WHO unveils open access to medical device data

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched an online platform called MeDevIS (Medical Devices Information System), the first global, open-access information exchange platform on medical devices.

It aims to support governments, regulators and users in making decisions about the selection, purchase and use of medical devices for the diagnosis, testing and treatment of diseases and conditions.

The MeDevIS platform covers 2,301 types of medical devices used in a wide range of health issues, including reproductive health, maternal, neonatal and child health, non-communicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, and infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

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“The number of health technologies used in healthcare is growing, as is their complexity, which can make it difficult for healthcare workers and patients to navigate them,” said Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products.

“Our goal is to provide a single point of access to, and improve access to, international information that can be invaluable to decision-makers about life-saving health technologies, especially in resource-constrained settings.”

More than 10,000 different medical devices are used worldwide to protect, prevent, diagnose, treat or rehabilitate people with health problems.

These include medical technologies of varying degrees of complexity, from basic tools such as pulse oximeters and digital thermometers to disposable syringes and medical masks. The spectrum is expanding to include a wide range of diagnostic laboratory tests and more advanced equipment such as electrocardiograms, endoscopes and all the technologies of radiology imaging.

Finally, it includes treatment-oriented technologies such as hemodialysis machines, defibrillators, implantable prostheses, cardiac stents and sophisticated radiotherapy equipment.

However, there are currently many independent sources of information provided by major international organisations, regulatory bodies and donor agencies, making it difficult for users to select and use the most reliable data.

In MeDevIS, users can see what devices they need, including the type, the level of healthcare systems that support the device (e.g., community or specialist hospitals), the scope of the device and the infrastructure required, as well as other categories.

MeDevIS replaces paper literature searches across multiple publications with non-standard device names, which can add complexity. In addition to providing a single platform, MedevIS also aims to simplify medical device naming.

MeDevIS refers to two international medical device naming systems – the European Medical Device Nomenclature (EMDN), used mainly in European countries for registration in the European database, and the Global Medical Device Nomenclature (GMDN) used by regulatory agencies in Australia, Canada, the UK and the US and other Member States. The naming systems include coding and definitions and can be used in any country to facilitate registration for regulatory approval, ordering and supply, inventory in healthcare facilities, tracking and pricing.

“The MeDevIS platform can be useful for national policymakers to develop or update their own national lists for purchasing medical technologies and devices, and can help advance progress towards universal health coverage,” said Deus Mubangizi, WHO director of health product policy and standards in the Division of Access to Medicines and Health Products. “It can also help agencies with health insurance and patient reimbursement policies.”

For the first time, WHO has developed a global repository of medical devices, building on the experience with the WHO Medical Device List (MDL), which in turn was based on the experience gained with the development of the WHO Essential Medicines List (EML).

In 2025, the EML will celebrate its 50th anniversary. It is recognized as a pillar of public health in countries around the world, supporting health advances and impacting billions of lives.