FDA record research

Respirator, Surgical (MSH) — FDA decisions, comparisons and evidence

The 2021–2025 analysis contains 1 selected substantially-equivalent FDA decisions under primary product code MSH. Use it to compare documented submissions and evidence with your product. A separate 2026 update contains 0 decisions through 2026-09-27. The latest selected decision across the acquired endpoint is dated 2024-01-12. Neither set establishes a suitable predicate or the route for your device. The complete-year window has 1 decisions; the separate all-observed-date count is 35. These denominators describe different date ranges.

Evidence retrieved 2026-10-07. Source versions and topic-specific limits are listed below.

Recorded scope and its declared regulatory reference

An exact FDA-record regulation_number match to one acquired Title 21 section. Records with the same normalized scope definition, class, regulation and recorded submission/GMP flags are grouped. Sparse definitions and generic exemption boilerplate do not qualify. No text-similarity equivalence or legal applicability is inferred.

What scope does the FDA record describe?

A surgical N95 respirator or N95 filtering facepiece respirator is not exempt if it is intended to prevent specific diseases or infections, or it is labeled or otherwise represented as filtering surgical smoke or plumes, filtering specific amounts of viruses or bacteria, reducing the amount of and/or killing viruses, bacteria, or fungi, or affecting allergenicity, or it contains coating technologies unrelated to filtration (e.g., to reduce and or kill microorganisms).  Surgical N95 respirators and N95 filtering facepiece respirators are exempt from the premarket notification procedures subject to 21 CFR 878.9 and the conditions for exemption identified in 21 CFR 878.4040(b)(1).

Compare the proposed indication, user, anatomy, technology and operating principle with this actual scope; record differences and unresolved facts.

Cited source

Which current section does the record cite?

§ 878.4040 Surgical apparel. (a) Identification. Surgical apparel are devices that are intended to be worn by operating room personnel during surgical procedures to protect both the surgical patient and the operating room personnel from transfer of microorganisms, body fluids, and particulate material. Examples include surgical caps, hoods, masks, gowns, operating room shoes and shoe covers, and isolation masks and gowns. Surgical suits and dresses, commonly known as scrub suits, are excluded. (b) Classification. (1) Class II (special controls) for surgical gowns and surgical masks. A surgical N95 respirator or N95 filtering facepiece respirator is not exempt if it is intended to prevent specific diseases or infections, or it is labeled or otherwise represented as filtering surgical smoke or plumes, filtering specific amounts of viruses or bacteria, reducing the amount of and/or killing viruses, bacteria, or fungi, or affecting allergenicity, or it contains coating technologies unrelated to filtration (e.g., to reduce and or kill microorganisms). Surgical N95 respirators and N95 filtering facepiece respirators are exempt from the premarket notification procedures in subpart E of part 807 of this chapter subject to § 878.9, and the following conditions for exemption: (i) The user contacting components of the device must be demonstrated to be biocompatible. (ii) Analysis and nonclinical testing must: (A) Characterize flammability and be demonstrated to be appropriate for the intended environment of use; and (B) Demonstrate the ability of the device to resist penetration by fluids, such as blood and body fluids, at a velocity consistent with the intended use of the device. (iii) NIOSH approved under its regulation. (2) Class I (general controls) for surgical apparel other than surgical gowns and surgical masks. The class I device is exempt from the premarket notification procedures in subpart E of part 807 of this chapter subject to § 878.9. [53 FR 23872, June 24, 1988, as amended at 65 FR 2317, Jan. 14, 2000; 83 FR 22848, May 17, 2018]

Read the identification, classification, conditions and referenced limitations in the cited section. A numeric reference match is not a buyer classification or exemption determination.

Cited source

Historical FDA comparison

2021–2025: five complete calendar years

Primary code MSH

All statistics in this section use decisions dated 2021-01-01 to 2025-12-31. The partial 2026 update below is excluded from these distributions.

1Selected decisions in these five years
WithheldMedian receipt-to-decision calendar days
1Valid date pairs in the distribution

There are 1 valid recent date pairs. Distribution summaries require at least 20; older records are not substituted for a current benchmark.

20210
20220
20230
20241
20250

Statistical source: FDA openFDA 510(k) decision dataset. Partition 1 Download the identified records and dates (CSV).

Filters, exclusions and reproducible calculation

Deduplicate by official submission ID across the complete current manifest partitions. Select exact primary product code, K-number format and the stated SE decision codes with valid dates. Recent distributions use the five complete calendar years preceding the latest valid endpoint decision year. Partial-year counts compare equal January-to-cutoff periods. Quartiles use linear interpolation at (n-1)*p and are withheld below 20 valid date pairs. The analysis n describes only its declared complete-year window; selected_se_n separately counts all selected recorded dates through the cutoff.

35 selected records across all observed dates; 0 other/invalid identifier or decision-date records excluded. 0 missing or invalid date pairs in the five-year window.

Date fields: date_received → decision_date. Quantiles: Hyndman–Fan type 7: linear interpolation at (n − 1) × p; displayed to one decimal; n ≥ 20 valid pairs.

Receipt-to-decision calendar elapsed time includes time outside active FDA review; it is not FDA review time, a promised project timeline or an estimate of future clearance. This selected recorded cohort does not include all applications or establish a success probability, predicate suitability, market size, current market availability or legal authorization for another product.

Calculation fda-buyer-research-3 · database cutoff 2026-09-27. CSV rows identify each official K-number, cohort, date pair, exclusion reason and source version.

Separate partial-year update

2026 decisions through 2026-09-27

0 selected decisions from 2026-01-01 to 2026-09-27. The equivalent previous-year period contains 0 decisions through 2025-09-27. These counts describe the records; they are not market growth or submission success rates.

Named records to investigate

Latest decisions across the database

These dated records may come from 2026 or earlier years. They are a separate investigation list, not the five-year statistical cohort. Compare the actual indications and technology before considering a record as a comparator.

Official record / deviceRecorded applicantDecisionRecorded typeCalendar days
K233022 ↗Halyard Fluidshield 3 N95 Particulate Filter Respirator and Surgical Mask with So Soft Lining, Orange, Regular and Small, Halyard Fluidshield 3 N95 Particulate Filter Respirator and Surgical Mask with Safety Seal and So Soft Lining, Orange, Regular and Small, Halyard Fluidshield 2 N95 Particulate Filter Respirator and Surgical Mask with So Soft Lining, White, Regular and SmallOwens & Minor (O&M) Halyard, Inc.2024-01-12Traditional112
K172963 ↗Master-Frank N95 Particulate RespiratorMaster & Frank Enterprise Co., Ltd.2018-04-04Traditional190
K171116 ↗3M™ VFlex™ Health Care Particulate Respirator and Surgical Mask , Models 1804/1804S3M Healthcare2017-08-10Traditional118
K160271 ↗N95 Particulate Respirator and Surgical Mask, Models TN01-11 and TN01-12San-M Package Co., Ltd.2016-07-15Abbreviated164
K141876 ↗Pasture F550S Surgical N95 Respirator, Pasture F550CS Surgical N95 Respirator, Pasture A520S Surgical N95 Respirator, Pasture A520CS Surgical N95 Respirator, Pasture E520S Surgical N95 Respirator, Pasture E520CS Surgical N95 RespiratorPasture Pharma Pte, Ltd.2015-10-28Traditional474
K121069 ↗3M VFLEX HEALTH CARE PARTICULATE RESPIRATOR AND SURGICAL MASK3M Company2013-02-11Traditional308
K102923 ↗BARRIER N95 PARTICULATE RESPIRATORMolnlycke Health Care2010-11-19Abbreviated49
K102092 ↗PRO GEAR N95 PARTICULATE FILTER RESPIRATOR & SURGICAL MASK, REGULAR SIZE MODEL RP CERIESPrestige Ameritech2010-10-06Abbreviated71

Supporting documents actually acquired

Go beyond the database row

Read the source context, then compare the evidence with your design. Topic locations below are text matches, including possible limitations or negative statements; they are not a mandatory test list.

The documents are a bounded sample of acquired summaries, not complete evidence coverage of the cohort.

Recorded classification context

Known context: US. Match the intended use and design with the recorded category before treating it as applicable.

Source factRecorded value
FDA product codeMSH [1]
Generic device categoryRespirator, Surgical [1]
Recorded scopeA surgical N95 respirator or N95 filtering facepiece respirator is not exempt if it is intended to prevent specific diseases or infections, or it is labeled or otherwise represented as filtering surgical smoke or plumes, filtering specific amounts of viruses or bacteria, reducing the amount of and/or killing viruses, bacteria, or fungi, or affecting allergenicity, or it contains coating technologies unrelated to filtration (e.g., to reduce and or kill microorganisms).  Surgical N95 respirators and N95 filtering facepiece respirators are exempt from the premarket notification procedures subject to 21 CFR 878.9 and the conditions for exemption identified in 21 CFR 878.4040(b)(1). [1]
Recorded class2 [1]
Regulation878.4040 [1]
Medical specialtyGeneral, Plastic Surgery [1]

Build a comparison that explains the differences

Use this checklist to gather your business or product details before speaking with a specialist. The items below explain what to record and suggest useful supporting documents. You can add your own answers in the editable project brief.

  1. Which specific part of the recorded scope fits or differs?

    Put your proposed label and design beside the quoted definition. Record matching facts, differences and missing facts separately; naming the category alone cannot resolve scope.

    Useful evidence: Proposed indication/design and a definition-to-product comparison with source locators.

  2. Have the cited section and its limitations been reviewed?

    Record the applicable paragraph, conditions and cross-referenced limitations after specialist review. Keep a claimed exemption separate from actual establishment, listing and quality-system responsibilities.

    Useful evidence: Dated classification/route rationale and the current provisions relied on, with unresolved conditions.

  3. Compare your intended use with a named decision

    Choose a named record above. Put your proposed claim beside its actual indications-for-use statement. Record different patients, users, anatomy, settings and output claims; do not treat a shared code as proof of equivalence.

    Useful evidence: Your draft indications for use + the selected official summary and its exact page.

  4. Explain the technology and evidence differences

    For each comparison, record the different materials, hardware, software functions and operating conditions. Link each difference to existing evidence or an unresolved evaluation task.

    Useful evidence: A three-column matrix: comparator fact / your design fact / evidence or unresolved gap.

  5. Prepare a scope-based schedule without a sparse timing benchmark

    This recent cohort has fewer than 20 valid date pairs, so it supplies no median or percentile benchmark. Ask for a schedule based on actual preparation, evidence gaps, interactions and response assumptions; keep any historical decision context separately dated.

    Useful evidence: Document/test readiness, unresolved route/evidence tasks and the assumptions behind the specialist’s proposed sequence.

Work packages and dependencies

What needs to happen first

Questions for providers

Sources and data dates

Read the official document in context. The audit details identify the precise locators and preserved versions used for this page.

FDA openFDA — device classification records ↗

2026-10-05 · retrieved 2026-10-06

Audit details: precise locators and snapshot identifiers

Source key D01 · snapshot 936de5f5d47b9293b702fc32512a79173969fb788c74a63d9b91abe73f3b86a5

  • [1] device-classification-0001-of-0001.json:results[1615] · record 878119ec422ec995dae90978b3900cf036e128c48ab49bfa64796c76428ce1c2

FDA 510(k) summary — K233022 ↗

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 17:41:34 GMT · retrieved 2026-10-07

Audit details: precise locators and snapshot identifiers

Source key D02 · snapshot b8afd33d73b2bb9df081ffb53de4c6b0483ce6dc5b7800cf16b309f745cde9dc

  • [2] PDF page 8 · record b8078d0ba4026efd0eccf05bd4f21a03081c0bc07406ac17913b1019125e1f4c
  • [3] PDF page 9 · record 642a590b5dba5001a9067961689fc3ee5dc7aeb424c71b7aff22d9ae294264c6
  • [5] PDF page 10 · record 9481c3295ae3abfd978aaf146ef205e1c36d0139cbc4b3468b40d58f7ae1bce8

FDA 510(k) summary — K172963 ↗

Tue, 31 Jul 2018 15:24:01 GMT · retrieved 2026-10-07

Audit details: precise locators and snapshot identifiers

Source key D02 · snapshot 76e162789e858217ef300c9f5908960d124caaa1d16f8c2b80d205f7c6b7c044

  • [6] PDF page 10 · record 97f585c0c2a05bee70a3b8c14a6eba93433873b476d0062d6fd8ec75681bfa6c
  • [7] PDF page 11 · record f31857f261673d1d63937b7f16988311ce7d5a6cc836ff027129de2c13d61fb5
  • [8] PDF page 12 · record 28e9e50a6ba63b0076dff19ce5f207906673a4dabf444b93e39b284cec0e4ac0

FDA 510(k) summary — K171116 ↗

Mon, 04 Sep 2017 13:29:20 GMT · retrieved 2026-10-07

Audit details: precise locators and snapshot identifiers

Source key D02 · snapshot 240b8fa6ed6f8ae3f01314545d8baa561a55ae0e27313fb43e71da741a09fc9f

  • [9] PDF page 7 · record fe502cc00b957fe315450d04c4fcd99b607a11181d56a7667ac4079d06433ce0

Prepare an editable project brief

Confirm the facts, scope and contact preference before sharing your project. Preparing this page sends no provider outreach.

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