8-K

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       The Securities Exchange Act of 1934



       Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): December 15, 2004


                           Commission File No. 0-11178
                                               -------


                           UTAH MEDICAL PRODUCTS, INC.
                           ---------------------------
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


                  UTAH                                   87-0342734
     -------------------------------                ------------------
     (State or other jurisdiction of                (I.R.S. Employer
     incorporation or organization)                 Identification No.)


                               7043 South 300 West
                               Midvale, Utah 84047
                               -------------------
                     Address of principal executive offices


Registrant's telephone number:      (801) 566-1200
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                             ITEM 8.01 OTHER EVENTS

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On December 15, 2004, Utah Medical Products, Inc. issued a press release
providing an update on the status of FDA litigation. A copy of the press release
is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1

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                                   SIGNATURES

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  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchanges Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                     UTAH MEDICAL PRODUCTS, INC.
                                     ---------------------------
                                     REGISTRANT


Date:       12/15/04                 By:    /s/ Kevin L. Cornwell
      -------------------                ------------------------
                                        Kevin L. Cornwell
                                        CEO



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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Index
Number         Description
- ------         -----------

99.1           Press release issued December 15, 2004: UTMD Updates Status of
               FDA Lawsuit

EX-99.1

                                  EXHIBIT 99.1

Salt Lake City, Utah - Utah Medical Products, Inc. (Nasdaq: UTMD) is a defendant
in a lawsuit filed four months ago by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA or
Agency) in the U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City, alleging violations of the
Quality System Regulation (QSR). Compliance with the requirements of the QSR
"are intended to ensure that finished devices will be safe and effective..."

On November 16, 2004, UTMD disclosed the subsequent admissions made by a
designated FDA enforcement official, testifying under oath as part of discovery
in the lawsuit, that the FDA is not claiming that UTMD's devices are unsafe,
ineffective, defective or causing any harm to patients.

Another month has passed in the discovery process since that announcement, and
UTMD wishes to update shareholders, clinicians, and other interested
constituents with respect to the litigation progress.

UTMD continues to manufacture and distribute all of its products worldwide
without any regulatory restriction, more than four months since the FDA filed
its lawsuit. During this time, as part of the discovery process preceding a
trial, a number of FDA documents have been obtained, and a few depositions of
FDA officials have been taken by UTMD's lawyers. In the discovery process to
date, the FDA has not produced anything that compromises UTMD's previous
opinions that it is in compliance with the QSR. In that context, there is no
"bad news" to report to shareholders.

Unfortunately, the FDA has withheld more than 150 documents pertinent to the
case under an assertion of the "deliberative process privilege." The failure of
the FDA to produce these documents has delayed additional depositions of
pertinent FDA witnesses. To address this situation, UTMD filed a "Motion to
Compel Production of Documents" with the Federal Court on December 10. The Court
will need time to consider the Motion and provide a ruling.

Since the filing of the lawsuit, UTMD has continued to retain highly qualified
and respected experts to review its manufacturing operations and quality
systems, on-site in Utah. UTMD's experts continue to strongly support the
Company's position that it is operating in a state of control, in compliance
with the QSR. The formal written reports of experts for both sides are due on
January 10, 2005.

After the U.S. Court decides on UTMD's Motion to Compel, and the expert reports
are produced, additional depositions will be required in order to complete
discovery. The pretrial hearing is scheduled for May 16. UTMD remains hopeful
that the discovery process will remain on track to meet that important date.

The effectiveness of UTMD's Quality System continues to be demonstrated, as it
was prior to the current dispute which began over three years ago, by the
consistently excellent safety and effectiveness performance of UTMD's products
in the marketplace.

Most users of UTMD devices who rely on the quality and performance of UTMD's
devices have continued to support the Company. UTMD sincerely appreciates that
support, and renews its long term proven commitment to the welfare of patients
who need the use of UTMD's market-leading specialty products to help ensure
optimal health outcomes.

Utah Medical Products, Inc., with particular interest in health care for women
and their babies, develops, manufactures, assembles and markets a broad range of
well-established, proven safe and effective, disposable and reusable specialty
medical devices.