|
Community legislation in force
Document 393L0042
Instruments amended:
390L0385
(Modification)
384L0539
(Modification)
393L0042
Council Directive 93/42/EEC of 14 June 1993 concerning medical devices
Official journal NO. L 169 , 12/07/1993 P. 0001 - 0043
Finnish special edition....: Chapter 13 Volume 24 P. 85
Swedish special edition...: Chapter 13 Volume 24 P. 85
Text:
COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 93/42/EEC of 14 June 1993
concerning medical devices
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,
and in particular Article 100a thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),
In cooperation with the European Parliament (2),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3),
Whereas measures should be adopted in the context of the internal market;
whereas the internal market is an area without internal frontiers in which
the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital is ensured;
Whereas the content and scope of the laws, regulations and administrative
provisions in force in the Member States with regard to the safety, health
protection and performance characteristics of medical devices are different;
whereas the certification and inspection procedures for such devices differ
from one Member State to another; whereas such disparities constitute barriers
to trade within the Community;
Whereas the national provisions for the safety and health protection
of patients, users and, where appropriate, other persons, with regard to
the use of medical devices should be harmonized in order to guarantee the
free movement of such devices within the internal market;
Whereas the harmonized provisions must be distinguished from the measures
adopted by the Member States to manage the funding of public health and
sickness insurance schemes relating directly or indirectly to such devices;
whereas, therefore, the provisions do not affect the ability of the Member
States to implement the abovementioned measures provided Community law
is complied with;
Whereas medical devices should provide patients, users and third parties
with a high level of protection and attain the performance levels attributed
to them by the manufacturer; whereas, therefore, the maintenance or improvement
of the level of protection attained in the Member States is one of the
essential objectives of this Directive;
Whereas certain medical devices are intended to administer medicinal
products within the meaning of Council Directive 65/65/EEC of 26 January
1965 on the approximation of provisions laid down by law, regulation or
administrative action relating to proprietary medicinal products (4); whereas,
in such cases, the placing on the market of the medical device as a general
rule is governed by the present Directive and the placing on the market
of the medicinal product is governed by Directive 65/65/EEC; whereas if,
however, such a device is placed on the market in such a way that the device
and the medicinal product form a single integral unit which is intended
exclusively for use in the given combination and which is not reusable,
that single-unit product shall be governed by Directive 65/65/EEC; whereas
a distinction must be drawn between the abovementioned devices and medical
devices incorporating, inter alia, substances which, if used separately,
may be considered to be a medicinal substance within the meaning of Directive
65/65/EEC; whereas in such cases, if the substances incorporated in the
medical devices are liable to act upon the body with action ancillary to
that of the device, the placing of the devices on the market is governed
by this Directive; whereas, in this context, the safety, quality and usefulness
of the substances must be verified by analogy with the appropriate methods
specified in Council Directive 75/318/EEC of 20 May 1975 on the approximation
of the laws of the Member States relating to analytical, pharmaco-toxicological
and clinical standards and protocols in respect of the testing of proprietary
medicinal products (5);
Whereas the essential requirements and other requirements set out in
the Annexes to this Directive, including any reference to 'minimizing'
or 'reducing' risk must be interpreted and applied in such a way as to
take account of technology and practice existing at the time of design
and of technical and economical considerations compatible with a high level
of protection of health and safety;
Whereas, in accordance with the principles set out in the Council resolution
of 7 May 1985 concerning a new approach to technical harmonization and
standardization (6), rules regarding the design and manufacture of medical
devices must be confined to the provisions required to meet the essential
requirements; whereas, because they are essential, such requirements should
replace the corresponding national provisions; whereas the essential requirements
should be applied with discretion to take account of the technological
level existing at the time of design and of technical and economic considerations
compatible with a high level of protection of health and safety;
Whereas Council Directive 90/385/EEC of 20 June 1990 on the approximation
of the laws of the Member States relating to active implantable medical
devices (7) is the first case of application of the new approach to the
field of medical devices; whereas in the interest of uniform Community
rules applicable to all medical devices, this Directive is based largely
on the provisions of Directive 90/385/EEC; whereas for the same reasons
Directive 90/385/EEC must be amended to insert the general provisions laid
down in this Directive;
Whereas the electromagnetic compatibility aspects form an integral
part of the safety of medical devices; whereas this Directive should contain
specific rules on this subject with regard to Council Directive 89/336/EEC
of 3 May 1989 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating
to electromagnetic compatibility (8);
Whereas this Directive should include requirements regarding the design
and manufacture of devices emitting ionizing radiation; whereas this Directive
does not affect the authorization required by Council Directive 80/836/Euratom
of 15 July 1980 amending the Directives laying down the basic safety standards
for the health protection of the general public and workers against the
dangers of ionizing radiation (9), nor application of Council Directive
84/466/Euratom of 3 September 1984 laying down basic measures for the radiation
protection of persons undergoing medical examination or treatment (10);
whereas Council Directive 89/391/EEC of 12 June 1989 on the introduction
of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers
at work (11) and the specific directives on the same subject should continue
to apply;
Whereas, in order to demonstrate conformity with the essential requirements
and to enable conformity to be verified, it is desirable to have harmonized
European standards to protect against the risks associated with the design,
manufacture and packaging of medical devices; whereas such harmonized European
standards are drawn up by private-law bodies and should retain their status
as non-mandatory texts; whereas, to this end, the European Committee for
Standardization (CEN) and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
(Cenelec) are recognized as the competent bodies for the adoption of harmonized
standards in accordance with the general guidelines on cooperation between
the Commission and these two bodies signed on 13 November 1984;
Whereas, for the purpose of this Directive, a harmonized standard is
a technical specification (European standard or harmonization document)
adopted, on a mandate from the Commission, by either or both of these bodies
in accordance with Council Directive 83/189/EEC of 28 March 1983 laying
down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical
standards and regulations (12), and pursuant to the abovementioned general
guidelines; whereas with regard to possible amendment of the harmonized
standards, the Commission should be assisted by the Committee set up pursuant
to Directive 83/189/EEC; whereas the measures to be taken must be defined
in line with procedure I, as laid down in Council Decision 87/373/EEC (13);
whereas, for specific fields, what already exists in the form of European
Pharmacopoeia monographs should be incorporated within the framework of
this Directive; whereas, therefore, several European Pharmacopoeia monographs
may be considered equal to the abovementioned harmonized standards;
Whereas, in Decision 90/683/EEC of 13 December 1990 concerning the
modules for the various phases of the conformity assessment procedures
which are intended to be used in the technical harmonization directives
(14), the Council has laid down harmonized conformity assessment procedures;
whereas the application of these modules to medical devices enables the
responsibility of manufacturers and notified bodies to be determined during
conformity assessment procedures on the basis of the type of devices concerned;
whereas the details added to these modules are justified by the nature
of the verification required for medical devices;
Whereas it is necessary, essentially for the purpose of the conformity
assessment procedures, to group the devices into four product classes;
whereas the classification rules are based on the vulnerability of the
human body taking account of the potential risks associated with the technical
design and manufacture of the devices; whereas the conformity assessment
procedures for Class I devices can be carried out, as a general rule, under
the sole responsibility of the manufacturers in view of the low level of
vulnerability associated with these products; whereas, for Class IIa devices,
the intervention of a notified body should be compulsory at the production
stage; whereas, for devices falling within Classes IIb and III which constitute
a high risk potential, inspection by a notified body is required with regard
to the design and manufacture of the devices; whereas Class III is set
aside for the most critical devices for which explicit prior authorization
with regard to conformity is required for them to be placed on the market;
Whereas in cases where the conformity of the devices can be assessed
under the responsibility of the manufacturer the competent authorities
must be able, particularly in emergencies, to contact a person responsible
for placing the device on the market and established in the Community,
whether the manufacturer or another person established in the Community
and designated by the manufacturer for the purpose;
Whereas medical devices should, as a general rule, bear the CE mark
to indicate their conformity with the provisions of this Directive to enable
them to move freely within the Community and to be put into service in
accordance with their intended purpose;
Whereas, in the fight against AIDS and in the light of the conclusions
of the Council adopted on 16 May 1989 regarding future activities on AIDS
prevention and control at Community level (15), medical devices used for
protection against the HIV virus must afford a high level of protection;
whereas the design and manufacture of such products should be verified
by a notified body;
Whereas the classification rules generally enable medical devices to
be appropriately classified; whereas, in view of the diverse nature of
the devices and technological progress in this field, steps must be taken
to include amongst the implementing powers conferred on the Commission
the decisions to be taken with regard to the proper classification or reclassification
of the devices or, where appropriate, the adjustment of the classification
rules themselves; whereas since these issues are closely connected with
the protection of health, it is appropriate that these decisions should
come under procedure IIIa, as provided for in Directive 87/373/EEC;
Whereas the confirmation of complicance with the essential requirements
may mean that clinical investigations have to be carried out under the
responsibility of the manufacturer; whereas, for the purpose of carrying
out the clinical investigations, appropriate means have to be specified
for the protection of public health and public order;
Whereas the protection of health and the associated controls may be
made more effective by means of medical device vigilance systems which
are integrated at Community level;
Whereas this Directive covers the medical devices referred to in Council
Directive 76/764/EEC of 27 July 1976 on the approximation of the laws of
the Member States on clinical mercury-in-glass, maximum reading thermometers
(16); whereas the abovementioned Directive must therefore be repealed;
whereas for the same reasons Council Directive 84/539/EEC on 17 September
1984 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to
electro-medical equipment used in human or veterinary medicine (17) must
be amended,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
Article 1
Definitions, scope
1. This Directive shall apply to medical devices and their accessories.
For the purposes of this Directive, accessories shall be treated as medical
devices in their own right. Both medical devices and accessories shall
hereinafter be termed devices.
2. For the purposes of this Directive, the following definitions shall
apply:
(a) 'medical device' means any instrument, apparatus, appliance, material
or other article, whether used alone or in combination, including the software
necessary for its proper application intended by the manufacturer to be
used for human beings for the purpose of:
- diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, treatment or alleviation of disease,
- diagnosis, monitoring, treatment, alleviation of or compensation
for an injury or handicap,
- investigation, replacement or modification of the anatomy or of a
physiological process,
- control of conception,
and which does not achieve its principal intended action in or on the
human body by pharmacological, immunological or metabolic means, but which
may be assisted in its function by such means;
(b) 'accessory' means an article which whilst not being a device is
intended specifically by its manufacturer to be used together with a device
to enable it to be used in accordance with the use of the device intended
by the manufacturer of the device;
(c) 'device used for in vitro diagnosis' means any device which is
a reagent, reagent product, kit, instrument, equipment or system, whether
used alone or in combination, intended by the manufacturer to be used in
vitro for the examination of samples derived from the human body with a
view to providing information on the physiological state, state of health
or disease, or congenital abnormality thereof;
(d) 'custom-made device' means any device specifically made in accordance
with a duly qualified medical practitioner's written prescription which
gives, under his responsibility, specific design characteristics and is
intended for the sole use of a particular patient.
The abovementioned prescription may also be made out by any other person
authorized by virtue of his professional qualifications to do so.
Mass-produced devices which need to be adapted to meet the specific
requirements of the medical practitioner or any other professional user
are not considered to be custom-made devices;
(e) 'device intended for clinical investigation' means any device intended
for use by a duly qualified medical practitioner when conducting investigations
as referred to in Section 2.1 of Annex X in an adequate human clinical
environment.
For the purpose of conducting clinical investigation, any other person
who, by virtue of his professional qualifications, is authorized to carry
out such investigation shall be accepted as equivalent to a duly qualified
medical practitioner;
(f) 'manufacturer' means the natural or legal person with responsibility
for the design, manufacture, packaging and labelling of a device before
it is placed on the market under his own name, regardless of whether these
operations are carried out by that person himself or on his behalf by a
third party.
The obligations of this Directive to be met by manufacturers also apply
to the natural or legal person who assembles, packages, processes, fully
refurbishes and/or labels one or more ready-made products and/or assigns
to them their intended purpose as a device with a view to their being placed
on the market under his own name. This subparagraph does not apply to the
person who, while not a manufacturer within the meaning of the first subparagraph,
assembles or adapts devices already on the market to their intended purpose
for an individual patient;
(g) 'intended purpose' means the use for which the device is intended
according to the data supplied by the manufacturer on the labelling, in
the instructions and/or in promotional materials;
(h) 'placing on the market' means the first making available in return
for payment or free of charge of a device other than a device intended
for clinical investigation, with a view to distribution and/or use on the
Community market, regardless of whether it is new or fully refurbished;
(i) 'putting into service' means the stage at which a device is ready
for use on the Community market for the first time for its intended purpose.
3. Where a device is intended to administer a medicinal product within
the meaning of Article 1 of Directive 65/65/EEC, that device shall be governed
by the present Directive, without prejudice to the provisions of Directive
65/65/EEC with regard to the medicinal product.
If, however, such a device is placed on the market in such a way that
the device and the medicinal product form a single integral product which
is intended exclusively for use in the given combination and which is not
reusable, that single product shall be governed by Directive 65/65/EEC.
The relevant essential requirements of Annex I to the present Directive
shall apply as far as safety and performance related device features are
concerned.
4. Where a device incorporates, as an integral part, a substance which,
if used separately, may be considered to be a medicinal product within
the meaning of Article 1 of Directive 65/65/EEC and which is liable to
act upon the body with action ancillary to that of the device, that device
must be assessed and authorized in accordance with this Directive.
5. This Directive does not apply to:
(a) in vitro diagnostic devices;
(b) active implantable devices covered by Directive 90/385/EEC;
(c) medicinal products covered by Directive 65/65/EEC;
(d) cosmetic products covered by Directive 76/768/EEC (18);
(e) human blood, human blood products, human plasma or blood cells
of human origin or to devices which incorporate at the time of placing
on the market such blood products, plasma or cells;
(f) transplants or tissues or cells of human origin nor to products
incorporating or derived from tissues or cells of human origin;
(g) transplants or tissues or cells of animal origin, unless a device
is manufactured utilizing animal tissue which is rendered non-viable or
non-viable products derived from animal tissue.
6. This Directive does not apply to personal protective equipment covered
by Directive 89/686/EEC. In deciding whether a product falls under that
Directive or the present Directive, particular account shall be taken of
the principal intended purpose of the product.
7. This Directive is a specific Directive within the meaning of Article
2 (2) of Directive 89/336/EEC.
8. This Directive does not affect the application of Directive 80/836/Euratom,
nor of Directive 84/466/Euratom.
Article 2
Placing on the market and putting into service
Member States shall take all necessary steps to ensure that devices
may be placed on the market and put into service only if they do not compromise
the safety and health of patients, users and, where applicable, other persons
when properly installed, maintained and used in accordance with their intended
purpose.
Article 3
Essential requirements
The devices must meet the essential requirements set out in Annex I
which apply to them, taking account of the intended purpose of the devices
concerned.
Article 4
Free movement, devices intended for special purposes
1. Member States shall not create any obstacle to the placing on the
market or the putting into service within their territory of devices bearing
the CE marking
provided for in Article 17 which indicate that they have been the subject
of an assessment of their conformity in accordance with the provisions
of Article 11.
2. Member States shall not create any obstacle to:
- devices intended for clinical investigation being made available
to medical practitioners or authorized persons for that purpose if they
meet the conditions laid down in Article 15 and in Annex VIII,
- custom-made devices being placed on the market and put into service
if they meet the conditions laid down in Article 11 in combination with
Annex VIII; Class IIa, IIb and III devices shall be accompanied by the
statement referred to in Annex VIII.
These devices shall not bear the CE marking .
3. At trade fairs, exhibitions, demonstrations, etc. Member States
shall not create any obstacle to the showing of devices which do not conform
to this Directive, provided that a visible sign clearly indicates that
such devices cannot be marketed or put into service until they have been
made to comply.
4. Member States may require the information, which must be made available
to the user and the patient in accordance with Annex I, point 13, to be
in their national language(s) or in another Community language, when a
device reaches the final user, regardless of whether it is for professional
or other use.
5. Where the devices are subject to other Directives concerning other
aspects and which also provide for the affixing of the CE marking ,
the latter shall indicate that the devices also fulfil the provisions of
the other Directives.
However, should one or more of these directives allow the manufacturer,
during a transitional period, to choose which arrangements to apply, the CE marking
shall indicate that the devices fulfil the provisions only of those directives
applied by the manufacturer. In this case, the particulars of these directives,
as published in the Official Journal of the European Communities, must
be given in the documents, notices or instructions required by the directives
and accompanying such devices.
Article 5
Reference to standards
1. Member States shall presume compliance with the essential requirements
referred to in Article 3 in respect of devices which are in conformity
with the relevant national standards adopted pursuant to the harmonized
standards the references of which have been publishes in the Official Journal
of the European Communities; Member States shall publish the references
of such national standards.
2. For the purposes of this Directive, reference to harmonized standards
also includes the monographs of the European Pharmacopoeia notably on surgical
sutures and on interaction between medicinal products and materials used
in devices containing such medicinal products, the references of which
have been published in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
3. If a Member State or the Commission considers that the harmonized
standards do not entirely meet the essential requirements referred to in
Article 3, the measures to be taken by the Member States with regard to
these standards and the publication referred to in paragraph 1 of this
Article shall be adopted by the procedure defined in Article 6 (2).
Article 6
Committee on Standards and Technical Regulations
1. The Commission shall be assisted by the Committee set up by Article
5 of Directive 83/189/EEC.
2. The representative of the Commission shall submit to the Committee
a draft of the measures to be taken. The Committee shall deliver its opinion
on the draft within a time limit which the chairman may lay down according
to the urgency of the matter, if necessary by taking a vote.
The opinion shall be recorded in the minutes; in addition, each Member
State shall have the right to ask to have its position recorded in the
minutes.
The Commission shall take the utmost account of the opinion delivered
by the Committee. It shall inform the Committee of the manner in which
its opinion has been taken into account.
Article 7
Committee on Medical Devices
1. The Commission shall be assisted by the Committee set up by Article
6 (2) of Directive 90/385/EEC.
2. The representative of the Commission shall submit to the Committee
a draft of the measures to be taken. The Committee shall deliver its opinion
on the draft within a time limit which the chairman may lay down according
to the urgency of the matter. The opinion shall be delivered by the majority
laid down in Article 148 (2) of the Treaty in the case of decisions which
the Council is required to adopt on a proposal from the Commission. The
votes of the representatives of the Member States within the Committee
shall be weighted in the manner set out in that Article. The chairman shall
not vote.
The Commission shall adopt the measures envisaged if they are in accordance
with the opinion of the Committee.
If the measures envisaged are not in accordance with the opinion of
the Committee, or if no opinion is delivered, the Commission shall, without
delay, submit to the Council a proposal relating to the measures to be
taken. The Council shall act by a qualified majority.
If, on the expiry of a period of three months from the date of referral
to the Council, the Council has not acted, the proposed measures shall
be adopted by the Commission.
4. The Committee may examine any question connected with implementation
of this Directive.
Article 8
Safeguard clause
1. Where a Member State ascertains that the devices referred to in
Article 4 (1) and (2) second indent, when correctly installed, maintained
and used for their intended purpose, may compromise the health and/or safety
of patients, users or, where applicable, other persons, it shall take all
appropriate interim measures to withdraw such devices from the market or
prohibit or restrict their being placed on the market or put into service.
The Member State shall immediately inform the Commission of any such measures,
indicating the reasons for its decision and, in particular, whether non-compliance
with this Directive is due to:
(a) failure to meet the essential requirements referred to in Article
3;
(b) incorrect application of the standards referred to in Article 5,
in so far as it is claimed that the standards have been applied;
(c) shortcomings in the standards themselves.
2. The Commission shall enter into consultation with the parties concerned
as soon as possible. Where, after such consultation, the Commission finds
that:
- the measures are justified, it shall immediately so inform the Member
State which took the initiative and the other Member States; where the
decision referred to in paragraph 1 is attributed to shortcomings in the
standards, the Commission shall, after consulting the parties concerned,
bring the matter before the Committee referred to in Article 6 (1) within
two months if the Member State which has taken the decision intends to
maintain it and shall initiate the procedures referred to in Article 6,
- the measures are unjustified, it shall immediately so inform the
Member State which took the initiative and the manufacturer or his authorized
representative established within the Community.
3. Where a non-complying device bears the CE marking ,
the competent Member State shall take appropriate action against whomsoever
has affixed the mark and shall inform the Commission and the other Member
States thereof.
4. The Commission shall ensure that the Member States are kept informed
of the progress and outcome of this procedure.
Article 9
Classification
1. Devices shall be divided into Classes I, IIa, IIb and III. Classification
shall be carried out in accordance with Annex IX.
2. In the event of a dispute between the manufacturer and the notified
body concerned, resulting from the application of the classification rules,
the matter shall be referred for decision to the competent authority to
which the notified body is subject.
3. The classification rules set out in Annex IX may be adapted in accordance
with the procedure referred to in Article 7 (2) in the light of technical
progress and any information which becomes available under the information
system provided for in
Article 10.
Article 10
Information on incidents occuring following placing of devices on the
market
1. Member States shall take the necessary steps to ensure that any
information brought to their knowledge, in accordance with the provisions
of this Directive, regarding the incidents mentioned below involving a
Class I, IIa, IIb or III device is recorded and evaluated centrally:
(a) any malfunction or deterioration in the characteristics and/or
performance of a device, as well as any inadequacy in the labelling or
the instructions for use which might lead to or might have led to the death
of a patient or user or to a serious deterioration in his state of health;
(b) any technical or medical reason in relation to the characteristics
or performance of a device for the reasons referred to in subparagraph
(a), leading to systematic recall of devices of the same type by the manufacturer.
2. Where a Member State requires medical practitioners or the medical
institutions to inform the competent authorities of any incidents referred
to in paragraph 1, it shall take the necessary steps to ensure that the
manufacturer of the device concerned, or his authorized representative
established in the Community, is also informed of the incident.
3. After carrying out an assessment, if possible together with the
manufacturer, Member States shall, without prejudice to Article 8, immediately
inform the Commission and the other Member States of the incidents referred
to in paragraph 1 for which relevant measures have been taken or are contemplated.
Article 11
Conformity assessment procedures
1. In the case of devices falling within Class III, other than devices
which are custom-made or intended for clinical investigations, the manufacturer
shall, in order to affix the CE marking ,
either:
(a) follow the procedure relating to the EC declaration of conformity
set out in Annex II (full quality assurance); or
(b) follow the procedure relating to the EC type-examination set out
in Annex III, coupled with:
(i) the procedure relating to the EC verification set out in Annex
IV;
or
(ii) the procedure relating to the EC declaration of conformity set
out in Annex V (production quality assurance).
2. In the case of devices falling within Class IIa, other than devices
which are custom-made or intended for clinical investigations, the manufacturer
shall, in order to affix the CE marking ,
follow the procedure relating to the EC declaration of conformity set out
in Annex VII, coupled with either:
(a) the procedure relating to the EC verification set out in Annex
IV;
or
(b) the procedure relating to the EC declaration of conformity set
out in Annex V (production quality assurance);
or
(c) the procedure relating to the EC declaration of conformity set
out in Annex VI (product quality assurance).
Instead of applying these procedures, the manufacturer may also follow
the procedure referred to in paragraph 3 (a).
3. In the case of devices falling within Class IIb, other than devices
which are custom-made or intended for clinical investigations, the manufacturer
shall, in order to affix the CE marking ,
either:
(a) follow the procedure relating to the EC declaration of conformity
set out in Annex II (full quality assurance); in this case, point 4 of
Annex II is not applicable; or
(b) follow the procedure relating to the EC type-examination set out
in Annex III, coupled with:
(i) the procedure relating to the EC verification set out in Annex
IV;
or
(ii) the procedure relating to the EC declaration of conformity set
out in Annex V (production quality assurance);
or
(iii) the procedure relating to the EC declaration of conformity set
out in Annex VI (product quality assurance).
4. The Commission shall, no later than five years from the date of
implementation of this Directive, submit a report to the Council on the
operation of the provisions referred to in Article 10 (1), Article 15 (1),
in particular in respect of Class I and Class IIa devices, and on the operation
of the provisions referred to in Annex II, Section 4.3 second and third
subparagraphs and in Annex III, Section 5 second and third subparagraphs
to this Directive, accompanied, if necessary, by appropriate proposals.
5. In the case of devices falling within Class I, other than devices
which are custom-made or intended for clinical investigations, the manufacturer
shall, in order to affix the CE marking ,
follow the procedure referred to in Annex VII and draw up the EC declaration
of conformity required before placing the device on the market.
6. In the case of custom-made devices, the manufacturer shall follow
the procedure referred to in Annex VIII and draw up the statement set out
in that Annex before placing each device on the market.
Member States may require that the manufacturer shall submit to the
competent authority a list of such devices which have been put into service
in their territory.
7. During the conformity assessment procedure for a device, the manufacturer
and/or the notified body shall take account of the results of any assessment
and verification operations which, where appropriate, have been carried
out in accordance with this Directive at an intermediate stage of manufacture.
8. The manufacturer may instruct his authorized representative established
in the Community to initiate the procedures provided for in Annexes III,
IV, VII and VIII.
9. Where the conformity assessment procedure involves the intervention
of a notified body, the manufacturer, or his authorized representative
established in the Community, may apply to a body of his choice within
the framework of the tasks for which the body has been notified.
10. The notified body may require, where duly justified, any information
or data, which is necessary for establishing and maintaining the attestation
of conformity in view of the chosen procedure.
11. Decisions taken by the notified bodies in accordance with Annexes
II and III shall be valid for a maximum of five years and may be extended
on application, made at a time agreed in the contract signed by both parties,
for further periods of five years.
12. The records and correspondence relating to the procedures referred
to in paragraphs 1 to 6 shall be in an official language of the Member
State in which the procedures are carried out and/or in another Community
language acceptable to the notified body.
13. By derogation from paragraphs 1 to 6, the competent authorities
may authorize, on duly justified request, the placing on the market and
putting into service, within the territory of the Member State concerned,
of individual devices for which the procedures referred to in paragraphs
1 to 6 have not been carried out and the use of which is in the interest
of protection of health.
Article 12
Particular procedure for systems and procedure packs
1. By way of derogation from Article 11 this Article shall apply to
systems and procedure packs.
2. Any natural or legal person who puts devices bearing the CE marking
together within their intended purpose and within the limits of use specified
by their manufacturers, in order to place them on the market as a system
or procedure pack, shall draw up a declaration by which he states that:
(a) he has verified the mutual compatibility of the devices in accordance
with the manufacturers' instructions and has carried out his operations
in accordance with these instructions; and
(b) he has packaged the system or procedure pack and supplied relevant
information to users incorporating relevant instructions from the manufacturers;
and
(c) the whole activity is subjected to appropriate methods of internal
control and inspection.
Where the conditions above are not met, as in cases where the system
or procedure pack incorporate devices which do not bear a CE marking
or where the chosen combination of devices is not compatible in view of
their original intended use, the system or procedure pack shall be treated
as a device in its own right and as such be subjected to the relevant procedure
pursuant to Article 11.
3. Any natural or legal person who sterilized, for the purpose of placing
on the market, systems or procedure packs referred to in paragraph 2 or
other CE - marked
medical devices designed by their manufacturers to be sterilized before
use, shall, at his choice, follow one of the procedures referred to in
Annex IV, V or VI. The application of the abovementioned Annexes and the
intervention of the notified body are limited to the aspects of the procedure
relating to the obtaining of sterility. The person shall draw up a declaration
stating that sterilization has been carried out in accordance with the
manufacturer's instructions.
4. The products referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3 themselves shall
not bear an additional CE marking .
They shall be accompanied by the information referred to in point 13 of
Annex I which includes, where appropriate, the information supplied by
the manufacturers of the devices which have been put together. The declaration
referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3 above shall be kept at the disposal of
competent authorities for a period of five years.
Article 13
Decisions with regard to classification, derogation clause
1. Where a Member State considers that:
(a) application of the classification rules set out in Annex IX requires
a decision with regard to the classification of a given device or category
of devices;
or
(b) a given device or family of devices should be classified, by way
of derogation from the provisions of Annex IX, in another class;
or
(c) the conformity of a device or family of devices should be established,
by way of derogation from the provisions of Article 11, by applying solely
one of the given procedures chosen from among those referred to in Article
11,
it shall submit a duly substantiated request to the Commission and
ask it to take the necessary measures. These measures shall be adopted
in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 7 (2).
2. The Commission shall inform the Member States of the measures taken
and, where appropriate, publish the relevant parts of these measures in
the Official Journal of the European Communities.
Article 14
Registration of persons responsible for placing devices on the market
1. Any manufacturer who, under his own name, places devices on the
market in accordance with the procedures referred to in Article 11 (5)
and (6) and any other natural or legal person engaged in the activities
referred to in Article 12 shall inform the competent authorities of the
Member State in which he has his registered place of business of the address
of the registered place of business and the description of the devices
concerned.
2. Where a manufacturer who places devices referred to in paragraph
1 on the market under his own name does not have a registered place of
business in a Member State, he shall designate the person(s) responsible
for marketing them who is (are) established in the Community. These persons
shall inform the competent authorities of the Member State in which they
have their registered place of business of the address of the registered
place of business and the category of devices concerned.
3. The Member States shall on request inform the other Member States
and the Commission of the details referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2.
Article 15
Clinical investigation
1. In the case of devices intended for clinical investigations, the
manufacturer, or his authorized representative established in the Community,
shall follow the procedure referred to in Annex VIII and notify the competent
authorities of the Member States in which the investigations are to be
conducted.
2. In the case of devices falling within Class III and implantable
and long-term invasive devices falling within Class IIa or IIb, the manufacturer
may commence the relevant clinical investigation at the end of a period
of 60 days after notification, unless the competent authorities have notified
him within that period of a decision to the contrary based on considerations
of public health or public policy.
Member States may however authorize manufacturers to commence the relevant
clinical investigations before the expiry of the period of 60 days, in
so far as the relevant ethics committee has issued a favourable opinion
on the programme of investigation in question.
3. In the case of devices other than those referred to in the second
paragraph, Member States may authorize manufacturers to commence clinical
investigations, immediately after the date of notification, provided that
the ethics committee concerned has delivered a favourable opinion with
regard to the investigational plan.
4. The authorization referred to in paragraph 2 second subparagraph
and paragraph 3, may be made subject to authorization from the competent
authority.
5. The clinical investigations must be conducted in accordance with
the provisions of Annex X. The provisions of Annex X may be adjusted in
accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 7 (2).
6. The Member States shall, if necessary, take the appropriate steps
to ensure public health and public policy.
7. The manufacturer or his authorized representative established in
the Community shall keep the report referred to in point 2.3.7 of Annex
X at the disposal of the competent authorities.
8. The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 do not apply where the clinical
investigations are conducted using devices which are authorized in accordance
with Article 11 to bear the CE marking
unless the aim of these investigations is to use the devices for a purpose
other than that referred to in the relevant conformity assessment procedure.
The relevant provisions of Annex X remain applicable.
Article 16
Notified bodies
1. The Member States shall notify the Commission and other Member States
of the bodies which they have designated for carrying out the tasks pertaining
to the procedures referred to in Article 11 and the specific tasks for
which the bodies have been designated. The Commission shall assign identification
numbers to these bodies, hereinafter referred to as 'notified bodies'.
The Commission shall publish a list of the notified bodies, together
with the identification numbers it has allocated to them and the tasks
for which they have been notified, in the Official Journal of the European
Communities. It shall ensure that the list is kept up to date.
2. Member States shall apply the criteria set out in Annex XI for the
designation of bodies. Bodies that meet the criteria laid down in the national
standards which transpose the relevant harmonized standards shall be presumed
to meet the relevant criteria.
3. A Member State that has notified a body shall withdraw that notification
if it finds that the body no longer meets the criteria referred to in paragraph
2. It shall immediately inform the other Member States and the Commission
thereof.
4. The notified body and the manufacturer, or his authorized representative
established in the Community, shall lay down, by common accord, the time
limits for completion of the assessment and verification operations referred
to in Annexes II to VI.
Article 17
CE marking
1. Devices, other than devices which are custom-made or intended for
clinical investigations, considered to meet the essential requirements
referred to in Article 3 must bear the CE marking
of conformity when they are placed on the market.
2. The CE marking
of conformity, as shown in Annex XII, must appear in a visible, legible
and indelible form on the device or its sterile pack, where practicable
and appropriate, and on the instructions for use. Where applicable, the CE marking
must also appear on the sales packaging.
It shall be accompanied by the identification number of the notified
body responsible for implementation of the procedures set out in Annexes
II, IV, V and VI.
3. It is prohibited to affix marks or inscriptions which are likely
to mislead third parties with regard to the meaning or the graphics of
the CE marking .
Any other mark may be affixed to the device, to the packaging or to the
instruction leaflet accompanying the device provided that the visibility
and legibility of the CE marking
is not thereby reduced.
Article 18
Wrongly affixed CE marking
Without prejudice to Article 8:
(a) where a Member State establishes that the CE marking
has been affixed unduly, the manufacturer or his authorized representative
established within the Community shall be obliged to end the infringement
under conditions imposed by the Member State;
(b) where non-compliance continues, the Member State must take all
appropriate measures to restrict or prohibit the placing on the market
of the product in question or to ensure that it is withdrawn from the market,
in accordance with the procedure in
Article 8.
Article 19
Decision in respect of refusal or restriction
1. Any decision taken pursuant to this Directive:
(a) to refuse or restrict the placing on the market or the putting
into service of a device or the carrying out of clinical investigations;
or
(b) to withdraw devices from the market,
shall state the exact grounds on which it is based. Such decisions
shall be notified without delay to the party concerned, who shall at the
same time be informed of the remedies available to him under the national
law in force in the Member State in question and of the time limits to
which such remedies are subject.
2. In the event of a decision as referred to in paragraph 1, the manufacturer,
or his authorized representative established in the Community, shall have
an opportunity to put forward his viewpoint in advance, unless such consultation
is not possible because of the urgency of the measure to be taken.
Article 20
Confidentiality
Without prejudice to the existing national provisions and practices
on medical secrets, Member States shall ensure that all the parties involved
in the application of this Directive are bound to observe confidentiality
with regard to all information obtained in carrying out their tasks. This
does not affect the obligation of Member States and notified bodies with
regard to mutual information and the dissemination of warnings, nor the
obligations of the persons concerned to provide information under criminal
law.
Article 21
Repeal and amendment of Directives
1. Directive 76/764/EEC is hereby repealed with effect from 1 January
1995.
2. In the title and Article 1 of Directive 84/539/EEC, 'human or' is
deleted.
In Article 2 of Directive 84/539/EEC, the following subparagraph is
added to paragraph 1:
'If the appliance is at the same time a medical device within the meaning
of Directive 93/42/EEC (*) and if it satisfies the essential requirements
laid down therein for that device, the device shall be deemed to be in
conformity with the requirements of this Directive.
(*) OJ No L 169, 12. 7. 1993, p. 1.'
3. Directive 90/385/EEC is hereby amended as follows:
1. in Article 1 (2) the following two subparagraphs are added:
'(h) "placing on the market " means the first making available in return
for payment or free of charge of a device other than a device intended
for clinical investigation, with a view to distribution and/or use on the
Community market, regardless of whether it is new or fully refurbished;
(i) "manufacturer " means the natural or legal person with responsibility
for the design, manufacture, packaging and labelling of a device before
it is placed on the market under his own name, regardless of whether these
operations are carried out by that person himself or on his behalf by a
third party.
The obligations of this Directive to be met by manufacturers also apply
to the natural or legal person who assembles, packages, processes, fully
refurbishes and/or labels one or more ready-made products and/or assigns
to them their intended purpose as a device with a view to their being placed
on the market under his own name. This subparagraph does not apply to the
person who, while not a manufacturer within the meaning of the first subparagraph,
assembles or adapts devices already on the market to their intended purpose
for an individual patient;'
2. in Article 9 the following paragraphs are added:
'5. During the conformity assessment procedure for a device, the manufacturer
and/or the notified body shall take account of the results of any assessment
and verification operations which, where appropriate, have been carried
out in accordance with this Directive at an intermediate stage of manufacture.
6. Where the conformity assessment procedure involves the intervention
of a notified body, the manufacturer, or his authorized representative
established in the Community, may apply to a body of his choice within
the framework of the tasks for which the body has been notified.
7. The notified body may require, where duly justified, any information
or data which is necessary for establishing and maintaining the attestation
of conformity in view of the chosen procedure.
8. Decisions taken by the notified bodies in accordance with Annexes
II and III shall be valid for a maximum of five years and may be extended
on application, made at a time agreed in the contract signed by both parties,
for further periods of five years.
9. By derogation from paragraphs 1 and 2 the competent authorities
may authorize, on duly justified request, the placing on the market and
putting into service, within the territory of the Member State concerned,
of individual devices for which the procedures referred to in paragraphs
1 and 2 have not been carried out and the use of which is in the interest
of protection of health.';
3. the following Article 9a is inserted after Article 9:
'Article 9a
1. Where a Member State considers that the conformity of a device or
family of devices should be established, by way of derogation from the
provisions of Article 9, by applying solely one of the given procedures
chosen from among those referred to in
Article 9, it shall submit a duly substantiated request to the Commission
and ask it to take the necessary measures. These measures shall be adopted
in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 7 (2) of Directive
93/42/EEC (*).
2. The Commission shall inform the Member States of the measures taken
and, where appropriate, publish the relevant parts of these measures in
the Official Journal of the European Communities.
(*) OJ No L 169, 12. 7. 1993, p. 1.'
4. Article 10 shall be amended as follows:
- the following subparagraph shall be added to paragraph 2:
'Member States may however authorize manufacturers to start the clinical
investigations in question before the expiry of the 60-day period, provided
that the Ethical Committee concerned has delivered a favourable opinion
with respect to the investigation programme in question.',
- the following paragraph shall be inserted:
'2a. The authorization referred to in the second subparagraph of paragraph
2 may be subject to approval by the competent authority.';
5. the following is added to Article 14:
'In the event of a decision as referred to in the previous paragraph
the manufacturer, or his authorized representative established in the Community,
shall have an opportunity to put forward his viewpoint in advance, unless
such consultation is not possible because of the urgency of the measures
to be taken.'
Article 22
Implementation, transitional provisions
1. Member States shall adopt and publish the laws, regulations and
administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive not later
than 1 July 1994. They shall immediately inform the Commission thereof.
The Standing Committee referred to in Article 7 may assume its tasks
from the date of notification (19) of this Directive. The Member States
may take the measures referred to in Article 16 on notification of this
Directive.
When Member States adopt these provisions, these shall contain a reference
to this Directive or shall be accompanied by such a reference at the time
of their official publication. The procedure for such reference shall be
adopted by Member States.
Member States shall apply these provisions with effect from 1 January
1995.
2. Member States shall communicate to the Commission the texts of the
provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this
Directive.
3. Member States shall take the necessary action to ensure that the
notified bodies which are responsible pursuant to Article 11 (1) to (5)
for conformity assessment take account of any relevant information regarding
the characteristics and performance of such devices, including in particular
the results of any relevant tests and verification already carried out
under pre-existing national law, regulations or administrative provisions
in respect of such devices.
4. Member States shall accept the placing on the market and putting
into service of devices which conform to the rules in force in their territory
on 31 December 1994 during a period of five years following adoption of
this Directive.
In the case of devices which have been subjected to EEC pattern approval
in accordance with Directive 76/764/EEC, Member States shall accept their
being placed on the market and put into service during the period up to
30 June 2004.
Article 23
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Luxembourg, 14 June 1993.
For the Council
The President
J. TROEJBORG
(1) OJ No C 237, 12. 9. 1991 and OJ No C 251, 28. 9. 1992, p. 40.(2)
OJ No C 150, 31. 5. 1993 and OJ No C 176, 28. 6. 1993.(3) OJ No C 79, 30.
3. 1992, p. 1.(4) OJ No 22, 9. 6. 1965, p. 369/65. Directive as last amended
by Directive 92/27/EEC (OJ No L 113, 30. 4. 1992, p. 8).(5) OJ No L 147,
9. 6. 1975, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Directive 91/507/EEC (OJ
No L 270, 26. 9. 1991, p. 32).(6) OJ No C 136, 4. 6. 1985, p. 1.(7) OJ
No L 189, 20. 7. 1990, p. 17.(8) OJ No L 139, 23. 5. 1989, p. 19. Directive
as last amended by Directive 92/31/EEC (OJ No L 126, 12. 5. 1992, p. 11).(9)
OJ No L 246, 17. 9. 1980, p. 1. Directive as last amended by Directive
84/467/Euratom (OJ No L 265, 5. 10. 1984, p. 4).(10) OJ No L 265, 5. 10.
1984, p. 1.(11) OJ No L 183, 29. 6. 1989, p. 1.(12) OJ No L 109, 26. 4.
1983, p. 8. Directive as last amended by Commission Decision 92/400/EEC
(OJ No L 221, 6. 8. 1992, p. 55).(13) OJ No L 197, 18. 7. 1987, p. 33.(14)
OJ No L 380, 31. 12. 1990, p. 13.(15) OJ No C 185, 22. 7. 1989, p. 8.(16)
OJ No L 262, 27. 9. 1976, p. 139. Directive as last amended by Directive
84/414/EEC (OJ No L 228, 25. 8. 1984, p. 25).(17) OJ No L 300, 19. 11.
1984, p. 179. Directive as amended by the Act of Accession of Spain and
Portugal.(18) OJ No L 262, 27. 9. 1976, p. 169. Directive as last amended
by Commission Directive 92/86/EEC (OJ No L 325, 11. 11. 1992, p. 18).(19)
This Directive was notified to the Member States on 29 June 1993.
ANNEX I
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS I. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 1. The devices must
be designed and manufactured in such a way that, when used under the conditions
and for the purposes intended, they will not compromise the clinical condition
or the safety of patients, or the safety and health of users or, where
applicable, other persons, provided that any risks which may be associated
with their use constitute acceptable risks when weighed against the benefits
to the patient and are compatible with a high level of protection of health
and safety.
2. The solutions adopted by the manufacturer for the design and construction
of the devices must conform to safety principles, taking account of the
generally acknowledged state of the art.
In selecting the most appropriate solutions, the manufacturer must
apply the following principles in the following order:
- eliminate or reduce risks as far as possible (inherently safe design
and construction),
- where appropriate take adequate protection measures including alarms
if necessary, in relation to risks that cannot be eliminated,
- inform users of the residual risks due to any shortcomings of the
protection measures adopted.
3. The devices must achieve the performances intended by the manufacturer
and be designed, manufactured and packaged in such a way that they are
suitable for one or more of the functions referred to in Article 1 (2)
(a), as specified by the manufacturer.
4. The characteristics and performances referred to in Sections 1,
2 and 3 must not be adversely affected to such a degree that the clinical
conditions and safety of the patients and, where applicable, of other persons
are compromised during the lifetime of the device as indicated by the manufacturer,
when the device is subjected to the stresses which can occur during normal
conditions of use.
5. The devices must be designed, manufactured and packed in such a
way that their characteristics and performances during their intended use
will not be adversely affected during transport and storage taking account
of the instructions and information provided by the manufacturer.
6. Any undesirable side-effect must constitute an acceptable risk when
weighed against the performances intended.
II. REQUIREMENTS REGARDING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION 7. Chemical, physical
and biological properties
7.1. The devices must be designed and manufactured in such a way as
to guarantee the characteristics and performances referred to in Section
I on the 'General requirements'. Particular attention must be paid to:
- the choice of materials used, particularly as regards toxicity and,
where appropriate, flammability,
- the compatibility between the materials used and biological tissues,
cells and body fluids, taking account of the intended purpose of the device.
7.2. The devices must be designed, manufactured and packed in such
a way as to minimize the risk posed by contaminants and residues to the
persons involved in the transport, storage and use of the devices and to
the patients, taking account of the intended purpose of the product. Particular
attention must be paid to the tissues exposed and to the duration and frequency
of exposure.
7.3. The devices must be designed and manufactured in such a way that
they can be used safely with the materials, substances and gases with which
they enter into contact during their normal use or during routine procedures;
if the devices are intended to administer medicinal products they must
be designed and manufactured in such a way as to be compatible with the
medicinal products concerned according to the provisions and restrictions
governing these products and that their performance is maintained in accordance
with the intended use.
7.4. Where a device incorporates, as an integral part, a substance
which, if used separately, may be considered to be a medicinal product
as defined in Article 1 of Directive 65/65/EEC and which is liable to act
upon the body with action ancillary to that of the device, the safety,
quality and usefulness of the substance must be verified, taking account
of the intended purpose of the device, by analogy with the appropriate
methods specified in Directive 75/318/EEC.
7.5. The devices must be designed and manufactured in such a way as
to reduce to a minimum the risks posed by substances leaking from the device.
7.6. Devices must be designed and manufactured in such a way as to
reduce, as much as possible, risks posed by the unintentional ingress of
substances into the device taking into account the device and the nature
of the environment in which it is intended to be used.
8. Infection and microbial contamination
8.1. The devices and manufacturing processes must be designed in such
a way as to eliminate or reduce as far as possible the risk of infection
to the patient, user and third parties. The design must allow easy handling
and, where necessary, minimize contamination of the device by the patient
or vice versa during use.
8.2. Tissues of animal origin must originate from animals that have
been subjected to veterinary controls and surveillance adapted to the intended
use of the tissues.
Notified bodies shall retain information on the geographical origin
of the animals.
Processing, preservation, testing and handling of tissues, cells and
substances of animal origin must be carried out so as to provide optimal
security. In particular safety with regard to viruses and other transferable
agents must be addressed by implementation of validated methods of elimination
or viral inactivation in the course of the manufacturing process.
8.3. Devices delivered in a sterile state must be designed, manufactured
and packed in a non-reusable pack and/or according to appropriate procedures
to ensure that they are sterile when placed on the market and remain sterile,
under the storage and transport conditions laid down, until the protective
packaging is damaged or opened.
8.4. Devices delivered in a sterile state must have been manufactured
and sterilized by an appropriate, validated method.
8.5. Devices intended to be sterilized must be manufactured in appropriately
controlled (e. g. environmental) conditions.
8.6. Packaging systems for non-sterile devices must keep the product
without deterioration at the level of cleanliness stipulated and, if the
devices are to be sterilized prior to use, minimize the risk of microbial
contamination; the packaging system must be suitable taking account of
the method of sterilization indicated by the manufacturer.
8.7. The packaging and/or label of the device must distinguish between
identical or similar products sold in both sterile and non-sterile condition.
9. Construction and environmental properties
9.1. If the device is intended for use in combination with other devices
or equipment, the whole combination, including the connection system must
be safe and must not impair the specified performances of the devices.
Any restrictions on use must be indicated on the label or in the instructions
for use.
9.2. Devices must be designed and manufactured in such a way as to
remove or minimize as far as is possible:
- the risk of injury, in connection with their physical features, including
the volume/pressure ratio, dimensional and where appropriate ergonomic
features,
- risks connected with reasonably foreseeable environmental conditions,
such as magnetic fields, external electrical influences, electrostatic
discharge, pressure, temperature or variations in pressure and acceleration,
- the risks of reciprocal interference with other devices normally
used in the investigations or for the treatment given,
- risks arising where maintenance or calibration are not possible (as
with implants), from ageing of materials used or loss of accuracy of any
measuring or control mechanism.
9.3. Devices must be designed and manufactured in such a way as to
minimize the risks of fire or explosion during normal use and in single
fault condition. Particular attention must be paid to devices whose intended
use includes exposure to flammable substances or to substances which could
cause combustion.
10. Devices with a measuring function
10.1. Devices with a measuring function must be designed and manufactured
in such a way as to provide sufficient accuracy and stability within appropriate
limits of accuracy and taking account of the intended purpose of the device.
The limits of accuracy must be indicated by the manufacturer.
10.2. The measurement, monitoring and display scale must be designed
in line with ergonomic principles, taking account of the intended purpose
of the device.
10.3. The measurements made by devices with a measuring function must
be expressed in legal units conforming to the provisions of Council Directive
80/181/EEC (1).
11. Protection against radiation
11.1. General
11.1.1. Devices shall be designed and manufactured in such a way that
exposure of patients, users and other persons to radiation shall be reduced
as far as possible compatible with the intended purpose, whilst not restricting
the application of appropriate specified levels for therapeutic and diagnostic
purposes.
11.2. Intended radiation
11.2.1. Where devices are designed to emit hazardous levels of radiation
necessary for a specific medical purpose the benefit of which is considered
to outweigh the risks inherent in the emission, it must be possible for
the user to control the emissions. Such devices shall be designed and manufactured
to ensure reproducibility and tolerance of relevant variable parameters.
11.2.2. Where devices are intended to emit potentially hazardous, visible
and/or invisible radiation, they must be fitted, where practicable, with
visual displays and/or audible warnings of such emissions.
11.3. Unintended radiation
11.3.1. Devices shall be designed and manufactured in such a way that
exposure of patients, users and other persons to the emission of unintended,
stray or scattered radiation is reduced as far as possible.
11.4. Instructions
11.4.1. The operating instructions for devices emitting radiation must
give detailed information as to the nature of the emitted radiation, means
of protecting the patient and the user and on ways of avoiding misuse and
of eliminating the risks inherent in installation.
11.5. Ionizing radiation
11.5.1. Devices intended to emit ionizing radiation must be designed
and manufactured in such a way as to ensure that, where practicable, the
quantity, geometry and quality of radiation emitted can be varied and controlled
taking into account the intended use.
11.5.2. Devices emitting ionizing radiation intended for diagnostic
radiology shall be designed and manufactured in such a way as to achieve
appropriate image and/or output quality for the intended medical purpose
whilst minimizing radiation exposure of the patient and user.
11.5.3. Devices emitting ionizing radiation, intended for therapeutic
radiology shall be designed and manufactured in such a way as to enable
reliable monitoring and control of the delivered dose, the beam type and
energy and where appropriate the quality of radiation.
12. Requirements for medical devices connected to or equipped with
an energy source
12.1. Devices incorporating electronic programmable systems must be
designed to ensure the repeatability, reliability and performance of these
systems according to the intended use. In the event of a single fault condition
(in the system) appropriate means should be adopted to eliminate or reduce
as far as possible consequent risks.
12.2. Devices where the safety of the patients depends on an internal
power supply must be equipped with a means of determining the state of
the power supply.
12.3. Devices where the safety of the patients depends on an external
power supply must include an alarm system to signal any power failure.
12.4. Devices intended to monitor one or more clinical parameters of
a patient must be equipped with appropriate alarm systems to alert the
user of situations which could lead to death or severe deterioration of
the patient's state of health.
12.5. Devices must be designed and manufactured in such a way as to
minimize the risks of creating electromagnetic fields which could impair
the operation of other devices or equipment in the usual environment.
12.6. Protection against electrical risks
Devices must be designed and manufactured in such a way as to avoid,
as far as possible, the risk of accidental electric shocks during normal
use and in single fault condition, provided the devices are installed correctly.
12.7. Protection against mechanical and thermal risks
12.7.1. Devices must be designed and manufactured in such a way as
to protect the patient and user against mechanical risks connected with,
for example, resistance, stability and moving parts.
12.7.2. Devices must be designed and manufactured in such a way as
to reduce to the lowest possible level the risks arising from vibration
generated by the devices, taking account of technical progress and of the
means available for limiting vibrations, particularly at source, unless
the vibrations are part of the specified performance.
12.7.3. Devices must be designed and manufactured in such a way as
to reduce to the lowest possible level the risks arising from the noise
emitted, taking account of technical progress and of the means available
to reduce noise, particularly at source, unless the noise emitted is part
of the specified performance.
12.7.4. Terminals and connectors to the electricity, gas or hydraulic
and pneumatic energy supplies which the user has to handle must be designed
and constructed in such a way as to minimize all possible risks.
12.7.5. Accessible parts of the devices (excluding the parts or areas
intended to supply heat or reach given temperatures) and their surroundings
must not attain potentially dangerous temperatures under normal use.
12.8. Protection against the risks posed to the patient by energy supplies
or substances
12.8.1. Devices for supplying the patient with energy or substances
must be designed and constructed in such a way that the flow-rate can be
set and maintained accurately enough to guarantee the safety of the patient
and of the user.
12.8.2. Devices must be fitted with the means of preventing and/or
indicating any inadequacies in the flow-rate which could pose a danger.
Devices must incorporate suitable means to prevent, as far as possible,
the accidental release of dangerous levels of energy from an energy and/or
substance source.
12.9. The function of the controls and indicators must be clearly specified
on the devices.
Where a device bears instructions required for its operation or indicates
operating or adjustment parameters by means of a visual system, such information
must be understandable to the user and, as appropriate, the patient.
13. Information supplied by the manufacturer
13.1. Each device must be accompanied by the information needed to
use it safely and to identify the manufacturer, taking account of the training
and knowledge of the potential users.
This information comprises the details on the label and the data in
the instructions for use.
As far as practicable and appropriate, the information needed to use
the device safely must be set out on the device itself and/or on the packaging
for each unit or, where appropriate, on the sales packaging. If individual
packaging of each unit is not practicable, the information must be set
out in the leaflet supplied with one or more devices.
Instructions for use must be included in the packaging for every device.
By way of exception, no such instructions for use are needed for devices
in Class I or IIa if they can be used safely without any such instructions.
13.2. Where appropriate, this information should take the form of symbols.
Any symbol or identification colour used must conform to the harmonized
standards. In areas for which no standards exist, the symbols and colours
must be described in the documentation supplied with the device.
13.3. The label must bear the following particulars:
(a) the name or trade name and address of the manufacturer. For devices
imported into the Community, in view of their distribution in the Community,
the label, or the outer packaging, or instructions for use, shall contain
in addition the name and address of either the person responsible referred
to in Article 14 (2) or of the authorized representative of the manufacturer
established within the Community or of the importer established within
the Community, as appropriate;
(b) the details strictly necessary for the user to identify the device
and the contents of the packaging;
(c) where appropriate, the word 'STERILE';
(d) where appropriate, the batch code, preceded by the word 'LOT',
or the serial number;
(e) where appropriate, an indication of the date by which the device
should be used, in safety, expressed as the year and month;
(f) where appropriate, an indication that the device is for single
use;
(g) if the device is costum-made, the words 'custom-made device';
(h) if the device is intended for clinical investigations, the words
'exclusively for clinical investigations';
(i) any special storage and/or handling conditions;
(j) any special operating instructions;
(k) any warnings and/or precautions to take;
(l) year of manufacture for active devices other than those covered
by (e). This indication may be included in the batch or serial number;
(m) where applicable, method of sterilization.
13.4. If the intended purpose of the device is not obvious to the user,
the manufacturer must clearly state it on the label and in the instructions
for use.
13.5. Wherever reasonable and practicable, the devices and detachable
components must be identified, where appropriate in terms of batches, to
allow all appropriate action to detect any potential risk posed by the
devices and detachable components.
13.6. Where appropriate, the instructions for use must contain the
following particulars:
(a) the details referred to in Section 13.3, with the exception of
(d) and (e);
(b) the performances referred to in Section 3 and any undesirable side-effects;
(c) if the device must be installed with or connected to other medical
devices or equipment in order to operate as required for its intended purpose,
sufficient details of its characteristics to identify the correct devices
or equipment to use in order to obtain a safe combination;
(d) all the information needed to verify whether the device is properly
installed and can operate correctly and safely, plus details of the nature
and frequency of the maintenance and calibration needed to ensure that
the devices operate properly and safely at all times;
(e) where appropriate, information to avoid certain risks in connection
with implantation of the device;
(f) information regarding the risks of reciprocal interference posed
by the presence of the device during specific investigations or treatment;
(g) the necessary instructions in the event of damage to the sterile
packaging and, where appropriate, details of appropriate methods of resterilization;
(h) if the device is reusable, information on the appropriate processes
to allow reuse, including cleaning, disinfection, packaging and, where
appropriate, the method of sterilization of the device to be resterilized,
and any restriction on the number of reuses.
Where devices are supplied with the intention that they be sterilized
before use, the instructions for cleaning and sterilization must be such
that, if correctly followed, the device will still comply with the requirements
in Section I;
(i) details of any further treatment or handling needed before the
device can be used (for example, sterilization, final assembly, etc.);
(j) in the case of devices emitting radiation for medical purposes,
details of the nature, type, intensity and distribution of this radiation.
The instructions for use must also include details allowing the medical
staff to brief the patient on any contra-indications and any precautions
to be taken. These details should cover in particular:
(k) precautions to be taken in the event of changes in the performance
of the device;
(l) precautions to be taken as regards exposure, in reasonably foreseeable
environmental conditions, to magnetic fields, external electrical influences,
electrostatic discharge, pressure or variations in pressure, acceleration,
thermal ignition sources, etc.;
(m) adequate information regarding the medicinal product or products
which the device in question is designed to administer, including any limitations
in the choice of substances to be delivered;
(n) precautions to be taken against any special, unusual risks related
to the disposal of the device;
(o) medicinal substances incorporated into the device as an integral
part in accordance with Section 7.4;
(p) degree of accuracy claimed for devices with a measuring function.
14. Where conformity with the essential requirements must be based
on clinical data, as in Section I (6), such data must be established in
accordance with Annex X.
(1) OJ No L 39, 15. 2. 1980, p. 40. Directive as last amended by Directive
89/617/EEC (OJ No L 357, 7. 12. 1989, p. 28).
ANNEX II
EC DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY (Full quality assurance system) 1. The
manufacturer must ensure application of the quality system approved for
the design, manufacture and final inspection of the products concerned,
as specified in Section 3 and is subject to audit as laid down in Sections
3.3 and 4 and to Community surveillance as specified in Section 5.
2. The declaration of conformity is the procedure whereby the manufacturer
who fulfils the obligations imposed by Section 1 ensures and declares that
the products concerned meet the provisions of this Directive which apply
to them.
The manufacturer must affix the CE marking
in accordance with Article 17 and draw up a written declaration of conformity.
This declaration must cover a given number of the products manufactured
and be kept by the manufacturer.
3. Quality system
3.1. The manufacturer must lodge an application for assessment of his
quality system with a notified body.
The application must include:
- the name and address of the manufacturer and any additional manufacturing
site covered by the quality system,
- all the relevant information on the product or product category covered
by the procedure,
- a written declaration that no application has been lodged with any
other notified body for the same product-related quality system,
- the documentation on the quality system,
- an undertaking by the manufacturer to fulfil the obligations imposed
by the quality system approved,
- an undertaking by the manufacturer to keep the approved quality system
adequate and efficacious,
- an undertaking by the manufacturer to institute and keep up to date
a systematic procedure to review experience gained from devices in the
post-production phase and to implement appropriate means to apply any necessary
corrective action. This undertaking must include an obligation for the
manufacturer to notify the competent authorities of the following incidents
immediately on learning of them:
(i) any malfunction or deterioration in the characteristics and/or
performance of a device, as well as any inadequacy in the instructions
for use which might lead to or might have led to the death of a patient
or user or to a serious deterioration in his state of health;
(ii) any technical or medical reason connected with the characteristics
or performance of a device leading for the reasons referred to in subparagraph
(i) to systematic recall of devices of the same type by the manufacturer.
3.2. Application of the quality system must ensure that the products
conform to the provisions of this Directive which apply to them at every
stage, from design to final inspection. All the elements, requirements
and provisions adopted by the manufacturer for his quality system must
be documented in a systematic and orderly manner in the form of written
policies and procedures such as quality programmes, quality plans, quality
manuals and quality records.
It shall include in particular an adequate description of:
(a) the manufacturer's quality objectives;
(b) the organization of the business and in particular:
- the organizational structures, the responsibilities of the managerial
staff and their organizational authority where quality of design and manufacture
of the products is concerned,
- the methods of monitoring the efficient operation of the quality
system and in particular its ability to achieve the desired quality of
design and of product, including control of products which fail to conform;
(c) the procedures for monitoring and verifying the design of the products
and in particular:
- a general description of the product, including any variants planned,
- the design specifications, including the standards which will be
applied and the results of the risk analysis, and also a description of
the solutions adopted to fulfil the essential requirements which apply
to the products if the standards referred to in Article 5 are not applied
in full,
- the techniques used to control and verify the design and the processes
and systematic measures which will be used when the products are being
designed,
- if the device is to be connected to other device(s) in order to operate
as intended, proof must be provided that it conforms to the essential requirements
when connected to any such device(s) having the characteristics specified
by the manufacturer,
- a statement indicating whether or not the device incorporates, as
an integral part, a substance as referred to in Section 7.4 of Annex I
and data on the tests conducted in this connection,
- the clinical data referred to in Annex X,
- the draft label and, where appropriate, instructions for use;
(d) the inspection and quality assurance techniques at the manufacturing
stage and in particular:
- the processes and procedures which will be used, particularly as
regards sterilization, purchasing and the relevant documents,
- the product identification procedures drawn up and kept up to date
from drawings, specifications or other relevant documents at every stage
of manufacture;
(e) the appropriate tests and trials which will be carried out before,
during and after manufacture, the frequency with which they will take place,
and the test equipment used; it must be possible to trace back the calibration
of the test equipment adequately.
3.3. The notified body must audit the quality system to determine whether
it meets the requirements referred to in Section 3.2. It must presume that
quality systems which implement the relevant harmonized standards conform
to these requirements.
The assessment team must include at least one number with past experience
of assessments of the technology concerned. The assessment procedure must
include an inspection on the manufacturer's premises and, in duly substantiated
cases, on the premises of the manufacturer's suppliers and/or subcontractors
to inspect the manufacturing processes.
The decision is notified to the manufacturer. It must contain the conclusions
of the inspection and a reasoned assessment.
3.4. The manufacturer must inform the notified body which approved
the quality system of any plan for substantial changes to the quality system
or the product-range covered. The notified body must assess the changes
proposed and verify whether after these changes the quality system still
meets the requirements referred to in Section 3.2. It must notify the manufacturer
of its decision. This decision must contain the conclusions of the inspection
and a reasoned assessment.
4. Examination of the design of the product
4.1. In addition to the obligations imposed by Section 3, the manufacturer
must lodge with the notified body an application for examination of the
design dossier relating to the product which he plans to manufacture and
which falls into the category referred to in Section 3.1.
4.2. The application must describe the design, manufacture and performances
of the product in question. It must include the documents needed to assess
whether the product conforms to the requirements of this Directive, as
referred to in Section 3.2 (c).
4.3. The notified body must examine the application and, if the product
conforms to the relevant provisions of this Directive, issue the application
with an EC design-examination certificate. The notified body may require
the application to be completed by further tests or proof to allow assessment
of conformity with the requirements of the Directive. The certificate must
contain the conclusions of the examination, the conditions of validity,
the data needed for identification of the approved design, where appropriate,
a description of the intended purpose of the product.
In the case of devices referred to in Annex I, paragraph 7.4, the notified
body shall, in view of the aspects addressed in that paragraph, consult
one of the competent bodies established by the Member States in accordance
with Directive 65/65/EEC before taking a decision.
The notified body will give due consideration to the views expressed
in this consultation when making its decision. It will convey its final
decision to the competent body concerned.
4.4. Changes to the approved design must receive further approval from
the notified body which issued the EC design-examination certificate wherever
the changes could affect conformity with the essential requirements of
the Directive or with the conditions prescribed for use of the product.
The applicant shall inform the notified body which issued the EC design-examination
certificate of any such changes made to the approved design. This additional
approval must take the form of a supplement to the EC design-examination
certificate.
5. Surveillance
5.1. The aim of surveillance is to ensure that the manufacturer duly
fulfils the obligations imposed by the approved quality system.
5.2. The manufacturer must authorize the notified body to carry out
all the necessary inspections and supply it with all relevant information,
in particular:
- the documentation on the quality system,
- the data stipulated in the part of the quality system relating to
design, such as the results of analyses, calculation tests, etc.,
- the data stipulated in the part of the quality system relating to
manufacture, such as inspection reports and test data, calibration data,
qualification reports of the personnel concerned, etc.
5.3. The notified body must periodically carry out appropriate inspections
and assessments to make sure that the manufacturer applies the approved
quality system and must supply the manufacturer with an assessment report.
5.4. In addition, the notified body may pay unannounced visits to the
manufacturer. At the time of such visits, the notified body may, where
necessary, carry out or ask for tests in order to check that the quality
system is working properly. It must provide the manufacturer with an inspection
report and, if a test has been carried out, with a test report.
6. Administrative provisions
6.1. The manufacturer must, for a period ending at least five years
after the last product has been manufactured, keep at the disposal of the
national authorities:
- the declaration of conformity,
- the documentation referred to in the fourth indent of Section 3.1,
- the changes referred to in Section 3.4,
- the documentation referred to in Section 4.2, and
- the decisions and reports from the notified body as referred to in
Sections 3.3, 4.3, 4.4, 5.3 and 5.4.
6.2. The notified body must make available to the other notified bodies
and the competent authority, on request, all relevant information concerning
quality system approvals issued, refused or withdrawn.
6.3. In respect of devices subject to the procedure in Section 4, when
neither the manufacturer nor his authorized representative is established
in the Community, the obligation to keep available the technical documentation
shall fall to the person responsible for placing the device on the Community
market or the importer referred to in Annex I, Section 13.3 (a).
7. Application to devices in Classes IIa and IIb
In line with Article 11 (2) and (3), this Annex may apply to products
in Classes IIa and IIb. Section 4, however, does not apply.
ANNEX III
EC TYPE-EXAMINATION 1. EC type-examination is the procedure whereby
a notified body ascertains and certifies that a representative sample of
the production covered fulfils the relevant provisions of this Directive.
2. The application includes:
- the name and address of the manufacturer and the name and address
of the authorized representative if the application is lodged by the representative,
- the documentation described in Section 3 needed to assess the conformity
of the representative sample of the production in question, hereinafter
referred to as the 'type', with the requirements of this Directive. The
applicant must make a 'type' available to the notified body. The notified
body may request other samples as necessary,
- a written declaration that no application has been lodged with any
other notified body for the same type.
3. The documentation must allow an understanding of the design, the
manufacture and the performances of the product and must contain the following
items in particular:
- a general description of the type, including any variants planned,
- design drawings, methods of manufacture envisaged, in particular
as regards sterilization, and diagrams of components, sub-assemblies, circuits,
etc.,
- the descriptions and explanations necessary to understand the abovementioned
drawings and diagrams and the operation of the product,
- a list of the standards referred to in Article 5, applied in full
or in part, and descriptions of the solutions adopted to meet the essential
requirements if the standards referred to in Article 5 have not been applied
in full,
- the results of the design calculations, risk analysis, investigations,
technical tests, etc. carried out,
- a statement indicating whether or not the device incorporates, as
an integral part, a substance as referred to in Section 7.4 of Annex I
and data on the tests conducted in this connection,
- the clinical data referred to in Annex X,
- the draft label and, where appropriate, instructions for use.
4. The notified body must:
4.1. examine and assess the documentation and verify that the type
has been manufactured in conformity with that documentation; it must also
record the items designed in conformity with the applicable provisions
of the standards referred to in Article 5, as well as the items not designed
on the basis of the relevant provisions of the abovementioned standards;
4.2. carry out or arrange for the appropriate inspections and the tests
necessary to verify whether the solutions adopted by the manufacturer meet
the essential requirements of this Directive if the standards referred
to in Article 5 have not been applied; if the device is to be connected
to other device(s) in order to operate as intended, proof must be provided
that it conforms to the essential requirements when connected to any such
device(s) having the characteristics specified by the manufacturer;
4.3. carry out or arrange for the appropriate inspections and the tests
necessary to verify whether, if the manufacturer has chosen to apply the
relevant standards, these have actually been applied;
4.4. agree with the applicant on the place where the necessary inspections
and tests will be caried out.
5. If the type conforms to the provisions of this Directive, the notified
body issues the applicant with an EC type-examination certificate. The
certificate must contain the name and address of the manufacturer, the
conclusions of the inspection, the conditions of validity and the data
needed for identification of the type approved. The relevant parts of the
documentation must be annexed to the certificate and a copy kept by the
notified body.
In the case of devices referred to in Annex I, paragraph 7.4, the notified
body shall, in view of the aspects addressed in that paragraph, consult
one of the competent bodies established by the Member States in accordance
with Directive 65/65/EEC before taking a decision.
The notified body will give due consideration to the views expressed
in this consultation when making its decision. It will convey its final
decision to the competent body concerned.
6. The applicant must inform the notified body which issued the EC
type-examination certificate of any significant change made to the approved
product.
Changes to the approved product must receive further approval from
the notified body which issued the EC type-examination certificate wherever
the changes may affect conformity with the essential requirements or with
the conditions prescribed for use of the product. This new approval must,
where appropriate, take the form of a supplement to the initial EC type-examination
certificate.
7. Administrative provisions
7.1. The notified body must make available to the other notified bodies
on request, all relevant information on EC type-examination certificates
and supplements issued, refused or withdrawn.
7.2. Other notified bodies may obtain a copy of the EC type-examination
certificates and/or the supplements thereto. The Annexes to the certificates
must be made available to other notified bodies on reasoned application,
after the manufacturer has been informed.
7.3. The manufacturer or his authorized representative must keep with
the technical documentation copies of EC type-examination certificates
and their additions for a period ending at least five years after the last
device has been manufactured.
7.4. When neither the manufacturer nor his authorized representative
is established in the Community, the obligation to keep available the technical
documentation shall fall to the person responsible for placing the device
on the Community market or the importer referred to in Annex I, Section
13.3 (a).
ANNEX IV
EC VERIFICATION 1. EC verification is the procedure whereby the manufacturer
or his authorized representative established in the Community ensures and
declares that the products which have been subject to the procedure set
out in Section 4 conform to the type described in the EC type-examination
certificate and meet the requirements of this Directive which apply to
them.
2. The manufacturer must take all the measures necessary to ensure
that the manufacturing process produces products which conform to the type
described in the EC type-examination certificate and to the requirements
of the Directive which apply to them. Before the start of manufacture,
the manufacturer must prepare documents defining the manufacturing process,
in particular as regards sterilization where necessary, together with all
the routine, pre-established provisions to be implemented to ensure homogeneous
production and, where appropriate, conformity of the products with the
type described in the EC type-examination certificate and with the requirements
of this Directive which apply to them. The manufacturer must affix the CE marking
in accordance with Article 17 and draw up a declaration of conformity.
In addition, for products placed on the market in sterile condition,
and only for those aspects of the manufacturing process designed to secure
and maintain sterility, the manufacturer must apply the provisions of Annex
V, Sections 3 and 4.
3. The manufacturer must undertake to institute and keep up to date
a systematic procedure to review experience gained from devices in the
post-production phase and to implement appropriate means to apply any necessary
corrective action. This undertaking must include an obligation for the
manufacturer to notify the competent authorities of the following incidents
immediately on learning of them:
(i) any malfunction or deterioration in the characteristics and/or
performance of a device, as well as any inadequacy in the labelling or
the instructions for use which might lead to or might have led to the death
of a patient or user or to a serious deterioration in his state of health;
(ii) any technical or medical reason connected with the characteristics
or performance of a device for the reasons referred to in subparagraph
(i) leading to systematic recall of devices of the same type by the manufacturer.
4. The notified body must carry out the appropriate examinations and
tests in order to verify the conformity of the product with the requirements
of the Directive either by examining and testing every product as specified
in Section 5 or by examining and testing products on a statistical basis
as specified in Section 6, as the manufacturer decides.
The aforementioned checks do not apply to those aspects of the manufacturing
process designed to secure sterility.
5. Verification by examination and testing of every product
5.1. Every product is examined individually and the appropriate tests
defined in the relevant standard(s) referred to in Article 5 or equivalent
tests must be carried out in order to verify, where appropriate, the conformity
of the products with the EC type described in the type-examination certificate
and with the requirements of the Directive which apply to them.
5.2. The notified body must affix, or have affixed its identification
number to each approved product and must draw up a written certificate
of conformity relating to the tests carried out.
6. Statistical verification
6.1. The manufacturer must present the manufactured products in the
form of homogeneous batches.
6.2. A random sample is taken from each batch. The products which make
up the sample are examined individually and the appropriate tests defined
in the relevant standard(s) referred to in Article 5 or equivalent tests
must be carried out to verify, where appropriate, the conformity of the
products with the type described in the EC type-examination certificate
and with the requirements of the Directive which apply to them in order
to determine whether to accept or reject the batch.
6.3. Statistical control of products will be based on attributes, entailing
a sampling system ensuring a limit quality corresponding to a probability
of acceptance of 5 %, with a non-conformity percentage of between 3 and
7 %. The sampling method will be established by the harmonized standards
referred to in Article 5, taking account of the specific nature of the
product categories in question.
6.4. If the batch is accepted, the notified body affixes or has affixed
its identification number to each product and draws up a written certificate
of conformity relating to the tests carried out. All products in the batch
may be put on the market except any in the sample which failed to conform.
If a batch is rejected, the competent notified body must take appropriate
measures to prevent the batch from being placed on the market. In the event
of frequent rejection of batches, the notified body may suspend the statistical
verification.
The manufacturer may, on the responsibility of the notified body, affix
the notified body's identification number during the manufacturing process.
7. Administrative provisions
The manufacturer or his authorized representative must, for a period
ending at least five years after the last product has been manufactured,
make available to the national authorities:
- the declaration of conformity,
- the documentation referred to in Section 2,
- the certificates referred to in Sections 5.2 and 6.4,
- where appropriate, the type-examination certificate referred to in
Annex III.
8. Application to devices in Class IIa
In line with Article 11 (2), this Annex may apply to products in Class
IIa, subject to the following exemptions:
8.1. in derogation from Sections 1 and 2, by virtue of the declaration
of conformity the manufacturer ensures and declares that the products in
Class IIa are manufactured in conformity with the technical documentation
referred to in Section 3 of Annex VII and meet the requirements of this
Directive which apply to them;
8.2. in derogation from Sections 1, 2, 5 and 6, the verifications conducted
by the notified body are intended to confirm the conformity of the products
in Class IIa with the technical documentation referred to in Section 3
of Annex VII.
ANNEX V
EC DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY (Production quality assurance) 1. The
manufacturer must ensure application of the quality system approved for
the manufacture of the products concerned and carry out the final inspection,
as specified in Section 3, and is subject to the Community surveillance
referred to in Section 4.
2. The declaration of conformity is the part of the procedure whereby
the manufacturer who fulfils the obligations imposed by Section 1 ensures
and declares that the products concerned conform to the type described
in the EC type-examination certificate and meets the provisions of this
Directive which apply to them.
The manufacturer must affix the CE marking
in accordance with Article 17 and draw up a written declaration of conformity.
This declaration must cover a given number of identified specimens of the
products manufactured and must be kept by the manufacturer.
3. Quality system
3.1. The manufacturer must lodge an application for assessment of his
quality system with a notified body.
The application must include:
- the name and address of the manufacturer,
- all the relevant information on the product or product category covered
by the procedure,
- a written declaration that no application has been lodged with any
other notified body for the same products,
- the documentation on the quality system,
- an undertaking to fulfil the obligations imposed by the quality system
is approved,
- an undertaking to maintain the practicability and effectiveness of
the approved quality system,
- where appropriate, the technical documentation on the types approved
and a copy of the EC type-examination certificates,
- an undertaking by the manufacturer to institute and keep up to date
a systematic procedure to review experience gained from devices in the
post-production phase and to implement appropriate means to apply any necessary
corrective action. This undertaking must include an obligation for the
manufacturer to notify the competent authorities of the following incidents
immediately on learning of them:
(i) any malfunction or deterioration in the characteristics and/or
performance of a device, as well as any inadequacy in the labelling or
the instructions for use which might lead to or might have led to the death
of a patient or user or to a serious deterioration in his state of health;
(ii) any technical or medical reason connected with the characteristics
or performance of a device for the reasons referred to in subparagraph
(i) above leading to a systematic recall of devices of the same type by
the manufacturer.
3.2. Application of the quality system must ensure that the products
conform to the type described in the EC type-examination certificate.
All the elements, requirements and provisions adopted by the manufacturer
for his quality system must be documented in a systematic and orderly manner
in the form of written policy statements and procedures. This quality system
documentation must permit uniform interpretation of the quality policy
and procedures such as quality programmes, plans, manuals and records.
It must include in particular an adequate description of:
(a) the manufacturer's quality objectives;
(b) the organization of the business and in particular:
- the organizational structures, the responsibilities of the managerial
staff and their organizational authority where manufacture of the products
is concerned,
- the methods of monitoring the efficient operation of the quality
system and in particular its ability to achieve the desired quality of
product, including control of products which fail to conform;
(c) the inspection and quality assurance techniques at the manufacturing
stage and in particular:
- the processes and procedures which will be used, particularly as
regards sterilization, purchasing and the relevant documents,
- the product identification procedures drawn up and kept up to date
from drawings, specifications or other relevant documents at every stage
of manufacture;
(d) the appropriate tests and trials to be carried out before, during
and after manufacture, the frequency with which they will take place, and
the test equipment used; it must be possible adequately to trace back the
calibration of the test equipment.
3.3. The notified body must audit the quality system to determine whether
it meets the requirements referred to in Section 3.2. It must presume that
quality systems which implement the relevant harmonized standards conform
to these requirements.
The assessment team must include at least one member with past experience
of assessments of the technology concerned. The assessment procedure must
include an inspection on the manufacturer's premises and, in duly substantiated
cases, on the premises of the manufacturer's suppliers to inspect the manufacturing
processes.
The decision must be notified to the manufacturer after the final inspection
and contain the conclusions of the inspection and a reasoned assessment.
3.4. The manufacturer must inform the notified body which approved
the quality system of any plan for substantial changes to the quality system.
The notified body must assess the changes proposed and verify whether
after these changes the quality system still meets the requirements referred
to in Section 3.2.
After the abovementioned information has been received the decision
is notified to the manufacturer. It must contain the conclusions of the
inspection and a reasoned assessment.
4. Surveillance
4.1. The aim of surveillance is to ensure that the manufacturer duly
fulfils the obligations imposed by the approved quality system.
4.2. The manufacturer authorizes the notified body to carry out all
the necessary inspections and must supply it with all relevant information,
in particular:
- the documentation on the quality system,
- the data stipulated in the part of the quality system relating to
manufacture, such as inspection reports and test data, calibration data,
qualification reports of the personnel concerned, etc.
4.3. The notified body must periodically carry out appropriate inspections
and assessments to make sure that the manufacturer applies the approved
quality system and supply the manufacturer with an assessment report.
4.4. In addition, the notified body may pay unannounced visits to the
manufacturer. At the time of such visits, the notified body may, where
necessary, carry out or ask for tests in order to check that the quality
system is working properly. It must provide the manufacturer with an inspection
report and, if a test has been carried out, with a test report.
5. Administrative provisions
5.1. The manufacturer must, for a period ending at least five years
after the last product has been manufactured, make available to the national
authorities:
- the declaration of conformity,
- the documentation referred to in the fourth indent of Section 3.1,
- the changes referred to in Section 3.4,
- the documentation referred to in the seventh indent of Section 3.1,
- the decisions and reports from the notified body as referred to in
Sections 4.3 and 4.4,
- where appropriate, the type-examination certificate referred to in
Annex III.
5.2. The notified body must make available to the other notified bodies,
on request, all relevant information concerning the quality system approvals
issued, refused or withdrawn.
6. Application to devices in Class IIa
In line with Article 11 (2), this Annex may apply to products in Class
IIa, subject to the following exemption:
6.1. in derogation from Sections 2, 3.1 and 3.2, by virtue of the declaration
of conformity the manufacturer ensures and declares that the products in
Class IIa are manufactured in conformity with the technical documentation
referred to in Section 3 of Annex VII and meet the requirements of this
Directive which apply to them.
ANNEX VI
EC DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY (Product quality assurance) 1. The manufacturer
must ensure application of the quality system approved for the final inspection
and testing of the product, as specified in Section 3 and must be subject
to the surveillance referred to in Section 4.
In addition, for products placed on the market in sterile condition,
and only for those aspects of the manufacturing process designed to secure
and maintain sterility, the manufacturer must apply the provisions of Annex
V, Sections 3 and 4.
2. The declaration of conformity is the part of the procedure whereby
the manufacturer who fulfils the obligations imposed by Section 1 ensures
and declares that the products concerned conform to the type described
in the EC type-examination certificate and meet the provisions of this
Directive which apply to them.
The manufacturer affixes the CE marking
in accordance with Article 17 and draws up a written declaration of conformity.
This declaration must cover a given number of identified specimens of the
products manufactured and be kept by the manufacturer. The CE marking
must be accompanied by the identification number of the notified body which
performs the tasks referred to in this Annex.
3. Quality system
3.1. The manufacturer lodges an application for assessment of his quality
system with a notified body.
The application must include:
- the name and address of the manufacturer,
- all the relevant information on the product or product category covered
by the procedure,
- a written declaration specifying that no application has been lodged
with any other notified body for the same products,
- the documentation on the quality system,
- an undertaking by the manufacturer to fulfil the obligations imposed
by the quality system approved,
- an undertaking by the manufacturer to keep the approved quality system
adequate and efficacious,
- where appropriate, the technical documentation on the types approved
and a copy of the EC type-examination certificates,
- an undertaking by the manufacturer to institute and keep up to date
a systematic procedure to review experience gained from devices in the
post-production phase and to implement appropriate means to apply any necessary
corrective action. This undertaking must include an obligation for the
manufacturer to notify the competent authorities of the following incidents
immediately on learning of them:
(i) any malfunction or deterioration in the characteristics and/or
performance of a device, as well as any inadequacy in the labelling or
the instructions for use which might lead to or might have led to the death
of a patient or user or to a serious deterioration in his state of health;
(ii) any technical or medical reason connected with the characteristics
or the performance of a device for the reasons referred to in subparagraph
(i) leading to a systematic recall of devices of the same type by the manufacturer.
3.2. Under the quality system, each product or a representative sample
of each batch is examined and the appropriate tests defined in the relevant
standard(s) referred to in Article 5 or equivalent tests are carried out
to ensure that the products conform to the type described in the EC type-examination
certificate and fulfil the provisions of this Directive which apply to
them. All the elements, requirements and provisions adopted by the manufacturer
must be documented in a systematic and orderly manner in the form of written
measures, procedures and instructions. This quality system documentation
must permit uniform interpretation of the quality programmes, quality plans,
quality manuals and quality records.
It must include in particular an adequate description of:
- the quality objectives and the organizational structure, responsibilities
and powers of the managerial staff with regard to product quality,
- the examinations and tests that will be carried out after manufacture;
it must be possible to trace back the calibration of the test equipment
adequately,
- the methods of monitoring the efficient operation of the quality
system
- the quality records, such as reports concerning inspections, tests,
calibration and the qualifications of the staff concerned, etc.
The aforementioned checks do not apply to those aspects of the manufacturing
process designed to secure sterility.
3.3. The notified body audits the quality system to determine whether
it meets the requirements referred to in section 3.2. It must presume that
quality systems which implement the relevant harmonized standards conform
to these requirements.
The assessment team must include at least one member with past experience
of assessments of the technology concerned. The assessment procedure must
include an inspection on the manufacturer's premises and, in duly substantiated
cases, on the premises of the manufacturer's suppliers to inspect the manufacturing
processes.
The decision must be notified to the manufacturer. It must contain
the conclusions of the inspection and a reasoned assessment.
3.4. The manufacturer must inform the notified body which approved
the quality system of any plan for substantial changes to the quality system.
The notified body must assess the changes proposed and verify whether
after these changes the quality system will still meet the requirements
referred to in Section 3.2.
After receiving the abovementioned information it must notify the manufacturer
of its decision. This decision must contain the conclusions of the inspection
and a reasoned assessment.
4. Surveillance
4.1. The aim of surveillance is to ensure that the manufacturer duly
fulfils the obligations imposed by the approved quality system.
4.2. The manufacturer must allow the notified body access for inspection
purposes to the inspection, testing and storage locations and supply it
with all relevant information, in particular:
- the documentation on the quality system,
- the technical documentation,
- the quality records, such as inspection reports, test data, calibration
data, qualification reports of the staff concerned, etc.
4.3. The notified body must periodically carry out appropriate inspections
and assessments to make sure that the manufacturer applies the quality
system and must supply the manufacturer with an assessment report.
4.4. In addition, the notified body may pay unannounced visits to the
manufacturer. At the time of such visits, the notified body may, where
necessary, carry out or ask for tests in order to check that the quality
system is working properly and that the production conforms to the requirements
of the Directive which apply to it. To this end, an adequate sample of
the final products, taken on site by the notified body, must be examined
and the appropriate tests defined in the relevant standard(s) referred
to in Article 5 or equivalent tests must be carried out. Where one or more
of the samples fails to conform, the notified body must take the appropriate
measures.
It must provide the manufacturer with an inspection report and, if
a test has been carried out, with a test report.
5. Administrative provisions
5.1. The manufacturer must, for a period ending at least five years
after the last product has been manufactured, make available to the national
authorities:
- the declaration of conformity,
- the documentation referred to in the seventh indent of Section 3.1,
- the changes referred to in Section 3.4,
- the decisions and reports from the notified body as referred to in
the final indent of Section 3.4 and in Sections 4.3 and 4.4,
- where appropriate, the certificate of conformity referred to in Annex
III.
5.2. The notified body must make available to the other notified bodies,
on request, all relevant information concerning the quality system approvals
issued, refused or withdrawn.
6. Application to devices in Class IIa
In line with Article 11 (2), this Annex may apply to products in Class
IIa, subject to this derogation:
6.1. by derogation from Sections 2, 3.1 and 3.2 by virtue of the declaration
of conformity the manufacturer ensures and declares that the products in
Class IIa are manufactured in conformity with the technical documentation
referred to in Section 3 of Annex VII and meet the requirements of this
Directive which apply to them.
ANNEX VII
EC DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY 1. The EC declaration of conformity is
the procedure whereby the manufacturer or his authorized representative
established in the Community who fulfils the obligations imposed by Section
2 and, in the case of products placed on the market in a sterile condition
and devices with a measuring function, the obligations imposed by Section
5 ensures and declares that the products concerned meet the provisions
of this Directive which apply to them.
2. The manufacturer must prepare the technical documentation described
in Section 3. The manufacturer or his authorized representative established
in the Community must make this documentation, including the declaration
of conformity, available to the national authorities for inspection purposes
for a period ending at least five years after the last product has been
manufactured.
Where neither the manufacturer nor his authorized representative are
established in the Community, this obligation to keep the technical documentation
available must fall to the person(s) who place(s) the product on the Community
market.
3. The technical documentation must allow assessment of the conformity
of the product with the requirements of the Directive. It must include
in particular:
- a general description of the product, including any variants planned,
- design drawings, methods of manufacture envisaged and diagrams of
components, sub-assemblies, circuits, etc.,
- the descriptions and explanations necessary to understand the abovementioned
drawings and diagrams and the operations of the product,
- the results of the risk analysis and a list of the standards referred
to in Article 5, applied in full or in part, and descriptions of the solutions
adopted to meet the essential requirements of the Directive if the standards
referred to in Article 5 have not been applied in full,
- in the case of products placed on the market in a sterile condition,
description of the methods used,
- the results of the design calculations and of the inspections carried
out, etc.; if the device is to be connected to other device(s) in order
to operate as intended, proof must be provided that it conforms to the
essential requirements when connected to any such device(s) having the
characteristics specified by the manufacturer,
- the test reports and, where appropriate, clinical data in accordance
with Annex X,
- the label and instructions for use.
4. The manufacturer shall institute and keep up to date a systematic
procedure to review experience gained from devices in the post-production
phase and to implement appropriate means to apply any necessary corrective
actions, taking account of the nature and risks in relation to the product.
He shall notify the competent authorities of the following incidents immediately
on learning of them:
(i) any malfunction or deterioration in the characteristics and/or
performance of a device, as well as any inadequacy in the labelling or
the instructions for use which might lead to or might have led to the death
of a patient or user or to a serious deterioration in his state of health;
(ii) any technical or medical reason connected with the characteristics
on the performance of a device for the reasons referred to in subparagraph
(i) leading to systematic recall of devices of the same type by the manufacturer.
5. With products placed on the market in sterile condition and Class
I devices with a measuring function, the manufacturer must observe not
only the provisions laid down in this Annex but also one of the procedures
referred to in Annex IV, V or VI. Application of the abovementioned Annexes
and the intervention by the notified body is limited to:
- in the case of products placed on the market in sterile condition,
only the aspects of manufacture concerned with securing and maintaining
sterile conditions,
- in the case of devices with a measuring function, only the aspects
of manufacture concerned with the conformity of the products with the metrological
requirements.
Section 6.1. of this Annex is applicable.
6. Application to devices in Class IIa
In line with Article 11 (2), this Annex may apply to products in Class
IIa, subject to the following derogation:
6.1. where this Annex is applied in conjunction with the procedure
referred to in Annex IV, V or VI, the declaration of conformity referred
to in the abovementioned Annexes forms a single declaration. As regards
the declaration based on this Annex, the manufacturer must ensure and declare
that the product design meets the provisions of this Directive which apply
to it.
ANNEX VIII
STATEMENT CONCERNING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL PURPOSES 1. For custom-made
devices or for devices intended for clinical investigations the manufacturer
or his authorized representative established in the Community must draw
up the statement containing the information stipulated in Section 2.
2. The statement must contain the following information:
2.1. for custom-made devices:
- data allowing identification of the device in question,
- a statement that the device is intended for exclusive use by a particular
patient, together with the name of the patient,
- the name of the medical practitioner or other authorized person who
made out the prescription and, where applicable, the name of the clinic
concerned,
- the particular features of the device as specified in the relevant
medical prescription,
- a statement that the device in question conforms to the essential
requirements set out in Annex I and, where applicable, indicating which
essential requirements have not been fully met, together with the grounds;
2.2. for devices intended for the clinical investigations covered by
Annex X:
- data allowing identification of the device in question,
- an investigation plan stating in particular the purpose, scientific,
technical or medical grounds, scope and number of devices concerned,
- the opinion of the ethics committee concerned and details of the
aspects covered by its opinion,
- the name of the medical practitioner or other authorized person and
of the institution responsible for the investigations,
- the place, starting date and scheduled duration for the investigations,
- a statement that the device in question conforms to the essential
requirements apart from the aspects covered by the investigations and that,
with regard to these aspects, every precaution has been taken to protect
the health and safety of the patient.
3. The manufacturer must also undertake to keep available for the competent
national authorities:
3.1. for custom-made devices, documentation allowing an understanding
of the design, manufacture and performances of the product, including the
expected performances, so as to allow assessment of conformity with the
requirements of this Directive.
The manufacturer must take all the measures necessary to ensure that
the manufacturing process produces products which are manufactured in accordance
with the documentation mentioned in the first paragraph;
3.2. for devices intended for clinical investigations, the documentation
must contain:
- a general description of the product,
- design drawings, methods of manufacture envisaged, in particular
as regards sterilization, and diagrams of components, sub-assemblies, circuits,
etc.,
- the descriptions and explanations necessary to understand the abovementioned
drawings and diagrams and the operation of the product,
- the results of the risk analysis and a list of the standards referred
to in Article 5, applied in full or in part, and descriptions of the solutions
adopted to meet the essential requirements of this Directive if the standards
referred to in Article 5 have not been applied,
- the results of the design calculations, and of the inspections and
technical tests carried out, etc.
The manufacturer must take all the measures necessary to ensure that
the manufacturing process produces products which are manufactured in accordance
with the documentation referred to in the first paragraph of this Section.
The manufacturer must authorize the assessment, or audit where necessary,
of the effectiveness of these measures.
4. The information contained in the declarations concerned by this
Annex should be kept for a period of time of at least five years.
ANNEX IX
CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA I. DEFINITIONS 1. Definitions for the classification
rules
1.1. Duration
Transient
Normally intended for continuous use for less than 60 minutes.
Short term
Normally intended for continuous use for not more than 30 days.
Long term
Normally intended for continuous use for more than 30 days.
1.2. Invasive devices
Invasive device
A device which, in whole or in part, penetrates inside the body, either
through a body orifice or through the surface of the body.
Body orifice
Any natural opening in the body, as well as the external surface of
the eyeball, or any permanent artificial opening, such as a stoma.
Surgically invasive device
An invasive device which penetrates inside the body through the surface
of the body, with the aid or in the context of a surgical operation.
For the purposes of this Directive devices other than those referred
to in the previous subparagraph and which produce penetration other than
through an established body orifice, shall be treated as surgically invasive
devices.
Implantable device
Any device which is intended:
- to be totally introduced into the human body or,
- to replace an epithelial surface or the surface of the eye,
by surgical intervention which is intended to remain in place after
the procedure.
Any device intended to be partially introduced into the human body
through surgical intervention and intended to remain in place after the
procedure for at least 30 days is also considered an implantable device.
1.3. Reusable surgical instrument
Instrument intended for surgical use by cutting, drilling, sawing,
scratching, scraping, clamping, retracting, clipping or similar procedures,
without connection to any active medical device and which can be reused
after appropriate procedures have been carried out.
1.4. Active medical device
Any medical device operation of which depends on a source of electrical
energy or any source of power other than that directly generated by the
human body or gravity and which acts by converting this energy. Medical
devices intended to transmit energy, substances or other elements between
an active medical device and the patient, without any significant change,
are not considered to be active medical devices.
1.5. Active therapeutical device
Any active medical device, whether used alone or in combination with
other medical devices, to support, modify, replace or restore biological
functions or structures with a view to treatment or alleviation of an illness,
injury or handicap.
1.6. Active device for diagnosis
Any active medical device, whether used alone or in combination with
other medical devices, to supply information for detecting, diagnosing,
monitoring or treating physiological conditions, states of health, illnesses
or congenital deformities.
1.7. Central circulatory system
For the purposes of this Directive, 'central circulatory system' means
the following vessels:
arteriae pulmonales, aorta ascendens, arteriae coronariae, arteria
carotis communis, arteria carotis externa, arteria carotis interna, arteriae
cerebrales, truncus brachicephalicus, venae cordis, venae pulmonales, vena
cava superior, vena cava inferior.
1.8. Central nervous system
For the purposes of this Directive, 'central nervous system' means
brain, meninges and spinal cord.
II. IMPLEMENTING RULES 2. Implementing rules
2.1. Application of the classification rules shall be governed by the
intended purpose of the devices.
2.2. If the device is intended to be used in combination with another
device, the classification rules shall apply separately to each of the
devices. Accessories are classified in their own right separately from
the device with which they are used.
2.3. Software, which drives a device or influences the use of a device,
falls automatically in the same class.
2.4. If the device is not intended to be used solely or principally
in a specific part of the body, it must be considered and classified on
the basis of the most critical specified use.
2.5. If several rules apply to the same device, based on the performance
specified for the device by the manufacturer, the strictest rules resulting
in the higher classification shall apply.
III. CLASSIFICATION 1. Non-invasive devices
1.1. Rule 1
All non-invasive devices are in Class I, unless one of the rules set
out hereinafter applies.
1.2. Rule 2
All non-invasive devices intended for channelling or storing blood,
body liquids or tissues, liquids or gases for the purpose of eventual infusion,
administration or introduction into the body are in Class IIa:
- if they may be connected to an active medical device in Class IIa
or a higher class,
- if they are intended for use for storing or channelling blood or
other body liquids or for storing organs, parts of organs or body tissues,
in all other cases they are in Class I.
1.3. Rule 3
All non-invasive devices intended for modifying the biological or chemical
composition of blood, other body liquids or other liquids intended for
infusion into the body are in Class IIb, unless the treatment consists
of filtration, centrifugation or exchanges of gas, heat, in which case
they are in Class IIa.
1.4. Rule 4
All non-invasive devices which come into contact with injured skin:
- are in Class I if they are intended to be used as a mechanical barrier,
for compression or for absorption of exudates,
- are in Class IIb if they are intended to be used principally with
wounds which have breached the dermis and can only heal by secondary intent,
- are in Class IIa in all other cases, including devices principally
intended to manage the micro-environment of a wound.
2. Invasive devices
2.1. Rule 5
All invasive devices with respect to body orifices, other than surgically
invasive devices and which are not intended for connection to an active
medical device:
- are in Class I if they are intended for transient use,
- are in Class IIa if they are intended for short-term use, except
if they are used in the oral cavity as far as the pharynx, in an ear canal
up to the ear drum or in a nasal cavity, in which case they are in Class
I,
- are in Class IIb if they are intended for long-term use, except if
they are used in the oral cavity as far as the pharynx, in an ear canal
up to the ear drum or in a nasal cavity and are not liable to be absorbed
by the mucous membrane, in which case they are in Class IIa.
All invasive devices with respect to body orifices, other than surgically
invasive devices, intended for connection to an active medical device in
Class IIa or a higher class, are in Class IIa.
2.2. Rule 6
All surgically invasive devices intended for transient use are in Class
IIa unless they are:
- intended specifically to diagnose, monitor or correct a defect of
the heart or of the central circulatory system through direct contact with
these parts of the body, in which case they are in Class III,
- reusable surgical instruments, in which case they are in Class I,
- intended to supply energy in the form of ionizing radiation in which
case they are in Class IIb,
- intended to have a biological effect or to be wholly or mainly absorbed
in which case they are in Class IIb,
- intended to administer medicines by means of a delivery system, if
this is done in a manner that is potentially hazardous taking account of
the mode of application, in which they are in Class IIb.
2.3. Rule 7
All surgically invasive devices intended for short-term use are in
Class IIa unless they are intended:
- either specifically to diagnose, monitor or correct a defect of the
heart or of the central circulatory system through direct contact with
these parts of the body, in which case they are in Class III,
- or specifically for use in direct contact with the central nervous
system, in which case they are in Class III,
- or to supply energy in the form of ionizing radiation in which case
they are in Class IIb,
- or to have a biological effect or to be wholly or mainly absorbed
in which case they are in Class III,
- or to undergo chemical change in the body, except if the devices
are placed in the teeth, or to administer medicines, in which case they
are in Class IIb.
2.4. Rule 8
All implantable devices and long-term surgically invasive devices are
in Class IIb unless they are intended:
- to be placed in the teeth, in which case they are in Class IIa,
- to be used in direct contact with the heart, the central circulatory
system or the central nervous system, in which case they are in Class III,
- to have a biological effect or to be wholly or mainly absorbed, in
which case they are in Class III,
- or to undergo chemical change in the body, except if the devices
are placed in the teeth, or to administer medicines, in which case they
are in Class III.
3. Additional rules applicable to active devices
3.1. Rule 9
All active therapeutic devices intended to administer or exchange energy
are in Class IIa unless their characteristics are such that they may administer
or exchange energy to or from the human body in a potentially hazardous
way, taking account of the nature, the density and site of application
of the energy, in which case they are in Class IIb.
All active devices intended to control or monitor the performance of
active therapeutic devices in Class IIb, or intended directly to influence
the performance of such devices are in Class IIb.
3.2. Rule 10
Active devices intended for diagnosis are in Class IIa:
- if they are intended to supply energy which will be absorbed by the
human body, except for devices used to illuminate the patient's body, in
the visible spectrum,
- if they are intended to image in vivo distribution of radiopharmaceuticals,
- if they are intended to allow direct diagnosis or monitoring of vital
physiological processes, unless they are specifically intended for monitoring
of vital physiological parameters, where the nature of variations is such
that it could result in immediate danger to the patient, for instance variations
in cardiac performance, respiration, activity of CNS in which case they
are in Class IIb.
Active devices intended to emit ionizing radiation and intended for
diagnostic and therapeutic interventional radiology including devices which
control or monitor such devices, or which directly influence their performance,
are in Class IIb.
Rule 11
All active devices intended to administer and/or remove medicines,
body liquids or other substances to or from the body are in Class IIa,
unless this is done in a manner:
- that is potentially hazardous, taking account of the nature of the
substances involved, of the part of the body concerned and of the mode
of application in which case they are in Class IIb.
3.3. Rule 12
All other active devices are in Class I.
4. Special Rules
4.1. Rule 13
All devices incorporating, as an integral part, a substance which,
if used separately, can be considered to be a medicinal product, as defined
in Article 1 of Directive 65/65/EEC, and which is liable to act on the
human body with action ancillary to that of the devices, are in Class III.
4.2. Rule 14
All devices used for contraception or the prevention of the transmission
of sexually transmitted diseases are in Class IIb, unless they are implantable
or long term invasive devices, in which case they are in Class III.
4.3. Rule 15
All devices intended specifically to be used for disinfecting, cleaning,
rinsing or, when appropriate, hydrating contact lenses are in Class IIb.
All devices intended specifically to be used for disinfecting medical
devices are in Class IIa.
This rule does not apply to products that are intended to clean medical
devices other than contact lenses by means of physical action.
4.4. Rule 16
Non-active devices specifically intended for recording of X-ray diagnostic
images are in Class IIa.
4.5. Rule 17
All devices manufactured utilizing animal tissues or derivatives rendered
non-viable are Class III except where such devices are intended to come
into contact with intact skin only.
5. Rule 18
By derogation from other rules, blood bags are in Class IIb.
ANNEX X
CLINICAL EVALUATION 1. General provisions
1.1. As a general rule, confirmation of conformity with the requirements
concerning the characteristics and performances referred to in Sections
1 and 3 of Annex I under the normal conditions of use of the device and
the evaluation of the undesirable side-effects must be based on clinical
data in particular in the case of implantable devices and devices in Class
III. Taking account of any relevant harmonized standards, where appropriate,
the adequacy of the clinical data must be based on:
1.1.1. either a compilation of the relevant scientific literature currently
available on the intended purpose of the device and the techniques employed
as well as, if appropriate, a written report containing a critical evaluation
of this compilation;
1.1.2. or the results of all the clinical investigations made, including
those carried out in conformity with Section 2.
1.2. All the data must remain confidential, in accordance with the
provisions of Article 20.
2. Clinical investigations
2.1. Objectives
The objectives of clinical investigation are:
- to verify that, under normal conditions of use, the performance of
the devices conform to those referred to in Section 3 of Annex I, and
- to determine any undesirable side-effects, under normal conditions
of use, and assess whether they constitute risks when weighed against the
intended performance of the device.
2.2. Ethical considerations
Clinical investigations must be carried out in accordance with the
Helsinki Declaration adopted by the 18th World Medical Assembly in Helsinki,
Finland, in 1964, as last amended by the 41st World Medical Assembly in
Hong Kong in 1989. It is mandatory that all measures relating to the protection
of human subjects are carried out in the spirit of the Helsinki Declaration.
This includes every step in the clinical investigation from first consideration
of the need and justification of the study to publication of the results.
2.3. Methods
2.3.1. Clinical investigations must be performed on the basis of an
appropriate plan of investigation reflecting the latest scientific and
technical knowledge and defined in such a way as to confirm or refute the
manufacturer's claims for the device; these investigations must include
an adequate number of observations to guarantee the scientific validity
of the conclusions.
2.3.2. The procedures used to perform the investigations must be appropriate
to the device under examination.
2.3.3. Clinical investigations must be performed in circumstances similar
to the normal conditions of use of the device.
2.3.4. All the appropriate features, including those involving the
safety and performances of the device, and its effect on patients must
be examined.
2.3.5. All adverse incidents such as those specified in Article 10
must be fully recorded and notified to the competent authority.
2.3.6. The investigations must be performed under the responsibility
of a medical practitioner or another authorized qualified person in an
appropriate environment.
The medical practitioner or other authorized person must have access
to the technical and clinical data regarding the device.
2.3.7. The written report, signed by the medical practitioner or other
authorized person responsible, must contain a critical evaluation of all
the data collected during the clinical investigation.
ANNEX XI
CRITERIA TO BE MET FOR THE DESIGNATION OF NOTIFIED BODIES 1. The notified
body, its Director and the assessment and verification staff shall not
be the designer, manufacturer, supplier, installer or user of the devices
which they inspect, nor the authorized representative of any of these persons.
They may not be directly involved in the design, construction, marketing
or maintenance of the devices, nor represent the parties engaged in these
activities. This in no way precludes the possibility of exchanges of technical
information between the manufacturer and the body.
2. The notified body and its staff must carry out the assessment and
verification operations with the highest degree of professional integrity
and the requisite competence in the field of medical devices and must be
free from all pressures and inducements, particularly financial, which
might influence their judgment or the results of the inspection, especially
from persons or groups of persons with an interest in the results of the
verifications.
Should the notified body subcontract specific tasks connected with
the establishment and verification of the facts, it must first ensure that
the subcontractor meets the provisions of the Directive and, in particular,
of this Annex. The notified body shall keep at the disposal of the national
authorities the relevant documents assessing the subcontractor's qualifications
and the work carried out by the subcontractor under this Directive.
3. The notified body must be able to carry out all the tasks assigned
to such bodies by one of Annexes II to VI and for which it has been notified,
whether these tasks are carried out by the body itself or on its responsibility.
In particular, it must have the necessary staff and possess the facilities
needed to perform properly the technical and administrative tasks entailed
in assessment and verification. It must also have access to the equipment
necessary for the verifications required.
4. The notified body must have:
- sound vocational training covering all the assessment and verification
operations for which the body has been designated,
- satisfactory knowledge of the rules on the inspections which they
carry out and adequate experience of such inspections,
- the ability required to draw up the certificates, records and reports
to demonstrate that the inspections have been carried out.
5. The impartiality of the notified body must be guaranteed. Their
remuneration must not depend on the number of inspections carried out,
nor on the results of the inspections.
6. The body must take out civil liability insurance, unless liability
is assumed by the State under domestic legislation or the Member State
itself carries out the inspections directly.
7. The staff of the notified body are bound to observe professional
secrecy with regard to all information gained in the course of their duties
(except vis-à-vis the competent administrative authorities of the
State in which their activities are carried out) pursuant to this Directive
or any provision of national law putting it into effect.
ANNEX XII
CE MARKING
OF CONFORMITY The CE conformity marking shall consist of the initials 'CE'
taking the following form:
- If the marking is reduced or enlarged the proportions given in the
above graduated drawing must be respected.
- The various components of the CE marking
must have substantially the same vertical dimension, which may not be less
than 5 mm.
This minimum dimension may be waived for small-scale devices.
End of the document
Document
delivered on: 27/07/1998
|