90 results
The ‘New Approach’ – making standards even better
There are some who are claiming that the EU Commission’s formal objection to eleven standards raised at the end of last year shows that the ‘New Approach’ has shortcomings and that the whole system is ripe for overhaul. I would argue far from it. The New Approach is a very clever system of product regulation, […]
Posted on 04.02.2011
Cheap trumps innovativeness… or not?
As I was commuting back to Brussels last week, a copy of The Economist laid out in front of me, my eye was immediately drawn to the title of that week’s Leader. Who wouldn’t be inclined to read on when an enticing header such as “Life should be cheap” is staring right at you. Intrigued […]
Panel-mania? The future of an advisory interpretation
Eucomed published on 23 December 2010 its first Compliance Panel recommendation on the sponsorship of third party educational conferences by Eucomed members. The Panel, an independent body of three external opinion leading experts, was appointed to help provide guidance on the interpretation of the Eucomed Code of Ethical Business Practice as well as drive European harmonisation with […]
There’s a good future in (DG) Research
In a time when much health industry focus is on the European Commission’s Health Directorate, DG SANCO, EU Commissioner for Research Máire Geoghegan-Quinn chose Covidien’s 20 year celebration of their Galway, Ireland, facility (congratulations to all at Covidien) to emphasise again the value of the Medical Technology industry to Europe and the huge policy and funding support that she and her Directorate, DG Research, provide to the sector.
Posted on 04.11.2010
Investing in education: Redefining strategy?
Any conference, congress or other important event usually involves some kind of a feedback exercise.
Posted on 01.10.2010
Adam Smith, corruption and biases
The 7th European Healthcare Fraud & Corruption Network conference took place in Brussels at the end of September and featured high level speakers and experts. The event proved to be an ideal platform for discussing a number of topics of relevance to all the stakeholders in the healthcare system. The “Conflicts of Interest” session was […]
Posted on 29.09.2010
Telemedicine – Never knowingly over sold
‘Never knowingly under sold’ is a slogan that one major UK retailer has been using more or less continuously since 1925. I have never quite understood what it means. E-heath and telemedicine have been touted as the key to disruptive change in healthcare for a very long time. I recall spending an entertaining four days […]
Musings on markets from weary traveller
Like much of the business community I have had plenty of time for thought and reading. A 24 hour trip to Milan has turned into a five day marathon. Both reading and experience have stimulated thoughts about the operation of markets. Firstly, after several hours on Thursday, I managed to secure a hotel room in […]
Posted on 16.12.2009
Avoiding repeats of the ‘Greek Tragedy’
As the true depth of the Greek debt crisis unfolds it is hard to understand why the alarm bells were not ringing long ago. In our sector alone there is something in the region of €2.3 billion of unpaid bills and this has not happened overnight. We were warning of this particular symptom almost two […]