Health system needs to drive innovative industry development

In the February edition of Pulseline I foreshadowed the release by MTAA of a white paper, Building a Sustainable Medical Technology Industry in Australia. The white paper sets out several levers which MTAA believes can be employed by Australian policy makers to drive significant industry growth in the medical technology sector. The medical technology sector is a highly innovative sector with the capability to create high-skilled manufacturing jobs and to harness Australia’s strengths in health and medical research. Australia has many of the right attributes to grow a strong domestic medical technology industry – a significant research capability, quality health system with good research and teaching hospitals, a highly skilled manufacturing workforce, stable financial system, and access to the growing middle class health markets of Asia.

MTAA believes that what is most needed is policy leadership which recognises the contribution that can be made by the industry. Strategies to support industry growth include better integration between health systems needs and industry innovation and development; emphasis on science, maths and engineering education; encouragement of clusters of industry and research; and pathways to market for innovative technologies, both in Australia and regionally.

Other countries have understood the benefits to be achieved from the growth of a robust medical technology industry and have provided policy support. For example, the National Health Service in the UK in its report Innovation Health and Wealth released in December last year, provides an excellent roadmap for the integration of health system need with facilitation of industry development. One of the contributions identified in the report which the NHS makes to the UK economy is the support that it provides by accelerating adoption and diffusion of innovation.

MTAA’s white paper can be accessed here. I encourage you to read it and to engage on processes that might be put in place to build on our strengths to nurture an industry that will contribute to Australia’s economic health, and to the health of its people into the future.

Strategic Review of Health and Medical Research (McKeon Review)

MTAA has provided a submission to the McKeon Review of health and medical research in Australia. The timing of the submission coincides with the release by MTAA of its white paper and draws heavily on relevant themes outlined in the white paper, focusing on improving the translation of research from Australia’s excellent health and medical research facilities into the creation of vibrant businesses.

MTAA’s submission can be read here.

Anne Trimmer
Chief Executive Officer
Medical Technology Association of Australia

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For more information, please follow this link.

The Code Licence uses a special licensee logo to identify those medical technology companies that support and complying with the MTAA Code of Practice. As a code licensee, a company is obliged to sign a licence agreement stating that it supports the principles and requirements of and confirms its commitment to implementing the Code of Practice.

The following companies have successfully applied for a Code Licensees:

• Boston Scientific
• Baxter
• Medtronic
• 3M Healthcare
• St Jude

The licensee logo can be displayed on letterhead, business cards, promotional material and displayed at meetings and conferences. It may not be used on any product and does not indicate an endorsement or certification by MTAA of the company or its activities.

The Code of Practice is a voluntary Code and, while binding for members of MTAA, is advisory for non-member medical technology companies. Non-member companies which subscribe to the Code may also become licensees. This means that the company not only complies with the Code but also submits to its requirements for compliance monitoring and education.

Please follow this link to find out more about the requirements and benefits of the Code Licence. A copy of the current edition of the Code of Practice is available here.

All medical technology companies in Australia have been asked for their participation in the MedTech Market in Australia survey. MTAA has commissioned Ultrafeedback to conduct the survey. De-identified results will be included in the next edition of the MTAA Industry Factbook.

This is the final call for participation in the survey. This is an important project that will allow MTAA, companies and the public a greater understanding of the medtech industry in Australia.

The survey is very brief. The average time taken by the (almost) 100 companies that have already completed the survey is 12 minutes.

If you wish to participate or to confirm who in your organisation has been contacted, please contact Helena van de Linde at UltraFeedback on helena.vandelinde@ultrafeedback.com or P: (03) 9819 2086.

MTAA has scheduled a networking function in Sydney to provide an opportunity to learn more about the latest trends for the medical technology industry in Australia, and provide time to network with the MTAA Board, CEO and industry colleagues.

Guest speaker Dr Fiona Blyth is head of the Intramural Research Division at the Sax Institute. She will present an overview of the 45 and Up Study that is managed by the institute.

The 45 and Up Study is the largest study of healthy ageing ever undertaken in the Southern Hemisphere. Over 265,000 men and women aged 45 and over across NSW have been recruited – about 10% of this age group – and will have their health followed over the coming decades.

Information collected through the 45 and Up Study will be used by policy agencies and by researchers to help gain a better understanding of how to prevent and provide the best possible healthcare for common health conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, depression, Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes.

Dr Blyth provides support on clinically focussed research within the 45 and Up Study as well as other research programs within the Sax Institute. She is a medically qualified epidemiologist and public health physician with expertise in population and clinical research, chronic disease epidemiology, and translation of research into health policy and practice. She is involved in national and international collaborations in the field of pain research.

MTAA Chief Executive Officer Anne Trimmer will also give an overview of some of MTAA’s priorities for 2012.

Date:    Monday 16 April 2012
Time:   5.30 pm – 7.30 pm
Venue: NSW Trade & Investment Centre, Lvl 47, MLC Centre, 19 Martin Place (Corner of King and Castlereagh Streets) Sydney

There is no charge for the event but please RSVP no later than Thursday 12 April to events@mtaa.org.au or call (02) 9900 0650. Light refreshments will be served.

What’s New?

Module 3.3 Infection Prevention is now available.  It provide insight into infection prevention when working within the healthcare setting. To register, please visit the MTAA website under Course 3.

Upcoming Training

For a snapshot of upcoming training for the next months, please click here.

April

• 5.4 Implementing a Workplace Wellness Program (11 April, online)
• 1.2 Advanced Review of the Regulation of Medical Technology in Australia (20 April, Sydney)

May

• 5.5 The Emotionally Intelligent Leader (9 May, online)

E-learning

Module 5.11 Planning Projects explores general project management principles and how to apply these skills to the project planning processes during the initiate and plan phases. To register, please click here.

Contact Details

If you would like to know more about other training opportunities that are available through MTAA, please view the interactive training promotion. For all professional development enquiries, please contact Fiona Shipman, Professional Development Manager by E: pd@mtaa.org.au or P: (+612) 9900 0650.

The Research Australia Awards recognises and celebrates achievement and contribution to health and medical research in Australia. Awards are presented for areas such as discovery, advocacy, philanthropy and lifetime achievement, in front of an assembled audience representing Research Australia’s member community, supporters, the business community, politicians, and other notable guests. The process of selecting award winners may take many months and begins with your considered nomination of an outstanding individual or organisation.

For questions regarding the nominations process or the Awards Dinner itself, please follow this link or contact Melissa Harris on melissa.harris@researchaustralia.org

Nominations should reach Research Australia by no later than 1 June 2012.

Medtronic is calling all Australians who like to run and who benefit from medical technology, to enter the annual Medtronic Global Heroes program. The only event of its kind, Global Heroes celebrates the accomplishments of runners who have a condition treated by a medical device. Health conditions can include heart disease, diabetes, chronic pain and spinal and neurological disorders.

Twenty five runners will be selected from around the globe and we’d love to have an Australian Global Hero participate again!

Last year Roger Hanney of Petersham, Sydney, was selected. Roger uses an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor to manage type 1 diabetes. Roger was diagnosed with diabetes while training for his first half-marathon. While he didn’t run that race he has gone on to run numerous long distance events.

For a list of eligible medical devices or health conditions visit here. Note: the device does not have to be manufactured by Medtronic to qualify.

To apply or recommend someone to be a 2012 Medtronic Global Hero follow this link.

The deadline for Global Hero applications is 27 April 2012.

MedInIsrael 2012

MedInIsrael, the first ever medical devices conference to be held in Israel, will be focused on the Asia-Pacific region and will take place from 26 - 28 June 2012 at the Israel Trade Fairs and Convention Centre in Tel Aviv, Israel.

The Israel Trade Commission in Sydney invites you to attend MedInIsrael 2012 and to join other premier medical companies from around the Asia-Pacific region. The 3 day program will include medical technology exhibitions, B2B meetings, professional panel discussions, and in-depth overviews of emerging trends and technologies affecting the healthcare industry. In addition, the program will also offer an industry tour of Israeli hospitals and medical device manufacturers, as well as a day of tourism around Israel’s famous sites. We can also organise a tailored private professional program for you while in Israel.

Israel's thriving medical technology industry is world renowned for its ground-breaking innovations, ingenuity and creativity. Israel is home to over 900 medical technology companies, with 50-60 new companies being formed each year.

For more details on the MedInIsrael 2012 conference, please contact Josh Wermut on (02) 9388 0382 or josh.wermut@israeltrade.org.au