The World Health Organization (WHO) has introduced an online platform called MeDevIS (Medical Devices Information System), the first global open access clearing house for information on medical devices, reports UNB.
It is designed to support the governments, regulators and users in their decision-making on selection, procurement and use of medical devices for diagnostics, testing and treatment of diseases and health conditions, WHO said on Monday.
The MeDevIS platform includes information on 2,301 types of medical devices, used for a broad-ranging health issues. These include reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, non-communicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes as well as infectious diseases such as Covid-19.
"The number of medical technologies used in healthcare is growing, as is their complexity, which can make it challenging for healthcare practitioners and patients to navigate," said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products.
"We aim to provide a one-stop shop of international information, which can be invaluable for those making decisions on life-saving medical technologies, especially in resource-limited settings, and to improve access."
There are over 10,000 different medical devices that are being globally used for protection, prevention, diagnostics, treatment or rehabilitation-related health issues.
These include multiple simple and complex medical technologies, ranging from pulse oximeters, digital thermometers, single-use syringes and medical masks to various diagnostic laboratory tests and other medical equipment, including electrocardiograms, endoscopes, all imaging and radiology technologies, and technologies used for treatments such as haemodialysis units and defibrillators, implantable prosthesis, cardiac stents, and complex radiotherapy equipment.
Currently there are multiple, separate sources of information produced by major international organisations, regulatory bodies, and donor agencies, making it difficult for users to discern and utilise the most reliable data.
In MeDevIS, users can check devices they require, including type, level of healthcare systems to support the device (such as community or specialised hospitals), scope of the device, and infrastructure required, among other categories.
It replaces paper-based literature search across multiple publications with non-standard device names that can add to the complexity.
Along with providing a single platform, MedevIS also aims to make the naming of medical devices simpler.
MeDevIS references two international naming systems for medical devices - the European Medical Device Nomenclature (EMDN), mostly used in the European countries for registration in the European database, and the Global Medical Device Nomenclature (GMDN), used in the regulatory agencies in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the US, and other member states.
The naming systems include coding and definitions, and can be used in every country to facilitate registration for regulatory approval, procurement and supply, inventories in health facilities, tracking and pricing.
"The MeDevIS platform can be useful for national policy-makers to develop or update their own national lists for procurement of health technologies and devices. It can contribute to the progress towards universal health coverage," said Dr Deus Mubangizi, WHO Director for Health Products Policy and Standards in Access to Medicines and Health Products Division.
"It can also help agencies in health insurance and reimbursement policies for patients."
WHO will be continually improving the MeDevIS platform, engaging multiple stakeholders and partners as well as expanding it with additional technologies and devices used in various health areas, including in pandemic and emergency settings.
This is the first time WHO has developed such a global repository on medical devices, based on its experience with the WHO Priority Medical Devices List (MDL), which itself was based on the experience of creating the WHO Essential Medicines List (EML).
Approaching its 50th anniversary in 2025, EML is regarded as a pillar of public health in the countries across the world, supporting health progress and touching billions of lives.
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