#43 Rethinking medical device safety, part 1 – Omar Aimer

Send a text message to the show!Medical device pharmacovigilance is complicated. Alongside clinical safety, there are technology risks, from cybersecurity threats to outdated software, that can leave patients vulnerable.  In this two-part episode, Omar Aimer, president of ISoP and former co-lead of the Medical Device Safety Special Interest Group, discusses the challenges with medical device safety monitoring and what needs to change to keep patients safe. Tune in to find out:What defines a medical device and how prevalent they are in our societyWhy device safety monitoring is different from medicines and vaccines, and where current surveillance still falls shortHow global initiatives aim to strengthen safety monitoring standardsWant to know more?Listen to the second part of the interview here. If you would like to learn more on the status and suggestions for future improvements in medical device safety monitoring, Omar has recently published a paper on the topic in the journal Drug Safety, as well as an article for Uppsala Reports.Much like any other market, AI/ML are fast infiltrating the medical device field, and may require tailored frameworks for effective safety monitoring, as discussed by Babic et al. in their Nature paper.Founded in 2018, ISoP’s Medical Device Safety Special Interest Group works to develop “best practices and policy in the field of medical device performance monitoring and safety surveillance”.Got a story to share?We’re always looking for new topics and interesting voices. If you have an idea or any other feedback for the show, get in touch!About UMCUppsala Monitoring Centre promotes safer use of medicines and vaccines for everyone everywhere. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and Bluesky.