Medtech Sector on the Rebound, Medica Organizers Claim

The medtech industry is on the mend.

With the global economic crisis successfully behind them (according to economists, anyway), medical technology executives can now breathe a collective sigh of relief: Customer demand is steadily improving and innovation is back in the spotlight.

Officials with Medica 2010—which is billed as the world’s largest medical fair—saw first-hand proof of the industry’s recuperation while visiting companies that attended the four-day event in Düsseldorf, Germany. “Medica is an impressive show window on the health industry,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.

Staring back through that window at Merkel and Federal Health Minister Philipp Rösler were 137,200 visitors from more than 100 nations and a record 4,400 exhibitors from more than 64 countries. Nearly three-quarters of the total number of visitors, or 72 percent, are decisively or significantly involved in decision-making at their respective companies, and an additional 10 percent are consultants, according to Medica statistics.

Joachim Schäfer, managing director of Messe Düsseldorf, believes the statistics reflect a “logical consequence” of market developments. “The number of supporting institutions for clinics is decreasing,” he said. “This concentration of demand means the market is becoming dominated by ever-larger suppliers with centrally organized purchasing departments, which makes those travelling to Düsseldorf particularly high-caliber decision-makers.”

Many of those who travelled to Düsseldorf for Medica and its companion show COMPAMED 2010 (for the supply market) were attracted by the event’s theme parks, forums and seminars on such topics as patient care, cancer, rheumatism and allergies. Others flocked to the event to showcase the latest technologies and innovations, including:

• A new technology called MPXX to significantly reduce the allergic potential of latex gloves. Developed by Dutch research and development firm Budev B.V., the technology is used to wash protein residue from gloves during the final step in the manufacturing process. Budev executives claim the levels of four allergenic proteins in gloves treated with the MPXX process are so miniscule that they cannot be measured by any of the standard methods.
• A 3 millileter RevVac safety syringe from Charleston, S.C.-based Revolutions Medical Corporation. According to company data, the syringe uses vacuum technology to suck the needle into the plunger after use, preventing it from being reused. Executives claim the syringe can help reduce accidental needle stick injuries and slow the spread of contagious diseases.
• Six-use Day Tourniquet Cuffs from United Kingdom-based Anetic Aid. An alternative to reuseable cuffs, this product is guaranteed for six uses, according to the company. However, they are cost effective enough to discard after one use. The Six-use Day Tourniquet Cuffs was just one of the many products Anetic Aid showcased at the show (others included the QA4 Surgery Trolley Systems, QA3 patient trolleys and electronic tourniquet systems).
• A 360-degree wireless system from United Kingdom-based seca to capture, transmit and interpret health measurements. According to the company, seca’s new wireless network can store all height and weight measurements in a database, feed the data directly into an EMR (electronic medical records) system and provide PDFs of additional analyses made by the seca software.
• A new line of touchscreen terminals from Savience Limited, a United Kingdom-based software development company. Executives said the new units are quicker and easier to install and fit into almost any sized space or location. One of the key features of this latest product line is the wall-mountable desktop screen, which can be used in “exposed locations.”

Attendance at COMPAMED was just as robust this year, according to organizers. More than 16,000 visitors attended the show, visiting with 575 exhibitors from 37 nations.