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A No-Predicate 510(k) Future? Pending US FDA Policy Might Forge A Path

 
• By David Filmore

510(k) clearances are the US market on-ramp for most devices, and proving the device is similar enough to an already-marketed product is the entry toll. But a policy in development at FDA's device center offers an optional approach that avoids predicate comparisons. Center director Jeffrey Shuren says in an interview that he expects the new approach will become the "pathway of choice" for many companies, potentially upending what has been a defining characteristic of the device regulatory landscape for decades.

Business development idea and developing industry success through creative invention as a light bulb evolving to a gear shape as a 3D illustration.

The process of comparing a new device to an already-marketed predicate device to prove substantial equivalence is a core driver of the US device market. It also aligns with the iterative innovation cycle, where products are continually updated to enhance outcomes and usability, that the device industry embraces.

But the reality, both FDA and industry say, is that it is proving increasingly difficult to show substantial equivalence between an advanced-technology approach to a problem and a device in the

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More from Regulation

Does Makary’s Reorg Choice Mark FDA Turning Point?

 
• By Michael McCaughan

US FDA Commissioner Martin Makary’s disavowal of a proposed reorganization plan may be an important turning point in the Trump Administration. The move does not improve the situation, but may mean the administration stops actively making things worse.

MedTech Europe’s Bisazza Urges Action As US Tariffs Jeopardize Critical Global Supply Chains

 
• By Amanda Maxwell

The intricate assembly of medical devices, often involving over 1,000 globally sourced components, faces severe disruption due to new US tariffs. These barriers could halt production and devastate small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), MedTech Europe’s CEO, Oliver Bisazza, warns in an interview with Medtech Insight.

Don’t Sleep On Inspections: Experts Warn FDA Maintains Enforcement Resources

 
• By Brian Bossetta

Manufacturers of medical products would be foolish to think that recent upheavals at the US FDA will result in a lack of inspections in the coming years. A panel of experts discussed the current state of inspections during a webinar hosted by the Food and Drug Law Institute.

South Korea Adds Digital Health Rules To Already Complicated Regulatory Landscape

 
• By Elizabeth Orr

A New South Korean law, the Digital Medical Products Act, enhances regulation for digital health products. Medical devices in the country are categorized both by risk and by similarity to already authorized devices. The approval process may stretch to 515 days for new manufacturers.

More from Policy & Regulation

New Treatment For Chronic Facial Pain Could Launch By Fall 2025

 
• By Elizabeth Orr

NeuroOne is preparing to submit its OneRF Trigeminal Nerve Ablation System to the US FDA for treating trigeminal neuralgia, a chronic facial pain condition. CEO Dave Rosa told Medtech Insight that he expects a possible product launch by fall 2025.

Don’t Sleep On Inspections: Experts Warn FDA Maintains Enforcement Resources

 
• By Brian Bossetta

Manufacturers of medical products would be foolish to think that recent upheavals at the US FDA will result in a lack of inspections in the coming years. A panel of experts discussed the current state of inspections during a webinar hosted by the Food and Drug Law Institute.

Global Medtech Guidance Tracker: April 2025

 
• By Vibha Sharma

Stay current on regulatory guidelines from around the world with Medtech Insight's Guidance Tracker. 25 documents have been posted on the tracker since its last update.