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Immunotoxicity Testing Guidance

FinalCenter for Devices and Radiological Health05/05/1999

Description

U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesFood and Drug AdministrationCenter for Devices and Radiological HealthMolecular Biology BranchDivision of Life SciencesOffice of Science and Technology

Scope & Applicability

Product Classes

10
Powdered Surgeons' Gloves

FDA published a final rule banning powdered gloves based on unreasonable risk

Class III Medical Devices

Direct reference authority for regulatory actions; Devices subject to direct reference authority and 515(b) requirements.; Direct reference authority for high-risk devices

Patient examination gloves, non-sterile

Class I device used for medical activities except surgery.

Patient exam gloves

Example of nonconforming product due to moisture

Surgical gloves

Requires maintenance of a design history file

Surgeon's gloves

suggested format for the submission of a Premarket Notification (510(k)) for surgeon's gloves; Device category under 21 CFR 878.4460; surgeon's gloves are subject to design control requirements; Gloves requiring bioburden control and specific drying air quality; Mentioned in the context of sterilization agreements.; Specific glove type subject to design controls; Subject of ASTM standards for surgical use

Powder-free gloves

substantiating a powder-free claim in a 510(k) submission; Gloves with residual powder not exceeding 2 mg per glove; Gloves where starch is removed during processing

Chemotherapy gloves

specialty medical gloves requiring specific data for labeling claims

Patient examination gloves

Subject of the premarket notification format; patient examination gloves are not subject to design controls; Specific glove type subject to leakage testing; Subject of ASTM standards for medical application

Powder-free surgeon's gloves

Device made of natural or synthetic rubber to protect surgical wounds.; Surgeon's gloves that may be lubricated with silicone

Stakeholders

8
U.S. Agent

Assists FDA in communications with foreign establishments

foreign supplier

Entity being verified by the importer; The establishment that manufactures, processes, raises, or grows the food.; entity producing food outside the US; entity being verified by the importer; Entity being evaluated and verified by the importer.; The establishment that manufactures or processes food for export to the US.; entity supplying food from outside the United States; The entity producing the food outside the U.S.; entity being verified under FSVP; entity providing food to the importer; en

U.S. importer

Law places burden of determining quality and compliance upon the U.S. importer

Importer of Record

The IOR's name, address, and FEI are required for the WEF request.

Contract laboratory

External facility performing infectious disease testing or pooling

Contract sterilizer

the glove manufacturer should have a contract with the contract sterilizer; Entity that performs sterilization services for a manufacturer.; Agreement required between the importer and the contract sterilizer.

Importer

Must comply with registration if meeting facility/responsible person definitions

Manufacturer

Entity responsible for submitting NDINs

Regulatory Context

Attributes

10
Sterile

The end point achieved by a sterilizing process.

Expiration Dating

Dating requirements for drug products compounded by outsourcing facilities.

powder level

Specification limit for residual powder on the device.

Protein limit

ECN 429 added protein limit to the specification.

Sterility assurance level

support the use of the proposed cycle and the desired sterility assurance level

AQL

Acceptable Quality Level for finished device testing

Class I

The rule classifies most ASRs as Class I devices.

Sterility Assurance Level (SAL)

The SAL should be 10⁻⁶ or better for a sterile glove.; Statistical probability of non-sterility

Protein Level

Measured in mcg/dm2 for natural rubber latex gloves; Parameter measured during routine production; Characteristic that must be quantified if low protein claims are made

Pinhole AQL

Acceptable Quality Level for pinholes in gloves

Identified Hazards

Hazards

5
Unreasonable and substantial risk of illness or injury

Basis for the ban on powdered gloves

Bioburden

microbiological contamination risk in bulk solution

Aspergillus

Mold found in insufficiently dried gloves

Microbiological contamination

Potential for contamination of covered produce; Known or reasonably foreseeable hazards in water

Chemical permeation

Risk addressed by testing for chemotherapy gloves

Related CFR Sections (16)

Related Warning Letters (10)

  • CGMP/QSR/Medical Devices/Adulterated

    Envoy Medical Inc.

    2025-12-09
  • CGMP/QSR/Medical Devices/Adulterated

    Hong Qiangxing Shenzhen Electronics Limited

    2025-11-25
  • CGMP/QSR/Medical Devices/Adulterated

    Contec Medical Systems Co., Ltd.

    2025-10-28
  • CGMP/QSR/Medical Devices/Adulterated/Misbranded

    Royal Philips

    2025-10-28
  • CGMP/QSR/Medical Devices/Adulterated/Misbranded

    Qianjiang Kingphar Medical Material Co Ltd.

    2025-10-28
  • CGMP/QSR/Medical Devices/Adulterated

    LEVO AG

    2025-10-21
  • CGMP/QSR/Medical Devices/Adulterated

    Technological Medical Advancements LLC

    2025-10-07
  • Medical Device/Adulterated/Misbranded/Lacks PMA and/or 510(k)

    The Richline Group, Inc.

    2025-09-23
  • Investigational Device Exemptions (IDE)/Premarket Approval Application (PMA) Adulterated Device

    SeniorLife Technologies, Inc.

    2025-09-16
  • CGMP/QSR/Medical Devices/Adulterated

    Miach Orthopaedics

    2025-08-26

See Also (8)

Immunotoxicity Testing Guidance | Guideline Explorer | BioRegHub