#404: MedTech 101: What You Need to Know About the Medical Device Industry

Global Medical Device Podcast · 1 May 2025 · 58m · Episode 404

What this episode covers

Etienne Nichols hosts Sara Adams and Chris Rush from Greenlight Guru for a foundational overview of the medical device industry. They define medical devices by intended use and labeling, distinguishing roles for Quality, Regulatory, Clinical, and R&D teams. The trio explains FDA classifications (Class I, II, III), regulatory pathways like 510(k) and PMA, and key standards including ISO 13485 and ISO 14971. They emphasize the importance of design controls, risk management, and reading regulations to navigate compliance and market access.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Let's Combinate · 8m

    244 - 5 Critical Quality Differences Between Drugs and Devices

    Subhi Saadeh, a consultant specializing in drug-device combination products, explains five critical quality differences between pharmaceuticals and medical devices. He contrasts the drug industry's focus on consistent manufacturing of clinically proven products (ICH Q8/Q9) with the device industry's emphasis on design robustness and user needs (ISO 13485/14971). The discussion covers divergent approaches to risk management, regulatory submission evidence, and lifecycle change control, urging teams to intentionally integrate these systems rather than forcing one onto the other.

  • Let's Combinate · 54m

    003 - “Standard Understanding” with Mark Swanson

    Mark Swanson, President of QRx Partners, discusses his extensive background in medical device quality, including his work on the ISO 13485:2016 revision and ISO 9001:2015 standards. He explains the consensus-driven process of writing international standards, highlighting the semantic challenges of terms like 'and/or' and the specific risk definitions in medical device regulations versus generic business standards. Swanson also details the practical implications of ISO 13485 certification for small to mid-sized companies, weighing the $30,000 annual cost against regulatory requirements and market access.

  • Let's Combinate · 41m

    092 - Putting it all together: Drug cGMP’s 210/211/ICH and Device QMS 820/ISO13485 with Aaron Snyder

    Aaron Snyder, VP of QA at Allotex and AAMI faculty member, explains the structural differences between Device QSR (21 CFR 820/ISO 13485) and Drug cGMPs (21 CFR 210/211), noting that device regulations evolved into a full quality system including design controls, whereas pharma regulations remain focused on manufacturing and testing. He details his career trajectory from auditing at Covidien and Waters to leading QA at Fresenius Kabi and now Allotex, highlighting the specific challenges combination product teams face when bridging these regulatory frameworks. Snyder also discusses his educational initiatives, including teaching AAMI courses and running the 'Quality Systems Explained' YouTube channel, to simplify complex regulatory requirements for engineers and quality professionals.

  • Let's Combinate · 1h 31m

    025 - “The Frying Pan to the Fire” with Edwin Bills

    Edwin Bills, a Risk Management Expert and former committee member for ISO 14971, ISO TR 24971, and AAMI TIR 105, explains the evolution of risk management standards in medical devices and combination products. He details the philosophical differences between ISO 14971 and ICH Q9, emphasizing that risk management must focus on patient safety rather than just regulatory compliance. Bills advises engineers to use qualitative methods early in development and highlights the importance of analyzing interactions between drug and device constituents in combination products. He also discusses the expanded requirements for post-market surveillance in the 2019 standard and the upcoming harmonization of ISO 14971 in Europe.

  • Let's Combinate · 9m

    170 - The #1 Secret to Understanding ISO 13485 (You’ll Wish You Knew Sooner)

    Subhi Saadeh, host of Let's Combinate and Quality Professional, explains how viewing ISO 13485 through the lens of interconnected Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycles simplifies implementation for medical device and combination product companies. He contrasts the standard's framework approach with mandatory regulations like 21 CFR 820, demonstrating how each clause from QMS (Clause 4) to Design and Development maps to specific PDCA stages. Saadeh argues that this perspective shifts ISO 13485 from a static rule book to a dynamic guide for continuous improvement and real-world process effectiveness.

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