MedTechLabel project kicks off in Oslo

The MedTechLabel Project officially launched 27-28 April 2026 with a two-day kick-off meeting in Oslo, Norway, bringing together more than 60 consortium representatives and special invitees, both in person and online.

Led by project coordinators Anne Moen (University of Oslo) and Roger Peterson (Arthrex GmbH), the meeting provided an opportunity for partners to align on the project’s common vision, goals, and next steps. The consortium planned concrete steps to bring the project’s ambition to life: to develop a unified, harmonised digital labelling framework for medical devices and in vitro diagnostics.

Across the two days, participants explored key priorities for the first year of the project, including:

Mapping of standards and regulations
Stakeholder engagement, communication, and dissemination
Elements to consider in the development of the digital labelling framework: focus on users, account for real-world contexts, and validate the framework through realistic use scenarios
Challenges and potential solutions

The kick-off meeting underlined the importance of early stakeholder engagement and outreach as the basis for building consensus. It also highlighted the strength of MedTechLabel as a public-private partnership, bringing together partners with diverse expertise in research, healthcare, standards, medtech, supply chains, labelling, and sustainability. Many consortium members also bring experience from previous public-private IHI and IMI collaborations.

In addition, distinguished guests helped contextualise the project in the broader context of med tech innovation in Europe: Torgeir Erlandsen (VP of Arthrex GmbH), Nina Vøllestad (Department Head at the University of Oslo), Elin Olaug Rosvold (Head of the Helsam Institute at the University of Oslo); Jens Petter Berg, (Vice-Rector at the University of Oslo); Jeroen Schuermans (Director of Strategic Initiatives at MedTech Europe) and Ljubomir Manola, (Project Officer at the Innovative Health Initiative). With its ambitious goals now set, the MedTechLabel consortium looks forward to the work ahead and to advancing a unified digital labelling framework for medical devices and in vitro diagnostics.