The PMA regulation (21 CFR 814.42(e)) identifies the criteria that, if not met, may serve as a basis for refusing to file a PMA. This guidance is intended to be used by FDA staff and the device industry to help elucidate the broad preclinical and clinical issues that need to be addressed in a PMA and the key decisions to be made during the filing process.

Focusing the Agency’s review resources on complete applications will provide a more efficient approach to ensuring that safe and effective medical devices reach patients as quickly as possible. Moreover, with the enactment of the Medical Device User Fee and Modernization Act of 2002 (MDUFMA), the Medical Device User Fee Amendments of 2007 (MDUFA II), the Medical Device User Fee Amendments of 2012 (MDUFA III), and the Medical Device User Fee Amendments of 20171 FDA agreed to performance goals based on the timeliness of reviews. Acceptance review therefore takes on additional importance in both encouraging quality applications from PMA applicants and allowing the Agency to appropriately concentrate resources on complete applications.