Nomenclature of medical devices
The nomenclature of medical devices is a coding system used to generically identify medical devices and related health products. Having a nomenclature system in place for medical devices facilitates their management and regulation by standardizing terms that enable communication despite linguistic and other barriers. Several naming systems for medical devices exist and each is used by a different group of professionals depending on the needs of that particular group, needs such as maintenance, procurement, accounting, stock keeping, regulatory affairs, adverse medical device event reporting, and customs operations. The Global Medical Devices Nomenclature System (GMDN) and the Universal Medical Devices Nomenclature System (UMDNS) are the two nomenclature systems being primarily used for medical devices.
However, the number of systems in existence can still make it difficult to communicate between individuals and organizations. As such, WHO is working towards a unified nomenclature system that can be used globally. To begin this process, a consultative meeting was held with stakeholders in March 2011, with follow-up meetings planned later this year to discuss forward work.