China has continuously increased the research and development of high-end medical equipment, but the development of the industry is faced with the helplessness of domestically-manufactured equipment sold overseas, and the domestic market is unpopular. Why should we be closer?
On the one hand, high-end medical devices produced in China are exported overseas, and they have entered the mainstream markets of more than 30 countries and regions such as Germany, Japan, and France. On the other hand, 80% of CT, 90 are used in high-end medical devices in China. % Ultrasonic instruments, 85% of inspection equipment, 90% of magnetic resonance equipment, 90% of electrocardiographs, 80% of medium and high-grade monitors, and 90% of high-end physiological recorders are foreign brands. Domestic products are hard to find.
“Our high-end medical devices have entered the international market, but it is very difficult to enter the domestic market.†Qiu Gang, deputy general manager of Suzhou Kaiditai Medical Technology Co., Ltd., told reporters that there is a lot of helplessness in the tone.
According to statistics, 80% of CT, 90% of ultrasonic instruments, 85% of inspection instruments, 90% of magnetic resonance equipment, 90% of electrocardiographs, and 80% of high-end monitors are currently used in high-end medical equipment in China. , 90% of high-end physiological recorder is a foreign brand, domestic products are hard to find.
“Our cardiac catheters have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and have entered the U.S. market. There are also some high-end medical devices that are sold at home and abroad and have entered the mainstream markets in more than 30 countries and regions including Germany, Japan and France. , Our products also entered the German medical insurance, can be reimbursed in the local health insurance." Qiu Gang said, "Like in my Suzhou Medical Devices Industrial Park, gathered a group of high-end medical equipment manufacturers with independent intellectual property rights ."
In spite of this, domestic high-end medical devices still face the embarrassing situation of “outside the wall†blooming and “inside the wall†but not fragrant.
Small-scale, low-end, dragging down the overall image of the industry “A lot of big hospitals have clearly indicated that they do not buy domestically-made equipment on the tender documents for purchasing high-end medical devices.†Qiu Gang said, “The hospital generally believes that domestic products are of poor quality and are worried that There will be failures in use, so even good high-end products are weighed down."
For a long time, China's medical device manufacturers are mostly small-scale and scattered.
“The total number of medical device manufacturers in Germany is less than 200. In 2012, only 543 medical device manufacturers were gathered in Suzhou City, although the annual output value of 215 companies was less than one million yuan.†Suzhou Food Chen Jianmin, deputy director of the Food and Drug Administration, said. "According to the latest statistics of the 2013 China Medical Device Industry Development Blue Book, there are currently more than 17,000 medical device manufacturers in China, 90% of which are small and medium-sized enterprises with an annual income of less than 20 million yuan." In fact, many small businesses The flagship product is but a low-end product such as a disposable syringe.
“The output value of the 40 largest medical device companies in the United States accounts for 20% of the global medical device output value, while the output value of all medical device companies in China accounts for only about 5%.†Zhao Yixin, president of the China Medical Device Industry Association, analyzed that the individual enterprises are small in size. With less investment in R&D, the quality varies greatly.
These small enterprises not only have low production technology, but also have great safety and effectiveness in their production processes and quality control. At the same time, many companies maintain their survival with low investment, only emphasizing "cost control" and choosing raw materials. All these are reflected in the product, that is, quality is difficult to guarantee. In this regard, Chen Jianmin, who is responsible for the supervision of medical devices, has a deep understanding.
The uneven quality level directly leads to an unsatisfactory user experience and thus forms a distrust of domestic medical devices. Although the quality of some domestic high-end medical device products has reached international standards in recent years, the concept of preconceived priorities remains lingering. The 2013 Blue Paper on the Development Status of China's Medical Device Industry clearly stated that “since domestic medical institutions have long been biased towards using imported equipment and lax supervision on tenders, some domestic high-end medical devices suffer from discrimination and it is difficult to expand the domestic market.â€
Without strength, lack of planning, unable to grasp the "future doctor"
"In particular, we need to point out that compared with international brands, the product promotion methods of domestic high-end medical devices are still extensive and lack an effective marketing plan." Dr. Mao Liqun, Suzhou Su Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Co., Ltd. pointed out that in recent years, The research and development of domestic high-end medical devices is very large, but the research and development are mainly single products. The most needed for modern medical diagnosis is a systematic solution. A single product is difficult to promote.
What is even more crucial is that, unlike domestic companies, foreign medical device manufacturers have clear and long-term promotion and marketing plans for their high-end equipment, with particular emphasis on the “future physician†community.
According to report, at present, many foreign high-end medical device manufacturers have penetrated into the domestic medical colleges and universities through product promotion, and have used their products as teaching materials or props for teachers and students through various forms such as donation and cooperation. , to make those "future doctors" psychological confidence in their students.
Outside the campus, some companies will provide training opportunities for hospital interns, and the training course will naturally have “contact†with their products. Some companies also develop surgical procedures or techniques for their devices so that the relevant operations can only be accomplished through their high-end devices. These "foreseeing" marketing make doctors rely on their devices.
"Before doing a doctor, trust, and after becoming a doctor, forming dependencies," this marketing approach has created a competitive advantage for foreign brands. However, such marketing is not what all companies want to do, especially for small, scattered domestic companies.
Chen Jianmin said that they will guide the local medical device manufacturers in Suzhou, and they are good for some products, but the companies with poor sales ability will carry out mergers and acquisitions to promote enterprises to optimize resources and become bigger and stronger. According to relevant person in charge of the China Food and Drug Administration, China will conduct mergers and acquisitions of domestic medical device companies nationwide to improve the R&D capabilities and quality control of the entire industry.