Essential Requirements
What are the general technical requirements for design and construction to bring my medical device product to the European market?
COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 93/42/EEC
ANNEX I
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS
II. REQUIREMENTS REGARDING DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
12. Requirements for medical devices connected to or equipped with an energy source
12.1. Devices incorporating electronic programmable systems must be designed to ensure the repeatability, reliability and performance of these systems according to the intended use. In the event of a single fault condition (in the system) appropriate means should be adopted to eliminate or reduce as far as possible consequent risks.
12.1a For devices which incorporate software or which are medical software in themselves, the software must be validated according to the state of the art taking into account the principles of development lifecycle, risk management, validation and verification.
12.2. Devices where the safety of the patients depends on an internal power supply must be equipped with a means of determining the state of the power supply.
12.3. Devices where the safety of the patients depends on an external power supply must include an alarm system to signal any power failure.
12.4. Devices intended to monitor one or more clinical parameters of a patient must be equipped with appropriate alarm systems to alert the user of situations which could lead to death or severe deterioration of the patient’s state of health.
12.5. Devices must be designed and manufactured in such a way as to minimize the risks of creating electromagnetic fields which could impair the operation of other devices or equipment in the usual environment.
12.6. Protection against electrical risks
Devices must be designed and manufactured in such a way as to avoid, as far as possible, the risk of accidental electric shocks during normal use and in single fault condition, provided the devices are installed correctly.
12.7. Protection against mechanical and thermal risks
12.7.1. Devices must be designed and manufactured in such a way as to protect the patient and user against mechanical risks connected with, for example, resistance, stability and moving parts.
12.7.2. Devices must be designed and manufactured in such a way as to reduce to the lowest possible level the risks arising from vibration generated by the devices, taking account of technical progress and of the means available for limiting vibrations, particularly at source, unless the vibrations are part of the specified performance.
12.7.3. Devices must be designed and manufactured in such a way as to reduce to the lowest possible level the risks arising from the noise emitted, taking account of technical progress and of the means available to reduce noise, particularly at source, unless the noise emitted is part of the specified performance.
12.7.4. Terminals and connectors to the electricity, gas or hydraulic and pneumatic energy supplies which the user has to handle must be designed and constructed in such a way as to minimize all possible risks.
12.7.5. Accessible parts of the devices (excluding the parts or areas intended to supply heat or reach given temperatures) and their surroundings must not attain potentially dangerous temperatures under normal use.
12.8. Protection against the risks posed to the patient by energy supplies or substances
12.8.1. Devices for supplying the patient with energy or substances must be designed and constructed in such a way that the flow-rate can be set and maintained accurately enough to guarantee the safety of the patient and of the user.
12.8.2. Devices must be fitted with the means of preventing and/or indicating any inadequacies in the flow-rate which could pose a danger.
Devices must incorporate suitable means to prevent, as far as possible, the accidental release of dangerous levels of energy from an energy and/or substance source.
12.9. The function of the controls and indicators must be clearly specified on the devices.
Where a device bears instructions required for its operation or indicates operating or adjustment parameters by means of a visual system, such information must be understandable to the user and, as appropriate, the patient.