A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
In Praise of Practicality
Under most circumstances, I find practical to be a rather uninspiring adjective. Think of practical shoes or a practical car . . . what could be more drab? On the other hand, when an engineer finds a practical solution to a product design problem, the word takes on a whole new dimension. In that context, practicality is anything but mundane.
These thoughts ran through my mind following a discussion about this year's MEDTEC conference track with Gordon Higson, consulting director of Quintiles Medical Technology Consultants (Staines, Middx, UK) and a veritable font of knowledge on regulatory affairs. Throughout our conversation, Higson stressed the practical nature of the sessions that he will be chairing on the regulatory landscape of the EU. He summed up his approach as focusing on the very real practical problems affecting device manufacturers and offering suggestions on how to overcome them. That is an apt description of the philosophy behind MEDTEC's entire exhibition and conference programme.
According to Diane O'Connor, director of the trade show division at Canon Communications llc, which publishes EMDM, providing attendees with practical solutions to the myriad complex issues they must deal with on a daily basis is what MEDTEC is all about. "While the need for some theoretical information is recognized," says O'Connor, "our delegates want information that can be used within the next year. With that in mind, we always ask speakers to provide case studies, which more easily illustrate practical applications of the technical information delivered in their presentations."
On the legislative front, conference attendees will find an abundance of opportunities to clarify such tangled issues as national requirements on labelling, the status of non-CE-marked products in the marketplace, and design validation.
Matters of compliance are only part of the equation, of course, and design engineers and manufacturers attending MEDTEC will also learn about recent developments in materials, adhesives, sterilization processes, and design tools. These and related issues will be addressed in a number of sessions, including a two-part presentation sponsored by the Society of Plastics Engineers devoted to the selection of advanced thermoplastics and their medical applications and an overview of adhesives that combine biocompatibility, sterilization resistance, and processing ease. Here again, the thrust is not to dissert on how products and processes may evolve in the decades ahead. These discussions are focused on the means available today that can optimize device manufacture.
Following the conference, attendees are actively encouraged to visit the exhibition, where nearly 300 suppliers of products and services to the device industry are scheduled to set up shop. The conference and exhibition, adds O'Connor, are designed to work together, affording attendees every opportunity to find solutions to their varied business needs. "A concerted effort is made to address the information needs of medical manufacturers, both by means of product demonstrations and technical sessions," says O'Connor. "That is why our expositions and conferences usually share a common direction."
The overarching goal of MEDTEC is to fulfill a range of product sourcing and informational needs under one roof. "Rather than visit numerous product-specific shows, for example separate plastics and packaging events, medical device professionals can simply come to MEDTEC for one-stop shopping," says O'Connor. And what could be more practical--or exciting--than that?
MEDTEC returns to Amsterdam's RAI International Exhibition and Congress Centre 7–9 October. For more information on the conference, scheduled exhibitors, and special pavilions and events, turn to the MEDTEC Preview in this issue. To register to attend, contact MEDTEC, PO Box 12997, London NW5 2WX, UK; phone: +44 171 4854343; fax: +44 171 2672788; E-mail: Medtec.98@timeworks.co.uk.
Norbert Sparrow
