Top public health authorities’ representatives and company executives from the leading diagnostic manufacturers met at the Foundation Merieux in Annecy (France) on 4th of June for the 1st IVD-Public Health Conference. This landmark event has been organised by EDMA in order to foster groundbreaking discussion on the real value of diagnostics, and the importance of identifying opportunities for innovation, which can be beneficial to developing countries.

In his opening remarks, EDMA President Jean-Francois de Lavison commented that this meeting was a milestone during which a distinguished panel of experts from the WHO, the European Commission, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Clinton Foundation, the World Economic Forum, the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), the Columbia University, the Bio Venture for Global Health (BVGH), PATH and UNITAID offered their insight about the main healthcare challenges they are currently facing in terms of demographic explosion, quality control and rising costs.

While top executives from the twelve leading diagnostic manufacturers pointed out what their main deliverables are in terms of screening, diagnosis, monitoring and treatment, the representatives from the public health authorities stated their expectations in terms of Public Private Partnership (PPP). To this end, both sides agreed that they are committed to reinforce collaboration between public health authorities and manufacturers in the IVD sector, in order to provide the best possible healthcare.

The issue of healthcare decentralisation was also widely discussed during the conference, and both industry and health authority representatives agreed that, in order to achieve an optimal decentralisation and to take diagnostics to the next level, it will be necessary to achieve a paradigm shift from big instruments for laboratories to small instruments to be used in doctors’ practices and even for home-care. This would apply especially in the case of chronic disease management, both in the developed and developing worlds. To this end, the current healthcare funding crisis will offer decision-makers at all levels the opportunity to initiate and drive such a fundamental shift.

In commenting about this successful meeting, EDMA Director General Christine Tarrajat said that “while twenty years ago global public health was a field of interest to a limited community only, it has today emerged as one of the top priorities on policymakers’ agenda worldwide, and that EDMA and its members are pleased to be able to offer their contribution to the debate in these very challenging times”.

About EDMA

EDMA, the European Diagnostic Manufacturers Association represents National Associations and major companies engaged in the research, development, manufacture or distribution of In Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) medical devices. Through its affiliated National Associations, EDMA represents in total more than 500 companies (or over 700 legal entities) across Europe. The mission of EDMA is to raise awareness of the importance, usefulness and added-value that diagnostic information can provide to healthcare. For this purpose, EDMA cooperates with European institutions, patients groups, trade associations, health professionals and academia to support an appropriate regulatory system, to work towards a realistic economic environment for healthcare in Europe and to be an effective voice in globalisation. For more information, please contact Miriam Gargesi, EDMA Communications Manager (Tel. +32 2 777 02 79).

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