In 2007, the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Government of the Netherlands, launched the Priority Medical Devices project to determine whether medical devices currently on the market were meeting the needs of health care providers and end users throughout the world and if not, to propose research to identify—and action to remedy—inadequacies or shortcomings.
The main objective of the Priority Medical Devices project was to identify gaps in the availability of preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic and assistive medical devices on the market. Mapping of gaps in the supply of medical devices constitutes a priority for governments and key stakeholders because of the need to treat disease or disability. In addition, the project assessed potential barriers to innovation as well as generated a research agenda and action plan.