MEDICAL DEVICES

IN VITRO DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL DEVICES

Recitals 31 - 40 (IVDR)

 

(31) To ensure that devices manufactured in series production continue to be in conformity with the requirements of this Regulation and that experience from the use of the devices they manufacture is taken into account for the production process, all manufacturers should have a quality management system and a post-market surveillance system in place which should be proportionate to the risk class and the type of the device in question. In addition, in order to minimize risks or prevent incidents related to devices, manufacturers should establish a system for risk management and a system for reporting incidents and field safety corrective actions.

 

(32) The risk management system should be carefully aligned with and reflected in the performance evaluation process for the device, including the clinical risks to be addressed as part of performance studies, performance evaluation and post-market performance follow-up. The risk management and performance evaluation processes should be inter-dependent and should be regularly updated.

 

(33) It should be ensured that supervision and control of the manufacture of devices, as well as post-market surveillance and vigilance activities concerning them, are carried out within the manufacturer's organisation by a person responsible for regulatory compliance who fulfils minimum conditions of qualification.

 

(34) For manufacturers who are not established in the Union, the authorised representative plays a pivotal role in ensuring the compliance of the devices produced by those manufacturers and in serving as their contact person established in the Union. Given that pivotal role, for the purposes of enforcement it is appropriate to make the authorised representative legally liable for defective devices in the event that a manufacturer established outside the Union has not complied with its general obligations. The liability of the authorised representative provided for in this Regulation is without prejudice to the provisions of Directive 85/374/EEC, and accordingly the authorised representative should be jointly and severally liable with the importer and the manufacturer. The tasks of an authorised representative should be defined in a written mandate. Considering the role of authorised representatives, the minimum requirements they should meet should be clearly defined, including the requirement of having available a person who fulfils minimum conditions of qualification which should be similar to those for a manufacturer's person responsible for regulatory compliance.

 

(35) To ensure legal certainty in respect of the obligations incumbent on economic operators, it is necessary to clarify when a distributor, importer or other person is to be considered the manufacturer of a device.

 

(36) Parallel trade in products already placed on the market is a lawful form of trade within the internal market on the basis of Article 34 TFEU subject to the limitations arising from the need for protection of health and safety and from the need for protection of intellectual property rights provided for under Article 36 TFEU. Application of the principle of parallel trade is, however, subject to different interpretations in the Member States. The conditions, in particular the requirements for relabelling and repackaging, should therefore be specified in this Regulation, taking into account the case-law of the Court of Justice 11 in other relevant sectors and existing good practice in the field of in vitro diagnostic medical devices.

 

(37) Devices should, as a general rule, bear the CE marking to indicate their conformity with this Regulation so that they can move freely within the Union and be put into service in accordance with their intended purpose. Member States should not create obstacles to the placing on the market or putting into service of devices that comply with the requirements laid down in this Regulation. However, Member States should be allowed to decide whether to restrict the use of any specific type of device in relation to aspects that are not covered by this Regulation.

 

(38) The traceability of devices by means of a Unique Device Identification system (UDI system) based on international guidance should significantly enhance the effectiveness of the post-market safety-related activities for devices, which is owing to improved incident reporting, targeted field safety corrective actions and better monitoring by competent authorities. It should also help to reduce medical errors and to fight against falsified devices. Use of the UDI system should also improve purchasing and waste disposal policies and stock-management by health institutions and other economic operators and, where possible, be compatible with other authentication systems already in place in those settings.

 

(39) The UDI system should apply to all devices placed on the market except devices for performance studies, and be based on internationally recognised principles including definitions that are compatible with those used by major trade partners. In order for the UDI system to become functional in time for the application of this Regulation, detailed rules should be laid down in this Regulation and in Regulation (EU) 2017/745 of the European Parliament and of the Council 12.

 

(40) Transparency and adequate access to information, appropriately presented for the intended user, are essential in the public interest, to protect public health, to empower patients and healthcare professionals and to enable them to make informed decisions, to provide a sound basis for regulatory decision-making and to build confidence in the regulatory system.

 

(41) One key aspect in fulfilling the objectives of this Regulation is the creation of a European database on medical devices (Eudamed) that should integrate different electronic systems to collate and process information regarding devices on the market and the relevant economic operators, certain aspects of conformity assessment, notified bodies, certificates, performance studies, vigilance and market surveillance. The objectives of the database are to enhance overall transparency, including through better access to information for the public and healthcare professionals, to avoid multiple reporting requirements, to enhance coordination between Member States and to streamline and facilitate the flow of information between economic operators, notified bodies or sponsors and Member States as well as between Member States among themselves and with the Commission. Within the internal market, this can be ensured effectively only at Union level and the Commission should therefore further develop and manage the European databank on medical devices set up by Commission Decision 2010/227/EU 13.

Scroll forward or backward: