474 results
Posted on 16.06.2009
Treating Osteoarthritis: will new research lead to a “run” of success?
On Thursday 11 June, I attended, as part of the EULAR conference in Copenhagen – Europe’s largest conference on Rheumatology – the session “Structure modification in osteoarthritis: Time to update the guidelines”. What became really apparent was that rheumatologists from Europe and North-America are seriously concerned about the exponentially increasing prevalence and incidence of osteoarthritis […]
Posted on 29.05.2009
Is the German healthcare system setting the right incentives to provide the best patient care?
An exclusive roundtable hosted by Johnson & Johnson during this year’s Hauptstadtkongress debated the question whether the current healthcare system in Germany should compromise between the need to standardize treatments due to scarce resources and increasingly informed patients demanding the best treatment possible. Although panelists agreed that Germany may be leading in terms of standards […]
Posted on 28.05.2009
From the Haupstadtkongress – Patient safety, what can be done on a European level?
Listening to a distinguished panel of experts chaired by Bernard Merkel of DG Sanco I get the impression that things are moving to raise the level of patient safety. I was interested to learn that DG Sanco has commissioned a study to rate Member States in their efforts to combat patient safety. This “black list” […]
Heat and quite a lot of light
The sweltering heat and fever pitch of the football supporters contrasts starkly with the measured debate at the 2009 International Medical Device Industry Compliance, Regulatory and Intellectual Property Conference here in Rome. The Champions League final sees football shirted supporters rubbing shoulders with suited captains of industry in an unlikely melange. One item of news […]
Posted on 12.05.2009
Russia in the global economic storm
The EPC organised on May 6th a policy dialogue with the World Bank on the topic: “Russia in the global economic storm” and presented its latest Economic Report dated March 2009 and available here. The numbers of the World Bank, even though considered by the key note as “educated guesses” are still the best available […]
Posted on 06.05.2009
MassMEDIC Annual Meeting: Reflections on industry clinician collaboration
Sitting on Boston’s south shore, the John F. Kennedy Pesidential Library is both imposing yet not over-stated. A rare treat for me was the opportunity to address the annual meeting of MassMEDIC, the largest regional medical technology association in the USA – and that means the world, I am sure! The speaker’s podium has a […]
Swedish MedTech 2009 – Northern Lights burning bright
I’m just back from an extended trip to Sweden where I was invited to present at Swedish Medtech’s AGM (it was my first trip to Sweden so I tagged on a few days leave). Great event and a great country; if you haven’t visited yet, you have to go! I have always found Swedish people […]
Posted on 14.04.2009
One of the great untold strengths of device regulation in Europe
Just back from Easter holidays and picked up this article from the Wall Street Journal “Medical Devices Face New Scrutiny From FDA”. When I read the article it reminded me again of one of the great untold strengths of device regulation in Europe and yet another example where the European system is better than the […]
Eucomed press release 05/09 – Revised Directive on Late payments: 23.6 billion Euros of unpaid invoices threaten small companies’ survival and jeopardize public health
Brussels, 8 April 2009 – Eucomed welcomes revision of directive 2000/35/EC on Late Payments adopted by the European Commission today strengthening current payment obligations. Association disappointed to see final text considerably watered down compared to initial clear targets. As the voice of the medical technology industry in Europe, Eucomed is extremely pleased to see late […]