The online platform, called the Medical Devices Information System (MeDevIS), was publicly released on 8 July, following a consultation with WHO member states.
MeDevIS is designed to support governments, regulators, healthcare providers and other users in selecting, procuring, and using medical devices for “diagnostics, testing, and treatment of diseases and health conditions”.
The WHO stated that its platform currently includes 2,301 types of medical devices for 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 platform can be used to check devices are required, including type; the level of healthcare systems needed to support the device; the scope of the device; and the infrastructure required.
A unified source of information
The platform is meant to provide a unified source of information on medical devices, attempting to reconcile “multiple, separate sources of information produced by major international organisations, regulatory bodies, and donor agencies” – much of which is still paper-based, or uses non-standard terminology.
This, the WHO noted, can “make it difficult for users to discern and utilize the most reliable data”.
MeDevIS relies on two internationally recognised naming systems for medical devices: the European Medical Device Nomenclature (EMDN) – used primarily in continental Europe – and the Global Medical Device Nomenclature (GMDN), used by agencies in Australia, Canada, the UK, the US, and other WHO member states.
The WHO stated that it would continue to improve the platform, “engaging multiple stakeholders and partners and expanding it with additional technologies and devices used in various health areas, including in pandemic and emergency settings”.
A growing number of technologies to catalogue
“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 lifesaving medical technologies, especially in resource-limited settings, and to improve access.”
“The MeDevIS platform can be useful for national policymakers to develop or update their own national lists for procurement of health technologies and devices, and can contribute to the progress towards universal health coverage,” added Dr Deus Mubangizi, WHO Director for Health Products Policy and Standards in the Access to Medicines and Health Products Division. “It can also help agencies in health insurance and reimbursement policies for patients.”
The WHO’s strategy for 2025–28 was approved at this year’s World Health Assembly earlier this month.