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Medtech Business Review | Monday, July 25, 2022
This year is poised to be a year of challenge and change of regulation for medical device makers and the patients who rely on them.
FREMONT, CA: A surge in applications for review following COVID-19, as well as the growing role of artificial intelligence and machine learning, have pushed digital health to the forefront, along with rapid advances in monitoring technology and wearable sensors. As a result, many agencies are being compelled to come up with novel approaches to deal with the safety of gadgets that are constantly updating or even learning on the job.
With the growing concern that there won't be enough time to examine new and current devices by the newest deadline, the European Commission has postponed the implementation of the Medical Device Regulation and In-Vitro Device Regulation in Europe. The major problem is the pressure that developing and novel technologies put on the regulatory system when determining how to assess the safety and effectiveness of devices in light of new features and the proliferation of devices that produce and use data.
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The pandemic brought to light the potential of decentralised clinical trials to encourage higher clinical trial participation by all patients. The decentralised clinical trial model's sustained success depends on the expanded and improved application of digital health technologies like wearables and smart devices.
The year 2023 will be crucial for digital health in the European Union, especially in terms of how the policy will impact how it is recommended, implemented, and eventually further embraced. The EU should firmly take advantage of the chance to establish consistency in data collection and usage, as well as privacy laws that both safeguard patients' rights and allow them to access digital health solutions.
Regarding the EU regulatory horizon, the initial focus points for this year include ensuring that the EU Medical Device Regulations (MDR) continue to advance and addressing resource shortages at notified bodies (the national testing organisations or laboratories that certify medical devices in the EU). In order to prevent product supply shortages, the supply chain issues are closely examined which are driving the demand for quick approvals of product changes. Response times to supply chain problems will be constrained by typical regulatory review periods.
Concerning patient safety in a regulatory context, only two things are taken care of, substantiating therapies and devices that are already on the market that are safe and effective, and ensuring that the industry can keep coming up with new treatments for unmet clinical needs in order to save lives and enhance the quality of life. Both of these must be given top priority in the industry-regulator interaction if significant breakthroughs in patients' lives are enabled.
The anticipated change in the application of Medical Device Regulation is the most significant regulatory event in the medical device space in Europe (MDR). The legislators are debating a proposal to shift the implementation date for the MDR from 2024 to 2027–2028, depending on device class, due to concerns with the Notified Bodies' capacity to handle the significantly increased demand for audits and certifications and the potential for significant disruption to the availability of medical technologies in the European market.
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