US Medtech Industry’s
Response to COVID-19 and Opportunities for future
Dhiren V. Mehta
President and CEO
Allwin Medical Devices, California, USA |
Medtech industry responded to the
challenge with the utmost speed and urgency. To
complement the efforts made by healthcare workers,
many Medtech companies declared they would remain open
to serve the community. Many medical device
manufacturers are taking unprecedented steps to help.
Although this may be a once in a lifetime occurrence,
the Medtech industry will evolve to face similar
challenges in the future, keeping in mind employee
safety, patient interaction with healthcare
professionals, production efficiencies and national
security.
Although, beating COVID-19 has been
thought to be a collective effort from a multitude of
Medtech companies, here is a snapshot of a few
responses from key drivers in the industry.
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There were 26 COVID-19 cases on
March 4, 2020, and today on July 27, 2020, there are
4.1 million in the USA solely. The US has reported the
highest number of deaths worldwide - 145,000. This
illustrates how one of the most powerful countries in
the world has mishandled the pandemic. The reason for
this grave situation is beyond the scope of this
article.
On the contrary, the Medtech industry
responded to the challenge with the utmost speed and
urgency. They realized that the over-dependence on imports
for PPE, ventilators, etc. have put them in a tough spot.
The demand for face masks was increasing exponentially and
soon, the US states were competing against each other for
their stocks from whoever can supply. In totality, the
United States went to war against the virus with a broken
supply chain. However, not all was lost:
To complement the efforts made by
healthcare workers, many Medtech companies declared they
would remain open to serve the community. Many medical
device manufacturers are taking unprecedented steps to
help.
Although, beating COVID-19 has been
thought to be a collective effort from a multitude of
Medtech companies, here is a snapshot of a few responses
from key drivers in the industry.
Company |
COVID-19 |
3M |
Increased
production of n95 masks multifold. 3M also published
its price lists to help customers avoid inflated
prices and to help fight PPE counterfeits during
COVID-19. |
Ford |
US motor car
pioneers partnered with GE and Airon to produce
ventilators in a really quick period. |
Abbott |
Received
Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from FDA on March 18
for its first molecular test for COVID-19, used on its
m2000 RealTime system. |
AbioMed |
Impella RP
temporary heart pump gained FDA Emergency Use
Authorization (EUA) for an expanded indication to
treat COVID-19 related acute right heart failure or
decompensation, including pulmonary embolism. |
AbviNOW Medical |
Introduced a
way for full medical exams to be performed remotely
amid COVID-19 using Artificial Intelligence (AI). |
B. Braun |
Received FDA
Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the use of
infusion pumps with nebulizers to treat COVID-19
patients. |
BD |
Received FDA
Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) on July 2 for its
portable, rapid, point-of-care antigen test for
COVID-19. |
Bio-Rad Laboratories |
Received FDA
Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) on April 29 for a
COVID-19 total antibody serology test that detects all
three antibodies (IgM, IgA, IgG) to the disease. The
test features diagnostic specificity of more than 99%
and a sensitivity of 98%. |
Hologic |
Created a
fully automated test that detects genetic material
from SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus strain, in under
three hours. |
Medtronic |
Made
progress in increasing ventilator production
worldwide. |
PMT Partners |
Its small,
compact, and portable Oxylator®
ventilation-resuscitation device was successfully used
to treat a patient with COVID-19. |
Roche |
Elecsys
COVID-19 serology antibody test received FDA Emergency
Use Authorization (EUA) on May 2, featuring
specificity greater than 99.8% and sensitivity of
100%. |
Steris |
Received
Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from FDA to
decontaminate N95 or N95-equivalent respirators up to
10 times using the Non-Lumen Cycle of the V-PRO®
Low-temperature Sterilization System. |
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Accuprec Research Labs Pvt. Ltd., India |
Ambica Medicare Engineering, India |
Nu-Vu Conair Pvt. Ltd., India |
Divya Steri Solutions Pvt. Ltd., India |
ET Elastomer Technik, Germany |
Eewa Engineering Co. Pvt. Ltd., India |
Ineos Styrolution India Ltd., India |
I-Kare Polyalloys Pvt. Ltd., India |
KLJ
Group, India |
Lubrizol Advanced Materials India Pvt.
Ltd. |
Kuraray India Pvt. Ltd., India |
Maider Medical Industry Equipment Ltd.China |
Medicall 2019, India |
Ferromatik Milacron India Pvt. Ltd., India |
GLR Laboratories
Pvt. Ltd., India |
Pashiba Lifescience, India |
Plastivision India |
Pradeep Surgipack, India |
PVC Colouring Compounding & Processing,
India |
Qosina,
USA |
Raumedic AG |
SMC Medical Manufacturing Pvt. Ltd.,
India |
Sterimed Medical Devices (P) Ltd., India |
Steri Techno Fab, India |
Tekni-Plex India Pvt. Ltd., India |
Twist Engineering Works,India |
Yuhuan Shengjiu Mould Co., Ltd.,
China |
Airways Surgical Pvt. Ltd., India |
Alpha Medicare and Devices Ltd., India |
Alpha Therapeutics Pvt. Ltd., India |
Ami
Polymer Pvt. Ltd., India |
Angiplast Pvt. Ltd., India |
Appasamy Associates, India |
Beacon Plastics, India |
Delux Surgical, Inida |
Ignisol Mediplas Corporation, India |
Jain Rubbers Pvt. Ltd., India |
Operon Strategist, India |
R.R. Patel Gases (P) Ltd., India |
Proven Trade Contacts, India
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Sanidhya
Enterprise, India |
Surgi Pack India Pvt. Ltd. |
Unikal Consultants, India |
Vinit Performance Polymers Pvt. Ltd., India |
Aircity, India |
Amigo Surgi Care
Pvt. Ltd., India |
Angel Products, India |
Apex Medical Devices, India |
Jimit Medico Surgicals Pvt. Ltd. |
Kavya Packaging, India |
Life-O-Line Technologist, India |
Mesco Surgical, India |
Morrisons
Lifecare Pvt. Ltd., India |
National Healthcare, India |
Pharmadocx, Inida |
S. Nath & Co., India |
Unikal Consultants, India |
Venus
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Zinkal Products, India |
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