TOTAL exhibits on MEDICA fair 2004

More Visitors Again: MEDICA and ComPaMED are the Magnets of the Medical Sector
The world’s largest medical fair MEDICA plus ComPaMED, the leading international specialist trade fair for upstream supplies in medical production, are once again the magnets for the medical sector. Running four days (ComPaMED on three of these) the event plus the accompanying MEDICA congress and German Hospital Congress (“Deutscher Krankenhaustag”) was able to post new top results: 136,000 trade visitors (2003: 134,700) came to Düsseldorf to the 36th World Medical Forum to gather information on the latest products, services and techniques for the entire spectrum of in and outpatient care. The share of international visitors once again rose significantly (38%). Higher numbers of visitors came from China, Taiwan, India, Russia as well as from the new EU member states. Alongside the traditionally high interest in medical technology and electromedicine there could be observed a growing interest in disposables, commodities and consumer goods.

“With their top position MEDICA and ComPaMED offer the best pre-conditions for further growth, especially for innovative, export-oriented suppliers. Indeed, those best able to face the challenges facing the health services of most industrialised nations are those who create a broad international basis for their business,” said Werner M. Dornscheidt, Chairman of the Board at Messe Düsseldorf, stressing the increased significance of the events as key hubs for the medical market.

Due to the innovative approach of the 4,300 exhibitors in total (MEDICA and ComPaMED) there is exciting news to report in every segment of the market. For instance, in medical technology and electro-medicine trade visitors were enthusiastic about the latest generation of computer and magnetic resonance tomography units. These not only provide particularly precise images but are also impressively “open”. The advantage for patients here is that they no longer feel the claustrophobia they previously experienced in those “frightening tubes”. Another top theme was the forthcoming launch of electronic health cards in Germany plus integrated care models for doctors’ surgeries and clinics. These require relevant soft and hardware infrastructures which suppliers of medical IT have already developed a wide range of products and systems for. Other product highlights at MEDICA 2004 included the first UMTS-based communication unit for consistent and swift transmission  of medical data (e.g. from ambulances), new-style bio-chips that classify cancerous tumours or determine the right dose of medicine plus special prostheses which counter phantom pain after amputation.   

The MEDICA Congress was once again presented in a thematically comprehensive manner geared to the many different interests of the individual professional groups attending. Here both the MEDICA Congress, the largest interdisciplinary medical event in Germany, and the biennial congress on clinical chemistry and laboratory diagnostics linked up with the laboratory medicine themes at the fair. This was because molecular genetic methods and their significance in diagnostics formed focal points. Also followed with special interest were the topics oncology, the aspects of increasing resistance to antibiotics as well as prevention measures in the health field. 

Meanwhile about 2,000 congress participants from all areas of the health sector gathered information on strategic, economic and health policy issues at the 27th German Hospital Day which focused on the general theme “Health as an Economic Factor”. Forming special a focus here was the conversion to hospital lump sum costing per case (DRGs), the opening of clinics for outpatient services as well as human resource development in hospitals.

In parallel to MEDICA ComPaMED sharpened its profile as the internationally leading fair for upstream supplies in medical production. The 261 exhibitors (40% increase over the previous year) moved into their own hall for the first time – the new exhibition Hall 8. This was very well received by trade visitors right from the start (9,000 of the 136,000 visitors in total). The trend topic in focus here was the increasing move towards product miniaturisation in medicine. The supplies industry is catering to this trend by developing highly competent and very smart ideas - like those highlighted in exemplary fashion at the special forum “Micro System Technology in Medicine” that was part of ComPaMED 2004.