Decentralized medical device development and ecosystem construction in Japan under the epidemic

Abstract

Before COVID-19 outbreak, it has been considered advantageous for medical device development to concentrate on large cities with centralized network. Advanced informatization and consolidation of manufacturing lines, convenience to regulatory process, industry-academia-government collaboration, and access to the business opportunity have increased the success rate. With the stagnation of logistics under the unprecedented COVID-19 epidemic, the medtech development process was literally paralyzed. Our team implemented a frugal innovation by proposing a decentralized medical device development platform in which rural-based core hospitals, universities and businesses bring resources together. In particular, our activities were supported by the National Hospital Organization. This initiative will be presented as one solution demonstrating resilience in the prevailing social situation of pandemic. The diversity becomes a strength in medical device development process. Hoping that our presented ecosystem will be useful as a platform for future innovators in Japan, and future activities will lead to regional revitalization.