Medical device clinical trial

Abstract

The development of new drugs and medical devices has been attributed to constant innovation, and the medical device industry in particular is growing faster than the drug industry. The medical device market in Korea is growing, with an average annual growth rate of 12.6% from 2006 to 2008. The production amount of medical devices categorized as Class 3 or Class 4 increased more rapidly than Class 1 or Class 2 with an increase in portion size. Clinical trials are a crucial process through which the safety and efficacy of medical devices is evaluated prior to allowing them to be used by the public. Recently, the approval rate of clinical trials for medical devices by the Korea Food & Drug Administration has increased, indicating that clinical trials that could be scientifically feasible and ethically justified were planned. To satisfy the increasing need for high quality clinical trials, a total of 6 medical device clinical trial center consortia have been designated by the Ministry of Health & Welfare as of July 2010. Medical devices take significantly less time to get to the market compared to drugs and there is much need for innovation. Therefore, the clinical trial market for new medical devices is expected to grow faster than previously forecast. © Korean Medical Association.