BEMA History

In the late 1990s, discussions on how to improve the flow of communication between regulators, companies, and researchers in the field of biomedical materials engineering were held jointly by the Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems¹ of the National Research Council (NRC), the Institute of Medicine (IOM), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Out of these discussions emerged the idea of establishing a roundtable to facilitate open dialogue amongst stakeholders in the field.

The Roundtable on Biomedical Engineering Materials and Applications (BEMA) was developed as a joint activity of the NRC, the IOM, and the National Academy of Engineering. With commitments to participate from several federal agencies, a preliminary planning workshop was held in February 2000 to discuss the shape that the roundtable should take and the topics that it should discuss. Because of its focus on materials science, BEMA operates under the auspices of the National Materials Advisory Board (NMAB).The NMAB is directed by Gary Fischman, PhD.

¹The units within the National Research Council were reorganized in January 2001 and the Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems was included in the new Division on Engineering and Physical Systems (DEPS).