Equity in medical devices: a socio-technical approach

The UK’s government independent review on Equity in Medical Devices highlights how social inequalities can worsen due to how these medical devices are designed, developed, and used. It points out that biases in these processes can lead to unfair distribution of benefits, making existing health gaps even worse. The authors of this paper explain that various social, cultural, political, and economic factors significantly impact the results and access to medical devices, often leaving some groups behind. This is based on research from the Equitable Technology Laboratory, conducted in collaboration with the University of York.

Using continuous glucose monitoring devices as an example, the authors show how these technologies can harm patient wellbeing, devalue patient knowledge, and prioritize political interests over patients’ needs. These ongoing issues call for a significant rethink of how we innovate medical devices, pushing for fairness as a key goal and a moral responsibility.

To tackle these problems, the authors suggest a plan for equitable innovation that values collaboration in design. This means considering everyone’s experiences, power relationships, and social situations in technology development.