EDMA, the European Diagnostic Manufacturers Association, has celebrated its 30th anniversary.
In 1979, seven National Associations met in Brussels to found EDMA in order to represent the IVD industry at a European level. EDMA’s membership now comprises 23 National Associations and 39 corporate members.
The Association’s success was celebrated in Brussels with a gala dinner at the Théâtre du Vaudeville, following a General Assembly at which EDMA elected its new President, Jürgen Schulze.
The new EDMA Executive Committee is: President Jürgen Schulze (VDGH/Sysmex); Vice-Presidents David Atkins (BIVDA/Johnson & Johnson) and Jaime Contreras (Abbott); Treasurer Benny Ons (UNAMEC/BD).
Jürgen Schulze has been President of the German National Association, VDGH, since 2007. He has been Managing Director of SYSMEX Europe and SYSMEX Deutschland since 1995. Prior to that, he held roles with Merck AG and Bayer Diagnostics.
Mr. Schulze noted that in its 3-year history, EDMA has clearly achieved its goal of being recognised as the voice of the IVD industry in Europe. He said he looked forward to participating in the strategic direction of EDMA in the challenging years to come.
The guest speakers at the General Assembly included representatives from the European Commission and WHO Europe. Paola Testori-Coggi, Deputy Director General at DG Health and Consumer Protection, discussed the importance of IVDs for public health policy. Speakers from WHO said that effective diagnostics are central to the success of upcoming WHO projects, especially in the developing world.
Outgoing President Jean-Francois de Lavison praised the EDMA team for steering EDMA’s activities and guaranteeing its success.
EDMA represents the IVD industry in Europe. Its aim is to promote the value of in vitro testing and the use of diagnostic information in healthcare.
