European medtech industry in figures 2014

Medical technology is technology used to ensure health in individuals suffering from a wide range of conditions and is involved in an entire pathway from diagnosis to cure. It extends life and brings healthy life years, reduces symptoms and prevents disease progression, thus playing an essential role in healthcare. Continuous medical technology innovation enhances the quality and effectiveness of care. Billions of patients worldwide depend on medical technology at home, at the doctor’s, at hospital and nursing homes. Wheelchairs, pacemakers, orthopaedic shoes, spectacles and contact lenses, insulin pens, hip prostheses, condoms, oxygen masks, dental floss, MRI scanners, pregnancy tests, surgical instruments, bandages, syringes, life-supporting machines: more than 500,000 MedTech products (20,000 generic groups) are available today.