Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog hosts 20th MedTech Mitra Technical Advisory Meeting

Launched on December 25, 2023, jointly by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) under the guidance of NITI Aayog, the MedTech Mitra initiative aims to empower MedTech innovators and advance healthcare solutions by providing crucial support for clinical evaluation, regulatory facilitation, and the uptake of new products.

Since its launch, the MedTech Mitra portal has received an overwhelming response from innovators across the country. In order to address the queries received on the portal and to provide strategic holistic handholding support to MedTech innovators, twenty Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meetings of ‘MedTech Mitra’ have been held at ICMR-Hqrs, CDSCO and NITI Aayog wherein, innovators were invited by ICMR-Medical Device and Diagnostics Mission Secretariat (MDMS) to make presentation before senior officials from the MedTech Mitra knowledge partner organizations including CDSCO, AIM-NITI Aayog, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), ICMR-Indian Clinical Trial & Education Network (INTENT), Kalam Institute of Health & Technology, (KIHT)/ Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ), DHR-Health Technology Assessment in India (HTAIn), DHR-Centre for Guidelines, National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC), Government e-Marketplace (GeM) and Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) & ICMR-MDMS. To streamline the process, operational Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been established to define stakeholder roles and responsibilities.

"The 20th TAC meeting, held on Friday 6th September 2024, is a continuation of MedTech Mitra’s commitment to offer strategic and holistic support. The journey of MedTech Mitra was presented by ICMR-MDMS highlighting the steps taken to strengthen the ecosystem further by expanding the scope to all healthcare innovations & inclusion of other relevant stakeholders. The detailed presentation also mentioned the progress made on taking technologies to the next level and positive feedback received from innovators expressing their satisfaction on query resolution and technical guidance received from knowledge partners," the release stated.

The event was graced by Dr. V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog; Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary DHR and DG, ICMR; Smt. Anu Nagar, Joint Secretary, DHR; Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, DCGI, CDSCO; Dr Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director, AIM-NITI Aayog, Sh. Surender Mehra, Programmer Director (S&T), NITI Aayog and other distinguished members from MedTech Mitra’s knowledge partners, including ICMR- INTENT Network, ICMR- MDMS, CDSCO, AIM-NITI Aayog, BIS, KIHT/AMTZ, DHR- HTAIn, DHR-Centre for Guidelines, NHSRC, GeM and AERB. This meeting was a productive session focused on reviewing the progress made so far and advancing the initiative further by strategic discussions with all stakeholders involved.

Dr. V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog acknowledged India's potential to become a global leader in pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Talking about the initiative, he said “The journey from ideation to clinical use is often fraught with challenges, including regulatory hurdles, testing requirements, production complexities, and clinical evaluation processes. MedTech Mitra addresses these pain points by providing mentorship, handholding, and access to essential resources. MedTech Mitra is perfectly aligned with enabling policies of Department of Pharmaceuticals for on-ground implementation required for envisioned accelerated growth path”.

Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary DHR and DG, ICMR appreciated the commitment of members involved in the initiative. While appreciating the team for taking steps towards query resolution of innovators, he expressed his desire to see an increase in innovator engagement. He noted that MedTech Mitra is designed to be a valuable resource for MedTech startups across the country. He further emphasized that under the new regulatory regime, the clinical evaluation of investigational medical devices/ new IVDs is of paramount importance for ensuring the quality and safety of medical devices. ICMR can play a pivotal role in this direction by leveraging its expertise and resources. By offering access to clinical evaluation support, regulatory advice, and product uptake facilitation, MedTech Mitra can help innovators in navigating the complex healthcare landscape. He further stated “MedTech Mitra should strive to become an outcome-oriented body. Every MedTech Mitra knowledge partner has a responsibility towards contributing to Government of India’s Viksit Bharat vision.”

Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, DCGI, CDSCO highlighted the importance of disseminating MedTech Mitra initiative’s progress among the public. He said “MedTech Mitra initiative has gained remarkable progress since its launch. This flagship initiative can introduce a paradigm shift in MedTech ecosystem from “volume to values of innovations”, to meet evolving healthcare needs. The initiative has a great potential towards making India a net exporter of medical devices and diagnostics.”

Mission Director Atal Innovation Mission Dr. Chintan Vaishnav, highlighted the significance of the meeting during his address. He said, “The 20th MedTech Mitra TAC Meeting represents a crucial milestone in our ongoing effort to support MedTech innovators. By facilitating robust discussions and providing comprehensive guidance, we aim to drive impactful advancements in medical devices technology. Additionally, we are excited to unveil the 6th edition of Innovations for You, which celebrates the exceptional contributions of Indian innovators in Life Sciences and Biotechnology.”

The meeting was followed by the launch of AIM’s 6th edition of ‘Innovations for You’ coffee table book. The book highlights 50 pioneering entrepreneurs incubated under the various Atal Incubation Centres spread across the country, who are driving change through their contributions in Life Sciences and Biotechnology. Within this sector, the publication delineates innovations into subcategories—Diagnostics, Therapeutics, Bioengineering, and Drug Discovery. The publication is intended to highlight the stories of these innovations and underscore the vast applications and impact for society at large. Intended to both guide and inspire upcoming startups, the book also underscores the pivotal role of AIM-supported incubators in fostering innovation and research within these domains. These incubators have significantly augmented India's capabilities in Life Sciences and Biotechnology, empowering emerging innovators and researchers.