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HealthWatch issues occasional Background briefing papers to provide independent, accessible evidence from experts in medical controversies where there have been conflicting or confusing claims.

Responses to consultations to which HealthWatch have made a submission.

There are currently over 500,000 different medical devices and in-vitro diagnostic devices on the market in the UK, produced by over 3,500 companies turning over around £22bn, providing jobs for 120,000 people and accounting for £5bn in exports annually. Yet there is at present no comprehensive list of devices on the market. Groups formed by patients harmed by devices — such as vaginal mesh and breast implants — have found a shocking lack of transparency over adverse effect data, and such low standards for device approval that there are serious risks to patients.

The HealthWatch Symposium 2019: Evidence, Healthcare and Medical Devices & Implants aimed to clarify the current issues facing evidence based healthcare in the field of medical devices and implants, and to identify areas where HealthWatch and similar organisations might most productively concentrate their efforts.

This important background paper, prepared for us by HealthWatch member and TranspariMED founder Till Bruckner, focuses on evidence requirements for medical devices in the UK in the context of recent media investigations. It gives an overview of governance in the UK for these devices. It also demonstrates some of the conflicting pressures and requirements in this area.