MDMA Hosts Heads of CMS and FDA at Upcoming Annual Meeting

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Medical device industry leaders, lawmakers, and government officials will gather for the 12th annual meeting of the Medical Device Manufacturers Association (MDMA) June 14-15, 2006 at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Mark McClellan, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), will address the group, marking the fifth year he has attended. Meeting attendees also will receive a firsthand FDA update from the agency's acting commissioner, Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach.

"MDMA's annual meeting provides industry executives with an educational and interactive program designed to address the critical issues facing innovative and entrepreneurial medical technology companies," said Mark B. Leahey, executive director of MDMA. "The meeting also gives industry leaders the opportunity to network with colleagues and hear from lawmakers and leading government officials."

Other confirmed speakers include Dr. Dan Schultz, director of the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health and Tom Gustafson, deputy director of the Center for Medicare Management at CMS.

Expert panels comprised of senior staff from Congress, FDA, CMS, industry and the financial services sector will discuss challenges for medical technology progress. In addition to FDA topics and Medicare reimbursement issues, the meeting will feature sessions on market access, including device contract gainsharing and hospital group purchasing organization reform; federal healthcare compliance; and effective patent strategies.

 Source: Medical Device Manufacturers Association (MDMA)