According to IDA Ireland, exports of medical technology products account for 8% of Ireland's total exports of goods, making Ireland the second largest exporter of medical technology to Europe.

Investments in research and development (R&D) and innovation have positioned Ireland as a world leader in medical technology innovation. In the 1980s, the Irish manufacturing industry suffered from a recession.

To safeguard the industry, the Irish government and its manufacturers have turned to medical technology. From just a small group of 50 companies in the early 1990s, Ireland's medical technology landscape has rapidly expanded to become a leading global hub, home to 350 companies employing over 38,000 people.

For example, Pfizer was one of the first pharmaceutical companies to move to Ireland in 1969 and now has five locations in the country employing over 4,000 people. driver for success A key factor in the success of the medical technology industry in Ireland is the support shown by the Irish government, which continues to this day.

IDA Ireland, a government agency designed to encourage investment in Ireland, provides valuable consulting and support services to help medical technology organizations establish and expand. In addition, the Irish government has provided financial support to medical technology companies in the form of various government grants and the 25% R&D tax credit, which encourages foreign medical technology companies to establish a base in Ireland.

The success of Irish medical technology would not be possible without the local talent that fuels the industry. NUI Galway's BioInnovate Scholarship Program equips aspiring innovators with the skills to identify unmet clinical needs, innovate a new solution to address them, and implement those solutions in patient care.

Point of care analysis To make diagnostic tests cheaper, faster, and smarter, many healthcare professionals are turning to point-of-care (PoC) testing. This is a test that is performed outside of a laboratory setting, such as in a doctor's office or in an emergency room. In minutes, a doctor can get an accurate picture of a patient's health.

The physician can make clinical management decisions much faster, which results in better patient care. With PoC testing, patients no longer have to wait for results, providing instant peace of mind and allowing immediate treatment initiation.

PoC test devices use miniature drive systems to arrange samples and mix them with reagents through rotating and shaking motions, allowing for near-total automation of testing. Therefore, minimal training is required for personnel using PoC tests, making them widely accessible.

Laboratory diagnosis However, the PoC cannot be used in all circumstances and more complex cases will require laboratory diagnostics. Thanks to innovations in laboratory diagnostics automation, this is no longer the time-consuming and laborious process it once was.

Automated laboratory equipment can perform all the repetitive steps involved in diagnosis, such as moving the tube into position and lowering the needle to take a sample, with high levels of accuracy. The system runs continuously at a constant speed, enabling higher throughput than would be possible with a PoC system and increasing cost efficiency in the laboratory.

Irish medical technology companies are at the forefront of a revolution in diagnostics, both inside and outside the laboratory. Medicon Ireland is one of the fastest growing Irish companies in the healthcare sector. It specializes in laboratory diagnostic equipment and supplies a range of PoC systems including blood glucose meters, support engines, regardless of whether the diagnosis is made by PoC testing or in the laboratory, the equipment must be powered by a reliable drive system to ensure fast and accurate results.

EMS is the UK and Ireland supplier of FAULHABER motors, manufactured in a finely controlled manufacturing process that ensures performance with high repeatability and reliability.

For PoC systems, the motors must be as compact and fast as possible. FAULHABER DC micromotors available with graphite or precious metal commutation or stepper motors are compact, efficient and offer a high weight / power ratio.

FAULHABER DC micromotors can be used in automated laboratory diagnostics as their iron-free self-supporting copper coil with bias winding design makes them lightweight and compact.

They can be integrated into the mobile component without adding unnecessary bulk. Together with government support and excellent local talent, it is the constant drive for innovation that has solidified Ireland's position as a world leader in medical technology. Reliable, high-performance motors have helped revolutionize diagnostics. We can only imagine how Irish medical technology will develop the technology in the years to come, further improving patients' quality of life.