Health Technologies

Pharmaceuticals, vaccines, medical devices and equipment

Introduction

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health technologies as “the application of organised knowledge and skills in devices, medicines, vaccines, procedures, and systems developed to solve health problems and improve quality of life.”

Health technologies include a wide range of tools and innovations designed to prevent, diagnose, treat, and manage health conditions. They include medical devices, diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, vaccines, surgical techniques, rehabilitation equipment, health information systems, and digital health solutions.

Health technologies are essential for improving the efficiency of healthcare delivery, improving patient outcomes, and promoting population health. They enable healthcare providers to deliver more appropriate, personalised treatments and interventions. Health technologies are indispensable tools for achieving universal health coverage, addressing health disparities, and advancing global health goals. Medical devices and equipment are subgroups of health technologies, and their definitions can be found below.

Definitions

    “The application of organised knowledge and skills in the form of devices, medicines, vaccines, procedures and systems developed to solve a health problem and improve quality of life. It is used interchangeably with healthcare technology.”
    “An article, instrument, apparatus or machine that is used in the prevention, diagnosis or treatment of illness or disease, or for detecting, measuring, restoring, correcting or modifying the structure or function of the body for some health purpose. Typically, the purpose of a medical device is not achieved by pharmacological, immunological or metabolic means.”
    “Medical devices requiring calibration, maintenance, repair, user training, and decommissioning − activities usually managed by clinical engineers. Medical equipment is used for the specific purposes of diagnosis and treatment of disease or rehabilitation following disease or injury; it can be used alone or in combination with any accessory, consumable, or other medical equipment. Medical equipment excludes implantable, disposable or single-use medical devices.”

    Conclusion

    The definitions above are provided by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, while there are similarities in how medical devices are defined globally, there are also notable differences due to variations in regulatory frameworks, healthcare systems, cultural norms, and legal interpretations that can impact regulatory pathways and market access.

    Updated on 05 Mar 2024