NATICK, Mass., Oct. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) S-ICD^® System has received the Prix Galien USA 2013 Award for Best Medical Technology.  The S-ICD System is the world's first and only commercially available subcutaneous implantable defibrillator (S-ICD) that treats patients at risk for sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) without wires touching the heart.

As part of its ongoing mission to recognize the technical, scientific and clinical research skills necessary to develop innovative medicines, the Prix Galien USA committee last night honored excellence in scientific innovation that improves the state of human health at its seventh annual Prix Galien Awards Gala, held at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.                   

"We are thrilled to be recognized by the Galien Foundation and honored to be among such a prestigious group of recipients of this year's award," said Joe Fitzgerald, president, Cardiac Rhythm Management, Boston Scientific. "We strive to introduce innovative medical technologies that can help improve patient outcomes. The S-ICD System represents a truly innovative medical product and one that has been shown to be a great alternative to traditional ICDs for the treatment of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias."

Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) occurs in approximately 350,000 patients annually in the United States.  Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) have a demonstrable benefit in the prevention of SCD in patients secondary to a prior arrhythmic event. Conventional transvenous ICDs require leads to be implanted directly into the heart.  The S-ICD System sits entirely just below the skin without the need for thin, insulated wires -- known as 'leads' -- to be placed into the heart, leaving it and blood vessels untouched. A study recently published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation demonstrated that the S-ICD System surpassed goals set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the new device.[i]

The S-ICD System has been commercially available in Europe and New Zealand since 2009 and received FDA approval in the United States in 2012.

The Boston Scientific Alair^® Bronchial Thermoplasty System also was nominated for a Prix Galien 2013 award in the Best Medical Technology category.

About the Galien Foundation

The Galien Foundation fosters, recognizes and rewards excellence in scientific innovation to improve the state of human health. Its vision is to be the catalyst for the development of the next generation of innovative treatment and technologies that will impact human health and save lives.

The Foundation oversees and directs activities in the USA for the Prix Galien, an international award that recognizes outstanding achievements in improving the human condition through the development of innovative therapies. The Prix Galien was created in 1970 in honor of Galen, the father of medical science and modern pharmacology. Worldwide, the Prix Galien is regarded as the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in biopharmaceutical research.

For more information visit www.galienfoundation.org.

About Boston Scientific
Boston Scientific transforms lives through innovative medical solutions that improve the health of patients around the world.  As a global medical technology leader for more than 30 years, we advance science for life by providing a broad range of high performance solutions that address unmet patient needs and reduce the cost of healthcare.  For more information, visit www.bostonscientific.com and connect on Twitter and Facebook.

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[i] http://newsroom.heart.org/news/new-implanted-defibrillator-works-well-without-touching-heart

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SOURCE Boston Scientific Corporation