The Global Medical Device Nomenclature (GMDN) is the world’s foremost standard for naming, defining, and categorising medical devices.
Anyone can register for free as a member on the GMDN website to access and use any GMDN Term.
Established in 1991, the first international workshop on medical device nomenclatures was held to create the GMDN. Initially started by the European Standards Organisations (CEN) and later supported by the Global Harmonisation Task Force (now the International Medical Device Regulators Forum – IMDRF) to help accelerate the harmonisation of medical device regulation globally. The GMDN is recommended by the IMDRF and is now used by circa 70 national medical device regulators across the globe.
Global Reach and Inclusivity: GMDN is trusted in over 140 countries and is designed to serve regulators, manufacturers, and healthcare providers worldwide, not limited to the priorities of any single region.
Multi-Hierarchical Classification: Unlike single-hierarchical systems (such as EMDN or UNSPSC), GMDN’s multi-hierarchical approach allows for mutually-exclusive Terms and clinically relevant definitions, supporting more precise device identification and categorisation.
Real-Time Updates: GMDN is updated continuously, ensuring that new technologies and regulatory requirements are reflected promptly. Other systems may only update annually or bi-weekly, which can delay the adoption of innovations.
Clinically Relevant Definitions: GMDN Terms include definitions with intended use and important clinical attributes, supporting regulatory submissions, surveillance, and safety signal detection. Some other nomenclatures lack clinically relevant definitions or are less granular.
Flexible Access Models: GMDN offers both free of charge and paid options, funded by registered members, making it accessible to a wide range of stakeholders.
The full GMDN is available for free to medical device regulators and healthcare providers.
To find out more about the GMDN and its history, visit our About Us section.