Medical devices: Chokepoints and risks
Syringes, implants, scanners, monitors and diagnostic tests for hospitals and clinics
Chokepoints and risks
- India imports about 70% of devices by value, including most imaging and electromedical equipment3.
- Ethylene oxide sterilisation handles roughly half of US sterile devices at a limited set of plants under tightening emission rules4.
- Helium for MRI comes from a few countries and price spikes or shortages hit imaging operators.
- Regulatory capacity limits: too few EU notified bodies forced the MDR transition to be pushed to 2027-2028, and slow approvals push small firms out5.
- Price caps and single-payer package rates compress margins for implants and consumables.