Orange Co. company hits state/fed roadblocks

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Orange County company frustrated with state, federal roadblocks

Sealfon with Freedom60

Chester – Andrew Sealfon, president and CEO of RMS Medical Products in Chester, has grown his company that he founded with his physician partner in 1980, to 28 employees. All research, product development and assembly are done right in Orange County.

Among their eight primary products, two have the greatest potential for market growth, he said – Res-Q-Vac, a hand held medical suction device, and Freedom60, a syringe infusion system.

But, Sealfon keeps hitting roadblocks. While he is selling his medical suction device all over the country and world, he can’t get to first base in New York State, because officials tell him it is not needed.

“It’s interesting, Johns Hopkins needs it, Mayo Clinic needs it, Chicago Hospital needs it, the Cleveland Clinic needs it, it’s aboard almost all of the ambulances across the country. It’s aboard all domestic aircraft. But, New York State, by some miracle, has no application for it,” he said. “When we get that kind of frustration, we question, why are we in New York? It’s not where our customers are because we cannot sell here.”

US Small Business Administration Regional Advocate Christine Serrano Glassner met with the company officials late last week.

“As the regional advocate, one of the things I try to do is get out and speak with businesses that are in a position where they are poised to grow, to find out exactly what obstacles they are or have been hitting, to see what kind of connections we can put together to clear those obstacles and provide a climate for that kind of growth,” she said.

Sealfon has also been hitting his head against a wall trying to convince the military to use his devices. While some officials support the use, he cannot get to the decision-makers to convince them of the need, he said.

http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/RMS_NYS-30Apr07.html