The role and use of the identification of medicinal products (IDMP) standards and the concrete expected achievements by the UNICOM project have been presented in a number of important virtual events organized by Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) and other key bodies.

During the October ISO TC 215 meeting, Christian Hay (work package lead at UNICOM and ISO TC 215 WG6 Convenor) presented the draft results of the gap analysis performed by UNICOM WP1 to Working Group (WG) 6. For each of the identified gaps, the over 40 WG participants were provided with a short description of the problem identified, background information, impact on the standard and most important proposed concrete and timed next steps. Those steps involve very often actions to be performed by WG 6 together with other SDOs. The experts will provide WG6 with a documented answer to all the suggested gaps by the end of February 2021. The UNICOM consortium will then become instrumental in the concrete implementation of the solutions proposed.

Hay has also taken the opportunity of the Global Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs Summit to inform the global pharma communities of what is due to happen soon.

Robert Stegwee also presented those key outcomes during the HL7 International Work Group Biomedical Research & Regulation (BR&R) in September. Two sessions of the October SNOMED virtual expo were also directly related to the work performed by UNICOM: aside from a general presentation detailing UNICOM expected IDMP related  outcomes to support patients and improve health care, a session in the pharmaceutical group explored in more details the relationship between IDMP and SNOMED CT.

The recently published Joint Initiative Council White Paper which gathers 9 major SDOs also identifies IDMP implementation as one of the key initiatives which will have a major impact on healthcare services and systems.

The participation of UNICOM to all those events should strongly encourage all the audiences reached to have IDMP on the top of their agenda and to take an active part in implementing these standards as a high priority.