The recent staging of MEDICA, the world’s largest medical trade fair, and COMPAMED, the leading trade fair for the medical technology manufacturing supplier market, in Düsseldorf, Germany, clearly reflected that the market for medical technology and medical products is becoming increasingly challenging and demanding worldwide. With some 5,500 exhibitors at MEDICA and nearly 800 companies at COMPAMED, a new record participation was recorded. With 121,000 trade visitors, the events also posted a slight increase in attendance. Two-thirds of the visitors came from abroad, representing some 170 countries. Exhibitors particularly praised the fact that more than 90 percent of the attendees had decision-making authority.
Numerous delegations with top decision-makers from regions such as Asia, North Africa and South America, contributed to this high internationality at the trade fairs; right in line with the export interests of many suppliers.
Special features at MEDICA 2019 were again the two successful U.S. Pavilions, with 196 companies presenting their technologies within these group exhibits. Overall, 436 U.S. exhibitors participated in MEDICA 2019.
Medical robotics applications were a focus at MEDICA 2019 and will become even more important in future. The exhibit category “medical robotics” is now included in the MEDICA exhibitor applications so that visitors can quickly identified the companies.
Compact solutions for better networking of all participants in the healthcare sector, such as for data transfer between doctors and for communication between doctor and patient, are also on the advance. Numerous MEDICA exhibitors demonstrated what these “‘mHealth” (mobile health) applications are already accomplishing today. Many young companies participated in the MEDICA START-UP PARK, the “Disrupt” sessions at the MEDICA CONNECTED HEALTHCARE FORUM and the MEDICA App COMPETITION. The range of topics included medically certified wearables for monitoring various body parameters as well as virtual reality applications for use in rehabilitation.
Whether robotics or mobile health, these areas of technological application will not be able to advance without improvements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Therefore AI, deep learning and big data were also important topics at the expert forums, such as at the MEDICA LABMED FORUM. The practical use of AI in digital pathology, which promises particular benefits in the diagnosis of cancer, was a special focus.
The dominant topics of the healthcare industry and individual medical specialist areas were also reflected in lectures and discussions at the accompanying congresses and conferences, including the 42nd German Hospital Day, the MEDICA PHYSIO CONFERENCE and the MEDICA MEDICINE & SPORTS CONFERENCE.
At the concurrently held COMPAMED trade fair, almost 800 exhibitors from 41 nations set a new record for the leading international industry platform for suppliers to the medical technology industry. This area is currently benefiting above all from the demand for increasingly powerful components and digitalized solutions for mobile devices for diagnostics, therapy and laboratory equipment.
The strong demand for miniaturized components was evident by the range of innovations of the 55 exhibitors participating in IVAM’s joint exhibition stand. Current trends on the supplier market were also addressed in the two specialist forums integrated into COMPAMED, offering a comprehensive overview of all aspects of the development, manufacture and approval of medical products.
From the U.S., 64 companies displayed their innovations at COMPAMED 2019, in addition to 22 exhibitors participating within the U.S. Pavilion organized by Messe Düsseldorf North America. Overall, U.S. exhibitors at MEDICA and COMPAMED 2019 reserved more than 80,000 square feet of net exhibit space – equivalent to 1.4 football fields.
The next staging of MEDICA and COMPAMED will take place from November 16 – 19, 2020 in Düsseldorf, Germany.