Covidien Chairman, President and CEO José Almeida Named Chairman of AdvaMed's Board of Directors

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) today announced that José "Joe" E. Almeida, Chairman, President and CEO of Covidien, has been named chairman of the AdvaMed Board of Directors for a two-year term.

Almeida has been an active member of the AdvaMed Board since 2005 and its Executive Committee since 2010. He served as a former chair and vice chair of the association's International Board Committee and immediate past chair of its Ethics Committee. Almeida also was chair of the AdvaMed 2012 Conference and Exhibition Committee, overseeing the association's most successful and well-attended annual meeting to date.

"It is a great honor to be chosen to lead and represent an organization that distinguishes itself by promoting life-changing innovations for patients worldwide," said Almeida. "Advances in medical technology are allowing patients to live better, longer lives. Yet the challenges of getting medical devices and diagnostics into the hands of patients and physicians are still formidable, highlighting the imperative for AdvaMed and continued industry partnership."

As chairman, Almeida will focus on strategic initiatives to ensure the United States maintains its global competitiveness in medical innovation and that patients worldwide have access to the latest med tech advances. Among his priorities, Almeida will:

• Work with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to ensure progress on improving the timeliness of medical technology reviews, in line with the agency's commitments under the latest user fee deal;
• Advance pro-innovation and pro-competition tax policies, and support repeal of the medical device excise tax;
• Pursue global regulatory harmonization initiatives to help reduce unnecessary and redundant regulations, which limit patient access and drive health care costs; and,
• Promote AdvaMed's Code of Ethics globally, with particular emphasis on adoption of common codes of ethics in Asia and Latin America.

"AdvaMed is delighted and extremely fortunate to have Joe as its new chairman," said AdvaMed President and CEO Stephen J. Ubl. "He is a dynamic leader who brings a wealth of knowledge and global perspective on issues impacting our industry as well as an unwavering commitment to medical innovation and improvement in patient care."

Almeida succeeds Zimmer President and CEO David C. Dvorak, who has led the Board since 2012.

"David's chairmanship has been extraordinarily impactful and successful," Ubl said. "We are grateful for his tireless dedication to the association, to the industry and, most of all, to the patients worldwide we all serve."

Among AdvaMed's accomplishments under Dvorak's leadership were:

• Continued proactive and constructive engagement with FDA on a range of important issues, including implementation of the agency's reauthorized user fee program, a final unique device identification regulation, and new post-market surveillance initiatives;
• Sharpened focus on the impact of the medical device tax and significant progress in the industry's efforts to repeal the tax; and,
• The launch and implementation of AdvaMed's strategic plan, which aims to increase the association's presence and advocacy work in key emerging markets, bolster its research capacity and strengthen member engagement activities.

AdvaMed also announced new committee and Board chairs for 2014-2016:

• Nominating Committee – David. C. Dvorak, President and CEO, Zimmer Holdings
• Treasurer & Finance, Audit & Compensation Committee – Kieran T. Gallahue, Chairman and CEO, CareFusion
• Secretary – Jeffrey R. Binder, CEO, Biomet
• Payment & Healthcare Delivery – Timothy M. Ring, Chairman and CEO, C. R. Bard
• Technology & Regulation – Vincent A. Forlenza, Chairman, President and CEO, BD
• International – Debra A. Rectenwald, President and General Manager, 3M Infection Prevention Division Health Care Business
• Membership – Peter J. Arduini, President and CEO, Integra LifeSciences
• Legal – Gerhard F. Burbach, President, CEO and Director, Thoratec
• Ethics and Healthcare Compliance – Michael A. Mussallem, Chairman and CEO, Edwards Lifesciences
• AdvaMed PAC – Michael R. Minogue, Chairman, President and CEO, Abiomed
• Industry Communications – Caroll H. Neubauer, Chairman and CEO, B. Braun Medical
• Strategic Planning – Mike Genau, Senior Vice President and President, U.S. Region, Medtronic
• Emerging Growth Company Council – Nadim Yared, President and CEO, CVRx
• AdvaMedDx – John L. Bishop, Chairman and CEO, Cepheid

AdvaMed member companies produce the medical devices, diagnostic products and health information systems that are transforming health care through earlier disease detection, less invasive procedures and more effective treatments. AdvaMed members range from the largest to the smallest medical technology innovators and companies. For more information, visit www.advamed.org.

SOURCE AdvaMed