Regulatory Intelligence on Medical Device Recalls - Ineffective Process Control, Defects in Design of Device, Software or Other Components are the Major Reasons for Recall

Summary

GBI Research report, Regulatory Intelligence on Medical Device Recalls - Ineffective Process Control, Defects in Design of Device, Software or Other Components are the Major Reasons for Recall, provides an in-depth analysis on medical device recalls in the US. The report analyzes the number of medical device recalls in the US by year, recall class, therapeutic area and root cause from 20052010. The report includes an in-depth analysis on medical device recalls by the top 10 recall firms, with the number of device recalls by year and by recall class. The report presents information on medical device regulatory systems, with emphasis on regulatory intelligence in the following seven countries: the US, the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Japan. The medical equipment approval process, device classification, conformity assessment process and post-market surveillance are explained in the report.

Medical devices play an important role in the healthcare industry. Many technological advances have revolutionized the medical equipment industry. Medical devices include a wide range of products that vary in complexity and application. They range from simple devices, such as tongue depressors and medical thermometers, to complex devices such as artificial hearts.

The medical devices industry is a large and rapidly growing field that is often complicated by legal technicalities. Therefore, it is important to maintain regulatory surveillance on medical devices in order to protect public health by evaluating the safety and effectiveness of medical devices. Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) uses its pre-market review and evaluation programs to ensure the safety and effectiveness of new, high risk and complex devices, and uses its post-market surveillance and assessment methods, scientific research, regulatory enforcement tools and educational programs to maintain the safety and effectiveness of medical devices following approval for use.

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there were 4,343 medical device recalls from 20052010. The number of medical device recalls per annum increased from 578 in 2005 to 928 in 2010.The main reasons for these recalls were problems with device design and process control, which includes developing, conducting, controlling and monitoring production processes to ensure that a device conforms to its specifications; concerns with software design, component design and employee errors; the incorrect labeling of medical devices and the mistaken use of materials and components; as well as medical devices that pose a risk to patient health, devices that violate law, products with sterility failure and maintenance problems, and product repairs and contamination.

Scope

- The basic concepts of medical device recalls, such as device classification and the device recall process by the FDA.
- Medical device recalls in the US by year, recall class, number of recalls in different therapeutic areas and root cause.
- In-depth analysis of the top 10 recall firms in the US from 20052010, by year and by recall class.
- The regulatory framework for medical devices in the following seven countries: the US, the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Japan.

Reasons to buy

- Analyze the number of recalls by year from 20052010.
- Analyze the key reasons for recalls, along with the therapy areas and class of recalled devices, in order to strengthen the areas which may lead to quality defects in a companys product portfolio.
- Reinforce quality and manufacturing strategies so as to be complaint with the current regulation requirements.
- Develop key strategic initiatives by understanding the key focus areas of the medical device recalls market.
- Understand t