A medical device is an instrument, apparatus, implant, in vitro reagent, or similar or related article that is used to diagnose, prevent, or treat disease or other conditions, and does not achieve its purposes through chemical action within or on the body (which would make it a medicine). Whereas medicinal products (also called pharmaceuticals) achieve their principal action by pharmacological, metabolic or immunological means, medical devices act by other means like physical, mechanical, or thermal means. Medical devices vary greatly in complexity and application. Examples range from tongue depressors, medical thermometers, and blood sugar meters to advanced devices such as medical robots, microchip implants, and neuroprosthesis.
The global medical device market reached roughly 209 billion US Dollar in 2006, and was expected to grow at an average annual rate of 6–9% through 2010.
Read more about Medical Device: Classification, Medical Devices and Technological Security Issues, Standardization and Regulatory Concerns, Academic Resources
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