The medical device industry is voicing and lending support to the people of Ukraine amid the country’s war with Russia.
While medtech companies aren’t going as far as biotech leaders, many of whom have vowed to break ties with Russian companies over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the industry is condemning Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attack on its neighbor.
AdvaMed, a medtech lobby group, said in a statement late last week that it condemned “the actions that have resulted in such devastation and loss of human life in Ukraine” and its member companies “are committed to mobilizing our industry to help those who are suffering as a result of this invasion.”
The group said it is working with the U.S. government and non-governmental organizations to assess the need for medical supplies in Ukraine. The group has created a resource list on its website to help coordinate the distribution of critical items as part of the humanitarian aid effort.
Siemens Healthineers said in an emailed statement to MedTech Dive that the company “strongly condemns the invasion by Russian forces of Ukraine, a sovereign European nation, in clear violation of international law,” adding that it is “moved by the courage of the Ukrainian people.”
The fighting has had an impact on the normal supply chain. A spokesperson for MedTech Europe said in an emailed statement that the “normal logistics chain towards Ukraine are being disrupted since the beginning of the crisis, with main routes being cut.”
“As the medical technology industry, we are working together with civil defense mechanisms to ensure insofar as possible the availability of medical supplies,” the group stated.
The MedTech Europe spokesperson said that the group is still assessing the impact of sanctions on the supply and delivery of medical devices and technologies. READ MORE
By Ricky Zipp, Greg Slabodkin
Source: biopharmadive.com
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