At this year’s members‘ meeting of eurocom, the manufacturers‘ association for compression therapy, orthopedic aids, and digital health applications, there was much discussion, especially about advancing and expanding the supply of aids in Europe. Further development of country organizations would make strategic sense, explained the Chairman of eurocom e.V., Jürgen Gold, who counts almost all German companies among the association’s members. Europe can thus influence health markets in all European countries.
The specially founded eurocom working group, which is advancing the practical implementation of the European Medical Device Regulation (MDR), which became mandatory on 26 May 2021 after a four-year transition period, is the best example for more patient safety in the entire European area. However, non-European low-cost suppliers in online trade would need greater hurdles to penetrate the European market, explain the experts who oppose market access via internet platforms for non-CE-certified products. The demand of the association, which has the medical benefit and effectiveness and the cost-efficiency of aids in mind, is more patient safety and fairer competition.
The guest speaker Roy Kühne, Member of the German Bundestag and rapporteur of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group for medical aids and appliances and care, also sees politics as having a duty to turn the right screws. He sees a need for political action above all in digital innovations. All expenditures are thus forward-looking because they increase the quality of life of chronically ill patients. Therefore, e-prescription must also consider the provision of medical aids. This must be tailored to the patient’s needs without causing a break in communication between the service providers and the patient.
The provision of research data for innovation thrusts is also a major topic area that is compatible and feasible despite data protection for aids development that meets the needs, see the electronic patient record (ePA). All experts at the eurocom dialogue see patient safety as the main focus of an adequate supply of medical devices and the freedom of choice of the patient, and the competitiveness of MDR-compliant medical device manufacturers.
Source: www.gesundheit-adhoc.de