European medical device regulations must become more transparent, and patients deserve the ability to access safety data from an online registry, researchers concluded in a recommendation published in the British Medical Journal. As The Telegraph reports, the research team determined that current regulatory framework favors manufacturers over consumers and heightens safety risks for patients. The panel also recommended creating a single regulatory body to handle approval for high- or medium-risk devices such as implants to avoid the practice of manufacturers shopping around for approval from various "notified bodies" contracted to handle the process in the European Union. The recommendation comes as European regulators contemplate a U.S.-style centralized approval process for medical devices to boost implant safety, something the industry opposes as a major setback for patients and innovation. Story