The FDA on March 20 issued a new policy in response to the coronavirus pandemic that allows manufacturers to expand their use of remote monitoring devices so healthcare providers can issue them to patients.
The expansion includes noninvasive, vital sign measuring devices that measure body temperature, respiratory rate, heart rate and blood pressure.
"Allowing these devices to be used remotely can help healthcare providers access information about a patient's vital signs while the patient is at home, reducing the need for hospital visits and minimizing the risk of exposure to coronavirus," said FDA Principal Deputy Commissioner Amy Abernethy, MD, according to the news release.
The policy, which is limited to the duration of the coronavirus emergency, applies to certain modifications to claims, functionality, hardware or software of FDA-cleared remote patient monitoring devices.