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Hi All

Some years ago the " Footman's" company were brought out by an American company who then tried to open a chain of "one stop foot shops" and were thwarted in their attempts by the then powerful SCP.

It occurs to me that many of my past patents are wearing Vasyli's ( I was one of Canonburys top users at one time) who will now be able to walk into Scholls for replacement's, footcare and the whole bit.

It is also interesting to note that many Physiotherapist's use Vasyli's ( they do in my area) and one of their number was advocating patients to "get their orthotics from the Chemist" on a national radio station recently

Perhaps just a coincidence but in any event I, along with many will probably lose patients to yet another "treatment/orthotic outlet"

Will there be anything left for us in a couple of years time ?

Cheers
Derek

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Interesting all this, don't think you have too much (more) to fear from all this Scholl , vasyli etc are perpetually being bought & sold as a means of showing non profit to Her Madge & her tax collecting buddies here in the UK. it also helps newly interested companies to acquire the many international product licences these succesful business acquire, also podiatry patients have this perpetually annoying habit of being unique individuals with unique problems requiring unique solutions. Now once upon a time a man called Antonio Gaudi Comisioned a Large cathedral in the sunny City of Barcelona (Spain, Catalonia, wherever). architects are still trying and faling to finish th masonry made from casted templates using conventional mathyematical techniques, engineers are still using casting in the manufacture of hundreds if not thousands of things cos nothing beats reblicating smooth curved multiple surfaced objects like melting & moulding raw materials, with a bit of grinding & polishing to finish. Now the physio depts of many parts of Uk have been playing at pods (badly for decades,we still get the ones they fail at, and vice versa i'm sure). Now if i can just get patent on a constantly changing predictive precision orthoic that can read & react to each change in every part of human pedal DNA created at each conception?....... or am i being too negative?? too positive??... cast in the same old mould??....

Hi Darren

I think you have a valid point BUT..

If you take the overall work / patients that are being lost to other disciplines , volunteers etc now the big boys are coming in the "wholesalers "

Can you compete with their prices?.

Lets face it all "footcare" in this country is "brought on a budget basis" in the main.

If I have spent 20 years Rx ing Vasyli's ( I don't anymore) and everyone goes to Scholls to get a replacement, then I cant Rx them the "next generation of O's"

All my /our development in biomex is lost to a multinational leaving us with vastly reduced numbers.

Just my thoughts on this one

cheers
Derek

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I understood that Mr Vasyli made his money from Australian Orthotic Labs and its trade name

AOL

Which he sold to!!!!!!!!??????
America On Line

This latest contribution to his wallet is just the rewards for successfully marketing the idea that 90% of those who need Orthotics can make use of off the shelf and semi bespoke.

Leaving 10% for those who cast and manufacture.

So when we can all scramble for the remaining 10% who wont pay and buy the off the shelf anyway

As a profession we never seize the day and in fight while other professions steal idea and t/t from each other and do a better job of marketing
In Italy i believe that dentists use orthotics for orthodontic problems.

I will stick to nail surgery as my little area of practice and leave flip flop selling to mass marketeers and those truly dedicated to Bio Mech.

I hope to add Accupuncture to my little world soon.
So well done Mr Vasyli enjoy your money and think of us poor little souls trying to compete with large multinationals in our daily practice.

Darren Move to the sun you know you deserve it.
regards David

Hi David

Yes it would appear that is the way forward for IPP's "to find a specialty" and base their practice on that.

I think we all have to be guarded against putting all our eggs in one basket though.

My Nail surgery pt are virtually nil at the moment as a new clinic has opened and the waiting time for surgery with them or Gp's is around 2 weeks ( used to be 18 weeks).

My practice is based on Biomx in the main and I have a feeling this Scholl and all the other DIY orthotics thing that is advertised everywhere you look these days is going to hurt me:(

I wonder where I go when there are no patients left for us to see coz all our work is being done by others

Cheers
Derek

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