The mutual recognition agreement between Switzerland and the EU for medical devices lapsed in 2021, a development that was expected to add a significant amount of drag on Swiss device exports to EU nations.
As the implementation date of In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR) looms on May 26, 2022, significant uncertainty remains around the new regulatory system. Under Directive 98/79/EC around 10% of all IVDs placed on the market need notified body involvement, whereas under the IVDR this will rise to 80%-90%. Notified body shortages continue to be a major challenge for industry, with many manufacturers yet to receive certification. The situation is expected to be particularly problematic for SME manufacturers who will see most of their products blocked on the market if they don’t receive validation in time.
The U.S. FDA’s pre-certification (pre-cert) program for software as a medical device (SaMD) seemed to run out of steam before the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, but the FDA was always presumed to need help from Congress to roll out a permanent version. A session at this year’s MedCon suggests that there is still life left in the pilot version of the SaMD pre-cert program, a critical development given that the legislation for the device user fee program offers the FDA no new statutory authority for a novel software regulatory framework.
The European Commission posted a draft legislative framework for regulation of artificial intelligence, a document that spans all potential uses of such algorithms rather than just medical ones.
The European Commission posted a draft legislative framework for regulation of artificial intelligence (AI), a document that spans all potential uses of such algorithms rather than just medical ones. The text seems to suggest that all medical uses of AI will be deemed high-risk uses, but this draft is just the opening salvo in a process that will span a year, perhaps longer, before the legislation will be drafted and finalized.
The implementation date for the European Union’s In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR) is a mere 16 months away, although there is widespread interest in a delayed implementation date. Nonetheless, Warren Jameson, principal regulatory consultant for North American Science Associates (NAMSA) of Toledo, Ohio, urged test makers to conduct a gap analysis of the conformity of their currently marketed tests to the new regulations because a large percentage of the underlying dossiers would not pass muster under the terms of the new regulatory regime.
According to the Swiss association for medical technology companies, Swiss Medtech, introducing the new European regulations for medical devices (MDR) and in vitro diagnostics (IVDR) is going to have serious consequences for the sector in Switzerland. This Swiss trade association has just published its biannual survey as part of the 2020 sector study on the Swiss medical technology industry (SMTI).
LONDON – The European Parliament gave its full backing to the emergency measure to delay the Medical Device Regulation (MDR), voting by 693 to 1 in favor of postponing implementation from May 26 this year, to May 26, 2021. The delay will “allow health authorities and manufacturers alike to prioritize the fight against the coronavirus pandemic” by keeping existing procedures in place, the parliament said in a statement.
LONDON – The European Commission has published new guidelines on cybersecurity for medical devices, putting flesh on the bones of the requirements in the Medical Device Regulation (MDR) that comes into force in May.
The European Parliament this week formally agreed to delay the requirement for certain currently approved class 1 medical devices to comply with the new Medical Device Regulation (MDR) when it comes into force on May 26, 2020. Consequently, manufacturers of reusable surgical instruments and devices that have a measuring function will have an additional four years to meet the stricter requirements of MDR.
