In this issue

Like practically every industry, healthcare is steadily increasing its reliance on digital technologies, and Covid-19 has only accelerated the process. The widespread adoption of telemedicine by doctors and GPs, for example, has reduced disruption to medical diagnosis and treatment during the pandemic. But does this move towards tech-focused healthcare always benefit patients? In this issue, we explore how the rise of digital technologies is changing the doctor-patient relationship and where the limits of this evolution lie.

We also find out how far 3D printing has come in supporting surgery and explore the technology’s future potential for the healthcare market, and look into the many ways in which artificial intelligence has disrupted healthcare over the past year, including the role it has played in disease surveillance during spread of Covid-19.

The pandemic has led to unprecedented demand for medtech products, opening the doors for innovation and investment the likes of which the sector has never seen before. Unfortunately, it has also made the market more vulnerable to fraudsters. We investigate the increase of fraudulent activity in the medtech sector, how it is affecting patients, and how legitimate companies can protect themselves.

Eloise Mclennan, editor