Structured. Compliant. Permanently fulfilled.

Post-Market Surveillance (PMS) & Vigilance

Manufacturers’ regulatory responsibility does not end after medical devices are placed on the market. PMS is mandatory, ongoing – and often fraught with uncertainty. We support manufacturers of medical devices and in vitro diagnostic devices in fulfilling PMS and vigilance requirements in a structured and transparent manner – without unnecessary additional effort.

“What do I have to do if an incident occurs after the device has been placed on the Market?”

This is exactly where the greatest uncertainties arise: reporting obligations, deadlines, communication with authorities – and the question of whether a report is required or not. We provide clarity, assess systematically, and guide you through the necessary steps.

Our services in the area of PMS & Vigilance

PMS report & documentation

  • Your PMS plans and reports are complete, review-ready, and up to date
  • The Periodic Safety Update Report (PSUR) and PMS report are prepared in a regulatory-compliant manner and updated on schedule
  • Trend analyses and signal detection are documented in a structured and audit-ready manner

Vigilance

An incident has occurred – and you need to decide quickly: is this a Reportable Event? We support you with the assessment and ensure that action is taken correctly and within deadlines.

  • An incident has occurred. You can decide quickly, and within deadlines, whether a report is required, as well as what needs to be reported
  • Deadlines, reporting channels, and responsibilities are clear – no uncertainty in an emergency
  • Serious incidents, trend reports, and Field Safety Corrective Actions (FSCAs) are reported expertly
  • Communication with authorities in Vigilance proceedings is conducted in a structured and reliable manner

Integration & continuity

  • PMS is seamlessly integrated into your Quality Management System and your CAPA processes
  • Interfaces to Clinical Affairs, risk management, and Technical Documentation are consistently mapped
  • Mit dem PMS-Update Service bleiben Vigilanz- und PMS-Anforderungen dauerhaft aktuell

    Vigilanz- und PMS-Anforderungen ändern sich laufend – in über 70 Ländern. Unser Update Service hält Sie aktuell: → Update Service
    PMS-Daten fließen direkt in die klinische Bewertung und Leistungsbewertung ein. Mehr dazu: → Clinical Affairs

When it really matters, every hour counts.

Whether individual case or ongoing support – we support you exactly where uncertainty arises.

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When manufacturers come to us

An incident has occurred

Reporting requirements, deadlines, and next steps must be clarified quickly.

Set-up or stabilize the PMS system

Structures, templates, and processes must be established or updated.

Ongoing support

PMS Reports, Vigilance notifications, and trend analyses should be continuously managed.

Our services

Our customers

Medical Device
manufacturers

Start-ups

Suppliers for medical devices / IVD

Authorities

IVD manufacturers

Investors

Frequently Asked Questions about PMS & Vigilance

What is the difference between PMS and Vigilance?

PMS (Post-Market Surveillance) is the overarching, continuous process of collecting and evaluating all data related to the safety, performance, and quality of a product after placing on the market. Vigilance is a part of this process – it focuses specifically on reporting serious incidents and Field Safety Corrective Actions (FSCAs) to the Competent Authorities. In short: PMS is the system; Vigilance is the reporting system within that system.

For IVDs: manufacturers of classes A and B prepare a PMS Report, which must be made available to the authority upon request. For classes C and D, the PSUR is regularly submitted to the Notified Body.

For which product classes is a PSUR mandatory – and how often?

The PSUR is mandatory for products of classes IIa, IIb, and III. For class IIa products, it must be updated at least every two years; for classes IIb and III, annually. For IVDs of classes C and D, the PSUR is also mandatory – annually in each case. It must be accessible to the Notified Body and can be requested by authorities at any time. Additionally, manufacturers of class III products, implants, and IVDs of class D must proactively upload the PSUR to EUDAMED. We support you with preparation, structuring, and timely updates.

What is an FSCA – and when must it be reported?

An FSCA is a Field Safety Corrective Action that a manufacturer takes to reduce or eliminate a potential serious deterioration of health or death caused by a product already placed on the market – for example, a recall or product replacement. FSCAs must be reported to the Competent Authorities before they are implemented – unless there is an immediate hazard. We support you with the assessment, reporting, preparation of the Field Safety Notice (FSN), and communication.

What deadlines apply to vigilance reports?

Die Fristen hängen von den regulatorischen Vorgaben der einzelnen Länder ab. Für den Unionsmarkt gilt:

Schwerwiegende Vorkommnisse mit schwerwiegender Verschlechterung des Gesundheitszustands:
15 Tage

Schwerwiegende Vorkommnisse mit Todesfolge oder unerwartete schwerwiegende Vorkommnisse:
10 Tage

Schwerwiegende Gefahr für die öffentliche Gesundheit:
sofort, spätestens 2 Tage


International weichen die Fristen teilweise erheblich ab. Wir helfen Ihnen, schnell und korrekt zu handeln — egal in welchem Markt.
Damit Sie internationale Fristen nicht verpassen:
→ Vigilanz-Update Service

What happens if PMS obligations are not fulfilled?

Ein fehlendes oder unzureichendes PMS-System kann zu Verzögerungen im Zertifizierungsprozess, zu einem Lieferstopp oder zu behördlichen Sanktionen führen. Fehlerhafte oder unzureichende PMS-Systeme gehören zu den häufigsten Ursachen für Auditabweichungen. Wir unterstützen Sie dabei, Ihr PMS-System so aufzubauen, dass es regulatorisch belastbar und im Alltag gut handhabbar ist.

Damit PMS-Anforderungen nicht zur wiederkehrenden Baustelle werden, bietet unser Update-Service die passende Lösung: → PMS-Update Service

Not sure whether you should report it or not?

When an incident occurs, there is no time to set up processes from scratch. We ensure that your PMS and Vigilance system are in place before you need them – and that you know what to do in an emergency.