On November 1, 2017, the Indiana Medical Device Manufacturers Council (IMDMC) held its annual conference. Speakers included Dr. Suzanne Schwartz with the FDA, Rob Lyles, President Cook Regentec and Dr. Ralph Hall from the University of Minnesota. As IMDMC Vice President and Business Development Committee Chair, Genesis Plastics Welding President and CEO, Tom Ryder is proud to be a part of a valuable Indiana organization that is actively providing aid to members through collaboration, education, and advocacy.
The 2017 IMDMC Annual Conference was filled with industry insights and food for thought as the medical device industry continues to grow and innovate. Three main shares from the conference stood out for our Genesis Plastics Welding team.
Three Take-Aways from 2017 IMDMC Annual Conference
Since 2010 there have been incredible scientific advances in regenerative medicine technology. Same patient cell therapies are providing for patient healing and will continue to be a part of our future, thus requiring new medical devices to administer and grow these cutting-edge therapies.
Health data is a tempting target for thieves. Did you know an individual’s medical data is 50% more valuable to a thief over credit card information? Medical data often includes personal identifiers, such as full names, birth dates and other basic identifying information that assist thieves in stealing identities and committing fraud. Lucrative identify theft kits sold over the dark web fetch upwards of $1,500 and far more when medical data is included that can be used to obtain prescription drugs illegally and commit insurance fraud. Cybersecurity is an important topic for all within the medical device industry, as we seek ways to ensure the security of patient information.
As the FDA works on re-organization of a decades-old system to be more aligned for the future of medical devices, we all will need to shift our mindset to consider scenarios beyond intended device use and integrate threat modeling into the picture. Security should be a key variable in the development review for every new smart medical device.
“As our industry continues to move forward, we all must foster a culture of collaboration,” said Ryder. “Medical device innovation is moving at light speed and information sharing is key as we consider a product’s lifecycle and potential risks.”
IMDMC Announces Anne Hathaway as new Executive Director
Recognizing Kathy Heuer for her service during the 2017 IMDMC Annual Meeting.
The 2017 annual conference ended with a tribute to outgoing Executive Director Kathy Heuer. “We are extremely grateful to Kathy for her leadership and contributions over the last few years,” said Ryder. “I wish her the very best in retirement.”
Anne Hathaway of Hathaway Strategies was announced as the new Executive Director for IMDMC. Meet Hathaway and learn more about her background in a recent IMDMC release.