Celebrating Sterile Packaging Day with Dr. Henk Blom and Marie Tkacik

“Sterile Packaging Day will broadly communicate the message that packaging is critical and aims to elevate packaging engineers in the product development cycle," says Henk Blom. A series of educational webinars will also be provided.

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The past year has revealed many heroes across the healthcare spectrum. This group goes beyond the developers of medical devices and pharmaceuticals but includes those manufacturers who produce the sterilization packaging to deliver the life-saving products and their critical role in patient safety. 

To recognize the important role of the supply chain, the Sterilization Packaging Manufacturers Council (SPMC) has organized the inaugural  SterilePackagingDay, which celebrates and recognizes all partners in the medical device supply chain who work collaboratively and seamlessly to deliver medical devices in a sterilized and safe manner to healthcare professionals and ultimately patients.  

This year Sterile Packaging day is March 10th. Dr. Henk Blom, Chair of SPMC’s Technical Committee, and SPMC technical committee member Marie Tkacik talked about SPMC and innovation in medical packaging.   

What is the history of SPMC? 

Tkacik: SPMC was founded in June of 1994 by members of the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) to create universal standards for the sterile packaging of medical products and devices to promote enhanced patient safety. SPMC member companies are market and technical leaders in the field and collaborate to establish workable and pragmatic standards. Much of SPMC's work has been incorporated into AAMI and ISO standards and into ASTM International standards which have been accepted by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) as Consensus Standards. 

SPMC technical committee member Marie TkacikSPMC technical committee member Marie Tkacik

Let’s talk about Sterile Packaging Day.

Blom: It has been a tough year since the beginning of COVID-19 and there are many on the front lines who are battling for an ultimate victory over this global scourge. Sterile Packaging Day has been created to recognize and thank all of these fighters who have tirelessly collaborated to deliver safe and sterile medical products to those in dire need of the essential devices to win the war over COVID and other health conditions. The event not only honors the people involved in our industry but raises the consciousness of three important packaging principles: Patient Safety, Peace of Mind, and Supply Chain Strength. March 10th provides an opportunity to celebrate our industry’s work and strengths and repledge our credo to who we humbly serve -- “Our Patients’ First.” 

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