The Medical Design Excellence Awards (MDEA) competition is the premier awards program for the medical technology community, recognizing the achievements of medical product manufacturers and the many people behind the scenes—engineers, scientists, designers, and clinicians—who are responsible for the groundbreaking innovations that are changing the face of healthcare.
The program is open worldwide to companies and individuals involved in the design, engineering, manufacture, or distribution of finished medical devices or medical packaging. Awards are offered in each of the following 10 categories, and may be offered in additional subcategories as determined by the jurors.
- Critical-care and emergency medicine products.
- Dental instruments, equipment, and supplies.
- Finished packaging.
- General hospital devices and therapeutic products.
- Implant and tissue-replacement products.
- In vitro diagnostics (biochemicals for diagnostic use, related instrumentation, and home-use devices).
- Over-the-counter and self-care products.
- Radiological and electromechanical devices (diagnostic imaging devices, energy-emitting therapy devices).
- Rehabilitation and assistive-technology products (healthcare furnishings, patient-transfer equipment, and home-use medical equipment and supplies).
- Surgical equipment, instruments, and supplies.
All entered products must be commercially available—able to be ordered or purchased—by December 31 of the year prior to the competition. The entry period for the MDEA competition runs from early November through mid-January. Entry fees differ according to the date on which the entry is submitted.
