ICMR, i.e. The Indian Council of Medical Research, is the apex body with its head office in Delhi. It is primarily responsible for coordinating, formulating and promoting research & development based on Biomedical. ICMR is amongst the oldest Medical Research institute at the global level. The ICMR always aims to work toward the increasing demands of scientific advances in biomedical research on the one hand and also tries to find out practical solutions to health on the other hand. Earlier ICMR was known as IRFA, and it is conscious that it has a lot to do with the pursuit of scientific achievements as well as in the healthcare sectors. The efforts of ICMR for Medical Device will bring significant change in this sector. The Medical Device sector has huge scope in a country like India. Scroll down to check more information regarding ICMR for Medical Device.
Role of ICMR for Medical Device
The Medical device market in India is currently valued at USD 11.2 billion, and there is a growth rate of 15% CAGR, which is expected to be USD 50 billion by 2025. India is dependent mainly on imports for its medical device, which is about 80% of medical devices are being imported. Given the dependency on import and time taking technology development, there is a dire need for holistic support to the medical device development and commercialisation cycle, which includes verticals like R&D, scale-up, validation, regulatory compliance, market access etc.
To cater to the numerous challenges, ICMR has developed different policies and programmes with a vision to support and enhance research and development and cost-effective medical device manufacturing to strengthen India’s healthcare sector and reduce its import dependency.
The ICMR involvement will scale up technologies in the Medical Device sector and commercialisation in public-private partnerships through the involvement of industries. The ICMR aims to bring innovation to the Healthcare sector by collaborating with healthcare professionals and technologists in the Medical Device Sector. To a certain extent, the association of professionals and technologists will reduce dependency on imports and provide quality healthcare in India.
New Policy of ICMR for Medical Device
Health and Family Welfare Ministry and State Ministry launched the “ICMR –DHR”. i.e. Indian Council Of Medical Research – Department of Heath Research policy on Biomedical Entrepreneurship & Innovation for Medical Professionals, Scientists and Technologists at Medical, Dental and Para – Medical Institutes and colleges. The Policy aims to bring about multi-disciplinary Collaboration, promote more and more start-up Culture in this sector and develop an innovation-led ecosystem at Medical Institutes across the country by promoting Make-in-India, Start-Up-India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.
Research and innovation are primary pillars of any sector’s growth and development. ICMR’s new Policy aims to demonstrate India’s strength through Research, Entrepreneurship and innovative initiatives in the healthcare sector, including Medical devices at Global Level. India has knowledgeable medical professionals and a workforce with vast experience to bring development in the Medical Device sector.
ICMR for Medical Device and Diagnostics Mission Secretariat (MDMS)
ICMR[1] has launched Medical Device and Diagnostics Mission Secretariat (MDMS) at ICMR-Headquarter with a vision to support and catalyse research & development and manufacturing of medical devices cost-effectively to strengthen the healthcare sector in India and reduce high dependency on imports through a Mission mode consortia approach. MDMS aimed to incentivise and motivate local manufacturing in India and provide holistic support to the technologies/ products nearing commercialisation.
Under this mission, ICMR invited Expression of Interest (EOI) from experienced Indian companies to join ICMR in accelerating the medical device and diagnostic products and their scale-up industry, thus catalysing their commercialisation for public use. The ICMR significantly identified the priority medical device & diagnostic products that were hugely contributing towards import under the Product Ignition and Development Enabler (mPRiDE) program of MDMS. Companies with extensive experience and demonstrated capabilities in developing products in the specified technology segment are encouraged to put up their application under this Program. The medical device technologies at an advanced stage of development will be supported through this Program. As per the mission’s terms and conditions, ICMR-MDMS aims to support indigenous development, scale-up and pilots of Make-in-India manufacturing of critical medical device and diagnostic products. On the basis of the suggestion of the Expert Committee following categories of the product were considered for extending support.
- Dialysis machines
- Ultrasonography
- Echocardiogram Machine
- Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) Machine(s)
ICMR for Medical Device at IITs
Recently ICMR has joined hands with IITs, i.e. Indian Institute of Technology, to Establish ICMR at IIT. By this initiative, Centres of Excellence (CoE) have been Set up for Make-in-India product development and their commercialisation in medical devices and diagnostics space.
The setting-up of the ICMR-DHR Centre of excellence at IITs will help to create a pipeline of innovative medical devices and will incentivise and motivate manufacturers of medical devices to manufacture more in India. The underlying problem is that most of the medical devices which are available in India are not affordable for many; the philosophy behind the scheme is to develop “more for less for more” to ensure wider product outreach with a mandate to promote “Global Affordable Need to drive Healthcare Innovation” (GANDHI). This will have a great impact on improving access to affordable quality healthcare, particularly for middle and lower-income segments of the Indian population.
Conclusion
Study shows that India is well equipped with great minds and an innovative workforce in Medical Sector. The problem lies in the implementation of different plans and policies. This is a sector which is having vast and diversified scope when it comes to growth and development. The implementation of proper plans and policies. Research, technology and workforce can make India a topmost player at the world level.
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