After four days held as in-person events in Düsseldorf, Germany, MEDICA can report extremely positive results. A total of 46,000 visitors (73% international) from 150 countries took the opportunity to engage in person with the 3,033 MEDICA exhibitors. A comprehensive range of innovations for outpatient and inpatient care, including every step of their development and production were presented.
U.S. exhibitor participation at both trade fairs was again strong. Special features at MEDICA 2021 were the U.S. Pavilions, organized by Messe Düsseldorf North America, with 120 companies presenting their technologies within these group exhibits. Overall, 254 U.S. exhibitors participated in MEDICA 2021.
The MEDICA industry portals also offered an extensive program in line with the live events at the trade fairs. This allowed users to access the live streams of the stage programs of all the specialist forums integrated into the trade fairs as well as network via the special Matchmaking tool and obtain information about the exhibitors' product innovations in their online showrooms.
COVID-19 and the findings from pandemic management with regard to the implementation of new therapeutic approaches and care concepts were a recurring theme in many talks at the forums and accompanying conferences. The MEDICA MEDICINE + SPORTS CONFERENCE was dedicated to the question of how to return to sports after suffering from long COVID, while the MEDICA ECON FORUM and the MEDICA HEALTH IT FORUM focused on the digitalization in the healthcare system.
The “13th Healthcare Innovation World Cup” focused on innovative devices and smart applications for digital networking and process integration with regards to the “Internet of Medical Things”. From 300 applications, the expert jury selected 12 start-ups for the finals on November 15. The winner was Implandata Ophthalmic Products from Germany with an implantable and biocompatible microsensor for use in glaucoma telecare.
Topics at the “10th MEDICA Startup COMPETITION” ranged from artificial intelligence (AI) and health apps to robotics. Phonolyser from Finland took first place with its Phonolyser product solution for intelligent heart sound analysis. The analyzer combines artificial intelligence (processing and analyzing signals), Doppler technology (ultrasound) and sound analysis to comprehensively assess and examine congenital heart defects.
