Uptake of doctors’ ideas is an important factor for success in medical technology

18 May 2006

Berlin/Munich, Germany. A structured employment of doctors’ ideas for new medical technologies and procedures is an important factor for the success of innovation potential in the medical technology sector. This was made clear at the BVMed special conference in Munich, entitled: “Promotion of medical ideas — what paths must innovations follow within medical technology companies.”

Some 50 % of innovations developed by users are also taken up in the medical technology sector. “The proper exploitation of customer-developed ideas can be extremely profitable for both sides. A large part of our success is based on the fact that we involved customers in the development process,” said Dr. Peter A. Meier from Ethicon, in front of some 70 delegates from companies, hospitals and scientific academia.

It is important that in the case of product or process innovation, the patient is placed at the centre. “It is not the specifications of the product that are the key, but rather how they can benefit patients,” said Thom Rasche from Earlybird. The question of how an idea can be transformed into an innovation for use in the medical sector also depends above all on finance, product development and introduction.

With an expenditure of €20 billion for medtech per annum, Germany is the third largest market in the world after the US and Japan — and it is therefore extremely attractive, said BVMed Director General and board member Joachim M. Schmitt. The companies would be faced by the challenge of “efficiency and cost benefit”: “Innovations targeted at successful reimbursement must in the future offer evidence of both medical technological and economic progress,” said Mr. Schmitt.

Link:  www.bvmed.de 

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