Decree 169: New Regulations on Medical Devices in Vietnam

January 30, 2019

Decree 169: New Regulations on Medical Devices in Vietnam

On December 31, 2018, the Vietnamese government promulgated Decree No. 169/2018/ND-CP (Decree 169), amending Decree No. 36/2017/ND-CP (Decree 36) on medical device management. Decree 169 took immediate effect upon its issuance. The new regulations will have a great impact on the circulation of medical devices, especially foreign products, in Vietnam. Some of the major changes are set out below.

Classification of Medical Devices

Medical devices in Vietnam are classified and managed based on their potential risks, as determined by qualified entities. Under the previous regulation (Decree 36), risk classification results from qualified foreign entities could be recognized in Vietnam without conducting a separate local classification. This was beneficial to foreign manufacturers who sell their products in many countries, as it required no further time and expense for the local classification procedure in Vietnam and ensured a single classification result across multiple markets.

However, from January 1, 2019, foreign classification results are no longer accepted in Vietnam. Instead, the results must come from qualified local entities. It is worth noting that some local entities, despite being considered qualified by the Ministry of Health (MOH), still do not have appropriate capacity to conduct medical device classifications and, in practice, have issued classification results that were not accurate.

The classification rules under Decree 169 are generally stricter than under Decree36. For example, the final classification results will use the highest risk classification, regardless of whether the product has many use purposes or is combined with other medical devices with different risk classifications.

If an incorrect local classification result is submitted to the authority for product registration purposes, the authority will refuse to grant a product registration number if the number is not yet issued or revoke a registration number that has been granted, and may recall any circulating products.

Transitional Regulations

Decree 169 sets out the transition mechanisms as below.

Foreign classification results submitted to the authorities prior to December 31, 2018, will continue to be used for the registration procedure.
Local classification results issued before December 31, 2018, will be published on the MOH’s online system (http://dmec.moh.gov.vn) before April 1, 2019. MA license/import license holders are then required to review the relevant classification results in light of the classification rules under Decree 169 and report any incorrect classification to the MOH prior to July 1, 2019.

Registration of Medical Devices

Class A Medical Devices

A major change for Class A (lowest risk) medical devices is that the certificate of free sale (CFS) – not previously required – must now be included in any registration dossier submitted after December 31, 2018. This change may cause some difficulties for foreign manufacturers in terms of cost and time, and in some cases it may be impossible to obtain the CFS because some products that are considered Class A medical devices in Vietnam are not considered medical devices in other countries.

Previously, the granted registration of a Class A medical device could not be amended. If any change arose, a new registration procedure was required. However, Decree 169 stipulates a more flexible mechanism, in which the following changes can be made to the registration during the circulation of Class A medical devices.

Address of product owner or license holder.
Name of license holder.
Either name or address of product manufacturer.
Product packaging for in vitro medical devices.
Warranty establishments.
Labels and instructions for use, but the indication of the product cannot be changed.

Class B, C and D Medical Devices

A positive development for medical device companies is that Decree 169 allows a newly added form of registration, namely, “quick registration.” This will reduce the statutory time required to obtain a registration number from 60 days to 30 days, but is only applicable to the following situations:

The product has been circulated in at least two of the following countries: Japan, Canada, Australia, United States, or EU member country.
The product was circulated in Vietnam prior to December 31, 2018, and satisfies both of the following conditions: (i) The product was circulated for at least three years within the period of five years before the submission date, and (ii) there have been no warnings about the quality or safety of the product.

Additionally, from July 1, 2020, it will be required to include the ASEAN Common Submission Dossier Template (CSDT) in the submitted registration dossier for Class B, C and D medical devices. At that time, it will no longer be necessary to submit the technical document, instructions for use, and labels. It is expected that the MOH will issue further guidance on CSDT soon.

Decree 169 helps to simplify the customs clearance procedure by emphasizing that medical devices will be allowed to be imported into Vietnam without a written confirmation from the MOH that defines the imported product as a medical device when conducting customs clearance.

Transitional Regulations

In the transition time, it is worth noting the following regulations:

Class A medical devices are only allowed to be imported if they are registered.
A marketing authorization (MA) license for Class B, C, and D medical devices will only be required from January 1, 2020, onwards, instead of January 1, 2018, as set forth under Decree 36.
It is required to have a valid import license to import Class B, C, and D medical devices which are specifically listed out in Circular 30/2015/TT-BYT on Import of Medical Devices (Circular 30). Import licenses issued in 2018 (expiring on December 31, 2018) or 2019 will be valid until December 31, 2019.
Class B, C and D medical devices that are not specifically listed out in Circular 30 can continue to be freely imported into Vietnam without any import license, provided that their certificates of classification results are published on the MOH website http://dmec.moh.gov.vn.
For IVD biologicals (e.g., microbiology reagents, histology reagents, etc.), Decree 169 sets out specific regulations under which such IVD biologicals can still be treated as drugs under the Pharma Law.
For chemicals, insecticides and germicides for household and medical use, with only one indication of disinfecting medical devices, which have been granted MA licenses which expire after July 1, 2016 and before January 1, 2019, their MA licenses will be used until December 31, 2019.

Related Professionals

Mai Thi Le

Regulatory Affairs Consultant

Vietnam

+84 24 3772 5607

Email

Hien Thi Thu Vu

Head of Regulatory Affairs and Manager of Legal Division of Patent Department

Vietnam

+84 24 3772 5606

Email

RELATED INSIGHTS

October 25, 2023

Personal Data Protection and Healthcare Services in Indonesia

One significant development in the health sector in Indonesia is the use of information technology and communication in the implementation of health efforts—particularly digital health services such as telehealth and telemedicine integrated into the country’s National Health Information System. This development was addressed in a major new piece of legislation for the healthcare sector in Indonesia. Enacted in August 2023, Law No. 17 of 2023 concerning Health (the “Health Law”) provides the updates needed to support the development of healthcare services in Indonesia. Under the Health Law, health information system (HIS) providers must: Carry out processing of data and health information in the territory of Indonesia, except for certain limited and specific processing activities that may be conducted outside Indonesia when permitted by the relevant authorities and in compliance with relevant regulations. Ensure the reliability of its HIS, including availability, security, maintenance, and integration with Indonesia’s National Health Information System. Provide quality health data and information. Process data and health information, which includes planning, collection, storage, inspection, transfer, utilization, and destruction. Record its data- and information-processing history. Protect every person’s data and health information. Obtain approval from the relevant personal data subject or comply with relevant regulations if the processing of data and health information involves an individual’s health data. Inform the data owner if there is a failure to protect data and individual health information. The Health Law’s personal data protection requirements listed above appear to be aligned with the provisions in Law No. 27 of 2022 concerning Personal Data Protection (the “PDP Law”). Under this law, data and information relating to health are identified as “specific personal data,” the processing of which carries a high potential risk of impacting the relevant personal data subject. In the implementation of digital health services, patients’ personal data or medical records

October 19, 2023

Food Nutrition Labeling in Cambodia: What Are the Rules?

Cambodia’s Law on Food Safety came into force on June 8, 2022. This law has been widely regarded as a major legal development of the food safety framework in Cambodia, providing new rules, clarifying existing rules, and setting a clear framework for its implementation and enforcement. In addressing some of the key features of this new law shortly after it was passed in 2022, we remarked that we eagerly await implementing regulations. Since then, various regulations have been adopted, such as two regulations (Sub-Decree No. 13 and Prakas No. 80) on food surveillance, recalls, and seizure. These implementing rules are essential in ensuring that enforcement officers can remove noncompliant and unsafe foods from the market. Another key aspect of the Law on Food Safety is that it requires Khmer-language labeling on prepackaged food products. There has been a notable increase in the inclusion of Khmer labeling on food products in the market since June 2022, but noncompliance is still considerable, especially for imported foods. Further interesting labeling rules set by the Law on Food Safety include a requirement to provide nutrition information. This requirement has not yet been widely adopted, with many in the industry highlighting that the details of this labeling requirement are not clear. Indeed, the relevant article of the Law on Food Safety itself only sets the requirement for food products to bear nutrition labeling and does not spell out what detailed information should be provided or in what manner. However, a prakas (ministerial regulation) adopted months prior to the Law on Food Safety does set out clear guidance on nutrition labeling. As long as this earlier regulation is not replaced or abrogated, and as far as it does not conflict with later laws or regulations, it can be relied upon for guidance. What are the

September 20, 2023

Thailand Prepares to Renew Drug Marketing Authorizations as First Expiration Nears

Thailand is preparing to open its first renewal period for drug marketing authorizations (MAs) since the passage of the Drug Act (No. 6) B.E. 2562 (2019). Before 2019, MAs for pharmaceuticals and vaccines in Thailand had lifelong validity. The 2019 Drug Act stipulated that all new MAs would be valid for seven years and could be renewed. The 2019 law also set out expiration dates for existing pharmaceutical products registered and approved prior to the implementation of the law (i.e., before October 13, 2019): Drug MAs issued before January 1, 1997, expire on October 13, 2024. Drug MAs approved between January 1, 1997, and December 31, 2007, expire on October 13, 2026. Drug MAs approved between January 1, 2008, and October 13, 2019, expire on October 13, 2028. Based on these dates, the first renewal period for drug MAs will commence in the fourth quarter of 2023. To facilitate the renewal process, the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has publicized draft regulations and notifications on the required application form and documents, the rules and conditions, and the process for renewing an MA. In May 2023, the Thai FDA issued Ministerial Regulation Re: Renewal of Drug MA Licenses B.E. 2566 (2023) to prescribe the essential requirements for filing a renewal application: To renew a drug MA, holders must submit their renewal application to the Thai FDA within the one-year period before the MA’s expiration date. Renewal applications can only be submitted online via the Thai FDA’s electronic system. The Thai FDA will grant approval for an MA renewal if the following conditions are satisfied: The documents in relation to efficacy and safety are up-to-date, accurate, and in accordance with academic principles. The specification and analytical method comply with the official pharmacopeias as prescribed in the Drug Act, as amended.

September 15, 2023

Thailand Updates Rules on Conditional Approval for Emergency Use of Medicinal Products

In May 2023, Thailand issued a regulation on conditional approval for emergency use of medicinal products, replacing a series of similar notifications that had been issued to aid mitigation efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, regulatory authorities worldwide—including the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—reshaped the approval pathway for emergency drugs intended for the treatment of COVID-19. The Thai FDA published five Notifications Re: Conditional Approval for the Emergency Use of Medicinal Products to outline the registration requirements and channels of distribution for drugs intended for the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of COVID-19. As the threat from COVID-19 was receding, the Thai FDA saw fit to prepare for the potential emergence of other serious communicable diseases by enabling the supply of timely medications for disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. The Thai FDA therefore cancelled the five COVID-19-related emergency use notifications, which were published in 2020 and 2022, and replaced them with the Notification Re: Conditional Approval for Emergency Use of Medicinal Products published in May 2023. Under the May 2023 FDA notification on emergency use, conditional approval can be applied to drugs supported by empirical scientific evidence demonstrating their capacity to diagnose, treat, alleviate, cure, or prevent a serious communicable disease. The drugs eligible for approval under this new emergency pathway include novel drugs that are not yet approved in Thailand, as well as existing drugs approved in Thailand but recently discovered to have additional potential indications for the diagnosis, treatment, alleviation, cure, or prevention of a serious communicable disease. Distribution The 2023 FDA notification also clearly defines permissible distribution channels based on the dosage form of drug products: Vaccines can be distributed to governmental organizations that have a duty to prevent or treat diseases, such as the Thai Red Cross Society (TRCS), the Government Pharmaceutical Organization

You are using an outdated browser and your browsing experience will not be optimal. Please update to the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Install Microsoft Edge

Industries

Practices

January 30, 2019