International trade fairs COMPAMED and MEDICA will take place entirely online this year.
Having previously been set to go ahead in Düsseldorf, Germany, the events will now be launched as ‘virtual.COMPAMED’ and ‘virtual.MEDICA’, and are scheduled for 16 to 19 November 2020.
Both will also consist of three key online areas – a conference area for conferences and forums, an exhibition space where participants can demonstrate their products, innovations and ideas, and a networking plaza to host matchmaking.
Next year, COMPAMED 2021 and MEDICA 2021 are set to be held as hybrid events, meaning visitors to the Messe Düsseldorf trade fair centre will have access to live platforms and other digital offerings.
Wolfram Diener, Chairman and CEO of Messe Düsseldorf – the trade fair company that runs the events – said: “Our hygiene and infection protection plan was positively received by the exhibitors.
“The successive relaxations of the international travel rules in early summer meant that we had realistic hopes that both trade fairs would be able to be held successfully and safely. The development of the global pandemic must now, however, be re-evaluated.
“Against the backdrop of a multitude of travel limitations, and considering the very international demographic of COMPAMED and MEDICA in terms of both exhibitors and visitors, we must now focus solely on the virtual format this year.
“The essence of the COMPAMED and MEDICA brand is global broadcasting for exhibitors and visitors. This central core is still present this year – just not in the form of an event that demands physical presence, due to the pandemic.”
COMPAMED and MEDICA 2020
Prior to the recent upturn in Covid-19 cases across many parts of Europe, it had appeared that trade fairs in Germany could resume this year due to new health and safety protocols – such as the one put forward by Messe München in June.
Despite its events switching to an online format, however, Messe Düsseldorf has said participants can expect a comprehensive range of products and services from all sectors of the healthcare sector.
According to Horst Giesen, global portfolio director for health and medical technologies at Messe Düsseldorf, the firm has been “constantly expanding” its digital offerings and internet-based platforms over the past few years.
“On the dates of MEDICA 2020 and COMPAMED 2020, we will seek out the best elements for streaming from the 600 previously planned sessions for the specialist forums and conferences, working together with our cooperating associations and partners,” Giesen said.
“Participants can expect to see highlights with high relevance to the coronavirus, in particular, in these virtual formats.
“In addition, there will be diverse web presentations from exhibitors on their innovations and an online matchmaking area for making valuable business contacts, including a video web meeting function.”
COMPAMED and MEDICA are among the biggest medtech trade fairs in Europe – if not the world – and play host to both medical technology suppliers and OEMs (original equipment manufacturers).
Messe Düsseldorf claimed the two events brought in a combined total of more than 6,300 exhibitors last year, as well as 121,000 professional visitors from about 170 nations.
