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…

The latest edition of ISO 10993-1:2025 introduces important updates to the biological evaluation of medical devices, strengthening integration with ISO 14971 and introducing revised contact categorisation and biological effects.

ISO 10993-12:2021 is a critical but often overlooked standard that defines how medical devices must be prepared and extracted before biocompatibility testing. Proper sample preparation ensures accurate, clinically relevant results and prevents regulatory setbacks caused by false positives, missed risks,…

Chemical characterisation is a crucial process in assessing the safety and biocompatibility of medical devices by identifying and quantifying the chemicals that make up their materials. Guided by ISO 10993-18, it ensures manufacturers understand potential chemical risks, enabling informed material…

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…

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…

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.

Service life validation demonstrates that a medical device continues to perform safely and effectively throughout its intended lifespan. It verifies durability under expected use, maintenance, and reprocessing conditions, supporting ISO 14971 compliance and risk management. By replicating real-world stressors, customised…

The importance of validating cleaning, disinfection, and sterilisation instructions for reusable medical devices and highlights of how ISO 17664 compliance protects patients and supports manufacturers in meeting regulatory requirements.

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,…

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…

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 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.

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

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.