Medtech Momentum: Reflections on 2024 & Predictions for 2025Medtech Momentum: Reflections on 2024 & Predictions for 2025

Heidi Sernoff, MD, Director, Product Marketing Medtech at Medidata, a Dassault Systèmes company, discusses the trends that are shaping the industry.

Heidi Sernoff, MD, Director, Product Marketing Medtech

January 28, 2025

3 Min Read
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At a Glance

  • Medtech saw major advancements with AI-driven diagnostics, surgical robotics, and the integration of SAMD.
  • AI is revolutionizing clinical trials, optimizing patient enrollment, and predicting events.
  • Patients are pushing for more inclusive, accessible Medtech solutions.

2024 was a strong year for Medtech, driven by several key wins: the significant growth in AI-driven diagnostics and surgical robotics; major device approvals; and the integration of software as a medical device (SAMD) into drug labeling. Resource constraints in hospitals, however, such as staff shortages and rising costs, put a strain on clinical trials. By addressing these challenges with innovative technology, the industry was able to navigate 2024 successfully and is well-placed to continue to drive Medtech innovation in 2025.

AI: Optimizing Outcomes Before a Single Trial Patient Is Enrolled

The role of AI in Medtech trials continues to evolve, moving from improving operational efficiency and automating administrative tasks to more impactful uses such as predicting events and guiding decision-making. For example, AI can now be used to forecast patient enrollments and help sponsors ensure they are selecting sites that allow for more diverse populations. AI is truly revolutionizing the Medtech landscape, and this trend is set to continue, with Generative AI holding enormous potential to innovate the clinical trials process further in the coming years.

The most exciting development in the sector in the past year has been around In Silico Clinical Trials (ISCT). ISCTs are virtual trials that are run before physical trials, allowing inclusion and exclusion criteria to be refined and enriching virtual trials with virtual patients. This approach lowers patient risk, reduces trial size, and cuts costs – all while maintaining high-quality data. FDA product approvals based on trials that use this enriched data will be pivotal in validating the use of ISCT and, therefore, driving the adoption of such trials across the industry.

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Similarly, virtualization is also set to become even more prominent. For example, instead of physicians testing a new device directly on patients, they could first evaluate it on a virtual twin, which acts as a simulated model of the patient. This allows practitioners to test, measure, and predict outcomes in a risk-free environment, helping them make better decisions about which device is best suited to a patient’s needs.

Listening to Patients

Patients are increasingly advocating for changes to make Medtech more inclusive, accessible, and personalized. A key demand is addressing the gender variable in medical device trials to ensure that outcomes take account of the biological differences between men and women. There is also increasing demand for remote monitoring and telemedicine, particularly as patients seek more convenient, at-home solutions for trial participation and their daily healthcare. However, Medtech trials will always remain hybrid given they require a physical procedure to implant a device – this is an aspect that cannot be decentralized.

Related:Improving Patient Outcomes: Notable SaMD Cleared

Another significant trend we are seeing is patients increasingly asking for complete access to personal health data. Patients want to be able to access a central, secure location where they can view test results, surgical outcomes, and other health data. Whilst this can create challenges around data privacy, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance, it provides an opportunity to empower patients by helping them understand how their data is being used, managed, and protected.

Ultimately, patients want to feel empowered, informed, and actively involved in their trial or care journey. The Medtech sector has responded to this by creating secure, inclusive, and patient-centered tools and experiences that ensure that the physical and digital elements of healthcare work seamlessly. These tools improve accessibility while also supporting collaborative and personalized healthcare experiences, meaning that patients feel more engaged and involved in their trials or care.

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Cause for Optimism in 2025

Overall, 2025 is set to be another strong year for the Medtech industry, with strong growth and its role in clinical trials enhanced further. Data standardization and integration will be critical to enable health data to be shared and analyzed more efficiently, coupled with strong data privacy measures to ensure patient trust is maintained. Technological advancements such as AI-enabled imaging and diagnostics will continue to streamline clinical trials; and finally, an increased focus on sustainability in production and supply chains will ensure the sector is well-positioned for long-term growth. 

About the Author

Heidi Sernoff, MD

Director, Product Marketing Medtech, Medidata

Heidi Sernoff, MD, is Director, Product Marketing Medtech at Medidata, a Dassault Systèmes company. She has more than 20 years of experience in product development and medical devices marketing.

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