On 26 May 2023 the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced it plans to introduce an international reliance route for the approval of medicinal products. This shows the UK is now looking beyond the EU in its approach to recognizing foreign marketing authorizations. The MHRA is “focused on providing
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.
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).
The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (“MHRA”) has published Guidance on the regulation of medical devices from 1 January 2021 (the “Guidance”). It discusses the regulatory requirements that apply to medical devices after the end of the Brexit transitional period under the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement. In summary:
Continue Reading Brexit: UK Guidance on Regulation of Medical Devices from 1 January 2021
On 20 March 2020, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (“MHRA”, the “Agency”) announced it will be conducting only ‘essential’ on-site Good Practice (“GxP”) inspections of laboratories, clinical trials, manufacturing, distribution and pharmacovigilance during COVID-19. The Agency will replace ‘non-essential’ on-site inspections with remote regulatory supervision approaches, such as office-based assessments and information-exchange with
On 20 March 2020, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) published Guidance on the Management of Clinical Trials during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic (the Guidance). The EMA jointly developed the Guidance with working groups from the European Commission and the national Heads of Medicines Agency (HMA).
The Guidance provides information on changes and protocol deviations that
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (“MHRA”) has published a specification for a “Rapidly Manufactured Ventilator System” (“RMVS”), setting out the clinical requirements for a ‘minimally acceptable’ ventilator for use in hospitals during the COVID-19 outbreak (the “RMVS Specification”). The purpose of the RMVS Specification is to meet the UK healthcare system’s increased demand
On 26 February, the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) published further guidance (available here) setting out the anticipated regulation of medical devices in the UK, should the UK leave the EU without a deal (Guidance). This Guidance will apply from ‘exit day’ (expected to be 11 p.m. 29 March 2019) subject to the (currently draft) Medical Devices (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (UK MDR 2019) (available here) being passed by UK Parliament. This latest Guidance follows on from the MHRA’s previous ‘no deal’ scenario further guidance note in January regarding medicines, medical devices and clinical trials regulation (available here).
The Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (UK MDR 2002) implement Directives 90/385/EEC, 93/42/EEC and 98/79/EC on active implantable medical devices, medical devices, and in vitro diagnostic medical devices (IVDs), respectively (EU Directives) into UK law. Pursuant to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, the UK MDR 2002 will continue to apply.
This post was originally published on our sister blog Inside Medical Devices.
On 18 July 2014, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced that it will create a new independent Devices Expert Advisory Committee (DEAC) before April 2015.
The DEAC will be responsible for providing independent expert advice to help the MHRA regulate medical devices. The MHRA hopes that the DEAC will help the MHRA “have stronger links with the wider scientific community to facilitate access to specialist expertise.” The DEAC is expected to be relatively small in size with around 12 members and a chair to enable the group to be more agile and responsive to important regulatory issues concerning medical devices.
Continue Reading MHRA Creates New Expert Advisory Group on Medical Devices