FDA issues final guidance: Assessing the Credibility of Computational Modeling and Simulation in Medical Device Submissions

Nov. 21, 2023
Medical device manufacturers are using computational modeling and simulation to help streamline device development and premarket evaluation

On Thursday, the FDA issued this final guidance: Assessing the Credibility of Computational Modeling and Simulation in Medical Device Submissions. Medical device manufacturers are using computational modeling and simulation (CM&S), also called in silico methods, increasingly to help streamline device development and premarket evaluation.

The final guidance: 

  • Provides a framework that manufacturers can use to show that computational models used to support regulatory submissions are credible. 
  • Intends to help improve the consistency and transparency of FDA reviews of regulatory submissions that include CM&S methods.
  • Applies to CM&S models that are physics-based or mechanistic. It does not apply to standalone machine learning or artificial intelligence-based models.
  • Provides a framework for demonstrating CM&S credibility through key concepts from the the FDA-recognized standard American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) V&V 40-2018 Assessing Credibility of Computational Modeling through Verification and Validation: Application to Medical Devices.

On January 11, 2024, the FDA is hosting a webinar for industry and others interested in learning more about the guidance.

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