Pharmaceutical Training and the Medical Device Directive

As technology improves, the medical device industrythe medical device market.
keeps on growing. New products are developed andPharmaceutical training comes in several forms
old ones are modified. We now have devices ashowever the two most common are in-house training
simple as the triangle bandage and as complex as asessions and external training conferences.
prosthetic knee joint. People come into contact withThe first is where a pharmaceutical consultant will
medical devices on a daily basis, and modern medicinevisit the production premises and directly advise
would not be at the level it is today had thesemanagement and staff members on the techniques
devices not been developed.used, computer systems and storage facilities. They
Pharmaceutical training needs to be given tocan also help companies with areas of development
members of staff at hospitals, doctors surgeries,such as Clinical trials, research and laboratory
public places, even private places of work, whereverstructures.
there is a first aid officer practically. For theThe latter option is where employees will be sent out
manufacturers of these medical devices, they useto training sessions held by pharmaceutical
pharmaceutical training to advise them on theirconsultancy firms and the knowledge that they gain
processes and how they comply with the Medicalthere will then be communicated back to other
Device Directive. The MDD was published by theemployees once back at work. This is often a more
European Commission (EC) in June 1993 and describescost-effective method of pharmaceutical training on
the medical device industry in its member states.medical devices however if you have a large number
Manufacturers who supply or produce devices in theof staff involved in the process then you may want
territory covered by the EC need to keep up toto consider the first option as you will have training
date with any changes that are made to thecoming directly from the experts to your staff
directive in the way of appendices and add-ons.instead of through a chain.
These occur when there are major developments inIf your company manufactures medical devices and
the industry. They are by no means a regularyou sell your products in territory which falls under
occurrence however every time productionthe European Commission and the MDD, then you
companies come up with a new process or product,should think about having some pharmaceutical
they need to make sure that it meets the standardstraining, even if it just as a refresher course.
of the European Commission if they want to sell it on