Joining forces in the MedTech

community

Prof. dr. ir. Pascal VerdonckFebruary 10, 2015

AZ Maria Middelares HospitalGent

• The primary goal of health care policy is

to maximize the health of the

population within the limits of the

available resources, and within an

ethical framework built on “equity and

solidarity principles”.

3

Report of the Belgian EU Presidency, adopted by the EU Council of Ministers of Health in Dec 2010

Healthcare objective

EthicsEthicsEthicsEthics

SustainabilitySustainabilitySustainabilitySustainability

Finances

Economy

Technology & Technology & Technology & Technology & ScienceScienceScienceScience

PatientPatientPatientPatient

“Patient” as driver

Healthcare, wherein the product is a person,

is complex, chaotic and fragmented due to an

explosion of knowledge and technological

progress!

Complexity of healthcare

GovernmentGovernmentGovernmentGovernment Industry

HospitalHospitalHospitalHospital

PatientPatientPatientPatient

“Innovation ” as driver

� The Belgian National

Committee on Biomedical

Engineering aims to bring

together the Belgian

academics, master and phd

students, researchers and

professionals, active in

Biomedical Engineering.

www.ncbme.be

� Biomedical engineering advances

knowledge in engineering, biology and

medicine, and improves human health

through cross-disciplinary activities

that integrate engineering sciences

with the biomedical sciences and

clinical practice

Biomedical engineering

Online survey on medical device

technology

Aim: overview of medical device technology

research in Belgium

�Survey 2011

�Medical device research topics

of the past, present and future

�Numbers of researchers / students

Medical devices: definition

Directive 2007/47/ec defines a medical device as:

“any instrument, apparatus, appliance, software,

material or other article, whether used alone or in

combination, including the software intended by its

manufacturer to be used specifically for diagnostic

and/or therapeutic purposes and necessary for its

proper application, intended by the manufacturer to

be used for human beings.“

Medical device research topics

�Biomechanics

E.g. computerized gait analysis, prosthesis,

artificial organs, dialysis, cardiac assist devices,

stents…

�Biomaterials

E.g. testing prosthesis for toxicity,

orthopedic materials (bone, meniscus),

cardiovascular materials (artificial

veins and stents)…

Medical device research topics (2)

�Bioelectronics

E.g. Body area networks for wireless

monitoring, integrated wearable systems

(ECG, EEG…), electronic probes for in-vivo

deep brain stimulation, auditory prosthesis…

�Medical informatics

E.g. telemonitoring, electronic medical

records, electronic medical prescriptions…

Medical device research topics (3)

�Medical imaging

E.g. computer aided diagnosis,

comparative analysis of mammograms,

high resolution digital histological

imaging, PET/SPECT-MRI…

�Photonics

E.g. sensors to measure the

polymerization of dental resin

cements, implantable optical

glucose sensors…

Medical device research topics (4)

�Robotics

E.g. intelligent prosthesis, pneumatic artificial

muscles, tele-operation, steerable surgical

tools for endoscopy, robotic intraocular

eye surgery…

�Total number of researchers: 380

�Total number of research groups: 38

�Total number of master students: 150

�Total estimated cost for medical device

technology research in Belgium:

€ 40 million per year

Facts & figures

°Drummond et al., IJTAHC, 2008

Efficacy: does it work?Efficiency: does it help?Cost-effectiveness: does it reduce cost?

Biomedical engineering

new medical technologyless effective

and more costly

AAAA

new medical technologycheaper but less

effective

B

new medical technologymore effective

and less costly

CCCC

TOTAL COST

HEALTH EFFECT (QALY)O

DDDD

new medical technologymore effective

but more costly

current medical technology

Ascher Shmulewitz et al, Nature Biotechnology, 2006

Biomedical engineering

20

21

Swiss Med Tech value chain

- Pop. 8.000.000- 12 universities- 1300 companies

- Pop. 11.000.000- 13 universities- 380 companies

Swiss Med Tech value chain

23

• Know-How

• Network

• Financing

(seed money)

(years)0- 2- 10 + 3

(CHF)

Scientific

research

Market

Entrepreneurship Start-up

Coaching

Invest

Projects

Swiss Med Tech value chain

�Develop MedTech as an important

economical driver (MedTech)

�Cluster MedTech companies and activities

to stimulate growth (Valley)

�Interaction and cooperation with local

(Flanders) and relevant (inter)nationale

organisations

MedTech Flanders

Who can join ?3 DNA criteria :

� Companies that produces devices according the European MD Directive

� Companies that exist already

� Companies that have an R&D and/or decision center in Flanders

Objectives� Facilitate existing MedTech Companies in:

� Internal networking and knowledge sharing

� External visibility

� Sharing of equipment and infrastructure

� Regulatory and Quality Affairs (QARA)

� Human Resources & recruitment

� Reimbursement

� Access to capital

� Business coaching

� Develop new companies/activities

� Merge Clinicians, technicians and entrepreneurs

� Bring technology and innovation bed side

� Reinforce the general eco-system

� Better support of clinical trials

� Systems for data collection

� More efficient and (cost) effective healthcare