FDA to Hold Public Workshop on Biofilms, Medical Devices and Anti-Biofilm Technology

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announces a public workshop, Biofilms, Medical Devices and Anti-Biofilm Technology Challenges and Opportunities." FDA is co-sponsoring this workshop with the Center for Biofilm Engineering (CBE) of Montana State University.
 
The biochemical and physiochemical characteristics of biofilms have been studied in-vitro, but the role that biofilms play in the development of device-related and other healthcare-associated infections, and their connection with development of resistant infections has been less widely studied until recent years, where research is increasingly making great strides.
 
With the increasing use of implanted and indwelling devices, understanding biofilm development on these devices and factors that impact biofilm formation is critical for protecting/promoting public health. Research on the basic science of biofilms may provide insight on device-associated biofilms, ultimately advancing research on technologies that are intended to prevent biofilm formation.
 
This public workshop seeks to share scientific information between the academic and healthcare communities, industry interested in developing products to address biofilm contamination, and U.S. government scientists.
 
Major topics to be covered at this workshop are:
1. Research on biofilms and their public health impact
2. Challenges faced by the scientific community, clinical community, government, and industry on addressing biofilm contamination of medical devices
3. Critical areas of research that will address the scientific and clinical challenges faced by the stakeholders when developing technologies that are intended to prevent biofilm formation.
 
This public workshop may also form the basis for future discussions related to novel biofilm prevention technologies that could benefit U.S. public health.
  
This meeting will be held on Feb. 20, 2014, beginning at 8 a.m. at the FDA's White Oak Campus, 10903 New Hampshire Ave. , Bldg. 31, Room 1503, in Silver Spring, Md.

For more details, visit: http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/NewsEvents/WorkshopsConferences/ucm381336.htm

Source: FDA