
X-ray
Varian manufactures a range of megavoltage LINACs with varying levels of features and complexity, for example different numbers of multileaf collimators or the ability to perform radiosurgery.
The EDGE radiosurgery suite was launched in 2012. The first cancer centers to use the new system were the Champalimaud Foundation in Lisbon, Portugal and Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, Michigan.
Proton Therapy
Varian manufactures the ProBeam Proton Therapy System, with current and planned installations at several sites globally. These are an all pencil-beam scanning proton therapy system utilizing IMTP (intensity modulated proton therapy), which was developed with PSI of Switzerland. Varian also develops medical software and radiology information system for proton treatment-planning system.
Litigation
Free speech
In 1999 Varian Medical Systems, Inc. sued a former employee for defamation in Varian v. Delfino. The terminated employee Dr. Michelangelo Delfino posted numerous messages criticizing the company on the Internet. The case finally settled on undisclosed terms. The lawsuit itself was controversial, heavily publicized, and led to a landmark ruling about California's anti-SLAPP statute. Some market-based workers rights activists uphold Delfino as an example because he mortgaged his house to pay his legal bills related to the lawsuit with Varian.
University of Pittsburgh
On April 25, 2012 a US federal judge in Pittsburgh awarded attorney fees, costs, and doubled damages totaling $73.6 million to the University of Pittsburgh after the university won a suit on medical patent infringement grounds against Varian.
References
External links
- Official website
- Timothy Guertin - Forbes
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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