Abstract
Objectives
The new European In Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) Regulation 2017/746 (IVDR) restricts the use of lab-developed tests (LDT) after 26th May 2022. There are no data on the impact of the IVDR on laboratories in the European Union.
Methods
Laboratory tests performed in UZ Leuven were divided in four groups: core laboratory, immunology, special chemistry, and molecular microbiology testing. Each test was classified as Conformité Européenne (CE)-IVD, modified/off-label CE-IVD, commercial Research Use Only (RUO) or LDT. Each matrix was considered a separate test.
Results
We found that 97.6% of the more than 11.5 million results/year were generated with a CE-IVD method. Of the 922 different laboratory tests, however, only 41.8% were CE-IVD, 10.8% modified/off-label CE-IVD, 0.3% RUO, and 47.1% LDT. Off-label CE-IVD was mainly used to test alternative matrices not covered by the claim of the manufacturer (e.g., pleural or peritoneal fluid). LDTs were mainly used for special chemistry, flow cytometry, and molecular testing. Excluding flow cytometry, the main reasons for the use of 377 LDTs were lack of a CE-IVD method (71.9%), analytical requirements (14.3%), and the fact the LDT was in use before CE-IVD available (11.9%).
Conclusions
While the large majority of results (97.6%) were generated with a CE-IVD method, only 41.8% of laboratory tests were CE-IVD. There is currently no alternative on the market for 71.5% of the 537 LDTs performed in our laboratory which do not fall within the scope of the current IVD directive (IVDD). Compliance with the IVDR will require a major investment of time and effort.
Acknowledgments
We thank Dirk Stynen for critically reviewing the manuscript and hosting Tobias his internship. We also thank the biomedical science students who helped collect the data during their internship. PV is a senior clinical investigator of the FWO-Vlaanderen.
Research funding: None declared.
Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
Competing interests: Authors state no conflict of interest.
Ethical approval: The local Institutional Review Board deemed the study exempt from review.
References
1. Regulation (EU). 2017/746 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2017 on in vitro diagnostic medical devices and repealing directive 98/79/EC and Commission Decision 2010/227/EU. Available from: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2017/746/oj.Search in Google Scholar
2. Moan, B, Rabin, N. In vitro medical devices: how businesses can successfully comply with the new European regulation. Ann Biol Clin 2018;76:716–18. https://doi.org/10.1684/abc.2018.1369.Search in Google Scholar PubMed
3. van Drongelen, A, de Bruijn, A, Pennings, J, van der Maaden, T. The impact of the new European IVD classification rules on the notified body involvement. A study on the IVDs registered in the Netherlands. RIVM Letter report 2018-0082.Search in Google Scholar
4. Seger, C, Salzmann, L. After another decade: LC-MS/MS became routine in clinical diagnostics. Clin Biochem 2020 Mar 15, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2020.03.004 [Epub ahead of print].Search in Google Scholar PubMed
5. Corman, V, Landt, O, Kaiser, M, Molenkamp, R, Meijer, A, Chu, DKW, et al. Detection of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) by real-time RT-PCR. Euro Surveill 2020;25:2000045. https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.3.2000045.Search in Google Scholar PubMed PubMed Central
6. De Bruijn, ACP, Roszek, BR. In-huis ontwikkelde IVD testen: gebruik en kwaliteitsborging. Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu. RIVM Briefrapport 2015-0152.Search in Google Scholar
7. Diaceutics. What does the EU IVD Regulation mean for companion diagnostics and LDTs?. Available from: https://www.diaceutics.com/?expert-insight=eu-ivd-regulation-mean-companion-diagnostics-ldts [Accessed 26 May 2020].Search in Google Scholar
© 2020 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston