Call for masterplan for German health economy

7 February 2007

Berlin, Germany. A cross-party "Masterplan for the health economy" is needed in Germany, with innovative medical technologies playing a key role, according to BVMed, the German medical technology association.

The "Aktionsplan Medizintechnik", which is set to be developed in the coming months as part of Germany‘s High Tech Strategy, should be a foundation stone of such an initiative.

BVMed called for active debate on making Germany into a "healthcare centre of excellence", but warned that patients need to be aware that the finite resources of the sickness funds cannot deliver an unending supply of innovative healthcare.

In this scenario, the debate needs to focus more on patient co-payment and other alternative funding concepts for healthcare. The fundamental need is to allow for the continual introduction of innovative products, which, incidentally, provide savings potential over the long term. BVMed is putting much hope in joint talks with the sickness funds that could lead to a joint "innovation management" initiative.

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