DUBLIN – October 5, 2022 – Medtronic plc (NYSE:MDT), a global leader in healthcare technology, today announced that a contract has been awarded for its Gastrointestinal Business Unit, through partnership with a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB), to install 115 Medtronic GI Genius™ intelligent endoscopy modules at numerous VA medical facilities across the country. Through this contract, veterans will have access to artificial intelligence (AI) technology that has been proven to improve the accuracy of polyp detection in colonoscopy screening.

“We’re proud to give back to the men and women who have served our country by extending this powerful and proven tool in the fight against colorectal cancer,” said Geoff Martha, Medtronic chairman and chief executive officer. “This contract with the VA underpins the critical role technology can play in the lives of patients and furthers Medtronic’s ongoing commitment to providing VA patients and physicians with innovative healthcare solutions.”

The Veteran’s Health Administration performs approximately 250,000 colonoscopies each year¹, largely for indications related to the detection of colorectal cancer. The GI Genius™ module, authorized by the FDA in April 2021, is the first-to-market, computer-aided polyp detection system using artificial intelligence to detect colorectal polyps of varying shapes and sizes in real time, which can help physicians diagnose and prevent colorectal cancer.

Certain types of colorectal cancer, when caught early, can have a survival rate (five year) of up to 91%;² however it remains a leading cause of cancer-related death among Veterans.³ The GI Genius™ module serves as a second set of eyes for administering physicians, resulting in a 50% reduction in missed colorectal polyps with AI technology versus the standard colonoscopy.⁴

“As one of the five most frequently diagnosed cancers among VA patients, the GI Genius™ module is a cutting-edge AI-assisted technology that can help physicians locate more polyps than with standard colonoscopy alone,”⁵ said Giovanni Di Napoli, president of the Gastrointestinal business, which is part of the Medical Surgical Portfolio at Medtronic. “We are proud to be supporting the Department of Veterans Affairs by partnering with SDVOSB companies to deliver this cutting-edge technology to thousands of veterans who have honorably served our nation.”

Medtronic’s GI Genius™ module is currently installed at the Richmond McGuire VA Medical Center, the first hospital to incorporate AI into colorectal cancer screenings for veterans. GI Genius™ installations awarded through the new contract will be determined by the VA National Gastroenterology and Hepatology Program Office.

About Medtronic
Bold thinking. Bolder actions. We are Medtronic. Medtronic plc, headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is the leading global healthcare technology company that boldly attacks the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions. Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life — unites a global team of 90,000+ passionate people across 150 countries. Our technologies and therapies treat 70 health conditions and include cardiac devices, surgical robotics, insulin pumps, surgical tools, patient monitoring systems, and more. Powered by our diverse knowledge, insatiable curiosity, and desire to help all those who need it, we deliver innovative technologies that transform the lives of two people every second, every hour, every day. Expect more from us as we empower insight-driven care, experiences that put people first, and better outcomes for our world. In everything we do, we are engineering the extraordinary. For more information on Medtronic (NYSE:MDT), visit www.Medtronic.com and follow @Medtronic on Twitter and LinkedIn.

¹ The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has indicated that their medical centers perform approximately 250,000 colonoscopies per year.
² National Cancer Institute. Cancer Stat Facts: Colorectal Cancer. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. Published online 2019.
³ U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Spotlight on Colorectal Cancer. Health Services Research & Development. Published online March 2019.
⁴ Wallace MB, Sharma P, Bhandari P, et al. Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Miss Rate of Colorectal Neoplasia. Gastroenterology. 2022;163(1):295. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2022.03.007
⁵ Zullig L, Jackson G, Povenzale D, McNeil R, Thomas C, Kelley M. Cancer incidence among patients of the U.S. Veterans Affairs Health Care System. National Library of Medicine. 2012 Jun;177(6):693-701.doi: 10.7205/milmed-d-11-00434.