Introduction to the In-Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR)

The In-Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (EU) 2017/746, which came into force in May 2017 with a transition period of five years, is intended to strengthen the current approval system for in-vitro diagnostics and makes substantial changes to the existing IVD Directive (98/79/EC) legislation. The Regulation introduces a new risk-rule classification system based on the Global Harmonization Task Force (GHTF) rules which, for the first time, takes patient impact into consideration. This will have a significant impact on all manufacturers of IVDs as about 80 per cent of all devices will now require some form of conformity assessment by a Notified Body.