Medical Device user fees are something all medical device firms should be well acquainted with. Under the user fee system, medical device companies must pay fees to the FDA when they register their establishments and list their devices. Additionally, there are fees associated with submitting an application or notification to market a new medical device. The fees change year-to-year and vary widely based on the application type; for example, a 510(k) standard fee for FY 2020 is $11,594, while the standard fee for a De Novo Classification Request is priced at $102,299...

1. Medical Device User Fee Amendments
By: Madison Wheeler
Medical Device user fees are something all medical device firms should be well acquainted
with. Under the user fee system, medical device companies must pay fees to the FDA when they
register their establishments and list their devices. Additionally, there are fees associated with
submitting an application or notification to market a new medical device. The fees change year-
to-year and vary widely based on the application type; for example, a 510(k) standard fee for FY
2020 is $11,594, while the standard fee for a De Novo Classification Request is priced at
$102,299.1
Medical deviceuser fees werefirst established in 2002 by the MedicalDeviceUser Fee and
ModernizationAct(MDUFMA).Overtheyears,MedicalDeviceUserFee Amendments(MDUFA)
have gone through several iterations, with the most recent (MUDFA IV) being activated by the
2017 FDA Reauthorization Act (FDARA), which puts MDUFA IV in place through FY 2022. The
goal of MDUFA is to provide additional funds to the agency, which will in turn allow it to better
serve public health by allocating more resources for thorough and efficient review of devices.2
There is a long list of performance goals associated with MDUFA that the agency is committed to
meeting and publicly reporting. For example, for 510(k) submissions in FY 2020, the total time
to decision goal for the agency is 116 calendar days. For PMA submissions received in FY 2020,
the agency’s goal for average total time to decision is 290 calendar days.3
Part of MDUFA and the associated performance goals is the agency’s commitment to
report how closely they’re meeting, or missing, their goals. The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-
reaching impacts on all parts of the medical device industry, and MDUFA is no exception. The
agency released a guidance document to provide insight on how the agency is handling the
MDUFA performance goals and timelines amidst the pandemic. The agency conceded that it will
likely miss some of its MDUFA goals due to the increased workload related to EUAs and other
COVID-19relatedwork.Theagencyexplainedthatitintends to givedevice sponsors anadditional
90 days to respond to major deficiencies for PMA, HDE, 510(k), and De Novo submission
requests, among other considerations.4
Market submission applications, and their associated fees and timelines, have been
complicated by the ongoing pandemic. If you need help navigating the current regulatory
landscape for your device, EMMA International has the expertise to help. Give us a call at 248-
987-4497 or email info@emmainternational.com to get connected with our team of regulatory
experts!
1
FDA (August 2020) Medical Device User Fee Amendments (MDUFA) retrieved on 08/09/2020 from: https://www.fda.gov/industry/fda-user-fee-programs/medical-device-user-
fee-amendments-mdufa
2
FDA (July 2020) MDUFA Performance Reports retrieved on 08/09/2020 from: https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/user-fee-performance-reports/mdufa-performance-reports
3
FDA (Dec 2016)MDUFA Performance Goals and Procedures, Fiscal Years 2018 through 2022 retrieved on 08/09/2020 from: https://www.fda.gov/media/102699/download
4
FDA (June 2020)Effects ofthe COVID-19 PublicHealth Emergency on Formal Meetings andUser Fee Applications for Medical Devices retrieved on08/09/2020 from:
https://www.fda.gov/media/139359/download