The Medical Devices Regulations 2002

[F1 5.   For Annex 4 substitute— E+W+S

“ANNEX 4 E+W+S VERIFICATION

1.   Verification is the procedure whereby the manufacturer ensures and declares that the products subject to the provisions of Section 3 are in conformity with the type as described in the type-examination certification and satisfy the requirements of the Regulations that apply to them.

2.   The manufacturer shall take all measures necessary in order that the manufacturing process ensures conformity of the products to the type as described in the type-examination certification and to the requirements of the Regulations that apply to them. The manufacturer shall affix the UK marking to each product and draw up a written declaration of conformity.

3.   The manufacturer shall, before the start of manufacture, prepare documents defining the manufacturing processes, in particular as regards sterilization, together with all the routine, pre-established provisions to be implemented to ensure uniformity of production and conformity of the products with the type as described in the type examination certificate as well as with the relevant requirements of the Regulations.

4.   The manufacturer must undertake to institute and keep updated a post-marketing surveillance system including the provisions referred to in Annex 7. This undertaking must include the obligation on the part of the manufacturer to notify the Secretary of State of the following events immediately on learning of them—

(i) any change in the characteristics or performances and any inaccuracies in the instruction leaflet for a device which might lead to or have led to the death of a patient or deterioration in the patient’s state of health;

(ii) any technical or medical reason resulting in the withdrawal of a device from the market by a manufacturer.

5.   The approved body must carry out the appropriate examinations and tests in order to check the conformity of the product to the requirements of the Regulations by examination and testing of products on a statistical basis, as specified in Section 6. The manufacturer must authorize the approved body to evaluate the efficiency of the measures taken pursuant to Section 3, by audit where appropriate.

6.   Statistical verification

6.1.   Manufacturers must present the products manufactured in the form of uniform batches and shall take all necessary measures in order that the manufacturing process ensures the uniformity of each batch produced.

6.2.   A random sample must be taken from each batch. Products in a sample shall be individually examined and appropriate tests, as set out in the standards referred to in regulation 3A of the Regulations, or equivalent tests must be carried out to verify their conformity to the type as described in the type-examination certificate and thereby determine whether a batch is to be accepted or rejected.

6.3.   Statistical control of products will be based on attributes and/or variables, entailing sampling schemes with operational characteristics which ensure a high level of safety and performance according to the state of the art. The sampling schemes will be established by the designated standards referred to in regulation 3A of the Regulations, taking account of the specific nature of the product categories in question.

6.4.   Where batches are accepted, the approved body shall affix, or cause to be affixed, its identification number to each product and draw up a written certificate of conformity relating to the tests carried out. All products in the batch may be placed on the market except for those products from the sample which were found not to be in conformity. Where a batch is rejected, the approved body shall take appropriate measures to prevent the placing on the market of that batch. In the event of frequent rejection of batches the approved body may suspend the statistical verification.

The manufacturer may, with the agreement of the approved body, affix the approved body’s identification number during the manufacturing process.

6.5.   The manufacturer or their UK responsible person must ensure that they are able to supply the approved body’s certificates of conformity on request.

7.   Application to the devices incorporating human blood derivative:

Upon completing the manufacture of each batch of devices incorporating human blood derivative the manufacturer shall inform the approved body of the release of the batch of devices and send to it the official certificate concerning the release of the batch of human blood derivative used in the device, issued by a laboratory provided or arranged in accordance with section 57(1)(d) of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.”.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 2A inserted (E.W.S.) (31.12.2020) by The Medical Devices (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/791), regs. 1(1), 12 (as amended by S.I. 2020/1478, regs. 1(3), Sch. 2 paras. 2, 56, 57); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)