As we move further into 2015 and beyond, the medical industry will likely face myriad economic, scientific, and technological changes.
Next Generation Sequencing
With the new precision medicine initiative in the United States, molecular and genetic diagnostics will be at the forefront of the initiative. DNA sequencing will allow for a massive development in medication that can help target specific diseases, cases or mutations that on a more individual basis. Next generation sequencing will also develop and potentially simplify the process of developing diagnostics for diseases. Along with DNA testing will come Immunoassays. The demand for immunoassays will increase as gene therapy and molecular diagnostics increase in popularity. The challenge for the medical industry will be to resist the massive increase in prices of treatments.
3D Printing
A new breakthrough technology, 3D printing is said to emerge soon and is currently being tested for development. 3D printing will allow doctors to generate plans for medical devices and print them directly off the computer and will provide the device industry with greater variety in manufacturing technology. The issue with 3D printing is that we are unsure who will regulate and evaluate the plans before printing them, and whether 3D printing is safe and effective or not.
Innovation in Implants
As the population ages, we will witness a growth in production of implants and wireless communication with the implant. The needs of an elderly population will drive the medical industry to refine implants and make them more modern, thus the aging population can enjoy long lifespans with properly functioning, long lasting implants. The manufacturing companies will need to innovate and increase the quality of their implants.
Summary
Many upcoming trends for 2015 and beyond are placing great emphasis on production of high quality devices, efficiency in development and innovation in products and operations as well as other economic, scientific and technological changes. The resistance to a price increase will be a big challenge which manufacturing and technology companies will have to face, however it is necessary for progress to be made in the medical field, and that is exactly what these companies are doing.
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