BDIA Launches devices initiative

The BDIA is delighted to announce the launch of its Counterfeit and substandard Instruments and Devices Initiative (CsIDI), an industry wide activity to:

-  Promote awareness of the dangers of poor quality, counterfeit and illegal dental instruments and devices,

-  Provide a quick and simple method of reporting these to the relevant bodies,

-  Promote purchasing only from reputable manufacturers and suppliers such as BDIA member companies.

The growth of internet sales channels and globalisation of dental manufacturing has provided an opportunity for unscrupulous operators to sell poor quality, substandard or even counterfeit or illegal products. Therefore, it is vitally important that dental professionals make the decision to purchase from sources that ensure quality and efficacy.

Tony Reed, BDIA Executive Director, comments, “By purchasing only from reputable suppliers the end user can be assured of a high quality product that meets all the necessary requirements and that will not endanger the user or the patient, nor risk punitive actions from the courts or regulatory bodies”.

By working closely with the British Dental Association (BDA), the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the British Dental Health Foundation (BDHF), the Tooth Whitening Information Group (TWIG), and across the dental profession, the BDIA aims to facilitate the reporting of those selling unacceptable and illegal products and promote responsible purchasing throughout the dental supply chain.

Mick Armstrong, Chair of the BDA Principal Executive Committee, fully supports the initiative, commenting, “The BDA encourages all dentists to source equipment from legitimate, reputable manufacturers and suppliers who can demonstrate that the necessary legal requirements are being met. That will ensure both the quality of equipment purchased, and that dentists, their colleagues and patients are protected”.

The BDIA is launching CsIDI with full the backing of the MHRA and Tracy Murray, Head of Regulatory Affairs, Compliance & Enforcement at MHRA, comments, “Working closely with the BDIA to raise awareness of counterfeit and substandard devices and to report incidents is a major step in addressing this growing problem across the dental sector.”

The overall message of the initiative is very simple; substandard and counterfeit instruments and devices are potentially dangerous to patients and users and the BDIA recommends that all purchases, however small, are made from a reputable supplier and that all suspect instruments, devices and whitening products are reported to the appropriate authorities at the earliest opportunity. All reporting can be done via a simple, dedicated web page on the BDIA website – www.bdia.org.uk