A total of 5,800 exhibiting companies from 72 nations presented their expertise to roughly 80,000 trade visitors from 165 countries at MEDICA and COMPAMED 2024 at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany.
The high degree of internationality on both the exhibitor and visitor side once again proved to be a decisive success factor in the search for partnerships for development, contract manufacturing, and sales.
“The best options for global networking were on offer, along with an incredible variety of cutting-edge innovations and top-level program highlights. MEDICA is unique in its global reach,” said Marius Berlemann, Chief Operating Officer of Messe Düsseldorf.
Overall, 372 U.S. exhibitors showcased their products at MEDICA 2024, with 157 participating in the two U.S. Pavilions, organized by Messe Düsseldorf North America. At COMPAMED 2024, 87 U.S. companies displayed their innovations, with 22 exhibitors participating in the U.S. Pavilion, also organized by Messe Düsseldorf North America.
Hospital Conference
One important new feature this year was the themed hall space allocation in the MEDICA spheres “Med Tech & Devices” and “Digital Health” (Halls 12 and 13) with a new location for the accompanying German Hospital Conference.
At the opening of the 47th German Hospital Conference, German Federal Minister of Health Prof. Karl Lauterbach (via livestream) and North Rhine-Westphalian Minister of Health Karl-Josef Laumann, among others, addressed the delegates, focusing on the changes in the German hospital landscape because of the upcoming hospital reform.
Relevant exhibitors presented hospital decision-makers with innovations for clinical equipment and operating theatres around the event area. LINAK and TENTE presented a new type of drive system that can be integrated into most hospital beds. This works according to the “e-bike principle” and offers hospital staff noticeable relief when transporting patients.
MEDICA Special Events
A range of exhibitors was complemented by an extensive stage program, MEDICA Health IT Forum, MEDICA ECON Forum, and MEDICA Innovation Forum.
The Hospital of the Future was a relatively new addition to the MEDICA program. The special exhibition started last year and is now continuing with a focus on digital networking and cooperation via telemedicine in hospital networks.
The Korea Medical Device Association (KMDA) agreed to a collaboration and presented digital innovations for rapid patient diagnostics in hospitals in a dedicated zone, which also used AI-based software.
Also, the MEDICA Start-Up Park received a record number of 60 start-ups. In the final of the 13th Start-Up Park Competition, Robeauté from France was the winning pitch team on the forum stage with a newly developed microrobot for neurosurgical procedures.
The Samphire Neuroscience team from the UK won this year’s Healthcare Innovation World Cup with a headset that acts on the neural networks of the brain to help alleviate menstrual pain and the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
“Women Leaders in Healthcare” session was one highlight on the second day. Speakers included Hadas Bitran from Microsoft, Ayelén Fernández from HP, Audrey Sherman from Solventum, and Nina Wöss from Female Founders.
This Year’s Hot Topics
The focus was on AI-supported systems, robotic solutions, and concepts for dealing with the shortage of skilled workers. Among the innovations presented at the trade fair were robotic applications to assist with highly complex neurosurgical procedures and orthopedic operations (including hip replacements).
A new AI-based tool for the automatic documentation of medical consultations was also presented. The tool included a whole range of rapid tests for point-of-care diagnosis of a wide variety of infectious diseases, and a medically certified smartwatch (Huawei) for easy blood pressure measurement on the wrist.
The special “Automotive Health” activity area (in Hall 12) was designed in cooperation with the Innovation Institute from Frankfurt. The Innovation Institute demonstrated its development expertise in this field by exhibiting vehicles such as the VW ID.4 and also made the technology tangible in a racing simulator.
COMPAMED
750 supplier companies participated in COMPAMED 2024, demonstrating their expertise in key technologies for use by the medical technology industry. A wide range of high-tech components and microfluidic applications to special packaging solutions (taking cleanroom requirements into account) were on display. Two accompanying forums offered a packed program on all days of the trade fair, covering the latest hot topics in the supplier sector, such as AI, robotics and automation, microtechnology developments, and material innovations.
