In May 2005, IOMED Inc was acquired by ReAble Therapeutics. Iomed products were designed to enable delivery of water-soluble ionic drugs through a patient's skin, via low levels of electricity. Advantages cited by IOMED included less-frequent and more programmable dosing, as well as potential patient self-administration. Physical therapists arereported as having used the system on more than 11 million patients to treat such conditions as tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. The FDA approved the delivery system for a local dermal anesthetic and an anti-inflammatory steroid. IOMED got a boost when its dermal anesthetic Numby Stuff was used in an episode of the TV series ER. Elan International Services owns about 30% of IOMED.
