Cook Medical is not hesitant about competing with Samsung , which runs medical equipment maker Samsung Medison and hospitals in Korea , believing that smaller companies with firmer roots in the business have a better chance of success than those with no medical business history . “ When it comes to Samsung , which is getting into the medical device market , the firm is another competitor . We will adapt and I am very confident about competing ( with Samsung ) because of our advanced technology and because we have been in the industry for 50 years now , ” said Barry Thomas , vice president and director of medical device maker Cook Medical ’ s Asia - Pacific region , during an interview with The Korea Herald . Cook Medical stands as the world ’ s largest private manufacturer of medical devices and equipment . In Korea , it has been in business since 1983 , although the official Korean offices were established more recently in 2007 . The medical device maker produces minimally - invasive medical devices including a stent graft for treatment of arterial blockages in the thighs . The firm is also a leading manufacturer of an embryo transfer catheter , a device used for in vitro fertilization . The Park Geun - hye administration has pledged to support the medical device industry in line with its creative economy initiative and make it one of the nation ’ s growth engines . Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co . and Dong - A Socio Group jumped in the stent business earlier this year . Samsung Group , meanwhile , mainly focuses on producing ultrasound diagnosis equipment , in - vitro analysis systems and digital X - ray imaging systems from its medical devices unit . “ Competition leads to better innovations . We don ’ t view that as a threat but as an opportunity . We will continue to innovate , and we will continue to run our business based on our corporate philosophy , ‘ putting patients first before profit , ’” he said . Thomas also downplayed Google ’ s “ Calico , ” a medical information company for health and well - being , especially anti - aging . “ It is really hard to understand what Google is talking about with its ‘ info - medic ’ technology . The world has already talked about electronic health records for a long time . ” Delving into Cook Medical ’ s business philosophy , the executive stressed that “ health care is about the patients and the outcome . ” “ Such business practices as ‘ rebate , ’ or kickback , still exists in lots of markets . However , we try to stay out of all of that , ” he said . Cook Medical has been deploying a direct sales strategy to eliminate the middle brokerage channel in markets around the world and started running the same system this year in Korea . With more people flocking to the Internet for medical information , marketing tactics that do not guarantee desirable medical outcomes will be futile , he explained . “ We don ’ t look at the business in the everyday in dollars and we are not looking at share holders . We look at the patients , so we can make a decision based on what is ethically correct , ” said the vice president of the family - owned firm , adding “ We want to be seen as a company that is driving a change in the world ’ s medical market . ” The importance of the Asian market , the third largest after North America and Europe , is on the rise , and so is the Korean market , he said . The Asian market took up 20 percent of the world ’ s market share , while North America accounted for 45 percent , and Europe , 22 percent in 2011 , according to the firm . Korea is the 13 th largest market . By Kim Young - won ( wone 0102 @ heraldcorp . com ) [ Hot News ] ◆ 朴 대통령 아세안 정상회의 서 도 ' 세일즈 외교 ' 주력 ◆ 미국 새 연준 의장 에 재닛 옐런 현 부의장 ◆ 세계 최초 휘 는 화면 스마트폰 ' 갤럭시 라운드 ' 출시 ◆ " 삼성 , 실리콘밸리 서 인수 대상 업체 물색 " ◆ 따뜻 한 의학 드라마 ' 굿 닥터 ' 시청 률 . .. 더 많 은 기사 보 러 가 기 → [ 코리아 헤럴드 홈페이지 ] [ 트위터 ] [ 페이스북 ] 구독 신청 1588 - 0533