| Objective:To identify the key medical technology frontiers by applying quantitative and qualitative methods
collectively.Methods:Patent data in three fields of pharmaceutical technology, biomedical technology and medical devices were
searched in the Thomson Innovation, and the methods of patentometrics and statistical trend analysis were used to analyze the patent
data. The subfields chosen as frontiers had high standardized average of patent application quantities (pharmaceutical technology,
biomedical technology and medical devices were selected with the standardized average of more than 10%, 15% and 20% of the
subfields, respectively), or had significant increasing trend (P<0.05 and b>0).Results:There were 12 medical key technology frontiers, 4
in pharmaceutical technology, they were natural products, general, heterocyclics and other organics; 4 in biomedical technology, they
were diagnosis and detection of diseases, gene therapy technology and nucleotide drugs, protein and polypeptide drugs, and biosynthesis
technology; and 4 in medical devices, they were electrical medical equipment, diagnosis and surgery equipment, sterilising, syringes and
electrotherapy equipment, and medical aids and oral administration equipment.Conclusion:There were 12 medical key technology
frontiers by applying quantitative and qualitative methods collectively, and patent analysis could offer the comprehensive technology
development and characteristics of the frontier, which could provide data and information for the development of medical technology
policy. |
