Originally Published EMDM September 2002
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
Hello, Goodbye
Remember me? You might, if you've been reading EMDM for a while. This space served as my soapbox for several years until May 2001, when Benjamin Lichtman began penning the notes from the editor. Ben has resigned from his position as editor to enroll in law school. His enthusiasm, interest in new technologies, and rather astonishing polyglot skills will be missed. I wish him all the best in his new endeavour.
Before leaving the editorial fold, Ben spent some time researching the device industry in Northern Italy, primarily in the Modena region, and visiting area suppliers to gather material for an article. His report is published in the Regional Focus section of this issue.
The small town of Mirandola, located about 30 km north of Modena, is rightfully considered to be the epicentre of Italy's medical device manufacturing industry. More than 70 companies active in the medical sector are located there, from multinational OEMs to a flock of niche companies that supply them with tubing, disposables, testing products, and a host of subcontracting services. This flurry of activity has created an environment in which technology and manufacturing matters permeate daily life. It's not uncommon to walk out of church in Mirandola, one supplier told Ben, and overhear parishioners discussing engineering problems on the piazza. In many communities throughout the industrialized world, there is concern that a lack of interest in science and engineering among young people will lead to a shortage of qualified labour. You won't see people in Mirandola wringing their hands about that, according to Luciano Fecondini, founder and director of testing and assembly equipment maker Tecnoideal. Children in the town are exposed to technical subject matter from an early age, says Fecondini, ensuring that a pool of skilled labour will remain plentiful in the area. Find out more about this dynamic region and its supplier base by turning to page 34.
Since we began publishing the Regional Focus series in 1995, EMDM editors have travelled to a number of areas in Europe with a significant medical technology manufacturing base. The German state of Baden-Württemberg, France's Rhône-Alpes, the transnational Medicon Valley that includes parts of Denmark and Sweden bordering the Oresund, and the Galway region in Ireland have all been featured. Next month's Regional Focus section marks a departure, however, as we hop across the pond and tour Minnesota's Medical Alley. Medtronic, St. Jude, and Guidant are among the more than 800 registered device companies located in the area. Much like in Mirandola, but on a larger scale, the proximity of technology-based OEMs has led to the development of a network of world-class subcontractors. Don't miss the October issue for an armchair tour of America's medical manufacturing heartland.
Before then, I hope to meet some of you in Galway, Ireland, when the MEDTEC Ireland Regional Conference and Tabletop Exposition returns to the SAS Radisson Hotel on Sept. 18 and 19. See page 58 for a preview and complete conference schedule.
Although MEDTEC Ireland is described as a regional conference, the topics that will be addressed have global resonance: tissue engineering, drug-eluting stents, and the use of virtual product design, verification, and validation are among the issues that will be explored by industry experts and researchers. Stents that eliminate the onset of restenosis, which have just begun to reach the market, will be one of the featured topics.
By 2006, drug-eluting stents will represent a US$4 billion market in the United States alone, according to Michael Austriaco, an analyst with the market-intelligence company Health Research International who is scheduled to speak on the subject. Johnson & Johnson's Cordis Div. has fired the opening salvo with the European launch of its drug-eluting stent in April, but that is only the beginning of what can be termed a medical technology revolution, says Austriaco.
"Research in multiple clinical areas has demonstrated that, in many cases, the methods of drug delivery are becoming as important as the drugs themselves," says Austriaco. He predicts that the success of drug-eluting stents will stimulate investigation into other similar products. "Medical device manufacturers will be closely watching the developments in the drug-eluting stent market in their efforts to capitalize on future opportunities," he adds.
One way to keep tabs on the future of medical technology is to attend MEDTEC Ireland. I hope to see you there.
Copyright ©2002 European Medical Device Manufacturer
