(Frankfurt a. M., 26.06.2024) The market for medical technology is growing and is expected to reach a volume of over 500 billion US dollars worldwide in 2024. As digitalization continues to increase in parallel, the demand for non-medical products needed to connect devices in hospitals or doctors' surgeries is rising. The problem is that different security requirements apply to non-medical devices such as routers than to medical devices. This results in risks that become all the more significant with increasing networking. Dipl.-Ing. Hans C. Wenner, Senior Manager Regulatory Affairs at VDE, explains: "It's about electrical safety when products are operated close to patients, or about the ingress of liquids, because products in the operating theater must be resistant to moisture. As far as electromagnetic compatibility is concerned, limit values must be adhered to, as EEG or neuromonitoring systems are very sensitive. Last but not least, cybersecurity plays a major role, as we have to protect patient data." With MD Comp, the VDE has developed a concept that makes it easier for manufacturers to develop compliant products.
Digitalization in the field of medical technology is progressing inexorably. This is accompanied by the networking of medical devices of all kinds with a large number of non-medical devices.
| VDE