About the industry

What is Medical Technology?

Medical technologies are products, services or solutions used to save and improve people’s lives.

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Medical technologies are with you all the time

From pregnancy tests to ultrasound scans, medical technology is with you from before you are born. If you scratched your knee as a child, you wore a plaster; if your vision blurs, you got glasses.

When you are unwell, diagnostics and medical devices help healthcare professionals restore you to good health as quickly as possible.

Should you need surgery, medical technologies will ensure you get the care you need in a way that is safe and minimally invasive; if your blood vessels become blocked, stents can help clear the way; if you are seriously ill, an MRI scan can find the cause; if you require monitoring, digital health tools can check your health status and communicate vital data to health professionals.

Medical technologies - at every phase of the patient pathway

In its many forms, medical technology is beneficial to the health and quality of life. Medtech offers:

  • Prevention
  • Diagnosis
  • Monitoring
  • Treatment
  • Care

Medical technology can support in preventing disease, injury or other conditions, for example through early detection tools.

In vitro diagnostics test results help identify a specific condition, its development and treatment selection.

Medical technology supports patients in checking the status of a disease or chronic condition.

Medical technology help patients overcome injuries and diseases or treating chronic illnesses.

Medical technology is found across the whole care pathway, it accelerates recovery and keeps people healthy.

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Value of Medical Technology

Medical technologies can save lives, improve health and contribute to sustainable healthcare. Through innovative devices and diagnostics, the industry delivers value to patients, healthcare professionals, and healthcare systems and society. Medical technology companies are also drivers of economic growth and job creation across Europe.

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Facts & Figures

The medical technology industry is one of Europe’s most diverse and innovative sectors. Data on employment, trade flows and the high number of patents filed by medtech companies reveal the value our sector delivers to patients, health systems and economies in Europe.

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Related resources

The European Medical Technology Data Hub

Document paper - Posted on 10.10.2020

MedTech Europe’s Facts and Figures 2022

Document paper - Posted on 19.09.2022