On 25 October 2018, as part of ‘Czech Week’, the Embassy of the Czech Republic in London hosted probably the largest presentation of the Health Industry from the Czech Republic in the UK historically. The morning "Czech Heart Day" conference gathered together more than 70 Czech, British and international cardiologists, medical professionals, company representatives and, journalists. Twelve top cardiologists (one each from the Czech Republic and the UK) collaborated in presenting their specialisms in selected areas of ​​care for the human heart. During the conference, awards were also presented to well eminent professors and doctors who contributed most to the development of Czech-British relations in the field of cardiology.

The Cardiology Conference was followed by "Czech Medical Devices Day", organised by the Czech Embassy in London in cooperation with the Association of Manufacturers and Suppliers of Medical Devices (AVDZP). The seminar was opened by Ambassador Libor Sečka, who emphasised that on the occasion of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Czechoslovakia and the modern Czech state, there were various advanced technologies from the Czech Republic being presented. Besides healthcare, the embassy also hosted a nanotechnology industry day earlier in the week. The Deputy Minister of Health of the Czech Republic, Mr Radek Policar, highlighted the excellent results of Czech research in healthcare, which is at the global forefront in areas such as cardiology, pediatrics and neonatology and also the expertise of Czech manufacturers of medical devices. On behalf of the NHS, the opening speech by Dr. Nikki Patel (Clinical Program Leader and Head of Evaluation, NHS England) outlined the expectations and future needs of the British health system in terms of digitalisation.

The chairman of the Association of Manufacturers and Suppliers of Medical Devices, Karel Volenec, introduced to the audience the wide range of medical products and devices that were being produced by the over 100 Czech members of AVDZP. Mr. Volenec also touched upon  the challenges that producers face in terms of new European regulations as well as Brexit. He then proceeded to moderate the 3 panels by introducing the 10 Czech companies and their products:

The first panel "Cardiology and Gastrointestinal Tract" introduced four companies in these fields. ELLA –CS specialising in the development and production of innovative stents, which already have a number of successful business cases in the UK. MediaTrade presented their cardio-stimulators. Riocath’s showed their revolutionary technology for tubular systems such as venous stents and urinary catheters with a lower infectious risk and higher comfort for patients. St. Anne’s Hospital International Center for Clinical Research in Brno (FNUSA-ICRC) explained their services to British companies, hospitals and universities in cooperating in the clinical testing and researching of new medical devices in a medical setting in the Czech Republic.

In the second panel "Medical Technology" we heard from  Medin and Prospon who manufacture a wide range of surgical, orthopedic and traumatological tools. The company MZ Liberec who offer a comprehensive service in the field of medical gas unit installation among other items and which has already completed a number of successful installations in hospitals in the UK. Advanced Medical Solutions was offering clinics in the UK preventive diagnostic and telemedicine equipment and programmes for the cardiovascular system.

On the last panel "General Healthcare", Grade Medical introduced their highly innovative nanoparticle wound healing products, followed by INTERGAZE, a company that specialises in contract manufacturing of disposable surgical sets. The final company to present was CLINITEX, an established as well as innovative medical clothing and linens manufacturer which produces fashionable re-usable doctors and nurses uniforms and bed sheets which can be just as useful for companies hiring out such garments i.e. laundries and catering suppliers.

During the networking reception afterwards, the representatives of the Czech companies discussed the possibilities of cooperation with their British counterparts. From the UK side there were representatives of NHS and private hospital purchasers, pharmacies, the British Associations: the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) and the Association of British Heath Tech Industries (ABHI), healthcare manufacturers and suppliers, doctors and distributors of medical supplies looking for new business opportunities and partners.

The extensive UK medical sector offers many opportunities for business and R&D cooperation. The pharmaceutical, medical and chemical industries are the second most important export sector after the automotive industry in the UK economy. The sector is experiencing dynamic growth driven mainly by innovation. In the UK it is expected that the consumption of medicines and pharmaceuticals in the years 2018-23 will increase by 1.8%. Life sciences is also identified as one of the "national champions", the most promising sectors, within the framework of Britain’s new industrial strategy. Brexit is a potential risk to the large UK pharmaceutical sector as any regulatory divergence between the UK and European internal market would require British companies to make extremely costly changes to the certification of medicines and healthcare products both in the UK and the EU.

For more information on any of the companies or their products please contact the Embassy.

 

Aleš Opatrný, Head of the Economic and Commercial Section, the Embassy of Czech Republic in London