Particulate contamination presents a serious but often overlooked risk to medical device safety, particularly when particles enter the bloodstream. Understanding where particulates originate, how they are extracted and analysed, and which standards define acceptable limits is essential for protecting patients,…

Over-extraction in medical device testing often produces results that don’t reflect real clinical use, leading to misleading toxicological profiles, credibility risks, and regulatory delays. By applying clinically relevant extraction methods, reducing measurement uncertainty, and aligning with regulatory expectations, medtech companies…

Biocompatibility failures are usually the result of avoidable gaps in classification, risk assessment, and test strategy. By aligning biological evaluation with ISO 10993 and ISO 14971 from the outset, manufacturers can significantly reduce retesting, delays, and regulatory friction.

Cytotoxicity testing is a critical step in ISO 10993 biocompatibility assessments, helping medtech leaders ensure device safety, manage regulatory risk, and select the most suitable method - qualitative, quantitative, or agar overlay - based on device type, patient contact, and…

A personal reflection on how biological evaluation shaped the author’s life, from life-saving but imperfect neonatal blood bags to growth-hormone therapies and early medical devices, and how these experiences now inform a human-centred approach to designing safer, smarter medical technologies…

Medical device lifecycle testing is essential for regulatory approval, especially for reusable instruments subject to repeated sterilisation. Benchtop autoclaves, when combined with sensors and dataloggers, can speed up testing cycles and improve data accuracy, helping smaller labs deliver rapid, reliable…

Reusable medical devices face increased regulatory scrutiny under MDR and FDA expectations, with reprocessing now requiring clear, defensible evidence. Common failures occur in cleaning validation, disinfection efficacy, sterilisation justification, service life testing, and post-reprocessing biocompatibility. Strong validation programmes start with…

Worst-case justification allows medical device manufacturers to validate reprocessing using the most challenging device in a product family, saving time, cost, and resources. Test Labs applies a structured, standards-based approach aligned with ISO and AAMI guidance to identify, assess, and…

Low temperature hydrogen peroxide sterilisation (VHP) provides an effective, low-residue alternative for heat and moisture-sensitive medical devices. Guided by ISO 22441:2022, it requires rigorous validation and material compatibility testing to ensure consistent sterility and device integrity. When properly validated, VHP…

Retesting is costly and avoidable. This article breaks down the 10 most common IFU mistakes that trigger rework, and how to fix them early.

Chemical agents used during medical device cleaning, disinfection, and sterilisation can degrade metals and polymers, leading to corrosion, embrittlement, discoloration, and additive leaching. These changes can compromise performance, safety, and regulatory compliance. Understanding material compatibility, controlling processing parameters, and validating…

Quality testing in medical devices ensures safety, compliance, and performance from concept to market. By verifying material integrity, chemical safety, and mechanical strength, it prevents failures and builds confidence in device reliability. It’s a strategic investment that protects patients, reputation,…

Mechanical degradation caused by repeated medical device reprocessing can lead to fatigue, cracking, surface wear, and loss of function. Understanding these risks, and validating durability through service-life testing is essential for safe reuse and regulatory compliance.

Visual degradation after cleaning, disinfection, or sterilisation is often dismissed as cosmetic, but it can indicate deeper mechanical or chemical damage. Identifying and managing surface changes early is critical to maintaining medical device safety, performance, and compliance.

BS 8628:2022 establishes a standardised method for testing and validating the performance of automated UV surface disinfection systems. It enables consistent, science-based comparison of UV technologies across healthcare, pharmaceutical, and other high-risk environments.

BS EN 17272 standardises how airborne room disinfection systems are tested, enabling measurable, repeatable validation of whole-room microbial efficacy.

BS EN 17272 testing provides a framework for evaluating hydrogen peroxide disinfection systems, but the evidence and claims it supports depend on factors such as chamber volume, cycle parameters, formulation and organism selection.

While Good Laboratory Practice principles were originally intended for non-clinical studies in the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors, their scope has expanded to other industries, such as medical devices.

Medical device and IVD safety relies on IEC 60601-1 and IEC 61010-1 standards. Understanding MOPP, MOOP and clearances is critical for risk management and regulatory compliance. These standards guide manufacturers in delivering safe, compliant and reliable products.