The Case for Quality

By Howard Sklamberg, J.D., Jeffrey Shuren, M.D., J.D., and Melinda K. Plaisier, M.S.W.
Twitter: @US_FDA

Across FDA, we are devoting tremendous effort, in collaboration with a variety of stakeholders, toward activities that drive–and increase–product and manufacturing quality. We believe quality can be quantified through close attention to data and consistent review and analysis of that data, which in turn can promote the practice and culture of quality within firms.

The metrics and assessment tools being developed are key parts of the Case for Quality (CfQ). We are working with a wide variety of stakeholders–including the medical device industry, patients, other governmental and academic colleagues, and payer/provider counterparts–to identify and promote practices that will result in higher quality devices.

The CfQ was launched in October 2011 following an in-depth review of device quality data and feedback from both FDA and industry stakeholders. FDA’s analysis flagged manufacturing quality risks and showed tremendous benefits for firms that drive quality organization-wide. They receive fewer complaints and internal investigations per batch of devices manufactured, often house smaller quality staffs, and have lower quality-related costs, compared with competitors.

In the four years since the conclusion of the analysis, FDA has continued to observe that the percentage of inspections calling for official action by FDA has remained static, with the same issues recurring frequently year after year. Given this observation, in addition to FDA inspecting device firms on a regular basis, we are thinking about other ways to support quality beyond inspections and traditional regulatory approaches.

FDA introduced the CfQ in an effort to help device manufacturers elevate their focus from the baseline requirements of compliance with regulations alone, and instead focus on predictive and proactive measures they can take independently to improve quality. CfQ also provides FDA the opportunity to change our approach to focus more on what matters most in assuring product and manufacturing quality and safety for patients.

The CfQ has three priorities for addressing the barriers that were identified:

1. Focus on Quality. FDA and CfQ stakeholders consider compliance to be a baseline, and have shifted our focus increasingly to characteristics and practices that, when present in day-to-day device design and production, correlate to higher-quality outcomes. Through the CfQ, we are collaborating with internal and external customers to identify characteristics that are critical to the quality of a particular device. This will result in a shared understanding of product features and manufacturing processes most important to patient safety.
2. Stakeholder engagement. FDA works closely with the device industry and a broad group of customers to collaborate on CfQ and solicit feedback. This effort recognizes the extraordinary impact that engagement and agreement among regulators, industry, patients, providers, and payers can have on device quality.
3. Data transparency. FDA receives a broad array of quality-related data, including information from recalls and adverse event reports. To support device quality, FDA has made device data (except certain information that we are prevented by federal law and regulations from disclosing) available here.

The outcomes of the CfQ will allow stakeholders to focus resources on activities with the greatest impact on assuring that patients and users receive high-quality devices. This effort brings together metrics, successful quality practices, and our partnerships with stakeholders to promote quality and excellence in the medical device industry. It reflects our commitment to ensuring that devices perform as intended, meeting FDA’s mission of protecting and promoting public health.

For more on the Case for Quality initiative, visit our website.

This article was originally published on FDA Voice and is reprinted here with permission.