Product development consultancy, Wideblue, has urged medical device innovators to consider health system economics when embarking on a project.
Dr Euan McBrearty, the company’s head of Commercial and Innovation (pictured), said: “Medical device inventors need firstly to ensure that their devices are safe and effective, but increasing financial viability needs to be considered. Health services across the globe, and especially the NHS, are struggling financially, and a device or treatment must meet strict fiscal criteria before it can be approved.
“Wideblue has worked on multiple medical device projects, many of which have revolutionised healthcare. As part of our due diligence, we always look at manufacturing and supply chain options and the impact this has on the cost of a potential medical device. This involves everything from choice of components to who will manufacture the end-product, while at the same time making sure that all the regulatory rules are met. For this reason, we recommend using an ISO-certified (ISO 13485) or FDA-registered manufacturer. Working with a specialist medical device manufacturer can reduce costs, speed up time to market, and ensure high standards of quality and safety.”
Wideblue says that for over 18 year it has been ‘at the forefront’ of medical device design, using its skills in product design, mechanical, electronic and software design, physics, optics, and photonics, to help its clients turn their ideas into award-winning devices. Its clients include individuals, start-ups, technology research organisations, charities, and social enterprises, as well as global multinationals. Medical device projects have ranged from a personal capnometer and heated stretcher to a device for the early detection of sepsis and a low-cost ophthalmoscope.
