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Public health

Healthcare technology, Personal/public health, Public health, Veterinary science, Women’s health

MDR and IVDR Revisions Bode Well for European Medtech Innovation

In December 2025, the European Commission unveiled proposed revisions to the EU’s Medical Device Regulation (MDR) and In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR). The changes aim to accelerate the path to market for medtech and digital health companies by making the rulebook easier to navigate without lowering the bar on patient safety. Innovators have greeted the announcement with cautious optimism.

The Portfolio Career: A New Prescription for Medicine’s Future

For many years, medicine has offered doctors a clear and stable path in clinical practice. But today, rising burnout, evolving patient needs, and rapid technological change are exposing the limits of that one-track career. Increasingly, physicians are redefining their roles, blending clinical work with research, policy, entrepreneurship, and more. These emerging portfolio careers may hold the key to personal fulfillment and a more resilient workforce, in medicine and beyond.

Before the Fall: Catching Cognitive Decline Early with Citizen Science

In Antwerp, a unique cohort of volunteers is helping to solve one of the world's most urgent medical challenges: the early detection of cognitive decline. While the study is local, its implications are global — providing the long-term data needed to understand the hidden years of decline in Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, to enable early diagnosis and intervention.

A Champions League of European Health Innovation Clusters

Recently at the Medicon Valley Alliance Summit in Copenhagen, the spotlight was on European competitiveness. In a keynote, panelists from four of Europe’s leading life sciences hubs shared their intention to establish a “Champions League” of clusters, working as a team to strengthen health innovation for Europe as a whole.

Safer drugs through smarter governance: How to strengthen global pharmacovigilance

Pharmacovigilance rarely makes headlines—until something goes wrong. A missed signal or a lack of coordination can have serious consequences when dealing with drugs. In today’s globalized biopharma landscape, pharmacovigilance isn’t just a box to tick—it’s a critical safeguard for both companies and the patients they serve. So how can companies improve their project governance to keep everyone safe?

The benefits of One Health in Flanders

Biovia is Europe’s first industry-led One Health innovation cluster—uniting medical biotech, medtech, digital health, agtech and industrial biotech to advance human and planetary health. Katrien Lorré explains how this unified approach benefits companies by unlocking opportunities and fostering a better environment for health innovation.

Life in plastic – not so fantastic

Researchers are sounding the alarm – there could be as much as a spoon’s worth of plastic inside our brain. Industrial activity, tire dust, lost fishing gear, and excessive use of disposable plastics are important drivers of microplastic pollution in our environment and, ultimately, in our bodies. While the full impact on human health is still being investigated, the fact that these particles can migrate into deeper tissues of our brain, crossing the blood-brain barrier, is worrying to say the least.

Belgian biotech retains its top position despite the turbulent times

Belgium’s biotech sector defied global headwinds in 2024, delivering growth and key milestones. The latest analysis compiled by KBC Securities and PMV for Biovia confirms Belgium’s leadership in European health innovation. But staying on top will demand continued resilience and strategic focus.

Belgian research pushes the boundaries of coronavirus treatment to prevent the next pandemic

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) SARS-CoV-2 is experiencing a resurgence, with the risk of future outbreaks from emerging variants remaining substantial. To stay ahead of the curve, continued investment in both preventative measures and novel therapies is vital. Groundbreaking Belgian research is leading the way with high-potential compounds targeting SARS-CoV-2, offering a promising new avenue for treatment and pandemic preparedness.

Antibiotic guidelines for food might underestimate the risk for bacterial resistance

Even ‘safe’ levels of antibiotics in food might fuel the next generation of superbugs. Even tiny traces of antibiotics in the meat and fish we eat could contribute to antibiotic resistance. According to research by the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) in Antwerp, as little as one tenth of the amount of antibiotics currently regarded as ‘safe’ by regulators is enough to trigger resistance in bacteria. Now, the scientists are expanding their research, initially performed on wax moth larvae, to mice and humans.

Luxembourg’s Vision for a Digital HealthTech Future

Luxembourg may be one of the smallest nations in the world, at just over 2,500 square kilometers and around 670,000 inhabitants, but it packs a punch in the global life sciences ecosystem. With world-class research institutes, startup accelerators, and the country’s growing digital prowess, Luxembourg is attracting global talent and putting digital healthtech solutions front and center. So, how did the Grand Duchy establish and grow its thriving research and startup landscape, and what is the vision for the future?

A data-driven solution to get children on the move

Children increasingly seek the comfort and entertainment of television, tablets and smartphones rather than playing outside. This reduction in physical activity has accelerated over the last few decades and has detrimental effects for children later in life. They are the future, so studying their development and lifestyle gives us a forecast of where we are heading. Are we moving towards a sedentary population? And if so, how can we alter our course?

Athlete versus pain, an inevitable battle?

Training session after training session, top athletes must push themselves to the limits to test their bodies. Although pain is a clear emergency signal, athletes in pain may push themselves even further. This makes them vulnerable to injuries and severe pain conditions including acute and chronic lower back pain. Although there are several treatment options to alleviate the symptoms, the treatment of acute and chronic pain is not straightforward. A multidisciplinary approach is required, and more treatment options are needed that focus on treating the underlying cause.

Will the looming pharma patent cliff start driving a super cycle of biotech deals?

After several years of dismal market activity, 2024 is already looking up for deals in the pharmaceutical industry, with a recent flurry of billion-dollar mergers and acquisitions. Is this trend being driven by the impending loss of revenue caused by soon-to-expire blockbuster drug patents? And what does it mean for earlier-stage biotech startups?

From successful conception to a healthy family – Belgian research raises the bar for IVF

Belgium is one of the top countries in the world for in vitro fertilization (IVF). Despite the high cumulative success rates of these interventions, disproportionally little attention has been given to the health of both mother and child during and after pregnancy. With the HEART (High risk for pre-Eclampsia after Assisted Reproductive Technology) project, Belgian researchers strive to understand why some women have an increased risk for pre-eclampsia after IVF and whether biomarkers can be identified to estimate these risks early in pregnancy or even before conception. They aim to raise the standard from successful conception to improved child and maternal health.