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  • Medical Devices

    • FDA Announces Progress Regarding Balancing Premarket and Postmarket Data Collection for PMAsMay 1st, 2015

      By Jennifer D. Newberger – As part of its 2014-2015 Strategic Priorities, the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) committed to assuring the “appropriate balance between premarket and postmarket data collection to facilitate and expedite the development and review of medical devices.”  By December 31, …

    • FDA Releases Draft Guidance Regarding Use of OUS Clinical Data in Device SubmissionsApril 24th, 2015

      By Allyson B. Mullen – On April 22, 2015, FDA released a draft guidance regarding use of clinical data generated outside of the U.S. (OUS) in medical device premarket submissions.  A copy of the draft guidance can be found here.  FDA states in the guidance that it …

    • Diagnostic Test Working Group Proposes Alternative to FDA’s LDT FrameworkApril 16th, 2015

      By Allyson B. Mullen & Jeff N. Gibbs – As we have previously blogged on numerous times (for example, here and here), FDA has released a framework for regulation of laboratory developed tests (LDTs).  FDA’s proposed framework has sparked much controversy, receiving support from diagnostic test …

    • CDRH Releases Final Guidance for Expedited Access to Devices for Unmet Medical NeedsApril 15th, 2015

      By Allyson B. Mullen – On April 13, CDRH released the final guidance document for “Expedited Access for Premarket Approval and De Novo Medical Devices Intended for Unmet Medical Need for Life Threatening or Irreversibly Debilitating Diseases or Conditions.”  We previously blogged on the draft guidance …

    • No Beginning and No End: A Moment of Zen in the Patent Term Extension WorldApril 7th, 2015

      By Kurt R. Karst –       It’s not all that often that we see the Patent and Trademark Office (“PTO”) dismiss or deny a request to extend the term of a patent covering a medical device, though such actions on a Patent Term Extension (“PTE”) request do …

    • CDRH Finalizes Guidance Regarding Reprocessing Reusable Medical DevicesMarch 22nd, 2015

      By Allyson B. Mullen – On March 17, 2015, CDRH released the final guidance entitled “Reprocessing Medical Devices in Health Care Settings:  Validation Methods and Labeling.”  The draft guidance was issued in May 2011 and is now being finalized on the heels of highly publicized outbreaks …

    • The Brookings Institution Issues Report on National Medical Device Surveillance SystemMarch 2nd, 2015

      By Allyson B. Mullen – In 2012, CDRH initiated an action plan to strengthen the medical device surveillance system (we previously reported on this plan here).  As part of this initiative, a multi-stakeholder Planning Board was created with the purpose of “envisioning an MDS with the …

    • FDA SOS Act Makes Reappearance as Concern Over Sequestration GrowsMarch 2nd, 2015

      By Kurt R. Karst –       Amidst concern that the 2013 sequester could make a repeat appearance and reduce both FDA’s budget from Congress and industry-financed user fees to the Agency, Representatives Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Leonard Lance (R-NJ) have introduced legislation to exempt FDA user fees …

    • As Snow Falls, We See a Flurry of Developments Related to FDA Efforts to Actively Regulate LDTsFebruary 22nd, 2015

      By Jamie K. Wolszon – Amidst the winter storms that have struck the East Coast this January and February, there has been, and will continue to be, a flurry of developments related to FDA efforts to actively regulate Laboratory-Developed Tests (LDTs).  Those developments include a White …

    • This Just In: NIH Extends the Comment Period for its Proposed Rule on Clinical Trials Registration and Results ReportingFebruary 15th, 2015

      By James E. Valentine* & Anne Marie Murphy – The National Institutes of Health (“NIH”) just extended the comment period for its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on clinical trial registration and results submission (“NPRM”) until March 23, 2015.  As we previously reported, the NPRM proposes to …

    • FDA Finalizes Limited Regulatory Oversight of Certain Software ProductsFebruary 11th, 2015

      By Jennifer D. Newberger – On February 9, less than a year after issuing the draft, FDA issued a final guidance document confirming its exercise of enforcement discretion with respect to medical device data systems (MDDS), medical image storage devices, and medical image communications devices.  In …

    • FDA Defines Medical Device Accessory, Proposes New Means for ClassificationJanuary 29th, 2015

      By Jennifer D. Newberger – The question of what constitutes an accessory has never been well answered.  In a December 1996 guidance document, Medical Device Quality Systems Manual: A Small Entity Compliance Guide, FDA said that accessory devices are devices “packaged, labeled, and distributed separately to a …

    • Low Risk “General Wellness Products” Will Not be Regulated as Medical DevicesJanuary 20th, 2015

      By Jennifer D. Newberger – FDA has historically taken the position that products intended to benefit a user’s overall health and wellness, and that did not make claims about disease prevention, treatment, mitigation, or cure, would not be regulated as medical devices.  For example, in 1995, …

    • At Last, FDA Issues (Draft) Guidance on 510(k) TransfersDecember 23rd, 2014

      By Jeffrey K. Shapiro – FDA has always allowed companies to transfer 510(k) clearances without obtaining new clearance.  Indeed, this blogger provided a short primer on the topic 15 years ago.  However, this administrative practice has long been shrouded in mystery, because FDA has never published …

    • New Article Shows Surprising Trends in 510(k) Review TimesDecember 14th, 2014

      By Jeffrey N. Gibbs & Allyson B. Mullen – A new article published on Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry’s (MDDI) website by Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, P.C.’s Jeff Gibbs, Allyson Mullen, and Graematter, Inc’s Melissa Walker, shows that there is more to 510(k) review time statistics …