Shanghai 9th People's Hospital tops in innovative patents

Ti Gong

The National Medical Products Administration has added an auditory brainstem implant to its green channel for new medical device evaluation to help the hearing-impaired who are unable to use a cochlea implant.

The quick clinical trial and new device application are due to the successful medical transfer process of the innovative product, according to Shanghai 9th People's Hospital, which ranked first in a list of local city-level hospitals with the best medical innovation and transfer for commercial development and production.

The local health authority announced the 10 city-level hospitals with the greatest medical innovation transfer for patent index scores over the weekend.

Domestic hospitals excel in medical research but struggle to transfer results. Shanghai Medical Association's medical research management commission, which introduces the index, encourages the transfer of medical research achievements into commercial and industrial development and production as many research achievements only exist in paper and awards instead of benefiting patients.

The index will be promoted nationwide.

Shanghai 9th People's Hospital has dedicated itself to medical innovation and transfer, creating a full-chain platform for animal experimentation, ethics, clinical trials, patent applications, and transfer services for doctors and technicians.

It is now possible to apply for, maintain, transfer, and reward patents using a unique process. Over the last five years, the hospital has been granted 1,712 domestic patents and 10 international patents. Additionally, 90 innovation projects totaling 609 million yuan (US$85.3 million) have been transferred for commercial and industrial development.

Medical experts predict the hospital's auditory brainstem implant, China's first, will be mass-produced soon to help domestic patients with high-quality, low-cost products.