FCC Streamlines Rules to Speed Healthcare Innovation
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has voted to eliminate some of the hoops healthcare facilities and other researchers must jump through for testing radio frequency (RF) technology and allow more flexibility in conducting experiments.
With its decision, the commission has created three types of experimental licenses—program experimental, medical testing, and compliance testing—that will allow researchers to modify and conduct new experiments within a range of frequencies and power levels without additional regulatory approval.
The move also consolidates all experimental radio provisions into Part 5 of the commission’s rules.
As part of the initiative, healthcare facilities with RF expertise will be able to conduct device clinical trials involving patients at home, something that could accelerate the introduction of new technologies to the market.
Previously, innovators obtained a license to cover a single or closely related series of experiments. However, these licenses were very limited in terms of frequencies and power levels. If researchers wanted to change any of the authorized parameters, they had to apply for new or modified licenses, thus imposing an additional burden.
Although potential licensees will have more flexibility, the FCC says their experimental operations may not cause harmful interference to allocated services. In addition, their operations are not protected from harmful interference from allocated services. There will be a web-based registration system to track and manage individual experiments for program and medical testing licenses.
“Streamlining our experimental licensing process will help stimulate R&D, which is essential to new innovation, and reduce the time it takes for an idea to get from the lab to the market,” FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said in a prepared statement.
Posted: February 4, 2013