1.1   This guide covers general guidelines to evaluate the effectiveness of DBM-containing products intended to cause and/or promote bone formation when implanted or injected in vivo. This guide is applicable to products that may be composed of one or more of the following components: natural biomaterials (such as demineralized bone), and synthetic bio-materials (such as calcium sulfate, glycerol, and reverse phase polymeric compounds) that act as additives, fillers, and/or excipients (radioprotective agents, preservatives, and/or handling agents) to make the demineralized bone easier to manipulate. It should not be assumed that products evaluated favorably using this guidance will form bone when used in a clinical setting. The primary purpose of this guide is to facilitate the equitable comparison of unique bone-forming products in in vivoheterotopic models of osteoinductivity. The purpose of this guide is not to exclude other established methods.