tags

Medical Devices
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EU
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Under the EU PPWR, Is Medical Device Packaging Truly Exempt?

PPWR imposes on all companies placing packaging on the EU market a full chain of obligations spanning substances, design, and recyclability. Medical device companies are no bystanders — although, given the special nature of their products, the primary packaging in direct contact with the product enjoys certain relaxations with regard to "recyclability" and "recycled content," core responsibilities such as minimization, hazardous substances, labeling, EPR, and the Declaration of Conformity apply in full. There is therefore no such thing as a complete exemption for medical device packaging under the PPWR framework.

PFAS Regulatory Wave: Compliance Challenges & Solutions for Medical Devices

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), commonly known as "forever chemicals", feature extremely stable carbon-fluorine bonds, high bioaccumulation potential and suspected endocrine disrupting properties, leading to stringent regulatory restrictions worldwide. According to OECD statistics, the PFAS family comprises over 10,000 substances. Fluoropolymers including Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), FEP, PFA, PVDF and PCTFE are widely applied in cardiovascular catheters, implant coatings, pacemaker wire insulation, as well as sterile high-barrier packaging for medical devices.

EU MDR Regulation Requirements for CMR/EDCs Substances

According to the EU MDR Regulation, Appendix I General Safety and Performance Requirements (GSPR) Article 10.4 regarding CMR/EDCs substances: The design and manufacture of medical devices should minimize the risk caused by substances or particles (including swarf, degradation products, and processing residues, etc.) that may be generated by the device. These substances mainly refer to CMR and EDCs substances.