In October this year, MedTech Europe published a Reflection Paper which aims to provide an overview of the current healthcare Research and Innovation (R&I), as well as shine some light on the healthcare ecosystem for small and medium sized enterprise (SMEs).
It also outlines some of the best practices from other regions and offers recommendations on how Europe can be a more attractive landscape for healthcare R&I. Namely, though:
- bringing a diverse set of stakeholders together, combining wide sets of expertise;
- building on specific EU advantages of greater safety and data protection standards, as well as universal healthcare;
- investing in healthcare innovation through Public Private Partnerships (PPP) and large EU funding initiatives; and
- establishing a more coordinated approach for EU regional innovation systems.
Can Europe attract more investment for healthcare Research and Innovation (R&I) in medical technologies?
What is the role of European SMEs in innovation?
Can we optimise healthcare research and innovation Europe?
In light of COVID-19, has R&I become even more important for European Citizens?
How do we keep hospitals flexible moving forward?
What are the new tech for remote monitoring?
How do we respond to the needs of people and systems?
But COVID-19 is only one part of the picture.
These are the questions that the new Reflection Paper, published by MedTech Europe, sets out to answer. It does so by providing a better understanding of current trends and factors that impact medical technology innovation in Europe and by taking a look at what happens in the US market.
More than 30 key opinion leaders from large companies, start-ups, investors, and regional governments took part and shared their vision for a new and improved European medical technology ecosystem.
“A first of its kind, the paper provides an overview of the current state of healthcare research and innovation in Europe,” says Patrick Boisseau, MedTech Europe Director for R&I. “Through this work, we also want to highlight the opportunities for the medical technology industry, like public-private partnerships and the digital transformation, to bring innovative products and solutions to patients and healthcare systems” continues Boisseau.
To write this Reflection Paper, MedTech Europe has joined forces with one of its associate partners, NLC – The European Healthtech Venture Builder.
Bert-Arjan Millenaar, Founder and CEO of NLC:
“Fostering innovation is crucial to create and maintain a sustainable healthcare system for everyone. Inventions happen everywhere, but by further improving the innovative landscape, Europe can translate this innovation into actual impact. Enabling collaboration across countries and creating more funding opportunities for early-stage start-ups are examples of that. We are glad that, through this paper, we can emphasize the perspective of European SMEs and start-ups.”
About MedTech Europe
MedTech Europe is the European trade association for the medical technology industry including diagnostics, medical devices and digital health.
Their members are national, European and multinational companies as well as a network of national medical technology associations who research, develop, manufacture, distribute and supply health-related technologies, services and solutions.
For more information, visit their website.
