TÜV SÜD will host a workshop in March to help manufacturers understand the changing medical device regulatory landscape as a result of the upcoming overhaul of the European Union’s Medical Device Regulation and Approval Process (MDR).

The 2017 MDR Workshop will take place on March 13 at the Kimpton Palomar Hotel in San Diego, California. It will be led by Dr. Bassil Akra, TÜV SÜD’s global director of clinical centers of excellence,

Dr. Akra has a distinguished career in research and development, quality management, and regulatory affairs. He is deeply involved with the development of the EU’s guidance and standards in his capacity as a member of the working group on clinical investigation and evaluation.

Other speakers at the workshop will include Dr. Matthias Fink, Dr. Gerold Labek, and Dr. Yuan Li of TÜV SÜD.

The focus of the workshop will be the regulatory requirements surrounding complex Class III medical devices, such as orthopedics, implants, and those used in contact with the spinal column. Devices previously certified on an equivalence basis and without a significant amount of clinical data may not be certified under the new rules.

Overall, the MDR calls for increased standards for clinical evidence, more intensive documentation, an expansion of the scope of covered devices, and the implementation of unique device identification codes for better tracking of potential defects.

Registration for the workshop will open at 1:30 p.m. PST and the workshop will run from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. A group reception and networking buffet will follow. Click here for more information on the workshop.