Philips, Medtronic Ink Advocacy Partnership to Enhance Stroke Care Access
Netherlands: Royal Philips, a global leader in health technology, and Medtronic Neurovascular, a leading innovator in neurovascular therapies, announced a strategic advocacy partnership. Delivering timely stroke care is crucial to saving lives and reducing long-term disability. As leaders in stroke diagnosis and treatment, the two organizations are advocating on raising awareness around the potential health and economic benefits for patients, their families and societies of improving access to timely stroke diagnosis and treatment.
Philips and Medtronic Neurovascular also further expanded and strengthened their partnerships with the World Stroke Organization (WSO) by joining the newly established WSO Advocacy Coalition. This WSO-led coalition brings together diverse stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, patient groups, and policymakers, to develop coordinated strategies that address the global burden of stroke. The two companies are already working together with the World Stroke Organization to share the latest research, exchange best practices, drive improvements and advance the stroke policy agenda.
A stroke is typically an acute event, mostly caused by a blockage in a blood vessel in the brain that prevents adequate blood supply to brain tissue and leads to permanent loss of brain cells. It is a leading cause of disability and death worldwide, affecting an estimated 12 million people globally every year, including an increasing number of young people. The direct and indirect costs are conservatively estimated to be around USD 900 billion annually and are expected to almost double over the next 25 years.
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Philips and Medtronic Neurovascular are advocating for a global network of stroke care centres that can deliver comprehensive care, from early diagnosis to rehabilitation. Their joint efforts focus on three key areas:
Raising awareness: Promoting public understanding of stroke symptoms and the importance of seeking immediate care.
Improving access to treatment: Expanding the number of stroke-ready hospitals and providing training to healthcare professionals on the latest interventional techniques.
Leveraging technology and innovation: Utilizing advanced imaging and digital health tools to create integrated stroke care systems that support early diagnosis, effective treatment, and post-procedure monitoring.
The collaboration will be highlighted at the upcoming World Stroke Congress (October 23-26) in Abu Dhabi, where Philips and Medtronic Neurovascular will host a Stroke Advocacy roundtable session. This initiative builds on their joint presence at events such as the United Nations General Assembly and the World Health Assembly, where they emphasized the need for increased investments in stroke care infrastructure and supportive policy changes.
“Our new partnership with Medtronic Neurovascular and the ongoing collaboration with the World Stroke Organization highlights our shared commitment to transforming stroke care. With advanced technologies and a focus on collaboration, the time to act is now to ensure that stroke patients have timely stroke care — no matter where they live,” said Carla Goulart Peron, chief medical officer, Philips.
“Stroke care is a race against time, and by joining forces with Philips, we can help accelerate access to life-saving treatments like mechanical thrombectomy. Together, we are advocating for necessary investments in stroke care infrastructure to reduce the burden on patients and healthcare systems globally,” said Signe Haughton, chief of staff, senior director of medical & government affairs, Medtronic Neurovascular.
Philips’ partnership with the World Stroke Organization, established in 2023, has now been further expanded and strengthened by Philips’ involvement in the WSO Advocacy Coalition. While the initial partnership focused on improving access to high-quality stroke care globally, this new collaboration deepens Philips' role in global stroke advocacy. By joining the WSO Advocacy Coalition, Philips is now part of a global network that actively works on healthcare policy, raise public awareness, and advocate for increased investment in stroke care infrastructure.
Royal Philips is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and well-being through meaningful innovation.
Medtronic plc, headquartered in Galway, Ireland, is the leading global healthcare technology company that boldly attacks the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions.
