What is a Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE)?

The Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE) is defined as a regulatory pathway that allows for the approval of medical devices intended to treat or diagnose conditions affecting fewer than 4,000 patients per year in the United States. This pathway is designed to encourage the development of devices for rare diseases or conditions, where traditional approval pathways may not be feasible due to the small patient population.

Under this exemption, the FDA can approve a device based on a smaller amount of clinical evidence than what is typically required for traditional device marketing applications. This can benefit patients with rare conditions by facilitating access to potentially essential medical devices that might not otherwise be developed due to limited market incentives. The focus of the HDE is not on a luxury aspect or the general population, but rather on addressing unmet medical needs for specific, rare conditions, thereby making the approval process more accessible for innovative solutions in the field of rare disease management.