EXHIBIT 10.9

                 Specialized Health Products International, Inc.
                             2001 Stock Option Plan

1. Purpose; Effectiveness of the Plan.

         (a)      The purpose of this Plan is to advance the interests of the
                  Company and its stockholders by helping the Company obtain and
                  retain the services of employees, officers, consultants, and
                  directors, upon whose judgment, initiative and efforts the
                  Company is substantially dependent, and to provide those
                  persons with further incentives to advance the interests of
                  the Company.

         (b)      This Plan will become effective on the date of its adoption by
                  the Board, provided the Plan is approved by the stockholders
                  of the Company (excluding holders of shares of Stock issued by
                  the Company pursuant to the exercise of options granted under
                  this Plan) within twelve months before or after that date. If
                  the Plan is not so approved by the stockholders of the
                  Company, any options granted under this Plan will be rescinded
                  and will be void. This Plan will remain in effect until it is
                  terminated by the Board or the Committee (as defined
                  hereafter) under Section 9 hereof, except that no ISO (as
                  defined herein) will be granted after the tenth anniversary of
                  the date of this Plan's adoption by the Board. This Plan will
                  be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of
                  the State of Delaware.

2. Certain Definitions. Unless the context otherwise requires, the following
defined terms (together with other capitalized terms defined elsewhere in this
Plan) will govern the construction of this Plan, and of any stock option
agreements entered into pursuant to this Plan:

         (a)      "10% Stockholder" means a person who owns, either directly or
                  indirectly by virtue of the ownership attribution provisions
                  set forth in Section 424(d) of the Code at the time he or she
                  is granted an Option, stock possessing more than ten percent
                  (10%) of the total combined voting power or value of all
                  classes of stock of the Company and/or of its subsidiaries;

         (b)      "1933 Act" means the federal Securities Act of 1933, as
                  amended;

         (c)      "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company;

         (d)      "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
                  (references herein to Sections of the Code are intended to
                  refer to Sections of the Code as enacted at the time of this
                  Plan's adoption by the Board and as subsequently amended, or
                  to any substantially similar successor provisions of the Code
                  resulting from recodification, renumbering or otherwise);

         (e)      "Committee" means a committee of two or more Non-Employee
                  Directors, appointed by the Board, to administer and interpret
                  this Plan; provided that the term "Committee" will refer to
                  the Board during such times as no Committee is appointed by
                  the Board;

         (f)      "Company" means Specialized Health Products International,
                  Inc., a Delaware corporation;

         (g)      "Disability" has the same meaning as "permanent and total
                  disability," as defined in Section 22(e)(3) of the Code;

         (h)      "Eligible Participants" means persons who, at a particular
                  time, are employees, officers, consultants, or directors of
                  the Company or its subsidiaries;

         (i)      "Fair Market Value" means, with respect to the Stock and as of
                  the date an ISO or a Formula Option is granted hereunder, the
                  market price per share of such Stock determined by the
                  Committee in good faith on such basis as it deems appropriate.

<PAGE>

         (j)      "ISO" has the same meaning as "incentive stock option," as
                  defined in Section 422 of the Code;

         (k)      "Just Cause Termination" means a termination by the Company of
                  an Optionee's employment by and/or service to the Company (or
                  if the Optionee is a director, removal of the Optionee from
                  the Board by action of the stockholders or, if permitted by
                  applicable law and the by-laws of the Company, the other
                  directors), in connection with the good faith determination of
                  the Company's board of directors (or of the Company's
                  stockholders if the Optionee is a director and the removal of
                  the Optionee from the Board is by action of the stockholders,
                  but in either case excluding the vote of the Optionee if he or
                  she is a director or a stockholder) that the Optionee has
                  engaged in any acts involving dishonesty or moral turpitude or
                  in any acts that materially and adversely affect the business,
                  affairs or reputation of the Company or its subsidiaries;

         (l)      "Non-Employee Director" has the same meaning as
                  "Non-Employee-Director," as defined in Rule 16b-3 as
                  promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934).;

         (m)      "NSO" means any option granted under this Plan whether
                  designated by the Committee as a "non-qualified stock option,"
                  a "non-statutory stock option" or otherwise, other than an
                  option designated by the Committee as an ISO, or any option so
                  designated but which, for any reason, fails to qualify as an
                  ISO pursuant to Section 422 of the Code and the rules and
                  regulations thereunder;

         (n)      "Option" means an option granted pursuant to this Plan
                  entitling the option holder to acquire shares of Stock issued
                  by the Company pursuant to the valid exercise of the option;

         (o)      "Option Agreement" means an agreement between the Company and
                  an Optionee, in form and substance satisfactory to the
                  Committee in its sole discretion, consistent with this Plan;

         (p)      "Option Price" with respect to any particular Option means the
                  exercise price at which the Optionee may acquire each share of
                  the Option Stock called for under such Option;

         (q)      "Option Stock" means Stock issued or issuable by the Company
                  pursuant to the valid exercise of an Option;

         (r)      "Optionee" means an Eligible Participant to whom Options are
                  granted hereunder, and any transferee thereof pursuant to a
                  Transfer authorized under this Plan;

         (s)      "Plan" means this Specialized Health Products International,
                  Inc. 1998 Stock Option Plan of the Company;

         (t)      "QDRO" has the same meaning as "qualified domestic relations
                  order" as defined in Section 414(p) of the Code;

         (u)      "Stock" means shares of the Company's Common Stock, $.02 par
                  value;

         (v)      "Transfer," with respect to Option Stock, includes, without
                  limitation, a voluntary or involuntary sale, assignment,
                  transfer, conveyance, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance,
                  disposal, loan, gift, attachment or levy of such Option Stock,
                  including without limitation an assignment for the benefit of
                  creditors of the Optionee, a transfer by operation of law,
                  such as a transfer by will or under the laws of descent and
                  distribution, an execution of judgment against the Option
                  Stock or the acquisition of record or beneficial ownership
                  thereof by a lender or creditor, a transfer pursuant to a
                  QDRO, or to any decree of divorce, dissolution or separate
                  maintenance, any property settlement, any separation agreement
                  or any other agreement with a spouse (except for estate
                  planning purposes) under which a part or all of the shares of
                  Option Stock are transferred or awarded to the spouse of the
                  Optionee or are required to be sold; or a transfer resulting
                  from the filing by the Optionee of a petition for relief, or
                  the filing of an involuntary petition against such Optionee,
                  under the bankruptcy laws of the United States or of any other
                  nation.

                                       2
<PAGE>

3. Eligibility. The Company may grant Options under this Plan only to persons
who are Eligible Participants as of the time of such grant. Subject to the
provisions of Sections 4(d), 5 and 6 hereof, there is no limitation on the
number of Options that may be granted to an Eligible Participant.

4. Administration.

         (a)      Committee. The Committee, if appointed by the Board, will
                  administer this Plan. If the Board, in its discretion, does
                  not appoint such a Committee, the Board itself will administer
                  this Plan and take such other actions as the Committee is
                  authorized to take hereunder; provided that the Board may take
                  such actions hereunder in the same manner as the Board may
                  take other actions under the Company's Certificate of
                  Incorporation and By-laws generally.

         (b)      Authority and Discretion of Committee. The Committee will have
                  full and final authority in its discretion, at any time and
                  from time to time, subject only to the express terms,
                  conditions and other provisions of the Company's Certificate
                  of Incorporation, By-laws and this Plan, and the specific
                  limitations on such discretion set forth herein:

                  (i)      to select and approve the persons who will be granted
                           Options under this Plan from among the Eligible
                           Participants, and to grant to any person so selected
                           one or more Options to purchase such number of shares
                           of Option Stock as the Committee may determine;

                  (ii)     to determine the period or periods of time during
                           which Options may be exercised, the Option Price and
                           the duration of such Options, and other matters to be
                           determined by the Committee in connection with
                           specific Option grants and Options Agreements as
                           specified under this Plan;

                  (iii)    to interpret this Plan, to prescribe, amend and
                           rescind rules and regulations relating to this Plan,
                           and to make all other determinations necessary or
                           advisable for the operation and administration of
                           this Plan; and

                  (iv)     to delegate all or a portion of its authority under
                           subsections (i) and (ii) of this Section 4(b) to one
                           or more directors of the Company who are executive
                           officers of the Company, but only in connection with
                           Options granted to Eligible Participants who are not
                           subject to the reporting and liability provisions of
                           Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
                           amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder,
                           and subject to such restrictions and limitations
                           (such as the aggregate number of shares of Option
                           Stock called for by such Options that may be granted)
                           as the Committee may decide to impose on such
                           delegate directors.

         (c)      Limitation on Authority. Notwithstanding the foregoing, or any
                  other provision of this Plan, the Committee will have no
                  authority to grant Options to any of its members, unless
                  approved by the Board.

         (d)      Designation of Options. Except as otherwise provided herein,
                  the Committee will designate any Option granted hereunder
                  either as an ISO or as an NSO. To the extent that the Fair
                  Market Value (determined at the time the Option is granted) of
                  Stock with respect to which all ISOs are exercisable for the
                  first time by any individual during any calendar year
                  (pursuant to this Plan and all other plans of the Company
                  and/or its subsidiaries) exceeds $100,000, such option will be
                  treated as an NSO. Notwithstanding the general eligibility
                  provisions of Section 3 hereof, the Committee may grant ISOs
                  only to persons who are employees of the Company and/or its
                  subsidiaries.

         (e)      Option Agreements. Options will be deemed granted hereunder
                  only upon the execution and delivery of an Option Agreement by
                  the Optionee and a duly authorized officer of the Company.
                  Options will not be deemed granted hereunder merely upon the
                  authorization of such grant by the Committee.

                                       3
<PAGE>

5. Shares Reserved for Options.

         (a)      Option Pool. The aggregate number of shares of Option Stock
                  that may be issued pursuant to the exercise of Options granted
                  under this Plan will not exceed five million (5,000,000) (the
                  "Option Pool"), provided that such number will be increased by
                  the number of shares of Option Stock that the Company
                  subsequently may reacquire through repurchase or otherwise.
                  Shares of Option Stock that would have been issuable pursuant
                  to Options, but that are no longer issuable because all or
                  part of those Options have terminated or expired, will be
                  deemed not to have been issued for purposes of computing the
                  number of shares of Option Stock remaining in the Option Pool
                  and available for issuance.

         (b)      Adjustments Upon Changes in Stock. In the event of any change
                  in the outstanding Stock of the Company as a result of a stock
                  split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization,
                  combination or reclassification, appropriate proportionate
                  adjustments will be made in: (i) the aggregate number of
                  shares of Option Stock in the Option Pool that may be issued
                  pursuant to the exercise of Options granted hereunder; (ii)
                  the Option Price and the number of shares of Option Stock
                  called for in each outstanding Option granted hereunder; and
                  (iii) other rights and matters determined on a per share basis
                  under this Plan or any Option Agreement hereunder. Any such
                  adjustments will be made only by the Board, and when so made
                  will be effective, conclusive and binding for all purposes
                  with respect to this Plan and all Options then outstanding. No
                  such adjustments will be required by reason of the issuance or
                  sale by the Company for cash or other consideration of
                  additional shares of its Stock or securities convertible into
                  or exchangeable for shares of its Stock.

6. Terms of Stock Option Agreements. Each Option granted pursuant to this Plan
will be evidenced by an agreement (an "Option Agreement") between the Company
and the person to whom such Option is granted, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Committee in its sole discretion, consistent with this Plan.
Without limiting the foregoing, each Option Agreement (unless otherwise stated
therein) will be deemed to include the following terms and conditions:

         (a)      Covenants of Optionee. At the discretion of the Committee, the
                  person to whom an Option is granted hereunder, as a condition
                  to the granting of the Option, must execute and deliver to the
                  Company a confidential information agreement approved by the
                  Committee. Nothing contained in this Plan, any Option
                  Agreement or in any other agreement executed in connection
                  with the granting of an Option under this Plan will confer
                  upon any Optionee any right with respect to the continuation
                  of his or her status as an employee of, consultant or
                  independent contractor to, or director of, the Company or its
                  subsidiaries.

         (b)      Vesting Periods. Except as otherwise provided herein, each
                  Option Agreement may specify the period or periods of time
                  within which each Option or portion thereof will first become
                  exercisable (the "Vesting Period") with respect to the total
                  number of shares of Option Stock called for thereunder (the
                  "Total Award Option Stock"). Such Vesting Periods will be
                  fixed by the Committee in its discretion, and may be
                  accelerated or shortened by the Committee in its discretion.

         (c)      Exercise of the Option.

                  (i)      Mechanics and Notice. An Option may be exercised to
                           the extent exercisable (1) by giving written notice
                           of exercise to the Company, specifying the number of
                           full shares of Option Stock to be purchased and
                           accompanied by full payment of the Option Price
                           thereof and the amount of withholding taxes pursuant
                           to subsection 6(c)(ii) below; and (2) by giving
                           assurances satisfactory to the Company that the
                           shares of Option Stock to be purchased upon such
                           exercise are being purchased for investment and not

                                       4
<PAGE>

                           with a view to resale in connection with any
                           distribution of such shares in violation of the 1933
                           Act; provided, however, that in the event the Option
                           Stock called for under the Option is registered under
                           the 1933 Act, or in the event resale of such Option
                           Stock without such registration would otherwise be
                           permissible, this second condition will be
                           inoperative if, in the opinion of counsel for the
                           Company, such condition is not required under the
                           1933 Act, or any other applicable law, regulation or
                           rule of any governmental agency.

                  (ii)     Withholding Taxes. As a condition to the issuance of
                           the shares of Option Stock upon full or partial
                           exercise of an NSO granted under this Plan, the
                           Optionee will pay to the Company in cash, or in such
                           other form as the Committee may determine in its
                           discretion, the amount of the Company's tax
                           withholding liability required in connection with
                           such exercise. For purposes of this subsection
                           6(c)(ii), "tax withholding liability" will mean all
                           federal and state income taxes, social security tax,
                           and any other taxes applicable to the compensation
                           income arising from the transaction required by
                           applicable law to be withheld by the Company.

         (d)      Payment of Option Price. Each Option Agreement will specify
                  the Option Price with respect to the exercise of Option Stock
                  thereunder, to be fixed by the Committee in its discretion,
                  but in no event will the Option Price be less than the Fair
                  Market Value (or, in case the Optionee is a 10% Stockholder,
                  one hundred ten percent (110%) of such Fair Market Value) of
                  the Option Stock at the time such ISO is granted. The Option
                  Price will be payable to the Company in United States dollars
                  in cash or by check or, such other legal consideration as may
                  be approved by the Committee, in its discretion.

         (e)      Termination of the Option. Except as otherwise provided
                  herein, each Option Agreement will specify the period of time,
                  to be fixed by the Committee in its discretion, during which
                  the Option granted therein will be exercisable, not to exceed
                  ten years from the date of grant in the case of an ISO (the
                  "Option Period"); provided that the Option Period will not
                  exceed five years from the date of grant in the case of an ISO
                  granted to a 10% Stockholder. To the extent not previously
                  exercised, each Option will terminate upon the expiration of
                  the Option Period specified in the Option Agreement; provided,
                  however, that each such Option will terminate, if earlier: (i)
                  thirty days after the date that the Optionee ceases to be an
                  Eligible Participant for any reason, other than by reason of
                  death or disability; (ii) twelve months after the date that
                  the Optionee ceases to be an Eligible Participant by reason of
                  such person's death or disability; or (iii) immediately as of
                  the date that the Optionee ceases to be an Eligible
                  Participant by reason of a Just Cause Termination. In the
                  event of a sale or all or substantially all of the assets of
                  the Company, or a merger or consolidation or other
                  reorganization in which the Company is not the surviving
                  corporation, or in which the Company becomes a subsidiary of
                  another corporation (any of the foregoing events, a "Corporate
                  Transaction"), then notwithstanding anything else herein, the
                  right to exercise all then outstanding Options will vest
                  immediately prior to such Corporate Transaction and will
                  terminate immediately after such Corporate Transaction;
                  provided, however, that if the Board, in its sole discretion,
                  determines that such immediate vesting of the right to
                  exercise outstanding Options is not in the best interests of
                  the Company, then the successor corporation must agree to
                  assume the outstanding Options or substitute therefor
                  comparable options of such successor corporation or a parent
                  or subsidiary of such successor corporation.

         (f)      Options Nontransferable. No Option will be transferable by the
                  Optionee otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and
                  distribution. During the lifetime of the Optionee, the Option
                  will be exercisable only by him or her.

         (g)      Qualification of Stock. The right to exercise an Option will
                  be further subject to the requirement that if at any time the
                  Board determines, in its discretion, that the listing,
                  registration or qualification of the shares of Option Stock
                  called for thereunder upon any securities exchange or under
                  any state or federal law, or the consent or approval of any
                  governmental regulatory authority, is necessary or desirable
                  as a condition of or in connection with the granting of such
                  Option or the purchase of shares of Option Stock thereunder,
                  the Option may not be exercised, in whole or in part, unless
                  and until such listing, registration, qualification, consent
                  or approval is effected or obtained free of any conditions not
                  acceptable to the Board, in its discretion.

                                       5
<PAGE>

         (h)      Additional Restrictions on Transfer. By accepting Options
                  and/or Option Stock under this Plan, the Optionee will be
                  deemed to represent, warrant and agree as follows:

                  (i)      Securities Act of 1933. The Optionee understands that
                           the shares of Option Stock have not been registered
                           under the 1933 Act, and that such shares are not
                           freely tradeable and must be held indefinitely unless
                           such shares are either registered under the 1933 Act
                           or an exemption from such registration is available.
                           The Optione understands that the Company is under no
                           obligation to register the shares of Option Stock.

                  (ii)     Other Applicable Laws. The Optionee further
                           understands that Transfer of the Option Stock
                           requires full compliance with the provisions of all
                           applicable laws.

                  (iii)    Investment Intent. Unless a registration statement is
                           in effect with respect to the sale of Option Stock
                           obtained through exercise of Options granted
                           hereunder: (1) Upon exercise of any Option, the
                           Optionee will purchase the Option Stock for his or
                           her own account and not with a view to distribution
                           within the meaning of the 1933 Act, other than as may
                           be effected in compliance with the 1933 Act and the
                           rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; (2) no
                           one else will have any beneficial interest in the
                           Option Stock; and (3) he or she has no present
                           intention of disposing of the Option Stock at any
                           particular time.

         (i)      Compliance with Law. Notwithstanding any other provision of
                  this Plan, Options may be granted pursuant to this Plan, and
                  Option Stock may be issued pursuant to the exercise thereof by
                  an Optionee, only after there has been compliance with all
                  applicable federal and state securities laws, and all of the
                  same will be subject to this overriding condition. The Company
                  will not be required to register or qualify Option Stock with
                  the Securities and Exchange Commission or any State agency.

         (j)      Stock Certificates. Certificates representing the Option Stock
                  issued pursuant to the exercise of Options will bear all
                  legends required by law and necessary to effectuate this
                  Plan's provisions. The Company may place a "stop transfer"
                  order against shares of the Option Stock until all
                  restrictions and conditions set forth in this Plan and in the
                  legends referred to in this Section 6(j) have been complied
                  with.

         (k)      Notices. Any notice to be given to the Company under the terms
                  of an Option Agreement will be addressed to the Company at its
                  principal executive office, Attention: Corporate Secretary, or
                  at such other address as the Company may designate in writing.
                  Any notice to be given to an Optionee will be addressed to the
                  Optionee at the address provided to the Company by the
                  Optionee. Any such notice will be deemed to have been duly
                  given if and when enclosed in a properly sealed envelope,
                  addressed as aforesaid, registered and deposited, postage and
                  registry fee prepaid, in a post office or branch post office
                  regularly maintained by the United States Government.

         (l)      Other Provisions. The Option Agreement may contain such other
                  terms, provisions and conditions, including such special
                  forfeiture conditions, rights of repurchase, rights of first
                  refusal and other restrictions on Transfer of Option Stock
                  issued upon exercise of any Options granted hereunder, not
                  inconsistent with this Plan, as may be determined by the
                  Committee in its sole discretion.

         (m)      Right to Terminate Employment. Nothing in the Plan or in any
                  agreement entered into pursuant to the Plan shall confer upon
                  any participant the right to continue in the employment of the
                  Company or effect any right which the Company may have to
                  terminate the employment of such participant.

         (n)      Non-Uniform Determinations. The Board's determinations under
                  the Plan (including without limitation determinations of the
                  persons to receive awards, the form, amount and timing of such
                  awards, the terms and provisions of such awards and the
                  agreements evidencing same) need not be uniform and may be
                  made by it selectively among persons who receive, or are
                  eligible to receive, awards under the Plan, whether or not
                  such persons are similarly situated.

                                       6
<PAGE>

         (o)      Rights as a Shareholder. The recipient of any award under the
                  Plan shall have no rights as a shareholder with respect
                  thereto unless and until certificates for shares of Common
                  Stock are issued to such participant.

         (p)      Other Employee Benefits. Except as to plans which by their
                  terms include such amounts as compensation, the amount of any
                  compensation deemed to be received by an employee as a result
                  of the exercise of an Option or the sale of Option Stock will
                  not constitute compensation with respect to which any other
                  employee benefits of such employee are determined, including,
                  without limitation, benefits under any bonus, pension,
                  profit-sharing, life insurance or salary continuation plan,
                  except as otherwise specifically determined by the Board.

7. Proceeds from Sale of Stock. Cash proceeds from the sale of shares of Option
Stock issued from time to time upon the exercise of Options granted pursuant to
this Plan will be added to the general funds of the Company and as such will be
used from time to time for general corporate purposes.

8. Modification, Extension and Renewal of Options. Subject to the terms and
conditions and within the limitations of this Plan, the Committee may modify,
extend or renew outstanding Options granted under this Plan, or accept the
surrender of outstanding Options (to the extent not theretofore exercised) and
authorize the granting of new Options in substitution therefor (to the extent
not theretofore exercised). Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, no
modification of any Option will, without the consent of the holder of the
Option, alter or impair any rights or obligations under any Option theretofore
granted under this Plan.

9. Amendment and Discontinuance. The Board may amend, suspend or discontinue
this Plan at any time or from time to time; provided that no action of the Board
will cause ISOs granted under this Plan not to comply with Section 422 of the
Code unless the Board specifically declares such action to be made for that
purpose. Moreover, no such action may alter or impair any Option previously
granted under this Plan without the consent of the holder of such Option.

10. Plan Compliance with Rule 16b-3. With respect to persons subject to Section
16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, transactions under this plan are
intended to comply with all applicable conditions of Rule 16b-3 or its
successors under the 1934 Act. To the extent any provision of the plan or action
by the plan administrators fails so to comply, it shall be deemed null and void,
to the extent permitted by law and deemed advisable by the plan administrators.

11.      Copies of Plan. A copy of this Plan will be delivered to each Optionee
         at or before the time he or she executes an Option Agreement.

         Date Plan Adopted by Board of Directors: August 16, 2001
         Date Plan Approved by Stockholders: November 6, 2001

                                       7