How Do You Tackle Patents with Medical Product Design? | News

Medical product innovation doesn’t just demand great design, it also requires comprehensive protection. At IDC, we help clients develop innovative, manufacturable products while navigating the complex world of intellectual property (IP) and patents. This ensures that your idea can make it to market without infringing existing patents and that your innovation is protected from copycats.

In this article, we outline how IDC approaches patents during the medical product design process and share practical insights from our projects.

Why Patents Matter in Medical Product Design

Medical device development is one of the most competitive sectors in the innovation economy. A single breakthrough can create huge commercial opportunities, but the barriers to entry are significant. Patents not only protect novel technology but also establish a defensible commercial advantage, they are both a shield and a lever for growth.

However, the risks of neglecting IP are equally powerful. Patent conflicts can trigger costly legal disputes, delay time-to-market, or even prevent launch altogether. That’s why our team at IDC integrates IP strategy from the earliest stages of every project. Whether you’re an ambitious start-up or a global healthcare brand, safeguarding your innovation, while avoiding the pitfalls of existing IP, is essential to delivering a successful medical product.

IDC’s Approach to Navigating Patents

At IDC, our multi-disciplinary team blends design innovation with technical feasibility and regulatory insight. When it comes to patents, we apply a structured but flexible process:

• Patent landscaping: Mapping the existing IP landscape to reveal risks and opportunities

• Design-around strategies: Generating multiple concepts that sidestep known patents while maintaining functionality

• Collaboration with IP attorneys: Aligning our design intent with your legal strategy for maximum protection

• Documentation for filings: Creating high-quality CAD visuals and technical specifications to strengthen patent applications

• Freedom to Operate (FTO) awareness: Ensuring the final design is commercially viable without infringing existing protections

Crucially, this is not a standalone exercise. It is embedded throughout our medical product design workflow, from front-end research through to prototyping and manufacturing.

Real-World Examples from IDC

Patents influence everything from mechanisms to external form. Here are a few examples of howwe have helped clients navigate IP challenges in real medical product designs:

Injection Pen Design

Injection devices are one of the most competitive areas of medical product design, with a crowded IP landscape and stringent usability requirements. IDC has worked on a wide range of injection pens, ensuring that each concept both avoids existing patents and delivers an excellent patient experience.

Take a deeper look at our work on injection pen design and development.

Everest Inhaler

This compact dry powder inhaler had to be cost-effective, user-friendly and IP-clear. IDC developed an internal mechanism that delivered dose consistency while avoiding infringement on existing delivery systems. We also provided visuals and data to support the client’s new patent application.

Thermal Imaging Device

For this diagnostic product, IDC designed a new housing system to integrate thermal technology into a portable medical-grade device. IP scoping at the beginning helped us propose novel design directions that supported rapid filing and future commercial protection.

Design Around Existing Patents

Sometimes innovation means working within a crowded patent landscape. At IDC, we use a “design around” method, identifying what’s already protected and finding new, non-infringing solutions.

This might involve:

• Rethinking the mechanical principle

• Using a novel material or actuation method

• Altering the user interface

• Innovating on usability rather than function

Our in-house prototyping team helps prove these concepts quickly, often during early-stage iteration. Learn more about our prototyping and production services, or chat with our team today to see how we can bring your product to life.

Protecting Your IP With Strong Documentation

Once a unique idea has been developed, documenting it effectively is key to a successful patent filing. Our engineering and CAD teams produce clear, technically accurate drawings and exploded views that align with IP office requirements.

This includes:

• Precise 3D CAD of mechanisms

• Annotated images of key technical features

• Functional diagrams

• Animation or usage flows (when required)

IDC also supports you post-filing, especially if design tweaks are needed during regulatory or tooling phases.

How IDC Supports Clients at Every Step

Whether you're entering a new product category or adding to a patented portfolio, IDC supports your journey with:

• Front-end patent scoping

• IP-sensitive design exploration

• Rapid prototyping to validate design-around concepts

• Technical input into patent filings

• Manufacturing handover that preserves IP integrity

We also published a detailed article on IP considerations in medical product design which shares more guidance for developers and innovators.

Explore More with IDC

At IDC, our goal is to help you innovate safely - without IP surprises down the line. Explore our case studies to see how patents and product design work together in the real world, or learn more about our full medical design process.

Interested in working with IDC on your next project?

Get in touch to speak with our expert team about designing a medical product that’s innovative, user-centred and patent-ready.