FDA regulation of invasive neural recording electrodes: a daunting task for medical innovators

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is charged with assuring the safety and effectiveness of medical devices. Before any medical device can be brought to market, it must comply with all federal regulations regarding FDA processes for clearance or approval. Navigating the FDA regulatory process may seem like a daunting task to the innovator of a novel medical device who has little experience with the FDA regulatory process or device commercialization. This review introduces the basics of the FDA regulatory premarket process, with a focus on issues relating to chronically implanted recording devices in the central or peripheral nervous system. Topics of device classification and regulatory pathways, the use of standards and guidance documents, and optimal time lines for interaction with the FDA are discussed. Additionally, this article summarizes the regulatory research on neural implant safety and reliability conducted by the FDA's Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories (OSEL) in collaboration with Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Reliable Neural Technology (RE-NET) Program. For a more detailed explanation of the medical device regulatory process, please refer to several excellent reviews of the FDA's regulatory pathways for medical devices [1]-[4].