· The medical devices and diagnostics market in the MENA region is approximately worth $7 billion in size and growing around 5% per annum
· Mecomed introduces the first conference vetting system in the Middle East and North Africa to assess ethical business practices and the appropriateness for companies to sponsor healthcare professionals
Dubai, UAE - The region's health authorities have commended the progress made by Mecomed, the Middle East Medical Devices and Diagnostics Trade Association, in helping to shape the healthcare industry and ensuring patients gain timely access to life-saving technologies in MENA. Having a local trade association to serve as one voice for the medical technology industry, which is worth approximately $7 billion in size and growing around 5% per annum in the region, has proven to be successful in helping industry professionals navigate through the multifaceted MENA market. This has been made evident through Mecomed's first Regional Regulatory Symposium, which gathered key stakeholders in Dubai, including high-ranking officials and healthcare regulators from the UAE, KSA, Egypt and Jordan plus experts from Germany, Singapore; The second MENA MedTech Forum; and the beginnings of a Conference Vetting System - all seen in 2015.
In 2016, Mecomed will seek to finalise and implement the region's first Conference Vetting System, which reviews third party conferences in order to determine the appropriateness for medical technology (MedTech) companies to sponsor healthcare professionals to participate in these conferences.
Mecomed Chairman, Mr Rami Rajab said Mecomed plans to develop training modules to ensure compliance and execution of the vetting system for third party events by all stakeholders, including medical technology organisations, their local partners, distributors, event organisers, and healthcare professionals.
"More than 500 educational conferences are held across the MENA region each year and it is critical that the sponsoring of these events by MedTech companies are conducted in the most ethical, consistent and transparent manner, while ensuring best productivity," Mr Rajab said.
"We recognise that adherence to ethical standards and compliance, while respecting the local applicable laws in the region are critical to the industry's ability to continue its collaboration with healthcare professionals," he said.
"The Conference Vetting System will review the compliance of third-party educational conferences using Mecomed's Code of Ethical Business Practice to serve as an independent and centralised decision-making mechanism, aimed at encouraging transparency and consistency in MENA conference compliance decisions.
"In 2016, Mecomed will also continue its efforts to collaborate with authorities and healthcare officials and share best in class benchmarks and experiences across regulatory practice, in order to enhance patient access to cutting-edge therapies in MENA, while considering the quality, safety and affordability of those products. Mecomed is planning to hold its second Regional Regulatory Symposium in KSA this year and conduct a number of workshops across the Region," Mr Rajab added.
In April, 2016 Mecomed participated in the First Inter-Country Meeting on Designing and Implementing a Regulatory Program for Medical Devices in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Dr. Nazeeh Al-Othmany, Vice-President, Medical Devices of Saudi Food and Drug Association who lead a series of discussions at the event said of Mecomed: "We look forward to continuing our work with Mecomed to ensure patients are kept at the forefront of healthcare and foster an environment that helps provide prompt access to dependable and life-saving therapies."
Through her introductory speech at the same meeting, Dr. Marthe Everard, Coordinator, Essential Medicines & Pharmaceutical Policies at the World Health Organisation for the Eastern Mediterranean, also pointed out the benefits of the region working as one. "In order to reach the optimal outcomes, it is necessary to see a collaboration between all stakeholders in the region, including Mecomed," Dr Everard said.
Mecomed currently has 28 members registered and is expecting to reach 35 by the year's end. For more information on Mecomed, visit www.mecomed.com.
-Ends-
About Mecomed
Established in 2007, Mecomed is the Middle East & North Africa Medical Devices and Diagnostics trade association which currently includes 28 multinational MedTech companies and covers 21 countries in the Middle East & North Africa. Mecomed aims to bring all healthcare stakeholders and the MedTech industry together to improve the quality of people's health in ethnical, clinically and economically sustainable ways for the benefit of the MENA region community. Mecomed brings the regional healthcare industry together - manufacturers, regulators and authorities - to share information and insights, as well as informed views and experience from Europe, to raise industry standards which benefits patients through access to timely and affordable healthcare. To find out more about Mecomed please visit www.mecomed.com or email info@mecomed.com.
© Press Release 2016
