From November 17 to 20, MEDICA will once again bring together international stakeholders from across the medical industry in Düsseldorf, Germany for one of the largest medical trade fairs on the planet.

With over 5,000 exhibitors from 72 countries and 80,000 visitors, MEDICA (and its partner event COMPAMED) can be overwhelming if you don't know what to expect. To help you plan your visit, HCB News sat down with Michael Degen, executive director of Trade Fairs at Messe Düsseldorf, for a wide-reaching discussion about the show.

HCB News: MEDICA and COMPAMED are leading international event platforms for the medical technology industry and its suppliers. What can visitors expect in 2025?

Michael Degen: MEDICA 2025 and COMPAMED 2025 will offer a comprehensive program with numerous innovations. Our new campaign motto sums it up. ‘Meet Health. Future. People.’ – that's the motto. What this means is that we bring together prominent personalities and a specialist audience from all areas of the healthcare industry. In Düsseldorf, they can make valuable contacts from all over the world. We also offer a comprehensive stage program with information and discussions on the most important trend topics of the year. This year's hot topics are: artificial intelligence, robotics and networked, telemedicine care. Of course, visitors can also look forward to the enormous spectrum of medical innovations from our more than 5,000 exhibitors. There will be plenty to discover in five spheres – from laboratory technology and medical technology to digital innovations and technically sophisticated supplier products.

HCB News: Digitization is the appropriate keyword. Digitization is playing an increasingly important role in healthcare. What new digital innovations will be the focus of MEDICA 2025 and what role will the many start-ups participating in the trade fair play in this context?
MD: One highlight in terms of digitalization will be the newly designed MEDICA INNOVATION FORUM. We have expanded this forum with its stage program to become the central platform for tech, digital and IT innovations. This is where networked health solutions, wearable technologies such as wearables and IT solutions for efficient processes in everyday medical practice will be presented and discussed. We know that digital innovations play a key role in the transformation of the healthcare system. At MEDICA 2025, you can get the latest information on current developments in this area, and this is where start-ups come into play.

European News Homepage