Eucomed MedTech Forum 2009
Eucomed organised its second MedTech Forum in Brussels bringing together over 350 participants from policy and scientific communities plus patients and medical technology industry representatives.
The three day conference included a session on the European Institute for Socio-Economic Research (EHTI) to identify main issues faced by policy-makers involved in healthcare delivery; funding and reimbursement hot topics most influencing market access and adoption of medical devices during challenging economic times; and discussion on future EHTI research to help bridge the gap between real challenges for policy makers and actual concerns faced by industry.
Highlights of the conference were the two high-level policy debates: “Is a new model in health policy emerging?” leading an interesting discussion on free or managed markets and what is best for patients. The second debate chaired by the Industry Policy Summit offered views on the global innovation and competitive challenges faced by the MedTech sector in regards to contribution of industry in the creation and sustainability of jobs, economic growth and the EU’s competitiveness on a global level.
The gala dinner was yet another highlight of the MedTech Forum with 250 experts attending. The welcome speech given by Trudie Lobban, Founder and Trustee of Arrhythmia Alliance, emphasised that both policymakers and industry should never lose track of the patient perspective. Following Ms Lobban’s speech, a patient who had undergone reconstructive surgery of the spine gave an account of her experience as a kyphoplasty recipient. Her testimony served as a perfect illustration of the core message of Ms Lobban’s speech. Read more: www.medtechforum.eu