Medical device design
& development

What are the real costs of developing a medical device? In this episode of Bio Break, Nick and Joris dive into one of the most frequently asked questions they hear from clients: How much does it cost to develop a medical device?

Nick and Joris tackle a question many tech and health enthusiasts have wondered for years: Where is my cortisol-sensing smartwatch? Nick shares a nostalgic story of reading about futuristic wearable technology in Popular Mechanics as a child — devices that would one day monitor biomarkers like cortisol to track stress and overall health. Now, decades later, he and Joris break down why such a wearable device still hasn’t become a reality.

We all know medical devices have labels, but how often do we consider their purpose and the effort required to ensure they provide the right information? Device labelling serves as the interface between the manufacturer, the user, and regulatory bodies. (Note that being from Canada, we spell labelling with two Ls.)

Sterilization is a critical process in the medical device industry as it provides a reliable way to ensure that devices are free from harmful microorganisms when they are used on patients. This blog talks about the categories of sterilization currently used on medical devices in manufacturing settings. It also addresses concerns surrounding the use of ethylene oxide (EtO), an indispensable method for sterilizing heat and moisture sensitive devices.

Predicting the trends of a new year is always interesting and a bit unpredictable. We asked our medical device design and development professionals to submit their most interesting medtech trends for 2025 and the reasoning behind their prediction. The results were surprisingly focused on two major trends: Home Healthcare and Wearable Devices. Within these categories, several technologies were identified including edge computing, IoT, and connected devices. In no particular ranking, here are our 2025 predictions:  

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) have released a draft guidance document, Considerations for Including Tissue Biopsies in Clinical Trials, issued in January 2025. It provides recommendations for sponsors, investigators, institutions, and Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) on the safe and ethical incorporation of tissue biopsies in clinical trials.