Innovations In Medical Device Sector

The dominant themes in The Netherlands are similar to those in the rest of Europe: an ageing population, quality of health care and manageable cost development in the health care system. The introduction of a new health care system on 1 January 2006 and the implementation of new legislation set the impetus for modernisation of care. This involves a more central role for the patient and a system that is based on free market principles with a meaningful role for health insurers.

Innovation policy in the Netherlands is directed to the constant development and improvement of new products and services of high quality. Innovation policy is a top priority in government policy for the coming years.

Nefemed has oriented itself on the present and future situation regarding the policies towards medical devices in order to define its position. It is important to note that the members companies of Nefemed have renewed their range of products and services in recent years to a great extent, mostly on their own initiative and with their own sources. Looking at the effects and the possibilities for healthcare innovation in the Netherlands, Nefemed wants to start a dialogue which enables the medical technology sector could receive more support from Dutch innovation policy. This study concentrates on the significance and the opportunities for products of Nefemed members. The results should be useful both for policy development on the government as well as for individual companies and products.

The report includes a description of medical and technological developments in following five fields of clinical disorder :

1. Coronary and vascular diseases

2. (Colon) cancer

3. Osteoarthritis (and other diseases of the loco-motor system)

4. Diabetes Mellitus (especially the possible long term complications)

5. Long term diseases (Multiple Slerosis and Spinal Cord Injuries as an example in younger age groups, and Alzheimer’s Disease in the older age groups)

The study was centred around three questions :

• What has changed during the last 15 years and what will change the next 15 years in the field of medical devices?

• Can it be made visible by means of information from five disease areas which improvements have been accomplished and which will become possible in the future?

• What can be concluded on the societal relevance of medical devices and how can this relevance in the future get a more prominent position in government policies?

The report examines the progress and the added value of medical technology for the patient, health care and society. It also highlights a number of dilemmas. For example, it states that an evidence based approach to the assessment of whether or not a medical device is eligible for reimbursement is impossible for many medical devices. Furthermore, the importance of product innovation in relation to health care innovation to improve efficiency in the health care chain is still an issue of limited cohesion in terms of policy.

Based on the report, which has been presented to the Dutch Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport, five policy statements have been formulated with a number of specific policy suggestions. These are as follows:

• Invest in medical technology, which beneficially influences and lessens the total cost of society.

• Stimulate innovation for the benefit of efficiency in health care processes and health care innovation.

• Promote the correct use of medical technology for the benefit of social autonomy and the ability of people to live independently (allow quality of life).

• Medical technology can provide an essential contribution to solving the future lack of personnel in care professions (substitution of labour with technology).

• Advancement of medical technology offers opportunities for the Dutch economy.

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