Medical Technology – key facts and figures

Life expectancy in EU countries is improving steadily. Life expectancy at birth in EU member states has increased by over 6⁽³⁾ years since 1980, reaching 79⁽³⁾ years in 2010. According to the OECD data, on average across the European Union, life expectancy at birth for the three‑year period 2008‑10 was at 75.3⁽³⁾ years for men and 81.7⁽³⁾ years for women. In OECD countries life expectancy at birth increased by more than 11⁽⁴⁾ years since 1960, and in 2010 reached 77.0⁽⁴⁾ years for men and 82.5⁽⁴⁾ years for women. At the same time, healthcare expenditure has also risen: OECD countries spent, on average, 9.5%⁽⁴⁾ of their GDP on health in 2010, up from 4.0%⁽⁴⁾ in 1960, albeit with variations between individual countries. EU member states devoted on average 9.0%⁽³⁾ of their GDP to health spending in 2010.

According to OECD Health at a Glance: Europe 2012 report⁽³⁾ growth in health spending per capita slowed or fell in real terms in 2010 in almost all European countries, reversing a trend of steady increases. Spending had already started to fall in 2009 in countries hardest hit by the economic crisis, but this was followed by deeper cuts in 2010 in response to growing budgetary pressures and rising debt‑to‑GDP ratios. On average across the EU, health spending per capita increased by 4.6% per year in real terms between 2000 and 2009, followed by a fall of 0.6% in 2010.

Medical technology is a key driver for Europe’s economic well-being, providing quality employment, and a substantial contribution to Europe’s balance of trade.

• The industry employs more than 575,000 people⁽¹⁾
• The market size is estimated at roughly € 100 billion⁽²⁾
• Around 8% of sales revenue is ploughed back into research and development
• There are almost 25,000 medical technology companies in Europe⁽¹⁾
• It is estimated that almost 95% of MedTech companies are SMEs, the majority of which are small and micro-sized companies⁽¹⁾
• Europe has a positive medical device trade balance of €14 billion (2011), more a twofold increase since 2006⁽⁵⁾

Useful downloads

• Spending rates on therapeutic Appliances (EU, US, Japan, Canada, Australia & Korea)
• Statistics for Orthopaedic Sector products - Knees, 2005-2011
• Statistics for Orthopaedic Sector products - Hips, 2005-2011
• Statistics for Cardiac Rhythm Management products, 2005-2012

⁽¹⁾ Eucomed calculations based on the data obtained from National Associations of 15 countries for the latest year available. Countries with (partially) provided data: Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK, Switzerland.Medical technology including in-vitro diagnostics. Europe refers to EU + Norway, Switzerland
⁽²⁾ WHO Global Health Expenditure Database, Eurostat, Eucomed calculations based on the data obtained from National Associations of 15 countries for the latest year available. Countries with (partially) provided data: Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK, Switzerland.Medical technology includes in-vitro diagnostics. Europe refers to EU + Norway, Switzerland
⁽³⁾ OECD Health at Glance: Europe 2012 http://ec.europa.eu/health/reports/docs/health_glance_2012_en.pdf
⁽⁴⁾ OECD Health Data 2012: http://www.oecd.org/els/health-systems/OECDHealthData2012FrequentlyRequestedData_Updated_October.xls
⁽⁵⁾Espicom, Eucomed calculations. Manufacturer prices. Medical device excluding in-vitro diagnostics. Europe refers to EU + Norway, Switzerland.