"Be not afraid of greatness."Twelfth Night by William...

"Be not afraid of greatness."

Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

My friends,

Tiresias was musing recently as to what it will take for Optiscan to join the pantheon of the great Australian medical technology companies; CSL, ResMed, and Cochlear. What does it take for any aspiring company in the medical technology sphere to join this pantheon? In general terms, three crucial elements are necessary: the right technology, the right management, and right timing. Tiresias has no doubts about Optiscan 3-dimensional, real-time Confocal Laser Endomicroscopic(CLE) technology. CLE in-vivo real-time cellular imaging is revolutionary and transformative. CLE will revolutionise cancer diagnosis and cancer treatment and will transform histopathology. For the first time ever, it gives in vivo real-time cellular pathology. For the first time ever, instant pathology will be available anywhere in the world. Tiresias has always been attracted and now more than ever is convinced about the technology.

The management: people discuss whether it is more important to have great management and mediocre technology or mediocre management and great technology. We are all aware of many companies who have made it into the top echelons of capitalisation and earning on mediocre technology. Tiresias for one, would respectfully suggest that some of the members of our pantheon may be in this category. Tiresias is not sure of the ages and body habitus of his friends in HC, but no doubt, given the promotion and penetration of Sleep Apnoea treatment, some would have been subject to their masks. A bit basic, isn’t it? Tiresias is a little underwhelmed by the technology of CPAP masks, but fantastically impressed be the marketing. The timing and management and marketing of ResMed however, has been superlative. They have achieved what they have achieved on what is most ordinary technology, and Tiresias credits what has been superb management. CSL, again, with due respect to their products, has little unique in their technology, but production efficiency and marketing, due their management, has also been superb. People are also impressed with Cochlear technology, but Tiresias is more impressed with their marketing.

So, now, what about Optiscan. Unfortunately, Optican’s story has been that of a superb technology, but not yet achieving the penetration to match the potential of the technology. Maybe the timing wasn’t quite right, but Tiresias sadly recalls the earlier iterations of managements of Optiscan. Tiresias hoped that technology would win out despite the management, but this was not to be. Well of course, the world doesn't work like that. Management is preeminent. The world of medical technology is even more arcane. Tiresias believes that Optiscan is finally getting the management and financial backing worthy of its technology. Tiresias believes that the recent additions and changes in Optiscan is strengthening of the management to take into and surpass the pantheon of another great Australian medical technology companies.