A European trade association for the medical device industry has published its 2024-2029 manifesto calling for patient-centric approaches and better industry resilience in the face of pandemics.

MedTech Europe has published its manifesto for the European Union’s next five-year political cycle, calling on its member states to build policies that the MedTech says will evolve healthcare systems across the continent.

In the manifesto, the trade body is calling for four key tenants. Calling for a patient-centric healthcare system, for nations in the EU to digitally advance their healthcare infrastructure as well as harden healthcare systems against another potential pandemic, and lastly, calling for greater sustainability within the industry.

CEO of MedTech Europe, Oliver Bisazza said: “The EU now stands at a crucial crossroads and the upcoming EU political cycle is an opportunity to show that we take the health and well-being of every individual, every patient, seriously.

“Europe can be more ambitious when it comes to access to innovation for all. The medical technology sector stands ready to play its part."

Among some of the suggestions within the manifesto, the group is calling on the EU as a whole to “Take the best of the current CE marking system for medical technologies and improve it.” Arguing that the current CE mark system could be made more efficient and predictable for device manufacturers.

The body is also calling on the EU to “invest in digital health literacy” in hopes of ensuring better patient familiarity with digital healthcare systems and not allowing them to get left behind as manufacturers pursue ever more digitally complex systems and devices.

It also details how the EU should Increase the retention of healthcare professionals from country to country by encouraging member states to support them with customised technologies, digital solutions, robotisation and automation.

The European manifesto comes as outside of Europe multiple political changes are set to impact the medical device space. In the US President Joe Biden issued an executive order calling for the regulation of Artificial Intelligence in numerous industries including the American health tech space. Whilst in the UK, a shake-up in the Prime Minister’s cabinet has seen previous health secretary James Barclay replaced with new incumbent, Victoria Atkins.