SAMED Annual Conference 2024

11:20 Whistleblowers: Safeguarding SA’s future and the legal frameworks to protect them | TBC

A whistleblower is a person who discloses information regarding actions that are unlawful, illicit or against public interest, that he/she has witnessed, especially in the context of his/her work. By disclosing this information, whistleblowers take the risk of facing reprisal from those who are alleged of wrongdoing. We look at what is needed to defend whistleblowers, and advocate on their behalf where their disclosures speak to the public interest of South African medtech, healthcare and patients.

12:20 Following the science, even if it means swimming against the stream| TBC

Developing IVDs that innovate in and out of the laboratory. What it takes to develop diagnostics that can shape the way healthcare is delivered. Look at what is needed to improve access and quality of laboratory and diagnostic services for low-income populations in Africa. Market interventions towards increased affordability of diagnostic testing and reduction of user-fees. How can we bring together appropriate expertise to develop a strategy for innovative digital diagnostics that address health needs specific to the different regions of the African continent. Built around an innovative digital molecular diagnostics device that has the potential to revolutionize the access to diagnosis and delivery of treatment in Africa, to design a roadmap required for co-design, development and implementation of new diagnostics for improving the health of some of the poorest communities in the world.

13:10 Networking lunch

12:20 Powering local innovation and manufacturing in medtech | TBC

Localisation requirements are well known in the medtech space as many countries around the world apply this policy to support their broader economic and public health policy objectives. In the past couple of years however, localisation policies appear in different flavours and many countries are getting a lot more serious about how they go about and implement their localisation policies. This trend has clear implications for the medtech industry and this session will be an opportunity to discuss various ways countries are going about localisation, to what extent localisation of manufacturing actually improves access to medical supplies and what makes companies tick when it comes to investment decisions, whether or not to localise their production/presence in different markets.

We take a look:

• Reducing global inequalities in the supply and distribution of medtech
• Building a conducive policy and regulatory environment to promote investor confidence and accelerate local manufacturing
• The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as an enabler
• The Health Products Master Plan as a facilitation mechanism

15:10 Women leading economic transformation in South Africa | TBC

The Deputy Minister of Trade and industry, Ms Nomalungelo Gina says women should be in the forefront of efforts to accelerate economic transformation in South Africa. The President, Ramaphosa, has said 40% of public procurement should go to women owned businesses. We explore women as a catalyst for change in transforming medtech diversity, equity and inclusion. Local and African trends are starting to emerge, we unpack how business can be early adopters and lead the empowerment of women.

16:00 Networking break

08:00 Arrival and registration

09:00 Keynote Address | TBC

09:45 Exponential innovation in MedTech: Unleashing the full potential of digital technologies | TBC

Digital technologies are already recognized as being a major force in transforming health care. Expanding use of digital and virtual tools and connected medical devices is powering advances in care delivery, health management, intervention, administration, and clinical research. Digital health has a central role to play in tackling South Africa’s many healthcare challenges. Technologies including telehealth, electronic health records, wearable devices, mobile health applications and digital therapeutics are increasingly being embedded in the healthcare system. These provide an opportunity to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs by increasing the availability of relevant information, allowing better diagnosis, treatment, and care. In this session, we will identify opportunities for digital health uptake and barriers that need to be overcome, including how we align people, processes, and governance to unlock fail-proof digital innovation.

10:35 Networking break

11:05 Adapting to critical supply chain disruption | TBC

Regulatory compliance, vendor management, quality control, demand forecasting, supply chain visibility, global supply shortages, cost management, counterfeit components raw material shortages, and other factors are causing disruptions to the supply chain of medical technologies. We look at navigating these disruptions and developing more resilient supply chains. African logistics and supply chain management capabilities are essential to the performance of the continent’s commercial and humanitarian supply chains. What are the challenges and how do we overcome them?

12:05 Give the planet a seat at the table | TBC

Tackling climate change is an overwhelming task for many organisations. Every government, business, person and initiative can contribute. The only way to instil environmental responsibility into all projects is to ‘give the planet a seat at the table’. We explore green medtech and what it will take to move to zero climate impact in a sector that is synonymous with single use disposable technologies. We see what companies can do to reduce carbon emissions, make environmentally conscious product decisions, and create a sustainable medtech sector.

12:55 Networking lunch

13:55 Creating capacity: medtech regulatory and quality affairs | TBC

Medical device and IVD regulations, including fringe regulations, is a complex landscape, both locally and abroad. Developing and retaining the knowledge and skill sets necessary to navigate these complexities has become a burning point for medtech companies. In this session, we provide an opportunity for young talent interested in the field of regulatory affairs to ask questions, build understanding, and network with established regulatory professionals to ignite interest in this challenging but rewarding medtech field.

14:55 Empowering equitable healthcare: the role of medtech in addressing the health divide | TBC

Addressing patient health equity can feel like an overwhelming, intractable problem. It takes commitment and leadership to move the needle and address diversity in research and development and innovative medical technologies. We look at how to bring diversity (gender, age and ethnicity) to more than just clinical trials but expanding it to bringing surgeries closer to underserved populations and opening hospitals and surgery centres near where patients live. How do we expand programs to ensure that whoever performs the surgery is able to engender trust and comfort (i.e. almost no specialty in medicine is whiter and more male than orthopaedic surgery)? Having an impact requires clear metrics to understand what is working and create conscious change.

We need steps along the journey that show progress as the underlying causes are obviated. How equal are diagnosis rates? How clear is the clinical mandate to treat for all populations or the funding pathways available? How difficult is the journey from home to care for disadvantaged populations? How diverse are the healthcare professionals providing care? After identifying the root causes, we need a set of metrics that we can relentlessly drive to show they are being addressed. What is medtech’s role in recognizing and addressing disparities in equitable care?

15:45 Closing / Thanks | Tanya Vogt, Executive Officer, SAMED

11:05 Integrating start-ups in the industrial innovation ecosystem| TBC

Frugal Innovation: from problem to product. Learn how innovators, SMMEs, investors and incubators are partnering up to empower startups and innovators turning challenges into opportunities.

12:05 Putting healthcare data to work: data as a tool for growth, collaboration, market access and improving healthcare outcomes | TBC

This session will look at the need for data to drive conversations and build relationships both in the private and the public sector and to enact meaningful change in both the medtech sector and healthcare overall. We explore best practice for creating real world evidence, the meaningful use of data and transparency needed to ensure equitable access to data. This should include creating feasible alternative risk-sharing models for medical technologies

12:55 Networking lunch

13:55 Where ethics and new technologies intersect: assessing ethical considerations for the medtech industry | TBC

Artificial Intelligence, robotic interventions, digital therapeutics, genomics, and other innovations are changing the medical device landscape. It may be time to pause and consider the ethical implications of rapidly evolving new technologies fuelled by the 4th industrial revolution. What are the ethical considerations for medtech emergent technologies? Should we sacrifice innovation in favour of ethics or is there enough space for both to work synergistically? How do we ensure that we keep the patient at the heart of innovation and avoid fuelling health divides just for the sake of innovation?