The European Medical Device Regulation (MDR) replaced the Medical Device Directive (MDD) in May of 2017. However, many medical device development companies are still working to understand the key differences between these guiding documents. Fundamentally, the MDR differs from the MDD in terms of device classification. Companies looking to commercialize their products in Europe will need to be familiar with these updated classifications and update their internal manufacturing, testing, and commercialization procedures accordingly. 

Adapting to The EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR)

Medical device companies hoping to bring their products to market in the EU will now have to comply with the Medical Device Regulation (MDR), an update from the old Medical Device Directive (MDD). Companies that were already compliant with the MDD will need to pay close attention to this updated regulation, which departs from the MDD in several key ways. 

Medical Device Material Selection: Pros and Cons Medical Device Companies Need to Know

Material selection is one of the most challenging—and important—components of medical device development. No matter how strong a concept or dedicated a team, selecting the wrong material can jeopardize a device’s commercialization timeline and likelihood of regulatory approval. Fortunately, the Kapstone team of experts is well-versed in device material selection and manufacturing as well as the testing needed to go with it. Our mission is to inspire, equip, and guide our partners in bringing the highest quality medical devices to market, which includes the material safety and effectiveness. 

A Conversation With John Kapitan | Founder & CEO, Kapstone Medical

Medical device development companies large and small face different hurdles when bringing a new device to market. However, no matter their size, all companies cope with the inherent unpredictability of the development process—which, due to shifting regulatory guidance, the complexity of device manufacturing, and other factors, can quickly overwhelm timelines and budgets. 

A Conversation With David Walsh | Director of Engineering

According to David Walsh, Director of Engineering at Kapstone, medical device companies really only have one goal: to “make sure their device is ultimately widely accepted in the market, easily understood, and can be used safely and effectively.” Sums it up, doesn’t it?

A Conversation With Justin Rowland | Project Manager

Bringing a medical device to market is difficult for startup and established medical device companies alike. Though the development and approval process can sometimes take years, those years are jam-packed with requirements and milestones that can challenge even the most experienced companies.

A Conversation with Kellen Hills | Regulatory Affairs Specialist, Kapstone Medical

Since 1906, the US Food and Drug Administration (more commonly known as the FDA) has protected consumers against the threat posed by adulterated, mislabeled, unsafe, or otherwise ineffective food and drug products. Regulatory affairs consultant Kellen Hills notes that before the FDA was empowered to regulate these products, “people were getting sick and dying because of unsavory characters putting things out on the market, making false claims about what they did with no oversight.” 

A Conversation with John Kapitan | Founder & CEO, Kapstone Medical

Bringing a medical device to market is a challenging process, to say the least. From ideation to product classification to obtaining final approval in a target market, so many of these necessary steps can become pain points for established and fledgling companies alike. 

Part 7 in a 7-part series on the EU’s Medical Device Regulation

The European Database for Medical Devices (EUDAMED) was conceived 20 years ago in 1998, originally as part of the In Vitro Diagnostics Devices Directive (IVDD) and included the Medical Devices Directive (MDD).

Under the new MDR that replaces the MDD, the European Commission recognized that to fully support the more stringent requirements for filing, reporting, and continuing surveillance, it would need to greatly expand the capabilities of the database for monitoring and data collection.

Part 6 in a 7-part series on the EU’s Medical Device Regulation

The new EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) builds on the framework of the MDD with an increased emphasis on post-market surveillance (PMS) and post-market clinical follow-up (PMCF), similar to FDA’s approach for high risk devices.