Build vs Buy — Medical Devices

What this means for Medical Devices

• 510(k), De Novo, and PMA cycles are the gating constraint on revenue — every quarter of clearance delay slips revenue, the regulatory affairs team is small relative to the pipeline, and the FDA's review timelines have meaningful variance.
• FDA QSR / 21 CFR Part 820 (transitioning to QMSR / ISO 13485 alignment) is a continuous compliance burden — every design control, every CAPA, every supplier qualification, every complaint must be documented and audit-ready.
• AI/ML-enabled devices add a new regulatory complexity — Software as a Medical Device (SaMD), the Predetermined Change Control Plan (PCCP), and the FDA's evolving AI/ML guidance require model documentation and post-market monitoring infrastructure most legacy device companies don't have.

Where it pays to act

• AI for regulatory submission preparation — generative AI for 510(k) summaries, technical files, IFUs, and EU MDR documentation that compresses regulatory affairs cycle time without compromising submission quality.
• AI/ML for the device itself — diagnostic image analysis, signal processing, anomaly detection, and clinical decision support models embedded in the device that lift clinical performance and create meaningful 510(k) and De Novo claims.