Martin, this is an excellent summary of options potentially available to manufacturers who are still struggling with the transition, thanks.
Companies should also keep in mind that there is a difference between what the regulation allows and what reality allows. Many manufacturers have been under the impression that they could rely on their MDD certifications for any devices for which they could forego design changes. They did not realize that this works only for as long as you have an NB willing to continue as your MDD certifying body.
I don't know the gory details, but I think many former LRQA customers recently learned a lot about the practical side of rapid transfers.
I think many companies still don't fully appreciate the difference between regulation by a government agency like FDA and engaging a notified body, which is a business FDA is legally required to accept and review submissions, NBs are not required to accept your business at all. Where FDA is under strong pressure to revew submissions within a certain number of days, NBs are only under pressure to fulfill requirements that are specified in their contracts with their clients, and I know from personal experience that contractual pressure is often minimally effective.
The fact that an NB agrees to take you on as a client does not say anything about when it will get around to serving you, nor does it preclude it from changing its mind later. That needs to be spelled out in your contractual agreement. Nothing can prevent it from getting out of the business of being a notified body, but contractual language might still be able to address the consequences of that decision.
At this point, if your company is not solidly on track to transition to the MDR, or circumstances arise that throw it off track between now and May 2020, my first suggestion is for its management to sit down and take a hard look at each of its products and the value they bring to the company by being on the EU market, what may be involved in getting them through the transition, and also
what value is likely to be realized from keeping them on the EU market post-transition.
The bar has been raised, and I think some companies are too busy struggling with the transition to have looked past it. Some will invest time and resources to get products through the transition, only to discover that, due to additional regulatory burdens of the new regulations, it no longer makes business sense to keep them on the EU market. Conversely, some may give up on some products because the short-term investment required to get them through the transition strikes them as exorbitant, but the longer term ROI more than justifies the investment (especially if some of their competitor's products don't make it out the other side).
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Julie Omohundro, ex-RAC (US, GS), still an MBA
Principal Consultant
Class Three, LLC
Mebane, North Carolina, USA
919-544-3366 (T)
434-964-1614 (C)
julie@class3devices.com------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 15-Oct-2019 05:26
From: Martin De Bruin
Subject: Notified Body availability
It seems your question caused a lot of interest. I have summarized the options available when your Notified Body stops.
Options if your Notified Body stops.
There are several manufacturers that call us regarding the situation with their Notified Body (NB). What we see happening is that NB's drop-off before or during the designation under the MDR. Consequence is that manufacturers have to search for a new NB. If this happens the following scenarios can apply:
A) Rapid transfers
1. If your Notified Body is ECM, there is a rapid transfer possibility to TUV Nord. All manufacturers have been informed in due time.
2. If your Notified Body is UL, there is a rapid transfer to PCB. The manufacturers have been informed regarding this process.
3. If your Notified Body is SGS UK, there is a transfer to SGS Belgium at least when your devices have the correct scope to be covered by SGS Belgium.
B) Tri party dialogue:
It is possible is that a manufacturer enters into a tri party dialogue with their current NB and their potential new NB. They discuss together the details on a transfer from the existing NB to the new. It is very important that both NB's agree (on paper) regarding the requirements in this transfer process. Also important to have an external outsider help to manage this process. We recently helped a manufacturer that was in the renewal process with a NB, and during the renewal the NB stopped. The manufacturer agreed with another NB to take over the certs. However, during the process the new NB required that the old NB should first renew the certificates. This requires a lot of back and forth between the Notified Bodies and the manufacturer. An external independent consultant is a good option since in most cases the Notified Bodies have concerns regarding specific documentation. As outsider we can maneuver between manufacturer and both Notified Bodies to clarify requirements and speed up the process.
C) Shepherding:
For this option the manufacturer does not have any time left to change certs. The possibility is that the manufacturer selects a new NB and prepares contract with them. Due to time constraints the new NB cannot review technical documentation before the deadlines. There needs to be a transition period for this manufacturer to go from one NB to another. This should be arranged with the competent authority of the country where the legal manufacturer is located or, if the manufacturer is located outside the EU, where the Authorized Representative is located. The manufacturer (together with Authorized representative, if applicable) needs to do a formal request to the competent Authority (CA). The CA will grant temporarily permission. The CA will ask for details to the manufacturer. Part of the details are to show that the manufacturer is in good standing, a check on vigilance data, a check on outstanding regulatory issues. Once the CA has reviewed these there will be a decision to shepherd for a longer period until the manufacturer has completed the process with the new NB and receives certificates from the new NB.
There are a few considerations for this process:
- No changes to the devices since the CA does not have the process to review those
- CA's will accept these shepherding from each other based on informal NBOG agreement
- No guarantees
D) Start from scratch
If none of the above options can be used, the manufacturer needs to start from scratch with a new NB. The new NB will ask for technical documentation and will start the review process. Before certificates are issued the process It will be hard to find a NB that will accept new customers for the MDD. There are 2 of which we are aware, those are ECM Italy and Szutest in Turkey. To help for MDD certificates they will charge additional costs on top of the normal costs. There is one option that is a practical approach while waiting on the new NB reviewing the technical documentation. To overcome the gap from expired certs to the new certs (either MDD or MDR) manufacturers can build inventory and take care it is in the distribution channel.
Please contact me for support.
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QserveGroup
martin.de.bruin@qservegroup.com
Original Message:
Sent: 09-Oct-2019 05:25
From: Anonymous Member
Subject: Notified Body availability
This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous
Dear Martin,
The option of remaining with our current NB is not possible as our NB withdrew their NB MDD/MDR services...
Best regards.
Original Message:
Sent: 09-Oct-2019 03:10
From: Martin De Bruin
Subject: Notified Body availability
Dear Anonymous,
This happens a lot nowadays. You have several options, the best is that you remain with your current NB and try to solve the issues. Switching to another NB is possible, however in 8 out 10 cases it does not solve the underlying issues. Timing is also not in your favor, there are hardly any NB's that will accept you as new customer. We have been able to find NB's that can handle applications for similar cases, however mostly it is for a premium price. In general, switching NB will lead to an overall 3.5 times increase in costs. Please consider to solve the issues that you have momentarily with your NB. We can help you, we act as moderator. Please contact me for our process & succes rate.
Qserve Group
martin.de.bruin@qservegroup.com
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martin.de.bruin@qservegroup.com
Original Message:
Sent: 08-Oct-2019 15:29
From: Anonymous Member
Subject: Notified Body availability
This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous
We've been monumentally let down today by our new Notified Body.
Any EU-27 Notified Bodies taking on new clients to MDD/MDR?