title: Global cardiovascular device innovation: Japan-USA synergies: Harmonization by Doing (HBD) program, a consortium of regulatory agencies, medical device industry, and academic institutions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Global medical devices have become more popular, but investment money for medical device development is not easily available in the market. Worldwide health-care budget constraints mean that efficient medical device development has become essential. To achieve efficient development, globalization is a key to success. Spending large amounts of money in different regions for medical device development is no longer feasible.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In order to streamline processes of global medical device development, an academic, governmental, and industrial consortium, called the Harmonization by Doing program, has been set up. The program has been operating between Japan and the USA since 2003. The program has 4 working groups: (1) Global Cardiovascular Device Trials; (2) Study on Post-Market Registry; (3) Clinical Trials; and (4) Infrastructure and Methodology Regulatory Convergence and Communication. Each working group has as its goals the achievement of speedy and efficient medical device development in Japan and the USA. The program has held multiple international meetings to deal with obstacles against efficient medical device development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This kind of program is very important to deliver novel medical devices. Involvement of physicians in this type of activity is also very helpful to achieve these goals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan. takahiro.uchida.md@gmail.com
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Fumiaki
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ikeno
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Todaka
authors.forename: Hiroyoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yokoi
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Mitchel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krucoff
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saito
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D062307:Medical Device Legislation; D011358:Product Surveillance, Postmarketing; D012042:Registries; D014481:United States