Mon, 05/16/2016 - 15:09
The Quality System Regulation (QSR) 21 CFR Part 820, aka FDA current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) for Medical Devices, is what regulatory professionals should be referencing in their quality system procedures. Part 820 embodies all the major…
Tue, 02/02/2016 - 16:49
The International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF) began a pilot phase for its new Medical Device Single Audit Program (MDSAP) in January 2014. This audit combines regulatory audits the manufacturer would typically face when they sell their…
Thu, 01/14/2016 - 11:06
On Dec. 23, 2015, a vote was taken among 78 nations with accreditation bodies that are part of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF). From the vote it was determined that a new international database for quality management system (QMS)…
Mon, 08/31/2015 - 13:57
The European Cooperation for Accreditation (EA), an association of national accreditation bodies in Europe, has implemented the accreditation requirements of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and has signed up for the IAF Multilateral…
Mon, 12/15/2014 - 11:55
Medical device regulators around the world often have to assess the cost of a new regulation. Typically there is a study to determine the financial effect on industry and the public. This information is often supplied to lawmakers in their…
Wed, 04/23/2014 - 15:15
Congress has mandated that every two years the FDA will have inspected nearly every medical device manufacturer on planet Earth that sells to the United States. This isn’t happening. Some have the illusory hope that the Medical Device Single Audit…
Mon, 04/14/2014 - 16:59
Electrically powered medical equipment will soon be subject to the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive 2011/65/EU.
As of July 22, 2014, most powered equipment sold within the European Union (EU) must not contain more than the…
Tue, 10/29/2013 - 10:02
Many of us have heard horror stories about ISO certificates that were fakes, or of medical-device quality system audits being performed by persons who were not competent. A recent report published by the European Commission found that two out of 11…
Thu, 01/10/2013 - 16:47
Some European Commission notified bodies have been forcing a position that a medical device must conform to the latest technical standards to meet the European legal requirement for “state of the art.” As a result, some manufacturers have been…
Mon, 03/05/2012 - 17:25
One of the greatest challenges that I have in discussing standards is trying to put things in a context so that all people affected by them can understand how they matter. So I want to start with a simple picture and a remarkable snapshot in time.…