“This year’s event was much better in terms of footfall. The quality of attendees and the high level of discussion indicated that it is one of the best years yet. We have signed a few great deals.”
Manish Mishra, Sr General Manager, International Business (MEA and SEA), Erba Diagnostics
With 253 exhibitors, 10 country pavilions, 29 exhibiting countries and 4,025 attendees – constituting a 60% increase in visitor turnout compared to the 2016 edition – the 4th edition of the MEDLAB Asia Pacific Exhibition & Congress that concluded on 5th April 2017 at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre firmly sealed its position in Asia’s laboratory calendar as the largest annual meeting for the IVD and medical laboratory industry.
Leading laboratory experts, scientists, researchers and clinicians converged at the three-day event to exchange and share their experiences and research results on all aspects of laboratory medicine and clinical research while companies showcased the latest innovations, products and cutting-edge technologies available in the IVD, medical laboratory and healthcare market.
A survey of the exhibitors at the event have revealed that a whopping 97% have admitted to being successful in meeting their overall objectives, 90% were successful in generating new enquiries for their businesses and 87% plan to exhibit again in 2018. With 68% of companies confirming rebooking to participate in 2018, the exhibition floor is certainly set to increase from the 6500 sq m area this year to accommodate the high demand for the next edition of the event.
In a short span of time, the MEDLAB Asia Pacific Exhibition has established itself as the ultimate platform to promote and launch the latest innovations and services in the world of healthcare and medical laboratory. According to Neville Calvert, Managing Director, Numedico Technologies, Adelaide, Australia, “We were able to make a great list of potential partners at the show. The Asian region is a key market for us and we not only did business at the show but gained a further understanding of the region.”
This year’s event also marked the launch of Asia Health, a healthcare trade fair, that offered everything from hospital equipment to medical disposable products, surgery instruments, diagnostic tools, equipment for emergency rooms, long-term care products, dental equipment, products for rehabilitation and orthopaedics, electro-medical devices, and much more. According to Simon Page, Managing Director, Informa Life Sciences Exhibitions, “Diminishing market access barriers for foreign investment, coupled with a boom in hospital construction and the highest growth rate in healthcare IT, has positioned the Asian healthcare market as a first-choice market for medical device manufacturers, services providers, and dealers and distributers from across the globe.”
Accounting for 60% of the world’s population, Asia is experiencing unprecedented change in the face of rapid economic growth. The rising demand for better healthcare systems and reforms is creating valuable opportunities for companies looking to invest in the healthcare industry. According to a recent report by Al Masah Capital Limited, the region’s healthcare market is projected to be worth US$134.2 billion by 2020.
It was to therefore generate substantial value for its customers and partners by driving further product innovation and deeper engagement in these specific markets that Asia Health was launched as part of Informa’s global expansion strategy into the Asia Pacific region, he added.
With a mix of laboratory and healthcare manufacturers, this year’s MEDLAB Asia Pacific & Asia Health welcomed dealers and distributors from across the region as well as representatives from hospitals, consultancies and governments who took the opportunity to meet, do business with exhibitors and learn from all professionals within the healthcare and medical laboratory marketplace.
The feedback received from the visitors at the 2017 edition reveal that 84% learned about new products, 74% sourced a new supplier, 82% successfully established new contacts and 94% have confirmed they will attend again next year.
Integral to the success of any MEDLAB exhibition is the wide variety of plenaries and panel discussions focused around laboratory diagnostics and its stellar line-up of local and international speakers. From new methods of effective lab management to the development of techniques in detecting diseases, the MEDLAB Asia Pacific conferences thus covered an extensive range of topics this year. Supported by The Academy of Medicine, Singapore and accredited by Singapore Medical Council, it hosted 11 multi-disciplinary CME-accredited conferences that delved into an array of topics including laboratory management, infectious diseases, diabetes, clinical chemistry, molecular diagnostics, cardiac markers, haematology, gastrointestinal oncology, R&D, obs-gyne/women’s health and point of care testing.
The Asia Health Exhibition & Congress saw the launch of the flagship ‘Leaders in Healthcare’ conference which highlighted the issues surrounding governance in healthcare in Asia, international patient safety goals, healthcare delivery strategies and tools, public health strategies for an ageing population, implementing integrated care and the future of hospital management, among others.
The high visitor turnout and positive feedback from exhibitors, visitors and delegates this year attests to the dominance of MEDLAB Asia Pacific in Asia’s healthcare and medical laboratory industry while promising a strong future for Asia Health and its position in the healthcare market.
The next edition of MEDLAB Asia Pacific will be held from 2nd to 4thApril, 2018, at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre.