1.1 Inclusions 1.1.1 This International Standard specifies general requirements for the characterization of a sterilizing agent and for the development, validation and routine monitoring and control of a sterilization process for medical devices. NOTE Although the scope of this International Standard is limited to medical devices, the requirements specified herein can also be applied to sterilization processes for other health care products. 1.1.2 This International Standard applies to sterilization processes in which microorganisms are inactivated by physical and/or chemical means. 1.1.3 This International Standard is intended to be applied by process developers, manufacturers of sterilization equipment, manufacturers of medical devices to be sterilized, and organizations responsible for sterilizing medical devices. 1.1.4 This International Standard specifies the elements of a Quality Management System which are necessary to assure the appropriate characterization of the sterilizing agent, development, validation and routine monitoring and control of a sterilization process. NOTE It is not a requirement of this International Standard to have a full quality management system. The necessary elements are normatively referenced at appropriate places in the text (see, in particular, Clause 4). Attention is drawn to the standards for quality management systems (see ISO 13485) that control all stages of production or reprocessing of medical devices. National and/or regional regulations for the provision of medical devices might require the implementation of a full quality management system and the assessment of that system by a third party. 1.2 Exclusions 1.2.1 This International Standard does not apply to sterilization processes that rely solely on physical removal of microorganisms (for example, filtration). 1.2.2 This International Standard does not describe detailed procedures for assessing microbial inactivation. 1.2.3 This International Standard does not specify requirements for characterization of an agent or for development, validation and routine control of a process for inactivating the causative agents of spongiform encephalopathies such as scrapie, bovine spongiform encephalopathy and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Specific recommendations have been produced in particular countries for the processing of materials potentially contaminated with these agents. NOTE See also ISO 22442-1, ISO 22442-2 and ISO 22442-3. 1.2.4 This International Standard does not supersede or modify published International Standards for particular sterilization processes.