The European Commission has given in to the increasing pressure and alarm from member states and is moving to extend the deadlines for implementing the 2017 Medical Device Regulation (MDR) and the In Vitro Devices Regulation (IVDR).
Switzerland is making moves to allow the import of U.S. FDA-approved medical devices after losing barrier-free access to the EU market and over rising concerns about the dismal pace of implementation of the EU’s upgraded devices regulations.
A variety of governmental entities in the EU are feeling pressure to address the issues with the rollout of the Medical Device Regulation, and some EU member states have taken matters into their own hands.
The U.S. FDA posted an update to the ongoing recall of respirators and positive airway pressure devices by Philips Respironics Inc., a subsidiary of Amsterdam-based Royal Phillips NV, which are associated with more than 21,000 medical device reports (MDRs) between Aug. 1 and Oct. 31, 2022. However, these MDRs are also associated with 91 patient deaths, which while they cannot be attributed directly to these devices, are nonetheless a stain on the reputation of the company’s products going forward.
The angst over the maladroit roll-out of the European Union’s Medical Device Regulation (MDR) has reached the European Parliament (EP), which met recently to address the issue. Stella Kyriakides, who oversees the MDR on behalf of the European Commission (EC) responded to stinging criticism from the EP that the EC’s health council will meet in December to address both the short-term and structural problems with the MDR, but had little detail to offer other than a promise to keep the EP abreast of these developments.
The problem with notified body (NB) capacity in the European Union is well known, but a recent survey of NBs suggests that more than 17,000 certificates for medical devices and active implanted devices issued under the legacy regulation are set to expire by the end of 2024. More troubling might be the fact that the number of standing applications dwarfs the number of completed applications by a ratio of more than four to one, a gap that continues to grow as calendar year 2022 unwinds.
The new EU Medical Devices Regulation (MDR) is not going down well with Swiss medical technology manufacturers. At a conference held on Oct. 19 in Bern, Switzerland on introducing the new EU MDR, the Swiss medical technology association, Swiss Medtech, which represents more than 700 firms, put out a harsh and definitive statement.
EU health ministers have warned that developers of medical devices face trouble ahead in meeting deadlines for implementing the two new key regulations for medical devices (MDR) and in vitro diagnostics (IVDR). These were planned to enter into force in May 2021 and May 2022 respectively. EU executives and stakeholders have now all accepted that delays in complying with the regulations could result in issues achieving certification for medical devices, threatening shortages in the market.
The casual observer may be inclined to think that the European Union’s Medical Device Regulation (MDR) is off to a rocky start, but those whose livelihoods are at stake have a more intimate view of the situation. An attendee at a Sept. 12 session at this year’s Regulatory Convergence lamented what she believes is a dismal outlook for EU patients and device makers in the coming year, a testimonial that drew cheers and applause from those in attendance.
Implementation of the new regulations for medical devices and in vitro diagnostics in the EU have presented a number of problems, including a serious crunch in the availability of notified bodies (NBs) to review premarket filings.
