MHRA joins forces with BDIA to stamp out dental counterfeits
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- Published: Thursday, 13 October 2016 07:41
- Written by News Editor
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UK medical device regulator, the Medical and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), is joining forces with the British Dental Industry Association’s (BDIA) award winning Counterfeit and Substandard Instruments and Devices Initiative (CSIDI) to launch a new advertising and awareness campaign to help stamp out counterfeit dental devices.
This new joint venture by the MHRA and BDIA, supported by the dental profession, will see hard hitting advertisements regularly appearing in the dental press from November, backed up by a digital campaign and informative articles for the whole dental team.
The action is promoting a very simple message: Counterfeit and non-compliant dental instruments and devices are potentially dangerous to patients and users and it is strongly recommended that all purchases, however small, are made from a reputable supplier and that all suspect devices are reported to the appropriate authorities at the earliest opportunity. All reporting can be done via the MHRA’s simple ‘Yellow Card’ system – www. yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk
Alastair Jeffrey, MHRA Head of Enforcement, comments, “The MHRA is responsible for protecting public health and we have seen a worrying trend in the number of websites offering to supply dentists with unregulated and potentially dangerous equipment. Dental patients are entitled to expect quality care, including the standard of the instruments and devices used by dental professionals.
“We are pleased to be adding our authority and resources to the new joint campaign with the dental industry to tackle this serious issue. It is vital that dentists and dental staff buy equipment from bona fide suppliers and avoid unapproved or counterfeit devices. I urge all dental professionals to be cautious of seemingly cheap devices which may be unfit for purpose and potentially dangerous to patients and the staff that use them.”
BDIA Policy and Public Affairs Director, Edmund Proffitt adds, “The BDIA is delighted that the MHRA is joining the campaign. Together we can make a real difference educating dentists to the dangers of counterfeit devices, ensuring that they can buy with confidence and eradicating these dangerous and fake products from dentistry.”
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