WHO launches medical device clearinghouse platform

The online platform, called the Medical Device Information System (MeDevIS), was launched publicly on 8 July following consultation with WHO member states.

The MeDevIS solution was created to assist governments, regulators, healthcare providers and other users in selecting, purchasing and using medical devices for the “diagnosis, testing and treatment of diseases and health conditions.”

The WHO said its platform currently covers 2,301 types of medical devices for health purposes. These include “reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health; noncommunicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes; and communicable diseases such as Covid-19.”

The platform can be used to verify whether devices are required, including their type, the level of healthcare systems necessary to support the device, the scope of the device’s application, and the required infrastructure.

A single source of information

The platform aims to provide a unified source of information on medical devices, attempting to reconcile “many separate sources of information developed by major international organisations, regulatory bodies and donor agencies” – much of which is still paper-based or uses non-standard terminology.

As the WHO noted, this can “make it difficult for users to distinguish and use the most reliable data.”

The MeDevIS system is based on two internationally recognised medical device naming systems: the European Medical Device Nomenclature (EMDN) – used mainly in continental Europe – and the Global Medical Device Nomenclature (GMDN) used by agencies in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States and other WHO member states.

The WHO said it will continue to refine the platform, “engaging multiple stakeholders and partners and expanding it to include additional technologies and devices used in different health areas, including pandemic and emergency situations.”

More and more technologies to catalog

“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 Dr. Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products. “Our goal is to provide a single point of international information that can be invaluable to decision-makers about life-saving health technologies, especially in resource-constrained settings, and to improve access.”

“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 also contribute to progress towards universal health coverage,” added Dr. Deus Mubangizi, WHO Director for Health Products 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.”

The WHO strategy for 2025-2028 was endorsed earlier this month at the World Health Assembly.