Artificial Intelligence (AI)

On April 30, 2024, the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (“MHRA”) outlined its strategic approach (“Approach”) to artificial intelligence (“AI”).  The Approach is a response to the UK Government’s white paper: a pro-innovation approach to AI regulation and subsequent Secretary of State letter of 1 February 2024, and is the culmination of 12 months’ work by the MHRA to ensure the risks of AI are appropriately balanced with the potential transformative impact of AI in healthcare.

AI in Healthcare

AI has the potential to revolutionize the healthcare sector and improve health outcomes at every stage of healthcare provision – from preventative care through to diagnosis and treatment.  AI can help in research and development by strengthening outcomes of clinical trials, as well as being used to improve the clinical care of patients by personalizing care, improving diagnosis and treatment, enhancing the delivery of care and health system efficiency, and supplementing healthcare professionals’ knowledge, skills and competencies. Continue Reading MHRA Outlines New Strategic Approach to Artificial Intelligence

On October 19, 2023, the World Health Organization (“WHO”) published a set of regulatory considerations on artificial intelligence (“AI”) for health (press release and full publication).  The publication is not guidance or policy but is intended as a resource for relevant stakeholders in medical devices ecosystems, including manufacturers

Continue Reading WHO Publishes Regulatory Considerations on AI for Health

Hot on the heels of recent announcements from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (see our prior blogs here), the European Medicines Agency (“EMA”) has joined the conversation on the use of Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) and Machine Learning (“ML”) technologies in the medicinal product lifecycle.

AI and ML have

Continue Reading EMA Releases Reflection Paper on AI/ML in the Medicinal Product Lifecycle

Last week, Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, published his Spring Budget for the UK.  It identified life sciences and digital technologies as “high growth sectors,” which the UK Government wishes to prioritize.  Among other things, the Budget outlined the Government’s plans to simplify medicines and technology approvals

Continue Reading UK MHRA to recognize foreign regulatory approvals for medicines and medical technologies and promote digital innovation

The UK has reaffirmed its commitment to leading the way in regulatory innovation in software as a medical device (“SaMD”) and artificial intelligence as a medical device (“AIaMD”).  On 17 October 2022, the UK Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (“MHRA”) published its Guidance on “Software and AI as a Medical Device Change Programme – Roadmap.”  It builds on the Government response to consultation on the future regulation of medical devices in the UK and follows on from the Software and AI as a Medical Device Change Programme, which was published in 2021.  The MHRA has provided deliverables, which map out a course for change to the regulation of this sector.Continue Reading Change is Coming for Software and AI Medical Devices in the UK

On 27 October 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”), Health Canada, and the United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (“MHRA”) (together the “Regulators”) jointly published 10 guiding principles to inform the development of Good Machine Learning Practice (“GMLP”) for medical devices that use artificial intelligence and machine learning (“AI/ML”).

Purpose

AI and ML have the “potential to transform health care” through their ability to analyse vast amounts of data and learn from real-world use.  However, these technologies also pose unique challenges, given their complexity and the constantly evolving, data-driven nature of their development.  The Regulators formed the guiding principles to “help promote safe, effective, and high-quality medical devices that use . . . AI/ML” and to “cultivate future growth” in this fast paced field.

The Regulators predict that the guiding principles could be used to: (i) adopt good practices from other sectors; (ii) tailor these practices to the medical technology/healthcare sector; and (iii) create new practices specific to the medical technology/healthcare sector.  The Regulators expect these joint principles to inform broader international engagements as well.Continue Reading U.S., UK and Canada Regulators Collaborate to Develop “10 Guiding Principles” for Good Machine Learning Practices (“GMLP”) for Medical Devices

The Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (“MHRA”) has published a “Consultation on the future regulation of medical devices in the United Kingdom” (the “Consultation”), which will run until 25 November 2021.  The consultation sets out proposed changes to the UK medical device regulatory framework with the aim to “develop a world-leading future regime for medical devices that prioritises patient safety while fostering innovation.

Separately, the MHRA has published a work programme on software and AI as a medical device to deliver a regulatory framework that makes sure that the UK is the home of responsible innovation for medical device software.  Any legislative change proposed by the work programme will build upon the wider reforms to medical device regulation being consulted upon as a part of the Consultation.

The MHRA intends that any amendments to the UK medical device framework will come into force in July 2023.  This aligns with the date when UKCA marking will become mandatory in the UK and when EU CE marks will no longer be recognized.  The MHRA has made clear that it will provide adequate transition periods before adopting any new requirements.

All interested parties are encouraged to contribute to shaping the future regulation of medical devices in the UK by responding to the MHRA’s consultation before the deadline (25 November 2021).Continue Reading Consultation on the Future Regulation of Medical Devices in the UK, including Work Programme for Software and AI Medical Devices