Discover new articles every week on the topics of regulatory affairs (including international approval and FDA approval), QM systems (e.g., ISO 13485), risk management (ISO 14971), software development (IEC 62304), IT security, clinical evaluation, usability engineering (IEC 62366-1), and systems engineering (including IEC 60601-1, ISO 10993) - also for IVD medical devices.
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Artificial intelligence is becoming part of everyday working life – often faster than companies can react. An AI policy provides the framework for the secure, compliant and efficient use of AI systems. However, many AI policies fall short because they address the wrong problem. This article outlines the key components.
Decision Support Systems are also increasingly being used in medicine. If they are medical devices, they must meet the legal requirements (e.g., the general safety and performance requirements). The hype surrounding Artificial Intelligence, in particular Machine Learning, and users such as Watson are raising hopes for the performance of Decision Support Systems. This article presents…
DetailsOne assumption persists: Products for general laboratory use such as PCR cyclers, NGS devices, fragment analyzers, centrifuges, pipetting robots, and extraction kits must bear a CE-IVD marking. Is this correct? There is often a lack of clarity about Hence, there are uncertainties, in order not to make themselves liable to prosecution. This article provides clarity…
DetailsManufactures use the “Research Use Only” (RUO) label to declare that their products should not be used in diagnostic procedures. This enables them to avoid the time-consuming and costly documentation required for conformity-assessed in vitro diagnostic medical devices (CE-IVDs). Nevertheless, some medical laboratories still use RUO products in diagnostic procedures, sometimes even with the knowledge…
DetailsClass IIa medical devices are among the most common products on the European market. This article explains which products fall into this class, which classification rules are relevant, and what regulatory consequences this has.
Because the quality of medical device sterilization is crucial to the safety of these medical devices, the selection and validation of the sterilization process are regularly subject to audits and inspections. This article provides a quick overview of the various sterilization processes and regulatory requirements for medical devices and offers best practices for successfully passing…
DetailsManufacturers who use machine learning (ML) in their medical devices or IVDs must comply with numerous regulatory requirements. This article provides an overview of the most important regulations and best practices for implementation. It saves you the trouble of researching and reading hundreds of pages and helps you prepare perfectly for your next audit.
DetailsThe MDR contains the Classification Rule 11. This rule is especially for software. The Rule 11 has serious implications: it bears the potential to further undermine Europe’s innovation capacity. Manufacturers should familiarize themselves with the MDCG‘s interpretation to avoid misclassifying software and to be able to follow the reasoning of notified bodies and authorities. This article…
DetailsOn December 16, 2025, the European Commission published its proposal for revising the MDR and IVDR , already titled MDR 2.0 and IVDR 2.0 respectively. But will manufacturers really benefit from it? This article provides the answers.
The NIS-2 (Network and Information Security) Directive is a European directive (Directive (EU) 2022/2555) that sets minimum standards for cybersecurity within the EU. Does this directive also affect IVD and medical device manufacturers? If so, what does it require, and what should manufacturers do? This article provides answers.
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