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US Regulatory Roundup, 2018: 5 Core Issues That Help Explain The Year In Medtech Policy

 
• By David Filmore

Global harmonization, regulatory innovation, rising safety scrutiny, medtech reimbursement hopes and global trade threats were key underlying concepts for the medtech regulatory and policy environment in 2018. Here's a spotlight on those issues and the top 30 articles from last year.

Top Stories US

Although 2018 ended with a government shutdown, for most of the year, new proposals and programs flowed out of Scott Gottlieb's US FDA at a mile-a-minute. It remains to be seen what elements of the agenda will end up as lasting components of US device regulation, but there is no question that the past year has been a period of regulatory innovation, with multiple pilots picking up speed, major reforms announced, and restructurings pursued.

Much of FDA's recent reform plans have been framed as paths to streamlining regulations and supporting the US as a...

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More from Regulation

Where Do Questions Surrounding The EU’s AI Act Leave The Medtech Industry?

 
• By Amanda Maxwell

The EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act, which entered into force on 1 August 2024, is already facing turbulence.

Medtech Giants Brace for Tariffs Impact: Responses Range From Financial To Philosophical

 
• By Marion Webb, Shubham Singh, and Nancy Pham

Manufacturing shifts, financial planning, and supply chain changes are among the adjustments that medtech leaders are making to Trump-era tariffs. Medtech Insight’s review of first-quarter earnings calls reveals how firms are navigating the impact and uncertainty of evolving trade policies.

Final Curtain For LDTs? FDA Will Not Appeal District Court Decision To Vacate Final Rule

 
• By Brian Bossetta

The US FDA has given up on its effort to regulate lab-developed tests as medical devices, at least for now. The agency will not appeal a decision from the Eastern District of Texas that tossed out the FDA’s final rule, leaving the agency with few cards.

EU Finalizes Framework For Joint Clinical Assessments Of High-Risk Devices

 
• By Amanda Maxwell

Second submission window for joint scientific consultations on a procedure to help prepare for joint clinical assessments will open from 2 to 30 June 2025.

More from Policy & Regulation

Medtech Giants Brace for Tariffs Impact: Responses Range From Financial To Philosophical

 
• By Marion Webb, Shubham Singh, and Nancy Pham

Manufacturing shifts, financial planning, and supply chain changes are among the adjustments that medtech leaders are making to Trump-era tariffs. Medtech Insight’s review of first-quarter earnings calls reveals how firms are navigating the impact and uncertainty of evolving trade policies.

Global Medtech Guidance Tracker: May 2025

 
• By Vibha Sharma

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

More Haste Less Pace? Challenging The ‘Early As Possible’ Principle In Medtech Innovation

 
• By Stuart Grant

The rallying cry to start as early as possible has become increasingly common in the world of medical device development. Innovation expert Dr. Stuart Grant challenges this conventional wisdom, asking: Is "sooner" truly better, or is there a smarter path to market for your medical device?