Once again, decision makers from the international healthcare industry were offered a large and unique range of topics at the world’s largest medical trade fair MEDICA and the concurrently held internationally leading supplier trade fair COMPAMED in Düsseldorf, Germany. On four days, about 120,000 visitors (with approximately two thirds from about 155 countries other than Germany) enjoyed a range of products that was more extensive and international than ever before. With 5,273 exhibitors from 66 countries and an international share of more than 80%, MEDICA 2018 set a new record. COMPAMED 2018 also continued its record run with 783 exhibitors from 40 nations.

“Nowhere else in the world will you find the entire process chain of innovations for the development, manufacturing and marketing of medical devices, products, instruments and high-tech solutions presented in such a comprehensive manner and simultaneously discussed in hundreds of lectures by renowned experts,” stated Wolfram Diener, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf since October 2018. Before joining Messe Düsseldorf, he held a leading position at another trade fair organizer in the Asian market for many years and gained insight into markets, their structures and focus on innovation in various countries. “At MEDICA, visitors can see for themselves what is generally possible with regard to modern outpatient and clinical care and in which areas new processes and care models are being used in a promising way.

These impulses are gaining importance, especially with regard to the German market. Service providers in this country are faced with ever growing price pressure. At the same time, they fortunately also benefit from an increasing orientation towards innovation and new technologies,” added Wolfram Diener.
Special features at MEDICA 2018 were again the two successful U.S. Pavilions, organized by Messe Düsseldorf North America, with 200 companies presenting their technologies within these group exhibits. Overall, 423 U.S. exhibitors participated in MEDICA 2018.

Particularly with regard to digital transformation, MEDICA 20018 offered visitors a lot of new information. In addition to the exhibits, the around 1,000 presentations of the ancillary program with forums and conferences proved that the many innovations related to digitalization not only offer good business perspectives to their providers, they also benefit doctors and particularly patients. “Benefits for patients are a more efficient use of medical personnel on the one hand and easier access to specialist know how on the other hand, for example when experts from neighboring university hospitals or even from abroad can be consulted virtually,” remarked Horst Giesen, Global Portfolio Director Health & Medical Technologies at Messe Düsseldorf.

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