Orthopaedic Grants / Donations

Grants and Charitable Donations

Through its history, Zimmer has demonstrated industry leadership through corporate giving, including support for charitable institutions and professional medical education. Now, through partnerships with independent, third-party organizations and other appropriate mechanisms, Zimmer continues to make its support available for these important endeavors.

Here is information about how to apply for Zimmer support in the following categories:

 
>Zimmer and AmeriCares Implant and Instrumentation Donation Program

Through a partnership with AmeriCares, a leading medical relief organization, Zimmer is making available product for the purpose of providing aid to those affected by disasters, conflicts and chronic poverty.

AmeriCares

Requests for donations for Zimmer products are screened by the AmeriCares application process and must be made by a U.S.-based physician, either individually or on behalf of a mission group.

Note:  AmeriCares and the AmeriCares logo are service marks of AmeriCares Foundation, Inc. 

AmeriCares will donate Zimmer orthopaedic products to U.S. licensed physicians performing surgeries associated with medical relief missions or surgeries in the U.S. at no cost to patients who qualify for charitable assistance based on the standards used by the hospital in which the surgery will take place.

Products to be donated will be pre-approved by AmeriCares, working in conjunction with the physician’s Zimmer sales representative who will bring all approved products and loaner instruments to the operating room for the surgery. Actual sizes of products to be used will be determined in the operating room.

International:

  • For international trips, the donation will only consist of the requested product. AmeriCares cannot take back unused donated product; therefore it is imperative that requested products be templated as closely as possible to the anticipated patients.
  • AmeriCares cannot donate instruments. They may be loaned through the physician’s Zimmer sales representative and must be returned to Zimmer.  

While the goal is to support as many relief efforts as possible over the course of a year, AmeriCares will not always be able to fulfill 100 percent of each request that is approved.  Please feel free to discuss your request with AmeriCares before submitting an application.

To access an application, go to www.americares.org/whatwedo/mop/.   If you have specific questions, please contact Cia Marion, Manager, Medical Outreach Program, at 203-658-9528 or cmarion@americares.org.

 
>Zimmer and the OMeGA Medical Grants Association Funding for Post-graduate Professional Medical Education

Zimmer has become the founding supporter of a new entity, created by the American Orthopaedic Association (AOA), to provide funding for post-graduate orthopaedic fellowships and residency programs, beginning in the 2009-2010 academic year.  The new, independent entity, called OMeGA Medical Grants Association LLC (OMeGA), will receive and analyze funding requests before making grants to educational institutions or programs. 

Zimmer will have no role in selecting the recipients of its funding, but it will be permitted to allocate its donation among one or more specialty or sub-specialty areas that the Company wishes to support.  These funding areas may include Adult Reconstruction/Arthroplasty; Shoulder and Elbow; Spine; Trauma; Sports Orthopaedic Surgery; Pediatric Orthopaedics; Foot and Ankle; Orthopaedic Oncology; Hand and Upper Limb Surgery; and Residency/Educational Resources.

OMeGA will be managed by a Board of Directors that has no current relationships with the orthopaedic industry and who have received no compensation from this industry in the past two years. Multiple orthopaedic subspecialties will be eligible to receive grants establishing OMeGA as a single source of funding for orthopaedic graduate medical education. Donor companies may direct their contributions to a specific orthopaedic subspecialty but they will play no further role in directing funds to specific institutions or programs.

Further information about OMeGA can currently be found at www.omegamedicalgrants.org.

 
>Funding for Charitable Purposes

While we continue to explore an appropriate third-party organization for these purposes, Zimmer has established an internal process for reviewing such requests. Non-profit 501 (c)(3) Charitable Organizations may seek a charitable donation from Zimmer for purposes such as public education and awareness, unrestricted research and general organizational support.

Requests for charitable donations must be made in connection with a general fundraising effort by the charitable entity. In addition, the request for a donation must come from the organization itself and not from an individual physician or healthcare professional who is not an employee of the charity.

Requests for a charitable donation must be submitted in writing on an application form provided by Zimmer and must be accompanied by required supporting documentation.

Charitable Donations Application Form

 
>Funding for Professional Medical Education

While we continue to explore an appropriate third-party organization for this purpose, Zimmer has established an internal process for reviewing such requests. Organizations with a genuine educational purpose or function may seek an educational grant from Zimmer to support bona fide educational conferences.

Requests for educational grants from Zimmer must be made in connection with an independent, educational, scientific, or policymaking conference that promotes scientific knowledge, medical advancement and the delivery of effective health care. In addition, the request for an educational grant must come from the organization itself and not from an individual physician or healthcare professional who is not an employee of the organization.

Requests for an educational grant must be submitted in writing on an application form provided by Zimmer and must be accompanied by required support documentation.

Educational Grants Application Form

 
>Zimmer Funded External Research

Zimmer provides funding for external research which is hypothesis-based experimentation and/or clinical evaluation that is consistent with its strategic initiatives. We have developed an integrated collaborative process to receive, review and award such funding. Some process benefits include:

  • Assignment of a Research Services Manager who is a corporate Zimmer employee and is the primary contact for the research/principal investigator throughout the process.
  • Templates to submit a research proposal in the required Zimmer format.

If you are interested in seeking funding from Zimmer, please forward your inquiry to research.requests@zimmer.com. Zimmer will assign a Research Services Manager to assist you with the structured process.