- 30.01.2013 2013-01: Research and Health Policy Platforms in Germany
Artikel30.01.2013
Interview Reserach Media with Joachim M Schmitt, Director General, German Medical Technology Association BVMed
Germany is the third largest medical device market in the world, ranking behind the USA and Japan. Joachim M Schmitt, Director General of the German Medical Technology Association BVMed, outlines the benefits of medical equipment for patients and the healthcare system
Our objective is to communicate the value of medical technologies: for patients and for the healthcare system as a whole. As a trade association, BVMed promotes and represents the combined interests of the medical technology industry and trade companies, among them 20 of the largest medical device manufacturers in the world. We offer our 230-plus member organisations a platform for constructive dialogue and information exchange, and stand up for their concerns by informing policy makers and the general public, and by participating in the development of laws, guidelines and standards.
Two very successful tools are the regular ‘Health Talks’, which take place in our offices with around 40 decision makers, and ‘Berlin Talks’, organised by our patient information campaign Aktion Meditech. Moreover, we are increasingly involved in working groups and committees in the political arena, and arrange conferences and seminars to create a platform for dialogue between companies, doctors, sickness funds (German insurance fund-based system of healthcare provision), patient groups and start-ups.
Another focus of the association’s activities is the European legal framework for medical devices, which will soon be revised. Many players in the healthcare industry are still not adequately informed about the medtech sector and its products, and there is a greater need for political awareness in this field.
The effectiveness of medical devices must be understood in terms of functionality. Pharmaceuticals interact with intricate biological systems and their therapeutic impact consists of a complex interaction between the drugs and the human body. Medical devices, on the other hand, only have an effect on the human body – and not the other way round. The undesirable side effects of pharmaceutical products are often unpredictable. Only very limited predictions can be made about when these might occur, how severe they will be, and whether they are reversible. The adverse impact of medical devices, however, can be predicted to a greater extent and are usually reversible. Therefore, medical devices and pharmaceutical products need to be treated differently.
Medical advances in the healthcare sector result from closely coordinated work. Each participant contributes their knowledge and experience to jointly solve the complex tasks within research and development. Cooperation generates innovative products and therapeutic options which optimise the quality of treatments and maintain or sustainably improve patients’ quality of life.
To support this cooperation, BVMed launched an information campaign called Medtech Compass (www.medtech-kompass.de/index) to encourage effective and transparent cooperation between industry, physicians and medical facilities. This Compass provides a network of industry and hospital experts within the healthcare compliance sector, and allows health professionals to obtain information about standards for medical products as well as find contacts.
BVMed strives to achieve adequate framework conditions that will facilitate fast market access and adequate reimbursement by health insurance funds for the MedTech industry. One of our major concerns is the number of approaches possible for introducing innovative examination and treatment procedures under the German Statutory Health Insurance (GKV). The ‘authorisation subject to prohibition’ principle applies to the hospital sector, ie. new examination and treatment methods can be introduced and reimbursed without prior approval by the Federal Joint Committee (GBA). Whereas, the ‘prohibition subject to authorisation’ principle applies to the outpatient sector, ie. reimbursement is subject to approval by the GBA. BVMed is fighting to keep the innovation-friendly principle in the hospital sector alive.
Germany is a key player in the global market of medical devices. The latest figures indicate that in 2010, healthcare spending in the medical device sector alone accounted for some €27 billion. Furthermore, the health economy is one of the most important and largest sectors of the German economy.
Building on the country’s rich tradition of innovation, German medical technology manufacturers achieve around one third of their total business revenue from products which are less than three years old. On average, researching companies in the medical technology sector invest around 9 per cent of total sales revenues in research and development. Around 170,000 people are employed in the highly specialised medical device industry in Germany – 15 per cent of whom work exclusively in the R&D field.
Germany comes second, after the US, in terms of new medical device patents and global revenue. The German Government is helping to improve medical device time-to-market by promoting innovations in health research and medical technology through its €6.5 billion ‘High- Tech Strategy’ R&D investment programme. €100 million has been set aside to support intelligent implants, innovative rehabilitation methods, imaging and regenerative medicines research as part of the country’s ‘Medical Devices Action Plan’. Comprehensive reforms of the healthcare system are also being introduced to promote increased competition and improving the quality of provision.
Apart from a few large companies, the medical technology industry is strongly dominated by medium-sized firms and that is Germany’s strength: 95 per cent of the companies employ fewer than 250 people; thus, the German medical industry offers excellent job prospects for engineers and qualified professionals in general. Vacancies can be found in 96 per cent of the companies, according to a recent BVMed survey. In a separate BVMed online survey, in which 94 companies within the medical device industry participated, 94 per cent of participants claimed that job prospects for engineers were ‘good’ to ‘very good’. For qualified professionals, this number increased to 98 per cent. Job vacancies can mainly be found in sales (66 of the 94 companies), marketing and communication (35), key account management (27), and R&D (24).
Almost two thirds of the companies believe that the professional qualification system for the medical industry urgently requires modernisation to keep up with the industry’s pace of innovation. Training and qualification in the medical industry should become more interdisciplinary and should unite fields such as medical technology, IT and hospital processes. Knowledge of economics and marketing strategies should also play a bigger role.
A strong domestic market is important for companies in the health economy. This includes statutory health insurance with functioning competition and fast introduction of medical innovations.
Innovative products and processes must be quickly supplied to all patients who need them. More flexible and rapid access to innovations requires the implementation of new examination and treatment methods to be simplified and the process made less bureaucratic. In addition to existing coverage, the reimbursement of innovations by the health insurance funds must be ensured. Concepts like the introduction of an innovation savings scheme or an innovation pool should be examined and consequently implemented.
Health is one of our greatest assets. The financial crisis does not change this basic truth. Patients need care, wounds must be healed, and operations must be performed. Medical devices play an eminently important role in these activities. We need an innovation-friendly setting for the future, as well as a more competitive operating environment and less regulation.
