22 September 2022

The Unique Device Identifier (UDI) is a number allocated to a product label. It is used to identify the manufacturer and other important product safety information. Read more about the benefits that UDI supports….

The Unique Device Identifier (UDI) is a number allocated to a product label, used to identify the manufacturer and other important product safety information which is stored in a publicly accessible database.

The UDI is designed to be scanned, like a bar code, to help eliminate errors when using and is globally unique, so the product can be identified throughout the global supply chain.

The benefits that UDI support are:

• Facilitate efficient, accurate, granular device identification and data capture

• Reduce medical errors

• Enhance safety surveillance and effectiveness studies

(More accurate reporting/analysing of adverse events. Facilitate development of corrective actions. Better management of recalls. Promote the use of innovation)

• Better detection of counterfeiting

• Enable clinician and patient access to device information

The GMDN provides a standard name for each medical device, and this allows users to more easily group similar products and to quickly identify their use.

Grouping similar devices also supports more efficient management of products in our hospitals and can help when we need to compare their performance.