Philips partners with Medtronic to enhance stroke care

NETHERLANDS – Royal Philips, a leader in health technology, and Medtronic Neurovascular, an innovator in neurovascular therapies, have announced a strategic partnership to enhance timely stroke care delivery.

This initiative emphasizes the urgency of efficient stroke response to save lives and reduce long-term disability worldwide.

The announcement follows a recent collaborative effort between Philips and the World Stroke Organization (WSO), where they jointly published a policy paper calling for a transformation in stroke care.

 Their paper highlighted focused on the potential to improve millions of lives while reducing the economic burden on healthcare systems globally.

As established leaders in stroke diagnosis and treatment, Philips and Medtronic Neurovascular aim to raise awareness of the health and economic benefits of improving access to rapid stroke diagnosis and treatment.

In support of this mission, both organizations have strengthened their commitment to the WSO by joining its newly formed Advocacy Coalition.

This coalition brings together a diverse group of stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, patient groups, and policymakers, to create coordinated strategies that address the global stroke burden.

Stroke, a critical health issue, typically occurs due to a blockage in a brain blood vessel, leading to a lack of blood flow, oxygen deprivation, and potentially irreversible brain cell loss.

The condition affects approximately 12 million people globally each year and is responsible for a significant portion of global disability and mortality rates.

While it has traditionally been associated with older adults, the incidence among younger people has also been rising.

The direct and indirect costs of stroke care are estimated at a staggering US$900 billion annually, with projections indicating that these expenses could nearly double within the next 25 years.

Philips and Medtronic Neurovascular’s partnership with the WSO aims to create a global network of stroke care centers capable of providing comprehensive support—from initial diagnosis to rehabilitation.

Their combined efforts will focus on raising public awareness about stroke symptoms, advocating the need for immediate care, and increasing the accessibility of stroke-ready hospitals.

In addition, the organizations are committed to training healthcare professionals in the latest interventional techniques.

Leveraging technology, they plan to use advanced imaging and digital health tools to build integrated stroke care systems, fostering early diagnosis, effective treatment, and post-treatment monitoring.

Philips and Medtronic Neurovascular’s collaboration will be a focal point at the upcoming World Stroke Congress (October 23-26) in Abu Dhabi, where they will co-host a Stroke Advocacy roundtable session.

 This event builds on their active roles at previous global gatherings, including the United Nations General Assembly and the World Health Assembly, where they advocated for greater investment in stroke care infrastructure and supportive policy initiatives.

Commenting on the partnership, Carla Goulart Peron, Philips’s Chief Medical Officer, emphasized the company’s, Medtronic Neurovascular’s, and the WSO’s shared commitment to transform stroke care.

She expressed that with the aid of advanced technologies and a collaborative focus, immediate action is essential to ensure timely stroke care access for all patients, regardless of their location.

Supporting this vision, Signe Haughton, Chief of Staff and Senior Director of Medical and Government Affairs at Medtronic Neurovascular, supports this vision by remarking that “stroke care is a race against time.”

She highlighted that by joining forces, Philips and Medtronic Neurovascular can accelerate access to critical treatments, such as mechanical thrombectomy, while advocating for investments in global stroke care infrastructure to alleviate the burden on both patients and healthcare systems.

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