EXHIBIT 23.4

                   CONSENT OF SG COWEN SECURITIES CORPORATION


November 4, 2002

Board of Directors
Ostex International, Inc.
2203 Airport Way South
Suite 400
Seattle, WA  98134

We hereby consent to the inclusion of our opinion, dated September 5, 2002, to
the Board of Directors of Ostex International, Inc. (the "Company") attached as
Annex E to the Proxy Statement/Prospectus of the Company and Inverness Medical
Innovations, Inc. (the "Prospectus") which is a part of the Registration
Statement on Form S-4 to which this consent is attached (the "Registration
Statement") and to the references to our firm in the Prospectus under the
headings "Summary" and "The Merger--Background of the Merger", "The
Merger--Ostex' Reasons for the Merger; Recommendation of Ostex' Board of
Directors", "The Merger--Fairness Opinion of Ostex' Financial Advisor", and "The
Merger Agreement--Termination". In executing this consent, we do not admit or
acknowledge that SG Cowen Securities Corporation comes within the class of
persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and we do not
thereby admit that we are experts with respect to any part of the Registration
Statement under the meaning of the term "expert" as used in the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

Very truly yours,

/s/ SG COWEN SECURITIES CORPORATION

SG COWEN SECURITIES CORPORATION