April 25, 2007 - Given Imaging Ltd., a manufacturer of capsule endoscopy, announced that Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) has granted a regulatory approval number for the company's PillCam SB capsule endoscope, allowing the company to market and sell the endoscopic pill in Japan.
The PillCam SB is designed to address the problem with conventional endoscopes, which are unable to visualize the entire length of the small intestine, posing challenges for physicians in detecting diseases that directly impact the small intestine.
"Over the past thirty years we made significant progress in the detection and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders as a result of the endoscope. The approval of capsule endoscopy is a win-win for both physicians and patients as we will now be able to fully visualize and better detect small bowel disorders," said Professor Terano, president of Dokkyo Medical University.