MedTech Europe Urges European Commission to Prioritize Competitiveness in the Medtech Industry

European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen was re-elected to serve a second term. Leyen has also called for a major European competitiveness boost, to make business easier and faster.

The medical technology industry stands ready to support the European Commission and EU co-legislators in delivering on this important political agenda for 2024-2029.

Despite Europe’s reputation for its innovative medical technology research ecosystem, its efficient and accessible healthcare systems, and its growing efforts towards value-based healthcare, Europe’s current political, legislative, and regulatory trajectory gives investors cause for hesitation, according to the organization. 

MedTech Europe urged the European Commission to advocate for policies that support patients and healthcare systems. Policies that ensure equitable access to top-tier healthcare for all patients in Europe, foster a unified digital health ecosystem across Europe, build resilient healthcare systems capable of withstanding future crises, and establish healthcare systems that are financially and environmentally sustainable.

The association also highlighted a crucial need to ensure access to medical technologies for patients across the EU. 

MedTech Europe noted that “Seven years after their publication, the Medical Devices (MDR) and In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices (IVDR) Regulations¹ continue to hamper access to life-saving and life-sustaining medical technologies as they are plagued by inefficient and unpredictable processes, skyrocketing cost of compliance, insufficient support for innovation, and a lack of accountable governance.”

The association commented, “We appreciate the call from several policymakers for swift and meaningful reform, including recent suggestions to amend the MDR which represent a significant contribution to the discussion. We urge the re-elected Commission President to make the early and comprehensive reform of both the MDR and the IVDR central to her health and competitiveness agenda, taking into account input from their targeted evaluation.”

Reference:

¹ In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation 2017/746/EU (IVDR) and Medical Devices Regulation 2017/745/EU (MDR).