Regulation

It is important that the medical technology sector functions within a healthy ecosystem. Our sector needs an environment that is open, supportive and free from unnecessary bureaucracy in order to innovate and provide patients safe and effective solutions to their condition. Within the product lifecycle of a medical technology product, we work with patients, doctors, […]

A month ago, the trilogue on the medical devices (MD) and in-vitro diagnostics (IVDs) regulation proposals have started.This discussion between the Council of the European Union, European Parliament and European Commission is one of the last steps of the process to land a consolidated text for the regulation. It’s almost the end of the road […]

In my view, a good legislation needs to be clear and feasible. A regulation that breeds complexity doesn’t help anyone. The medical device discussions are coming to an end with the current trilogue discussion between the European Council, Parliament and Commission. While we welcome the general direction of this regulation, I worry about the unnecessary […]

The European Parliament adopted another report this week focused on safety in healthcare highlighting the huge costs to healthcare systems, not to mention the enormous costs to patients, for preventable injuries, complications and infections.  While I admire the Parliament’s attention to these issues, it is still clear that many of the calls for improved monitoring […]

When the European Parliament finalised their amendments for the Proposal for a Regulation on in vitro diagnostic medical devices in October 2013, they set the scene for a process that has continued through several Council Presidencies. The continued discussions are a reflection of the complexity of the file and the need for careful consideration of the technical aspects of the text, which should lead to the creation of a positive environment for innovation, safety and patient access across Europe.

A 3D Printed Breakthrough for Complex Children’s Fractures from Materialise NV on Vimeo. Imagine  that you break your arm and it heals back together incorrectly, making it difficult to perform simple, everyday tasks. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if your surgeon could use medical imaging data from your arm, make a 3D virtual model and test […]

We’re right in the middle of a year of change in the EU. Europe has begun voting and EU politics may look quite different as a result. New things and new faces may be on the horizon but that doesn’t mean that work has stopped on a file of great importance to the Union’s more […]

Safe and accurate In Vitro Diagnostics (IVDs) are essential to a safe, efficient and effective healthcare system. Policymakers recognise this and that’s why they have included a clinical evidence requirement in the upcoming revision of the IVD Directive (IVDD). Because IVDs play such a pivotal role in the treatment pathway of patients, we, the IVD […]

The European Commission released its proposal for the revision of the EU Medical Devices (MDD) and In Vitro Diagnostics Directives (IVDD) in September 2012. The European Parliament weighed in on the file, voting on its final report in a plenary session last October. And in December we heard reps from the 28 EU health ministries voice their views on key issues. The word on the street is that the EU Council is set to reach its final position by June with trialogue discussions (where the Commision, Parliament and Council negotiate a final text) pencilled in for Q4 2014.