GHTF have issued a position statement on the Single Global Nomenclature System for Medical Devices. In a statement (see below) published on their website, the GHTF acknowledge that the use of a single global nomenclature system is one of the key elements to achieving a globally harmonised approach to medical device regulation.

“The nomenclature of a medical device facilitates its progression through the entire product life cycle. The use of a single system would enable consistency in classification and identification, the consistent capture of product information across manufacturers, sponsors, distributors and in the clinical setting, for example, in hospitals. It would streamline medical device recalls, adverse event reporting and postmarket surveillance and monitoring.

The GMDN is a system of internationally recognised coded descriptors used to generically identify medical devices, which is now being utilised by many of the world’s medical device regulators and industry. The GHTF therefore endorses the GMDN coding system as the preferred nomenclature system for regulatory purposes for medical devices and will continue to work to ensure its effective governance and availability.”

If this is the way to go in the future it raises the question as to what happens for those manufacturers and regulators using alternative nomenclature systems such as the UMDN. Read more on this issue at http://www.ghtf.org/about/statement-gmdn.html.