Varian Medical Systems: A Case Study

Varian Medical Systems mission is to be the leader in the field of radiation oncology with a continued commitment to the development of innovative state of the art treatment modalities that will enhance the way cancer is treated. Varian Medical Systems is dedicated to making advancement in the fight against cancer along with improving patient care through technological advancement that improves accuracy of treatment, while incorporating patient comfort delivered over a shorter course of treatment.

Socioeconomic factors: Cancer is the second leading cause of death. By 2050 the over the age of 65 population is expected to exceed 83.5 million, which is almost double the 43 million over 65 population in 2012 (CDC, 2015). As age increase, so does cancer risks, with individuals over 65 making up 60% of cancer diagnoses (Berger et al., 2006). Radiation therapy is utilized in over 50% of cancers in the United States unfortunately there is a much higher incidence of death in low income underdeveloped countries where there is a shortage of access to radiation therapy. In 2012, there were a reported 14 million new cases of cancer worldwide, and estimated to reach 24.5 million by 2030 (Atun et al., 2015). Patients today are educating themselves on their treatment options so they can make informed decisions regarding

The competition began thinning out in late 2011 with Elekta and Accuray being the two main competitors remaining. Elekta is the biggest threat with approximately 40% of the market share. In 2015, Elekta and Varian were battling over a patent lawsuit regarding proprietary technology, both fighting to gain control of the imaging device market. Elekta had additional issues in 2015 when they did not meet projected earnings and the CEO quit (Wasserman,