ABHI Response to Media Investigation
Over the last few days stories in the media have sought to portray our industry as unethical, poorly regulated, and likely to place commercial interests higher than those of the patients we serve.
Rather than a comprehensive look at both the challenges and the achievements of an industry that touches almost every human life, these stories forsake the life-changing, and often life-saving solutions, delivered to millions of people worldwide.
Life today is unimaginable without medical devices. From catheters and syringes, to MRI scanners and patient monitoring devices, your technologies are integral to the delivery of modern healthcare. In 2017 alone, the NHS conducted nearly 200,000 hip and knee replacement procedures, implanted over 60,000 cardiac devices and provided nearly 400,000 cataract operations.
We should never discount any patient's experience. But by magnifying the stories of only a few individuals, investigators overlook the overwhelmingly positive experiences of millions of others. We take seriously all reports of patient impact, and though the medical community can never completely eliminate risk, a continual drive to improve technologies and care delivery is implicit to our work.
We are an ethical and highly regulated industry. Every day we do deliver safe, effective products. Millions of people can benefit from them to live healthier, more productive and independent lives.
Over the next few weeks we will redouble our work with partners to highlight why we develop these technologies in the first place: to address critical medical needs.
I look forward to working with you and will continue to keep you informed of this work.
