BackgroundA diversified medical device company has a leading position in the global endoscopy device space. In this market, the company generates growth and differentiates its products primarily through incremental innovations and investment in research and...
Executive Summary Our medical device customers report that up to 70% of new product innovation is being created in the software domain. This represents an increase in both volume and complexity. How do you navigate that complexity with the rigorous compliance...
Background Apublicly traded medical device manufacturer with 33,000 employees and several international locations approached SPK and Associates for assistance in streamlining their validation processes. The validation process took months, but the customer wanted...
The beauty of business process automation How often have we entered the same information into two different systems and wondered, “Why do I have to waste my time doing this?” These are computers, aren’t they? Shouldn’t this information flow where it needs...
The importance of test management, especially in highly-regulated industries, cannot be overstated. Efficient management of testing requirements leads to safer products, effective production, and satisfied customers. The PTC Windchill Requirements Validation &...
An important part of creating any product intended for use in any regulated industry vertical is that the manufacturer should have identified all of the risks involved in using the device. Then, they must have done their best to mitigate those risks before their...
Overview In 2015, SPK and Associates co-founder Chris McHale spoke with Peter Thorne, Director at Cambashi, a Cambridge, England-based independent industry analyst firm. With his over 30 years of experience as a software engineer user, vendor, and now analyst, Peter’s...
The use of open source software (OSS) within the medical device industry is a double edged sword. On one end of the spectrum, you have freely available code that is available for the world to scrutinize. In the process, one would hope that bugs are more easily...
Device manufacturers have until this summer to ensure their devices comply with the EU's Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive – commonly called the RoHS Directive – to be able to earn CE Marking. In short, no RoHS compliance, no CE Marking, no selling in the...
A critical business challenge for medical device manufacturers as they scale is getting products to market quickly while supporting existing products and meeting FDA Quality System Regulation (21-CFR-820) requirements. To achieve this effectively, Product Development...
The release of the FDA final rule on Unique Device Identification (UDI) is expected this summer. Here are five things you need to know: 1. What is the UDI Rule? In July 2012, the FDA proposed a rule requiring medical device manufacturers to label their products with...
As of July 22, 2014, the RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) Directive must be observed for first time distribution of all medical devices to the full extent. Furthermore, all products with a CE marking must also be RoHS-compliant. ROHS 2 Compliance Changes at...