In a virtual event on 13th December 2023, the medical device industry joined together to work towards enhancing sterilisation oversight.
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Assistant's hand in gloves insert packaged dental instrument to the autoclave to sterilise.
The virtually hosted MedAccred Sterilization Town Hall brought together over 30 attendees, including representatives from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), leading medical device OEMs, and Contract Sterilisers.
Among the attendees were Chris Eustace, VP of global quality assurance at Sterigenics, who highlighted the value of MedAccred Sterilisation audits in preparing for regulatory perspectives. Meredith Andresen, quality systems director at Medtronic, emphasised the commitment to accredit all Sterilisers to MedAccred, stating, "It just makes sense." Also in attendance were Marine Vient, quality manager at Ionisos, Alberto Romeo, manager of global supplier quality at Stryker and Christophe Deneux, sr. director of global sterility assurance at BD.
The event featured discussions led by industry experts. Speakers addressed crucial topics relevant to the MedAccred Sterilization accreditation process and its significance in ensuring consistent/standardised oversight resulting in fewer redundant onsite audits. Bob Lizewski, VP of MedAccred, stressed that a unified accreditation approach is essential to maintain effective and efficient sterilisation oversight and ensure patient safety.
The Town Hall was driven by a collective effort to support MedAccred Sterilization audits. MedAccred Subscribers, including Medtronic, Stryker, and BD, unified to encourage Contract Sterilisers to pursue accreditation. The FDA, endorsing this approach, shared valuable perspectives during the event.
Looking ahead, plans for additional Town Halls in 2024 will be announced.