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2012 MDEA Program Overview
The Medical Design Excellence Awards (MDEA) competition is the premier awards program for the medical technology community, recognizing the achievements of medical product manufacturers and the many people behind the scenes—engineers, scientists, designers, and clinicians—who are responsible for the groundbreaking innovations that are changing the face of healthcare.
The MDEA competition is open worldwide to companies and individuals involved in the design, engineering, manufacture, or distribution of finished medical devices or medical packaging. Click here for complete Eligibility Requirements.
In order to represent all facets of healthcare, awards are offered in each of the following 10 product categories, and may be offered in additional subcategories as determined by the jurors:
- Critical-care and emergency medicine products.
- Dental instruments, equipment, and supplies.
- Finished packaging.
- General hospital devices and therapeutic products.
- Implant and tissue-replacement products.
- In vitro diagnostics (biochemicals for diagnostic use, related instrumentation, and home-use devices).
- Over-the-counter and self-care products.
- Radiological and electromechanical devices (diagnostic imaging devices, energy-emitting therapy devices).
- Rehabilitation and assistive-technology products (healthcare furnishings, patient-transfer equipment, and home-use medical equipment and supplies).
- Surgical equipment, instruments, and supplies.
To be eligible for entry in the MDEA competition, all entered products must be commercially available—able to be ordered or purchased—by December 31 of the year prior to the competition. The entry period for the MDEA competition runs from mid-November through mid-January. Entry fees differ according to the date on which the entry is submitted. Click here for 2012 Deadlines and Entry Fees.
The MDEA competition is a prestigious, publicity-charged program that provides companies with year-round opportunities to increase the distinction of their MDEA-winning products. Each year the finalists are publicly announced in the April issue of MD+DI (Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry) magazine. The winners are then announced in May at a special presentation ceremony held in conjunction with the Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) East Conference and Exposition (www.MDMEast.com) at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. MDEA-winning products will be honored with Bronze-, Silver-, or Gold-level awards. Also, one Gold-winning product will be awarded “Best-in-Show”.
Review this website for a downloadable Entry Questionnaire and Entry Materials Checklist, as well as for complete competition details including Deadlines and Entry Fees, Eligibility Requirements, Entry Instructions, Official Rules, and past winners. If you don't find the information you are looking for on this website, please contact a member of the MDEA team via e-mail at mdea@ubm.com.