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Announcements - Lending a hand to the medical devices sector
March 2, 2009 — Winnipeg, Manitoba
NRC is planning to help Canadian companies capture a larger share of the multibillion dollar medical devices industry, now poised for rapid growth.
According to Industry Canada, the Canadian medical devices industry comprised 998 firms in 2005, which collectively employed 26,000 people, generated more than $4 billion in sales, and exported $2.4 billion worth of goods. Two of the fastest growing markets within this industry are medical imaging (a US$14.5 billion global industry in 2003-04) and non-invasive diagnostics (a US$21 billion global industry in 2003-04).
NIR spectroscopic imaging system used to assess burns.
"We are currently conducting an environmental scan of the medical devices sector to find out where NRC can have the greatest impact for Canada," says Paul Wiebe, director of business development at the NRC Institute for Biodiagnostics (NRC-IBD) in Winnipeg, and co-chair of the NRC medical devices key sector working committee. "Using information garnered from industry consultations, we're aiming to complete a medical devices strategy by the end of this year." This initiative is led jointly by NRC-IBD and the NRC Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences (NRC-SIMS).
NRC has a long history in the medical devices field, dating back more than half a century when NRC researchers designed the world's first practical electric wheelchair to help injured veterans of World War II. Other NRC inventions include the world's first cardiac pacemaker as well as the first pacemaker to be powered by the human body.
"More recently, we've seen a lot of commercialization activity out of NRC labs," says Wiebe. NRC spin-offs include Ottawa-based Ionalytics (now Thermo Scientific), which developed a technology that improves the performance of mass spectrometers used for medical applications; Winnipeg-based IMRIS, which produces advanced surgical imaging systems; and Novadaq of Mississauga, which specializes in cardiovascular imaging devices.
"NRC has a lot to offer medical devices companies through our research facilities, the NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program, and the NRC Canada Institute for Science and Technical Information," says Wiebe. "At least half of our institutes have some technical capabilities that can support medical devices research." NRC offers expertise in biosensors, implantable biomaterials and magnetic resonance imaging as well as microfluidics, spectroscopy and surgical robotics. NRC also offers business and market intelligence services, a wealth of information resources, intellectual property/knowledge management, and support for small and medium-sized enterprises.
