ROCKVILLE, Maryland, April 21 /PRNewswire/ --
Top-level European government and industry leaders will join together to dissect European policy on health product innovation at a June regulatory affairs conference in Portugal.
Rui Santos-Ivo, Enterprise and Industry Directorate-General, European Commission; Maurice Wagner, Director General, EUCOMED; Anthony Humphreys, Head of Sector, RA and Organisational Support, EMEA; and Karima Boubekeur, head of External R&D Policy, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, will be featured in a panel at the Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS) European Conference, 1-2 June 2006, Sana Lisboa Hotel, Lisboa, Portugal.
The panelists, all prominent in their fields, will focus on medicinal product and medical device sector policies that address the European initiative to promote innovation and enhance technology. These and other experts will also evaluate the role of innovation in growth of research and development and the commission's future policy proposals.
"This is a crucial opportunity for European industry and government leaders to evaluate how health product regulations can continue to advance health," said RAPS Executive Director Sherry L. Keramidas, PhD, CAE. "It is vital for regulatory professionals from industry, government and research to participate in discussions on the rapid evolution of scientific research, the health product industries and regulation."
RAPS' European Conference, started in 1995, is a leading venue for health product regulatory affairs professionals to address changes in the European and worldwide regulatory environments, affecting medical devices, IVDs, pharmaceuticals, biologics and combination products. This year's conference topics include the Medical Devices Directive, EU Pharmaceutical Legislation, Paediatric Regulation, EMEA's EU Risk Management Plan and Clinical Investigation.
The conference also features Margaret Murphy, of Patients for Patient Safety, part of WHO World Alliance for Patient Safety. Murphy will highlight the role patients and patient advocates must play in interactions with healthcare systems and in partnerships with health professionals and policy-makers.
"Regulatory Affairs professionals play a critical role in ensuring that products are safe and beneficial to patients," Keramidas said.
For more information or to register for the conference, visit the RAPS website, http://www.raps.org/europe
About RAPS
The Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS) is the foremost worldwide member organization creating and upholding standards of ethics, credentialing and education for the regulatory affairs (RA) profession within the health product sector. Founded in 1976, RAPS represents more than 10,000 individuals worldwide, working in government, corporations, academia, research and nonprofit organizations.
RAPS is a nonprofit educational/scientific organization with headquarters in Rockville, MD, and members in 45 countries in Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, North America and the Pacific Rim. RAPS is located at 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 1000, Rockville, MD 20852; Phone: +1-301-770-2920; Web: http://www.raps.org
Web site: http://www.raps.org
Eric M. McKeeby, Communications Manager of Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS), +1-301-770-2920, ext. 245, emckeeby@raps.org
