ISO 13485

ISO 13485 is an ISO standard, published in 2003, that represents the requirements for a comprehensive management system for the design and manufacture of medical devices. This standard supersedes earlier documents such as EN 46001 and EN 46002 (both 1997), the ISO 13485 published in 1996 and ISO 13488 (also 1996).

While it remains a stand-alone document, ISO 13485 is generally harmonized with ISO 9001. A fundamental difference, however, is that ISO 9001 requires the organization to demonstrate continuous improvement, whereas ISO 13485 requires only that they demonstrate the quality system is implemented and maintained. Other specific differences include:


 * the promotion and awareness of regulatory requirements as a management responsibility, will providing resources and during reviews. An example of the market specific regulatory requirements is 21 CFR 820 Quality System Regulation for Medical Devices sold in the United States.
 * controls in the work environment to ensure product safety
 * focus on risk management activities and design transfer activities during product development
 * specific requirements for inspection and traceability for implantable devices
 * specific requirements for documentation and validation of processes for sterile medical devices
 * specific requirements for verification of the effectiveness of corrective and preventive actions

Compliance with ISO 13485 is often seen as the first step in achieving compliance with European regulatory requirements. The conformity of Medical Devices and In-vitro Diagnostic Medical Device according to EEC-decrees 93/42/EEC, 90/385/EEC and 98/79/EEC must be assessed before sale is permitted. The preferred method to prove conformity is the certification of the Quality Management System according ISO 9001 and/or ISO 13485, ISO 13488, or ISO 14971 by a Conformity Assessment Body (CAB). The result of a positive assessment is the authorisation for the CE-identification and the permission to sell the high quality medical device in the European Union.