January 19, FDA announced its plan to modify the 510(k) “approval” pathway, the most common review path for medical devices. Specifically, FDA released a report containing twenty-five actions it intends to take in 2011 to “improve” the review process. Importantly, however, no changes have yet been made to the process; FDA has just announced its plan of action of how it intends to address potential changes to the process.

A medical device manufacturer who wishes to market a device classified in Class II or, in limited cases, Class I or III, that it believes is substantially equivalent in both safety and effectiveness to a device already on the market (a “predicate device”) must make what is known as a 510(k) notification. Section 510(k) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (“FFDCA”) requires medical device manufacturers to notify FDA of their intent to market a medical device at least 90 days in advance of doing so. A 510(k) premarket notification allows FDA to determine whether the particular device is substantially equivalent in safety and effectiveness to a predicate device already being legally marketed. Many changes to medical devices previously cleared for marketing must also be submitted for review prior to implementation.