The International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF) recognizes that a global approach to auditing and monitoring the manufacturing of medical devices could improve their safety and oversight on an international scale. At its inaugural meeting in Singapore in 2012, the IMDRF identified a workgroup to develop specific documents for advancing a Medical Device Single Audit Program (MDSAP).
What is MDSAP?
The Medical Device Single Audit Program (MDSAP) is a program that conducts a single regulatory audit of a medical device manufacturer’s quality management system that satisfies the requirements of multiple regulatory jurisdictions.
Why was the MDSAP developed?
The MDSAP was developed to enable appropriate regulatory oversight of medical device manufacturers’ quality management systems. The idea is to promote more efficient and flexible use of regulatory resources through work-sharing and mutual acceptance among regulators while respecting the sovereignty of each authority. Also, in the longer term, promote greater alignment of regulatory approaches and technical requirements based on international standards and best practices
Which Regulatory Authorities are part of the MDSAP?
The MDSAP was developed by representatives of the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Brazil’s Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA), Health Canada, MHLW/PMDA, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). All regulatory authorities participating in the MDSAP are equal partners in the program.
Which manufacturers are eligible for an MDSAP audit?
Any manufacturer of medical devices is eligible. However, each regulatory authority may establish exclusion criteria for some manufacturers. It is important to note that manufacturers that participate in the MDSAP program are responsible for securing and maintaining a contract with an MDSAP recognized auditing organization. In other words, medical device manufacturers are responsible for paying for MDSAP audits conducted by an auditing organization.
Does the MDSAP add requirements for the manufacturer?
No. The MDSAP audit model was developed to cover existing requirements from the Regulatory Authorities participating in the MDSAP. The program does not add any new requirements to existing requirements from ISO 13485.
What are the potential benefits?
What are the costs associated with MDSAP audits
The cost of conducting an MDSAP audit is dictated by the commercial arrangement between the medical device manufacturer and the authorized MDSAP auditing organization.
COVID-19 Remote Audits
The spread of Covid-19 globally has resulted in the imposition of quarantine orders and travel restrictions that are affecting the ability of auditing organizations to perform MDSAP audits.
On-site audits can only be substituted with remote audits where travel restrictions or social/physical distancing as a result of the pandemic prevent on-site audits from occurring.
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For more detailed information about MDSAP please take a look at their documentation.
Useful links:
The food and drug administration(FDA) quality system requirements for all medical device companies are documented in the federal code of regulations, under 21 CFR part 820.
In 1990, the FDA mandated the design history file (DHF) as part of the safe medical devices act. It contains all of the product development documentation pertaining to a finished medical device. The DHF was the last step in the design controls process mandated by the FDA in 21 CFR Part 820.
The FDA’s mandate for quality systems states that each medical device company must establish and maintain a quality system that meets the requirements of its regulations and is appropriate for the medical device they manufacture. Differently classified medical devices may have different requirements under the quality system guidelines. For example, Class I medical devices (with some exceptions) are exempt from the design controls portion of the regulations, but in general, the guidelines must be satisfied to permit the sale of a medical device within the United States.
Medical device companies should consider the quality system regulations as their “key to admission” into the medical devices marketplace.
Subsection j) of 21 CFR part 820 says:
Design history file. Each manufacturer shall establish and maintain a DHF for each type of device. The DHF shall contain or reference the records necessary to demonstrate that the design was developed in accordance with the approved design plan and the requirements of this part.”
DHF is primarily an organizational tool meant to show that the design controls process was properly followed and documented throughout product development while the majority of the medical device compliance regulations enforce the establishment of policies and procedures for enforcing quality standards. Design controls are one of the core processes of the overall quality management system (QMS) mandate, and the presence, completeness, and accuracy of your DHF go a long way towards helping you pass your next FDA audit.
Here are some key interpretations of the DHF guidance that medical device companies should take note of:
Below, we’ve listed the steps of the design controls process and what documents should be included with each step:
