TÜV SÜD Digital Dialogues 2023 will once again bring together experts and thought leaders from the medical device industry. The online event serves as an intensive exchange about current challenges in the industry and offers deeper insights into important topics. A total of seven talk show sessions will take place spread over the aforementioned period, with a talk format offered each week. This year’s Digital Dialogues are again aimed at manufacturers, regulatory representatives and quality, regulatory, product development and IT professionals in the healthcare and medical device industry who want to drive innovation and be leaders in the global marketplace.

Dr Royth von Hahn, Senior Vice President Medical & Health Services, emphasises the importance of the Digital Dialogues: "As the leading Notified Body for medical devices, we are actively committed to addressing the current challenges facing all stakeholders in the medical device field. Medical device testing and certification always focuses on patient safety and quality of life, and we are committed to quality and making innovation possible to meet these goals."

All moderated talk show sessions will take place as a live stream every Thursday from 15:00 to 15:45 (CET) from 12 October. 30 minutes of these are exciting talks, followed by a 15-minute Q&A session to answer participants’ questions. The sessions will be held in English and are free of charge. Additional content such as pre-recorded webinars on specific topics, white papers and checklists complement the talk sessions for participants.

Programme details (subject to change at short notice):

12 October:
"Unleashing the power of innovation in medical device testing", Manfred Appel.
In the ever-evolving field of medical device manufacturing, the pursuit of innovative products and their timely testing is of utmost importance. Unleashing the power of innovation is critical to improving patient safety and taking medical care to a new level. Only continuous research and development and collaboration between different stakeholders can ensure that tomorrow’s medical devices meet the highest standards.

19 October:
"State of the Heart", Matthias Bellmann.
Heart valve prostheses, both bioprosthetic and mechanical, have saved lives, but they have drawbacks: they often require later replacement, which comes with risks, and often require lifelong use of anticoagulant medication. Can additive manufacturing with polymers solve these problems? A look at cardiovascular future trends and the status quo of technologies.

26 October:
"Navigating the EU market to place innovative devices", Dr Royth von Hahn & Dr Sabina Hoekstra.
Navigating the EU market to place innovative medical devices requires a deep understanding of regulatory requirements and market dynamics. The two TÜV SÜD experts provide insights into how innovative devices can also find their way onto the European market with the MDR and IVDR.

2 November:
"Enhancing and protecting the future healthcare with Cybersecurity and AI", Dr Abtin Rad.
The integration of AI into medical devices and the cybersecurity of these devices are important areas of concern at the same time. AI-powered medical devices offer improved diagnostic and treatment capabilities, but also raise questions about the privacy and reliability of the algorithms. Cybersecurity is critical to protect these devices from potential hacking, data breaches and unauthorised access. A talk session on compliance options and TÜV SÜD’s role as a global expert in digital technologies.

9 November:
"Biocompatibility unlocked – Paving the way for safe medical devices", Dr Christina Reufsteck.
The MDR contains requirements for the biocompatibility of medical devices. Manufacturers face the challenge of demonstrating compliance with these requirements for both new and old devices. This raises some relevant questions that will be discussed in this talk session.

16 November:
"Embracing the In Vitro Diagnostics Regulation: Achieving compliance excellence", Marta Carnielli.
The 2022 extension of the deadline under Regulation 2017/746 gives manufacturers more time to align their IVD products to the new requirements of the IVDR. The talk session will look at what needs to be considered.

30 November:
"Surging demand for MRI compatible products in the market", Mahdi Abbasi.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an extremely valuable diagnostic tool. But the electromagnetic fields generated by MRI scanners can interact with medical devices and implants, causing risks such as force, torque and irreversible damage from extreme heat. Expert Mahdi Abbasi goes into detail in the talk session.

Further information and registration for the Digital Dialogues at: https://www.tuvsud.com/en/events/digital-dialogues