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A Deep Dive into the Regulatory Classification, Risk Assessment, and Lifecycle Management of Medical Devices
Medical devices encompass a vast range of instruments, apparatuses, implants, and equipment—from simple tongue depressors to complex imaging scanners and robotic surgical systems—all intended for the diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, treatment, or alleviation of disease or injury in human beings, without achieving their primary intended purpose through chemical action within the body.
Regulatory bodies classify these devices based on their inherent risk to the patient, requiring a rigorous, phased approach to evaluation that mandates increasingly stringent levels of design control, manufacturing quality assurance, and clinical evidence proportional to the potential harm the device could cause if it malfunctions.
The classification system (e.g., Class I, II, or III in the US and EU) determines the level of regulatory scrutiny. Class I devices (low risk, like bandages) require general controls, while Class III devices (high risk, like pacemakers) require premarket approval based on substantial clinical data demonstrating safety and efficacy. The engineering phase…