Although the requirements for clinical evaluation are general for all devices, each device is unique and requires a tailored approach to its clinical evaluation.
Our medical device team is ready to provide you with the following services:
We will define the right clinical strategy based on the unique characteristics of the medical device. This includes identifying the necessary clinical data and the methods for gathering it to support the manufacturer's claims.
To ensure a proper clinical evaluation that meets all regulatory requirements, we will compile a comprehensive clinical evaluation plan.
Our team will identify, assess, and analyze all evidence of the device’s safety and performance. The entire process and its conclusions will be documented in a detailed clinical evaluation report.
We handle clinical evaluation of medical devices in multiple ways
What can we do for you?
Our expertise
Approach
Firstly, we will thoroughly study your product, focusing on identifying its key characteristics such as intended purpose, intended user, indications, and clinical benefits.
Secondly, we will determine all relevant standards and guidelines applicable to your product.
Based on these key characteristics and applicable standards, we will define the clinical strategy and proceed with the clinical evaluation plan and report.
It is important to note that our medical device team can be involved at any stage of the device lifecycle. We can start the clinical evaluation early to provide input for device development and certification or assist with ongoing clinical evaluation for devices already on the market, as the MDR requires.
Team
Diverse Team: Clinical evaluation is an independent process but is strongly interconnected with other processes like device development, risk management, and post-market surveillance. Our medical device team possesses extensive cumulative expertise to offer a comprehensive approach.
Comprehensive Coverage: Our medical device team has the experience to conduct clinical evaluations for a wide range of devices, from risk class I to III, including active and implantable medical devices, as well as software as a medical device.
Questions from our clients
FAQ Section
The main regulatory framework for the medical device clinical evaluation is provided in Article 61 and Annex XIV of the Medical Device Regulation (EU) 2017/745 (MDR). There are also other sources that may provide additional support for clinical evaluation of your medical device, but their applicability should be considered in each specific case:
- MDCG 2020-5 Guidance on clinical evaluation – Equivalence
- MDCG 2020-6 Guidance on sufficient clinical evidence for legacy devices
- MDCG 2024-10 Clinical evaluation of orphan medical devices
- MEDDEV 2.7/1 rev.4 Clinical evaluation: Guide for manufacturers and notified bodies
- MDCG 2020-13 Clinical evaluation assessment report template
These terms are related but distinct. The exact definitions are provided in Article 2 of the MDR. Performance refers to the device's ability to achieve its intended purpose. Clinical performance adds the aspect of how well the device performs in actual clinical use. Clinical benefit is the positive impact the device has on patient health outcomes. These characteristics of medical devices are crucial for the whole device development and, for clinical evaluation in particular, they should be clearly defined at the beginning of the device development and should remain unchanged.
This is one of the most important questions that manufacturers may face during device development. The level of data required depends on the classification of the device (Class I, IIa, IIb, III) according to the MDR. Higher risk devices require a more robust clinical strategy, potentially including clinical investigations. The level of clinical data as well as how this data is collected should be defined individually in each specific case.
The MDR provides strict rules on equivalency. Equivalence should be demonstrated thoroughly in terms of technical, biological, and clinical equivalence between the devices. For implantable devices and class III devices there are two additional requirements: manufacturers should have a contract allowing full ongoing access to the technical documentation of the device to which equivalence is claimed, and the clinical evaluation of the equivalent device should be conducted according to the MDR.
Claiming equivalence may be challenging and requires a comprehensive approach.
The sources of clinical data are determined based on the definition of clinical data provided in Article 2 of the MDR:
- Clinical investigation(s) of the device under evaluation,
- Clinical investigation(s) or other studies reported in scientific literature, of a device for which equivalence to the device in question can be demonstrated,
- Reports published in peer reviewed scientific literature on other clinical experience of either the device in question or a device for which equivalence to the device in question can be demonstrated,
- Clinically relevant information coming from post-market surveillance, in particular the post-market clinical follow-up.