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Medtech Business Review | Wednesday, January 10, 2024
To avoid inconsistent global launches, reviewing nuances in testing protocols and international standards is crucial. Organizations like the Regulatory Affairs Professional Society can help develop a baseline understanding for informed discussions with internal regulatory partners.
Fremont, CA: Medical device innovation and commercialization is a complex, orchestrated symphony, and clinical needs, product testing and compliant scalability are the key instruments. This article explores these areas and how you can optimize each to harmonize the process and get your product to patients.
Clinical Customer Misalignment
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Companies need to align clinical ideas with fundamental clinical requirements for widespread adoption. Commoditized products face distributor and GPO contracts, while breakthrough products face skepticism and long lead times. To innovate, companies should design products that address unmet clinical needs, scale manufacturing, eliminate user error, increase safety, and be adaptable at all levels of clinical acumen. They should speak with end-users to gather insights about product features, customer service, device longevity, digital integration, supply chain redundancies, and home continuity.
Limiting Device Testing To the Bench
Medical device companies often overlook testing beyond the bench to expedite market entry, which is crucial for device developers as quality of life is a key metric for success. To avoid launching full-blown products, it is recommended to establish a short pilot with the product, often in animal labs. Bench testing may pass, but issues can arise when devices are in the clinical environment for the first time. Standard Operating Procedures and test method validation can justify bench testing and circumvent field testing. However, potential issues include complications from a small, transparent part falling into a patient's cavity, hospital security system disallowance, and testing on animals that do not reflect all patients' skin tones.
Sacrificing Compliant Scalability for Speed to Market
Being first to market can be beneficial for introducing new products or therapies, but it can also hinder clinical adoption if a product fails to perform well. To avoid inconsistent global launches, reviewing nuances in testing protocols and international standards is crucial. Organizations like the Regulatory Affairs Professional Society can help develop a baseline understanding for informed discussions with internal regulatory partners. A targeted list of questions for the following device iteration can maximize product development efforts. By implementing these strategies, manufacturers can make the orchestra play even better for patients eagerly awaiting medical device innovations.
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