MTAA Xmas Shutdown

The Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA) gives notice that there will be a shutdown period between:

Close 5pm AEDT Friday 22nd December 2017
Re-open 9am AEDT Tuesday 2nd January 2018
 

MTAA wishes its members, associates, stakeholders, partners and friends a happy and safe Christmas and New Year.

*Please note this is the final Pulseline newsletter for 2017.  Pulseline will resume on the 10th January 2018 with lots of updates coming early in the New Year!

Introduction to Operating Theatre Protocols 2018 courses available

New Introduction to Operating Theatre Protocols have been announced in Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane for 2018.  Get ahead of the queue and book early!

1.5 Introduction to Operating Theatre Protocols (9th February, 2018) Melbourne
1.5 Introduction to Operating Theatre Protocols (23rd February, 2018) Sydney
1.5 Introduction to Operating Theatre Protocols (27th February 2018) Brisbane
1.5 Introduction to Operating Theatre Protocols (23rd March, 2018) Sydney
1.5 Introduction to Operating Theatre Protocols (10th April, 2018) Melbourne

More face-to-face and online courses available via the Training Module Library

*Please note: Members need to be registered and logged into the website to receive the Member discounts.

Please email pd@mtaa.org.au for booking assistance or contact MTAA Professional Development Manager Lee Grow at lgrow@mtaa.org.au for more information.

Medical device regulation - A challenging & changing area

Article originally written by Dr John Skerritt Australian Department of Health, Therapeutic Goods Administration as featured in the November 2017 edition of Health Voices Consumers Health Forum.

"Today’s rapidly evolving healthcare system, along with the expectations by patients and clinicians of rapid access to new treatments, has created some important challenges for regulators.

In several ways, regulation of devices poses greater challenges that that of prescription medicines. On one hand, the range of technologies and of products is greater, while on the other, it is more challenging to gather in-depth clinical data prior to regulatory submission."

MedTech startups get time in sun

Article originally written by Felicity Nelson as featured in The Medical Republic.

"Medical technology startups in Australia have often been starved of love and attention, but that could be about to change...

Australia has a grand history of healthcare research investment. We can boast the invention of the pacemaker, ultrasound and the bionic ear.

But when it comes to supporting startups today, Australia falters, says Actuator CEO Buzz Palmer in a whitepaper on innovation, which has gained the endorsement of the NSW Health, the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA), and industry leaders such as Medtronic."

State of the Innovation Nation Report

There are more than 10,000 high-growth firms in Australia at any given time and these firms make a disproportionate contribution to the country’s jobs and growth, according to an Australian Government report.

Assistant Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, Craig Laundy, said the latest annual Australian Innovation System Report found innovation is a key driver of high-growth firms. Since 2010, the Australian Innovation System Report series has been tracking the performance of core components of the innovation system.

The 2017 report uses newly obtained data from the Business Longitudinal Analysis Data Environment (BLADE) to analyse the phenomenon of high-growth firms in Australia.

Health-adjusted life expectancy in Australia report

As Australians are living longer, it is important to understand whether people are spending
more years in good health or more years living with illness. The measure of health-adjusted life
expectancy (HALE) can be used to understand this.

• Life expectancy in Australia for males born in 2011 was 79.9 years and for females it was 84.3 years.
• A boy born in 2011 could expect to live 89% of his life in full health while a girl could expect to live 88% of her life in full health.
• People aged 65 in 2011 could expect just over three-quarters of their remaining years to be lived in full health.
• People in remote and very remote areas fared worse than people in major cities—they had both shorter life expectancy and expected more of their lives in ill health.
• Those living in major cities expected to live more years in full health: 5.5 more years for males and 6.9 more years for females.

TGA releases its Business Plan for 2017-18

The TGA Business Plan sets out the product regulation, regulatory reform and international engagement agenda for 2017-18 and the steps undertaken to achieve the vision.

"Better health and wellbeing for all Australians through regulatory excellence"

The TGA Business Plan is updated annually and is a central part of the activity planning and performance monitoring framework.

Earn your regulatory affairs qualification online in 6-12 months

Developed by industry experts, the University of Wollongong’s Graduate Certificate in Regulatory Science is an online course that will give you the qualification you need as a regulatory affairs specialist.

This course, which can be completed in 6 or 12 months, will help you:

• Build a portfolio of practical experience in navigating regulatory frameworks that you can apply at your firm.
• Get industry-focused applied course content, delivered by industry experts.
• Understand how quality management systems can generate competitive advantage for your firm.
• Get ahead of the potential industry changes to regulations, which may require university qualifications.

UOW has government subsidised places available for domestic students studying this course (see Commonwealth Supported Places).

Final Call: Funding for Health Sector Women Available

Women currently working in the health sector have a final opportunity to register their interest in a scholarship worth up to $8,000 to support participation in an accredited leadership development program.  

Funding must be apportioned by the end of 2017 and it is unsure when these grants will be available again. Find out more and register your interest by completing the Expression of Interest form here prior to December 15 2017.

Call for abstracts for the 42nd World Hospital Congress

The Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association is calling for Abstracts for the 42nd World Hospital Congress to be held in Brisbane next October. Australian and international health sector leaders wishing to present their work, orally or as a poster, at the Congress are invited to submit abstracts of no more than 500 words by 15 January 2018, using the online submission form.

The Bridge Program

Queensland University of Technology, in collaboration with MTPConnect and 15 pharmaceutical companies, universities and industry associations, will be delivering an exciting, new and innovative education program that will provide the necessary training to enable the successful commercialisation of Australian pharmaceutical research.

The 2018 offering of the program will select participants from across Australia to take part in face-to-face and online training in the scientific, legal, financial, clinical, regulatory and reimbursement disciplines that contribute to research translation and the commercialisation of medicines.