Espicom's in-depth medical device market reports are ideal for executives wanting to understand the key drivers in medical markets and have access to a wealth of statistical data. Each report opens with an outlook section that provides analysis of the market, 5-year market forecasts, national data projections, market outlook and key developments such as regulation, health facilities and government policy. The report also provides extensive background information, population trends, health status, health expenditure, organisation & administration, hospital services, medical personnel, healthcare development, market access information, trade data and essential industry contacts. Included with the report are 3 free quarterly updated outlook reports, enabling you to keep up to date with market developments for a year. France is the fourth largest medical device market in the world, ranking behind the USA, Japan and Germany. The French medical device market is increasingly supplied by the foreign sales subsidiaries of multinational companies, several of which manufacture within France having bought up smaller indigenous firms. Many distributors are also involved in re-exporting to French-speaking Africa.

Medical device imports reached US$8.1 billion in 2006, although not all imported products are destined for the domestic market. In recent years, imports have grown at a faster rate than the overall market; due partly to a rise in re-exports in certain sectors, most notably pacemakers.

The continuing deficit of the national health insurance funds, which finance the majority of health expenditure, has prompted a series of reform programmes for the health sector. The latest has been drawn up by the new president, Nicolas Sarkozy, who took office in May 2007.

New measures have recently been taken to control spending on medical devices, similar to those already in force for pharmaceuticals. For this reason, the medical market is only likely to see moderate growth, rising from US$7.52 billion in 2007 to US$9.75 billion by 2012.

Prospects for medical equipment manufacturers remain promising as a result of several initiatives intended to allow France to make good its shortfall in some equipment areas, most notably imaging and radiotherapy equipment, as part of a ten billion euro hospital investment programme. A second programme with similar levels of investment is set to run from 2008-2012.