Adrian Hunn, head of this organisation, has two decades of experience in this field on various continents, including six years in the United States. Details on the challenges of medical technology.
1 – GROWTH
Over the last decade, this sector has grown by 6% annually in Switzerland. It continues to grow every year, outpacing the national GDP. With 1,400 companies, this sector has created 20,000 jobs in the space of ten years. A total of 71,700 people are employed in this sector. Europe accounts for half of our commercial transactions, both in terms of exports and imports.
2- UNCERTAINTY – A traduire
In addition to geopolitical tensions, the 39% US tariffs recently imposed represent one of the major factors of uncertainty. The United States is the second largest trading partner for the Swiss medical technology sector, accounting for nearly a quarter of Swiss exports in this field. Ideally, agreements should be concluded directly with this country. We are already in contact with the American Medtech Association and discussions are ongoing.
3- CHALLENGES
Digitalisation is a decisive lever for strengthening competitiveness, but it requires considerable investment. In addition, sustainability is now a criterion for market entry. A large number of hospitals request sustainability reports. We support our members in meeting these requirements. Currently, 74% of companies are implementing such measures.
4 – INDUSTRY
The Swiss Medtech Expo in Lucerne is not within our remit. More than fifty of our members will be there, and more than half will be exhibiting in our dedicated space to highlight the importance of this sector. In total, our association has 800 members.
5 – RESILIENCE
The Medtech is an important sector of the Swiss economy. We are not immune to crises, but we are structurally more resilient. This goes hand in hand with GDP growth: if people have more money, they will have more dental surgery, for example.
6- DEMOGRAPHY
Demographic trends are driving growing demand for medical technology products. This contributes to stable demand for this technology. On the other hand, there is increased pressure on the costs of healthcare systems and other areas. This makes the sector less cyclical.
7- NETWORK
We organise events such as Swiss Medtech Day and the National Regulatory Conference. We have sixteen expert groups covering areas ranging from dentistry to regulation and quality management. This provides an opportunity to discuss rules, legal aspects and recommendations regarding compliance in one place.
8- RAISING AWARENESS
We raise awareness among policy makers, the Federal Council, Parliament and international partners. We also organise webinars to inform people about tariffs, artificial intelligence and many other topics.
9- PERFORM
We are finalising memoranda of understanding with several associations, including Austria and Germany. The aim is to establish uniform European legislation that is beneficial to players in this sector. We are building relationships in order to perform internationally.
10 – PROJECTS
Acceptance of FDA-certified products in Switzerland. If we obtain this American certification, many companies will set up shop here to expand into the European market. Medtech Means Life is the motto of our next campaign.