Market Overview

MedTech (Medical x Technology) refers to products and services that provide new values by incorporating the latest technologies such as AI, IoT, XR (VR: Virtual Reality, AR: Augmented Reality, MR: Mixed Reality), 5G, and 4K/8K into the medical field, including medical treatment, diagnosis and treatment support areas.

In the medical field, there have been some attempts of developing products and services to provide new values by utilizing the latest ICT technologies for each of the areas of medical care, diagnosis and treatment. AI-embedded diagnosis assistant systems, 4K/8K endoscopic surgical systems, surgical operation assistance services utilizing XR, etc. have continued being launched.  

Noteworthy Topics

AI Utilization Invigorated with Increase in AI Medical Equipment and Systems in Place

Now that AI and other digital technologies are indispensable in the medical field, the way the medical care is provided is expected to dramatically change. As AI has been a prioritized strategy in the government policy, the efforts toward providing of a data platform as well as data utilization have been in progress. In particular, diagnosis support by utilizing medical image has been focused among AI utilization in the medical field.

Prior to 2018 in Japan, the efforts were centered on studies and verification research. However, pharmaceutical approval for AI-used diagnosis-supporting software in endoscopy has triggered the launches of products and services. As of February 2022, more than 20 product items mainly in the radiograph field have already obtained pharmaceutical approval and authentication.

In the regulation aspect, as a measures to prevent coronavirus infections, there have been some moves toward establishment of a regulatory framework for AI-utilized medical equipment, such as approval of AI products at an early stage, introduction of IDATEN (Improvement Design within Approval for Timely Evaluation and Notice) system, and forming of "DASH for SaMD (Software as a Medical Device)".

In addition, as a medical AI platform to integrate AI products and services underway to be built mainly by modality manufacturers, endeavors for social implementation have been accelerating. With data being essential for medical image equipment that utilize digital technologies, digital infrastructure including a public medical database structure has been underway as a national policy.  

Future Outlook

The market of AI systems for supporting diagnosis and that for supporting medical treatment is at a dawning period, where currently, the development of AI products mainly in the field of radiology is observed. In the FY2022 revision of medical service fees, AI technology has been added as facility requirement for the image diagnosis management premium 3, requiring a system for AI to be operated and managed at clinical on-site. In the situation where the interest to AI by physicians has been rising, adoption of AI diagnosis-support systems at large or mid-size hospitals, clinics, and medical examination facilities has been in progress, encouraging a shift from adoption to wide use.

Furthermore, in addition to shortage in health professions, backdrop against full-fledged promotions of workstyle reform has made earlier social implementation of AI-utilized business-support systems. In particular, higher demand for contactless has drawing attention to voice recognition technology. Also, development of medical-examination support AI systems has been in progress to forecast the status and prognosis of each patient by analyzing various data such as on image inspection, blood tests, biological information, nursing records, electronic medical records, medical check-up data, etc. In recent years, influx of companies not only the start-ups but also major IT companies and pharmaceutical manufacturers is observed to the AI solution market, enabling to forecast the disease risks, such as of irregular heartbeat and heart failure detecting from electrocardiogram data.

Thus, in association with future increase in the number of AI-equipped medical appliance products, diversification of AI applications is expected. AI and other technology-equipped diagnosis support systems or the medical-treatment support systems are likely to spread among medical institutions, which is projected to generate 16,000 million yen for the market of AI systems for assisting diagnoses/medical treatment by 2026, based on the sales at businesses.

Research Outline