IAF CertSearch Team Identifies 20,000 Fake or Fraudulent ISO QMS Certs
As of 2023, more than 27,000 medical device QMS certificates have been issued worldwide
On Feb. 13, 2023, 33 nations sent their medical device regulators to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to participate in the Global Harmonization Working Party. The GHWP is a nonprofit organization that studies and recommends ways to harmonize global medical device regulations
The IAF was asked to participate and provide an update on the IAF CertSearch database, a global database where users can search and validate the status of accredited certificates issued by a certification body that has itself been accredited by an IAF-recognized accreditation body. The IAF presentation was provided by Nigel Johnston, who developed the database.
The presentation given to the GHWP members focused attention on the use of ISO 13485 and how the IAF CertSearch database is helping regulators to verify the credibility of these certificates. Johnston’s presentation raised alarms. He noted that the IAF CertSearch team had identified 20,000 fake or fraudulent certificates in the last year alone.
Although it isn’t fully populated (the database represents about 44% of all ISO QMS certificates included in the ISO Survey), it is now mandatory that accredited certification bodies upload them. Because of this requirement, this percentage is expected to increase significantly.