And the Winner Is You -- Fourth Annual Medical Design Excellence Awards to Recognize Outstanding Contributions in Medical Device Design.

Business Editors & Health/Medical Writers

MDEA 2000

LOS ANGELES--(BW HealthWire)--June 20, 2000

The Medical Design Excellence Awards(R) (MDEA) program is now accepting entries for its fourth annual competition.

The awards recognize innovative uses of materials and fabrication technologies, as well as design and engineering achievements that advance medical technologies, offer benefits to users and patients, and improve the commercial success of medical products.

The MDEA competition is open to companies and individuals involved in the design, engineering, manufacture, or distribution of finished medical devices or medical packaging worldwide. Manufacturers most often submit entries, but industrial design firms and companies that provide materials, components, or other services may submit an entry on behalf of a product manufacturer with that manufacturer's written consent.

Deadline for entries is Oct. 2, 2000. The cost per entry is $225. Entries can be submitted via the competition's Web site, www.MDEAwards.com or by mail, in one of the following 10 categories:

-- 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 

-- Over-the-counter self-care products

-- Radiological and electromechanical devices

-- Rehabilitation and assistive-technology products

-- Surgical equipment, instruments and supplies

A multidisciplinary panel of jurors will be convened by Canon Communications to select winners from each category. Winning entries will be showcased in the MDEA booth at MD&M East 2001, June 5-7, in New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Awards will be presented during a ceremony in the booth.

Winners receive tangible recognition of their achievements, increased visibility in the industry, promotional and marketing opportunities, and potential exposure in leading trade, business and consumer publications.

The MDEAs are presented by Canon Communications LLC, the leading publisher, professional conference organizer and tradeshow producer for the $153 billion international medical equipment industry, and sponsored by Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry magazine.

To receive an entry form, or for more information about the 2001 MDEAs, contact Gretchen Hawley at Canon Communications LLC, 11444 West Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90064-1549. Phone: [phone] or Fax: [phone]; Internet: www.MDEAwards.com; e-mail: [e-mail].