After four years of negotiations, European lawmakers agreed on June 15 on a new EU Medical Devices Regulation (MDR).

The MDR is the equivalent to the FDA’s CDRH regulations in the United States and essentially specifies the applicable rules when importing medical devices into Europe, which is the world’s second-largest device market. Rules relate, for example, to product classification; quality system standards; pre-market authorization; and reporting of adverse events.

The final version of the MDR – a hefty 352 pages – was published on June 27 and is now reviewed by the EU’s legal editor for drafting or law-technical errors. It then needs to be translated into all EU member languages, followed by formal publication. After publication, expected in late 2016 or early 2017, there will be a three-year transition period as the medical device industry will need time to comply with the new requirements.Continue Reading New EU Rules for Medical Devices