DIA Europe 2023: Three key takeaways

Our recent attendance at DIA Europe 2023 in Basel, Switzerland, gave us the valuable opportunity to meet with trusted colleagues and make new connections with some of the brightest minds in the industry who are passionate about advancing health priorities. 

For 35 years, DIA Europe has been the largest neutral event in the European life sciences sector – the knowledge hub between science, healthcare, and regulation. Gathering innovative thought leaders from across the entire life sciences landscape, DIA offers attendees the opportunity to stay ahead of current developments within the industry. 

Read on for three key takeaways from the event.  

#1 The importance of translation technology for labeling 

One of the most complex and lengthiest aspects of life sciences labeling is efficiently managing the wide array of country-specific labels. These are required for multi-national clinical trials, application, and distribution, ensuring that all the label information is correctly translated and that the design and other label elements comply with relevant local regulations.  

To manage these dynamics and stay ahead of the competition, many leading companies are realizing the need for translation technology support for labeling and are now investing in implementing this. Learn how Loftware can significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to create, approve, and print country-specific labels in a recent report. 

#2 EU health policies and regulatory strategies take center stage 

The recent extension to the implementation of the EU MDR (European Medical Device Regulation) still presents challenges for medical device manufacturers. With more than 500,000 types of medical devices on the market, EU MDR has paved the way for applying a more patient-focused approach to regulations.  

Failure to comply with labeling challenges outlined in EUDAMED (European Database on Medical Devices) means that several companies will fail to register or re-register their products. Indeed, this will lead to the loss of the European market or an interruption in the supply chain. 

There is currently no doubt that companies are aware that labeling is a mission-critical aspect of the supply chain. However, too few companies have the labeling and packaging artwork solutions in place that will guarantee regulatory compliance, efficiency, validation, brand consistency, responsiveness, customer satisfaction, and revenue. Discover how medical device manufacturers can standardize and automate labeling and packaging across a global landscape to address pressing demands around EU MDR here. 

#3 The evolution of combination products for clinical trials 

Newly emerging products that combine drugs, devices, and biologics are expected to provide new opportunities in bridging device/drug capabilities and establishing synergies while bringing sophisticated combination products to consumers. The creation of these novel products has triggered new regulatory, strategic, and technological challenges. 

While progress has been made to clarify the issues that arise most frequently, regulatory authorities, product sponsors, and clinical organizations continue to struggle with complex regulatory and technical issues encompassing the development programs for combination products. A risk-based approach requires not only a strategy but also applications to define key indicators to measure specific risks. Watch our on-demand webinar to understand how changes in clinical research are driving transformation within the clinical trial supply chain.