Policies for medical devices

Policies, strategies, and action plans for health technologies, specifically for medical devices, are required in any national health plan. Within the context of a robust health system they ensure access to safe, effective, and high-quality medical devices that prevent, diagnose, and treat disease and injury, and assist patients in their rehabilitation.

WHO has developed a guidance document whose purpose it is to raise the awareness of the importance of developing and implementing health technology policies – comprised of regulatory, health technology management, and health technology assessment components – within the context of a national health plan. It addresses the role of medical devices in global health care and the prioritization of needs within Member States and discusses the key components of an effective policy, the organizational systems necessary for implementation of the policy, and the methodology for measuring progress.