ISO 11137-1:2025

Sterilization of health care products — Radiation — Part 1: Requirements for the development, validation and routine control of a sterilization process for medical devices

1.1       This document specifies requirements for the development, validation and routine control of a radiation sterilization process for medical devices.

NOTE         Although the scope is limited to medical devices, this document can be applicable to other products and equipment.

This document covers radiation processes employing irradiators using:

a)      the radionuclide ⁶⁰Co or ¹³⁷Cs;

b)      a beam from an electron generator; or

c)       a beam from an X-ray generator.

1.2       This document is not applicable to processes for inactivating viruses or the causative agents of spongiform encephalopathies, such as scrapie, bovine spongiform encephalopathy and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

NOTE         For information on such processes, see ISO 22442-1, ISO 22442-2, ISO 22442-3, ISO 13022 and ICH Q5A.

1.2.1       This document does not specify requirements for designating a medical device as sterile.

NOTE         Regional and national requirements can designate medical devices as sterile. See, for example, EN 556-1 or ANSI/AAMI ST67.

1.2.2