Unity Now Drives the Goal of Faster Innovation in Europe

“We need to be absolutely sure that nothing will slow down innovation,” said Dr Guy Lebeau, Chairman of Eucomed, the European trade association. The industry priority now is to be sure that a policy is put in place that will not slow down the industry’s ability to innovate. There seems to be a renewed vigour in efforts to achieve this.

Dr Lebeau took time out from Eucomed’s MedTech Forum and General Assembly 2008 for an interview with Medical Device Technology. The Forum took place this week in Brussels, Belgium. As well as Eucomed’s Chairman, Dr Lebeau is Company Group Chairman Europe, Middle East and Africa for Johnson and Johnson. He continued, “We must secure our industry space to innovate. Our different cycle [from the pharmaceutical industry] of 18 to 24 months must be preserved.”

The biggest holdups to innovation reaching patients are regulation and reimbursement. “Regulators must help the industry make it faster,” he said. With regard to reimbursement, Lebeau urges a rethink concerning the different proportions spent on medical devices and on drugs. Of the total European heath care expenditure, 6% is spent on medical devices and 16% on drugs. Yet, often treatments employing medical devices will stop the need for drugs. He gave the example of the hip implant: people may take drugs for years to combat the pain–give them a prosthesis and they do not need the medication.

If the goal is to design a better health care environment by working together, a good start has apparently been made this week at the Forum, which was attended by 400 people. The week’s activities have included industry and European Members of Parliament talking together. They are starting to work together on creating a useful policy, he believes, and there is an openness in both sides to work together to improve the regulatory environment and time to market.

A new impetus for collaboration is also coming from the European Medical devices Industries Group (EMIG), which is keen to speak as one voice at the European Commission level and present a common message. EMIG comprises COCIR, EDMA, EUCOMED, EUROM VI, EUROMCONTACT and FIDE.

In terms of the recast of the medical device Directives, the industry associations have come out firmly against the most radical changes proposed in the recast consultation. Both sides want the smartest draft, Lebeau asserted. As to timing, that depends on how fast the different parties can get to work smoothly together. So watch this space … with some optimism.