By

Alan Kusinitz
The Markup, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates how powerful institutions are using technology to change our society, reports that Facebook has been collecting patients’ sensitive health information—including details about their medical conditions, prescriptions, and doctor’s appointments—and sending it to Facebook.  They found that 33 of Newsweek’s top 100 hospitals in America contained a tracker, called the...
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FDA Issues Immediately in Effect Guidance on Ventilators During COVID-19 Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued this immediately in effect guidance: Enforcement Policy for Ventilators and Accessories and Other Respiratory Devices During the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency. The FDA believes the policy set forth in this guidance may help address...
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Health Canada released the full guidance document, Pre-market Requirements for Medical Device Cybersecurity. It can be viewed at:  https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/medical-devices/application-information/guidance-documents/cybersecurity.htm It includes requirements such as: “Risk management is required for all medical devices throughout their life-cycle. Manufacturers should incorporate cybersecurity into the risk management process for every device that consists of or contains software. Manufacturers are...
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Today FDA issued a final guidance, “Requests for Feedback and Meetings for Medical Device Submissions: The Q-Submission Program.  Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff Document (May 7, 2019).  The FDA’s Q-Submission Program provides submitters an opportunity to have early collaboration and discussions about medical device submissions. In our opinion, early feedback and...
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FDA’s final “Classification of Accessories Distinct from Other Devices; Finalized List of Accessories Suitable for Class” will be posted shortly at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/04/12/2019-07290/medical-devices-classification-of-accessories-distinct-from-other-devices-finalized-list-of. While this allows for certain accessories for higher class devices to be exempt from premarket notifications, the preamble has a section worth noting as a reminder for medical devices containing software. The preamble...
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FDA Regulation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning in Software as a Medical Device On April 2, 2019, the FDA published a discussion paper “Proposed Regulatory Framework for Modifications to Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML)-Based Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) – Discussion Paper and Request for Feedback” that describes the FDA’s foundation for a...
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Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a safety communication to alert health care providers and patients about cybersecurity vulnerabilities identified in a wireless telemetry technology used for communication between Medtronic’s implantable cardiac devices, clinic programmers, and home monitors. The wireless telemetry protocol has cybersecurity vulnerabilities because it does not use encryption, authentication,...
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The FDA released a Draft Guidance titled “Nonbinding Feedback After Certain FDA Inspections of Device Establishments”, on February 19, 2019.  It provides a very limited set of conditions where companies can request non-binding FDA feedback to the adequacy of planned corrective actions. The request must be submitted within 15 days of the issuance of the...
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FDA issued a version of its “Refuse to Accept Policy for 510(k)s” dated 21-Feb-2019. This supersedes the prior 30-Jan-2018 version.  As FDA guidance goes, this a short period of time between updates.  It focuses on explaining the initial 15 day administrative completeness check, review initial questions, provision of a checklist for this administrative review which...
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FDA is entering the test phase of its Digital Health Precertification (Pre-Cert) Pilot Program. General information on this program can be found at: https://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/DigitalHealth/DigitalHealthPreCertProgram/default.htm including FAQs at: https://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/DigitalHealth/DigitalHealthPreCertProgram/ucm577330.htm Milestones and next steps can be found at: https://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/DigitalHealth/DigitalHealthPreCertProgram/ucm584020.htm Generally, this program is for some of what FDA refers to as Software as a Medical Device (SaMD). ...
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Health Canada issued a draft guidance document titled, “Pre-market Requirements for Medical Device Cybersecurity.” Section 1.1 states: “Health Canada considers the inclusion of cybersecurity measures an important consideration in issuing medical device licenses. Therefore, this guidance document provides medical device manufacturers advice on the practices, responses and mitigation measures which can improve the cybersecurity of...
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FDA issued a report entitled “REPORT ON NON-DEVICE SOFTWARE FUNCTIONS: IMPACT TO HEALTH AND BEST PRACTICES – DECEMBER 2018.” This report contains findings on five software functions excluded from the device definition by the 21st Century Cures Act. The FDA found these software functions have more benefits than risks to patient safety and health. The...
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FDA issued a draft guidance entitled “Self-Monitoring Blood Glucose Test Systems for Over-the-Counter Use“‘. This draft guidance document provides recommendations to industry about the studies and criteria to include in their premarket submissions for self-monitoring blood glucose test systems used for diabetes management in the home setting. This guidance (similar to the Prescription POC guidance)...
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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing a forthcoming public advisory committee meeting of the Patient Engagement Advisory Committee (the Committee). The general function of the Committee is to provide advice to the Commissioner, or designee, on complex issues relating to medical devices, the regulation of devices, and their use by patients. The meeting...
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This content is only available to Standards Navigator subscribers.  See our Subscribe page for information on subscriptions. Questionnaire asking the national bodies to choose which approach to risk management should be used in the second edition of IEC 62304. 62304 Edition 2 Questionnaire
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This content is only available to our Premium subscribers. A presentation on IEC 62304 Second Edition may be found at the following link: IEC 62304 2nd Edition Presentation
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For more information on this webinar click the link provided.
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Bristol, UK. Now in its fifth year, the mission of the High Integrity Software conference is to share challenges, best practice and experience between software engineering practitioners. The conference features talks from industrial and academic specialists which disseminate experience and knowledge of important techniques and methods that are applicable across industry sectors. For more information...
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FDA issued a draft guidance “Content of Premarket Submissions forManagement of Cybersecurity in Medical Devices”, dated 10/17/18. This document contains some terms (e.g. Cybersecurity Bill of Material) and concepts (e.g., Tier 1 and Tier 2 risks) that is important for manufacturers to understand and address in premarket submissions. It also includes labeling recommendations for cybersecurity...
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This final guidance, “Appropriate Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards in Premarket Submissions for Medical Devices,” replaces the 2013 draft guidance. This guidance focuses on clarifying and formalizing existing FDA practice including the requirement to submit FDA’s standards form for each standard used as well as discusses the use of obsolete standards. Originally standards were a...
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This SoftwareCPR.com newsletter in pdf form lists items added to the web site from early-June 2018 through mid-October 2018. It serves as an easy reference to find new or updated items that may be of interest to you. Please search the library to see all items posted as the newsletter only lists new or updated...
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Email: Industry.Biologics@fda.hhs.gov Phone: 240-402-8020 or 1-800-835-4709 After hours (after 4:30 pm EST weekdays, all day on weekends, and federal holidays) FDA Emergency Call Center, Phone: 866-300-4374 or 301-796-8240 What The MATTB Does CBER’s Manufacturers Assistance and Technical Training Branch (MATTB) responds to public inquiries for information (by phone and email) from the biologics industry. MATTB strives to provide...
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Quality in 510(k) “Quik” Review Program Pilot The Quality in 510(k) (“Quik”) Review Program provides an alternate method to submit a premarket notification (510(k)) to the FDA using the eSubmitter software to format the submission. The FDA has identified a list of product codes that are eligible for this pilot. These device types are moderate risk and are considered...
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For more information on eligibility click the link. You can also download the current working model.
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FDA Center for Biologics provides manufacturers with technical assistance. For email and phone contact information, and other information about this service, click the link.
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October is National Cybersecurity Month; for more information from FDA click the link.
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Vancouver, BC Canada . Focused on global regulatory affairs and harmonization. For more information click the link provided. RAPS Regulatory Convergence
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Information on the FDA CDRH Patient Engagement Advisory Committee, including how to nominate candidates.
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This content is only available to Premium and higher subscribers.  See our Subscribe page for information on subscriptions. It contains all software and computer related recall excerpts for the years listed. Some of the newest recalls on the site may not be included. This compilation is provided in reverse chronological order and is useful for quick review,...
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This content is only available to Premium and higher subscribers.  See our Subscribe page for information on subscriptions. The attached pdf file contains all software and computer related warning letter excerpts posted on this site for the years listed. Some of the newest warning letters on the site may not be included since we only update this...
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Philadelphia, PA: The MedTech Conference features senior level politicians and executives and a wide array of educational programming. For more information, click the link provided.  
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Pharmaceutical Laboratories and Consultants, Inc. Product: testing laboratory Date:8/29/18 This warning letter summarizes significant violations of current good manufacturing practice (CGMP) regulations for finished pharmaceuticals. See 21 CFR, parts 210 and 211. Because your methods, facilities, or controls for manufacturing, processing, packing, or holding do not conform to CGMP, your drug products are adulterated within...
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Also states the new annual registration fees. Keep in mind, businesses with gross revenue under USD $100 million qualify for the reduced small business fees listed.
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For information on FDA eSubmitter downloading and installation see the link. Let’s save the trees folks…
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Ron Baerg, of Seminole, FL USA, is now a partner at Crisis Prevention and Recovery LLC (DBA SoftwareCPR ®), a full service medical device compliance and premarket submissions consultancy. Ron has over twenty three years experience in medical device software development and management. His experience has been primarily focused on large, complex medical device systems...
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This content is only available to Premium level and Standards Navigator subscribers.  See our Subscribe page for information on subscriptions. SoftwareCPR has prepared a collection of production and process validation material suitable for training in Production and Quality Systems 820.70(i) Validation including Part 11.  Portions could be made into handouts or provided electronically.  Download the manual...
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Based on our searches and posting of software related recalls there appears to be a significant decrease of recalls reported to FDA in 2017 compared to 2016. Yearly total software recalls to the best of our ability to identify were for the past year are listed below. For previous years, search our library or look...
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The International Medical Device Forum, which FDA participates in, released a draft for comment entitled, “Essential Principles of Safety and Performance of Medical Devices and IVD Medical Devices.“  This guidance document describes fundamental design and manufacturing requirements, referred to as “Essential Principles of Safety and Performance” that, when met, indicate a medical device is safe and...
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a Federal Register notice with a proposed program for Voluntary Malfunction Summary Reporting. When finalized, this program would allow manufacturers to report certain malfunction medical device reports (MDRs) in a summary format on a quarterly basis instead of individually within 30 days. The proposed Voluntary Malfunction Summary Reporting...
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On Dec. 8, 2017 FDA released a Draft guidance “Changes to Existing Medical Software Policies Resulting from Section 3060 of the 21st Century Cures Act”. This guidance dsicusses software functions in relation to the modified device definition in the 21st Century Cures Act and the criteria for interpreting if and how medical software will or...
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On Dec. 8, 2017 FDA released a Draft guidance “Clinical and Patient Decision Support Software”. This guidance addresses software for decision support in two categories: one used by Healthcare Professionals, the other used personally by patients and non-health professionals. It provides FDA interpretation of which types of Decision Support Software do not meet the definition...
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On December 7, 2017, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., released the statement, “Advancing new digital health policies to encourage innovation, bring efficiency and modernization to regulation.” This statement announces the release of several new draft and final guidances as part of the FDA’s Health Innovation Action Plan published previously. The new guidances are posted separately...
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Earlier this year FDA released the DH Action Plan, initiating several new guidances, policy changes, and its pre-certification program. Note: Information on the pre-certification program progress during 2017 and release of new guidance (December 2017) is posted separately.
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An excerpt of the Medical Device Innovations Section of the US Law PLAW-114Publ255 referred to as the “21st Century Cures Act” and published in December of 2016 is at the link provided. There are many important elements of this law, including how accessories are classified and what software functions are not outside the definition of...
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The FDA maintains a dedicated webpage to provide ongoing information on FDA’s digital health initiative.
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This SoftwareCPR.com newsletter in .pdf form lists items added to the web site from mid-August 2017 through mid-November 2017. It serves as an easy reference to find new or updated items that may be of interest to you. Please search the library to see all items posted as the newsletter only lists new or updated...
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FDA regulation of Medical Device Data Systems has changed significantly over the years. This, together with the blurred line between MDDS and general health information technology, interfaces between MDDS and regulated medical devices, the actual criteria for deciding if something is classified as a Medical Device Data System, and different regulatory requirements outside the US...
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Supersedes 1997 guidance. FDA issued a new Final guidance entitled “Deciding When to Submit a 510(k) for a Change to an Existing Device” dated Oct. 25, 2017. TThe full guidance is at the link provided. Note that FDA simultaneously released a Final guidance for when to submit a new 510(k) for software changes specifically. Deciding When...
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FDA published a draft guidance “Breakthrough Devices Program Draft Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff” dated 10/25/17. The full guidance is at the link provided. This supersedes the Expedited Access Pathway (EAP) introduced in 2015 and the Priority Review Program. The Breakthrough Devices Program is a voluntary program for certain medical devices...
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Being Agile & Yet Compliant (Public or Private)

Our SoftwareCPR unique approach to incorporating agile and lean engineering to your medical device software process training course is now open for scheduling!

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This course takes a deep dive into the US FDA expectations for cybersecurity activities in the product development process with central focus on the cybersecurity risk analysis process. Overall approach will be tied to relevant standards and FDA guidance documentation. The course will follow the ISO 14971:2019 framework for overall structure but utilize IEC 62304, IEC 81001-5-1, and AAMI TIR57 for specific details regarding cybersecurity planning, risk characterization, threat modeling, and control strategies.

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