One instance occurred in Brazil, where medical technology is far less advanced, and his patient needed a tracheostomy — a procedure involving an incision made in the windpipe to clear breathing obstructions. “In my trauma centre we had 10,000 traumas a year and every week we did 10 or 15 tracheostomies,” Rezende-Neto recalled. A 2016 Industry Canada study showed the country exports about $3.1 million in medical device technology, including pacemakers, surgical tools and catheters, but imports far more — about $8.6 billion. “To get a (medical) idea to a final product is extremely complicated and the hurdles are very high,” Rezende-Neto said. But it’s people like doctors and medical professionals that health tech businesses need, he said.

Source: thestar February 24, 2019 16:07 UTC