Airmid Healthgroup Scientific Consultant Matthew Hardwick standing at the large APIC26 conference sign in the Nashville convention centre atrium. — Airmid Healthgroup Scientific Consultant Dr Matthew Hardwick at APIC 2026 Nashville June 15 to 17 where GUV regulatory testing was a leading topic of discussion

GUV Regulatory Testing Is the Talk of Nashville: Airmid Healthgroup at APIC 2026

If there was one topic that dominated the conversations on the expo floor at APIC 2026 in Nashville, it was FDA regulations for germicidal UV (GUV) devices. From booth to booth, hallway to hallway, the questions were remarkably consistent: How do you navigate the FDA process? What does regulatory clearance actually mean for the industry? And is it even necessary?

As a Scientific Consultant with Airmid Healthgroup, I was at APIC 2026 from June 15 to 17 representing the team, and I can tell you: the GUV regulatory conversation is not in the background anymore. It is front and centre, and it is shaping how manufacturers, infection preventionists, and procurement professionals are thinking about UV disinfection technology in healthcare settings.

Why GUV Regulatory Testing Is Dominating the Conversation

The FDA has been actively developing its framework for classifying and evaluating germicidal UV devices, particularly those used as adjuncts to surface disinfection or reprocessing in healthcare environments. With that evolving regulatory landscape comes a wave of uncertainty, and uncertainty generates questions.

APIC 2026 conference badge and purple lanyard for Matthew Hardwick, Scientific Consultant at Airmid Healthgroup, GUV regulatory testing, Hyattsville, MD. — Dr Matthew Hardwick attended APIC 2026 in Nashville on behalf of Airmid Healthgroup representing the organisations GUV regulatory testing services

At APIC 2026, those questions were everywhere. How does a manufacturer actually go through the FDA submission process for a GUV device? What performance data and testing evidence is required? Does achieving FDA clearance provide a meaningful commercial advantage, or is it simply becoming a baseline expectation?

These are exactly the kinds of questions Airmid Healthgroup is positioned to help with. GUV regulatory testing is a core part of what we do, and supporting manufacturers through the evidence-generation process, from study design through to validated test data, is where our scientific expertise comes into its own.

If your organisation is asking these questions, we are available to help. Reach out to the Airmid team to discuss your GUV regulatory testing needs.

A Smaller Expo, Better Conversations

The expo floor at APIC 2026 was noticeably more compact than in previous years. Attendance was down, and the exhibitor footprint reflected that. But here is the thing: a smaller show is not necessarily a worse show.

Busy expo hall at APIC 2026 in Nashville showing exhibitor booths including Diversey and Medline, with infection prevention professionals browsing the floor. — The APIC 2026 expo floor in Nashville A smaller footprint than previous years made for more focused in depth conversations with colleagues and vendors

With fewer booths competing for attention, the quality of conversations was genuinely higher. I had the opportunity for real, in-depth discussions with colleagues, vendors, and collaborators that would have been much harder to carve out in a larger, noisier environment. There is something to be said for a conference where you can actually finish a sentence.

Nashville: Worth the Trip on Its Own

Of course, APIC 2026 was not all science and regulatory strategy. Nashville is a fantastic host city, and if you found yourself there for the conference, I hope you made time to explore beyond the convention centre.

Robert's Western World honky-tonk bar and grill sign on Broadway in Nashville, Tennessee, near the APIC 2026 conference venue. — Nashvilles Broadway strip home to Roberts Western World a highlight of the APIC 2026 conference experience recommended by Airmids Matthew Hardwick

The food scene is excellent, and the music is everywhere. If you get the chance to visit Nashville, I would strongly recommend an evening at Robert’s Western World on Broadway. It is authentic, unpretentious honky-tonk exactly as it should be, and the kind of experience that reminds you why live music venues matter.

See You at the Next One

APIC 2026 reinforced for me how central the infection prevention community is to the broader conversation around evidence-based disinfection technology. As GUV devices become more sophisticated and regulatory expectations continue to develop, the demand for rigorous, independent GUV regulatory testing will only grow.

Airmid Healthgroup will be there to support that work. If you attended APIC 2026 and want to continue any of the conversations that started in Nashville, or if GUV regulatory testing is on your radar for 2026 and beyond, get in touch. We would love to hear from you.