• 2026-10-27 06:15:00

Qualtech's webinar on September 17, 2026 reviewed key regulatory developments for medical devices in Japan and South Korea. The Japan session covered how existing biocompatibility reports can support PMDA submissions, including JIS T 0993-1:2020 requirements, material documentation, GLP compliance and the acceptance of overseas test data. The South Korea session outlined the Digital Medical Products Act framework, covering device status determination, classification, regulatory pathways, K-GMP and post-market obligations.

• 2026-10-27 05:15:40

Singapore's Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has introduced the submission window for the inaugural year of the Registration Support Initiative for unregistered medical device previously have been accessed through Special Access Routes (SAR) to 31 December 2026. This provides medical and dental practitioners and other stakeholders with additional time to prepare submissions, engage relevant parties and obtain the necessary endorsements. From 2027 onwards, the Initiative will follow a standard annual submission cycle from 1 October to 31 December.

• 2026-10-27 04:39:09

Singapore's Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has published the finalised GL-10 R1 Best Practices Guide on Medical Device Cybersecurity following a public consultation conducted from 10 March to 13 May 2025. The guide provides best practice recommendations and considerations for managing cybersecurity risks associated with connected medical devices throughout the Total Product Life Cycle (TPLC). HSA also published a summary of responses to stakeholder feedback received during the consultation.

• 2026-10-27 04:18:58

The Food and Drug Administration of the Philippines (PFDA) has released a draft FDA Circular proposing detailed guidelines for medical device labeling in the Philippines. The draft provides more specific requirements on labeling content and placement, device-specific labeling, electronic labeling, and regulatory actions for non-compliance. It also proposes a two-year transition period for medical devices already registered and available in the Philippine market. While the Circular remains in draft form, it reflects PFDA's direction toward more detailed and specific medical device labeling requirements.

• 2026-10-26 09:52:44

The Food and Drug Administration of the Philippines (PFDA) has circulated a revised draft Circular proposing updated regulatory guidelines for Medical Device Software (MDSW), including AI-enabled MDSW. The draft outlines software qualification criteria, risk-based classification, product authorization pathways, and technical documentation requirements for initial and renewal applications. It also introduces AI-specific requirements covering clinical validation, cybersecurity, risk management, and post-market monitoring. The proposed guidelines aim to strengthen the safety and performance of MDSW throughout its lifecycle. The Circular remains in draft form and is not yet effective.

• 2026-10-26 09:33:44

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of South Korea has recently revised regulations concerning medical device adverse event reporting and Korean Good Manufacturing Practice (KGMP) and introduced a new regulation governing the designation and management of organizations involved in medical device quality management.
These regulatory updates aim to clarify adverse event reporting requirements and timelines, while improving regulatory clarity by separating KGMP conformity assessment requirements from provisions governing assessment bodies and training organizations.
This newsletter provides an overview of three regulatory updates that took effect on July 1 and September 22, 2026.

• 2026-09-21 03:40:18

Singapore's Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has enhanced its Change Notification (CN) process for registered medical devices. With immediate effect, up to two CN applications may now be processed concurrently for the same medical device listing, providing greater flexibility for stakeholders in managing regulatory changes and facilitating more timely implementation of device updates.

• 2026-09-21 03:23:41

The Philippine Department of Health has released a proposed Administrative Order establishing Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines for local medical device and IVD medical device manufacturers. The proposed Order adopts PNS ISO 13485:2019 as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s official GMP guideline and applicable PNS ISO 14644 standards for clean rooms. A two-year transitory period is proposed to allow affected manufacturers to comply with the new requirements once the Order takes effect.

• 2026-09-21 02:52:44

In Japan, Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) within certification criteria is reviewed and certified by Registered Certification Bodies (RCBs). Any product that exceeds the definition of its generic name, established certification standards, or the range of equivalence to predicate devices is subject to be reviewed by PMDA for approval.
Recently, it has been discovered that several cases in which the main and additional functions of SaMD products exceeded the certification scope. PMDA published this notice to prevent the recurrence of similar inappropriate certifications by standardizing and clarifying the requirements for describing software functions (Reference 1).

• 2026-09-21 02:42:09

The Department of Health (DH) of Hong Kong issued a letter regarding the updated regulatory requirements for the use of injectable and infusible product in licensed Private Healthcare Facilities (PHFs) which cover pharmaceutical products, human organ/human tissue product, and medical device. For medical devices, the DH has announced that all injectable and infusible medical devices used in licensed PHFs must be listed under the MDACS, effective 1 March 2027. This new requirement specifically includes injectable dermal fillers and injectable mucous membrane fillers.