On 12th of January, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare released the final notification outlining the new ISO 1385 requirements for medical device importers in India.

Prior to this draft notification, there was no explicit rule providing clarity about the cancellation or suspension regarding the import License in case of any violation of the conditions by the license holder while such provisions were included for a manufacturing license in the MDR 2017.

After the voluntary period ends on October 2021, all class A and B non-regulatory medical devices will have 12 months (i.e., by October 1st, 2022) to obtain an Import License. Class C and D devices will have 24 months (i.e., by October 1st, 2023) to meet the same requirement.

With the release of a new order on Nov 3, 2021, CDSCO has postponed the Import Licensing requirement for 8 categories of medical devices.

In public notice F. No. 29/Misc/03/2021-DC (28), dated September 28, 2021, the implementation of Compulsory Registration, which was to be implemented and effective October 1, 2021, has been put in abeyance for few days as the Indian Ministry of Health determines whether to formally postpone the enforcement date.