AdvaMed poaches MITA members and staff to form new imaging division
The medtech lobby group AdvaMed has poached several member companies from the Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA) to join their newly created Medical Imaging Technology division, which will be led by former MITA Executive Director Patrick Hope.AdvaMed also announced that GE HealthCare CEO Peter Arduini has taken the reins as its new board chair.
On 11 December, AdvaMed announced that Bayer, Fujifilm Sonosite, GE HealthCare, Hologic, Philips, and Siemens Healthineers will leave MITA to form AdvaMed’s nascent Medical Imaging Technology division. Peter Weems, former MITA director for policy and strategy, will join Hope in running the division.
“This new division is a big step forward not merely for the medical imaging sector, but for AdvaMed and the entire medtech industry,” said AdvaMed CEO Scott Whitaker in a statement. “Never before have medical technologies been so connected and interdependent as they are today—and it’s really only the beginning.”
Artificial intelligence has been a major focus of the medtech industry in recent years, as major legislation and regulations have been developed to address it. AdvaMed noted that imaging devices account for 80% of artificial intelligence products cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“From traditional medical devices to digital health tech to AI and medical imaging, the opportunity to unify the industry and advance policy solutions for the health care system has never been better,” said Whitaker.
Whitaker told Focus that prior to the creation of the Medical Imaging Technology division, it shared many of the regulatory priorities with those of MITA, which is part of why it made sense for the imaging companies to join the new division.
“We are focused on ensuring a clear, predictable regulatory framework for all medical technology innovators, including our new medical imaging sector,” he said. “We are focused on the rise of AI in health care and both the regulatory and payment complexities that come with it… [as well as] third-party servicing at the state and federal levels, among other issues.”
Ultimately, Whitaker said that it made sense to have the broad range of medtech companies represented under one organization so they can be more “efficient and nimble” when lobbying for their interests.
In recent several years, AdvaMed has launched several new divisions focusing on specific medtech sectors and initiatives such as diagnostics, start-ups, women leaders and diversity. Most recently, the lobby group launched its Digital Health Technology division that intends to lobby lawmakers and the US Food and Drug Administration on issues such as AI regulation. (Related: Reimbursement, AI top list of priorities for new digital health lobbying group, Regulatory Focus 9 October 2023)
MITA is the imaging technology arm of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA). NEMA did not respond to a request for comment from Focus.
Alongside the announcement that GE Healthcare was leaving MITA for AdvaMed, AdvaMed announced GE HealthCare CEO Peter Arduini would be taking over as chair of its board of directors. He served as acting chair after Ashley McEvoy stepped down as Johnson & Johnson’s medtech chief and AdvaMed chair in October.
AdvaMed Medical Imaging Technology division announcement
AdvaMed new board chair announcement
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