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Have you used an implanted or home-use medical device over the past 5 years? Do you have thoughts about the labeling or the instructions that came with it?
If so, the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) is looking for patients and caregivers to share their experiences during a virtual town hall for CDRH staff. The town hall will take place on Thursday, September 3, 2026.
What's this event about?
CDRH holds this annual Patient Engagement Town Hall so its staff can better understand the perspectives of the people who use the medical devices the agency regulates. This year's panel focuses on patient and caregiver experiences with the labeling and instructions for use that come with implanted or home-use medical devices from the last 5 years. Devices of interest include devices and software applications used to diagnose, monitor, or treat people at home or outside of clinical settings. For the hearing loss community, hearing aids, cochlear implants, and related apps fall squarely into this category, and everyday experience following, or struggling with, device instructions is exactly what CDRH wants to hear about. The panel will be moderated by the FDA.
Who is the FDA seeking to participate?
The FDA is looking for a mix of patients and caregivers, including:
- Varying ages, genders, races, and locations
- A range of conditions and the medical devices used to manage them
- Both successful and unsuccessful experiences with a device, where labeling or instructions played a part
- People willing to describe how they interpreted the labeling and instructions for use that came with a device
- People willing to point out barriers in labeling or instructions that affected safe or consistent use of a device
- People willing to offer suggestions for manufacturers and the FDA that could make labeling and instructions more accessible and easier to use
What would you do if selected?
During the event, you would:
- Share your experience with a medical device and the labeling and instructions that came with it
- Help the FDA understand barriers that labeling or instructions can create for safe and consistent device use
- Offer suggestions to make device labeling and instructions clearer and more accessible
- Answer questions and engage with FDA attendees
Interested in participating?
Please email Anaja Pinnock-Williams at anaja.pinnock-williams@fda.hhs.gov before Friday, July 24, 2026. The FDA plans to have all panelists identified by that date.
