FDA Wants To Restart Domestic On-Site Inspections On July 20 – But There Are Caveats
Agency devises COVID-19 Advisory Rating System to help it determine whether to send investigators to manufacturing facilities
• By Shawn M. Schmitt
US FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn said on 10 July that the agency has a plan to send investigators back into the field in 10 days. Whether or not a company is inspected, however, will depend on local COVID-19 conditions.
A green light for FDA inspections?
The US Food and Drug Administration wants to restart domestic on-site inspections on 20 July.
The UK device regulator wants to align health institution device exemptions with its evolving policy of agile regulation of medtech in the British market. It asks stakeholders to complete a survey by Sept. 15.
An FDA panel has endorsed the use of dermal fillers for décolletage, but warned of patient safety concerns. The filler can cause complications with future imaging and pregnancy or breastfeeding, panelists said. Regulatory measures and patient studies are recommended for better outcomes.
Despite staffing cuts and uncertainty at the FDA, the US still offers EU medtech firms stronger regulatory support, regulatory expert Bassil Akra told Medtech Insight. This is especially valued as EU rules are often viewed as overly stringent, unclear and difficult to follow.
The US FDA says PFAS used in medical devices are safe and that there’s no reason to restrict them in device production. An environmental group finds the agency’s assertion questionable.
Despite staffing cuts and uncertainty at the FDA, the US still offers EU medtech firms stronger regulatory support, regulatory expert Bassil Akra told Medtech Insight. This is especially valued as EU rules are often viewed as overly stringent, unclear and difficult to follow.
2026 reimbursement calculations for the list of hybrid DRGs – a mechanism to incentivize day cases over inpatient surgery – will be issued in few weeks’ time. The medtech industry has made its demands known.
The FDA's Device Clinical Trial Snapshot Pilot, aimed at increasing trial transparency and diversity, has been canceled following President Trump’s anti-DEI executive order. Critics warn this may hinder trial transparency, impacting public health and demographic data accessibility.
