How active is Tamil Nadu in R&D for medical devices?
Tamil Nadu is actively enhancing its research and development (R&D) capabilities in the medical device sector through strategic policies, infrastructure development, and fostering industry-academia collaborations. Key initiatives include:
1. Tamil Nadu Life Sciences Promotion Policy 2022:
- Objective: To attract ₹20,000 crore in investments and generate 50,000 jobs in the life sciences sector, encompassing medical devices, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals.
- Strategies:
- Establishment of biotechnology and pharmaceutical parks, medical device parks, and centers of excellence.
- Provision of incentives such as capital subsidies, training subsidies, and land cost incentives to promote R&D activities.
- Simplification of regulations to improve the ease of doing business for life sciences firms.
2. Research & Development Policy 2022:
- Goal: To double R&D expenditure across government, higher education, and private sectors by 2030, thereby transforming Tamil Nadu into a knowledge-based economy.
- Focus Areas:
- Increasing the number of researchers and scientists.
- Enhancing innovation outputs such as patents and publications.
- Developing a synergistic innovation ecosystem comprising research parks, centers of excellence, and innovation hubs.
3. Establishment of Medical Device Parks:
- Infrastructure Development: The State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu (SIPCOT) is developing a greenfield Medical Devices Park at Oragadam in Kancheepuram district.
- Facilities: The park will offer shared amenities, including a radiation sterilization facility and design centers, to support medical device manufacturing and R&D.
4. Industry-Academia Collaborations:
- Healthcare Technology Innovation Centre (HTIC): Located within the IIT-Madras Research Park, HTIC collaborates with financial institutions, technology industries, and academic entities to facilitate the exchange of ideas and development of prototypes in healthcare technology.
- Centre for Healthcare Advancement, Innovation, and Research (CHAIR) at VIT Chennai: This center focuses on:
- Developing innovative products that bridge the gap between healthcare sciences and technological transformation.
- Creating low-cost, flexible, novel 2D-nanomaterial-based biosensors with high sensitivity for cancer imaging and targeting.
5. National Policy Alignment:
- National Policy on R&D and Innovation in Pharma-MedTech Sector: Tamil Nadu aligns with national initiatives, such as the establishment of medical device parks, to promote research and innovation in the medical device sector.
Through these concerted efforts, Tamil Nadu is strengthening its R&D ecosystem in the medical device industry, fostering innovation, and positioning itself as a leading hub for medical technology advancements.
