Atal Innovation Mission unveils 6th edition of 'Innovations for You' coffee table book
By TIOL News Service
NEW DELHI, SEP 10, 2024: ATAL Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog on Friday 6th September 2024 hosted the 20th Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meeting of the MedTech Mitra initiative, followed by the launch of the 6th edition of its innovation coffee table book series 'Innovations for You' focused on Life Sciences and Biotechnology.
Launched on December 25, 2023, by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) - Medical Device and Diagnostics Mission Secretariat (MDMS) in partnership with Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and under the guidance of NITI Aayog, the MedTech Mitra initiative aims to empower MedTech innovators and advance healthcare solutions by providing crucial support for clinical evaluation, regulatory facilitation, and the uptake of new products.
Since its launch, the MedTech Mitra portal has received an overwhelming response from innovators across the country. In order to address the queries received on the portal and to provide strategic holistic handholding support to MedTech innovators, twenty Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) meetings of 'MedTech Mitra' have been held at ICMR-Hqrs, CDSCO and NITI Aayog wherein, innovators were invited by ICMR-Medical Device and Diagnostics Mission Secretariat (MDMS) to make presentation before senior officials from the MedTech Mitra knowledge partner organizations including Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), AIM-NITI Aayog, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Kalam Institute of Health & Technology, (KIHT)/ Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ), DHR-Health Technology Assessment in India (HTAIn), DHR-Centre for Guidelines, ICMR-Indian Clinical Trial & Education Network (INTENT) & ICMR- MDMS, Government e-Marketplace (GeM), Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) as well as other representatives from MedTech industry.
The 20th TAC meeting, held on Friday 6th September 2024, is a continuation of MedTech Mitra's commitment to offer strategic and holistic support. The journey of MedTech Mitra was presented by ICMR-MDMS highlighting the steps taken to strengthen the ecosystem further by expanding the scope to all healthcare innovations & inclusion of other relevant stakeholders, a detailed report on query resolution and feedback of innovators. The event was graced by Dr. V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog, Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary DHR and DG, ICMR, Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, DCGI, CDSCO, Dr Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director, AIM-NITI Aayog, Anu Nagar, Joint Secretary, DHR, Surender Mehra, Programmer Director (S&T), NITI Aayog and other distinguished members from MedTech Mitra's knowledge partners, including ICMR- INTENT Network, ICMR- MDMS, CDSCO, AIM-NITI Aayog, BIS, KIHT/AMTZ, DHR- HTAIn, DHR-Centre for Guidelines, GeM and AERB. This meeting was a productive session focused on reviewing the progress made so far and advancing the initiative further by strategic discussions with all stakeholders involved.
Dr. V K Paul, Member (Health), NITI Aayog acknowledged India's potential to become a global leader in pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Talking about the initiative, he said "The journey from ideation to clinical use is often fraught with challenges, including regulatory hurdles, testing requirements, production complexities, and clinical evaluation processes. MedTech Mitra addresses these pain points by providing mentorship, handholding, and access to essential resources."
Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary DHR and DG, ICMR appreciated the commitment of members involved in the initiative. While appreciating the team for taking steps towards query resolution of innovators, he expressed his desire to see an increase in innovator engagement. He noted that MedTech Mitra is designed to be a valuable resource for MedTech startups across the country. By offering access to clinical evaluation support, regulatory advice, and product uptake facilitation, MedTech Mitra helps these startups navigate the complex healthcare landscape. This integration ensures that innovations developed by the startups can transition smoothly from concept to market, amplifying their impact on the healthcare sector. He further stated "MedTech Mitra should strive to become an outcome-oriented body. Every MedTech Mitra knowledge partner has a responsibility towards contributing to Government of India's Viksit Bharat vision."
Dr. Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi, DCGI, CDSCO highlighted the importance of disseminating MedTech Mitra initiative's progress among the public. He said "MedTech Mitra initiative has gained remarkable progress since its launch. The initiative has a great potential towards making India a net exporter of medical devices and diagnostics."
Mission Director Atal Innovation Mission Dr. Chintan Vaishnav, highlighted the significance of the meeting during his address. He said, "The 20th MedTech Mitra Technical Advisory Meeting represents a crucial milestone in our ongoing effort to support MedTech innovators. By facilitating robust discussions and providing comprehensive guidance, we aim to drive impactful advancements in medical devices technology. Additionally, we are excited to unveil the 6th edition of Innovations for You, which celebrates the exceptional contributions of Indian innovators in Life Sciences and Biotechnology."
The meeting was followed by the launch of AIM's 6th edition of 'Innovations for You' coffee table book. The book highlights 50 pioneering entrepreneurs incubated under the various Atal Incubation Centres spread across the country, who are driving change through their contributions in Life Sciences and Biotechnology. Within this sector, the publication delineates innovations into subcategories—Diagnostics, Therapeutics, Bioengineering, and Drug Discovery. The publication is intended to highlight the stories of these innovations and underscore the vast applications and impact for society at large. Intended to both guide and inspire upcoming startups, the book also underscores the pivotal role of AIM-supported incubators in fostering innovation and research within these domains. These incubators have significantly augmented India's capabilities in Life Sciences and Biotechnology, empowering emerging innovators and researchers.
The book can be accessed here: https://aim.gov.in/pdf/Life-Sciences-and-Biotechnology_6th-CTB_AIM_v1.pdf
MedTech Mitra Portal link - https://medtechmitra.icmr.org.in/
