Medical Devices and Equipment: Competitive Conditions Affecting U.S. Trade in Japan and Other Principal and Foreign Markets. Investigation No. 332-474

摘要

This report examines competitive conditions affecting U.S. sales and trade of medical devices and equipment in Japan and other principal foreign markets, for 2001-5, with a focus on comparing the regulatory conditions in the Japanese market with those of the other major foreign markets for U.S.-made medical devices. The United States, the European Union(EU), and Japan together account for about 90 percent of global production and consumption of medical devices. Medical devices range from relatively homogeneous, commodity-type items such as tongue depressors, syringes, intravenous and blood administration apparatus, and other general hospital supplies to more advanced products, including cardiac pacemakers, defibrillators, and stents; electromedical therapeutic, monitoring, and imaging devices and apparatus; in vitro diagnostics; and implantable orthopedic and prosthetic devices and appliances.