Analysis The most impactful emerging industry trends
Minimally invasive devices, remote patient monitoring, precision and personalised medicine, and regulation and reimbursement policies were rated as the most impactful industry trends for 2026 Survey fi elded September 3, 2025 to November 7, 2025
Minimally invasive devices Remote patient monitoring
Precision & personalised medicine Regulations & reimebursement policies Supply chain challenges Point of care diagnostics Mobile health
Digital therapeutics Smart hospitals Telehealth
Regenerative medicine Liquid biopsy Nanomedicine
Sustainability & waste management
4.14 4.11
4.02 4.01
3.80 3.73
3.68 3.65
3.56 3.43
3.31 3.31
3.05 3.00
Q: On a scale of 1-5, please rate the anticipated impact of the following trends on the medical device industry in the next 12 months (1 indicates no impact, 5 indicates high impact). Source: GlobalData, The State of the Medical Device Industry
healthcare’s long-term ambitions. Ageing populations, rising chronic disease and pressure on hospital capacity all point towards more care delivered at home. GlobalData notes growing adoption of connected monitoring devices and significant opportunity beyond North America and Europe. In many regions the appeal is obvious: digital monitoring can extend the reach of scarce clinical staff. Yet adoption increasingly hinges on trust. Patients worry about how their health data is stored and shared. Hospitals worry about cybersecurity risks. Regulators worry about uncontrolled data flows. Those concerns are not abstract. In connected healthcare, a security failure quickly becomes a clinical problem. Patients stop using systems they do not trust, and hospitals hesitate to adopt technologies they believe could expose their networks. As a result, manufacturers are discovering that governance matters as much as hardware. Buyers want to know which patients benefit, how alerts are managed and how systems behave in real-world conditions. Platforms that answer those questions tend to scale fastest.
Visible change in the operating theatre Among emerging technologies, robotics occupies an unusual position. It combines futuristic appeal with immediate operational impact. In GlobalData’s survey, AI, big data and cybersecurity rank as the most influential technology trends. But when respondents were asked to choose a single technology with the greatest impact, robotics placed just behind AI. The reason is practical. Data strategies are essential but often invisible to clinicians. Robotics changes daily practice. It affects operating theatre workflows, surgeon ergonomics and rehabilitation processes. Market forecasts reflect the momentum. GlobalData estimates the AI-in-medical-devices market could reach
www.medicaldevice-developments.com
roughly $11.9bn by 2029, while robotic surgery could grow to about $16.2bn by 2034. For device manufacturers, the strategic question is whether robotics becomes a broader platform integrating instruments, imaging, software and services. Companies that achieve that integration tend to build more durable competitive advantages.
Cybersecurity and supply chains The sector’s opportunities are technological. Its constraints are operational. As devices become increasingly connected, cybersecurity risks grow alongside them. Infusion pumps, cardiac implants and imaging systems are now part of hospital networks. Security failures therefore carry clinical implications, not merely technical ones. Supply chains present a second challenge. The industry still relies heavily on complex global sourcing networks, leaving manufacturers exposed to disruption. Trade policy adds another layer of uncertainty.
Tariffs on imported components could raise costs for companies dependent on international suppliers. In regulated industries, switching suppliers can also trigger new regulatory approvals, delaying production as well as increasing expenses. China’s dual role as both manufacturing hub and major healthcare market complicates matters further. Rising geopolitical tensions could force companies to redesign supply networks. Operational discipline – mapping supply exposure, diversifying suppliers and coordinating regulatory teams – is therefore becoming a competitive capability. ●
To access the full report, visit the GlobalData Medical Devices Intelligence Centre:
www.globaldata.com/ industries/medical-devices.
$16.2bn
The amount that robotic surgery could grow to by 2034.
GlobalData 11
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