Third-World Lessons for First-World Medical Technology

Peter Blair Henry, dean of the NYU Stern School of Business, recently published a book titled, Turnaround: Third World Lessons for First World Growth, that got a fair amount of media attention. His thesis is that emerging economies are applying economic policies nurtured in the developed economies and prospering in the process. Meanwhile, western economies have lost their moorings, and are suffering as a consequence. The book has gotten mixed reviews, but it did start me thinking about other lessons that emerging economies can teach us, specifically in the medical technology space. I bounced the idea off Gunjan Bagla, founder and CEO of Amritt Inc., a global innovation consultancy that has worked with the likes of Covidien, Becton Dickinson, J&J and Roche Diagnostics. He will be speaking at MD&M East during the Globalization, Compliance and Commercialization track. He agrees that emerging markets are rife with teachable moments. Read more…

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Google Glass Hack for Doctors Announced; Google I/O Conference Encourages Developers to Hack Glass

Google made several health-related announcements at the Google I/O conference this week in San Francisco, but the most interesting development related to medical technology happened a few days earlier. Computer programmer Lance Nanek announced on his blog that he and a team of programmers had developed a Google Glass hack for physicians. The open source hack MedRef uses facial recognition technology to enable physicians to locate files related to specific patients. The app can also be used to create and store patient files using voice and adding voice notes. Read more…

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Researchers Conducting Animal Testing Are Often Threatened, Investigation Finds

The use of animal experiments is the elephant in the room in medical research. Among the many questions asked on the floor of a medical trade show, one is usually whispered: “Do you do animal research?” But people avoid the conversation not only because it’s an uncomfortable topic. Researchers conducting animal experiments at companies and universities are used to threats and scared of talking about it or reporting them to police, according to a recent article published on Life Science Sweden’s website (in Swedish). Read more…

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PM Abe Pins Japan’s Economic Recovery on Medical Industry; MEDTEC Japan Validates Strategy

The timing could not have been better for MEDTEC Japan 2013. Just one month before the show, which was held on 24 and 25 April 2013, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed that he would aggressively promote the medical device industry, which he characterised as one of the few sectors that can shore up the nation’s failing economy. The resounding success of MEDTEC Japan confirmed his analysis.

As part of his initiative, Abe announced that he intends to launch a Japanese version of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help create advanced medical devices and drugs. A growth strategy, which includes the NIH plan, may be announced as soon as June.

Growth was a theme at this year’s MEDTEC Japan, as well. Held at the Tokyo International Exhibition Centre, the event welcomed 383 exhibitors, of which 167 were newcomers. Exhibitor numbers were up 27% from 2012. More than 13,200 attendees, compared with 10,500 last year, clogged the aisles. Read more…

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Air-Monitoring System for Surgical Suites Garners Innovation Prize at MEDTEC France

A device that monitors air quality in operating rooms in real time was named the winner of the first Innovation Awards at MEDTEC France in Lyon. Developed by STS Industrie (Besançon, France) in collaboration with the University Hospital of Besançon (Hospitalier Régional et Universitaire de Besançon; CHRU) and its associated clinical research centre, the Screenair device continuously tracks and measures air purity. Typically, the air quality in surgical suites in France is measured twice a year and is done when the operating room is not being used. According to STS Industrie, biocontamination of the air can be as much as 200% higher when the operating room is in use. Read more…

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Pert UDI Seeks Compatible Database for Harmonised Relationship

Last month, we reported on progress in setting the foundations of a harmonised unique device identification (UDI) system. US FDA seems to be on track to present its final draft of a UDI system to the International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF) in November 2013, and a consensus has formed on the value of a harmonised approach. That said, there are a number of speed bumps slowing the drive towards harmonisation. Read more…

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Medtech Industry’s Reputation Has Improved, PatientView Survey Finds

The medical device industry maintains a good reputation among patient groups, a global survey by PatientView has found. Despite a few high-profile scandals last year, such as the Pip implant and hip implant controversies, 40% of respondents said the industry’s reputation improved in 2012, according to a press release from PatientView (pdf). 68% of the 400+ respondents said that the industry has an excellent or good reputation. The medical technology industry outperformed the pharmaceutical and other healthcare sectors—only the retail pharmacy sector had a better reputation. Read more…

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Haughton Design, University Hospital Form Medical Devices Alliance

Haughton Design (Stafford, UK) has teamed up with the University Hospital of North Staffordshire and two other businesses to found the Medical Devices Alliance, an initiative designed to accelerate medical device development for customer companies. University Hospital staff and patients will benefit by being able to offer input on the look, feel and function of products under development, according to hospital R&D Manager Darren Clement. Read more…

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Raumedic-Designed Probe Precisely Targets Prostate Cancer Cells

Prostate cancer accounts for approximately 10% of all cancer-related deaths. Percutaneous radiotherapy is an external treatment that subjects cancer cells to ionising radiation over a specified period of time, and does not have any major side effects. Using CAT scans, 3-D radiation areas can be generated to minimise damage to proximal healthy tissue.

Nevertheless, healthy tissue could be damaged by an excessive radiation dose or an expanded radiation field. To eliminate this risk, Swedish device company Micropos Medical AB commissioned Raumedic AG to develop a localisation probe for its RayPilot system. The probe is placed via CT control directly at the tumour site. The implanted probe enables the physician to quickly and accurately localise the tumour and target radiation of the affected area while continuously recording and monitoring the strength of the radiation dose. Read more…

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3-D Bioprinting with Autologous Cells Could Prevent Organ Transplant Rejections, Says Organovo Exec. VP

Recently, 3-D printing has been used to produce guns, skulls, cars and ears, but the most significant impact of 3-D printing may come when the technology is used to print functional human organs.

3-D printing plays a central role in Organovo’s tissue engineering technology, said Mike Renard, Executive Vice President of Commercial Operations of Organovo, in an interview with medtechinsider.

Read more…

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French Medical Cluster Celebrates 20th Anniversary at MEDTEC France

The Medical Technology Cluster, France’s only organisation of its kind, will fete two decades of facilitating multidisciplinary partnerships and promoting industry at MEDTEC France next week. The event returns to Eurexpo in Lyon on 15 and 16 May 2013. Read more…

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Bribery Allegations Shut Down Russia’s Medical Device Registration Bureau

Allegations of bribery among senior officials in Russia’s medical device registrations division have prompted the government to suspend registration services, reports Emergo Group on its blog. Services will resume when the government has reorganized the registration division of its device regulatory agency Roszdravnadzor. In addition to hiring new personnel, the agency intends to review all previously issued medical device registration certificates. A reorganization of the agency ultimately may create a more transparent and predictable approval process, notes Emergo.

Related content:

Russia Makes Medtech Power Play

Russia Introduces New Medical Device Regulations

Russia Seeks Parity with Leading Medtech Economies by 2020

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