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A GMDN code is the five-digit number attached to a Global Medical Device Nomenclature (GMDN) Term, the internationally used name-and-definition entry that groups a type of medical device. Anyone can register for free on the GMDN website to look Terms up; revealing a Term’s code uses a Code Credit, and new basic members receive 10. This page is general information, not regulatory or medical advice.
Definition and scope
The GMDN Agency describes the GMDN as the system used to name and group medical devices. Each entry is a GMDN Term, and the GMDN Agency’s FAQ states that a Term is made up of several data elements, including the Term Name, the GMDN Code and a GMDN Definition. The Term Name and Definition say what kind of device it is; the code is the five-digit identifier for that Term.
The GMDN is maintained by the GMDN Agency, a registered UK charity (1154418) and non-profit organisation based in Chalgrove, Oxford. The agency says its database holds more than 25,000 Terms, and it calls the GMDN the world’s foremost standard for naming, defining and categorising medical devices; that is the agency’s own description.
The unit you choose is the Term, not the code. A code identifies a kind of device (for example, a category of catheter or elevator), not an individual product, model or lot.
How a GMDN code is found in practice
The agency’s FAQ describes the path members follow:
- Register as a member on the GMDN website. Registration is free.
- Search the database until you find the Term whose name and definition best fit the device. Members can see all Terms.
- Use a Code Credit to reveal the five-digit code for that Term. The code is then stored in your account under My Terms.
- If no Term fits, submit a request through the GMDN Enquiry Service, where the Term Development Team decides whether an existing Term fits, an existing Term should change, or a new Term is needed. The agency says this process is complex and can take several weeks, and that fees and priority depend on membership type.
Who can use it, and what it costs
According to the GMDN Agency FAQ, anyone can register for free to access and use any GMDN Term, and the full GMDN is available for free to regulators, healthcare providers and academic researchers. Paid membership applies to manufacturers and commercial organisations, which receive more Code Credits and, for paid manufacturer members, updates on future changes to their Terms. Current fees are set by the agency on its own site and are not repeated here.
Where it matters for labs, clinics and supply decisions
The clearest regulatory use on record is in the United States. FDA’s GUDID page says the AccessGUDID database includes a field for the GMDN Code along with the code’s status, Active or Obsolete, and that these fields are available in AccessGUDID and in the openFDA Unique Device Identifier endpoint.
FDA also states that it will remove FDA Preferred Term (PT) Codes from GUDID because they are no longer necessary now that anyone can access and use GMDN Codes for free. Once the PT Codes are removed, GUDID users will only be able to use GMDN Codes, and FDA encourages users to switch now. For the full submission workflow, see our guide to UDI labeling and GUDID submission.
Checklist when you meet a GMDN code on a record
| Check | Why, from the sources |
|---|---|
| Look up the Term name and definition, not only the number | The Term is the unit of the GMDN; the code is one of its data elements. |
| Read the code’s status | AccessGUDID shows the status of a GMDN Code as Active or Obsolete. |
| Confirm the Term describes the actual device | The code is attached to a type of device; a Term chosen for a different type of device misdescribes the record. |
| Treat PT codes as being phased out | FDA says it is removing FDA Preferred Term Codes from GUDID, after which only GMDN Codes can be used. |
Common misunderstandings
- It is not a price, quality or approval signal. The GMDN names and groups devices; the sources above say nothing about clearance or approval.
- It is not an FDA classification. FDA device class and product code are FDA constructs. For examples of how those are described, see Robinson catheter: materials, sizes and FDA class and Freer elevator: what it is and how it is classified.
- It does not identify a single product. It identifies a Term for a kind of device; the UDI system is separate and GMDN is one field within a GUDID record.
- It is not paywalled for everyone. Free registration gives access to the Terms; the agency’s paid tiers are aimed at manufacturers and commercial organisations.
Frequently asked questions
What is a GMDN code?
It is the five-digit number belonging to a GMDN Term. The Term also has a name and a definition describing the type of device.
Is a GMDN code free?
Registration is free for anyone, and basic members receive 10 Code Credits on joining, each of which reveals one code. Regulators, healthcare providers and academic researchers have free access to the full GMDN. Commercial membership terms are on the GMDN Agency site.
Who assigns a GMDN code?
Members choose the best-fitting existing Term themselves. If none fits, the GMDN Agency’s Term Development Team handles an Enquiry and may create or modify a Term.
Where does the code appear in FDA data?
In the GMDN fields of AccessGUDID and the openFDA Unique Device Identifier endpoint, together with the code’s Active or Obsolete status. For another example of device descriptions that sit alongside such records, see what underpads are, their types and FDA classification.
Sources
- GMDN Agency, Frequently Asked Questions, https://www.gmdnagency.org/Home/FAQ (checked 2026-10-30).
- GMDN Agency, home page, https://www.gmdnagency.org/ (checked 2026-10-30).
- U.S. FDA, Global Unique Device Identification Database (GUDID), https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/unique-device-identification-system-udi-system/global-unique-device-identification-database-gudid (checked 2026-10-30).
