Medical Polymers 2006 International Conference, 6-7 June 2006 Cologne, Germany

Main Category: Medical Devices / Diagnostics
Article Date: 26 Dec 2005 - 13:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions

Medical device manufacturing is a high value marketplace, but one where mistakes can be very expensive. Materials are highly regulated and medical grades are subject to extensive quality controls and specified for particular applications. Polymers are being used in a broad range of items from bulk blood and drug infusion bags, tubing and catheters, to joint replacements, implants, cardiac stents and other intravascular devices, needle guards, tissue scaffolding, suture materials and wound adhesives

Rapra Technology Limited is pleased to announce the Fifth International Conference on Medical Polymers, to be held in Cologne, Germany 6-7 June 2006. This event brings together world experts in plastics and rubber to talk about the latest materials and tackling the issues affecting medical device manufacturers.

There are papers on the latest medical thermoplastics (Solvay Advanced Polymers, Du Pont de Nemours, Cyro Industries, Degussa AG and Eastman Chemical BV), including polyurethanes (Prof Mather) and thermoplastic elastomers (Consolidated Polymer Technologies). The ECVM will be discussing the role of PVC in healthcare. Borealis are giving a paper on polyolefins in healthcare and Topas Advanced Polymers are covering cycloolefin copolymers. There is also a session on silicone polymers.

Covance are discussing the regulations governing materials including testing and risk assessment. Gimac Microextruders will talk about the issues for medical processors. NuSil and Henkel Loctite are covering adhesives for medical devices.

Infection is a big issue for healthcare and it is common for biofilms to form on medical devices. Bio-Gate Bioinnovative Materials, TNO and Prof Missirlis are all presenting work on antimicrobial treatments for polymers.

Polymer textiles are playing an increasing role in medical devices, an area that will be discussed by RWTH Aachen and Heriot-Watt University.

Two aspects of medical device design will be covered - the environmental side and a new polymeric material for prototypes.

Drug delivery polymers will be covered by the Universities of Castilla-La Mancha and Queen's Belfast.

The use of polymers in medical technology continues to grow and provides high value business opportunities. Medical Polymers 2006 will appeal to anyone associated with the medical device industry. It will be of particular value for companies involved with design and manufacturing, raw material supply and compounding.

To register please contact the Conference Department at Rapra Technology Ltd, Shawbury, Shropshire SY4 4NR, UK. Tel: +44(0)1939-250383 Fax: +44(0)1939-25118 Email: conferences@rapra.net

Web site: www.medicalpolymers.org

Visit www.rapra.net for polymer publications, training courses, conferences, software & consultancy.