Interested in the US Food and Drug Administration's breakthrough devices pathway? The odds may not be in your favor. Data from the agency shows that of almost 2,000 applications to the program and its predecessor since 2015, only 853 -- about 45% were granted the designation, with the other applications being either denied or withdrawn.
FDA Data: Breakthrough Program Accepted 45% Of Applicants Since 2015
Data from the US Food and Drug Administration shows that the agency has granted 853 breakthrough device applications since 2015, out of 1,909 applications. The acceptance rate has varied from 33% in 2016 to 72% in 2017, with acceptance rates in recent years hovering around the 40% mark.

More from Regulation
The US FDA has published its final document to guide sponsors on using sex-specific data in designing clinical trials of medical devices. However, the guidance removes all references to gender that appeared in January’s draft guidance, released before the Trump administration took office.
Calley Means defended reductions in force at the Health and Human Services Department that shocked and outraged federal workers and stakeholders.
A seemingly humorous social media post on April Fool’s Day struck a nerve with regulatory experts, reflecting real concerns about recent actions by the US Food and Drug Administration.
Mass FDA layoffs on 1 April were designed to spare product reviewers, but still touched many who are critical to the application review process or drug development, which could mean fewer treatments are brought to the US market first.
More from Policy & Regulation
Calley Means defended reductions in force at the Health and Human Services Department that shocked and outraged federal workers and stakeholders.
Some employees were not impressed with FDA Commissioner Martin Makary's first speech to the agency staff, saying he did not seem to understand the agency's mission.
Swiss medtech exporters seek urgent diplomatic action from the Swiss Federal Council in a bid to overturn the 2 April US decision to put tariffs on goods imports.