Indian medical devices cos to invest in innovation for products minimizing environmental footprint
Indian medical devices companies are increasingly looking to invest in innovation for developing products that help to minimize environmental footprint. Also companies like the healthtech startup HaystackAnalytics are engaged in developing India’s first Universal Infectious Disease (UID) genomic test, which highlights the need to put in place preventive health strategies.
On the occasion of the International Federation of Environmental Health observed on September 26 annually from 2011, this day is focused on creating awareness about environmental health.
Amit Chopra, managing director, India & South Asia, Thermo Fisher Scientific said, “Our approach to environmental sustainability is centered around accelerating progress in three key areas. First, we are committed to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Second, we continue to invest in innovation to develop the highest-performing products while minimizing their environmental footprint from design to the end of lifecycle. Finally, we are fostering collaboration with our stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, colleagues, and industry associations and maintaining transparency about our progress”.
Advocating for policies that champion best environmental practices is very important. In the face of climate change and resource depletion, both public and private sectors must prioritize sustainability as a strategic imperative to forge a better, more resilient future for all, he added.
Daniel Mazon, vice chairman & managing director, Philips Indian Subcontinent, noted that in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the healthcare landscape has become smarter, more digitally adept, and equipped with artificial intelligence. However, despite these advancements, cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading global cause of death, claiming approximately 18 million lives annually.
Our goal is to improve people’s health and well-being through meaningful innovation. For cardiovascular disease care, our innovations are aimed at finding solutions to enable early diagnosis and effective treatment of CVDs. On this World Heart Day, let us commit to raising awareness about early cardiac screenings, aimed at detecting signs of disease before they progress into serious cardiac issues, said the Philips India Subcontinent chief.
Commenting from a health perspective, Dr Aparna Bhanushali, head of growth & scientific support, HaystackAnalytics pointed that India, the global epicenter of chronic heart diseases, demonstrates a unique cardiovascular disease pattern when contrasted with Western nations, characterized by a younger age of onset, elevated hospitalization rates, and heightened mortality. Moreover, cardiovascular diseases have a strong genetic component and are significantly impacted by hereditary factors. Therefore, as people increasingly move towards a healthy-conscious lifestyle, it becomes essential to examine the genetic and hereditary elements that can influence the onset and progression of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular diseases.
In a recent genetic study conducted by HaystackAnalytics involving 160 individuals, scientists examined that 70% displayed an increased genetic risk for high cholesterol, a significant contributing factor to cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, 30% of cases exhibited a genetic susceptibility to both high cholesterol and diabetes. The company noted that it called for preventive genomic screening, indicating the importance of early intervention and lifestyle changes.
Approximately 2.5% of cases also showed changes in DNA leading to diagnostic implications. Variants in genes such as PCSK9 causes Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) which results in very high levels of cholesterol leading to a much earlier age of onset and manifestation of heart disease. These can be prevented by first identifying and then putting the appropriate surveillance and management strategies as guided by the health care provider, said Dr Bhanushali.
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