The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new online resource called MeDevIS (Medical Devices Information System), which serves as the first global, open-access hub for information on medical devices. This platform is intended to assist governments, regulators, and healthcare professionals in making informed decisions regarding the selection, procurement, and use of devices in the diagnosis, testing, and treatment of various health conditions and diseases.

MeDevIS currently catalogues 2,301 medical devices that focus on a diverse range of health challenges, from reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health to noncommunicable diseases like cancer, cardiovascular conditions, and diabetes, as well as infectious diseases, including COVID-19.

"Medical technologies are growing in number and sophistication, which can create challenges for both healthcare providers and patients," explained Dr. Yukiko Nakatani, Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products at WHO. "We aim for MeDevIS to become a definitive source of international information, offering critical insights for those tasked with selecting life-saving medical devices, particularly in resource-constrained environments, thus enhancing accessibility."

Medical devices worldwide number over 10,000, fulfilling various roles in protection, prevention, diagnostics, treatment, and rehabilitation. They include a wide array of technologies—some simple, like pulse oximeters, digital thermometers, single-use syringes, and medical masks, and others more complex, like diagnostic tests, electrocardiograms, endoscopes, imaging radiology systems, and devices designed for therapeutic procedures such as dialysis units, defibrillators, implantable prosthetics, cardiac stents, and sophisticated radiotherapy equipment.

The current challenge lies in the multitude of separate information sources provided by international organizations, regulatory bodies, and funding agencies, which can complicate efforts to find reliable data. With MeDevIS, users can streamline the process by searching for specific devices while accessing essential details such as the healthcare level that supports their use (like community health centers or specialized hospitals), the device’s scope, infrastructure needs, and more.

MeDevIS eliminates the need to sift through fragmented, paper-based publications that often contain inconsistent terminology for medical devices. Besides serving as a central repository, MeDevIS also promotes standardization by simplifying the naming conventions for these devices.

The platform integrates two globally acknowledged naming systems: the European Medical Device Nomenclature (EMDN), primarily used across Europe for regulatory registration, and the Global Medical Device Nomenclature (GMDN), adopted by regulatory authorities in countries like Australia, Canada, the UK, the USA, and other WHO Member States. These nomenclatures utilize codes and definitions, facilitating global harmonization of medical device registration, procurement, inventory management, tracking, and pricing.

"MeDevIS has the potential to be a valuable tool for national policymakers looking to develop or update national procurement lists for medical technologies. Furthermore, it could support broader initiatives toward universal health coverage," said Dr. Deus Mubangizi, WHO’s Director of Health Products Policy and Standards within the Access to Medicines and Health Products Division. "It can also aid agencies setting policies for health insurance reimbursements and patient care."

This marks WHO’s first endeavor to build a comprehensive global database on medical devices. The foundation for MeDevIS is drawn from WHO's Priority Medical Devices List (MDL) project, itself modeled after the well-established WHO Essential Medicines List (EML). The EML, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2025, has become a landmark initiative for public health worldwide, improving healthcare outcomes for billions of individuals.

Looking ahead, WHO plans to continually enhance the MeDevIS platform, actively engaging with key stakeholders and expanding its scope to incorporate more technologies and devices, including those critical for pandemic preparedness and emergency scenarios.

Editor's Note:
The MeDevIS platform became operational in March 2024 to seek feedback from WHO Member States. Following this consultation, the platform will go live to the wider public via an online webinar titled "Nomenclature of Medical Devices: EMDN & GMDN," scheduled for July 8, 2024, from 14:00-15:00 CEST.