IMDRFRegulatory IntelligenceGuidance
IMDRF/SaMD WG/N12

SaMD: Possible Framework for Risk Categorization and Corresponding Considerations

Proposes the risk-categorisation framework for Software as a Medical Device: category is driven by the significance of the information the software provides to a healthcare decision and by the state of the healthcare situation or condition it addresses.

LAST REVISED
September 2014
PRODUCT AREAS
Devices
SCOPE & APPLICABILITY

All SaMD. The framework is the conceptual basis several jurisdictions have drawn on when setting software classification and evidence expectations.

KEY REQUIREMENTS
  • 01Documented SaMD categorisation with the reasoning behind both axes
  • 02Evidence and lifecycle rigour proportionate to the category
  • 03Reconciliation of the framework against each market’s binding classification rules
IMPLEMENTATION TIPS
Categorise on intended use and clinical context, never on technical complexity
Keep the categorisation rationale in the technical file — it is the argument behind your evidence scope
Re-examine the category whenever intended use or claims change; a claims expansion can move it

IMDRF/SaMD WG/N12: frequently asked questions

Quick answers to common questions about IMDRF/SaMD WG/N12.

What is IMDRF/SaMD WG/N12?

IMDRF/SaMD WG/N12 — SaMD: Possible Framework for Risk Categorization and Corresponding Considerations — is a guidance issued by the International Medical Device Regulators Forum. Proposes the risk-categorisation framework for Software as a Medical Device: category is driven by the significance of the information the software provides to a healthcare decision and by the state of the healthcare situation or condition it addresses.

Who does IMDRF/SaMD WG/N12 apply to?

All SaMD. The framework is the conceptual basis several jurisdictions have drawn on when setting software classification and evidence expectations.

What are the key requirements of IMDRF/SaMD WG/N12?

IMDRF/SaMD WG/N12 requires, among other things: Documented SaMD categorisation with the reasoning behind both axes; Evidence and lifecycle rigour proportionate to the category; Reconciliation of the framework against each market’s binding classification rules.

When was IMDRF/SaMD WG/N12 last updated?

The current version of IMDRF/SaMD WG/N12 dates from September 2014.

RELATED STANDARDS
RELATED FDA RECALLS
where Risk Management & CAPA control fails
See all Risk Management & CAPA recalls →

Live openFDA recalls SPEQ maps to this standard’s topics — a SPEQ interpretation, not an FDA classification.

THIS STANDARD IN PRACTICE

Recall domain is a SPEQ mapping of this standard’s topics, not an FDA classification.

Weekly Briefing

Track the standards that move

When IMDRF/SaMD WG/N12 — or any GxP requirement — is revised, recalled against, or clarified by new guidance, the Weekly GxP Briefing surfaces it. Free, one email a week.

Read a past issue →