Director – National Accounts Long Term Care Pharmacy

Jul 9, 2026 BD and CIRSE expand hands-on training opportunities for interventional radiologists. First-ever disease focused fellowship program supports specialized endovascular training for physicians across Europe By Jane Hart, VP of Clinical Affairs, BD Interventional - Peripheral Intervention I'm proud to share the early success of BD's partnership with the Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiological Society of Europe (CIRSE). What began as a new opportunity to support the interventional radiology community is already creating meaningful training pathways - helping physicians expand their skills, deepen their experience and advance their practice in some of the fastest-growing areas of care. Together with one of Europe's leading medical societies and a global voice for minimally invasive care, BD helped launch CIRSE's first-ever disease-focused fellowship program for interventional radiologists. The response underscores both the demand for hands-on, real-world learning and the importance of investing in focused training as minimally invasive care continues to evolve. Strong response and meaningful reach The inaugural Endovascular Fellowship Grant Program generated notable interest: 26 eligible applications were submitted for seven available grants across three important areas of interventional radiology - vessel preparation, deep venous treatment and ambulatory care. From this highly engaged applicant pool, seven fellowship grants were awarded. In total, the program will support 15 months of fellowship training across five hosting institutions in five countries, expanding access to advanced learning experiences and creating new opportunities for physicians to build expertise in specialized procedures and care models. Fellows will gain practical exposure to advanced endovascular procedures, case-based learning and mentorship from experienced interventional radiology teams. These results point to a clear need for focused, hands-on training in emerging areas of minimally invasive care. They also demonstrate the value of collaboration between industry and scientific societies in creating practical development opportunities that can help physicians strengthen clinical practice and bring new expertise back to their care teams. Daniel Waigl, CIRSE Executive Director, highlighted the importance of the partnership: "CIRSE's collaboration with BD represents a meaningful step forward in how industry and scientific societies can work together to support physician education. By combining CIRSE's clinical expertise with BD's commitment to innovation, we are creating opportunities that directly benefit both clinicians and their patients." Why this matters now more than ever Demand for minimally invasive options continues to grow, along with the need for practical training that reflects how care is evolving. The success of this program shows that physicians are actively seeking opportunities to deepen their expertise in specific disease areas and bring new skills, ideas and best practices back to their patients and care teams. Through this collaboration, BD and CIRSE are helping to: * Support hands-on learning in therapeutic areas where specialized training can make a meaningful difference * Advance care models that are focused on patient outcomes, not just procedures * Connect with the next generation of physician leaders shaping the future of interventional radiology This work is also part of a broader effort within the Peripheral Intervention at BD to build long-term, practical partnerships with scientific societies around the world - partnerships focused on education, collaboration and real impact for clinicians and patients. Looking ahead Interventional radiology is evolving quickly, with new techniques, new tools and new ways of caring for patients across vessel preparation, venous intervention and ambulatory settings. As that pace of change continues, structured, hands-on learning will remain essential. The strong response to this inaugural program is an encouraging sign of what's possible when education, clinical expertise and industry collaboration come together with a shared purpose. By helping physicians build the skills and confidence to advance minimally invasive care, BD and CIRSE are supporting progress that can reach far beyond the fellowship experience, strengthening care teams, expanding access to specialized expertise and helping improve outcomes for patients.

BD moves its regional headquarters to Saudi Arabia to invest in digital health transformation Nezih Darwish, president of BD for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa, confirmed that the decision to establish the company's regional headquarters in Riyadh is not merely an administrative expansion but is part of the company's strategy to strengthen its presence in the region, amid Saudi Arabia's accelerating transformations in the healthcare sector. In statements to Al-Eqtisadiah, Darwish said that the company's presence in Saudi Arabia places it at the heart of one of the most ambitious health transformation programs globally, explaining that this presence gives the company a greater ability to understand the needs of the health sector up close and enhance cooperation with the Ministry of Health and regulatory bodies, ensuring that the technologies and solutions the company provides align with the kingdom's national priorities. He added that expansion plans include several tracks, including developing the regional headquarters' business, investing in training and education through the 'BD Training Center' and the 'BD Digital Education Academy' platform, along with progress in local manufacturing plans aimed at enhancing supply chain resilience. He added that the regional headquarters in Riyadh also contributes to accelerating the transfer of knowledge and expertise to healthcare sector workers through specialized training programs, most notably the 'BD Training Center', which focuses on raising the efficiency of doctors, surgeons, pharmacists, nursing staff, laboratory technicians, and phlebotomists, supporting the effective use of modern medical technologies within healthcare facilities. He pointed out that the company's presence in Saudi Arabia also reflects a long-term commitment to the Saudi market, supports attracting talent and investments to the biotechnology and medical technology sectors, along with enhancing the company's ability to manage its regional operations and provide commercial support to regional markets from Riyadh. Plans for expansion and local manufacturing Darwish explained that Saudi Arabia is among the company's strategic priorities, noting that BD is currently studying opportunities to expand its operational and manufacturing operations within the kingdom, in line with the targets of Saudi Vision 2030 to localize industries and enhance local content. He explained that by building these capabilities within the kingdom, the company aims to facilitate faster access for healthcare facilities to advanced medical technologies and contribute to local economic development, confirming that the company's vision is not limited to increasing the volume of operations but includes building a sustainable ecosystem based on innovative solutions, qualified competencies, and effective partnerships to support the development of the healthcare sector in Saudi Arabia. He affirmed that the company's investments in Saudi Arabia are part of a long-term commitment to the local market, through which it seeks to achieve added value for the health sector, support the national economy by providing job opportunities, developing local capabilities, transferring modern technologies and expertise, in addition to contributing to enhancing the health infrastructure and raising the sector's ability to achieve higher levels of self-sufficiency and competitiveness. Digital transformation and artificial intelligence Darwish explained that investment in medical technology plays a key role in developing the health sector and supporting the economic diversification efforts adopted by Saudi Arabia under Vision 2030, noting that the kingdom has allocated significant investments to develop the healthcare system and transition from the traditional high-cost treatment model to a model that focuses more on prevention, early detection, and the use of modern technologies in supporting medical decision-making. He added that these technologies help doctors detect health risks early and choose appropriate therapeutic interventions for each case, contributing to improving patient outcomes, reducing complications, and lowering rates of hospital readmission, while raising the efficiency of the health system in general. Investment opportunities in healthcare Darwish said that Saudi Arabia is implementing one of the largest health investment plans globally, with a trend to increase the private sector's contribution to hospital capacity by 2030, which enhances the importance of advanced medical technologies, especially in the areas of digital health services, artificial intelligence, and connected healthcare models. He added that the Saudi market is poised to attract more investments in the fields of smart hospitals, health data exchange platforms, and clinical technologies supporting early prevention and personalized care, noting that public-private partnerships contribute to accelerating the adoption of these solutions within the health system. Medical technologies and healthcare development Darwish stressed that innovative medical technologies and solutions have become a fundamental element in developing healthcare in Saudi Arabia, especially with the expected population growth in the coming years, explaining that the true value of these solutions lies in their ability to connect patient data with daily work flows within healthcare facilities and transform data into information that helps medical teams provide faster and more efficient care. He explained that these solutions include technologies for intelligent search, health data analysis, and tracking at the level of the health system or various medical departments, helping information reach the relevant teams at the right time. Supporting national competencies and supply chains Darwish said that BD seeks to contribute to developing the future of healthcare in Saudi Arabia and the region by participating in building more efficient, interconnected, and future-ready health systems, by providing solutions that help healthcare providers improve service quality and make accurate decisions at the right time. He added that the company is also working to support localization efforts, strengthen supply chains, build local capabilities, invest in training health cadres, in addition to cooperating with national entities, foremost among them the Ministry of Health, in initiatives related to patient safety and applying best practices within the health system. He affirmed that the company continues to work with its partners in Saudi Arabia and the region to provide practical solutions that contribute to raising the efficiency of the health sector, improving the quality of healthcare, and enhancing its long-term sustainability.