PDA Week 2025 attendance report
To spread the word on radiation applications, Thomas Kroc (US Representative for the iia) attended PDA Week 2025 in Palm Springs, California. The Parenteral Drug Association (PDA) is the industry trade group for pharma and biopharma manufacturers. This industry has not utilized radiation as much in its manufacturing processes as medical devices. The conference presented the opportunity to engage with the industry and PDA leaders on implementing radiation in various areas of manufacturing in addition to terminal sterilization, such sterilization of packaging and various input materials to aseptic processing.
Thomas gave a presentation on Low Energy Electron Beams (LEEB) for the Sterilization of Pharmaceutical Packaging, complementing the iia’s recent publication of the LEEB factsheet. Details about Thomas’s presentation can be found below.
Low Energy Electron Beams for the Sterilization of Pharmaceutical Packaging
Low energy electrons, between 250 and 800 keV, are already used for a wide range of applications and their potential for the sterilisation of pharmaceutical packaging and medical products has also been recognised. The accelerator technology is compact and can be self-shielding, allowing in-line use, and high dose rates are available. The low penetration can be beneficial for pharmaceutical applications, enabling the decontamination of the external surfaces of products or packaging, with no impact on the contents. As well as highlighting the benefits of using low energy systems, this presentation will discuss what needs to be considered for these low energies before implementation, such as infrastructure, dosimetry, regulation and the practical use for sterilisation applications.