Recently, the industry started from the shortage of infusion bags in the U.S. hospitals and summarized the hot topics of the pharmaceutical and plastics industry in 2017. The following articles summarize the medical issues that resonate with readers. Among them, The top 10 news stories are as follows:
No.10 blamed hurricane?
In November, a sharp question was raised: Who is responsible for the alarming shortage of intravenous fluid bags in U.S. hospitals: Hurricane Maria, resin supplier or medical device OEM? Puerto Rico has more than 100 drug and medical device manufacturers, Hurricanes have severely hampered the operation of many of these facilities, and the United States has suffered from a shortage of infusion bags in hospitals in the United States, and some industry observers believe that the shortage of infusion pockets has been a problem for years, and hurricanes are only part of the story, not enough to make the problem so serious .
No.9 bioabsorbable polymer problem
In January's Plastics Today interview, CzubaEnterprises materials specialist Len Czuba of the product design and development firm provided some insights into the challenges and opportunities bio-resorbable polymers face in the medical technology arena .
The value of a medical device to a patient is obvious: 'After the bone, blood vessel or suture tissue heals, there is no longer any need for supportive medical devices during healing,' said Chuba. 'If it continues, in the long run, The body will begin to reject it like any other foreign body. '
However, many challenges prevent the bioabsorbable materials from playing a major role in the market, including the reluctance of material suppliers to use their materials for long-term implants, the complexity of design and manufacturing, and the high cost of compatible polymers .
No.8 war on BPA
Although BPA and other government agencies have declared bisphenol A (BPA) safe at the current level at various times, the European Commission on Chemicals Agency voted unanimously in June to confirm that it still has a large This is the latest round of controversy in the Bisphenol A war, where BPA is an integral part of polycarbonates and therefore exists in countless products.
Industry groups vow to challenge public opinion, but the result may be predetermined in public opinion courts, as some media said: 'The health problems associated with bisphenol A continue unabated and consumers are more likely to seek BPA-free products, And advocacy groups have successfully compelled businesses to find alternative materials.
No.7 robot rescue
RenyMed, Calif., Started single operation with leased equipment on a leased site in the mid-1980s and now manufactures medical components for the world's top 100 medical device companies Fully Integrated Injection Molding and Tooling Design and Building Business It can do what other mold companies can not do, and the company's equipment is a central part of the production process and they are as flexible as the company's staff to meet the high-mix, low-volume production.
No.6 What is your medical device color? This is very important
Medical devices must meet a number of safety and efficacy requirements before they can be put on the market, says Christine Park, industrial designer at Starfish Medical in Canada, who said color is often not given much thought.
'The color can make the patient feel at ease,' said Parker. 'For example, if the patient is anxious about a dental procedure, or is about to undergo a serious examination, the color of the room and the medical device can alleviate the anxiety. , Peace, yellow and orange are optimistic, so these colors are good for healing equipment and I try to use color to promote positive emotions.
Parker, working with a team producing iPads and iPod accessories, learned about the concept of colors, materials and finishes in industrial design and brought that sensitivity to Starfish Medical's medical design and wisely color The theory applied to medical devices not only appeases the patient, but also brings confidence to the doctor.
No.5 excellent medical design, brought to you by the plastic
Polymer and plastic processing play a significant role in the design and manufacture of medical products such as the Visitec I-Ring from Beaver-Visitec International, Inc. The winner of the implant and tissue replacement product category is cataract surgery The pupil dilation device safely and gently transfers the iris into the field of view and comes into contact with the crystals in the eyeball.The device consists of six injection molded parts made of four different thermoplastics and a micro-molded polyurethane copolymer Ring, designed with four living hinges, four through holes down to 0.002 in. Scientific Molding Ltd. is the project's supplier and design partner.
No.4 material is an important reason for the recall of medical devices
Jeffrey Ellis, chief research scientist at the Battelle Institute, says the FDA's recall of 30% to 40% of medical devices is due primarily to material problems, The process of material selection goes back to the engineer's reliance on the material datasheet.
Ellis explained: 'Materials that look good in the material datasheet may be found, but keep in mind that all tests are conducted under ASTM conditions, typically 23 ° C and 50 ° C unless otherwise stated % Relative humidity. If you do not test under these conditions, the data obtained may differ from the data sheet.
The way materials are handled also introduces variables that may not be taken into account in the data sheet, Ellis said: "Materials should be tested for temperature, pressure, and humidity in terms of application conditions.
No.3 counter plastic science
Readers who regularly read Today's Plastics know that veteran reporter Clare Goldsberry is relentless in his protest against radical groups that demonize plastic in the name of health and safety. Urged the plastics industry counterattack in junk science in public.
She writes: 'People need to know the situation and it's up to us within the industry to make that decision based on good science.We need to work with P & G, Mondelez, Campbell Soup and other large consumer products companies to let them know that we support food packaging as safely as possible and that science is really science rather than speculation so that we can build a science based and supported industry. This appeal resonated with readers of Plastics Today, making this article the third most popular medical-related article of the year.
No.2 The link between Wolverine and the development of materials science
Parents are discouraged from allowing children to read comic books on a waste of time, but Wang Chao, an assistant professor of chemistry at the University of California, Riverside, likes Wolverine very much. The ability to think inspired him to develop a transparent, scalable, conductive material that, like a surprised cartoon character, can withstand all forms of abuse and heal itself.
This rubbery material stretches 50 times its original length and, when cut, completely reattaches or heals within 24 hours at room temperature.Wang Chao of the University of California, Riverside and his team are working on Explore its potential applications, including self-healing robots and biosensors.
No.1 BD hopes to take injection molding technology to a new level
The intersection of injection molding and medical technology has drawn great interest in the plastic processing community, according to market research firm MarketResearch.com data show that BD, one of the top 10 medical device companies in the world, started in Columbus, Nebraska in November Building an injection molding and manufacturing plant, said the company said it will spend $ 60 million to upgrade and expand its facility into one of the world's largest and most advanced plastic molders.
It is reported that, BD is one of the world's largest users of plastic injection parts, injection molding plant focused on the project is expected to be completed by 2021.