IEC 62304 Overview

Medical Device Software Lifecycle Processes

What is IEC 62304?

IEC 62304 is an international standard that defines the lifecycle processes for medical device software. It establishes requirements for the development, maintenance, and risk management of software used in medical devices, ensuring patient safety and regulatory compliance.

The standard is harmonized with FDA regulations and is required for medical device software in many jurisdictions worldwide. It provides a framework for software development that integrates with quality management systems and risk management processes.

Software Safety Classification

Class A

No injury or damage to health is possible

  • • Basic documentation requirements
  • • Minimal risk management
  • • Standard development practices

Class B

Non-serious injury is possible

  • • Enhanced documentation
  • • Risk management required
  • • Software architecture documentation
  • • Software integration testing

Class C

Death or serious injury is possible

  • • Comprehensive documentation
  • • Detailed risk management
  • • Software architecture documentation
  • • Software integration testing
  • • Software system testing
  • • Software release testing

Software Lifecycle Processes

1. Software Development Process

  • Software development planning
  • Software requirements analysis
  • Software architectural design
  • Software detailed design
  • Software implementation

2. Software Maintenance Process

  • Problem and modification analysis
  • Modification implementation
  • Verification and validation of modifications
  • Software release

3. Software Risk Management Process

  • Software risk analysis
  • Software risk evaluation
  • Software risk control measures
  • Risk management documentation

Key Requirements by Safety Class

Documentation Requirements

Class A
  • • Software development plan
  • • Software requirements specification
  • • Software verification plan
  • • Software verification report
Class B
  • • All Class A requirements
  • • Software architecture specification
  • • Software integration plan
  • • Software integration test report
Class C
  • • All Class B requirements
  • • Software system test plan
  • • Software system test report
  • • Software release plan
  • • Software release report

Testing Requirements

Class A
  • • Software unit testing
  • • Software integration testing
Class B
  • • All Class A testing
  • • Software integration testing
  • • Software system testing
Class C
  • • All Class B testing
  • • Software release testing
  • • Software validation testing

Software Safety Requirements

Software Risk Management

  • Hazard identification and analysis
  • Software risk assessment and evaluation
  • Risk control measures implementation
  • Residual risk evaluation and acceptance

Software Configuration Management

  • Software configuration identification
  • Change control and version management
  • Software release management
  • Configuration status accounting

Software Problem Resolution

  • Problem identification and reporting
  • Problem analysis and root cause investigation
  • Corrective action implementation
  • Problem resolution verification

Related Medical Device Standards

Quality Management
  • • ISO 13485 - Medical device quality management
  • • ISO 14971 - Medical device risk management
  • • ISO 14155 - Clinical investigation of medical devices
Software Standards
  • • IEC 62366 - Usability engineering
  • • IEC 81001-5-1 - Health software lifecycle
  • • ISO 27001 - Information security management

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