Over the last three and a half years, meetings with FDA were conducted virtually. During this time, CDRH moved from Webex to Zoom and gained experience with the virtual platform. Now, in addition to engaging with FDA via Zoom, medical device sponsors can once again …
The Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) offers learning opportunities for new and experienced CDRH staff through the Experiential Learning Program (ELP). Through ELP, CDRH staff visit sites that provide formal training and enhance understanding on topics such as how products are developed and …
Earlier this year, neither the Quality System Regulation (QSR) nor the Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR) were referenced in the semiannual regulatory agenda. We now see that the proposed rule to “harmonize and modernize” the QSR with ISO13485:2016, creating the new QMSR, is on the Spring …
Last fall, we blogged about the process FDA uses to review allegations of regulatory misconduct against device manufacturers, suggesting greater transparency on the FDA process was needed (see here). FDA now seeks comments on this very program to support its continued collection of information as …
On June 2, 2023, FDA issued the latest version of its guidance on Requests for Feedback and Meetings for Medical Device Submissions: The Q-Submission Program. The document provides minor updates on procedures, incorporating recent developments and experiences in how FDA interacts with industry. For example, …
“Total Product Life Cycle Advisory Program or TAP pilot — the most exciting thing in MDUFA V. This is about reducing the time and cost and increasing the predictability of going from concept to commercialization.” – Dr. Jeff Shuren During a presentation at the May 17, …
On May 11, 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared the long-awaited end of the federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. The pandemic had changed the way people live, work and communicate. Such changes are not limited to personal circumstances. The pandemic also …
Earlier this month, FDA published a final rule to update the mammography regulations, issued under the Mammography Quality Standards Act of 1992 (MQSA) and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). The MQSA was passed to ensure, among other things, that nationwide, patients …
On March 17, 2023, enhancements to FDA’s electronic Medical Device Reporting (eMDR) system will go live. Manufacturers who submit reports via the FDA Electronic Submissions Gateway are being advised to update their systems by this time. Those who use eSubmitter will notice changes in the …
A year ago, we blogged about a proposed rule that would replace the Quality System Regulation (QSR) at 21 C.F.R. Part 820 with a newly named Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR) (see here). The proposed rule was published on February 23, 2022 and was first …
Sections of the radiological health regulations have been updated with the goal of lessening regulatory burdens. The regulations contain many requirements that are over 30 years old. These regulations apply to radiation emitting products, including not just medical devices but all other radiation emitting products …
A joint eSTAR pilot (which we previewed in November) between FDA and Health Canada has now been launched. This pilot program will test the use of a single eSTAR application submitted to both regulatory bodies. For those unfamiliar or needing a refresher, eSTAR is an interactive …
In our previous blog post, we provided a flowchart for the Digital Health Policy Navigator’s process so that our blog readers can quickly review the seven steps in determining whether their product’s software functions may be potentially the focus of FDA oversight. Two days after …
With the explosion of health‑related software, many software developers are generating products with functionality that is subject to regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). If you are a manufacturer of implants that go into the human body for the treatment of disease, it’s …
In our last blog post, we advised medical device companies to consider applying to FDA’s Small Business Program to help with the noticeably higher user fees for FY2023. In this blog post, we provide a primer on user fees and the Small Business Program. User Fees User …
