Analyst comment Asia-Pacific firms appeared to have been more
conservatively stocked during the early part of the conflict, offering more resilience to supply/delivery shocks. This may explain an initially relaxed view of events. European and North American firms are leaner – more efficient when supply is steady, more vulnerable when disruptions hit. The trend is worrying; the Covid-19 pandemic revealed vulnerabilities in the supply chain, which may still exist.
Impacts on hospitals and patients Across all these domains, implications for hospitals and patients are serious and growing: ■ Cost of care: Device price inflation combined with higher delivery costs squeezes hospital budgets. Some devices and consumables may become cost- prohibitive or force substitution to less-expensive, lower margin alternatives.
■ Access and timing may worsen: Minimal inventory plus logistic complexities equals greater risk of stock- outs, postponed surgeries, delayed diagnostics – especially pronounced in Europe and North America among firms with low buffer stocks.
■ Financial burden is shifting: In the US, higher device shipping and insurance costs can translate into greater patient fees or insurer premiums. In Asia, hospitals with public funding may face budget overruns; in low and middle-income regions, patients might be priced out.
■ Quality and safety risks might increase: Urgent or necessary devices may need to be sourced from less familiar suppliers or modes of transport, increasing risks of damage, regulatory non- conformity, or delayed certifications.
Closing insights: regional differences, supply chain risk and agility Regional variation matters. Asia-Pacific firms show greater inventory buffers and more readiness to absorb shocks, whereas Europe and North America appear leaner, more cost-sensitive, but also more exposed to cumulative risk. Many North American firms are not yet deeply affected but expect to be; this delayed acknowledgement could leave them scrambling if shocks deepen. European firms already bear ongoing burdens. Asia-Pacific seems slightly ahead in both impact felt and mitigation via buffering. Resilience depends on more than cost cutting. The ability to forecast and maintain buffer stocks, diversify suppliers, build redundancy in logistics and plan for escalations (emergency planning) has moved from best practice to industrial necessity. Agility is the new competitive edge. Firms that can adjust prices, shift ports/routes, renegotiate contracts, respond to regulatory changes or sanctions swiftly are better placed. Hospitals too must develop procurement flexibility, visibility into supplier operations and strategic stock policies.
www.medicaldevice-developments.com
Figure 4: Which challenges have been the most signifi cant of the Persian Gulf crisis?
100% 80% 60% 100% 40% 67% 20% 0% Asia-Pacific Europe
We have experienced signifi cant increases in delivery costs to our customers Our logistics chain has become signifi cantly more complex Our ability to deliver products to customers on time has worsened
Source: GlobalData, Online Medtech Industry Survey April-August 2026, 131 respondents in aggregate Figure 5: Medtech inventory levels in 2026
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%
33% 44% 5% 19% 32% 4%
12% 8%
Asia-Pacific We don’t have inventory 4 to 6 weeks Europe Less than 2 weeks More than 6 weeks Source: GlobalData, Online Medtech Industry Survey April-August 2026, 131 respondents in aggregate
In this era where war in the Gulf ripples through shipping lanes, energy markets and health inputs globally, medical device companies that stay cosy with just-in-time models or over-lean inventories are gambling on stability that no longer seems guaranteed. The Persian Gulf crisis is unlikely to be the last major geopolitical crisis of 2026. Its impact on medical manufacturing adds further fuel to the notion that resilience is becoming a more important factor in manufacturing than efficiency as we enter the second quarter of the 21st century. Those with foresight, flexibility and risk buffers may well set the difference between crisis and collapse in patient care. It is essential for medtech companies to develop full visibility of their supply chain and build alternatives. ●
To access the full report, visit the GlobalData Medical Devices Intelligence Centre:
www.globaldata.com/ industries/medical-devices.
11 © GlobalData. North America 2 to 4 weeks 43% 36%
8% 6%
11% © GlobalData. 33% 7% North America 100% 100% 100% 93%
39%
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