About AMDD
Chairman’s Introduction
I, David W. Powell, was appointed second chairman of the American Medical Devices and Diagnostics Manufacturers’ Association (AMDD) on April 1. Since 2008, I have served as president of Johnson & Johnson K.K., based in Tokyo, overseeing J&J’s medical device businesses. I joined J&J in 2001, have nearly 20 years experience in the medical device industry, along with other professional experience.
Founded exactly one year ago, the AMDD represents the Japanese operations of 65 companies headquartered in the United States that provide medical devices, in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) and other advanced medical technology. AMDD members create jobs for about 13,000 people in Japan through various technologies ranging from artificial pacemakers, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators and prosthetic heart valves to catheters for percutaneous coronary intervention to stent grafts, artificial joints and other materials for plastic surgery to intraocular lenses to large-screen diagnostic devices to genetic diagnostics and IVD to system devices.
Our priority issue is to deliver the latest medical technology to Japanese patients as quickly as possible. I find it very unfortunate that many advanced medical technologies introduced in other countries worldwide with high appraisal are not possible to contribute for saving life and improving QOL of Japanese patients. To resolve such “device lags” and “device gaps,” I hope to cooperate with AMDD members and hold discussions with relevant divisions of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare regarding the problems faced by medical devices of all sizes and IVD.
Invigorating the Japanese medical technology industry requires that we cooperate with and make continuous proposals to groups in Japan and Europe, and seek appropriate pricing that promotes innovation in advanced medical technology. The AMDD will continue to cooperate with the Japanese government, medical societies and related industry groups, maintain collaboration with the United States government and the Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) based in the US, and promote activities that aim to realize the quick and appropriate introduction of advanced medical technology of a global standard to Japanese fields of health care and the overall control and appropriate distribution of medical expenses.
We will also strive to build close relationships with patients, medical professionals and policy makers, and together with our member companies, work toward valuable advances in medical technology in Japan. I look forward to your continued guidance and encouragement for AMDD.
David W. Powell
Chairman, American Medical Devices and Diagnostics Manufacturers’ Association (AMDD)
President, Johnson & Johnson K.K.
President, Johnson & Johnson K.K., Medical Company
