Regulation and Clinical Investigation of Medical Device in the European Union

Abstract

Medical devices are the machine, tool, instrument, apparatus, implant, calibrator in vitro, software, the similar or related object intended for use by the manufacturer alone or in combination becoming increasingly important in the healthcare sector as these are used to diagnosis, control, prevention or treatment of an illness. Safety of the world population is the highest priority in order to launch new medical devices for the treatment and diagnostic of several diseases. New innovation in industries and regulations work together to provide devices for different world market and to improve quality and safety of exiting devices in the market. The main key for devices is to classify the determination of actual regulatory pathway which ensures the safety standards and other regulatory requirements in a specific country. We perform clinical trials for medical device which are quite different from the clinical trials performed for drug analysis. For any high-risk devices, the new EU law states that the manufacturer has to prepare a complete summary for their evidence. The clinical trials regulation provides more transparency on clinical trials data. Complete transparency is required for the maximum possibility of informed decisions in order to use new medical devices. The current manuscript will provide the information regarding the regulatory framework for the approval of medical devices and clinical investigation of medical device in European Union and comparison of approval process of medical device in USA, EU and India. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the most suitable and emerging requirements that manufacturers need for introducing their medical devices in the market in compliance with the MDR regulations. The proposal for a modified regulation of medical devices aims to ensure more robust clinical data in support of the CE marking applications of the medical device. The clinical investigation requirements will be mandatory, and there will be an obligation to demonstrate the clinical benefits of the device and provide a rigorous equivalence test if the assessment is based on comparison devices. The new European legislation should require the premarket demonstration of clinical efficacy and safety, using a randomized controlled trial if possible, and a transparent clinical review, preferably centralized.