Health Law Advisor

In this column, in the coming months we are going to dig into the data regarding FDA regulation of medical products, deeper than the averages that FDA publishes in connection with its user fee obligations.  For many averages, there’s a high degree of variability, and it’s important for industry to have a deeper understanding.  In each case, we will offer a few preliminary observations on the data, but we would encourage a conversation around what others see in the data.

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This is an interactive chart that you can explore by clicking on the colors in the legend to see how specific ...

On November 26, 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) announced the process for clearing most medical devices for marketing is being updated to incorporate changes the FDA laid out in an April draft guidance. For over forty years, most medical devices have entered the United States market through the 510(k) clearance process. The 510(k) process offers an expedited approval process available only for products that are substantially equivalent to products already on the market (known as predicate devices). The FDA is considering no longer allowing sponsors to ...

In early October, FDA held a public workshop to discuss the challenges of regulating medical devices made through additive manufacturing (also known as 3-D printing). Additive manufacturing gives designers the ability to build devices directly from 3-D images, like patient CT or MRI scans. As the push toward personalized medicine continues, 3-D printed devices hold incredible potential for advancing the ball. While additive manufacturing isn't completely mainstream yet, FDA and industry stakeholders expect to see major growth in this field in coming years. Experts project ...