From the October 2013 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
DMBN: What’s the Congress program and how will you further develop it this year?
JS: Even though MEDICA looks back on a history of more than 40 years of successful events and takes place every year, MEDICA one year is never the same as MEDICA the following year. Product ranges in the trade fair and the accompanying congresses are continually revised and adapted to visitors' changing requirements. It is only in this way that the right target groups can be attracted for the exhibitors. Once again, for MEDICA 2013, numerous ideas will be put into action. For example, MEDICA's congress program is being repositioned. The further development of the congress program allows for a sharper subject profile, an even closer link to the MEDICA trade fair topics and the development of the international part of the program. This is why it has been renamed "MEDICA Conferences & Forums." The program focus areas have been defined by a panel consisting of renowned experts. With the title MEDICA EDUCATION CONFERENCE, courses with high levels of participation in previous years form the basis of the focal areas, for example, on general medical topics including practical courses using the devices. These courses also continue to be eligible for CME points needed to maintain certification. In addition, there are seminars on interdisciplinary topics including topics such as emergency, gender-specific and personalized medicine.
The English-language program components include a series of talks on current issues regarding individualized medicine, an international conference on disaster and military medicine, and a premium event for the international sports medicine specialist field. This conference will cover topics ranging from preventative approaches in sports medicine to therapeutic measures, taking into account the use of modern electromedical devices.
DMBN: Any other updates about the show that you would like to share?
JS: Along with MEDICA 2013, the MEDICA MEDICINE + SPORTS CONFERENCE will be held for the first time at the Congress Center Düsseldorf on November 21. This conference, which is presented in English, is dedicated to the thematic intersection between sports and medicine built on the basis of three foundations, namely prevention, therapy (excluding surgery) and recovery. The lectures and discussions will present research findings, trends and technology from various perspectives. In addition to the preventive effect of sports on various illnesses, strategic improvement of training results while at the same time preventing injuries will be the main focus of the conference. Further topics will comprise measures to increase strength, as well as prevent surgical interventions, including the latest methods from the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
