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Compiled by John Hockey
MEDTEC UK (formerly Medical Device Technology Exhibition) is held annually at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham in the geographical centre of the UK. In many ways it is also at the centre of what is going on within the industry, not just in the UK but also within Europe and the rest of the world. MEDTEC UK provides an intriguing insight into the industry with displays of precision engineering, packaging, automation assembly and plastics technology, illustrating the typical route from design through manufacturing to delivery.
With some 150 exhibitors, and co-located with several related exhibitions, MEDTEC UK is the main showcase for recent developments within the healthcare industry. 60,000 people are employed in this industry in the UK alone and the market is estimated at some € 7 billion, growing at about 6% per annum, so attendance at such a show is almost expected if you are not to be left behind in a fast changing market.
As you would expect there was also a Conference taking place alongside the exhibition, with many industry speakers tackling controversial subjects such as 'Re-use of Single Use Medical Devices'.
It is quite normal in the development of a device (let's use an inhaler as an example) for a drug company to initiate the device brief because they have an effective drug which needs to be administered to patients. The drug company (GSK, Pfizer, Astra Zeneca etc.) will have knowledge about the chemistry and effects of the drug, but not about how to design a device. That is where the design consultant comes in. Large consultancies (PDD, DCA, Kinneir Dufort etc.) have expertise in materials, mechanisms, ergonomics, patient behaviour, etc. but also know how to get such a device manufactured. They have a close working relationship with moulders who have the relevant regulatory controls. Thus, the design consultant is a crucial link in the chain. It is not surprising therefore that a number of them chose to exhibit at MEDTEC this year. Alun Wilcox, Director of Medical, PDD commented "The show has been excellent for business and that reflects the importance of our offering as a design consultancy in this dynamic industry".
The best way to illustrate the diverse nature of what was on show at MEDTEC UK is to highlight a couple of developments seen there. Editorial space is limited so I will pick both a simple and a more complicated product to highlight the range of devices available.
With healthcare needs on the rise, medical OEMs are turning to plastics to create safer, more innovative products, and to minimise business costs. Eastman Chemical Company recently announced that its Eastar Copolyester MB002 was selected for the redesign of Artegraft Inc.'s 21-inch glass culture tube used to package the company's collagen vascular grafts. An occurrence of breakage during transportation prompted Artegraft to develop a stronger, more resilient package to protect its medical device used as a haemodialysis graft or for peripheral bypass. Instead of the glass tube's cylindrical shape, the new plastic culture tube has a flat side so it will not roll and potentially fall, thereby damaging the graft packaged inside. For ease-of-use, the diameter of the neck opening was increased, and a peel-away, heat-shrink tamper evident seal was added. Each new tube is embossed with the Artegraft name on the outside. This sort of simple redesign using plastics shows how modern materials can supplant traditional ones in the healthcare industries.
Also seen at the show was the more complicated SoloSTAR disposable pen type injector for insulin, made by Sanofi Aventis, following collaboration with UK design consultants DCA. The product has 13 components, primarily plastics, and will be sold in the hundreds of millions, so design risk management as well as user comfort were of critical importance. Such was the success of the concept and the processes used throughout the development, that the Chicago Athenaeum has just handed it a Good Design 2007 award.
You might think that industry is quite capable of sorting out its own developments as it responds to the needs of the market. Academia begs to differ and on a joint stand the University Technology Transfer Initiative showed how academic schools of learning are now working hand in hand with industry stitching together research findings with the more practical world. Nasaleze, a manufacturer of a natural remedy for hay fever found it could not access high street retail outlets such as Boots and Superdrug. Following a project relationship with the National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit at Worcester University, the company has seen a 125 per cent increase in turnover and the product is now sold in 36 countries.
MEDTEC UK was a great success and a senior show organiser summed up the whole show thus: "Anyone new to the healthcare industry would be in heaven here! All the major companies and disciplines are represented and that, together with the Conference means this is very much a 'one-stop shop' for all interested parties." |
