FDA is preparing to have a private, independent consulting firm assess its management of the device pre-market review process. On Dec. 19, the agency issued a statement of work plan for the assessment and opened a 30-day comment period to obtain industry feedback.
It was the device industry that originally called for the assessment, gaining FDA's promise to take the step during negotiations over this year's user fee reauthorization. The assessment will be conducted in two phases, with the first contract to be awarded by mid-2013, according to the MDUFA III commitment letter between industry and FDA