New MEDDEV 2.12-1 Revision 7 on Guidelines on a Medical Devices Vigilance System

The new MEDDEV 2.12/1 Revision 7 has just been released.  Titled “Guidelines on a Medical Devices Vigilance System,” the new document is available from Document Center Inc.  now.  The principal purpose of the Medical Device Vigilance System is to improve the protection of health and safety of patients.  This is to be achieved by evaluating reported incidents and, where appropriate, disseminating information which could be used to prevent any repetitions, or to alleviate the consequences of such events.

The guideline is intended to facilitate the uniform application and implementation of the Medical Device Vigilance System requirements contained in three European Directives:

  • the Directive for Active Implantable Medical Devices (AIMD), 90/385/EEC
  • the Directive for Medical Devices (MDD), 93/42/EEC
  • and the In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Directive (IVDD), 98/79/EC.

Revision 7 of MEDDEV 2.12-1 incorporates two new Report Forms (Annex 6-Manufacturer’s Periodic Summary Report and Annex 7- Manufacturer’s Trend Report Form) and updates two existing Report Forms (Annex 3 and Annex 4).  Field Safety Corrective Action (FSCA), Field Safety Notice (FSN), Use Error and Abnormal Use are new concepts introduced in this revision of the guideline.   The revised guidance will be applicable as of June 15th, 2012.

Corrective action includes   a device recall, the issue of a Field Safety Notice, additional surveillance/modification of devices in use, modification of future device design and/or components and/or the manufacturing process, and modification to labeling and/or instructions for use.

The MEDDEV guidelines in general are a set of documents relating to questions of application of EC-Directives on medical devices. They are not legally binding. The guidelines have been carefully drafted through a process of intensive consultation of the various interested parties (competent authorities, Commission services, industries, and so on).

They are available from Document Center Inc. at our website, www.document-center.com.  Or you can contact us by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com).  Because we have a large number of medical device manufacturers as customers, we particularly catalog and monitor a number of medical device documents that cannot be found at other standards vendors.

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Claudia Bach

Claudia Bach is the President of Document Center Inc. and a world-wide recognized expert on Standards and Standards Distribution. You can connect with her on Google+

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