The Evolution of Ireland’s Medical Device Cluster and Its Future Direction

David McKernan and Olivia McDermott ()
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David McKernan: College of Science and Engineering, National University of Ireland, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland
Olivia McDermott: College of Science and Engineering, National University of Ireland, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 16, 1-19

Abstract: Ireland has developed a highly successful medical device cluster. Most of the industry started from USA multinationals that moved to Ireland in the 1990s. An ecosystem has now developed with strong linkages between universities, start-ups, multinationals, venture capital, suppliers, and supporting industries. This paper explores the Medical Device cluster in Ireland. It characterizes the industry through the companies, innovation, products, markets, and regulatory framework. It concludes that the Irish MedTech industry is successful but has been highly dependent on USA multinationals that established themselves here in the 1990s. Based on this, we summarize the opportunities and threats the industry now faces. This is one of the first studies that categorized the MedTech industry in Ireland. This study will provide valuable insights to aid government policy to sustain the medical device cluster in Ireland as well as provide insights into other countries.

Keywords: cluster; MedTech industry; Ireland; PEST analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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