title: The new collaborative path in medical device development: the medical device innovation consortium.
abstract: The United States medical device market is the world's largest with over $100 billion in sales in 2011. Despite robust industry growth, the efficiency of the FDA approval process for moderate-risk (Class II) and high-risk devices (Class III) requiring 510(k) submission or pre-market approval (PMA) has been criticized. Recently, the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) announced the creation of a Medical Device Innovation Consortium (MDIC), a public-private partnership (PPP) to share knowledge in regulatory science. Overarching goals include creating a forum for the exchange of ideas among the FDA, industry, and non-profit entities; providing monetary investments for project proposals prioritized by key working groups; and developing tools that support cost effective innovation, data-driven methodology, and implementation strategies. Clinical chemists and clinical laboratory scientists have several unique opportunities to contribute to the MDIC. These laboratory professionals have invaluable experience with the real-life performance of a variety of medical devices and their expertise can recognize unmet needs and contribute towards the acceleration of device development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA. Electronic address: T0kamp01@louisville.edu.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kampfrath
authors.forename: Steven W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Cotten
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D018795:Device Approval; D004869:Equipment Safety; D004864:Equipment and Supplies; D006801:Humans; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration
keywords: Approval process; Development; FDA; MDIC; Medical devices